Chapter Twenty, A Change in Plans

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Beth knew her life would never be the same. No matter what other choices she would make down the road, the decision to break up with Kyle would alter her entire life…and she was glad, glad, glad!

The more she thought on Pastor Jack’s sermon the more determined she became that Kyle was all wrong for her. And though she relished getting the break-up over, she knew it was something to be done in person - not over the phone or in a letter. Besides, I need to return his ring. She sighed. The thought of returning home did not appeal to her in the least.

Remembering that Adam would arrive soon for their daily horseback ride, she stepped into the bedroom to pull her socks and shoes on. She then stood and looked in the full-length mirror for one last inspection. The powder-blue, Smoky Mountain t-shirt made her hazel eyes look blue while the jeans hugged her slim frame just right. Her ponytail swinging with each movement made her feel girlish and carefree. Satisfied that no more improvements could be made, she went to the kitchen for a glass of sweet tea.

As she picked up the glass to take a drink, her mind tripped back to Sunday’s meal with Adam, his mom, and Pastor Jack. It seemed so surreal. One moment they were all chatting and having a good time, the next Beth watched as a glass slipped right out of Sylvia’s hand.

A moment of silence followed while everyone sat staring at Sylvia’s hand held in mid-air as though she were still holding the glass. They all looked up at each other in confusion, and the next moment Adam and Jack were on their feet.

Jack took charge of the mess while Beth ran upstairs to pull Sylvia’s bedcovers back at Adam’s request. Adam carried a protesting Sylvia into her room and told her it was past time for her to rest.

“Most people don’t even know Mom is sick,” Adam explained later. “When she starts dropping things, I know she’s over-done. She feels bad. She really wanted everything to be perfect for your visit. Unfortunately, she can’t control many aspects of her illness.” Sighing, he shook his head and continued. “It seems she has a prescribed amount of energy and once it’s gone, it’s gone. The problem is she never knows how much she’ll have. One day, she might not be able to get out of bed and another day she can cook and clean and entertain for quite some time. It’s heart-breaking to watch her suffer, but there’s nothing I can do except be here for her.”

Thinking about it caused Beth’s heart to squeeze anew with grief. What must it be like to be plagued with such an illness? Adam didn’t have a name for it. The doctors don’t really know what’s wrong with her, he had said. The reality of Sylvia’s sufferings nearly broke Beth’s heart.

I must do all I can for her while I’m here.

Tap, tap, tap.

Beth started as the sound brought her back to the present. Adam. Smiling, she walked out the kitchen door to unlock the screened-in porch.

“Good afternoon!” She greeted him with a smile.

“Hey! How’s it going? Are you ready to hit the trail?”

“Just about. Come on in. I was just having a glass of sweet tea. Would you like some?”

“Sounds good.” Adam gave her his heart-melting smile and followed her inside.

While pouring the tea, Adam helped himself to a plate of brownies sitting on the counter. “Mmm….Wow! These are still the best brownies I’ve ever eaten. What’s in them?”

“That’s my special recipe. It has marshmallows and toffee bits inside.”

“Wow,” he said, reaching for another. “These are great!”

His praise warmed her heart. She laughed at the little-boy way in which he inhaled the second brownie and reached for a third. “Does that make up for not sharing Tiffany’s fudge with you?”

“Hmm…Maybe if you make another pan of brownies just for me we’ll call it even.” He wagged his eyebrows at her. “Speaking of the fudge, did Tiffany get her package?”

“You know…I don’t know. She should have received it by now. I’m surprised I haven’t heard from her.” Unease trickled through her. It wasn’t like Tiffany to not call.

“I sent that package a week ago. Maybe I should call her and make sure everything is alright. Do you mind if I call her now? I won’t be able to relax and enjoy our trail ride if I’m busy worrying about her.”

“Not at all. Go ahead. I’ll just keep an eye on this plate of brownies for you,” he said as he swiped the whole plate with his arm and carried them to the table.

Shaking her head as she laughed, Beth snatched her phone off the counter and punched in Tiffany’s number.

After several rings, a soft voice answered, “Hello? Beth…is that really you?”

Struck dumb, Beth couldn’t even produce a squeak. Panic shot through her at the speed of lightning.

“Hello? Beth…please answer me. Are you ok?”

“Mom? I…But I thought I dialed Tiffany’s number.”

“You did, Sweetheart,” her mom said just above a whisper. “She stepped into the restroom. She’ll be back in a minute. When I saw your name on the caller ID, I had to answer. She didn’t…she said she left you a message…Is that why you called? About her message?”

“Message? No. I forgot to check my voicemail. I sent her a package a week ago and haven’t heard from her, so I thought I better call and make sure everything is ok. Do you know if she got it? Did you get the pottery I sent?”

