Waiting For Rachel: A Christian Romance (Those Karlsson Boys) (12 page)

Mari shrugged and looked down. “I guess I wanted to get to know you first. To see if there was any room in your life for me.”

“Oh, there’s room, Mari. Lots of room,” Rachel assured her. “When Mom died I felt as if I was all alone. I’m so grateful God brought you back into my life. I need you.”

Mari’s head jerked up. “You do? You need me?”

“Yes.” Rachel sat up and reached for Mari’s hand. “God knew I needed family. I’m so sorry it took the loss of your parents to bring you to me.”

“I need you, too.” Mari’s fingers tightened around Rachel’s. “My aunt, my dad’s sister, wasn’t a very easy person to live with. I think she resents the fact that Dad left all his money to me and none to her.”

“Did she treat you badly?” Rachel felt a burning in the pit of her stomach.

Mari looked away. “Not really. As long as I stayed out of her way and gave her money, she pretty much left me alone.”

“You shouldn’t have been left alone. Especially when you were grieving the loss of your parents.” Rachel struggled to keep the anger out of her voice. “You should have been loved and comforted. Not left alone.

A tear tracked a silver trail down Mari’s cheek. “I know,” she whispered hoarsely. “That’s why I came to you.”

“And I’m so glad you did,” Rachel responded, gathering Mari into her arms. “I’m so glad you did.”

*****

One around one o’clock that afternoon Rachel stood on the front porch step waving goodbye to Mari and Jace. After their talk in Mari’s bedroom they’d gotten up and had breakfast together. Mari had asked if it was okay to tell Jace their news, and Rachel had told her it was fine. She was not ashamed of Mari and the past was the past. Rachel imagined Mari would share their story with Jace as they headed out to a farm to join the college and career group from church for a sleigh ride.

Rachel looked up at the sky as they pulled away, grateful to see no clouds marring the beautiful blue. It would be a great day for doing stuff outside. Rachel hoped they had fun.

Even after the truck had disappeared she lingered on the porch, marveling at all that had occurred over the past couple of days. The year had begun with the loss of her mother and ended with the gain of a daughter. She could only imagine what the year ahead held.  She knew it wouldn’t hold a relationship with Damian but maybe having Mari in her life would help to ease that pain.

Slowly Rachel closed the front door and entered the now silent house. The silence didn’t press down on her as it once had because she knew Mari would return and chase the silence away.

Rachel climbed the stairs and paused in the hallway before going into Mari’s room. She stood in the doorway, memories washing over her. This had been her room. Her bed. This room had been her retreat from the world, the world that didn’t know her secret. Many tears had been shed in this room. She’d moved out of it into one of the bigger rooms when her mom had died.

Now it would be Mari’s room. They had decided she would stay with Rachel. There was no sense in Mari living on her own in the small apartment she’d rented. Rachel couldn’t wait to see the room once again filled with teenage girl paraphernalia. She hoped Mari’s time in the room was filled with more joy than hers had been.

Smiling, Rachel headed back downstairs and picked up the phone. Sue was working alone at the store, and she wanted to check in and make sure everything was okay. If it was too busy she would go in and give her a hand, although the idea of a day off just to enjoy the holidays and to relish the news of her daughter was enticing.

“Don’t worry about coming in, Rachel,” Sue told her. “It hasn’t been too busy, and even if it picks up, I can handle it. We’re closing at three, right?”

“Yes, shortened hours today. Thanks so much for taking care of it for me.”

“No problem. My mom was thrilled to have the kids. They’re going sledding.”

“I’ll see you on Monday then, although don’t hesitate to call if something comes up.”

Rachel hummed “Joy to the World” as she cleaned up the kitchen. She didn’t want the holidays to end. It would be a Christmas she never forgot.

The phone rang just as Rachel slipped the last plate back into the cupboard. Hoping it wasn’t Sue, Rachel picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Rachel?” Her name came out on a strangled sob.

