River's Song - The Inn at Shining Waters Series (25 page)

Anna's dugout canoe sliced a quiet path through the glasslike surface of the river. Today the Siuslaw was the color of topaz, reflecting the autumnal shades of trees along its edges. The maple leaves fluctuated from green to gold to rusty red. Anna had just turned the canoe around, paddling back to the inn where she would start breakfast, when the silvery form of a good-sized fish shot out of the water. Soaring more than a foot up, it arched, gracefully coming down with a quiet splash. The third one she'd seen this morning.

Spawning season had begun. The salmon were beginning their annual migration upriver, and in a day or two the whole river would be hopping with them, with fishermen not far behind. Grandma Pearl used to say that the salmon were practicing their jumping skills, getting strong enough to make it up mountain streams and small waterfalls so that they could lay their eggs in the same spots their ancestors had been procreating their young for hundreds of years.

October had always been Anna's favorite month on the river. With mild weather, good fishing, harvest moons, and gorgeous sunsets, it was hard to beat. And this year—her first October back on the Siuslaw in twenty years—she was sharing this time with Clark. Only two weeks since returning from their honeymoon, Anna and Clark had already fallen into a comfortable pattern. He was nearly finished with the first cabin and she was enjoying puttering around, putting up garden produce, visiting with neighbors, and being a wife again.

She had just come into the house when she heard the phone ringing. Surprised that someone would call this early in the morning, she hurried to answer it. Perhaps it was a guest wanting to book a room. So far the guests had been few, but both she and Clark agreed that was a blessing in disguise because it allowed them more time to enjoy being newlyweds.

"Mom?" It was Lauren and she sounded upset.

"Yes, dear, it's me. How are you?"

"Not good, Mom. Not good at all."

"Oh, dear, are you sick?"Anna had heard there was a bad case of influenza going around in the cities. Lauren had been on campus less than a month; surely she wasn't sick.

"I don't know . . . maybe."

A wave of worry washed over Anna. She remembered the time when Lauren had been seriously ill with scarlet fever as a young child. "Tell me what's wrong, Lauren. What are your symptoms?"

"I've been throwing up and I just feel awful."

"Oh, dear, that sounds like influenza. Do other students have it too?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe you should go to the doctor."

"I don't know who to go to here."

"What about your sorority mother, can she help you?"

"Mrs. Ellis is just horrible, Mom. She's a real witch. Everyone hates her."

Anna controlled herself from correcting her daughter. "Well, is there a clinic on campus you can go to?"

"I don't know, Mom." Now Lauren was starting to cry.

"I'll talk to Clark,"Anna said quickly. "Maybe he can bring me up there and we'll figure out what's going on with you."

"OK." Lauren's voice sounded weak now.

"You'll be all right until I get there?"

"Yeah, I'm going back to bed."

"Good. Stay warm. And I'll call your dorm and leave a message about when we'll arrive." As soon as she hung up, Anna ran outside to where Clark was just coming up the stairs.

"Good morn—" He stopped, studying her closely. "What's wrong?"

She quickly explained and Clark, without questioning her, said he'd be ready to go as soon as they had some breakfast. As she hurried to cook eggs and toast, she told Clark about the time Lauren had been sick with scarlet fever. "She was so little and so ill." Anna set his plate in front of him. "And her fever was so high I really thought we were going to lose her." She sighed as she went for her own plate. "Even after she recovered there was some concern about heart problems. Although she's been fairly healthy since then. Until now."

"Don't worry, honey." He patted her hand. "We'll be there by this afternoon and we'll stay as long as you like."

"Or maybe we can bring her home with us."

"Sure. If you think she'll be comfortable in the pickup." He frowned. "Times like this make me wish I had a car instead."

Now Anna thought hard. "I wonder if Dorothy might be able to help. She lives near the college. If she could bring Lauren here in her car." Already Anna was heading for the phone.

"If Dorothy can bring her, Lauren could be here by this afternoon," Clark pointed out. "Then you could nurse her back to health."

"Yes,"Anna said eagerly. She was already dialing the operator. Before long, Dorothy was on the other end of the line and Anna explained the dilemma. "I hate to bother you, but—"

"It's no bother," Dorothy told her.

"But I hadn't considered—what if she has something contagious."

Dorothy laughed. "Don't you worry. I'm strong as a horse. My girls come home sick with illnesses every year and I never seem to catch a thing."

"OK . . . if you're sure."

"You just give me the details of where she's at and I'll head over there straightaway. I'll pack blankets and pillows and maybe a thermos of tea. My girls are in school. And even if they get home before I do, they're capable of being by themselves for a few hours. And Ralph gets home by six. Really, I'd enjoy the drive, Anna. Don't give it another thought. I might even stay into the weekend, if you have the room."

