Forever Friends Read online

  The patrolman’s words left a knot in her stomach. Suddenly she wished she could claim the privilege. “No. He’s not married.”

  “Is there a responsible party that can be reached?”

  “We’re with a church group. Someone will make sure his family is told there was an accident.” Kassia hovered a few feet away as the patrolmen examined Teague.

  She watched and waited. Now that she was no longer moving, she became conscious of the cold. Even worse, she felt helpless. If only she could do something, anything, to help!

  “Is he going to be all right?” she asked when they started mumbling to each other in sounds she couldn’t discern.

  “We’ll know more after he’s been checked out thoroughly at the hospital.”

  “The hospital?” As soon as she blurted out the words, she knew how silly she must have sounded. Teague was unconscious. Of course he would have to go to the hospital.

  At that moment a paramedic appeared on a snow cat. The sight made her feel more fearful but at the same time relieved. “Where are they taking him?”

  “To the lodge so the regular ambulance can take him to the nearest hospital.”

  A mental picture of Teague lying prone and helpless in a hospital bed upset her even more.

  The paramedic knelt beside Teague and gave him a quick examination of his own. “It looks as if he did some damage to his right ankle,” Kassia heard him mutter to a patrolman. “It’s already swollen to double the size it should be.”

  “How about the other one?”

  With a gentle motion he lifted Teague’s other ankle. “It appears to be okay.”

  She let out her breath then watched him look over the new patient. Moments later Kassia heard the verdict. “He’s got a nasty bump on his head, but I don’t see any other evidence of broken bones.”

  Broken bones!

  “All right. He’s ready to go,” he said.

  Kassia cringed but gathered enough courage to speak. “I want to go with him.”

  “You said you aren’t his wife,” the patrolman standing near her said. “Are you any relation to him?”

  “No, but neither is anyone else here. He needs someone to be with him. He shouldn’t be alone.” She tried to speak calmly but could hear her voice rising.

  The patrolmen exchanged looks; then the one who had been friendly to Kassia nodded. “Okay. You can ride along to the hospital.”

  “Thank you!”

  A short time later, they were almost to the lodge when Kassia spotted one of the church chaperones, Marvin, and hurried to him.

  Marvin glanced up as Kassia approached. “Oh no. Tell me that’s not somebody from our group lying on that stretcher.”

  “I wish it wasn’t, but it is.” She blinked back tears that loomed in the corners of her eyes. “Teague had an accident.”

  “An accident? Will he be all right?” Marvin asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know anything.” Kassia still struggled to hold back tears. She couldn’t break down now. She didn’t want to appear frantic or scared. If she did anything that looked untoward, the patrolmen were certain to keep her from going to the hospital with Teague. “Why don’t I stay with him?”

  “You look upset,” Marvin said. “Are you sure that’s not too big of a burden for you?”

  “No, of course not.” Then the plight of the teens occurred to her. “But I feel bad about leaving the kids stranded. They have to get back home, and it doesn’t look like Teague will be driving anytime soon. Can you make sure everyone gets home? Do you mind?”

  He nodded. “Sure, I’ll be glad to do that. I can drive the van. Not a problem.”

  Another thought occurred to her. “Do you know Teague’s family?”

  “Not well,” he admitted, “but I’ve met them.”

  “I hate to ask, but do you mind calling them? Someone needs to know what’s happened.”

  He nodded. “I hate being the bearer of bad news, but it can’t be helped. What do you think we should tell them? We don’t know much yet.”

  “Just tell them the truth. That Teague is in the hospital. Tell them I’m going with him so they’ll know he’s not alone, okay?”

  “Do they know you?”

  She shifted uneasily. “No, they don’t.”

  Surely before all was said and done, she would end up meeting them. If only their first encounter didn’t have to occur under such harrowing circumstances.

  But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

  Another thought occurred to her. “Can you get my suitcase out of the van? I’m sure I’ll be needing some clothes before all is said and done. And maybe you’d better get Teague’s also.”

