Harvest Dreams (12 page)

Steven hugged Rachel tighter against him. “I don’t think we’ll discuss that.”
Rhonda smirked and then covered her mouth. “I missed all the fun,” she moaned.
Leena shook her head. “Wasn’t fun at the time, but remembering the men’s expressions when we dropped--”
“Leave it alone.” Dade said softly.
Leena sobered. “Of course.” But she grinned over at Cora who hid her face in her hands.
Looking at his watch Patrick stood. “We’ve stayed a lot longer than we should have.” He turned to reach for Rhonda’s hand. “Go get your wig.” He turned to Cora. “Miss Coralee, could I persuade you to step outside with me and see if you can sense, anything I should know about?”
Cora stood up. “Yes, of course.”
Steven looked at his watch and said quietly to Rachel. “We should go to the hospital and see Ricky.” She stiffened but got up with him.

Chapter 13

Steven stood silently across the room and watched Rachel sitting on the bed holding the boy’s hand. If it were possible, he looked smaller and more frail. He was pale almost to that death gray shade, as he referred to it. The child hadn’t opened his eyes or moved from his sleep for the two hours she’d sat there with him.

“Why do they have him in here alone?” Rachel asked quietly without turning her head.
He walked over and stood behind her resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “The treatment breaks down all immunity, he’s isolated to help prevent any exposure to colds or viruses--getting one at this point when his body has no defense could be lethal to him.”
She leaned over to brush the hair off the child’s brow. “I’d like to stay for while more, in case he wakes up so he gets to see a friendly face.”
He nodded. “I have a few things I need to do in my office, the paperwork is never ending. Come and get me when you’re ready to go.” He kissed the top of her head and walked out, grabbing up Ricky’s charts on his way out.
*
Steven sat in his office and studied them. It didn’t need to be his specialty to understand what he was reading. Sighing he picked up the phone and had the nurses’ station page his friend and colleague he’d referred Ricky to.
The phone rang a few minutes later. “O’Reily.”
“Steve, its Don.”
“Thanks for getting back to me in record time.” He glanced at the chart again. “I was looking in on the patient I sent to you.”
“Ricky. I figured I’d be hearing from you. Is there a personal interest here, Steve?”
Steven rubbed his forehead. “The woman I’m seeing is one of the volunteers that helps with the foster programs.”
The doctor on the other end sighed. “Then I wished I could tell you I feel positive in all this. I’ve been treating him for, almost four days now. It was pretty advanced into it when we started Steve you have to know that. It’s hitting him hard. I don’t know what to tell you.”
Steven closed his eyes. “I had pretty much realized this, just wanted to call and get your gut reflex on this really.”
Another sigh. “Well as you and I both know, things can turn around with little or no warning sometimes, so we’ll hold on to that.” He cleared his throat. “I stopped administering treatment today until he regains some ground and then we’ll start again slowly. I’ll keep you up to date.”
Steven nodded to no one. “Appreciate it Don, thanks.” He hung up and flipped the chart closed. He needed to talk to someone, anyone at this point. He grabbed the phone. Hovering over the keypad of the phone he thought. Dade wouldn’t be much comfort right now. He dialed Chris’s number.
“Kasey, its Steven. Is Chris handy?”
“Is everything all right?”
He could feel her worry through the phone. “I’ll get back to you on that, Kase. I just need to talk to Chris for a minute.”
“Okay,” she said quietly.
Chris came on the other end a few seconds later. “Doc?”
“Yeah. Sorry to call, hope I didn’t interrupt. I need help, Councilor.”
“With?”
Steven noticed Chris’s lawyer tone took over. “Ah shit! I don’t know, a miracle would be a great start.”
Chris hissed out a breath. “Are you still at the hospital with Rachel?”
“Yeah I’m hiding in my office debating on praying, she’ still in with Ricky. Chris it’s not good. I just spoke to the colleague that’s handling Ricky’s treatment he’s not holding his breath for remission right now.”
“Shit.”
He heard Kasey’s voice in the background. “I don’t know what I’m asking for. I guess healings not your strength huh?” He rubbed his forehead again.
“No it’s not. We leave the healing to you.”
“Well my bag of tricks is coming up short on this one. Using magic for something like this never works, I know, I’ve tried it in the past. Fuck, Chris this is going to kill her.”
Chris sighed. “I can get Kase to charge up some stones, I’ll even add something to them, but sometimes things just have to be.”
Steven nodded and cursed under his breath. “I know, better than most. It’s best I go check on them.”
“Keep in touch.”
“Yeah.” He hung up. Grabbing the chart he headed back out the door.
She wasn’t in the room with Ricky. He checked the monitors briefly and put his chart back in the pocket by the door then went to go find her.
