A reason to stay, p.14
A Reason to Stay, page 14
As soon as Sharpe hung up the phone, he dialed Emma. He didn’t think twice about why he reached out to Emma first, only that he needed support and knew she’d be the one he wanted by his side.
Dear Lord in Heaven, please wrap Tre’Monte in Your loving arms and keep him safe. Let him know You’re by his side. May he feel Your presence, Lord.
“I’ll be right over,” Emma told him as soon as he’d related the horrible news about Mongoose. “You sit tight until I get there. You won’t be in any state to drive, worrying over your friend. You said St. Joseph’s.”
“He went to the local urgent care, but apparently it’s bad enough that he was transferred by ambulance to St. Joseph’s.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Sharpe hung up the phone and paced the room, scrubbing his fingers through his hair and wondering what he should be doing. He needed to be thinking logically, even though his heart was practically beating out of his chest. He put his snow boots back on, as well as his wool-lined jean jacket and his cowboy hat, but there seemed to be little else for him to do to keep his mind occupied until Emma arrived.
Thankfully, Emma was as good as her word and pulled in front of the farmhouse less than ten minutes later, no makeup on and her hair tousled as if she’d been sleeping.
“Sorry if I woke you,” he immediately apologized. He hadn’t even considered that she may already have been asleep.
“Oh, no. I was still awake. So tell me—what happened to Mongoose? Did a fight break out in the shelter?”
“Honestly, I don’t know all the details yet. I guess we’ll have to ask him about that. If the nurse had any idea how he got stabbed, she wasn’t exactly forthcoming, even though I’m Mongoose’s emergency contact. I guess because I’m not immediate family, they’re keeping closemouthed about it. Or maybe they don’t know what happened. It would be just like Mongoose to be tight-lipped about a fight.”
He was angry that he didn’t know more, but he supposed it didn’t make a difference except that he would have been even more worried if he’d gotten specifics. He could only get there as fast as he could get there. This way he could see how Mongoose was with his own eyes.
They didn’t speak much on the hour ride down to St. Joseph’s, each lost in their own thoughts. Sharpe was imagining all the different ways Mongoose could have gotten in that kind of trouble, but he knew his friend would set the record straight soon enough.
Stabbed, though.
How could that even happen to a Delta Force operative? Sharpe couldn’t even imagine a scenario where a man with a knife would get the best of his friend.
When they reached the hospital, they went straight upstairs to his room, which had been the only useful information Sharpe had been able to coax from the otherwise closemouthed nurse.
While Emma hung back, Sharpe swept his cowboy hat off, knocked on the door and stuck his head in.
“I know they just brought you in not too long ago,” he said to Mongoose. “Are you up to seeing a couple of visitors?”
Mongoose actually chuckled. “Please. There’s nothing on TV, and I’m already bored out of my skull.”
“Now, that’s exactly what a man who has spent his life chasing adrenaline would say. What happened, buddy?” he asked gently, pulling up a chair next to his friend, whose arm was in a sling. He had an IV in his other arm, which Mongoose explained was flooding antibiotics into his system because they hadn’t picked up the knife that had stabbed him, so they didn’t have any idea how dirty it was.
“I also had to have a tetanus shot,” he growled, though he flashed Emma a toothy grin as she entered the room and moved to the other side of the bed. “That hurt worse than the wound itself.”
He paused and winked at Emma. “I didn’t realize I’d have to go and get stabbed to get to see the pretty Coffee Lady again. I would have gotten myself stabbed last week.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been back again to visit the shelter,” Emma said. “Things have been…busy. I probably won’t be in town more than another week, and then I’ll be headed back to my job in California.”
Sharpe noticed she didn’t say her home in California, but rather her job. Oddly, it gave him a sense of hope.
“Well, if you stay,” said Mongoose, “I hope you’ll come back to volunteer at the shelter every once in a while. The men really appreciated you and Aidan.”
“Says the man who just got stabbed,” Sharpe pointed out. “And you want to put her in the same situation?”
