Chapter 12: Broken Glass and Hospital Decisions

A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.

~Unknown~



The phone range scaring both of us.  I quickly stood straight up and walked toward the ringing. 

“Hello,” I answered a little out of breathe.

“Hi,” came Doddie’s voice on the other end of the phone.

“Oh, it’s you.. Hi” I repeated.

“Well hello there,” she responded, laughing.

“Hey,” I said.

“How many more ways are you going to think of to great me?  I have a feeling it can only go downhill from here!” she teased.

“Sorry, I just, um I am…” I started.  CRASH!

“Ouch!” Mike screeched.

“Um Doddie, can you hang on just a second?” I asked frantically.

“Ya ya go,” she coasted.

“Mike! Where are you?” I screamed.

“I am in the kitchen, I just dropped this class on my foot.  I am fine though,” he answered.

I walked in to find blood covering his sock and glass covering the kitchen floor like a rug. 

“What happened?” I inquired.

“I was just trying to get a drink of water and I dropped the glass.  It accidentally landed, well, on my foot, which is fine,”

“OH dear, sit down.  I will be right back,” I hurried back to the phone to get Doddie off the line so I could take a look at his foot.

“Um.. Doddie, is everything ok there?” I asked quickly, “ Because, we are sort of need to possibly sew up Mike’s foot and then we will be over,”

“YOU are going to sew up Mike’s foot?  May I just remind you of a few things?” she asked not waiting for a reply she continued, “Number one, sewing someone up takes a need, and do you even own a needle?  Second of all, you hate blood.  Third of all, how the heck did Mike even…”

“DODDIE!” I interrupted, “I love you, but SHUSH IT.  I will handle this, but I can’t do it while I am standing here talking to you.  If everything is ok there we will be over in a little while. And why wouldn’t I own a needle.  It’s not like I am legally blonde.”

“You are in my prayers… Well I pray for a steady hand and tough stomach and Mike’s protection from your closed eyes and shaking hands!”

“Thanks for your support!” we laughed.

I quickly hung up the phone and ran to the bathroom to find the first aide kit.  By the time I got back to the kitchen Mike had wrapped a paper towel around his foot and was sweeping up the glass. 

“What are you doing?  Sit down,” I demanded.

“Just let me finish, I am almost done,” he responded with a smile on his face.

“MIKE!” I said, about to insist again when I stepped on a piece of glass.

“OUCH!” I cried hopping to the nearest chair. 

“OH my gosh, Rorey are you ok?”

I could hear the panic in his voice and it made me smile.  Here we both sat, stung by glass.  Much like what life had thrown our way lately.  I couldn’t do anything but laugh.

“It seems like everyone I am around is getting hurt these days,” I sighed. “Maybe I should isolate myself for a few months, and keep everyone safe,”

“Ya right!  You would never last by yourself!”

“Thanks for your sensitivity,” I joked, “And for your information, I would still have myself to talk to!”

“You already do that!” he laughed.

I pushed his arm and rolled my eyes, acting offended.  He knew better though, and wrapped me in a big hug.  We stayed embraced for a minute, and then pulled away. 

“I suppose I better get you cleaned up,” I ventured.

“I suppose I better get that glass out of your foot,” he responded.

He sat down and I pulled out the hydrogen peroxide. 

“Oh no your not,” he protested.

“Mike, you could get infection, gangrene, they would have to amputate,” I started with a smile in my voice. 

“And this why you would never make a good doctor,” he joked.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because, glass in the foot leads to amputation, I wouldn’t want to hear what being pregnant would do to you.” He chuckled.

I cleaned his foot and after getting to the actual wound we decided it would be ok without my stiches. 

“Phew! Thank goodness for that.  I was about to be your genie pig, and you have a needle!!”

“You don’t trust me with my needle?” I asked sarcastically.

“That needle is as big as my thumb is long!” he replied.

“Oh, must have grabbed the wrong one, because it is much to small to even think about stiches!”

“Another reason why you should NEVER be a doctor!”

We both laughed.  The conversation was light and happy, despite the circumstances. 

“My turn to get the glass out of your foot,” he said.

“Oh I am fine,” I said getting up only to collapse on the floor. “OUCH! I mean hmm… I am good!”

“Sit down,”

I sat down and put my foot on his leg.  He worked diligently to get the glass out of my foot.  It was slightly painful as it was in there pretty deep, but both of us had seen enough of hospitals we didn’t want to go there for our own personal problems.  By the time the glass was out of my foot and was well bandaged it was 4:00.  We both sat there for a minute just taking in the moment. 

“I suppose we better head to the hospital.  I am sure they will need us soon, if not three hours ago!”

“You’re probably right.  Come on I will take you,” Mike responded.