"Of course. You know you're always welcome here." Now Anna told Dorothy the address on campus and they estimated the time she'd arrive in town. "I'll meet you at the grocery store,"Anna promised. "I need to get some things anyway."

Next, Anna called Lauren's sorority and explained to Mrs.Ellis that Lauren was ill and that her friend Dorothy would arrive there soon to pick her up.

"She's sick?" Mrs. Ellis sounded surprised as well as a bit grumpy.

"Yes. I think it may be influenza. She's been vomiting."

"This is the first I've heard of it."

"Yes, well, it may have just come on her this morning. She can stay with us through the weekend and we'll see how it goes. Perhaps she'll be well enough to return to classes sometime next week. But if she's contagious, it might be best if she's not there."

"Yes, that sounds wise. I'll let Lauren know your friend is coming."

Anna hung up the phone and returned to the table where Clark was just filling her coffee cup. "Sounds like you've got it all worked out."

"Yes." She sighed and sat down. "Thank goodness for Dorothy."

"I wouldn't mind driving up there, but for Lauren's sake, I'm glad Dorothy can transport her." He patted Anna's hand." Now, try not to worry."

"Yes . . . you're right. Worrying doesn't help anything."

"But this does make me wonder if now that I'm a married man, I should consider getting us a car."

"But the road is so terrible, Clark."

He nodded. "We could keep the car parked in town. That way if there was an emergency, we'd zip down in the boat and have a car to use."

"Oh, I don't think we really need a car."

"But what about when you have guests at the inn. Perhaps you'll want a car if you want to pick them up or take them somewhere, Anna. You never know."

Anna was embarrassed now. "I don't even know how to drive, Clark."

He chuckled. "Well, I've seen you handle a boat. I'm sure you'd be just fine behind the wheel of a car too."

She smiled. "It might be nice to know how to drive."

"Then we will see that you do."

"I just hope I don't put you through too much stress. I remember how Eunice complained when Lauren was learning to drive."

Now he told her about teaching Marshall to drive a couple of years ago. "And that boy had a lead foot and an attitude to go with it. I'm sure teaching you will be a piece of cake."

After the breakfast things were cleaned up, Anna went to work getting things ready for Lauren. Although the weather had been temperate, she decided to put a heating pad in the bed for her, as well as an extra quilt. She also put a water pitcher and glass on the bedside table, as well as a small vase of garden flowers. Then she made a grocery list and called in her order, saying she would pick them up around two.

To keep herself from worrying about Lauren, she decided to make some of Lauren's favorite childhood foods, including baked custard and snickerdoodle cookies. Staying busy was good medicine for her, because she began to look forward to Lauren's visit—focusing more on the time they'd get to spend together—rather than fretting over her being sick. She was so thankful that Lauren had called her—not her paternal grandmother, Eunice. That alone gave Anna great hope that their relationship was already much improved. What Anna's estranged mother-in-law would have to say about this when she found out (and knowing Eunice she
would
find out) was beyond Anna's control.

As Anna removed the last batch of cookies from the oven, she mentally compared Clark's mother, Hazel, to Eunice. Could two women be more different? Strangely, Anna never met Adam's mother until after they had married—against his mother's will. But she had met Hazel even before she met Clark. Perhaps that was a better way to plan a successful marriage— meet the mother-in-law-to-be first.

"Hello, darling!" Clark came up from behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and hugging her. "Smells good in here."

"I'm keeping myself distracted by cooking." She turned around, kissed him, then handed him a warm cookie.

"Am I a lucky man or am I a lucky man?" He grinned and took a bite. "Yummy."

"They're Lauren's favorites. I hope she'll feel up to having one."

"Poor girl. I hope their trip is going smoothly."

"I hope Dorothy thought to bring a bucket." Anna made a face. "In case Lauren gets sick, you know."

He made a face. "Oh, I didn't even think of that. Anyway, if you like, I can pick them up in town. I put the full cover on the boat so it'll be warmer for the patient."

"I planned to go,"Anna told him. "I've got groceries to pick up."

"You want a hand?"

She smiled. "I'd love it."

"We could put a cot in the boat if you think she'll need to lie down."

Anna nodded. "That's a good idea. And I'll get some blankets and things. And I already called Dr. Robertson. I explained that I wasn't sure what was wrong and he actually offered to come out and look at her."

"A doctor who makes house calls?"

She smiled. "He said he saw the article in the newspaper about our wedding. And he was so impressed with what he read about the inn that he's been wanting to come out and see it."

"Aha! So an inn comes in handy for lots of things."

Anna felt worried again. "I just hope she's OK, Clark." He hugged her again. "Even if she's really sick, she will have to get well quickly with you caring for her, Anna. Like Mom says, you have a gift when it comes to healing."

Anna wasn't too sure, but she didn't want to argue. She hoped Hazel and Clark were right.