Sharpe appreciated everything Mongoose did more than he could say, but the man was former Delta Force. He shouldn’t be thinking of putting Emma and Aidan into harm’s way, even for the good of the veterans. Sharpe knew he was being overprotective, and it was Emma’s decision to make, but he couldn’t help wanting to keep her and Aidan safe.
“Help me sit this bed up a little, and I’ll tell you all about what happened.”
Emma found the bed controls and slowly moved him to a sitting position. He grimaced, and she immediately stopped.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Can I get the nurse to get you something for the pain?”
Mongoose frowned and shook his head. “This ain’t that bad compared to some situations I’ve been in,” he said, gesturing to his bandaged shoulder. “And after all I’ve seen down at the shelter, I told the nurse I just wanted plain ol’ Tylenol and that’s all. That way I have nothing to hide when the boys ask about it—which some of them will.”
Admiration flashed through Emma’s eyes, and Sharpe had to admit he was pretty impressed, as well. That wound had to hurt, yet Mongoose was always thinking of his men first. That was what had made him such a good leader both in the army and at the homeless shelter.
“So, what happened?” Emma asked softly. “How did you get stabbed? Was there a fight at the shelter?”
Mongoose shook his head and then clamped his jaw against the pain. He might be a martyr for the sake of his men, but he was still hurting.
“It had nothing to do with the veterans,” Mongoose assured her. “I run a tight ship. What happened tonight was there was an argument going on right outside my shelter where all the men could see.”
“Gang members?” Sharpe asked, his brow furrowing.
“Honestly? I don’t know. All I know for certain is that there were four young men on each side facing off, and they all had weapons—guns and knives and who knows what else. I can’t have a fight like that right outside my shelter. It could send any one of my guys into a bad place in a second. So I went outside to see if I could talk them down.”
“That obviously went well,” Sharpe said dryly, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. Emma looked as if she wanted to pelt him with something, and he shrugged.
Mongoose chuckled. “Eight to one are good odds for a man like me, so I didn’t think twice about meddling in their affairs. It was the ninth guy who bolted around the corner at the last minute and jabbed me in the shoulder with his butterfly knife that got me. I should have seen him coming. I’m getting rusty in my old age. Still, I stopped the fight, right?”
“Yes, but at what cost?” Emma demanded, laying a comforting hand on his arm.
“It’s nothing. Really. It’s a clean wound, straight in and out of my shoulder muscle. Trust me. I’ve had much worse injuries during my time, including bullets and shrapnel. This little wound is small in comparison. I’ll be going home in a couple of days, just as soon as they finish with these antibiotics and are convinced I’m on the mend.”
“Is it okay if we bring Aidan over with us tomorrow?” Sharpe asked, half to Mongoose and half to Emma.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Emma asked, her gaze widening.
Mongoose was already nodding.
“It’s a good life lesson for Aidan,” Sharpe explained. “And I want him to bring Baloo with him so he can discover yet another way he’s useful as a service dog.”
“He can make veterans smile, and apparently people in the hospital, as well. He can herd sheep. And let’s not forget the country dancing. What else can that dog do?” Emma said, shaking her head in amazement.
Sharpe grinned but didn’t speak aloud.
He can be a boy’s best friend.
Chapter Eleven
Emma knew Aidan was always happy to go somewhere with Baloo, even someplace scary like a hospital. The boy had really come out of his shell over the past few weeks, and as long as Sharpe and Baloo were there, the idea of going to visit a sick person didn’t really seem to bother him.
That the person in question was Mongoose probably had something to do with it, Emma supposed. Aidan really liked Mongoose, and he didn’t balk for a second when Sharpe had suggested they go visit him. Emma was concerned Aidan might think it was cool that Mongoose had been stabbed, but maybe seeing the real thing would give him a perspective he wouldn’t otherwise have.
Emma knew Sharpe was in much better emotional shape today than he’d been last night, and he’d offered to drive the truck, especially since they were taking the dog with them. Emma was getting used to Baloo going wherever Aidan went, and she wondered what would happen when they had to leave him behind. It would break her brother’s heart, and that would break Emma’s.