He grabbed my hand and helped me up.  The ride there went quickly.  We talked about what to tell Charlie today and what should wait for another day.  Be honest, but vague we decided.  When we got to the hospital we were greeted by Doddie. 

“WOW!  You two are still walking and everyone has their feet!  It’s amazing.  Rorey, maybe you should think about medical school!” she joked

“NO” we both answered in unison. 

Laughter filled the waiting room.  She filled us in on Charlie’s surgery, which was happening in half an hour. 

“I am going to go back and tell him hi quick, before the nurses take him away then,” I said.

As I was walking back to Charlie’s room, the butterflies in my stomach woke up again.  Was it because I was excited to see Charlie?   Was I nervous because I didn’t want to see him?  Was it the whole hospital setting?  Oh why do these things have to be so complicated.  I knocked three times on his door and waited for a response.

“Come in,” I heard.

“Hi,” I said.

“HI!” he responded in a chipper voice. 

“Sorry I haven’t been here all day, things have been just crazy!” I said

He pointed to the chair beside him and invited me to sit.  Charlie was so easy to talk to.  My idea of keeping the events of the following day on the hush hush failed quickly.  As I sat their telling him all that had happened, I could see the fear in his eyes.

“Are you ok?” he asked.

“Yes, yes I am fine.  Mike took good care of me,” I answered.

“Good,” he replied.  “That is his job, to protect you when I can’t.”

I smiled and looked down at our hands that were intertwined.  I felt a pang of guilt.  What were those feelings Mike and I were experiencing earlier?  Whatever they were, I knew this for sure.  I could never let it happen again.  I had made my choice and my choice was Charlie.  Mike and I were friends.  More importantly though, Charlie and Mike were friends.  Playing both of them would only hurt their friendship.  Shortly after our conversation had grown quiet and we sat their gazing into each other’s eyes, the nurse appeared. 

“Alright Charlie, the Doc is about ready for ya,” she announced.

“Give me a second will ya?” Charlie asked.

“Sure, but only one!” she joked.

She closed the door behind her and left us alone for a moment. 

“Rorey, I just want you to know how much I care about you.  I am sorry all this has happened.  I know you must be feeling stressed out.  But, everything is going to work out and be great ok?  Now, I want you to go home and get some sleep.  I will be fine,” Charlie comforted me.

“Charlie, I am not leaving until you get out of surgery.  I will be here when you wake up, “I answered.

“Good, I was hoping you would say that.  Your beautiful face is the first thing I want to see,” he flattered me.

“Stop it! You are making me blush,” I smiled.

“Good” he smiled back.

“Well, I will let the nurse know you are ready,” I said squeezing his hand.

“Won’t you miss me?” he asked searching for attention.

I chuckled, “I will try,” I kidded.

I leaned down and kissed the top of his head, holding his gaze for a long minute.  I walked out of the room and let the nurse know he was ready.  I stood by and watched them wheel him back to surgery .  My answers seemed to be coming.  Now, I just needed to know if this hospital setting was the one providing them.

Chapter 11- Peace at Last- at Least for Now

Don't be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams.

Unknown

Dear Rorey,

I never meant to scare you.   I did this because I couldn’t stand going another minute without knowing who this Charlie guy was.  According to your journal, which you are obviously aware of, he appears to be nothing.   That is great.  I hope that means someday you can understand why I did this and we can get back to where we belong.  You were right when you said things just weren’t quite right between you and Charlie.  I could sense that much when he pulled up in his truck.  I love you very much and I only did this for my sanity, and your protection.

Love you forever and always,

JJ

“JEFF WROTE THIS!” was my first thought.  Of course it was Jeff.  It was his handwriting, his abbreviations, and his drivers license. 

Everyone stopped and stared at me, as if to read my reaction.  I felt like I might faint.  Mike must have sensed the feeling as he guided me to the couch to sit down. 

“So, what were the gun fires we heard earlier?” I asked. 

“Sometimes when we have people hiding we use a scare tactic to try and get them to come out.   In this case we shot our guns straight up in the air about five times,” he answered.

“So, I guess it worked?” Emma questioned.

“Well, somewhat.  We still had to move in on him, but at least he knew we were armed,” the Sheriff replied. 

“So is there anything else we need to do?” Mike asked.

“No, since there was no damage we don’t need to take pictures of anything.  If you guys do decide to press charges…” he started.

I interrupted, “That won’t be necessary.  Thanks for your time officer.  We really do appreciate it.”

Mike and I walked the sheriff to the door.   As we watched him pull away, Mike put his arm around me and pulled me in close. 

“I’m sorry about all of this Rorey,” he whispered.

“Thank you for being here.  You are the definition of a real friend,” I replied. 

