Take a Deep Breath (Lake of the Pines) (11 page)

“I didn’t mean to get lost. Pup-Pup ran off and I was trying
to get her to come back. Then I tripped over my flip-flop and slipped in the
mud. The next thing I knew I was down here. I was trying to get to that big
tree over there so someone could find me, but my ankle hurt really badly.”

“You did the right thing,” Luke reassured her. “Here’s what
we’re going to do. Cam and I need to get your leg immobilized, so it doesn’t
hurt so much when we move you. Do you know what immobilized means?”

She shook her head no.

“It means we’re going to make it so you can’t move it for
now. Once we get you out of here, then the doctors will be able to take a look
at it and make it better for you. Okay?”

She nodded okay.

“First, I’m going to let Cam examine you. Then we’ll put the
splint on your ankle.”

“All right, Sara. I want you to follow my finger with your
eyes.” Cam moved his index finger slowly to the right and across her field of
vision to the left. Then he brought it toward her nose. “That’s great Sweetie.
Do you remember hitting your head when you fell?”

“No, just my foot.”

“Does your head hurt at all?”

“No.”

“Do you feel dizzy?”

“No, my ankle just hurts really, really bad.”

Cam could tell just by looking at the angle of her foot that
her ankle was broken. It would probably need surgery, but at least the bone
wasn’t visible. He felt both her feet. Her right one, already swollen, was
definitely hot to the touch. Next Cam touched each of her toes.

“Can you feel that? Which toe am I touching?”

“My big toe.”

“Good. What about now?”

“My pinkie toe.”

“Good,” Cam reassured her as he made sure she could feel each
toe. “Okay, can you wiggle your toes for me now?”

She flexed her toes once and cried out in pain.

“I know it hurts. We’ll get you some medicine to make it
stop hurting so much as soon as we can. Luke and I are going to put the splint
around your leg now. It might hurt a little while we’re getting it on, but
we’re going to be as gentle as possible. You’re doing great.”

“Okay, Cam.”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.” She squeezed her eyes shut tight.

“Hold my hand. Squeeze it as hard as you want.”

Luke slid a piece of stiff cardboard that he’d bent into the
shape of a “U” and lined with one of the towels in his pack, under her leg.
Next he placed another folded towel under her ankle to give it more support.
Finally, he used medical tape to hold the splint together. Sara grasped Cam’s
hand harder and harder. She screamed in pain and tears streamed down her face,
but didn’t pull away from Luke.

“You’re so brave, Sara. He’s almost done.”

Luke felt her foot and repeated the steps Cam had performed
earlier, making sure she could still feel and move her toes.

“Hello?” voices called from above and over the radio.

“Down here,” Luke yelled.

A team of paramedics appeared on the rim of the ravine. Cam
and Luke waved to them.

“Gotcha you, Luke,” one of the paramedics yelled down to them.

“If you go about 500 yards or so that way, you’ll see where
it slopes down gradually,” Cam yelled up, pointing toward the east. They nodded
and headed that way.

“Okay Sara, these guys are going to put you on a stretcher
or a little bed. You won’t be able to move your head a lot, but you are going
to be okay. We just don’t want you to get hurt any more than you already are
when we move you.” Luke continued to explain what was going to happen and
reassure her.

Minutes later the paramedic team had Sara secured to the
board and ready to go. They slowly carried her out of the ravine to the path
that led back to the shelter area. Once they were out of the ravine, Cam
checked his cell phone again. He finally had one bar and punched in Liv’s
number.

Her cell phone began to ring. Startled Liv and Hannah both
dropped their hand of cards. Liv held her breath as she answered. Caller ID
told her it was Cam.

“Hello?” Liv braced herself for the worst.

“Livvy, we found her. She’s okay!”

“Thank you, God. Thank you, Cam.” Liv broke down. She looked
over and saw her grandmother’s worried face. Liv gave her a thumbs-up sign and
mouthed “they found her!”

“We’re headed to the Horse Shoe shelter area where the
ambulance is waiting. She’s hurt her ankle and she’s a little dehydrated, but
she’s going to be just fine.”

“Hurt?” Panic returned to the pit of Liv’s stomach.

