“Nothing’s up with me. Your grandparents are missing.”
“So what?” Cooper shrugged.
“So what?” Jewel snapped.
“They probably went someplace. Why go into conniptions?”
“My mom’s car is still here! Salad is spilled all over the kitchen floor. Something is wrong!” Jewel wanted to shake Cooper. But her phone rang with an unknown number. She answered without thinking about it. “Yes?” Jewel growled into the phone.
“Is this Jewel McKerry?” a man’s voice asked.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“This is Miguel Orosco. I’m your parents’ neighbor.”
“Oh, yes. Okay. Do you by any chance know where my parents are?” she asked eagerly.
“Yes. Here at St. John’s. In Sweet Springs.”
“The hospital?”
“Yes. ER.”
“Oh no,” she exclaimed. “Is it my dad? Is he okay?”
“Actually, it’s your mom.”
“My mom?” She felt her heart pounding. “Is she okay?”
“I, uh, I think so. I’m not sure. She’s being seen by the doctor. I’m out here in the waiting room with your dad. Your mom gave me your number when we checked her into the hospital. I would’ve called sooner, but your dad was, well, he was pretty upset.”
“Oh dear. I can imagine.” She already had her keys out. “I’m on my way.”
“Good. That should help. Your dad doesn’t exactly trust me.”
“Sorry about that. I’ll see you soon.” She was already getting into her car when she realized Cooper was sitting on the porch steps.
“Your grandma’s in the hospital,” Jewel called to her. “We need to go check on her.”
Cooper ambled over to the SUV with a mildly interested expression. “What about the mover dudes? Shouldn’t they be here soon?”
“Yeah. That’s right.” Jewel grimaced. “Can you stay here and show them where to put stuff?” She pointed to the barn. “In there, for the most part. Kind of in back, out of the way. Can you do that for me?”
Cooper shrugged. “I guess.”
“You got your phone,” Jewel reminded her. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Okay.” Cooper’s eyes flickered with just a trace of empathy. “I hope Grandma’s okay.”
“Me too. I gotta go, Coop.” Jewel forced a smile. “Thanks for taking care of the movers. I’ll call you when I find out what’s going on.”
Cooper gave her another apathetic shrug. So much for empathy. As Jewel started the engine, she remembered a time when she would’ve asked Cooper to pray over a situation like this. Not today. Cooper would probably just make a sarcastic remark or laugh. And Jewel didn’t need that right now.
As she drove to the hospital, she prayed. “Please, Lord, let Mom be all right. Be with her and, please, help her with whatever is wrong.” Turning into downtown Sweet Springs, she wondered what exactly was wrong with her mom. An accident? Why had she dropped the salad on the floor? Had she cut herself? But Jewel hadn’t seen any blood or a knife. What had happened?
As Jewel parked near the entrance of the ER, she thought one good thing about small towns was their hospitals were never too busy. Hopefully small hospitals gave good medical attention. She hurried inside and quickly spotted her dad, waving his hands with an angst-ridden expression at a dark-haired man who appeared to be trying to calm him down. A doctor perhaps? But when she got closer, she saw the man had on dirty jeans and a torn plaid shirt. Probably the neighbor Miguel.
“Dad,” she said as she approached them, remembering how her mom coached her to use short simple sentences a few days ago. He looked at her but didn’t seem to recognize his own daughter. In fact, she barely recognized him. He looked so much older.