“Jace?” Rachel’s heart sank, and she began to tremble. “What’s wrong? What’s happened to Mari?”

“We had an accident.” Rachel heard Jace take a couple of gasping breaths. “She’s hurt. Hurt bad.”

Dread and panic curled like a snake in the pit of her stomach. “Where are you?”

Jace gave her the name of the hospital.

“I’ll be right there.”

Frantic, Rachel gathered up her purse, keys and jacket, pausing only long enough to slip her feet into her boots before leaving the house.

Her hands shook so much she could hardly get the key in the ignition. All the while she kept praying.
Oh God, please don’t take her away from me. You just gave her back. Don’t take her from me.

Chapter Twelve

Rachel controlled herself long enough to get to the hospital and park the car, but as she made her way to the emergency entrance of the hospital her legs began to tremble. The shaking only got worse when she stepped into the ER and spotted Jace. His jacket streaked with blood.

“Jace?” Rachel called.

He stopped his pacing and came towards her, panic and fear etched on his face. “I’m so sorry. So sorry. My fault.”

Rachel reached towards him, but then drew her hand back. She couldn’t touch him, not when he was covered in blood. Her daughter’s blood.

“Where is Mari, Jace?” Rachel tried to speak strongly, needing Jace’s fractured attention. “Jace!”

He met her gaze briefly then looked away. “She’s in with the doctors.”

Rachel figured she’d get no more help from Jace, so she abandoned him and went to the nurses’ station.

“I’m wondering if you could give me some information on Mariam Hewitt?”

“And you are?” The nurse looked up from the computer screen she was viewing.

“I’m her mother.” The words rolled off Rachel’s tongue as if she’d said them a thousand times before. “I’m her mother.”

“Let me see what I can find out.” The nurse stood and pointed to the rows of chairs. “Have a seat. I’ll talk to the doctor.”

Rachel made her way to the closest empty seat and sank into it, grateful she no longer had to depend on her shaking legs for support. Her gaze went to Jace where he once again paced.

“Jace,” she called to him.

He swung around, spotted her and came to drop into the chair next to her. “Did they tell you anything?”

“Not yet,” Rachel told him. “What happened, Jace?”

Jace hunched forward, his hands hidden between his knees. Rachel could see tremors passing in waves over his body. He appeared unhurt, but Rachel wasn’t sure.

She touched him on the shoulder, careful to find a spot that was free from blood. “Jace. What happened?”

The young man didn’t look up or turn toward her. Rachel wondered if he’d heard her.

Finally he spoke. “We were just a little ways out of the city, still had about twenty minutes to go to get to the farm. It was a country road, and the train tracks didn’t have an arm or lights. We were talking and laughing. She’d just told me about you being her mom.” Jace glanced up at her. “That’s why I called you.” He looked back down at his knees. “We had the music on. I didn’t hear the train. I didn’t hear until it was too late. I tried to stop. The truck kept sliding.”

A train! Rachel’s trembling increased. “How bad was she hurt, Jace?”

“So much blood,” Jace muttered. “It hit the truck on her side, behind her door, but then the truck slammed back into the train. So much blood.”

Bile rose in Rachel’s throat. Had she found her daughter only to lose her?

*****

Damian swung his truck into an empty parking spot and braked. The truck hadn’t even settled from the abrupt stop before he bolted from the cab, slamming the door behind him. He ran for the entrance of the hospital, frantic to make sure his youngest brother was okay. The disjointed phone call he’d received from Jace had sent panic through him.

As soon as he stepped through the doors he spotted Rachel standing near the nurses’ station talking to a doctor. Wondering why she was there, he strode up to her.

“Rachel?”

She turned to him, and Damian stepped back when he saw the fear on her face. He swallowed. “What’s going on?”

“Jace and Mari were in an accident with a train.”

“Are they okay?” Damian asked, suddenly fearful of the answer.

“Jace seems fine, but Mari was hurt. We don’t know how bad.”

The doctor touched Rachel’s arm. “You can go in and see your daughter for a few minutes before we take her up for surgery. But please be prepared for how she looks. There’s a lot of swelling.”

