Marta's Legacy Collection (103 page)

Carolyn laughed joyously. “She’s beautiful, Dawn. She’s perfect, just like you were.”

“Put the baby on Dawn’s abdomen. Tie the cord, Carolyn. That’s it. You can cut it now. I’ll get the towels.”

The
womp-womp
of a helicopter went over the house.

Hildie took the warm towels draped over the chair in front of the fireplace and brought them back to her girls. “Early bird or not, her lungs are in great condition.” Dawn and Carolyn laughed in relief. Carolyn wrapped the baby and placed her in Dawn’s arms.

Dawn drew the soft toweling down and gazed into her daughter’s face. Smiling, she kissed her. “Your name is Faith.” She looked up at her mother and sorrow mingled with joy. “Sit here close to me, Mom. You, too, Granny. I have to tell you something.”

Hildie already knew. When Dawn finished, Carolyn was white. “No.” Hildie reached for her hand and held it tightly, her own heart breaking.

“I didn’t want it to be true either, Mom. But we can’t hide from the truth. You and Granny will need to work together. Jason’s life isn’t his own. You’ll be Faith’s guardian, Mom. Granny, you’re going to help her. So will Georgia. God is going to give back all the years the locusts ate, Mom.”

“May Flower Dawn.” Carolyn crumbled, head against Dawn’s side.

Dawn put her hand on her mother’s head as though offering a blessing. “You’re stronger than anyone I know. Keep Faith, Mom.” She smiled at Hildie. “Promise me you’ll share.”

When the paramedics arrived, they worked quickly, efficiently. They said they had room for only one more in the helicopter. Hildie almost said she’d go, but stopped herself. “You go.” She cupped Carolyn’s face. “You’re her mother.”

“Mitch and I will come out and get you as soon as we can.”

Hildie kissed Dawn and the baby. “I’ll see you both soon.” She tucked a strand of golden hair away from Dawn’s cheek. “You hold on to faith, honey. Don’t you dare give up.”

When they left, Hildie went back inside. She sat in her recliner and cried. Then she prayed. She kept praying until dusk came. She forgot to stoke the fire, and it went out. She took the blanket off the couch and bundled up in it. She had weathered other winters without fire or light. She could weather this one. The darkness fit her despair.

She awakened to someone calling her name. She saw a flash of light. The back door opened, and the beam caught and blinded her. “Who . . . ?”

“Sorry it took so long to get out here, Hildie.”
Mitch.
“I had to come around through Sebastopol and Bodega. The river’s gone down enough to come across from Bridgehaven.”

Her son-in-law had come to her rescue. God had already sent him to rescue her daughter years ago.

“You want to pack a few things?”

“I think I should, don’t you?” She was still in her pajamas.

Mitch helped her around the tree roots and buckled road. He’d driven the Jaguar. It roared to life. He told her Dawn and the baby were both doing well. The baby weighed almost six pounds. Hildie asked him if he knew the reason May Flower Dawn had driven across country in the dead of winter.

“Yes. I know. The only one who doesn’t know yet is Jason, and I’ve got a few friends in high places moving heaven and earth to get him home.”

Hildie didn’t learn until later how many had been praying for the restorative miracle that had taken place at Jenner—and went on praying Dawn wouldn’t be called home. Not yet.

Carolyn put her shoulder bag and two tote bags into the compartment beside her seat in the mammoth Lufthansa 747 aircraft. Mitch had made the arrangements and, as usual, spared no expense to make sure she was comfortable. Her husband had put her, Faith, and Georgia in business class for the long flight to Frankfurt. Faith, blonde hair in pigtails, sat on the big leather seat, jean-clad legs straight out, feet dangling, Puppy Brown hugged in a protective embrace. She looked so much like May Flower Dawn at six years of age, it pierced Carolyn’s heart. She buckled Faith’s seat belt before her own and brushed her knuckles down her granddaughter’s satiny cheek. “Excited to see Daddy, sweetheart?”

Faith nodded. Carolyn leaned forward and looked across the aisle. “How’s GeeGee doing over there?”

Georgia sat across the aisle, face pale and strained. She gave a nervous smile. “I’m fine.” She looked anything but fine, but Carolyn understood all too well. Learning Jason had been seriously wounded in Afghanistan and flown to Landstuhl had them all on their knees.

