Vacation
Day Two
When the rooster's wake-up call came at dawn, Kirsten was already awake. She sat in the room she'd occupied since her childhood, and reflected on the unfairness of life. She'd built her military career on the knowledge that after ten years, she would get to adopt the most amazing child in the world. She should have known that life would kick her in the teeth. It always managed to screw her over some way. Almost tentative, she rose and stretched. Praying her back would hold up, she dressed for hard labor, a light cotton tee-shirt emblazoned with the Marine Corps world-and-anchor, blue jeans, and some heavy duty construction boots.
As she trotted down the stairs, she began to wonder why the sisters hadn't converted her old room into a single for Toby. He was old enough to want his own space. She had to imagine that three boys in that one room was starting to get crowded. As she hopped off the stairs into the kitchen, she broke into a grin. Cooper was bent over the stove with Sister Catherine at his right hand. The kids were all seated at the oblong table, while Sister Bernadette served out toast and bacon. Mother Angelica sat with the toddlers.
"Mornin' Kirsty!" Miranda and Julie chorused once they had spotted her.
"Morning!" the cheerful face fell into place so easily. Cooper broke away from the stove to toss a grin in her direction. He looked as tired and drawn as always He probably had as much trouble sleeping as she had. "How'd you sleep, Coop?"
"Meh." he shrugged. She knew the answer, and understood. With a slight tilt of his head, he silently asked how her back felt. She returned his shrug. It was a dance they were becoming familiar with. As they moved to take their seats, Sister Catherine served out a mound of scrambled eggs along the table. Even as he reached for his fork, Cooper found his hand captured by Kirsten's. She shot him a meaningful look as he tugged to get away momentarily.
"Rafe, dear, would you do the honors?" Mother Angelica smiled sweetly from her place at the head of the table.
In response, Rafe bowed his head, and took a deep breath. "Thank You, Lord, for the food on our table, the good company we keep, and the strong roof over our heads. Also, thank You for sending Mr. Mac to keep an eye on Kirsty when she's away from home. Amen."
Everyone chorused the final word around the table, even Kirsten. Coop watched her out of the corner of his eye, amazed to find her expression somewhere between embarrassed, and amused. He never would have pegged her for the religious type, but it did make sense. She released his hand, and fell to her breakfast without a word. Taking his cue, he did the same.
Sister Catherine waited until they were nearly finished. "Kirsten, would you be willing to take Toby and Rafe with you to fix the fences?"
"Of course," she answered without ever looking up. "An extra few sets of hands is always welcome."
Catherine nodded. "Good, good. Toby can practice his driving." She gestured slightly with a fork, just as the teen began to grin. He and Rafe traded a high-five, giving a whoop of triumph. Soon enough, Coop was dismayed to find that the truck in question was a tiny little thing, rusty around the edges, and in serious need of some tender love and care. When Toby climbed into the drivers seat, but everyone else jumped into the bed with the lumber, he had to see why. Peering into the passenger side window, he noticed, there was no second seat, just the single bucket for the driver.
"Take it easy," Kirsten warned as she patted Toby's arm through the open window. When she climbed into the bed, Coop waited to see if she'd need assistance. But true to form, she ignored whatever was happening on her back for the sake of the kids. Rafe shoved hard on the timbers, giving the three of them more than enough room to settle against one wall of the bed.
Kirsten's smile was strained as Toby headed out across the pasture. The truck bounced and jostled, rattled and clattered, and stunk too. Diesel fumes coupled with each hard jolt just made Kirsten's face whiter and whiter as Toby drove on. Only when she closed her eyes, and tipped back her head, did Rafe notice anything amiss. Roughly he started pounding on the roof of the cab, until it had the desired effect on Toby.
When the truck lurched to a stop, Kirsten did nothing to brace herself. Toppling sideways, she practically landed in Cooper's lap, limp as a rag doll. Toby jumped out of the cab to see what was amiss only to find Rafe nearly in tears.
"She's bleeding!" the ten-year-old finally managed to get out.
Cooper was already ahead of the terrified kids. He'd stripped out of his shirt, to wad it up at the base of Kirsten's back. She was lying at an awkward angle though, he worried he couldn't get enough pressure on the reopened holes.
"You!" He barked, startling Toby out of his stupor. "Get in the cab, and get us back! Blondie, yes you! Make sure that lumber doesn't fall on her!"
Rafe sucked in a breath as the cab door slammed. He wedged himself between the lumber and the wall. The truck rattled and banged, Toby even managed to spin the tires in the pasture, sending up clods of dirt behind them. But the old beater truck surged home, faster than it had gone to pasture.
(HR)
Kirsten woke up to three angry nuns leaning over her. Her whole body ached, too warm and too sedentary for her own liking. Even as she tried to sit up, Catherine's hands were on her shoulders.
"Why did you neglect to inform us that you were hurt?" She demanded. Amazingly, the other two were silent.
Kirsten blinked at them, hesitating while the pain cleared out of her head. "I... uh, didn't want to worry you?"
All three nuns started in at that point, Catherine's protests being the loudest. "So, passing out in a moving vehicle and exposing two of the boys to blood isn't worrying?" Kirsten winced visibly. She hadn't realized she'd reopened the wounds.
"Where's Coop?"
"Don't go changing the subject on us, miss Ludlum!" Bernadette groused. "You gave me a run for my money, little lady. And don't think that I'm not going to take it out of your hide once you're back on your feet!"
"I'm not going to be off my feet!"
"You are staying right here, until the end of your leave."
"Like Hell I am!"
"Kirsten!" All three nuns gaped openly at her. For once, Kirsten ignored them all, and pushed herself up to her elbows. She was fully sitting and ready to slide off the bed when she realized what she had said. Her lips and her eyes pressed into tight lines, and she scowled. But she wouldn't apologize.
"Mister MacBride kindly went out with the boys to fix the fences," Angelica finally broke the tense silence. "He's agreed to do your work for you, until you recover."
Kirsten's first thought was of murder. An Army grunt picking up her slack. No Marine in their right mind would ever stand for it. She pushed off the edge of the bed, her bare feet hitting cool wood. She then shook her head slightly. "I guess I have some stories to tell at dinner..."
"All the boys are expecting them," Angelica returned coolly. Bernadette had already begun to slip toward the door. Catherine seemed close behind her.
