Seaglass (9 page)

“Okay.”

“We have time though. I thought maybe we’d grab lunch first.”

“Lunch? What about breakfast? What time is it?” She asked again.

“It’s 11:30, sleeping beauty.”

She responded only with a groan as she put her head on the table and closed her eyes. She heard the scrape of the chair as Knox stood and then felt a kiss on her temple. “Get dressed and we’ll head out.”

xXx

“Oh Knox…” the wonder in her voice made him smile. From what he’d learned about her in the past few weeks, he had a feeling she’d understand and appreciate the work he was doing here.

“Here. Put these on and then you can touch it.” He handed her a pair of white cotton gloves. She quickly donned them and then ran her hand along the intricate carvings.

“I’ve only seen pictures of this kind of thing. It’s stunning. Absolutely stunning.”

“The historians are still trying to find exactly where it came from, but it’s at least three hundred years old. They suspect it’s a piece that may have been stolen from Versailles.”

“Amazing.” She whispered as she ran her hand along the leg of the cabinet that had been delicately carved into a horse’s hoof.

He smiled at her enthusiasm and reverence for the piece. Finally she looked up and saw him watching her.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He grinned. He leaned in and was about to kiss her when he heard footsteps approaching behind him.

“Knox! I’m glad you’re here. Come and meet the team that’ll be handling the precious metal work.”

Knox turned to her and shrugged. She could see the fatigue etched into his face. “It’ll just take a minute and then we can go.”

“It’s okay.” She said, smiling. She watched him walk off and join a group of men that were huddled over a draft table. She removed her white gloves and wandered around the cabinet, studying it from every angle. It was beautiful and most definitely a treasure that needed preserving, but it wasn’t her style.

Her mind instantly transported back to her little craftsman with its mission style built-in’s and turn of the century carpentry. That was exactly her style. She’d even imagined buying the house back after a time. Maybe in a few years, she’d have enough money from her business to put down stakes in the house that already owned her heart. Lately, when she pictured herself living there, Knox was present also. She chastised herself for letting her imaginations run away with her, but it was the truth. She turned to watch him again as he absently pushed his blond hair backwards and grabbed a pencil to jot down a note. Yes, she thought. If he’d have her, she’d definitely be part of his future.

“Want to get out of here?” His deep voice broke through her thoughts. She smiled and looked up at him.

“Definitely.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the charming city and taking in the sights. With every step, Knox seemed to get lighter and more carefree. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her. Finally, they stopped in a pub just around the corner from the house and sat down at a high top table for two nestled in the back.

“Wow. That’s a lot of choices.” She said as she scanned the list of beers. “I don’t know what to get.”

“You should try something new.” He shrugged.

“I don’t even recognize half of these. Here.” She passed the list to Knox. “Which one will I like?”

He took the list, but put it down on the table. “I can’t see it, Maddie.” He said, emotionless. He hated to be the bucket of cold water splashed on top of their carefree day, but he didn’t see the point in pretending and his pounding head was giving him a short temper.

“Oh. I’m sorry—“

Whatever response he had planned was effectively cut off by the arrival of their waitress. They each ordered a beer based on the waitress’s recommendations and a basket of nachos to go with it.

“Knox? I don’t mean to pry, but are you okay? If you can’t read the menu, how can you see to do the work—“

He exhaled long and slow. He looked up and into her beautiful blue eyes. He didn’t want to have this conversation; not now. Not ever.

“I can see well enough when things are close up. Normally, I’d be able to read the menu, but it’s dark in here and my eyes are strained.”

“Oh.”

“I’m fine. Really.” He covered her hand with his own, trying to push away the dark mood that had settled over him.

She nodded and smiled as the waitress delivered their food. She knew he was tired and she didn’t want to add to his burden. Maybe when he came home, they’d have a real conversation. Maybe they’d both be ready then.

Madeline left the next day. She and Knox parted on the sidewalk outside the ridiculous Victorian house. He held her close and kissed her; quick and hard. She felt herself leaning into his strong embrace; realizing she never wanted to let go. Finally, she stepped back. She could visibly see the lightness leaving him as his shoulders once again slumped. The work he was doing was important, and there weren’t many people in the country that could do it, but it was costing him. She just hoped he’d finish soon and then they could pick up where they left off.