He kissed the top of my head and we walked back into the living room.  We found Emma half asleep on the couch.  I slipped out from under his arm to cover her up with a blanket. 

“We should all really get some sleep,” Mike suggested.

“Ya, your right.  Thanks for everything Mike.  I will see you in the morning,” I agreed.

“Wow! Your not even going to tell me to go home.  That’s amazing.  I must be moving up in this world!” he chuckled.

“You better watch it mr. or you will be sleeping in the dog house,” I joked.

As I settled into bed for the third time that night, I couldn’t help but stare out the window as the morning light was starting to shine in.  Left alone with my thoughts, I let them flow freely.

“What was Jeff thinking?  Is he going to jail? How could I have not even have asked that question.  Maybe tomorrow I should…..”  I thought as I slowly drifted into a deep sleep. 

What seemed like minutes later I was awoken by Emma’s light touch. 

“Good afternoon sleeping beauty.  I didn’t want to wake you, but I have to get back to work.  Don’t hesitate to call me if you need ANYTHING.   Ok?” she directed.

I shot straight up in bed, “Oh my gracious WHAT TIME IS IT?” I asked anxiously. 

“Its 12:30,” she answered. 

I threw my covers back and jumped out of bed. 

“I am LATE,” I exclaimed as I frantically searched for something to wear. 

“Rorey, your fine.  I went into the hospital this morning for a few hours and sent Mark and Janet home to get some sleep.  Doddie came in when I had to leave and said she would stay until someone came back. 

“Ok, is Mike still here?” I asked.

“Yep, he just woke up and is making some coffee.  Now, I have to go, remember to call me if you need anything at all ok.  Love you girl.”

“Love you too sis.  Thanks for everything,” I said bidding her goodbye.

I through my robe over my pj’s and put my hair in a quick ponytail.  As I walked down the hall the sweet aroma of hazelnut coffee brewing in the coffee pot made me smile.  As I rounded the corner to the kitchen, I saw Mike, sitting at the table reading the morning paper, waiting for the coffee to brew.  I just stood in the door way for a second taking in the view.  He felt so at home in my house it was great.  I wanted someone who could feel this welcome in my home.  I wonder if Charlie would feel this welcome in my house.  Would he be able to make himself feel at home and comfortable?  Could he sit and have coffee with my Dad?  Could Mike?  Why was I thinking about this?  It’s not like I was choosing between Mike and Charlie.  Mike was just a good friend.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  As I finished the thought conversation in my head I walked into the kitchen and made some noise as if not to startle him. I guess I should have made more noise, because it was obvious he didn’t hear me when I sat down at the table and said good morning.  The muffin he was holding ended up in my lap and the paper on the floor.   

“Ug, you scared me!” he exclaimed.

“You wouldn’t say?   I would have never guessed, but hey thanks for the muffin!” I joked.

“So funny!”  he played as he got up to pour me a cup of coffee.

Watching him pour the coffee only brought back thoughts of the previous moment.  We were only freshman in high school.  He wasn’t supposed to be this great, or feel this comfortable in my house.  His question demanded my daydreaming thoughts  to snap back to reality.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Um.. well once I got to sleep I was out like a baby.  Pretty sure I didn’t even dream.” I answered.  “How did you sleep?”

“Good.  Knowing that you were safe and sound brought an easy sleep,” he said thoughtfully.

The butterflies in my stomach woke up. 

“So… um.. well. . gosh you sure do make good coffee,” I stuttered, heat rising to my face. 

Laughing he replied, “Thanks, I thought you might like it.  It’s my secret recipe.”

“The hazelnut coffee??” I joked.

“No silly,” he answered, obviously playing along, “it’s what I put IN the coffee.”

“OOHHH,” I giggled, “the pumpkin spice coffee creamer!”

“There you go!  How did you know?” he asked.

“Dear, when you love coffee and pumpkins as much as I do, you would never miss the opportunity to mix the two!” I reasoned.

“Of course you wouldn’t,” we both laughed.

“So its back to the hospital today I presume?” he asked.

“Yes, I need to get over there.  Doddie has been there for a while,” I answered.

“I see.  So what’s next?” he questioned.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to tell Charlie about this whole deal?”

“I need to I guess.  But, I don’t think right now is the time for that.  He is under enough stress, just getting through all this surgery and stuff.  Maybe when he gets out I will tell him.”

“Rorey, what changed your mind?”

“Mike, I don’t know.”

“So does that mean you are sure you like him?  Are you sure you want to go through with this relationship?”

“I wish I could answer that.  Emma and I had that conversation last night while we were waiting for the cops to catch Jeff.  I didn’t have an answer then and I guess I still don’t.”