Yet one more tick in the stay box she was mentally putting together. For Aidan, leaving Baloo would be a real trial.
Aidan didn’t have to be told how to put on Baloo’s service dog vest anymore. It had become second nature to him. Sharpe gave him instructions as they entered the hospital and stopped at the front desk to register Baloo. Evidently it wasn’t the first time the border collie had visited St. Joseph’s as a therapy dog, and the people at the desk knew him well.
“When we get into Mongoose’s room, bring Baloo alongside the bed so Mongoose can pet him with his good arm, okay?”
Aidan nodded.
“That’s a lot of what you have to do when you bring in a therapy dog, especially to a hospital,” Sharpe continued. “Try to figure out what’s the best way for the patient to be able to reach out and interact with Baloo. The dog is pretty smart about these things, too, and has a natural instinct, so trust him. But at the end of the day, he will respond to your commands, so try to think like the patient.”
“Is he allowed to jump on the bed?” Aidan queried, which Emma thought was an exceptionally thoughtful question.
“If the patient asks and Baloo can jump up without getting in the way of any medical tubes or IVs, then yes, it’s okay. Again, use your best judgment. A lot of the kids in the children’s ward like to have Baloo up on the bed with them.”
“Hey, there, Mongoose,” Sharpe called as they entered his room. The big man was up and sitting in a chair now, staring out the window and looking thoroughly bored. He brightened right up when they entered, especially when he saw Aidan and Baloo.
“Who’ve you brought for me today?” Mongoose asked, smiling at Aidan.
“Baloo. He’s here to make you feel better, Mongoose.”
“Well, he is certainly doing that,” he said as Aidan brought Baloo to Mongoose’s side. “And I’m glad to see you here, too.”
“Sharpe said Baloo helps patients in the hospital feel better,” Aidan explained with a grin. “Dogs always make people happy.”
“That’s a fact,” Mongoose agreed, scrubbing Baloo between his ears.
Emma was proud of Aidan, and she was impressed that Sharpe didn’t try to make all the calls for the boy. He was allowing her brother to take charge.
“And I think it’s really awesome that you like to help people, Aidan. I hope you’ll be able to come back to the shelter someday,” Mongoose continued.
“I…uh…” Aidan stammered, and then his face fell. Emma didn’t have to ask why. Nor did she need Aidan to verbalize how he felt about staying in Whispering Pines. It was in every move he made, every expression, every gesture.
“And you, Emma,” Mongoose continued with a wink.
Sharpe shuffled from boot to boot and crossed his arms. He looked so uncomfortable with Mongoose’s easy manner that Emma wanted to giggle.
Sharpe cares for me.
And that made all the difference in the world. It was amazing how one night could change everything. She’d told Sharpe she needed to pray about her answer as to whether to leave or stay, and she did. She wasn’t about to make a hasty decision about something as critical as doing a good job as Aidan’s big sister and guardian. But with every moment that passed, she became more and more aware of all Whispering Pines and Sharpe Winslow had to offer her.
Mentoring Aidan, for one. Showing him how to help people, both at the hospital and at the veterans’ shelter. Learning new skills he’d be able to use for the rest of his life.
And that was nothing to say of the kiss she and Sharpe had shared. Talk about life-changing. She had a reason. If only God would show her a path to stay, open her eyes to a solution she hadn’t yet thought of.
“They’re cutting me loose this afternoon,” Mongoose told them. “I think I’m bothering them too much, so they just want to get rid of me as soon as possible.” He laughed. “Can I help it if I’m used to being active and am bored to tears stuck in this chair?”
Emma didn’t believe for a second that Mongoose would be rude to anyone, nurses or otherwise, but she let him crow on about it. He needed an outlet for all the energy he couldn’t otherwise expend right now.
“But you got stabbed?” Aidan said, sounding fascinated in the way only a preteen boy could do.
