Emilie Richards - Endless Chain

“The chickens are Gram’s weakness,” Tessa said. “And that’s a portable chicken coop in the center. When they’ve pecked up every weed and bug inside the fence, we hitch it up to the tractor and move it to another spot, stake out the fence again and let them have at it.”

“Ingenious.”

“Gram never kept a pet. But you’ll find she comes out here and talks to the chickens two or three times a day, then makes sure all the barn cats are fed. You won’t have to do a thing for any of them. And you’ll have all the eggs you can possibly eat. I don’t seem to be able to get enough of them now that I’m pregnant.”

Elisa had been looking for an opening and jumped right in. “How are you feeling? Have you had any more dizziness?”

“No, and I wanted to thank you again for all your help the other day.”

“I did very little.”

“I called my doctor and made an appointment for tomorrow. But he said exactly what you did. Since I don’t have any other symptoms, it doesn’t sound like there’s much to worry about. And my husband’s getting a ride up here tonight to drive me home, so I won’t have to sit behind the steering wheel for any length of time.”

“Good. You’ll feel better when you know for certain. There are enough things to worry about, yes?”

They had reached a pond, perhaps half an acre in size. Reeds grew at the edges, and Canada geese patrolled the opposite shore under giant weeping willows.

“Oh, isn’t this lovely?” Elisa was entranced. “I can see where I’ll be spending time every day.”

“I lived with Gram last summer, and I came out to the pond whenever I needed time to think. I also picked a million blackberries. There’s a creek in that direction with blackberries and wine berries all along the edges.” She pointed. “But it’s late in the season. You won’t find too many now. You can wade, though. Just watch out for snakes.”

“Sam said you and your mother were here to fix up the house?”

“We carried out tons of Gram’s ‘collectibles.’ Like newspapers and rags and bottles. She’s pretty good these days, but you’ll need to watch her.”

“I’ve been warned.”

“It was a good summer. We’re closer. We met Cissy for the first time and got to know her, too.”

“She’s a lovely girl. Young to have a baby, at least in this country.”

“Not in yours?”

“We have many young women marrying and giving birth well before they should. Our maternal health statistics are not good.”

“I’m on the other end of the spectrum.”

“For a first baby, yes.”

“This isn’t my first.”

From Tessa’s tone, Elisa realized there was more to that simple statement than Tessa was saying. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure why I assumed that. You have other children?”

Tessa didn’t answer right away. Elisa was sure now that she had walked into something without knowing it.

“I had a daughter,” Tessa said at last. “Kayley. She would have been nine this year. She was killed by a drunk driver.”

Elisa didn’t know what to say. She just put a hand on Tessa’s shoulder.

Tessa seemed to welcome her touch. “I was sure I’d never want another child.”

“But you decided to take a chance.”

“I have to thank Reese. When Cissy brought her home from the hospital, I looked into that tiny face, and Reese stared right back at me. It’s a long story how I got there, but I realized I was ready to try again, and I needed to do it soon. I was lucky. I got pregnant two months later.”

Elisa squeezed Tessa’s shoulder before she dropped her hand. “I know it must have taken courage.”

“For the most part I’m doing okay. I think most of us are blissfully ignorant about what can happen when we decide to have a child. On some level we understand risk. We just never think those things will happen to us. But since I know they can and do, I’m too aware of every little thing.”

“Like the dizziness? That wasn’t a little thing. It was something I—” Elisa changed direction. “Something I’m sure your doctor wanted you to report. I’ll bet he told you that when you called. Yes?”

“He did.”

“Of course, it won’t be the same for you as it might be for a young woman with no experience. But maybe you also realize how...” Elisa paused to think of the right expression. “How random the universe is. Maybe you will appreciate what you have even more, because you understand it can be taken away. Through no fault of your own.”

“You’re speaking from experience.”

“I understand the way life can change in an instant.”

Tessa waited again, as if she were encouraging Elisa to say more. When she didn’t, Tessa went on. “Thank you for listening to me. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.”

Elisa liked Tessa. By the same token, she was afraid she might have found a friend with more insight than Elisa could afford.

They heard footsteps, and Sam approached from the direction they had taken. “Helen said I’d find you here.”

He had changed back into long pants and a sport shirt, and looked like a man with a mission. Elisa was contrite. “I’m sorry, do you need to leave?”

“I didn’t, but I do now. One of our parishioners was taken to the hospital in Winchester. He’s not expected to make it through the night. I need to get over there. I can take you back to the church if we leave right now.”

“I’ll take her back.” Tessa thought better of that. “No, Mom will take her. She won’t mind a bit, and that will keep me out from behind the wheel.”

“That would be a big help,” Sam said. “Shall I wait while you ask?”

“No. If Mom can’t, Zeke or Cissy will. You go on. Elisa’s one of the gang now. We’ll take care of her.”

Sam turned to Elisa. “I hate to abandon you this way.”

For a moment she thought there was more to his statement than simple good manners. His gaze was warm. She felt her cheeks warm in response.

“You go,” she said. “I’ll be at the church at eight tomorrow morning to start my training.”

“Goodbye, then.” He glanced at Tessa. “Thanks again.”

They watched him disappear down the path.

“Sam’s wonderful at what he does, although not everyone thinks so,” Tessa said when he was gone. “He’s definitely controversial.”

“He has many problems in the church?” Elisa thought of George and Leon Jenkins, and wondered what was behind the controversy.

“He has more supporters than enemies. As long as the balance remains that way, he’ll remain as minister. But I wonder sometimes if he’s really happy here. It’s a small country church, and he’s a man with obvious talents. Plus he goes home every night to an empty house, and I think he’s a man with a lot of love to give.”

Elisa wondered why Tessa had chosen to confide that.

She knew better than to ask.

Chapter Seven

SAM’S PARENTS HAD hoped he would become a doctor. He often thought of that when he walked through a hospital doorway. No one knew how he had to steel himself to cross the threshold. He hated nearly everything inside. The institutional feel, the smell, the unrelenting clatter, the reminders of his own mortality. He wanted to lay hands on every patient and send them home. He hated suffering and disease, but his was not a healing ministry. He could only comfort with his belief that God was a constant presence. He was always moved when that turned out to be enough.

Dinnertime was near when he arrived at the hospital in Winchester where Newt Rafferty had been taken to die. Newt, a widower, was a former Community Church deacon who had resigned from the board eight months ago when his health took a turn for the worse. Claiming the grandchildren would keep him young, he had moved to Winchester to spend his final months with his oldest daughter and her family. But every time Sam made the trip north to visit, he had seen that Newt was failing.