“You talked about your love life when there was shooting going on in your front yard?  I can see it now… Emma what do you think I should.. bam bam bam.. ohh. Hope they didn’t hit the tractor… anyway back to this whole love life thing blab la bla ect. “ he teased.

“That’s not quite how it went.. it was more like.. hmm… hope they aren’t putting any holes in my orange boots I left in the barn,” we both laughed hysterically.  It just so easy, this conversation.

“But for real, what are you going to do?” He asked again.

“For real Mike, if I knew I would tell you.  I guess we are just going to have to play it by ear and see what happens.” I answered.

“Just be careful Rorey, you have some hearts in your hands.”

I nodded, not knowing exactly what he was talking about, but not wanting to ask.  After enjoying three cups of delicious coffee, I decided I better take a quick shower before heading to the hospital.  My greatest thoughts always came in the shower.  Today, however, my thoughts were so scattered there was nothing great about them.  As I shut off the water, I demanded my thoughts to shut off as well.  I needed to focus on Charlie this afternoon.  He deserved my undivided attention and in order to do that, my thoughts had to sit at that stop light until I got home.

I dressed quickly and threw on a quick layer of foundation.  I squirted some moose in my hands and ran my fingers through my hair.  That was as good as it was going to get today I decided. 

I walked into the living room and found Mike asleep on the couch.  I studied him for a bit.  He looked so peaceful I didn’t really want to wake him.  On the other hand, we really needed to get to the hospital.  Doddie had been there all morning and was waiting for me.  I took a picture on my phone to capture the moment.  Then I decided it was time to get him to rise and shine.  I went over to the couch and lightly touched his arm.  There was no response.  So I tapped his arm and said his name. 

“Mike, Mike, Mike,”

Still no response. 

So I got real close and whispered, “Mike its time to get up.”

He opened his eyes to find my face only inches from his. 

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” I replied.

No one moved.  We just looked deeply into one another’s eyes as if to find answers to an unknown question.   

Chapter 10 - Identifying the Unknown

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength"

Corrie Ten Boom

I have never seen Mike move so fast in my life.  He rushed into my room and started demanding information.

“Where did he go? Was it a him or her? What were they wearing? How long ago did you see them?”

“MIKE!” I finally interrupted, “If you continue to ask questions I will not be able to answer any of them!”

“Right, right, sorry.  Ok let us start from the beginning.  What did you see?”

“All I seen was someone run behind the barn.” I exclaimed.

“Was he holding anything?” he asked.

Now I knew he was trying to be helpful, and I was truly grateful for that, but for Pete’s sake it was two in the morning, and like most normal places at two in the morning, pitch black. My reply to him reflected my annoyance.  
“Well, Mike, from what I could tell, he had a black leather man in his right pocket, tucked underneath that pink handkerchief he stole from Betty Sue in third grade.”

“Ok, you were right, that wasn’t the greatest question.  Let me rephrase that. Was there anything large in his hands, such as a gun?”

“Not from what I can tell, but it is pretty dark outside.”

“Ok, I think we should call the police.”

“Mike…” I started to protest.

“Rorey, don’t even start with me.  There is some creep creeping around your barn.  And may I remind you that your house was broken into today.  I have a pistol tied to my leg, but that doesn’t mean I could hit the broad side of a barn.  I would much rather the police put a hole in your dad’s barn than myself.“ He exclaimed, trying to keep the subject as light and humorous as possible.  Mike was always good at doing that. 

We called the police and they came immediately to investigate.  When they got their I got another round of questions.  It seems as if men have better night vision than women, because they asked me the same thing Mike did.  I started to reply the same way I did to Mike, when he interrupted me clearing his throat and saying “No, she didn’t see that he was carrying anything worth taking note of.”  Men.  I watched the sheriff tighten the gun holster around his waste.  I wondered if he could hit the broad side of a barn.  I mean Mike carried a holster and according to him he couldn’t, so that made me wonder, do all men do that just for looks.  And if so, maybe I should invest in one.  I could trick everyone into thinking I was a good shot.  That would help me figure out who really loved me real quick right? I know what your thinking.  These funny thoughts shouldn’t be going through my head at a time like this, but lets face it.  I had gotten like an hour of unrestful sleep and I was getting to that point of silliness.

Hearing gun shots snapped me back into reality real quick. 

“WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?” I screamed. 

Mike covered my mouth.

“Rorey, don’t yell.  You need to get to the back, lock the door, shut off the light, and keep your voice down.” Mike whispered strictly.

“Did you really just cover my mouth?” I asked.

“Rorey, this is not a laughing manner.  Go.” He pointed to the back of the house.

“Mike…”

“Rorey, I am not kidding.  Get back there NOW.” He repeated more sternly this time.