“Try not to worry. She fell and broke her ankle, but she
should make a full recovery. We’ll be transferring her to the hospital, but
we’ll need your consent first before they’ll be able to do surgery. She’s
asking for you… Liv? Are you still there?” The line was silent. He lost the
connection. Liv was already out the door running toward her car with Hannah
right behind her.

Cam and the team of paramedics arrived with Sara, just as
Liv and Hannah pulled into the Horse Shoe shelter parking lot. They lowered her
stretcher onto the gurney from the ambulance. Cam held her hand as they wheeled
her towards the back door of the ambulance.

“Mommy, Mommy,’” Sara cried when she saw Liv. “I’m so sorry,
Mommy. I’m so, so sorry. Please don’t be mad at me. I was so scared.”

Liv bent down and wrapped her arms around the little girl, laying
her head on top of hers. “It’s okay baby. I’m not mad. You’re going to be okay
now.”

“You must be Sara’s mom,” Luke said, offering her his hand.
“I’m Luke, search and rescue coordinator. You have a brave little girl there.
You should be proud of her.”

“I am. Thank you so much for finding her… I am so grateful
to you. To both of you…” She met Cam’s eyes. “I can’t thank you and the whole
search team enough. I don’t know what I’d have done if…”

“I’m glad it’s a happy ending,” Luke interrupted. “It looks
like she broke her ankle when she fell, though. She might need surgery, but we
won’t know for sure until they x-ray it. We need your permission to transport
her to the county hospital.”

“Yes, yes. Of course.” The paramedics loaded Sara into the
ambulance.

“Did he say surgery?” Sara screamed. She was immediately
alert. “No! No! I don't want to go Mommy. Please don’t let them take me!” Sara
screamed in terror, hysteria taking over.

Cam came up behind Liv and put his arm around her shoulders.
He reached over and squeezed Sara’s hand.

“It’ll be okay, Sara. You won’t feel a thing. You’ll be
asleep the whole time and when you wake up, your ankle will feel a lot better.
Your mom will be with you in the ambulance and when you wake up.” Cam helped
Liv up into the back of the ambulance.

“Thanks,” she mouthed. Sara grasped her mother’s hand and
Liv pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I’ll take your Grandmother and Pup-Pup home. We’ll meet up
with you at the hospital.”

“Okay.” The paramedics closed the door and pulled out of the
parking lot.

Sara looked so small and pale lying on the stretcher. She
continued to sob uncontrollably. Liv squeezed her hand. “You’re going to be
okay now. The doctors are going to make you all better. Cam’s right, you won’t
feel a thing when you’re in surgery. They’ll give you some medicine to make you
sleep. I’ll be right there with you when you wake up. I’m not going to leave
you.”

“I was playing with Pup-Pup.” Sara sobbed. “She saw a
chipmunk crawling around the birch tree in the side yard. She started chasing
after it into the woods and I couldn’t get her to come back. Pup-Pup kept on
running and I ran after her. Then I got scared. I didn’t know which way to go.
All the trees looked the same. I saw Pup-Pup sitting on a fallen log just
watching that dumb chipmunk. I ran to get her and my flip-flop got caught under
my foot and I tripped. It was slippery and before I could catch myself I was
falling down a big hill. My ankle twisted and hurt real bad.” Sara tried to sit
up.

“Shhhh. It’s okay now. Just rest and try to stay still.” Liv
brushed her daughter’s hair away from her face.

“Pup-Pup saw that I was hurt. She came over and sat right by
me. I tried to make it over to a big tree so someone could find me. I must have
fallen asleep though. When I woke up again, Cam was there with Luke. I was so,
so scared I’d never see you again.”

“I know you were. I was scared too. You’re safe now though.”
Liv smiled and squeezed Sara’s hand again as one of the paramedic’s started
Sara’s IV.

“You are such a brave girl, Sara. I’m so proud of you.”

“I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you back.” Liv kissed the top of her head.