  “Sure thing.” The older man hurried to the parking lot to complete his errand as the regular ambulance arrived.

  Throughout the nerve-racking ride to the hospital along winding mountain roads with sharp hairpin turns, Kassia held on to Teague’s hand as though his life—and hers—depended on her ability to maintain her grasp.

  Once they pulled into the emergency room entrance at the hospital, she was moved out of the way, however politely. Feeling stranded, she found the nearby waiting room and took a seat. Most of the people she shared the room with were slouched in various chairs, looking as depressed and anxious as she felt.

  Old television sets hung from braces in each upper corner of the room. They were tuned to different stations, with their volumes turned just high enough to be heard in the immediate area. She found no interest in soap operas showing the antics of overdressed actresses and perfectly groomed actors. A talk show featured disheveled people screaming at each other. Seeing no middle ground on television and no easy way to change the channels, Kassia grabbed several worn-out magazines and sat down in a blue vinyl chair in hopes of finding some articles of interest to pass the time.

  Just when she thought she had read every magazine published in the past year, a middle-aged nurse, wearing a blue lab coat printed with cartoonish dogs, entered and asked if anyone was with Teague Boswell. Kassia nodded toward the nurse and rose from her seat.

  “How is he?”

  “Stable,” she answered in a quiet but authoritative voice. She began walking down the corridor.

  Kassia followed. “Stable. What does that mean? Is he awake?”

  “He hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

  She felt a lump in her throat. “That’s not good, is it?”

  The nurse paused for a second. “It would be better for him to regain consciousness as soon as possible, but it’s not time to worry yet.” She smiled. “Doctor Kahn can tell you more. I’m sure he’ll be in soon.” The nurse stopped in front of a door. “Here he is.”

  Kassia peered in and noticed Teague’s ankle was bandaged.

  “His ankle broke in the fall, I’m afraid,” the nurse explained, confirming what the paramedic had suspected. “I’m sure he’ll need surgery. I’m sorry.” The nurse gave Kassia a warm but professional smile. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you when he wakes up. I’ll be at the nurses’ station if you need anything. It’s just down the hall. Take the first left, and it’s right there. Do you need me to show you?”

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll be fine. Thanks.” When Kassia went into the room, she was taken aback when she saw him lying in bed motionless and silent except for regular beeps from the machines attached to him. The still form was such a far cry from the lively man she knew. She drew in a breath and braced herself then approached the side of the bed until she was close enough to study his face. To her surprise he looked peaceful, as though he were having a pleasant dream and had no idea his life was in danger.

  She stroked his forehead. “I hope you are having sweet dreams, Teague.” If only she weren’t so powerless. She wished she could help him. She wished she were lying in the bed, instead of him.

  Strange. I’ve never felt that way about anyone before. How can I have such a depth of emotion about a man I don’t know all that well yet?

  S
he was glad she hadn’t told her family much about this new man in her life, a man who had suddenly and unexpectedly taken on such importance to her. What would they think if they could see her now?

  Her sisters would probably be amused by her intense response to Teague. They would call her flighty and say her impulsiveness was par for the course. Father would be supportive but caution her not to move too fast.

  Mother’s judgment would be the most difficult to bear. She would no doubt chastise Kassia for wanting to take Teague’s place in the hospital bed. “If the Lord intended for you to be lying in that bed, He would have put you there.” She could hear Mother’s voice echoing in her thoughts.

  Feeling like a misbehaving little girl, Kassia unzipped her neon yellow waist pack and withdrew her cell phone. She looked down at her clothes and suddenly realized she still hadn’t changed her outfit.

  I hope no one minds seeing me in ski clothes.

  She dialed a number and waited through three rings.

  Her mother’s crisp voice answered. “Hello?”

  “Mother?”

  “Kassia? Is that you?”

  “It’s me,” Kassia confirmed.