They’d gotten the news two weeks ago that Jason had been wounded, but didn’t know until a few days later the extent of his injuries and where he had been transferred. Eventually, Jason would end up in the States, but how long before that happened? weeks? a month? two? Just as he’d done in the days following Faith’s birth, Mitch had moved mountains to get family members together during this time of crisis. He had gotten Jason home from Iraq within five days of Faith’s birth at Jenner. May Flower Dawn had spent a week in the hospital after Faith was born. Tests confirmed what she already knew: she didn’t have much time. The doctor ordered palliative radiation to control the pain. Dawn came home, and hospice was called in. Christopher withdrew from classes at Stanford and came home to spend as much time with his big sister as possible.

Everyone had worried about Jason. He’d been strong through Dawn’s last weeks, but grieved hard when she died. He lost weight, couldn’t sleep, wouldn’t talk. Pastor Daniel took him away for a few days, and Jason seemed better when they returned, less lost and broken. He held Faith close. When called back to duty, he went with God before him and as his rear guard.

Carolyn looked at the beautiful little girl sitting in the big, cushy leather seat next to her. If not for this adorable little munchkin, they all would have fallen to pieces.

“Champagne, madame?” A pretty, dark-haired flight attendant carried a tray of tulip glasses filled with juice or champagne. Georgia took orange juice.

Faith looked eagerly at Carolyn. “Can I have some juice, Grammy?” Carolyn said yes and declined anything for herself. She felt a little queasy with nerves. The last time she’d traveled any distance on her own was driving Chel across country after Woodstock, and that didn’t offer the best of memories. Dawn would have told her not to worry. God would be flying with them. She smiled as she imagined Jesus in uniform, sitting in the cockpit.

Faith squealed in delight and spread her arms. “GeeGee, we’re flying!” Georgia closed her eyes and gripped the arms of her seat. After what seemed a surprisingly short amount of time, the bell pinged and the captain announced the 747 had reached its cruising altitude and everyone was free to move around the cabin. Dinner was served. Carolyn took Faith to the bathroom, then strapped her back into her seat, covered her with a blanket, and read her favorite book to her,
Horton Hears a Who!
Faith fell asleep halfway through the third reading. Georgia had lowered her seat and finally looked peaceful.

Carolyn took out her wireless laptop. While she waited for it to boot up, she thought of how many times she’d used the computer over the past few years to connect with Jason on the other side of the world, Faith perched in her lap. When he came on the screen, she’d point. “There’s your daddy. Say hello, sweetheart.”

Jason would grin. “How’s my little girl?” Carolyn hadn’t wanted Jason to miss anything. She’d posted movies of Faith rolling over, sitting up, crawling. Faith had been walking by the time he came home from Iraq. Jason made the most of what little time he had with his daughter. Eighteen months after returning from Iraq, he was deployed again.

Georgia went to pieces when Jason was called up for a third tour of duty, this time in Afghanistan. “They’ll keep sending him,” Mitch told Carolyn. With so few men, the military had no choice but to reuse the ones they had. “As long as there’s war in the Middle East, he’ll be going in and coming back.” It didn’t look like it would end anytime soon.

Every night, Faith said the same prayer. “God, please bless Daddy and bring him home safe and soon. Help GeeGee not to worry so much. God bless Grammy Caro, Bumpa Mitch, Granny H, and Uncle Chris. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Then word came that Jason had been wounded and was being airlifted to a hospital in Germany. He wouldn’t be sent back into a war zone again. His war-won disabilities would bring him a Purple Heart and commendation, but also very likely an early out from the military. Jason had hoped to serve his full twenty years before returning to civilian life.

Mitch came on the screen. “Hey, darlin’. I miss you two already.”

“Thank you for putting us in business class, Mitch. It’s luxurious.” They talked for a few minutes, and then he let Carolyn’s mother take his seat. Even Mom had grown accustomed to sitting in front of a computer and carrying on a conversation via webcam.

“How’s our munchkin, honey? Behaving?”

“Momentarily. She’s asleep. So is Georgia. They both conked out right after dinner, which was served on white tablecloths with china and silver. Can you believe it?”

“We had pizza on paper plates.” Mom winked, so Carolyn knew she was needling Mitch again. Carolyn could hear Mitch laughing and speaking in the background. “Oh, shut up.” Mom sighed. “He wants me to tell you I almost lost my dentures. Not to worry though. Your man is taking good care of me.”

“Don’t forget to use your walker, Mom.”

“Now don’t you start!”

Mitch leaned down so Carolyn could see both their faces. “Don’t worry about us. We get along just fine. If your mother misbehaves, I’ll send her to her room.” He gave Mom’s cheek a brisk kiss. “My turn.” Mitch helped Mom off the chair, then sat in front of the monitor. “Someone will be waiting for you at the airport. I arranged a ride to the train station.”

Mom leaned down. “I put something in your suitcase, honey. If you have time . . . well, you’ll understand. Give Jason a big hug from his granny-in-law.”

