Candy awoke early Saturday morning, Gary still slumbering beside her in the darkness. Slipping from beneath the covers, she peeked out the window to find that it had snowed more overnight, and their back yard now lay covered in a thick blanket of white that sparkled in the dim light; damn. Another week before it had gotten bad would have been nice.
Gathering her clothes as quietly as she could, she moved to the bathroom and closed the door before flicking on the light. Donning a warm sweater and jeans, she exited through the empty connected bedroom and made her way down stairs to start some coffee and get to work on her paper before she dug into her review for her final exams.
Noting her mother’s door was closed, she turned on the light and began the task of filling the pot, only to be startled by the sound of a rasping cough on the other side of the wall. Pausing with the carafe suspended in midair over the device, she stopped her pouring to listen. Then, finishing the task, she pushed the button to begin the brew cycle.
Creeping into her mother’s room, she whispered loudly, “Mom, are you awake?”
“Candy,” her mother croaked back, sending chills through her entire body.
“Oh, God, mom,” Candy breathed, crossing the gap and dropping onto the unoccupied side of her mother’s full-sized bed. Finding her hands clutching the blanket against her chest, the stiff digits felt frigid. Sliding off the bed and standing, she commanded, “Lay still. I’ll get Gary and we’ll take you in.”
“I’ll be fine,” her mother replied, her words slurred before she began to cough. Turning on her side, she curled into a ball as the spasm subsided. “Let me sleep,” she mumbled, but Candy could no longer hear, having left the room and stomped noisily up the stairs in her haste.
“Gary!” she called loudly as she flung open their door. “Baby, wake up! Mom has to see the doctor right now!”
Stretching and then rubbing his face, her husband prepared for the glare by covering his eyes, “Ok, hit the lights.” The room blazed bright white when she flipped the switch and he could blink at her. “You think this is a hospital visit, or will the clinic suffice?”
“Hospital, definitely. She’s coughing and her hands are like ice,” she informed him while she pulled out clothing for him to put on. “I’m sorry to ruin your sleeping in,” she said more gently when she presented them to him.
“It’s not your fault, hon,” he replied, accepting the bundle. “I guess a shower is out of the question?”
Staring at him, she bit her lower lip, her heart racing. “Hurry, and I’ll get her ready,” she replied, turning to exit. Realizing Caroline would have to be informed, she stopped to knock lightly on the other woman’s door; at least we won’t have to drag Dakota with us.
A moment later, the wooden panel opened a crack, and Caroline asked through a yawn, “Yes? What’s going on?”
“Mom’s worse,” Candy informed her. “We’re going to take her down to the hospital. I assume you’ll be ok with Daks while we’re gone?”
“Yes, of course!” the other woman replied crisply, losing her tired demeanor in an instant. “Let me get dressed, and I’ll be right down to help,” she agreed while shutting the portal in Candy’s face in her hurry.
Clomping down the stairs, Candy glanced at the fresh pot of coffee and poured a mug for herself, then one for her mother and carried them into her mother’s room. Placing the two on the nightstand, she leaned over to reach her and ran her hands firmly over her mother’s back; “Mom, I brought you a cup of coffee.”
Rolling over, the older woman allowed her to help to sit up, which produced a fit of coughs. Once they had subsided, she accepted the warm mug and wrapped her fingers around it. Holding the hot liquid in front of her face, she inhaled the warm steam it produced. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Taking a seat in the corner chair on the other side of the nightstand, Candy lifted her own beverage and took a noisy sip. “Gary is getting a shower and then we’ll get you into the car for the trip.”
“We should put blankets into the back seat for her,” Caroline stated from the doorway, where she stood pulling her blond strands into a ponytail before she twisted them into a bun.
“That’s a good idea,” Candy replied, studying her for a long moment. “There’s a linen closet upstairs with extra blankets stacked at the top.”
“Ok, I’ll get them,” their nanny replied as she moved to comply.
Sitting together in the still of the morning, Candy’s heart pounded heavily in her chest. Watching her mother as she sipped her coffee, she breathed deeply and tried to appear calm. She hated the dead of winter; the months when it was cold and snow covered the ground. Nothing good every happens to me at Christmas time, she lamented, slapped immediately with the reality that it wasn’t true.
Yes, her apartment had burned to the ground at Christmas; but Gary had saved her mother and son and had made sure they never lacked for anything since. And last Christmas we were married, despite the blizzard, she recalled to herself.
Her mother lowered her cup as she delivered a few loud coughs and Candy moved to sit beside her, placing her right arm firmly around the older woman’s shoulders to steady her.
“I think these will work,” Caroline called from the door while holding up two quilts that Gary’s great aunt had made.
“I don’t know if he will want to use those,” Candy replied, getting to her feet and relieving her mother of her mug. Carrying them into the kitchen, she poured both drinks into the sink and continued, “They’re family heirlooms, but we’ll see.”
“What are they for?” Gary inquired as he joined the two women.
“To put in the back seat,” Caroline replied, raising her chin slightly. “To make Lanelle more comfortable and keep her warm during the trip to the hospital.”
Her thoughtfulness outweighed any remorse at using the pair of ancient blankets, and he smiled, “That’s a great idea. I’ll go pull it over as close to the house as I can and let it warm up inside before we take her out. Is she dressed?”
“Not yet,” Candy replied. “Get the car warm and I’ll make sure she’s ready when you are.”
Fifteen minutes later, the trio helped the older woman out to the awaiting SUV, Gary and Candy each holding an arm to guide her and Caroline following with the blankets. Spreading one on the seat, the couple helped the older woman climb in and then covered her with the other. Closing the door with a firm thud, Gary gave the former secretary a nod; “We’ll call you when we have some news.”
“Don’t worry,” she replied with a hint of a smile. “I’m sure she’ll be fine, and I’ll take care of Daks while you’re gone.”
Climbing into the passenger seat, Candy anxiously fastened her seatbelt as she watched Gary make his way around to the driver’s side. Once he had them turned around and eased out the drive, they crept along over the frozen road. They had driven the path between the hospital and their home too many times to count since they had been together, and she wished like hell they could have gotten by this year without it.