Liv sat in one of the gray upholstered chairs on the far
side of the pediatric surgery waiting room. She was tired, but felt
surprisingly calm as she flipped through an old issue of
People
magazine. The ambulance arrived at the emergency room within twenty minutes of
leaving the park. The ER staff was amazing. Not only efficient, they were great
with Sara. Liv marveled at how fast they had Sara in and out of x-ray and
prepped for surgery. Dr. Brack, the on-call orthopedic surgeon, was waiting for
them. After reviewing Sara’s x-rays she explained that Sara would need pins
placed in her ankle to help keep the bones in alignment while they healed. Soon
after Liv signed her consent for the surgery, the nurses wheeled Sara into the
operating room.

Liv swallowed back the lump in her throat as she remembered
how small and scared her daughter looked lying on the gurney in her hospital
garb. A green cap covered her hair. Sara hugged Liv tightly and gave her a weak
smile. Liv kissed her one last time and squeezed her hand.

“I love you, Sara. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“I love you back, Mom.” Sara disappeared through the double
doors that led to the surgical wing. A nurse took Liv to the pediatric surgery
waiting room. The doctor told her the surgery would take a couple of hours.
She’d only been waiting thirty minutes and she already felt restless. The day
had been full of waiting. Liv tossed the magazine back onto the table next to
her and rifled through the stack of magazines for something else to read.
Nothing interested her. She glanced up and saw Cam standing in the doorway. Her
heart leapt at seeing him. He’d showered and changed into a pair of dark,
straight-legged jeans and a long sleeved white shirt that he’d rolled up to his
elbows. He had a brown, overnight bag slung over his left shoulder.

She met his eyes with a warm smile. She stood and walked
over to meet him halfway. “Thanks for coming. You didn’t have to, but I’m glad
you did.”

“I didn’t want to be anywhere else.” Cam pulled her into his
embrace and held her close. “Waiting is the worst part.”

“I’ve been waiting all day.”

“I know, but the worst of it is over. She’s safe now.”

“I know I just wish we could go home and this nightmare
would be over.”

“Me too. Hopefully, you’ll be able to in a day or so.” Cam
released Liv from his hold and took her hand in his. “It’s been a long day. I
know it’s been hard on you. How’re you holding up?”

“Actually, not too bad. Of course, I’ve been better, but I
feel pretty calm now.”

“That’s good.” Cam leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“What about you? You must be exhausted after traipsing
through the woods searching for Sara.”

“I still have too much adrenaline pumping through me to be
tired. Besides, I couldn’t let myself feel tired, I had to find Sara. I knew I
wasn’t going to stop until I did.”

“Oh, Cam…” Tears brimmed over her eyes as her emotions
overcame her. “I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t. With her hurt
like that, who knows what would have become of her overnight.” Liv shuddered.

“I’m glad we don’t have to think about it.” Cam put his arm
around her shoulders and drew her close. She rested her head on his shoulder
and looked up into his eyes.

“Thanks to you and Luke.” Liv touched his cheek with her
hand and gently pulled his head down toward her. She sweetly kissed his mouth,
pouring all the love she felt for him into it for him to feel. She knew in that
moment she was gone. She was completely in love with him.
Again.

He smiled down at her and rested his chin on top of her
head. She relaxed against him. She felt safe too.

“How’s your dad’s friend doing?” Liv asked, lifting her head
up to look at him. “I heard he had heat exhaustion from one of the paramedics.”

“He’s doing well. I talked to my dad on the phone on my way
over. He and my Uncle Roger brought him to the ER earlier as a precaution. They
gave him some IV fluids and sent him home an hour or so ago. Dad said they’re
getting ready to play cards. He wanted me to tell you that he’s glad Sara is
safe and hopes she’ll recover quickly.”

“That’s good to hear. I’d hate to think someone got hurt
looking for Sara. I really appreciate your dad and his friends helping with the
search.” Liv sat down in one of the empty chairs along the wall near the door.
Cam sat next to her and set the overnight bag on floor.

“I know they were glad to help. Dad likes to feel needed.”
Cam bent over and unzipped the overnight bag. “Here, I thought Sara might want
this when she wakes up.” He pulled out Boo-Boo bear.

Liv took the bear from Cam and hugged it to her. “Thanks.
That’s so thoughtful of you.” Her emotions threatened to overcome her again.