“The whole church is praying, Carolyn.”

Carolyn slept easily after that.

As the train flew down the tracks toward Landstuhl, Carolyn felt Faith pressed close beside her, Puppy Brown still tucked under her arm. He’d fallen from Faith’s seat while she slept on the plane. They’d been so busy gathering their things, they had forgotten him. Fortunately, one of the flight attendants spotted the well-worn, well-loved stuffed animal tangled in the blue blanket and caught up with them in the Jetway. Faith had held him at arm’s length and told him not to get lost again.

Carolyn kissed Faith on the top of her head. “Your great-great-grandfather came from this country, Faith. He grew up somewhere near Hamburg.” Carolyn imagined Oma making her way through Europe to England and eventually boarding a ship to cross the Atlantic, then marrying a German boarder who rented a room in her house. Under other circumstances, they could have been on a heritage trip with Mom and May Flower Dawn.

She and Mitch had talked about Mom’s coming, but she refused. “No, no. You need to get to Jason as soon as you can, and I’d hold you back. If I were younger, maybe, but not now. I’m not up to it.”

In truth, Carolyn had been relieved. Even with a wheelchair, the trip would have been too grueling for Mom, who had just turned ninety-three. She had a hard enough time getting from her rooms to the dining room table these days. Carolyn and Faith often served tea in Granny’s “parlor” rather than have Granny make the long walk to the kitchen.

Carolyn dreaded the time when she wouldn’t have Mom with her. The last six years had been precious, a time of finally getting to know each other. God had given them back the years the locusts had eaten, just as Dawn had prayed He would.

When they reached the
Schloss Hotel
, they checked in, went upstairs, dumped their luggage, and then took a cab to the hospital. Georgia had to provide Jason’s full name, serial number, and doctor’s name at the reception desk. The nurse gave them directions to intensive care. Only one person could go into the room at a time.

Carolyn sat in the waiting room with Faith. “Am I going to see Daddy, Grammy?”

“I hope so, sweetheart. That’s why we’ve come so far.”

When Georgia came out, Carolyn knew things weren’t good. Her smile wobbled as she took Faith on her lap and said Daddy was sleeping and it might be a while before he’d wake up.

Carolyn went in next. Jason looked like death, with tubes and IVs and everywhere machines beeping and blinking, his head swathed in white. His left leg had been amputated above the knee, his right set in a cast. His left arm was bandaged from wrist to shoulder. Carolyn took Jason’s right hand and leaned down. “It’s Carolyn, Jason. Faith is here with us. Everyone sends their love. They’re all praying. You hold on, soldier. You come back to us.” She kissed his brow. “You have Faith, Jason. She needs her daddy.”

When Carolyn came out, Georgia stood, holding Faith’s hand. The nurse had said she could stay as long as she wanted, and it would be good if she talked to her son. She leaned down and kissed Faith. “Don’t wait around here, Carolyn. She needs to go to bed. I’ll be fine.”

After dinner in the hospital cafeteria and looking in on Jason once more, Carolyn took Faith back to the hotel. She tucked her granddaughter into bed and read
Horton Hears a Who!
again.

“Grammy? Is Daddy going to die?”

Carolyn didn’t want to lie. “I don’t know, sweetheart.”

“Does he still want to be with Mommy?”

Children never missed anything. “Mommy would want him to stay here until you’re all grown-up.” She held her granddaughter close, and they prayed Daddy would wake up soon and get better.

Georgia didn’t come back to the hotel that night.

Getting ready the next morning, Carolyn found the bundle of letters from Oma’s friend Rosie Brechtwald tucked under her clothes.

When Carolyn and Faith arrived at the hospital, Georgia was just coming out of Jason’s room in intensive care. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“He’s going to be okay!” Carolyn cried as she shared the news with Mitch and her mother. Mom leaned down behind Mitch and asked for medical details. “He came out of the coma last night. They’re moving him into another room tomorrow morning. That’s all I know.”

“How’s Georgia holding up?”

“She’s exhausted, but a lot better than she was.” Carolyn ran her hand over her granddaughter’s head. Faith grinned around her straw and then went back to drinking her milk. People milled around the hospital cafeteria. “Faith got to see Jason this morning. He’s pretty weak right now, but he smiled.” She winked at Faith. “A big smile when he saw his little girl.”

Mitch asked questions, and Carolyn told him as much as she knew. “He’ll be sent back to the States for rehabilitation. Texas, I think.” Carolyn spotted Georgia entering the cafeteria and waved her over. “Georgia just came in. She’s smiling. There must be more good news.”