“Your daughter?” Damian wondered if he was dreaming, caught in the Twilight Zone somehow.

Rachel had taken a step toward the swinging doors, the doctor at her side. She paused and turned back to him. “Yes, Damian, my daughter.”

The doctor took Rachel’s arm and together they disappeared through the swinging doors, leaving Damian to stare blankly after them.

“Damian?”

Hearing his brother’s voice shot all other thoughts from Damian’s mind. He turned, shock coursing through him at the sight of blood on Jace’s t-shirt and jacket.

He hurried to his brother’s side. “Are you all right? What happened?”

Jace just stared at him then began to weep. Damian stood beside him, not sure what to do. Finally he went to the nurses’ station.

“Can I have someone look at my brother?” He pointed to where Jace sat, hunched over so far his forehead practically touched his knees.

“We’d love to, sir, but he’s refused all attempts on our part to help him. We were able to determine that the blood came from the girl, and that he doesn’t appear to be physically hurt.”

“I want him looked over. Tell me where to take him and call a doctor.”

The nurse gave him instructions and, determined to help, Damian went back to Jace.

“C’mon, buddy, we’re going to have a doctor look at you.” Damian took Jace’s arm to pull him out of the chair.

Jace jerked his arm out of Damian’s hand. “No. The doctors must help Mari. Not me. They must help Mari.”

Damian sat down next to his brother. “They are helping Mari, Jace. She’s going in for surgery. We need to help you now.”

“No, they must help Mari.”

“Jace,” Damian said sternly. “There are lots of doctors in this hospital. The best ones to help Mari are already with her. There are doctors still available to help you.”

Jace looked at him warily. “They have to make sure she’s okay, Damian. It’s all my fault.”

Damian wanted to ask more, but right then it was more important to get Jace the help he needed. The younger man finally seemed to relax and let Damian lead him to the area the nurse had directed him to.

But when the doctor came, Jace again became agitated, resisting their attempts to check him over.

“We’re going to have to sedate him, Mr. Karlsson,” the doctor told Damian.

Damian watched as the sedative was administered, and finally Jace began to calm down. “I need to make a couple of phone calls. I’ll be in the waiting room.”

He made his way back to the waiting room and headed for the bank of phones along one wall. Damian hated the thought of calling his folks with the news of the accident, but they needed to know. They needed to be there for Jace, because Damian knew he needed to be with Rachel.

Thankfully his father answered the phone and while Mike was upset, he kept himself together much better than his wife would have. After Damian hung up the phone, he leaned his head against the receiver for a moment. Helping people in their time of need was his job as a pastor, but it had never hit so close to home before.  Damian hoped he was up to the challenge.

Straightening, he returned to the nurses’ station to get the necessary medical forms for Jace.

“Mr. Karlsson?”

Damian turned, expecting to see a doctor or nurse. Instead a man stood in front of him, badge held out for Damian to see.

“I’m Detective Staves. I need to ask your brother a few more questions about the accident. The EMTs said he was conscious.”

“He was,” Damian agreed. “But they had to sedate him in order to check him over.”

“Okay. Will you call me when he’s up to talking?” The detective held out a small white card.

Damian took it and slipped it into his hip pocket. “What happened, Detective?”

“We’re still investigating it, but it appears it was a case of slick roads, an unmanned crossing and a blind intersection. The train came from behind a grove of trees. It seems your brother tried to brake but ice on the roads prevented him from stopping in time, and the train clipped the passenger side of the truck. The truck slammed back into the train, once again on the passenger side.”

“Is Jace in trouble?”

“He took a Breathalyzer at the scene and passed, so we’re fairly sure alcohol wasn’t in issue.”

“It wasn’t,” Damian told the detective.

“I appreciate your loyalty to your brother, but in addition to the Breathalyzer we’re going to need some blood tests.”

