Word about April's survival soon reached the Ponderosa, and by late afternoon Hoss, Joe, and Jamie arrived at the hospital. They brought their father a fresh change of clothes and more of Hop SIng's tea. What they found both surprised and frightened them. Ben was sitting partially on the bed supporting the still bound April in a semi-upright position as the nurse spooned water between the weak woman's barely parted lips. The Cartwright sons and Jamie stood in silence while they watched the painfully slow process. Though her mouth accepted the water without issue, April's vacant eyes stared out into the room. Eventually her head began to list to the side exhausted from only a few minutes of very minor exertion.
"Thank you Miss Collins. Though I wish Mrs. Christopher would take more, I think that is all she can manage for now. My sons are here now and they can give me assistance if I need it."
Hoss and Joe moved toward their father as the nurse closed the door behind them. Jamie hung back having not seen April since the day she had left the Ponderosa. The extreme change in her countenance, her loss of vitality, and the restraints on her wrists made the lad uncomfortable and on the verge of bolting from the room. He turned to face the door wringing his hat in his nervous hands. Ben whispered for Hoss to take his place supporting April and then moved to comfort the young man he thought of as a son.
"Jamie." The teen quickly swiped at the tears that were running down his cheeks. Ben gripped the top of the boy's shoulders trying to comfort and work out some the obvious tension Jamie was feeling. "Yes, it has been very rough these past few days, but it's no more your fault than anyone else's." Jamie turned suddenly and threw himself into Ben's chest. Ben placed a large hand on Jamie's unruly red waves. "She's alive and appears to have the will to live. At this point, that is more than Dr. Phelps or I would have ever thought possible." Jamie looked up at Ben with tear-filled eyes. "We are going to hope and pray for the best, but only time will tell."
Jamie gave an embarrassed nod and Ben encouraged him to move in closer to the bed. Hoss helped his father position April on her side and cover her with a sheet and blanket. As painful as it was to do, they would keep the restraints on until Dr. Phelps deemed it safe to do otherwise. April's eyes went closed within moments. Ben checked her pulse. Satisfied with the result, he tenderly pushed back some stray locks of hair off her face.
Joe looked on April with pity. "Does she even know that we are here?"
"It's difficult to say just how much awareness she has, but something is there. When she woke, she brought her hands up to her mouth. At least her body seems to have some basic sense of what she needs, but she hasn't spoken a word and she looks right through you with those empty eyes." Ben finished with a long sigh.
This was April's state when Lori and her new husband arrived in Virginia City. Lori had feared her mother would pass before she could return. She had prepared for that, but she was not prepared to find a living woman who did not even respond to her daughter's presence. The newlyweds remained in town for a few days, but then they had no choice but to leave April in Ben's care and head to Boston with the promise of frequent updates about her condition.
Physically April did begin to improve in small increments. She would drink and eat small amounts when helped. She was able to sit up for longer periods and eventually walk about the room with assistance. She did not resist those helping her, but April's expression remained flat, her eyes lifeless, and her voice mute. She did not initiate any interaction with those who engaged her. When Ben questioned the doctor about her improvement, Phelps described April's condition as similar to men who had seen the horrors of war. At this point the doctor had no idea whether the problem that was keeping April from a complete recovery was physical or mental. The good news was that Phelps believed that she was no longer contagious with rabies and her restraints were removed. Ben could not see the purpose in keeping April in the hospital any longer, but rather that he would hire a woman to help with her care. For the time being, Ben wanted April at the Ponderosa. With winter soon upon them, a permanent arrangement would need to be made after the holidays. Ben hoped that bringing April back into a home environment would encourage her to a full recovery.
At the Ponderosa, April's body did improve over the next weeks. With the help of her personal caregiver, Mrs. Esther Haywood, April was soon able to sit at the table for meals and would eat most of the food that was put on her plate. However, despite attempts to engage her into conversations, she sat sometimes focused on an item on the table or a point on the wall. She occasionally appeared to be looking at one of the family members, but her eyes seemed to look past them or through them rather than at them. It tore at Ben's heart to think that the horrid rabies had permanently robbed this once vibrant woman of her zeal for life and that she was left a shell of the woman she had been. April had loved to shop, dance, and care for her precious chickens. Ben wondered what the key might be to unlocking the prison of her mind.
On a brisk November morning, Ben helped April into her coat. Jamie had already left the breakfast table to do his chores. Taking April by the hand, Ben led her to the chicken coop. Though the wind was sharp, she made no sound or movement to that effect. Jamie was calling to the chickens and slinging cracked corn from a canvas bag.
"April, you can see that Jamie has taken very good care of your chickens. Just look at them." Ben nodded to Jamie to join in the conversation.
"Yeah...see how fat and sassy they are. They're real good layers. Hop Sing get lots of eggs every day." Jamie forced his voice to be upbeat and enthusiastic, but it trailed away when April's face remained expressionless.
"Here, Jamie, let's have some of that feed." Ben lifted April's gloved hand. Jamie poured corn into her palm. Ben helped her toss it to the chickens who squawked and greedily ate every bit.
Jamie and Ben repeated the process a few more times. Though April did not resist their actions, she remained emotionally unmoved. Jamie shrugged to his father and went on to complete the task.
"Thanks, Jamie. Have a good day at school." Ben took April's hand and led her back into the house.
This became the routine each morning for April, Ben, and Jamie. Though April's body continued to gain strength, she remained unable break free of that which held her mind captive. Early in December, Ben sent word to Lori that it would probably be best for her to return to Nevada after the first of the year and move her mother to Boston. It broke Ben's heart to do this. It would be placing a terrible burden on the young bride and April would very likely be forever lost to him.
By mid December, holiday preparations at the Ponderosa were in full swing. Knowing just how much April had enjoyed celebrations and parties, Ben was clinging to the hope that something about the Christmas season would bring her around. The holidays often held a sadness for him even without the weight of the situation with April on his mind. There had been a letter from Adam a few weeks earlier stating that his business ventures in Australia were doing quite well, but they would unfortunately keep him from traveling home again this year for the holidays. Ben continued to hope and pray that someday soon he would see his dark-haired son come walking through the front door.
Hoss and Joe could see the cumulative effect of the stress their father was working so hard not to show. They caught Ben asleep at his desk on more than one occasion. This was something that just did not happen under normal circumstances. Besides missing Adam and the situation with April, there was also Jamie who had only been living with the family since the early summer. The young orphan had his own set of issues and problems compounded by the guilt he was feeling about April. Ben wanted this Christmas to be special for the boy so he would feel like part of the family.
