This Time(24)

Calmly, Burke commanded Belle. "Go to the truck, get my phone and call Dean. His house is not far from here, and he's an EMT."

"Good plan," Paul said.

She stumbled to the truck and dialed the number. "Dean," she said, tears in her words. "It's me, Belle. Paul Fuller, Burke, and I are in the south range by the big corral. It's Daddy, Dean." Weeping overcame her.

"I'm on my way, Belle. I'm on my way."

***

In the bathroom outside the hospital emergency room, Belle clung to the low, cool sink, trying to control her tears. Her stomach and sides ached from crying, and her throat burned with bile. She caught a glimpse of herself in the sink mirror. Mud smudged her face and stained her tee shirt. Her matted, wet hair clung to her head and her tired eyes were swollen and red.

A soft touch on her shoulder made her turn around. "Here's a cold towel." Elaine Benning's tender voice floated to her ears.

"Thank you," Belle said as reached for the cloth and buried her face in it.

Elaine smoothed Belle's hair with her hand. "The doctor said Duke's going to be fine. He's got a nasty knot on his head and a severely broken leg, but he's fine. He's fine."

"Thank you, Jesus," Belle prayed, sinking down to the hard tile floor, propping her back against the wall and succumbing to soft tears.

Elaine crouched next to her and drew her into her arms. "He's sleeping peacefully now. The doc says Burke saved his life, you know, by administering CPR."

Belle stiffened and her temper flared. "Saved him? Burke is the one who refused to let me go after him." She hopped to her feet. "I told him he was in the southern range. I told him to let me go after him."

Elaine stood and looked her in the eye. "Oh, now, you couldn't have gone after your dad in that storm."

"You didn't see him, Elaine, lying face down in the mud, alone and dying. My daddy…" The words faded into sobbing.

Elaine tried to reason with her, explaining that Burke possibly saved her life by forcing her into the cellar. Who would have saved Duke if she had gotten hurt in the storm?

But Mrs. Benning's wisdom made no impact on Belle. Her exposed, raw emotions were in control.

When a heavy silence fell between them, Elaine started to leave. As she reached for the door, Gates and Meg pushed it open and scrambled to embrace Belle.

***

"She what?" Burke nearly shouted, towering over his mother in the ER waiting room.

"She blames you," Elaine repeated, sympathy clouding her eyes.

He paced around his family, his lips pursed with anger. When he started to say something, Reese slapped a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Let's hear this out," he said. "Tell us what she said Elaine." Reese shot a warning glance toward his son. "No comments from you until she's done."

"Well, I gave her the doctor's report and - Oh, boys, you should have seen her." Her voice quivered and broke. "I tried to comfort her by telling her Duke was fine and sleeping peacefully. Then I said Burke probably saved his life by performing CPR."

"Then what happened?" Burke demanded.

"Steady son, she's on your side."

"Dad, why are there sides at all?"

"Go on, Elaine."

"She snapped her head up like she'd been gored by a bull. She said if it hadn't been for Burke, she could have rescued Duke. She told you she could find him, I guess."

"But she didn't know for sure. The storm was right over us. Funnel clouds were touching down and speeding toward the Bar J." Burke's tone grew forceful and loud.

"Burke, keep your voice down," Reese warned.

"She'd doing this out of spite, I tell you."

Dean spoke for the first time. "She's tired, emotional, scared. You know how she feels about Duke. Give her time, Burke."

"This is ridiculous. I don't care how tired, scared, or emotional she is, how can she blame me? It's crazy."

"She's not thinking straight, Burke, can't you see?" Gates joined the small Benning circle.

Burke sank into one of the waiting room chairs. "We talked today for the first time about our wedding day," he began softly, detailing their chapel meeting and the events following just before the storm. "I thought we were getting somewhere," he concluded.

Gates sat next to him and placed a comforting hand on his humped shoulders. "You are, Burke, believe me. It's a miracle that you talked today, something to be thankful for. But right now, all she can think about is how she could've saved her father. Blaming you for not letting her go after him is the handiest thing she has at the moment for dealing with her own guilt."

Meg stepped up. "I agree. Belle takes her love and care for Duke very serious. Not to mention, he's the only family she has left."

"It makes no sense," Burke countered, standing to face the group. "Why should she feel guilty? She didn't cause this to happen." Sarcasm threaded his words.

"Settle down, Burke," Elaine said, tipping her head back to look her son in the eye. She may have been almost a foot shorter than her tall, athletic son, but her authority towered over him.

"Instead of getting angry at her, why don't you offer her some compassion and care? She needs some about now," Reese suggested.