“I remembered seeing it on the counter this morning when I
was cleaning up after breakfast.” Cam shrugged. “So I grabbed it when I took
your Grandma home. She helped me pack a few of your things too. I figured you
probably wouldn’t go home tonight and leave Sara here alone.”

“Where is Gram?”

“She looked really tired and worn out when we got back to
your cottage. I was concerned about her and suggested she lie down and rest
awhile. She argued with me, but in the end she agreed. I told her we’d call as
soon as we had an update on Sara.”

“Thanks again, Cam. I must sound like a broken record. But,
really I can’t thank you enough. You’re so amazing. How did I get so lucky?”

“Luck has nothing to do with it. You’re pretty amazing
yourself.”

Liv glanced at the clock that hung above the door. Sara had
been in surgery for about an hour now. The minutes seemed to drag by.

“Can I get you some coffee?” Cam offered. A coffee pot and a
water cooler sat in the corner of the room. Above it hung a television that was
tuned into a local news station with the sound turned off.

“Sure.”

“Cream or sugar?”

“Yes, please.” He poured two cups of black coffee and dumped
in two creamers and two packets of sugar in each. He added red plastic stirring
sticks and set the cups on the table to cool. Besides the two of them, the
waiting room was almost empty. A minister sat talking to a young woman on the
far side of the room and a few seats away an older man sat dozing off.

“By the way, I talked to the nurse out front before I came
in. Sara’s in good hands. Dr. Brack was a guest attending physician during my
residency. She’s one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country.”

Liv nodded. “She seemed very knowledgeable. She said that
Sara broke both bones in her ankle. She called it a bimalieo something or
other. During the surgery, she said she’d need to insert some pins to keep the
bones aligned while they healed. But, she was optimistic about Sara’s recovery.”
Liv’s voice faltered.

Cam nodded understanding. “Are you still doing okay” He took
Liv’s hand into his and covering it with his other one.

“I’m just starting to feel a little tired.” She sighed. “And
I don’t know. It’s just I can’t help thinking this whole thing is my fault.
Sara shouldn’t be going through this. I can’t help feeling responsible. If I’d
only been paying closer attention to her instead of…Well you know…”

“It’s not your fault. Don’t beat yourself up Liv.”

“I know it’s just that…I feel so guilty about everything.”

“Well don’t. You didn’t do anything wrong. You can’t control
everything that happens to her. It’s impossible to protect her 24/7.”

“Tell that to my ex when he finds out.” Her stomach hurt
just thinking about that conversation.

“Look at me. You’re a great mother. Don’t forget that.” He
leaned over and kissed her cheek. They sat quietly and drank their coffee for a
few minutes. The minister came over to speak with them.

“Hello. I’m Pastor Green.” He shook each of their hands. “Is
it okay if I sit with you?”

“Sure.” Liv set her paper coffee cup down again. “My name is
Liv and this is Cameron.” Liv gestured toward Cam.

“Nice to meet you both. I wish it were under happier
circumstances, though.”

“Me too.” Liv smiled.

“Is there anything I can pray about with you?”

“Yes, actually. My daughter Sara broke her ankle when she
fell into a ravine. She’s in surgery now. It seems like we’ve been sitting here
for hours now and we haven’t heard any news yet.”

“Ahhh. The little girl that was lost in the woods. I heard
about her. What a blessing she was found so quickly. You must be relieved about
that, but I’m sure all the waiting can be tiring and worrisome. I’m guessing
this has been one of the longest days of your life,” the pastor sympathized.

“It really has, you’re right about one thing though. I
really am blessed.”

The pastor stayed and chatted with them a few more minutes.
Then he bowed his head and said a prayer thanking God for Sara’s safe return
and asking for a full recovery both physically and emotionally. Liv thanked the
pastor and he moved on to speak to another couple that had just entered the
waiting room. Cam draped his arm around Liv’s shoulders again. She rested her
head on his chest and closed her eyes.

“Is anyone here for Sara Reynolds?” a nurse called.
Startled, Liv realized she must have fallen asleep.

“Yes, yes, that’s me.” Liv picked up her coffee cup and took
a sip. It was ice cold.

“The doctor is ready to see you now.”

