Morning Star (7 page)

He led them down the hospital corridor without saying a word. He moved at a brisk clip and they walked fast to keep up.

He led them into a large room of many machines of different shapes and sizes. Some beeped actively, others stood silent. Dannie lay on a bed in the middle of the room. Nurse Edmonton held her hand and talked to her. Doctor Fleming worked a machine, his back to the group.

"Danielle your family is here," Matthews said above the beeps, buzzing, and whirring. 

Dannie turned in her bed and smiled and waved.

"This way please. I'd like you to see something before you talk to the patient."

Matthews led them to a table by the door. He picked up a long sheet of paper. There were several graphs on the page.

"I don't pretend to understand this but the results of the test were very encouraging. Look here." He pointed to the first graph. "See those spikes going up."

He picked up another paper. "This is the analysis from two weeks ago. Look at the spikes. They are not nearly as pronounced. Those are heart rhythms. Two weeks ago they were weak and irregular. Now steady and strong."

"This," he said pointing to another chart, "is her white blood count. Two weeks ago, dangerously high. Today, still high but not dangerously so."

The doctor put down the papers. He took off his glasses and wiped them on the sleeve of his white lab coat. Doctor Fleming walked to his side.

"What Doctor Matthews is trying to say is Dannie is showing remarkable improvement."

"Louder please," Dannie said from her bed.

Doctor Matthews put his glasses back on. He pushed them up on his nose with his forefinger.

"She does appear to be getting better," he said loud enough for Dannie to hear.

When the hugging and the crying had slowed, Matthews took Nate off to the side.

"I must tell you that Danielle is not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. These results, though encouraging, can be misleading. I don't want you to get your hopes up and then see your daughter relapse."

"Doctor," Nate said as he looked over at everyone gathered around Dannie's bed, "you're gonna give me this one. Whether you want to or not, you're going to let me have this one miracle. Tomorrow I'm marrying a woman I love for a second time and Dannie's going to walk down the aisle behind her at the church, spreading flowers as she goes."

He faced the doctor. "That's my miracle. It may not last forever but it's a good and strong miracle."

Nate looked the man straight in his eyes. "And I'm keeping it."

21

The wedding went without a hitch. The day was beautiful as were the bride and the flower girl. Forty-two people attended, mostly friends of the bride and groom.

Afterwards most of the invited guests left for a reception at the Rising Sun ranch where a large tent had been set up with tables of food and drinks.

Everyone had something to say about Dannie's health, all of it good. Dannie took it all in stride, shrugging it off as if it was old news. 

Nate, Cindy, and Dannie were the first to arrive at the ranch. Al and Margaret followed in the car behind. Morning Star waited alone at the corral fence. His companions had not yet been released from their stalls. He began to whinny and prance when he saw Dannie emerge from the family station wagon.

"Can I see him, daddy? Can I see him, mom?"

Cindy's heart skipped a beat when she said those words. Nate looked at his new wife and nodded.

"Go ahead Dannie," she said. "It looks like he's been waiting on you."

Dannie walked to the fence, still slow but faster than yesterday, still carrying some flowers in her hand.

Nate and Cindy watched Dannie pet the horse through the slats of the wooden barricade. Dannie's grandparents walked up behind them.

"I believe in God. I believe in his power to heal." Margaret said when she was close enough for all to hear.

She produced a rosary from her purse. "I was going to give Dannie this. I thought it might protect her. But she already has a protector." 

She put the rosary into her purse and snapped it shut.  "Now how about we get this party started."

It was dusk and things were winding down. A few of the invited guests still mingled about, some dancing to music from a portable record player brought outside from the living room. The horses were out of the stables, fed and watered by Kenny, with help from his girlfriend Becky.

"Got a minute?" Bill Travers, one of the remaining guests, asked at Nate's shoulder.

"What's up Bill?" 

"I just wanted to say I was wrong about the horse. I didn't realize at the time how much he means to your daughter."

"They're close," Nate said. He saw that Dannie had returned to the fence and sat in front of it. Morning Star had knelt down on all fours. His head rested on the bottom slat. Dannie rubbed his head.

"Never seen a horse do that before," Travers said shaking his head.

"Neither have I," Nate added.