  “Where are you? I’ve tried to reach you at home. Surely you aren’t still on the ski trip? Don’t you have to go back to work sometime? You can’t expect them to let you take off the rest of the week just so you can ski.” Her tone was sharp.

  “Trust me, I’m not having fun out on the slopes. That ended before noon today. And don’t worry about my work. I’ll call in and let my boss know what happened.”

  “What happened? What do you mean?

  Kassia reviewed the events of the day.

  “Let me get this straight,” her mother said. “You’re there in the hospital with this Teague Boswell, a man you hardly know. A man I never even heard you mention until you were a bridesmaid in Lexie’s wedding.”

  Kassia groaned. Her mother could make the most innocent event seem like international intrigue. “Mother, it’s not like that. He’s lying here unconscious.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but he’s not your responsibility. Doesn’t he have a family somewhere?”

  “Yes, and I asked someone from his church to notify them. I’m sure they’ll be here as soon as they can,” Kassia said.

  “How are you going to get home?”

  In her excitement and distress, Kassia hadn’t thought about being stranded at the hospital.

  “How could you make such a blunder, Kassia?” her mother scolded. “Honestly, you never seem to think about the consequences of anything you do. You just run off on impulse and worry about how everything will turn out later. I wish you would be more careful when you make decisions.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Tell that to whoever has to be certain you get home safely.”

  “I’m sure I can ride back with someone from Teague’s family,” Kassia said. At least she hoped she could.

  “I certainly hope so. How long will he be in the hospital?”

  “I don’t know. He broke his right ankle and will need surgery on that.”

  “Then he won’t be able to drive a car until it heals. He’ll be just as dependent on others as you are now.” Her mother let out an exasperated sigh.

  “Don’t worry. Please. I’m sure someone will help me out. I can take care of it.”

  “It was foolish of you to put yourself in the position of relying on strangers.” Mother sighed again. “Look—if you really need us to, I suppose we can come and pick you up.”

  The offer was tempting, but Kassia knew she would endure a lecture all the way home if she accepted. “Thanks, but I’ll get home.”

  “I will pray for your friend to recover. I hope he wakes up.”

  Kassia hadn’t considered the possibility that he might not wake up at all. “I’m sure he’ll wake up soon.” Her voice quivered in spite of her efforts to put up a calm front.

  “I hope so. But once he does, he’ll be laid up awhile with his ankle,” Mother said.

  “You’re probably right. I wonder how long it will be.”

  “Remember when your aunt broke her ankle? She was out of work for six weeks.”

  “Oh, right. Yes, I remember. That’s a long time.” She recalled how enthusiastic Teague was about his job and how he had shared most of the details about it on their dinner date. He had reminded her of a little boy at Christmas at the time. “Teague will be miserable sitting at home doing nothing. He loves his job.”

  “I feel badly for him,” Mother commented with no emotion in her voice. “You need to worry about yourself. Sure, you’re not skiing now, and some of this couldn’t be helped. But you still can’t expect to sit there forever with this new friend of yours and think they’ll give you all the time off you want.”

  “I know.”

  “And watch that he doesn’t take advantage of you. Some men would, you know.”

  “Maybe some men would, but not Teague.” Kassia tried to keep the impatience out of her voice. Why did Mother insist on talking to her as though she were unable to use good judgment about any situation in her life? She never treated Deidre and Mona that way. Resentment bubbled near the surface.

  “You don’t know him that well,” Mother pointed out.

  “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll keep everything under control.” She clicked the phone off.

  For the first time, she was glad Teague was unconscious. Then he couldn’t hear her being given an inquisition by her mother. Irritated, she sat in the chair near Teague’s bed and turned on the television to a low volume. Even the national news would be more cheerful than listening to her mother.

  Much later Kassia was sitting beside Teague’s bed, reading a new magazine she had bought in the hospital gift shop. She heard a knock and looked up to see a woman standing in the doorway. She had Teague’s eyes and dark blond hair; only hers boasted a few strands of gray blended into her short but feminine hairstyle. Kassia guessed the woman had to be Teague’s mother.

