The officer nodded as he pulled the screen door open and they began to navigate the stretcher through the doorway. Mia, a small and slight woman of Hawaiian heritage, was the woman he'd seen coming out of Tara's novelty and bakery in a hurry. He'd met her when he'd brought Harper down from the mountain after the storm and then again at the potluck.
“I hate ambulances,” Joel said. “I don't know why you didn't let me take my car. I’m perfectly able to drive.”
“You will be fine, Mr. Stephens,” Mia said. “It's only short ride to the hospital.”
With a scowl on his face, Joel said, “I know that. I’ve been living here in this town all my life. I know how long it takes to get to the hospital.” Then he turned to look at Zeb who was still holding the door. “I'd gone there to visit enough of my students over the years when they were hurt at a sports event. I think I even visited you once.”
“I remember that,” Zeb said. “We just want to make sure you’re comfortable and get the best care you can. This is only to reassure you that nothing is broken.”
“I didn’t break anything. It was a little fall. When I can go home tonight, I'll be reassured. I still don't know why Daphne insists I need to get this leg checked out. I'm fine.”
Zeb chuckled. “I wouldn't put up too much of a fuss, Mr. Stephens. It's not a bad thing to have a woman fuss over you. Especially one as nice as Mrs. Madison.”
Joel smiled and glanced back at the door he’d just come through. Then he looked up at Zeb and said, “You're right. Thanks for reminding me of that.”
“You're welcome. Just returning the favor.”
They loaded Joel into the ambulance and a few minutes later, they were on their way to the hospital.
Zeb turned to Nash. “Will you be staying here with Mrs. Madison?”
Nash hadn't even thought that far ahead.
“What did you mean by returning the favor? I'm just curious.”
“I had a rough time in high school.” Zeb shrugged. “Mr. Stephens was sort of a mentor to me and set me straight. I pushed back, and he used to tell me that it’s not such a bad thing to have someone care about you.”
The exchange of words between the two of them made sense now. Nash nodded his understanding. “I'll stay with Mrs. Madison and make sure she's okay.”
“Harper will appreciate that.”
Nash looked up and saw Mrs. Madison standing by the screen door with a worried look on her face.
The officer glanced back at her as he walked to his cruiser. Then he called out to her, “Make sure you use your walker, Mrs. Madison.”
Mrs. Madison shook her head. “Has my granddaughter trained all of you boys to check up on me this way?”
Zeb laughed. “You gotta love Harper.”
The old woman smiled. “Yes, I do.”
As soon as Zeb left, Mrs. Madison glanced at Nash. Then she opened the screen door wide. “You're going to want to come in here, young man.”
And Nash didn't know if that was a good thing or bad thing.
* * *
Harper ran through the hospital door with the note clutched in her hand.
I'm taking your grandmother to the hospital.
Nash.
Why hadn't anyone told her before she got home? When her grandmother called earlier to say that Mr. Stephens had fallen during their visit this afternoon, Harper had assumed that it was just Mr. Stephens who had been hurt. Why hadn't anyone given her an update on her grandmother? Didn't they know that finding a note like this on the kitchen table would worry her? A simple phone call was easy! Everyone knew where she was. She was right at the police station for God’s sake.
Harper walked through the double doors of the ER and ran right up to the nurse’s station.
“Excuse me, can you tell me where Daphne Madison is? I’m her granddaughter.”
The nurse looked up from her paperwork. “Daphne Madison? I don't believe we have a Daphne Madison in the emergency room. Are you sure she came to this hospital?”
Harper's heart pumped wildly in her chest. She felt the weight of tears pressing against her and hysteria bubbling up her throat. “Please. Can you check your records? I just got this note.”
She handed the note to the nurse who read it quickly and handed it back to Harper.
“Sorry, miss. There is no Daphne Madison in the emergency room. She must've gone to a different hospital.”
Another nurse came out of one of the rooms and stopped at the nurse’s nation.
“Is Daphne Madison here? She uses a walker. Although, maybe they didn’t bring that with them. She might have come on a stretcher for all I know,” Harper said, forcing down a sob that was building in her throat. “She came in earlier with a gentleman.”
Harper glanced at the nurse’s nametag. Donna.
“I know my grandmother was brought to the hospital with a man earlier. I got this note.”
She handed the note to Donna, who quickly glanced at it and gave it back.
Donna frowned as she thought for a second. “I did see a woman with a walker and a really nice looking man with her. I didn’t get either of their names.”
Harper ignored the appreciation the nurse had for who was obviously Nash. “Do you know where the woman with the walker and the nice-looking guy went?”
“Upstairs, I think.” She reached over the counter and pulled a chart from the stack, and then glanced at it. “Yes, they moved him up to the third-floor.”
“Him? What about her?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t have any information about your grandmother. Perhaps the gentleman they came to see knows where they are.”
“Thank you,” Harper said as she turned and started towards the elevator.
“It's a little late,” the nurse said. “It's almost eight o'clock. Visiting hours are almost over.”
“Thank you.” Harper ignored the rest as she continued to the elevator and then waited for the doors to open. She