"It's my son Tommy who really wants the stallion. Not sure why. Never sure  about anything with that boy. Anyhow, glad to see Dannie's improving. Great news." He gripped Nate's shoulder and held out his hand. 

"Gotta run. I'll be seeing you soon."

Nate shook his hand. "Thanks for coming Bill."

Travers turned once more to the corral. He shook his head again as he walked to his jeep.

Nate and Cindy walked hand in hand toward Dannie and Morning Star. All the guests had left except for Al and Margaret. She had insisted on cleaning up some afterwards and her husband snored loudly on the living room lazy boy, having drifted off to sleep while watching an episode of M.A.S.H.

"Time for bed Dannie. It's been a long day," her father said to her when they were close enough.

Dannie continued to rub the horse's head.

"Dannie?"

"Something bad's gonna happen," Dannie said without turning around.

Nate released Cindy's hand and knelt down beside his daughter.

"What do you mean something bad is going to happen?" he asked the child.

"Morning Star told me." She turned and faced her father. "He didn't tell me what or when, just that it would happen."

"Come on Dannie." He gently took her arm and looked up at Cindy. "It's been a long day."

"Goodnight, Star," she said with a last pat on the head.

Nate didn't ask her if she wanted to walk. He picked her up and wrapped her in his arms. Dannie locked her arms around her father's neck and he walked toward the house.

Cindy hesitated. She turned toward the corral. Morning Star had stood up and his eyes followed the girl.

"Protect her Morning Star," Cindy said to the animal. The horse turned his head to her, just for a moment, before moving his gaze back to Dannie, safe in her father's arms.

22

The flashbacks of Vietnam always had him back there, risking his life once again. The long plane ride from Oakland Air Force Base to the war zone was simply a memory. These days all he had to do to return to Vietnam was to observe or hear something, anything, that could be a reminder of that year. A sunset or a thunderclap, either could be a catalyst.

Sleeping proved to be the most effective time machine by far. Some nights were dreamless, but when he did dream, they most often involved the jungles of war.

This night he dreamed once more, and again he returned to the land of the dead.

Mortar rounds punching the ground like the fist of God. They were coming nearer. Somehow they had found him again. No matter how deep he hid they always found him.

Make it stop. His hands pushed against his ears. Please make it stop. And it did. This time the explosions ended, the ground ceased shaking, and the jungle became silent.

When it seemed safe enough, he rose from the earth and looked around. Katy, as beautiful as the jungle was ugly, stood beside him.

"Why do you keep coming back here, Nathan? It's a sad and lonely place."

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Demons bring you here. You ride here on their backs while they laugh at your misery."

"Don't lecture me Katy. I told you I don't know."

She cocked her head and examined him, trying to figure him out.

"You're a tough one Nathan, but I'm here to help if you'll let me."

"I need help Katy."

"The war is a selfish beast. It wants all of you for itself. But others need you more. I'm here to tell you about Danielle."

"Okay."

"It's important that you listen to me Nathan because I won't visit your dreams again. Do you remember what your friend Dave Jeffries told you?"

"I remember."

"Good. He's a fine young man. He took a message from me to you, and now I'll return the favor. He wants you to know that you were in no way responsible for his death. He wants you to feel no guilt about that."

A weight lifted from him. A large and heavy weight that he had brought back from Vietnam and carried to his ranch in Arizona. He began to cry for the first time in front of Katy.

"Time to move on to our daughter. Agreed?"

"Yes, it's time."

"Look around. See anything out of place?"

He looked down at the ground. Dark blue flowers that looked like roses spread out around him. 

"You need to find these outside of your dream. They're hard to find Nathan. One has come to you in another form, but you still need to find the flower. Just one will do."

Katy moved closer and smiled. 

"I wasn't going to come here again and this is the last time I will. You have another life now and so do I. I do this for you and for Danielle. Love never dies. Never forget that."

"I won't."

"You'll know when you save her, Nathan, you'll know. You will have help when the time comes. You will be led to it. The journey of the three has already begun. The destination is near. The time of war is over for you Nathan. Now is the time for heroes."

He opened his eyes. The moon had cast shadows across the ceiling. He imagined himself as the way he wanted to be, a caring loving father, a devoted husband. And now he felt free to be both. 

He closed his eyes once more and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

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