“Pottery? No. She didn’t say anything about a package or pottery. We’ve been a little busy. Listen, Beth. I need to tell you something. Are you sitting down?”

Panic zinged through her, leaving her a little dizzy. She latched onto the counter with her free hand, her knuckles turning white from her fierce grip. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Feeling Adam’s approach, she glanced up at him with brows furrowed. He put his hand to the small of her back and led her to a chair. The warm concern in his eyes and gentleness of his touch lent some comfort.

“It’s your dad, Sweetie.”

“Dad? What…what about Dad?”

“He’s in the hospital. He had a major heart attack. They have him in ICU and are trying to stabilize him. Tiffany has been here with me.” Her voice beginning to quiver, her mom paused to take in a deep breath before continuing. “He…he needs triple bi-pass surgery.”

Stunned, Beth sat in silence.

“Beth? Are you still there? Are you alright, Sweetie?”

Kneeling beside her, Adam took her free hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. But still, her panic turned cold as numbness inched its way through her. She stared into Adam’s eyes knowing he saw all the fright she felt.

“Yes…yes, Mom. I’m still here.” Swallowing hard, she began to tremble. “I…I’ll be home as soon as possible. Which…Which hospital is he in?”

Adam stood and snatched a memo pad off the refrigerator along with the magnetic pen beside it. He handed it to Beth in time for her to scribble down the information.

“Ok. I don’t know… I guess I’ll try to catch a flight. I’d never get there in time driving. Tell Dad…tell Daddy to hang in there. Tell him…tell him his little girl is coming home and I want to see him. Ok?”

“I’ll tell him. Be careful, Beth.”

“Tell him I love him, Mom. I’ll call as soon as my plane lands and I’m on my way. Bye, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Hun. Bye.”

She hung up, unaware of the tears streaking down her face until Adam reached to wipe them away.

“Daddy. He’s… He can’t die. Oh, Adam! He just can’t! I need to get home!”

The numbing pain erupted in heart-wrenching sobs. Adam gathered her in his arms, caressing her back, praying and whispering words of comfort.

When she finally calmed down, he pulled away and lifted her chin with the crook of his finger. With a commanding, yet gentle look he said, “You focus on packing. I’ll make some calls and get you the earliest flight possible to Kansas City.”

Somehow this information found its way through her tangled thoughts. With it came questions. “What do I do about my car? Do you mind if I leave it until I can come back for it? And my stuff…”

Then they came… a deluge of snapshots of her life growing up – her dad pushing her on the swing or grilling hamburgers in their back yard, her dad telling her how proud he was of her when she won the fifth grade spelling bee, her dad placing a kiss on her mom’s cheek to thank her for dinner, her dad reading the paper in his easy-chair. On and on they went while questions, doubts, fears rushed at her as through a long, dark tunnel, and then echoed and bounced around in her head. What had she done in coming away like this? Was his heart attack caused from the stress of worrying about her? Why hadn’t she called home sooner? What if her daddy passed away before she got a chance to tell him how much she loved him? What if…

Taking a deep, calming breath, she pressed her palms against her temples and squeezed her eyes shut trying to stop the onslaught. Focus! “I can’t take all my stuff on the plane. I don’t have time to pack it all up, anyway. Is it okay if I leave it here for now? You can pack it all up and put it…put it…I don’t know. Put it where ever to get it out of your way.”

Pulling her hands down to her lap, he held them in a reassuring grasp. “Beth, look at me.”

She obeyed.

“If you’ll allow me, I’ll drive your car to Kansas City and meet up with you in a few days. I can either bring your stuff or you can return for it later. Regardless, you’ll need your car to get around, so I’d like to bring it up for you.”

Her stricken mind tried to absorb what he was saying. Confusing thoughts still bouncing around inside her head, she shook it and said, “But…how will you get home? Who…who will take care of your mom while you’re gone? She needs you.”

“Mom will be fine. I have plenty of family who can take turns staying with Mom. I’ll simply catch a flight to return home when the time comes. Don’t worry about me. Focus on packing what you need and I’ll take care of the rest. Ok?”

Beth sucked in air and let out a slow, shaky breath. Looking into his eyes, she saw the same sincerity that had gained her trust the day they met. It touched her heart and spread a soothing balm throughout her body and soul. Without thinking, she reached out and cupped his face with her hand. No words came from her lips. No words passed over his. Yet something sweet and inexpressible passed between their hearts giving Beth the strength she knew she would need in the coming days.

As if sensing her renewed strength, Adam nodded and stood. He pulled her to her feet and said, “Now, go pack. We need to get you on your way.”