April 20, 1940
At the Walton house, Miss Emily shook a rattle for young Isaac, who was sleeping.
"Such a cunning child." Miss Emily smiled. "I do so long to hold him."
Erin saw that Isaac was asleep and the rattle may be a disturbance to him. "Well, as long as he isn't crying, I'd leave him where he is Miss Emily."
"I simply don't seem to be getting the hang of how to fold these diapers."
"Well I'll help you when I get a minute, Miss Mamie." Jenny said, cutting carrots at the cutting board.
"I fancy I would have made a good mother." Miss Emily smiled. "Don't you think so, Sister?"
"I daresay." Miss Mamie replied. "Papa always said we could always accomplish anything we set our minds to."
Jenny and Erin looked at each other and quietly chuckled.
"I think Isaac is asleep now, Erin. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?" Inquired Miss Emily.
"There are some dirty dishes in the sink." Erin replied.
"I'd welcome it. This rattling is almost putting me to sleep." Miss Emily laughed.
"I still seem to be doing something wrong here." Miss Mamie was attempting to fold diapers.
Jenny walked over and showed Miss Mamie how to properly fold the cloth diapers.
"I'm still not getting it." Miss Mamie stated.
Jenny smiled. "I'll trade places with you. You finish cutting the carrots, I'll handle this."
"Okay. Thank you Jenny." Miss Mamie smiled.
"No problem."
The back screen door opened.
"They're here." Erin announced.
Miss Emily's face lit up. "Oh I do hope they brought good news about Elizabeth."
Ben was the first one into the kitchen.
"How is she?" Erin asked her brother.
Ben managed to smile. He was still feeling guilty. "She's doing okay."
Ben turned to the Baldwin sisters and acknowledged their presence.
Ben and Jim Bob quietly stood on the stairs.
"Mr. Walton, we've been so concerned about the dear child." Miss Mamie explained to Zeb.
John-Boy walked over to Jenny and kissed her.
"Where's the rest of the family?" Jenny asked.
"Daddy and Mama stayed at the hospital with Elizabeth. Mary Ellen and Curt are there as well."
Jason turned to the family neighbors. "It was nice of you ladies to come and be here with Erin and Jenny."
"We couldn't have done it without them." Jenny smiled.
Erin paused, fearing what the answer to her question may be. "What did Curt and the other doctors say?"
"It looks like the logs have fractured both of Elizabeth's legs. Dr. Jamison has them in a cast. Knowing Elizabeth, I predict she'll be up and dancing around in no time."
Erin sighed. "Well that's a relief. Not knowing what's going on, you imagine the most awful things."
Erin made eye contact with her sister-in-law. Jenny nodded.
"We've all got to think of Elizabeth as being well and healthy and full of steam as she usually is." Zeb added.
John-Boy nodded.
At the hospital, John and Olivia waited.
"I feel so bad for Jim Bob." Olivia said.
"It took some self-control. I wanted to beat the tar out of him and Ben." John replied.
Olivia turned to her husband. "They probably would have felt better if you had."
"I couldn't, not then." John said.
Mary Ellen came over. "Mama, Daddy, she's beginning to stir."
John and Olivia followed their daughter into the recovery room. Curt came in behind them.
"She's so pale." Olivia wasn't expecting this.
"It's the anesthetic, Mama."
Elizabeth's eyes were still closed, but she was tossing and turning her head, as if she was having a bad dream.
Olivia gently touched her daughter's arm. "Elizabeth,"
She remembered how only a few years ago, John-Boy had been in the same position of having surgery. He was doing fine and Olivia trusted that Elizabeth, too, would be all right.
"Elizabeth," Olivia spoke again.
"Mama?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm here. I'm right here with you."
"Where am I?" Elizabeth was groggy.
"You're in the hospital." Olivia explained. "Your daddy's here. Mary Ellen and Curt too."
"Hi Sweetheart." John spoke to his daughter.
"I don't know how I got here."
Olivia was caught a little off guard by Elizabeth's lack of memory.
Elizabeth continued. "I just remember a little bird and climbing on the log pile and putting the little bird back. Then what happened?"
Curt stepped over by the bed. "You fell and hurt your legs."
Elizabeth nodded to the casts and splints on her legs. "Are those mine?"
Curt chuckled. "You look like something from Halloween right now, Honey."
Elizabeth smiled. "How's the little bird?"
"He's fine." Olivia smiled.
"Will I have to be on crutches?"
"Probably for a while." Mary Ellen replied.
"You always wanted to do that, remember?" John smiled. "When John-Boy hurt his leg on the motorcycle? You got pretty good on his crutch."
John was referring to his son's motorcycle accident, nearly a year ago.
"I'll have two." Elizabeth stated.
"That's right." Olivia replied.
"That'll be neat, for a while. You know, you remind me of something." Elizabeth looked at her mother.
"Of what?" Olivia was curious.
"I have to be off of them in time for Aimee's birthday party next month."
Olivia just nodded. She quietly prayed that Elizabeth would be able to walk into her best friend's birthday party. The girls had been close since Ike and Corabeth adopted Aimee. Not only were they best friends, but they were also cousins. How she wanted Elizabeth to walk into that party on her own two feet with no problems.
John-Boy drove his parents home. He went inside and got Jenny and the children.
"Thank you John-Boy." John told his oldest child. "And thank you Jenny. I know Erin appreciated the help."
"You're welcome." John-Boy said. "Give us a call when you know anything more about Elizabeth."
John and Olivia waved to John-Boy, Jenny, and the kids before going inside the house.
"I hated leaving her there." Olivia said.
"I know Liv." John caressed his wife's cheek. He then took her hand. "The family's waiting."
Olivia nodded and they went inside.
"How is she?" Zeb asked.
"We were there when she came out of the anesthetic. They've got her strapped in those casts, but she seems to be holding her own." Olivia replied.
"That Dr. Jamison is in for a surprise with that little patient." Zeb smiled.
There was a pause.
Jason then asked the question that was burning through everyone's minds, but everyone was too fearful to ask. "Will she be able to walk again?"
Olivia looked at John.
John searched for the words. "They're… they're not sure… they'll have to wait and see how she heals."
Erin was near tears.
Jim Bob and Ben stared at the floor.
"I think the main thing is to be grateful that Elizabeth is alive." Zeb said.
"I agree with Grandpa." Olivia replied. "It's happened and blaming people isn't going to change anything."
Jim Bob ran upstairs.
Ben ran his hands through his hair. "We never thought anyone would be playing on the log pile."
John looked straight into Ben's eyes. "I'm gonna wanna talk to you about this, Son, you and your brother. But not now. Now I want you to go to bed."
Ben had tears in his eyes. "Goodnight." He whispered before going upstairs.
Erin bit her lips, tears threatening to escape her eyes and run down her cheeks. She was angry and hurt. How could her brothers be so irresponsible? Why her sister? Elizabeth was so full of life and was always looking for the next adventure. Why did they have to take that joy from her?
Jason's next question seemed to calm her in a way. "When will we be able to see her?"
"Visiting hours tomorrow." Olivia smiled. "She'll be looking for you."
Grandpa put a hand on Jason's shoulder.
Erin closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks. She turned around and went upstairs. Jason followed her and put an arm on her shoulder as they went upstairs to their room.
"Goodnight Children." Zeb smiled.
"Night Pa." John replied.
"Goodnight Grandpa." Olivia smiled.
Olivia looked near tears.
John turned off the living room light. He then went over to his wife and hugged her.
They went upstairs and went to bed.