Knox stood in the doorway of the little craftsman bungalow and watched Maddie as she carefully dragged the stain brush back and forth along the sanded pine floors. It had taken him an additional week to finish up in Boulder and he’d missed her—a lot. He’d come directly from the airport to the craftsman project house and was unabashedly watching her from the open front door.

Her thick hair was tied up in a messy knot on top of her head. She had on a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and short denim shorts that probably had once been jeans, judging from the ragged edges. They were riding low and he could see the tapered lines of her hips. If he were being honest with himself, he didn’t know if he’d ever seen anything so beautiful.

“Wow, you’ve been busy.”

When he spoke, she swung her head to the doorway and unleashed one of her rare, megawatt miles.

“Knox!” She put the brush down carefully on the edge of the tray that contained the stain and ran to the door.

“I didn’t know you were coming back today!” She said as she launched herself into his arms.

He lifted her off her feet and relished the feel of her lean body pressed against his.

“I just got in a few hours ago.”

“Are you finished?”

“Yeah, finally. I turned the project over to the next team. My work is done.” He smiled tiredly.

“I’m so glad. You were gone a long time.”

“I know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Remind me not to take Len’s calls in the future.” He smiled.

She pulled back and noticed the tightness around his eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just tired. I think I’ve had a headache for about two weeks straight.”

“Knox—“

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” He squeezed her arms and released. “Are you gonna show me what you’ve been up to, or what?”

“Okay, but don’t kick up too much dust. I’m in the middle of staining the floors.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He laughed as he let her lead the way inside.

He stopped immediately at the spindles on the stairwell. “Wow. Did you find replacements for the broken ones?”

“Your dad made them for me.”

“I’m impressed.” He said as he ran his hand up and down the square white pegs. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

“Your secret’s safe. C’mon. I have to show you the kitchen.” She said as she pulled on his hand. He smiled at her excitement as they moved through the small hallway and then into the open kitchen. He looked around and saw cabinets stained in a medium oak tone and what looked like reproduction appliances. He stepped forward to get a better look.

“I got the idea from your Victorian apartment.”

He turned. “You did, huh?”

“I hope it’s not too campy. I couldn’t help it. Look.” She moved to the side and gestured to the replica vintage stove and oven.

“It’s not campy. It’s great. Really.”

She ducked her head shyly. “Well, if the new owners don’t like them, they can sell them or replace them.”

“I’m sure it’ll be a selling feature, not a deterrent.”

“That’s what Kayla thinks too. Oh, check this out.” She moved over to the spot next to the deep farmers sink and gestured to the cabinet below.

“What’s that?”

“Look.” She said, pointing below.

Knox couldn’t see anything unusual about the cabinet, but it was possible his poor excuse for vision was leaving out a few details. He stepped forward and reached out to touch it. It felt like a regular cabinet door. He let his hands trace upward toward the countertop and that’s when he felt the latch.

“Ah…a dishwasher. Very nice.”

Madeline watched with a strange sense of detachment as Knox finally located the dishwasher. She realized that the niggling feeling that she’d been pushing down for the last few weeks was surfacing again. Something was going on with him, and it was something he was trying to hide.

He turned now and leaned against the countertop in that easy way of his. The mask, she thought.

“I need to finish the floor.”

Even to her own ears, her voice sounded hollow and monotone.

“Everything alright?”

She saw his brow furrow. She wanted to talk to him; ask him questions, but her thoughts were a jumbled mess.

“Fine. I just want to finish up and grab a shower.”

He smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

She smiled in response. She couldn’t resist him. “Knox.”

“Come over later?”

“Are you sure? You just got back—“

“Maddie? I’m positive.” He smiled as he walked out the back door and down the steps.

She turned to go back into the living room to finish staining the floor with a smile still on her face when she heard a sound that stopped her heart and had her running as fast as her legs would move out the back door.

xXx

“Knox!” The scream erupted from her throat.