“Is it okay if I come with you?”

“Yes, please. Thanks Cam.” They followed the nurse into an
inner office area where the surgeon waited for them.

“Dr. Brack,” Cam reached over and shook the doctor’s hand.
“It’s good to see you again.”

“You too, Dr. Preston. Do you know the patient?”

“Yes, I’m an old friend of Sara’s mother, Liv. We both
vacationed at Lake of the Pines as kids.” He smiled at Liv and gave her hand a
reassuring squeeze.

“That’s nice.” Dr. Brack turned to address Liv. “Your
daughter did very well in surgery. She has a bimalleolar facture, which means
she broke both the tibia and the fibula.” She pointed to the large and small
bone of the ankle on a model. “I placed a small metal plate and four pins on
the outside edge of her fibula to keep it stable and hold it in place as it
heals. I also placed one pin in her tibia to keep it from moving as well.” She
placed a couple of x-rays on a lighted board behind her. The first showed
Sara’s ankle before surgery and the second, afterwards. “It looks like she
missed her growth plate, which is good, but we’ll need to keep an eye on it.
She’ll have to get it x-rayed every few weeks to be sure. She’s in a short-leg,
plaster cast, which she’ll have on for about six weeks. During that time,
she’ll need to keep her weight off it. After that, she’ll move to a removable
brace and that’s when she’ll be able to start putting weight on it again.
She’ll need to go to physical therapy where they’ll teach her some exercises to
get the mobility back. At some point, she’ll have to have another short surgery
to remove the hardware, especially if it starts to inhibit her growth plate.
For now though, we’ll keep her here for a day or two. That way we can give her
IV antibiotics to help prevent infection and pain medication to keep her
comfortable.”

Liv nodded understanding, although she knew she wouldn’t
remember half of what the doctor said.

As if reading her mind, Dr. Brack continued, “Don’t worry
about remembering everything now, I have an information sheet I’ll send home
with you.”

“Great. Can I see her now?”

“Yes, she should be waking up in the recovery room soon.
She’ll be a little groggy at first. A nurse will take you in to see her in a
minute.”

“Thank you Dr. Brack.”

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Liv’s mind went blank. “Not right now.”

Cam asked the doctor some additional questions about the
growth plate. Dr. Brack then went over the technical medical details of the
procedure with Cam. He seemed satisfied with both the course of treatment and
Sara’s prognosis. After the surgeon left, Cam gave Liv a supportive hug and
kissed the top of her head. He returned to the waiting room to retrieve Liv’s
bag while she went with the nurse to see Sara.

Liv gasped on entering the recovery room. She hadn’t
prepared herself to see all the machines they had Sara hooked up to. Her little
girl looked pale and fragile amid the tubes and wires. A clear tube giving her
oxygen snaked over her cheeks into her nose and a blood pressure cuff encircled
her right arm. Every few minutes it automatically puffed up with air and took
an automatic reading. On her index finger, Sara wore a clip with a light in it
that made the tip of her finger glow red. An IV bag hung over her head as it
steadily dripped fluids and medication into Sara’s left arm. A stack of pillows
elevated her casted leg. A nurse sat next to her making notes. She looked up
from her paperwork and motioned Liv over. Noticing that Liv looked a little
pale herself, she stood up and had Liv sit in the chair instead.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I just didn’t realize she’d be hooked up to so much
stuff.”

“It does look a little overwhelming, doesn’t it? It’s
nothing to worry about, though. This is standard for any surgery.”

Liv took a deep breath in. She held it a moment and then
exhaled slowly. She repeated the ritual two more times and felt better.

In the background she heard the beeps of various machines as
the nurse introduced herself, “My name is Kate and I’ll be taking care of Sara
while she is in recovery. If you have any questions, just ask.”

“Okay.” Liv didn’t take her eyes off Sara. She took Sara’s
small hand in hers. Her fingers were cold. Liv gently rubbed them between her
hands to warm them up. Kate came around the other side of the bed and placed
another warmed blanket over Sara. The little girl’s eyes fluttered open and she
turned her head toward Liv. She reached up with her free hand and tried to pull
the oxygen tubes off her face.