*
Rachel stood in front of the newborn nursery. Her hand resting against the glass and she smiled in at the tiny bundles of blue and pink. His heart pounded and he swallowed a lump in his throat. It was in that moment as he watched her looking at those babies with a soft smile that he realized that’s what he wanted.
He’d always wanted Rachel, that wasn’t the surprise. But right now at this moment he wanted to see her smile that way at her own child, their own child. His eyes ran over her body. She’d be so gorgeous with a rounded tummy nurturing a new life. He swallowed again and took a shaky breath. As if sensing him she turned her head.
“Hi.” She said softly. “I was getting all worked up in there. I didn’t want him to open his eyes and see me like that, so I thought I’d take a stroll.” She turned back and glanced through the glass. “That’s when I discovered these little gems.”
Walking up behind her, he put his hands lightly on her waist and pulled her back to rest against him.
“They’re so special,” she whispered.
He stroked a hand down her arm. “They are. I still feel it when I help bring one into the world.”
“Did you help with any of these?”
He grinned. “Several, as a matter of fact. There’s only about six of us that still deliver here.” He lowered his head closer to her and pointed through the glass. “See that big guy over there? He came out without a sound then looked up at me as if to say ‘woe where’d you come from?”
Rachel laughed softly and squeezed his hand by her waist. “Besides having every child patient love you, you get to look up a lot of gowns, Doctor.”
“Yes I do and it’s a good thing I can turn the man off when the doctor takes over. Could you see Dade as a doctor?”
“He’d be in jail.” She turned and looked up at him. “Thank you, you always make it all better.”
Steven smiled down at her and fought to pull her into his arms. “Wouldn’t be much of doctor if I couldn’t make things better, now would I?”
“I’m just going to see if Ricky’s awake and then I’m going home to have a nice long hot soak, alone.”
“Damn, Angel, how am I going to go home and rest with that image?”
She grinned and turned back towards the window for a brief moment then headed back in the direction of Ricky’s room.
*
Rachel sat silently beside him. Taking a deep breath she spoke in a whisper. “As soon as Ricky is able to sit up without throwing up, I want you to help me get him out of there for an hour or so to take him to the park.”
“Okay.”
“I did some research on the Internet the other night. They’re not looking for bone marrow matches.”
Steven glanced at her to see dry eyes and determination. “He has to be more stable with the treatment. I can suggest to Ron to start the screening for donors.” He knew he was reaching to find some way to console her hope.
“Yes. Do that.”
“I spoke to Chris earlier. He and Kasey are going to charge some stones to take to the hospital for him.”
She nodded and looked out the window. “Well, Kasey’s magic certainly won’t hurt will it?” Looking down at her hands, she flexed them. “I feel so useless, Steven. I have a rare gift, a power, we all do and yet when it really matters, when it could really make it all worth it--it’s useless.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand as he pulled in the driveway. He couldn’t say anything. What was there to say he understood better than most exactly what she was saying? Turning off the car, he turned toward her. “Do you want me to come in?”
She looked down at their clasped hands. “Please.”
*
Steven sat with her on the couch. Rachel turned and had her legs across his, leaning into his chest. He held her tightly and stroked his hand down her back in slow caresses. She leaned back and looked at him the tears forming in her eyes.
Rachel shook her head but didn’t speak. Leaning back against him, he felt her body tremble with the silent sobs. He closed his eyes and silently cursed his abilities, cursed any god he could think of. She sobbed against his chest and tightened her arms. Resting his head on hers he held her never feeling more useless than he did at that moment.
Opening his eyes, he saw Cora and Dade standing in the kitchen doorway. Cora had her hand over her mouth and tears rolling down her cheeks. Dade had his arm around her and was speaking softly against her ear.
He looked at Dade and felt the tears in his own eyes. Dade just looked back at him feeling as lost as he pulled Cora into his arms and backed into the kitchen and closed the door.
*
When Rachel had exhausted her grief, he picked her up and carried her to her room. Placing a blanket over her he stood and looked down at her swollen eyes and streaked face. He’d never felt more for her than he did right at this moment. Dropping his head he turned and walked from the room.
Cora stood at the bottom of the stairs with red eyes looking at him.
“If she wakes up can you make her some calming tea?”
She nodded. “I’ll look after her.”
Putting his hands in his pockets, he glanced over at Dade and then down to the floor. “Unless you know some cure I don’t, we’re going to lose him and with him part of Rachel.”
Cora placed a shaking hand over her mouth and looked at Dade. Dade stepped to her quickly and hugged her into him. He looked over at Steven. “We’ll all be here for her.”