Please God. Please God
. She threw herself over the railing and raced to the edge of the deep hole that had been dug to remove the oil tank and excavate a new egress for the basement.

She saw his body lying at the bottom of the hole. His arms and legs were bent at an unnatural angle.

“Knox!” She called down to him. “Knox!”

He was groaning a little, but unresponsive. She reached for her phone and dialed 9-1-1 with hands that shook so badly it took her two tries to complete the call.

“9-1-1. Please state your emergency.”

“Um…he fell. In a hole in the backyard—“

“Okay ma’am. Try and calm down. Tell me what happened.”

“Knox. Knox Barrows. He fell. There’s a big hole to get out the oil tank in the yard—he fell. He’s unconscious.” She said with rapid speech. “Please hurry.”

“Ma’am, what’s the address?”

“2122 Forrest Drive.”

“Okay, we’ve got first responders on the way.”

“Can you tell if he’s breathing?”

“I think so! I have to get down there.” She yelled.

“Ma’am, stay where you are—“

“I can get down there.” She interrupted. “Oh god.” She clutched the phone as she saw a bright spot of red bloom on his shirt. She said as she shimmied down into the hole with no regard for her own safety.

“He’s bleeding. His chest is bleeding.” She said as she finally reached him and touched his face.

“ Do not try and move him. Help is about five minutes out. What’s your name, ma’am?”

“Maddie. Madeline Roberts.”

“Okay Madeline, stay on the line with me…”

xXx

She sat in the waiting room for what seemed like hours. She couldn’t move. She could barely breathe. They’d gotten him out and into the waiting ambulance. She’d heard them call out words like “pneumothorax,” and “arrhythmia.”

“Maddie?”

She turned her head and saw Kayla standing over her with a cup of tea.

“Here, honey. Drink this.” She picked up Madeline’s hand and wrapped her fingers around the warm paper cup. She slid into the empty seat next to her and leaned her head back against the wall.

“Has there been an update?” Madeline asked; startled to hear her voice sound so tinny and far away.

“He’s still in surgery. There’s damage from the rebar. They need to do an exploratory surgery to make sure it’s clear, I guess.”

“What about his leg?”

“It’s not broken.”

“Thank goodness for that.” She let out a shaky breath.

“He’s going to be okay, Maddie. He’s tough.”

Madeline let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“What about you? Are you hurt?” Kayla asked gently as she picked up one of Madeline’s hands and turned it over in hers.

“What?”

“Your hands are all bloody.” She asked with some alarm in her voice.

“Oh.” She pulled her hand back and rubbed it on her jean shorts. “It’s not mine.” She answered and felt a fresh gush of tears fall.

“He’s gonna be fine.”

“He didn’t see it, Kayla. He didn’t see the hole in the yard.”

“What?”

“The workmen had been there early that morning and then left it while they were on a lunch break. They roped it off, but I forgot to tell him…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Oh? Then whose fault is it? I knew he was headed out the back door and I was too busy working on that damn floor. I didn’t even think until I heard—“she stopped herself as the swell of emotion filled her throat.

“It’s an accident.” Kayla tried to comfort her.

Madeline shook her head. “No. It’s my fault.”

“Stop it.” She said firmly. “Stop that right now. It’s no one’s fault. It’s an accident.”

She watched Madeline as she again shook her head, but stayed silent. Kayla checked her watch. He’d been in surgery for an hour already. As much as she’d tried to shore up Madeline’s worries, the truth was she was also worried. He was young and he was strong, but surgery was serious business.

“You’re a mess, you know.”

Madeline looked down at her dirt covered shorts. “I know.”

“Do you want to go home? I can call you the second there’s news.”

“Can I stay here?”

Kayla was undone by the fragility in her friend’s voice. “Of course you can.” She said as she pulled Madeline’s head down to her shoulder.

xXx

The first thing he noticed was the heaviness in his chest. Each breath came with a stab of pain. Finally, he opened his eyes to reveal a brightness that was very foreign and most definitely not the soothing umber walls of his bedroom in his house.