  Kassia sent a querying smile. “Hi?”

  “Uh, hi. We’re looking for Teague Boswell,” the woman said tentatively.

  Kassia realized the view of Teague’s sleeping form was obstructed by a curtain. “He’s here.” Kassia nodded toward the prone figure in the bed.

  The woman entered, followed by a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair, wireless rim glasses, and a mustache. They hurried to the bed. Kassia moved aside to make room for them. Her heart nearly broke when she saw the distress on the woman’s face.

  “Teague.” She reached over and, as Kassia had done earlier, stroked his forehead.

  “I’m so sorry,” Kassia said.

  “Oh. What was I thinking?” The woman turned and smiled at Kassia. “We should have introduced ourselves. I’m Teague’s mother, Loretta Boswell. And you must be Kassia Dahl?”

  “Yes.” She suddenly felt shy. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You look as lovely as Teague described.”

  So he had told them about her? “Thank you.” Kassia felt her cheeks warm and could only hope she wasn’t blushing too readily.

  Mrs. Boswell patted the man by her side on the forearm. “This is Teague’s father, Dudley.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Boswell.”

  “Call me Dudley. Thank you for being here for him.” Dudley Boswell’s unassuming and gentlemanly manner reminded her of Teague.

  “And call me Loretta, of course. Can you tell us what happened?” she asked.

  Despite Kassia’s reluctance to relive the trauma, she gave his parents her version of the facts.

  Loretta touched her arm. “I’m so glad you were there for him.” Her eyes misted.

  Kassia felt her own eyes threaten to spill tears as she watched their obvious love for him. She could tell they weren’t putting on a show for her. Their emotion was genuine. She could feel the spirit of that love envelop the room.

  “I think I’ll step out for a bite to eat in the cafet
eria,” Kassia offered.

  Loretta took her hand. “Poor thing. You haven’t eaten all day, have you?”

  “Don’t worry about me. I had a muffin for breakfast, and I grabbed a candy bar from the hospital gift shop.”

  Loretta took in a breath. “That’s not enough to keep a bird alive.”

  “I’m fine. I couldn’t have eaten a big meal even if I’d had a chance.”

  “Too much excitement,” Loretta said. “I understand.”

  “I’ll be back soon. Can I get you anything?”

  “No, thanks. We don’t feel like eating either.”

  “I understand,” she said, repeating his mother’s words.

  Teague’s parents smiled. Their small gesture made her feel a connection to them immediately. No wonder Teague was so compassionate and such an able ambassador for Christ. He had two fine examples to emulate in his parents.

  Kassia was on her way to the cafeteria when she nearly bumped into another woman hurrying down the hall. “Pardon me.”

  “No, excuse me.” She touched Kassia’s arm. “Could you direct me to room 404?”

  Teague’s room!

  Kassia studied the blond stranger. She felt a wave of jealousy when she saw the woman was not much younger than she was. Even worse, she looked much more beautiful than Kassia thought she could ever hope to be. Whoever she was, Kassia was sure she didn’t like her. Not one little bit.

  Eight

  “Um, if you don’t know where the room is, that’s fine,” the young woman said, her voice pleasant. “I’ll keep looking.”

  Kassia wished she would just keep looking right on out the door and as far away from Teague as possible. Yet if she in truth was Teague’s friend, Kassia realized she would look petty if she didn’t give her directions.

  “Wait,” she said in a voice commanding enough to stop the woman midstride. “Yes, I know where it is. I was just there. Go to the end of the hall here and make a right. It’s two doors down on the left.”

  The woman brightened. “Good! So I was close after all.” She shook her head. “The signs here are so confusing, and with his injuries I wasn’t sure where to look. I didn’t know if he was in the head-trauma unit or surgery or what. I’ve already checked two different rooms, and he’d been moved from both. What a wild goose chase.”