Steven nodded a few times then straightened up. “I have to go back to the hospital, call me, and keep an eye on her for me?”
Dade nodded. “We will.”
He stood there for a moment and looked up the stairs then turned and went out the door quietly.
*
Steven sat on his couch and stared at the ceiling. His stomach was in knots and every muscle in his body tense despite the way he was slumped down. Pain flashed through him as he recalled what he’d told Dade and Cora, they were going to lose her. He’d said a part of her, but to him even a part was too much. Any part of Rachel was a part he loved, a part he wasn’t willing to give up. He closed his eyes and tried to reason a way of changing this. “I need you, Angel. All of you whole and complete,” he whispered to the empty room.
The churning inside of him increased and he clenched his jaw, not knowing how to fix this.
He shot up and sat frozen glancing around the room. Something was wrong. He didn’t know how he knew he just felt it. His cell phone ringing pierced the silence and made him jump. He answered it quickly.
“Steven?” Cora’s panicked voice was on the other end. He was already heading towards the door. “What is it?”
“I-I don’t know what she’s doing, but I can’t even get near the bedroom door...”
“I’m on my way.” He started to hang up the phone. “Call Chris, I might need help.”
Grabbing his keys, he flew out the door.
*
Cora stood in the doorway as he pulled into the driveway. Steven jumped from the car and ran towards her, as he reached her he noticed the way she was hunched forward, obviously in pain. “What’s happening?”
He took her arm and pulled her inside and closed the door. She shook her head. “I don’t know. She’s doing some sort of spell, but I can’t even get close to the door.” She grasped his arm. “I can barely make it up the stairs, Steven. You have to get to her, stop her.”
“You stay down here.” Steven turned and headed towards the stairs. He didn’t need to ask her what she felt, as he could feel the strong waves of darkness pushing harder against him with each step he took.
What could she possibly be doing that held this kind of force? He knew the answer as soon as he finished the thought. She was making some soul penance in exchange for Ricky’s health. A gust of anguish shoved against him as he forced his legs to keep going towards the bedroom.
Stopping momentarily to try and take a deep breath as the air crushed against his lungs and threatened to overtake him. Nothing was stopping him from reaching Rachel. Nothing!
He clenched his jaw and raised his hands against the swirling power. Picturing her inside needing him gave him more than enough strength to shove it back from him. A picture on the wall rocked with the force and crashed to the floor. He stepped over it and glared at the door that held her from his vision. “Rachel!”
He knew she probably couldn’t hear him, knew because years before when the emotions of losing patients threatened to ruin him, he’d tried to make a bargain to keep someone from passing. The price was too high in the end and he’d stopped. Part of him knew she wouldn’t stop, she would succeed and he couldn’t live with that.
Shoving his power towards the door, he managed to rock it. He didn’t know if he had enough strength to get through it. Fear swamped him and it held him there, unmoving for moments more than he should have let it. As he raised his head again and felt a rush of steady power flow over him and without turning knew Chris had arrived. Objects flew past him and the noise of the rushing wind howled around him. Chris was not only here, but he was pissing off the force Rachel brought there.
“You have to do it!”
Over the noise, he was barely able to hear Chris yelling only a few feet behind him. Steven hesitantly turned his head away from the door and looked over at Chris kneeling on the floor with his hand held out towards him. His hair was blowing as he held onto the railing with his other hand straining to hold his position at the top of the stairs.
“It won’t let me any closer, Steven!
You
can get through it.” Each word Chris said sounded as if he were in pain.
It took a few seconds for him to understand but he finally realized what Chris was saying. Because it was Rachel doing it, Steven was somehow protected, but it would eat Chris alive if he pushed any further. He nodded and looked back at the door. A resolve passed over him; he was not giving up Rachel.
Raising both hands towards the door, he placed one foot behind to brace himself against the incredible force the energies had. Clenching his jaw, he allowed the fear and anger run through him, gathering strength he was going to need. He felt his hands shake with an energy that should have frightened him. Ignoring it, he focused on the doorknob and watched as it began to shake.
Another rush of power hit him as he felt Chris trying to help him again. The doorknob snapped and dropped to the floor. Taking a deep breath he rushed forward and smashed his side against the door. It opened, pushing against him so he had to fight to move past it and enter the room. The forces from the spell being cast were suffocating him. He took shallow breaths trying to find enough oxygen.
Moving from the door, it slammed shut, sending him flying against the wall. In the center of the room Rachel knelt, her eyes closed in concentration, her lips moving in a silent chant. She held her hands over a black dish on the floor; he gazed on her for a few more seconds and then looked at the items in front of her. He had been right, the symbols on the floor, the incense, and the other tools lying in there all pointed towards what he’d feared.