Emma had just walked into the room and I grabbed her arm and guided her to the back with me. 

“What are we doing?” she asked confused.

“We are following orders,” I exclaimed.

As Emma and I settled back in our parents’ bedroom in the dark she put her arm around me as asked, “Rorey, are you scared?”

“I don’t know, I feel calmer than I feel like I should.  I feel like whoever it is, is harmless you know?” I answered.

“I know what you mean.  Like its sort of like to get our attention, not to hurt us.”

“Exactly,” I sighed.

“So how is everything with Charlie?” she asked.

“Well, I think we are almost officially dating.  He told the doctor I was his girlfriend,” I answered.

“Wow, that’s a change since yesterday,”

“I know,” I nodded.

“How do you feel about that?” she questioned.

That’s what I loved about my sister.  She could always sense when things just weren’t quite right.

“Well, I am excited.  I mean I really like him.  I just don’t understand why all of a sudden I am ok with it and three days ago I couldn’t even stand to be in the same room with him you know,” I explained.

“Do you think it has anything to do with you guys being in serious trouble and seeing him hurt made you scared.  Maybe made you realize that you might not have forever?”

“You know yes, I think that might have something to do with it.  I was thinking about then when I got home.  I mean, I don’t want to bet all close and then freak out once he gets out of the hospital you know.  What do you think I should do?” I asked.

“I think you should pray about it my dear.  And I think you should listen for an answer.  I wish I could give it to you, but unfortunately I am unable to do that.  Just pray about it.  God will reveal the answer to you if you trust in Him.”

“Thanks sister,” I smiled and hugged her.

“Anytime my dear,” she said.

An hour later, Mike came back and told us it was safe to come out.  As I walked out of the room, I was shaking.  Questions about the events that had happened in the last half an hour consumed me.  Has someone been shot and killed on our property?  Who was it?  Was the police officer ok?  The questions were about to be answered.  As I walked into the living room I seen the police escorting someone to the police car in hand cuffs. 

“MIKE, who is getting in that police car?” I asked.

“Rorey, I don’t know.  We are going to have to wait for a report from the sheriff.”

About that time in walked the sheriff. 

“Rorey, Emma, Mike, I think we have found the intruder,” he announced. 

“WHO?” we all asked at once.

“I didn’t know him, but this is his driver's liscense.   Do any of you know him?” He asked.

My knees went weak and I felt like I might puke.  He had done this.  Why on earth would he? I swear men are getting stupider by the day!  The sheriff handed us our journals back.

“I found these in the barn,” he said.

“I opened it to a page that was written more recently only to find that there were red marks through Charlie’s name.   I couldn’t believe it.  He had taken our journals to read them, mark out any name that wasn’t his and … My thought was suddenly interrupted by a glance at the last page in the journal.  A note singed JJ. 

Chapter 9 - The Search Is On

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.

Raymond Lindquist

The house was a mess.  There was stuff all over the place, chairs tipped over, drawers open, rugs and clothes in heaps in random places across the house, and broken picture frames scattered all over the floor. 

“Who on earth would do this? Who could hate us this much to want to break in to our house and cause so much damage?” I thought to myself. 

Mike came speeding into the driveway within five minutes of me calling him.

He came rushing to the door yelling, “Rorey, Rorey, are you ok? What happened? Is everything ok?”

The questions came to a screeching halt when he reached the door and seen the immense damage that had been done. 

“Oh my goodness,” He exclaimed, “Who would do this?”

“I have no idea.  I feel like there aren’t too many people that know that my parents are gone.  People didn’t know that I was gone, or that my sisters were at work.  Someone had to be watching the house to take in that kind of information,” I answered.

“This is crazy.  We need to call the cops.  Are you sure he isn’t still here?” He asked.

“No, I’m not sure of anything, but you’re right we should call the cops.” I responded.

“911 State your emergency.”

“Hi, yes this is Rorey, my house has been broken into and I was hoping you could send a cop to investigate.” 

The dispatcher got the rest of my information and promised there was someone on the way.  She warned me to pay attention to make sure the thief was not still in the house.  Mike and I decided we should get in his truck, lock the doors, and wait for the cops.   Within about 30 minutes the cops arrived at my house.  When they got there, we got out of the truck and started giving them information.  They decided they wanted to do a full on search of the house before letting us come in, just to make sure it was safe.  After five minutes of what seemed like endless waiting, they came out and declared the house “clear” for us to enter.  We climbed out of the truck and followed the cops in to assess all the damage that had been done. 

“Something you need to really pay attention to is if anything is missing.” The sheriff explained, “Sometimes when people break in, they do so just to damage the house and scare you, not always to steal things, but with a mess like this, it is easy to overlook something that may be missing.  It would be wise of you to get in some other family members to asses with you so that you don’t miss anything. “He explained kindly.

