Wishing for Wonderful (Serendipity #3)(49)

~

It was almost nine when they finally settled in the room. After Matthew pulled the curtain between the two beds partway closed, he leaned close to Lindsay and whispered how such a scare had made him realize that he couldn’t live without her. Careful not to bump up against the bruised side of her face, he put his mouth to hers and kissed her in a way she’d never before been kissed—not hard or hungry or passionate, but so gentle that it was like a silken promise landing on her lips. Lindsay’s heartbeat spiked from 82 to 147, and when the monitor began beeping the nurse hurried in to check on her.

With the curtain hiding them from one another John seized the same opportunity, although it was in a somewhat less romantic way. He bent over and snuggled his cheek next to Eleanor’s.

“That’s it,” he whispered. “I don’t care who likes it and who doesn’t—we’re getting married right away. I could’ve lost you.”

Eleanor smiled, but behind her smile was the pain of remembering the last conversation with Ray. Being loved in such a way brought great happiness and yet…

“We can’t just take our happiness and cause misery to others,” she said sadly. “Let’s wait until I can work things out with Ray. He’ll come around. I know he will…sooner or later.”

Eleanor knew it would probably be later—much later. Maybe never.

“I think we’ve waited long enough,” John answered. “After you’ve told Ray what we’ve decided to do, he’ll have no further argument. If he still can’t accept the truth of how we feel, then I’m ready to go ahead without him.”

“Be patient,” she said and turned her mouth to his.





Once John was gone, Eleanor again tried calling Ray’s number. The answering machine clicked on after the third ring.

“Ray, it’s Mom,” she said. “I’m in the hospital but don’t worry, I’m okay. Call me when you can. I’ve got something important to tell you.”

When she hung up the phone, Lindsay said, “You didn’t tell him which hospital or give him the number.”

Eleanor sighed. “That’s okay. I doubt he’d call anyway.”

~

Some people never realize how treasured a thing is until it’s lost. Ray is just such a person. He argued with his father day and night, but the minute the man stopped breathing Ray started remembering him as the most saintly man who ever lived. He then turned disagreeable with his mother. Although Eleanor did everything imaginable to coddle the boy, he criticized her every move. And after twelve years of being a widow, when she finally found her own happiness, he became outraged.

But all of that was before he heard the crash. Before he lost the connection on Lindsay’s cell phone. Before he drove all over town looking for Eleanor, and before he came to believe that wherever she was she needed help—his help.





After Ray tried redialing Lindsay’s cell phone number and got nothing, he waited for a good half-hour thinking she’d call back. When she didn’t, he tried calling John Gray’s number. The telephone rang once, and then the line went dead. He waited five minutes and called again. Same result. He finally got in his car and drove to Eleanor’s house. Using his key, he went inside and walked through room after room looking for her and calling out her name. He even opened closet doors and searched the basement. Nothing.

From there he drove to John Gray’s house. He walked to the front door and pushed the bell at precisely seven-twenty. There was no answer. John was already on his way to the hospital.

Ray leaned on the doorbell a dozen times; then he walked around back of the house and peered through a window. He could see the television flickering in the family room, but other than that there was no sign of life. Reasoning that with the television on someone had to be at home, he stood there rapping his knuckles against the front door for another fifteen minutes.

When he failed to rouse anyone at the Gray house, Ray spent two hours driving back and forth to the shops Eleanor frequented. He checked the hair salon, the supermarket and three different gas stations. According to the clerks he spoke with, Eleanor had not been there for days. He then began knocking on doors. He tried seven of her neighbors, but no one seemed to know anything. Louise Farmer claimed she hadn’t seen Eleanor in several months and was almost certain she’d moved.

When Ray returned home the red light on his answering machine was blinking. He hit Play and listened to Eleanor’s message.

She hadn’t said what hospital, so he pressed *69 and waited. After several rings the operator answered, “Jefferson University Hospital.”

“I’m trying to reach Eleanor Barrow. She’s a patient.”

“Inbound patient calls are not permitted after ten o’clock,” the voice said.

“I’m her son!”

“I’m sorry, there are no exceptions.”

“Let me speak to the nurse in charge!”

“Very well, sir. What’s the patient’s room number?”

“I don’t know her room number,” he snapped. “Can’t you look it up?”

“I’m sorry, sir, I don’t have that information. You need to speak to Patient Services. Hold on, I’ll transfer you.”

Ray heard the click and waited. After several minutes, a dial tone sounded.