Damian understood, but he had no doubt the tests would confirm what he’d told the detective.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Karlsson. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Damian watched the detective leave before making his way to the nurses’ station to return Jace’s forms and to inquire about Mari and Rachel.

“They’ve taken her to surgery on the sixth floor. I imagine her mother is in the waiting room up there.”

“Thanks,” Damian said and turned, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Damian!” He heard his dad’s voice and lifted his head to see his folks walking towards him, the glass ER doors sliding shut behind them.

“What happened, son?” Mike asked when they reached him.

Damian lifted a hand and rubbed his forehead. “I’m still not sure. From what I can piece together, Jace’s truck was hit by a train.”

Sharon gasped and grabbed Mike’s hand. “Are they alright?”

“Jace seems okay. No visible wounds, but he is in shock and not talking too clearly. They have him back there.” Damian motioned with his hand. “They had to sedate him in order to check him out.”

“Oh, no!” Sharon buried her face in her hands.

“And Mari?” Mike asked.

Damian shook his head. “I don’t know. They have her up in surgery. Since you’re here to stay with Jace, I’d like to go see how she’s doing.”

Mike nodded. “As soon as you have news, come let us know.”

Damian headed for the elevator and waited, his boot tapping on the tile floor. It seemed to take forever before he stepped out of the elevator car on the sixth floor. He looked one way then the other trying to figure out where to go. Finally he spotted the signs pointing the way to the surgery waiting room.

He knew he was in the right place when he spotted Rachel curled up on one of the chairs, staring out the window. Damian walked up to her and touched her on the shoulder.

She jumped and turned around, hope fading from her eyes when she saw him. “I thought you were the doctor.”

“Sorry.” Damian sat down in the chair next to where she had her feet propped. “Has there been any news?”

Rachel’s eyes looked bleak as she shook her head.

Not sure how to broach the subject, Damian just sat silently for a few moments, staring at the floor. When he looked back at Rachel, she was staring out the window again, her profile tense and pale.

“Did you just tell them you were Mari’s mom so you could see her since she has no family here?” Damian finally asked.

Rachel turned her head, her gaze meeting his. Pain radiated from her beautiful brown eyes. Damian wished he had the power to take it all away. “No, I just found out last night that she is my daughter.”

“I don’t understand.” 

“I had Mari the summer before we moved here. In fact, I had her three weeks before school started. I gave her up for adoption.”

Damian, for the first time in his life, had no clue what to say. Had this been the reason Rachel had withdrawn from him?

“So how did you two hook up?”

“Mari knew about me. Her parents had told her all about me, and when they died she decided to come find me. She didn’t tell me who she was at first because she wanted to get to know me and to see if there was room for her in my life.” Rachel’s voice wavered, and tears filled her eyes. “There’s so much room in my life for her, Damian. If I lose her now it will leave a hole no one can fill.”

Damian reached for Rachel, pulling her into his embrace. It was an awkward hug at first, given their positions, but Rachel tucked her feet under her and rose up on her knees to bury her head in Damian’s shoulder.

As her slender body shook with sobs, Damian held her close, praying the Lord would give him the words to offer comfort to the woman who held his heart. He had been praying the Lord would bring Rachel back to him, but this wasn’t how he had wanted it. The shock of Rachel’s secret still held his thoughts. Obviously he hadn’t known the wom
an he held in his arms well at all.

The sobs gradually abated. Rachel didn’t move from his embrace right away, like Damian had thought she might once her emotions were spent. He felt her take a couple of deep breaths before she pulled back.

She looked at him, wet dark lashes framed her eyes. “Thanks.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Damian replied lightly. He didn’t want her to think about their relationship right then. She had too many other things on her mind.

Rachel sat back, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. “I needed a shoulder to cry on.”

“Did the doctor say how Mari was?”

“He says it’s pretty bad.” Rachel looked down. “Her right leg was fractured. She had cuts on her head and some swelling. Her face was in bad shape when I saw her.” She rubbed her forehead. “I can’t remember what all the doctors said. It just didn’t sound very good.”