I couldn’t believe that never ran through my head to call my sister.  Of course she would come home.  I quickly dialed my sister’s number and explained everything to her in one quick breath.  She told me she would be there right away.  The next few hours were exhausting.  I couldn’t believe this was happening.  What a terrible week.  After assessing the house intently for 3 hours, we came to the conclusion that the only thing we couldn’t find was our journals.  It was quite strange really.  Both of us girls keep journals, something our mother taught us when we younger.  Emma was the first one to realize hers was missing.  After she noticed hers missing I checked for mine in my secret hiding place.  Sure enough, it was gone.  That seemed so strange to not only me, but the police as well.  

“Can you think of anyone who would want both of your journals?” asked the sheriff.

We both looked at each other as if staring at one another could bring forth the answer.

I spoke first, “I honestly cannot think of anyone who would do this for my journal.  I don’t understand why you would tear up an entire house for two sister’s journals.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” the sheriff responded.

“Why is that a bad thing?” Emma asked.

“Well, because if there is nothing socially going on with you guys and anyone else, the robber could have possibly wanted your journals for information.  You know things like, information to accounts, information about upcoming vacations or trips, plans to be gone for certain periods of time, that sort of thing.” e He answered.

“That is weird that he broke in and caused this much damage, only to plan another attack.  There was plenty around for him to take if he wanted to.  Why go to that much trouble without taking anything else?” I questioned.

“Well, that is a good question that no one really knows the answer to.  Something we need to try and figure out.”

“So how do we do that?” Emma asked.

“You need to contact your parents.  Fill them in on what’s going on.  See if there is anyone they could suspect or any reason they would know of for someone to do this.  Let me know what you find out.  After that, I have written down all I could and taken pictures.  Lastly I need to go out and check for foot prints and tire tracks.  That is really all we can do.  I will go back to town and keep my ears open for any strangers that have passed through town, or suspicious  activity.  For now though, I would recommend keeping your doors locked.”

“Thanks officer, we appreciate your help.” I answered.

“Mike, will you be staying here tonight?” the Sheriff asked.

“Yes Sir, I will be.” He answered.

“Good, I think keeping a man around till everyone gets home and settled again would be a smart idea.” The Sheriff said.

At that point Emma and I both knew that any protest would be pointless so we just settled with the idea.  The Sheriff went outside took lots of pictures and measurements.  He came in to check on us one last time and make sure we didn’t need anything.  After he left we started making phone calls.  Emma called Mom and Dad and I called Jannett.  Mike went out to his truck, tied on his gun holster, and came back inside.  He told us it was for safety precautions.  Following the phone calls and target practice we locked the doors and settled down at the table to try and eat dinner. 

Emma noticed my frequent checking of the clock and picked up on my anticipation to get back to the hospital and said, “Rorey, you are welcome to go back to the hospital, I will be fine here by myself.”

“No, I am not going to leave you guys here tonight,” I replied.

“I will be fine Rorey.  You and Mike really should get back,” She answered.

“Oh no, no one is getting rid of me that easy.  It just doesn’t seem like a good idea for no one to be here tonight and even less to let someone be here alone tonight.  Rorey, you really should get some sleep before getting back to the hospital.  That’s why you came home in the first place remember?” Mike replied.

I tried to protest, but Emma chimed in, “Rorey, Mike is right, you need to get some sleep.”

I went to bed to get some sleep before heading back to the hospital.  When I finally climbed in bed and let myself relax, I replayed the events of the previous day in my head.  My, what a day it had been.  In all of this, I had forgotten about Jeff.  Where had he gone? Was he upset with me? Yes, of course he was upset with me, but what could I do about it? I mean it’s not like I knew he was coming.  I didn’t have any idea that he was going to move to Idaho to go to school.  It’s not like I asked him to do this.  I haven’t even been in contact with him.  What a weird day.  Then there were things with Charlie.  Were we “officially dating” now?  He did tell the doctor I was his girlfriend.  I guess there were just more conversations to come with him.  What about the house?  Who on earth would do this to our house?  Why would someone do that to anyone’s house?  And why on earth would they take my journal.  I know the Sherriff thought it could be for informational purposes, but I wasn’t sure I was buying that.  I mean, there were calendars and planners on both of our desks and on the kitchen table and they didn’t take that.   Then a thought popped into my head… No he would never.  Ok, I finally told myself, you have to get some sleep.  I drifted off into a deep sleep.   I dreamt of lolly pops and fields of daisies.  Unfortunately, my dreams didn’t stay sweat for very long.  I woke up at 2 a.m. in a cold sweat.  I was dreaming of the robber breaking into my house.  He was wearing a ski mask, all black clothes, and black gloves, as if not to leave behind any finger prints.  He said put your hands up and tell me where you keep your journals and no one will get hurt.  I looked in his eyes and I recognized them.  I was just about to say his name when I woke up.  Whose eyes were those?  I recognized them.  They were very distinct.   I rolled over and tried to take a deep breathe.  I got up and went to the window.  Just as I reached the window I seen a shadow running back behind the barn.