Mongoose looked him right in the eye. “I was breaking up a fight that shouldn’t have been happening at all. You’ve got to promise me you won’t go getting into fights, Aidan. Real men are better than that.”
Aidan’s gaze widened, but he immediately nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Good, then,” Mongoose said, patting Aidan’s shoulder.
“Well, since you’ll be leaving soon,” Sharpe said, “I think, if you don’t mind, we’ll get out of here and take Aidan around the ward to cheer up people who really need the cheering up. Not ones who are going to be perpetually grouchy no matter how many dogs they get to see,” Sharpe teased.
“Ha. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.”
Sharpe grunted and jammed his hat on his head. “You’ve gotta wonder why I’m his emergency contact,” he mumbled under his breath. “I’m the last person he wants around when he’s laid up.”
Emma put her hand on Sharpe’s arm. “That’s not true, and you know it. He was just trying to be kind to Aidan.”
“Yeah, I know. Let’s go to the nurses’ desk and find out who’s up for a therapy dog visit today.”
Before they even got the list of names and door numbers, Aidan was surrounded by a gaggle of nurses, both male and female, who were ecstatic over having a dog on the floor. Baloo loved the attention, as did Aidan. And he did a great job directing the dog around, interacting with the patients and leaving everyone with a smile.
“So…about Thanksgiving,” Sharpe said as they exited the hospital and loaded Baloo and Aidan back into the truck.
“Yeah. That’s right. What time do you want us over? It’s really kind of you to invite us to spend the holiday with your family. We can’t wait.”
“As if Gramps would have it any other way. He and your grandmother are connected at the hip these days.”
Emma grinned. “They are. And I couldn’t be happier for them.”
“He’s not the only one who wants your family there, though,” Sharpe said, a half smile curling up one side of his lip. “It wouldn’t be the same without you. I’ve kinda gotten used to having you around.”
“Back atcha,” she said, her throat suddenly becoming dry and gravelly.
“But that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about. You can count on the best turkey and fixings you’ve ever tasted, compliments of Jake and Avery, but before we do our big sit-down dinner at the bed-and-breakfast, the Winslow family has another holiday tradition I expect you’ll like to take advantage of.”
“Yes? And what’s that?”
“We go as a family to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the men at Mongoose’s shelter.”
“Really?” Her whole countenance jumped with excitement, and adrenaline coursed through her. She’d get to be the Coffee Lady again, and she couldn’t wait.
“I’m sure Mongoose will be thrilled to see you there,” Sharpe said blithely, his fist tightening on the wheel.
He had to know how she felt about him, but she suspected he was just trying to get her to admit it aloud.
“That’ll be nice,” she said and then paused, teasing him a little. “But you know who I’m most interested in standing next to as I serve the men?”
“No. Who would that be?”
She reached across the cab and threaded her fingers through his. “There’s this cowboy who once came and saved my younger brother from getting into a fight,” she said with a tender smile. “At the time I thought he was a little bit intimidating. But now that I’ve gotten to know him better, I can’t help but want to spend more time with him. If that’s what he wants, too,” she added, glancing his direction.
He wore a full-on smile now, his eyes gleaming with happiness.
“That cowboy,” he replied, “can’t wait to spend Thanksgiving with you and your brother. I know you’re praying for direction for your lives. I’m praying that you’ll find direction, as well—right into my arms.”
*
The Winslows had been serving Thanksgiving dinner at the homeless shelter for several years now, ever since Sharpe had first met Mongoose. This year was no different, except for the addition of Emma and Aidan and their nan to the group. That, and the fact that Mongoose was left directing traffic in a sling he had to wear for several more weeks.
Without being told, Aidan worked his way around the room with Baloo by his side. The boy was every bit as natural and instinctual as the dog. Sharpe loved how much Aidan had come out of his shell in the weeks since he’d first come to town. The truth was, Baloo didn’t belong to Sharpe anymore. Whether or not the Fitzpatricks stayed in Whispering Pines, Baloo ought to be with Aidan. It was yet one more thing he wanted to talk over with Emma when the time was right.
