Forgiveness Creek: The Creek Series (12 page)

It was unethical to access patient records for personal use, but I did it anyway. I had to know, and at that point, I was willing to lose my job over it. I looked to find any address, all the phone numbers, and if there was an alternate phone number for Dane, besides the one I had.

I found plenty, and there was more information I hadn’t seen on our schedule or his chart. Christina Biden. She held the same address as Dane and the same home phone number.

Secrets and lies.

It was Saturday morning before I heard from Dane and his voicemail was very quick, saying he was overwhelmed with work, but would call me soon.

What the hell does he mean by soon?

We were to leave the next day for China. I needed to pack, but I had an unusual amount of questions I needed answers to before I left to go anywhere. So, what does a questioning woman do? Call the numbers on the list.

The first number was out of order. The second was the same voicemail as Dane’s cell phone, so I thought the number might be forwarded to his cell. The third number only added mystery when a woman answered.

“Hello?”

“This is Wrenn Cunningham. I’m looking for Dane.”

“He’s in the shower at the moment. We’re about to get a bite to eat. Is there a message?” Her voice was sophisticated and dripping with sarcasm.

“Will you ask him to call…? You know what, never mind. Please let him know I’m no longer able to take the trip with him, and I’m leaving town.”

“I’ll see to it, Miss…?”

“Cunningham. Wrenn Cunningham.”

“Ah, yes, but of course. Just another one of his little flavors-of-the-day. I think he’s forgotten about you already and moved on, sugar.” As she spoke, I was quite certain the male voice I heard in the distance on her end of the line was that of Dane’s.

Within a couple of minutes, my cell was ringing with Dane’s number lighting it up. I knew then he was with that woman, and oh, how convenient.

Lying, cheating bastard.

I packed quickly and let Mom know I’d changed my plans and was headed home. I missed her, and it had been six weeks since I was home last.

The questioning tone in her voice told me she didn’t buy what I was saying, but she let it drop.

“What’s going on, Wrenn?” Karina asked as I loaded the car.

“He’s a liar. I caught him with another woman.” I crammed my suitcase into the backseat with a huff.

“I knew he was too good to be true. Sweetie, I’m sorry. I feel like this is my fault. I encouraged you to break out of your shell.” She embraced me.

“It’s not your fault. I can’t hate him for everything. He helped me put closure on my past, and I know someday I’ll find the guy for me, but it’s not him.”

“You staying the week?”

I nodded.

“Tell Mom hello for me and be careful.”

“Hope you and Aaron have fun on your ski trip. Don’t break anything.”

As I drove down the highway, my cell rang endlessly until the battery finally died, but I didn’t answer his calls. I didn’t want to hear more lies.

I tried to think about good times with Mr. Lawrence and my other patients and reminded myself to focus on the two months I had remaining in school. After that, it would be smooth sailing for the first time in my life.

I would have a career I love, which would support me, and soon, I would be able to cross some things off my own bucket list.

The next few days were spent in peace and quiet with Mom at the house. I didn’t bother charging my phone and actually had left it in the car on purpose. She tried to help me learn quilting, but I didn’t have the patience for it.

“What is this quilt over on the table for?” I asked, unfolding it.

“It’s yours, sweetheart. I made it from scraps of your dresses from when you were a little girl. I found the scraps in the attic and was hoping to get it finished before you came home. I wasn’t expecting you this week.”

“I know.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. He was just a guy that’s all about himself. There will be another one for me someday, but I’m not rushing. I’ve decided that men are a luxury, but not a necessity.” I tried to laugh.

“Tomorrow, we can go to town and get the fabric I need to finish the quilt. So many of your dresses were red or had red in them, so I thought about red or black as the bottom fabric color.”

“Red.” I grinned. “You know me too well.”

“Red always looked best on you with your dark hair and dark eyes. You got those features from your daddy.”

“What do you think I got from you?”

“You got my nose, my fingers, and unfortunately, my weird shaped toes.”

I looked down at my flip-flops and laughed. My toes. The very ones Stephan had made fun of.

Sadness gripped my heart. Stephan would’ve taken his fist to Dane Lawrence and either pummeled him or died trying.

The next morning, I drove Mom to get the fabric she wanted. We called going to the closest city “going to town”, and it was about an hour and a half away.

She seemed to be walking slowly, and I noticed her holding her stomach a couple of times, while we were in the fabric store.

When we stopped for lunch, she didn’t feel like eating, so we left the restaurant without ordering, which was totally unlike her. It was such a rare treat for her to go out and eat.

“Mom, are you okay today?” I asked as we walked back to the car.

“My stomach is queasy. It has been all morning. Must’ve been something I ate.”

“You don’t look so good.”

“Don’t make a fuss. I’ll be fine.” She buckled her seat belt.

Then she gripped her chest and moaned loudly.

Certain she was having a heart attack, I didn’t wait for an ambulance, since we were only a few minutes from the hospital just across the interstate.

Grateful that we were in her car, I had more power under the pedal and gunned the engine, racing against the clock. I pulled into the emergency room behind an ambulance that had just unloaded and ran in yelling for help and grabbed a wheelchair I found just inside the door.

When I returned to the car, she was slumped over. Two paramedics has rushed out behind me. They got Mom out onto the ground and begin chest compressions and asked questions as they worked.

They got mom on a stretcher and took her inside, but she never regained consciousness, and even though they worked on her for over an hour…

In a flash, she was gone.

I didn’t get it. What on earth did I do to piss off God?

I sat in the ER family counseling room for hours, until finally a lady from the hospital social services came back to speak with me.

“Ms. Cunningham, is there anything more I can do for you? You’ve been here for hours. I’m worried about you. Can I call someone?”

“I know you probably need this room, don’t you?”

“Oh dear, no. You can stay as long as you need, but it’s getting dark, and I’m concerned about you driving home.”

“I don’t have a home anymore. My home was with her. There’s no use going back to an empty house and a stale piece of land.”

She held my hand, and I felt her gaze on my face.

“I need to borrow a phone and call our family friend, Dr. Palmer,” I said softly.

“Absolutely.”

She pulled the phone from the small table and handed it to me. Sara Beth answered their home phone.

“I’m at the hospital. We came to town to get fabric. Mom’s passed away. It was her heart. I don’t know what to do.”

“Hold on. Stewart’s right here,” she answered, but I heard her whisper to him that Mom had passed away.

“I’m so sorry, kiddo. Let me come get you.”

“No. I just need help with the arrangements.”

“If someone’s there with you, put them on the phone.”

“Dr. Palmer wants to speak with you.” I handed her the phone.

He spoke with the counselor for a few minutes, and all she kept saying was “Yes, sir.”

After they finished speaking, she handed the phone to me.

“Stay put. We’re on our way, kiddo,” Dr. P said with a breaking voice.

Dr. Palmer and Sarah Beth arrived a little more than an hour later. Dr. Palmer made all the arrangements for me. Sara Beth drove me in their suburban, and Dr. P drove Mom’s car home.

I never recalled a mile passing because I was numb, total shock and sadness gripped me.

The only peace I had was being grateful I was with her in her last moments of life, doing what she loved most in the world.