“MIKE, MIKE, MIKE.. WAKE UP! WE HAVE TROUBLE!” 

Chapter 8 - Breaking and Entering

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” – John Maxwell

When I woke up I was laying on a bed next to Charlie’s bed.  I sat up rather quickly and then remembered why people had always said not to sit up to quickly.  The room span around and around and I closed my eyes. 
"Hey crazy girl! How are you feeling over there?"
"Um..funny you should ask, I think, well.. What happened?" I asked, not really remembering the previous events.
"Haha, well my good looks finally did you in.  You walked in, seen my beautiful face, and down you went.  Passed out like cold turkey the day after Christmas."
"Thanksgiving."
"What?"
"You said cold turkey the day after Christmas, its Thanksgiving.  You have cold turkey for days after Thanksgiving."
"Don’t you have turkey for Christmas too?"
"Sometimes, but traditionally its ham."
"Oh well excuse me Ms. holiday police." He said jokingly.
"Haha, well I thought I had to get you off that big beautiful horse somehow.  That seemed to be the easiest way."
"Oh, well thank you for not letting me stay up there too long.  You know what happens when that happens right?"
"No, what?"
"You pass out!"
We both laughed.  It felt so natural.  Talking to him.  Laughing with him. I knew this was right.  Doddie was correct in saying that whomever loved me, the feeling wasn’t mutual.  At least not now.
We talked for a while before the doctor came in.
"Ah Rorey, it’s good to see that you are awake.  Seems as if maybe the medical field is not something you should peruse in the near future."
"How dare you crush my girlfriend’s dream of becoming a heart surgeon!" Charlie said.
The doctor looked shocked.  I could just imagine what kind of thoughts were going through his head.
"What if I got stuck with this girl as my doctor someday.  She would have her nurses put my out because she couldn’t stand to look at the needles and then when I was nice and under she would have her intern student open me right up because of course that was out of the question and then when they started the actual open heart surgery she would pass out because she seen that my face was a little white... the scalpel would slip from her hands knick an artery and what a goner I would be.."
His voice brought me back to reality.
"Well, there are challenges in every field.  A weak mind is I suppose just one of the mountains you will have to climb when pursing this career.  I am sure you will be a great surgeon." He pasted a fake smile on his face.
Charlie and I both busted out laughing.  Ya right, I would never be a doctor.  I couldn’t even see someone after surgery let alone while they are in it.  Hahah who was he kidding!
He looked at us with a bit of confusion for the first couple of seconds of laughter and then he joined right in realizing the surgeon bit was just a joke. 
"Well, Rorey, if you are feeling well, I am going to have to ask you to step out for a few minutes while I have a look at Charlie's leg."
I scrambled off that bed faster than ice melts on a hot sidewalk in the middle of a sizzling hot summer day.
"Let me know when I can come back." I said quickly.
"WAIT! Rorey!"
"What?" I asked as I walked over to Charlie's bed with concern in my eyes, "Do you need something?"
"Just do me a favor ok?"
"Ya sure anything."
"Miss me."
A smile spread across my face. 
"Only if you do me a favor." I replied.
"What’s that?"
"Miss me more."
"Haha deal." He said as a bright smile spread across his face.
I walked out of the room with warm fuzzy feelings running through my stomach.  I should call Doddie and fill her in on what was happening. As I was walking down the hall I remembered that Charlie’s parents and Mike were in the waiting room.
“OH my goodness.. how long was I in there? Had I been passed out for hours keeping them out?” Many questions ran through my head.  Those questions were quickly answered by the wide smiles spread across the faces of all three of them as I walked into the lobby and over to the corner they were occupying. 
“Hey there sunshine.  Nice to see you could join us.” Charlie’s dad joked.
“Ah, yes, of course, your guys seen me?” I asked.
“The nurse came to get us quickly when they found you passed out on the floor.  They weren’t sure if you had an illness or just a week stomach.  We assured them that you were perfectly healthy, but possibly got a bad case of the butterflies when you stepped into the room.  I told her they probably just fluttered a little too hard.” Mike said laughing. 
“We thought about putting shaving cream in your hands and tickling your face, tying your shoe laces together, and you know some of those types of things.” Marked chimed in.
“But, I hid the shaving cream so you were safe.” Janet added laughing.
“Well thank you so much for saving my dignity from being destroyed by these two while I was lying hopelessly in a hospital bed.” I added dramatically.
“Oh, you are so good at putting guilt trips on people.” Mike added.
We all laughed. 