“Son?”

Knox flicked his gaze to the right and saw the slightly blurry form of his father.

“Dad?” His voice was rough and his throat was scraped raw. “What—“

“Shhh. Don’t talk.”

Knox closed his eyes. The pull of sleep was almost overwhelming but his somewhat detached curiosity about his surroundings kept him conscious.

“What happened?” He croaked out and reached up to feel the oxygen mask over his face. He tried clumsily to pull it off only to have his father gently push his hand away.

“Leave it, Knox. You had a fall.”

He furrowed his brow. A fall? He fell?

“Wha—“

“At Maddie’s place. There was a crew excavating the backyard.”

He tried to sit up only to have his father push him back down. “Stay still. You just had an operation.”

Knox felt his heartbeat kick up a notch. He tried to look down at his body but between his poor vision and the drugs, he couldn’t see what was wrong.

“On what?” He asked.

Ed released a long sigh. “You fell on a piece of rebar that some fool left sticking out. It put a hole through your back. You’re okay.” He added quickly.

“It didn’t go near your spine, but it cracked some ribs and grazed your lung. It’s okay though. That’s what the operation was for—to make sure.”

Knox wanted to care, but the pull of sleep was too great. He couldn’t fight it anymore as he felt himself drop off into oblivion.

xXx

She hadn’t come back. Knox was officially annoyed with her. It had been a week since they’d moved him from the ICU to a regular room and she hadn’t come since those first days when he’d been critical.

Now, he was all set to be released and still she was nowhere to be seen. Of course he’d heard from Kayla that she was worried sick about him and asked her several times a day for updates on his health. That had only annoyed him more.

“Okay Knox. You are almost out of here. Are you going to miss us?” The head nurse, Beverly that had been taking care of him marched in with a packet of paperwork.

“Um, no.” He responded with a cheeky smile.

Beverly smirked and whacked him on the head with the folder. “You will.” She said as she pulled up the rolling table and positioned it over his bed.

“Okay. You need to sign about a million papers.”

Knox pushed himself into a full sitting position gently. His ribs were still sore, but tolerable. It was the itching of the incision site that was driving him nuts.

“I’ll get on it.” He grimaced.

“How’s the pain?”

“Fine. Better.” He felt sweat bead up on his forehead.

“So, what’s the plan, kiddo? Going to stay with Dad for a while?”

Sometimes Knox wished he didn’t live in such a small town where everyone knew each other. As much has he appreciated having his mother’s best friend as a nurse, it could be a little too invasive at times.

“Yeah, for a few days.”

Now, she pulled up a chair and sat beside his bed. “The whole time you’ve been here, you haven’t mentioned your eyes at all. Hell, its’ barely in your chart.”

“So?”

“So? God, you sound like my son.” She chuckled. “I’m not going to dance around it, Knox. You’re healing, but you’ll need to be very careful for a while. And you can’t see.”

“I can see—“

“You know what I mean.”

Knox sat back and fixed her with his coolest stare. “I can see, Beverly. I just have trouble with distance.”

Not one to be intimidated, she took her time processing his words. “Any changes lately?”

He felt a stab of fear in his heart. “No. Not that’s worth mentioning.”

She only raised an eyebrow.

“I’m okay.”

“When do you go back to the ophthalmologist?”

“In a few months.”

“Be sure that you do. No skipping it.”

Now it was his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“I’ll be following up with you.”

“I have no doubt.”

Now she laughed as she rose and tousled his hair. “I’ll be back when your dad arrives.”

Knox didn’t respond except to dive into the mountain of papers in front of him. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could get out of here and back to his life. He hated having to go to his dad’s house, but he knew it was the prudent decision until his ribs healed completely. The last thing he wanted to do was rush it and reinjure himself.

xXx

Knox sat in the easy chair in the living room staring mindlessly ahead at the game on TV. Ed was knocking about in the kitchen in an attempt to fix them both some lunch. Knox was just about to suggest ordering take-out when Kayla burst through the front door with her arms full of grocery bags.