Chapter 13: Pulled in Different Directions
Everglades General Hospital
Everglades City, Florida
The Next Morning
5:30 AM
Timmy and Rachel Thundercloud had stayed by their father's bedside throughout the night. By 5:30 the next morning, the injured and unconscious Sergeant Timothy Thundercloud finally started to show some signs of improvement.
His eyes fluttered open, and he let out a sound that was akin to a pained groan, at which point both twins shot out of their seats and went to their father's bedside.
"Dad?" Timmy anxiously called to him in a raised voice, "Dad? Dad, it's Timmy, can you hear me?"
Thundercloud looked to his left and, with blurred vision, saw his twin son and daughter kneeling at his bedside, both hanging on to the outside of his bed rail. He struggled to find the proper words and was immediately met by a warm hand touch from Rachel.
"Daddy," Rachel softly said, "Daddy, it's okay. You were hurt in an accident, and you hit your head really badly. You're at Everglades General Hospital. Timmy and I are both right here. Uncle George and the other officers are out in the waiting room."
"Grandpa's here, too" Timmy added, "Do you want me to go get him?"
Though confused because of his bad concussion, Thundercloud nodded. Rachel nodded to him in response and then turned and gave Timmy a nod in silent permission.
Meanwhile, Dawn and Ricky had stayed at the hospital the whole time out of care and support for the Thundercloud family.
Half an hour after the sergeant regained consciousness, the Harper siblings were returning to the hospital after getting breakfast at a coffee shop across the street when they met up with Rachel and Timmy as they exited through the Emergency Department's automatic doors.
"Hey," Ricky said to them as he and Dawn each gave them a hug, "How's he doing?"
"He's hanging in there," a slightly more relaxed Rachel replied, "The nurse says that it's going to be a little while before he can speak in complete sentences. The concussion did a real number on him."
Dawn frowned upon hearing this. "I'm sure," she said, "How are you guys doing?"
"Better now," Timmy said, "Uncle George said that the Highway Patrol caught the punk that took off from Dad and Deputy Walsh. He apparently crashed the Cadilliac he was driving out on Smallwood Drive near Chokoloskee Bay."
Ricky nodded. "That's good," he replied, "Who is he?"
"This dipshit kid named James White," Timmy bluntly explained, "He grew up on the Reservation, but he's a couple years older than us. From what I remember, he was never really that good of a guy."
"That's putting it lightly," Rachel added, "I've overheard Dad complain about him to Grandpa before. He gets drunk, gets into fights with other people and the cops, vandalizes property...the list goes on. Uncle George said that both he and Dad have arrested him at least five times in the past."
Dawn nodded. "Well," she said, "At least they've got him. I'm happy for you guys."
Ricky also nodded before putting an arm around Rachel. "Ditto," he said.
Rachel laid her head on his shoulder in response. "Thank you," she sweetly replied.
Old Man Jack's Fish Camp
7:30 AM
Sometime later, Dawn and Ricky returned to the old fishing camp, electing to leave the twins back at the hospital to watch other their father and spend time with their grandfather and concerned friends. They exited Dawn's Traverse and walked up onto the front porch.
Ricky sighed. "I hate that this happened, Dawn", he blurted out, "Tim, Amos, and the twins have been so good to us both since we came down here."
"I know," Dawn replied, "And I think that it goes without saying that we've both taken a major liking to both Timmy and Rachel."
Ricky lightly scoffed as he unlocked and opened the cabin's front door, realizing the prominent understatement his sister had just made. "Truer words were never spoken," he replied, "The way I feel right now, there's a part of me who really wants to forego going to college in Pennsylvania and stay here to help them get back on their feet."
Dawn turned to her brother as they stepped inside the living room and gave him a somewhat stunned look. "For real?" she inquired.
With that, Ricky shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't know for sure yet", he said, "I just keep thinking about how poorly timed that call from the university was."
"What?" Dawn asked, "They called you?"
"Yeah", Ricky explained, "While we were all holding vigil for Tim at the hospital. A rather pushy lady named Debbie called and wanted to confirm my attendance for Student Orientation in August. I said that I'd be there, but obviously now I'm not so sure."
Dawn nodded. "I get that," she replied in a supportive tone, "And I definitely want to be here for the Thunderclouds as much as possible, but you have been working for that Business School scholarship for a long time. I mean, you looked in up back when we were twelve, for Christ's sake."
Ricky shut the door behind them and locked it. "Think about it, though, Dawn" he said, "I've spent my whole entire life being such a bookworm and a control freak that I never really got the chance to realize what really matters."
"What do you mean?" A momentarily confused Dawn queried.
"I thought that being book smart and really good at math would get me through life, you know? I'd have anxiety attacks every time I'd get a 'B' on an algebra test and every time I'd do well at something, I'd hurry off to the bathroom and hurl."
Dawn sighed. "Because your body knew it didn't have to be anxious anymore", she added, filling in the blanks. "And you're saying that now you're learning what matters because of how nicely the Thunderclouds have treated us since we've been here?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied, "But the truth is that I was starting to have these realizations even before now. When Mae and I started spending time together and sleeping together, I started to really get a thrill out of life. I was getting a taste of what enjoying life was."
"You were really living," Dawn commented and was met by an affirmative nod from in response, "I get that. I feel that way, too. First with Mack and now with Timmy. My question is, what would you do for work if you did end up staying down here?"
"I would definitely find something," Ricky confidently replied, "Maybe something outside of my comfort zone." He chuckled.
This deep conversation was interrupted by the shrill ringtone of Dawn's cell phone. The caller ID indicated that it was from the University of Colorado, at which point the siblings traded looks among each other as the phone continued to ring.