“So did you guys get to go in and visit with Charlie?” I asked.
“Yes, the nurse told us as long as we were quiet and didn’t wake you up, we could visit with him for a short time.  Sounds like there is one more surgery they are going to have to do and then he will be set.  The road to recovery is going to be long.  He is in a good mood now because he is on such strong pain medication.  However, once he gets out of the hospital they are going to cut back on his dosage.  They also suggested that we change to a lighter pain medication eventually, which will let him feel a little more pain, but this medication isn’t healthy for long periods of time.” Janet explained.
“So when is the second surgery going to be?” I asked.
“They are going to have to wait a few days at least.  They have to wait until the swelling goes down.  They will know tomorrow.  The doctor was going to asses it tonight, but said he wouldn’t have any real answers until tomorrow.”
“Wow, ok.” I answered overwhelmed. 
“You know Rorey, it’s getting late maybe you should go home and get some sleep.” Mark suggested.
“Well, I can’t just leave you guys here, you are tired too.” I replied.
“Well, it isn’t doing any of us any good to all be here.  How about we go in shifts.  You have had the longest day, so how about you go get some sleep first.  Come back when you get up and we will go home for a bit.  Sound like a deal?”
“Ya that sounds good.” I said
“I will give you a ride,” Mike added.
“Thanks.  I will see you guys in a few hours,” I said giving Janet and hug, “ and I truly am sorry about all of this.”
“Rorey, this wasn’t your fault.  Go get some sleep.”
The trip home went by quickly.  I didn’t realize how tired I truly was until I got in Mike’s truck.  When we were about home, Mike asked me a question that snapped me back to reality.
“So who was the guy you were with when Charlie wrecked his truck?”
“His name is Jeff, I met him at summer camp a few years ago.”
“I see,” he answered with that sound of wanting to say more lingering in his voice.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Rorey, you know I think the world of you.  Charlie is my best friend, though, and I don’t want anyone to hurt him.  You understand my concern?  I mean where is that guy now? When is he going to come around again? Is Charlie going to be out of the picture once he is out of the hospital?”
I felt bombarded with questions.  An instant reaction was how dare he question my motives.  But, the truth was he had every right to question me.  I hadn’t been all for this relationship until Charlie was in the hospital.  He wrecked his truck because he seen me with another guy.  There was defiantly room for questions there, regardless I could still feel the sting from the uncertainty. 
“Mike, Jeff came to,” I started to explain, but then changed my mind about telling him the real reason Jeff was there.  I mean that wasn’t really his business anyway right? Charlie’s maybe, but not Mike’s, “ to see me.  I wasn’t very nice to him after Charlie wrecked his truck.  Needless to say, I don’t think he will be coming around any time soon.”
“Ok, good to hear.” He said.
That was one thing I loved about Mike.  He accepted answers for what they were.  He didn’t read into them like most people did.  He didn’t question me.  He believed me.  He trusted me.  I needed that kind of boost after today. 
“Thanks for ride,” I said as we pulled up to my house, “ I will see you tomorrow?”
“Yep, I will be there.  Do you need a ride in the morning?” He asked.
“No, I will take my own car.  Thanks though.”
“Yep, no problem.  Let me know if there is anything I can do.”
“Thanks, I will.” I said as I climbed out of his truck. 
I walked to the door, but then changed my mind about going inside.  I decided a nice long walk to clear my head and recap on everything that had happened that day.  Jeff coming by was such a surprise.  Not really a great surprise either.   But, a good reminder, how people at two different parts in life can grow apart quicker than oil and water can separate.  I thought about Charlie.  His wrecked truck, holding my hand on the way to the hospital, missing him, him missing me, laughing and talking with him, the way he told the doctor I was his girlfriend.  Everything seemed so right with him.  But, why now? Why not a few days ago when we had held hands? Why didn’t everything fall into place then? Why did I fight it? Why was I in this place all of a sudden?  Did seeing him hurt have an effect on my feelings?  Would they change once he got out? I didn’t think so, but how could I really be sure.  It was all so confusing.  I felt my tummy grumble, reminding me that I hadn’t ate for several hours.  I made my way back to the house to grab a bite to eat and a quick nap before heading back to the hospital.  I walked in the door and stopped dead in my tracks.  My hands were shaking tremendously as my hands dialed Mike’s number.
“Hello?” He answered.
“Can,can,can you come back here?” I asked slowly.
“Rorey what’s wrong?” He asked.
“Someone broke in.” I answered.