“I’ll be right there,” Sam’s calm voice responded almost instantly.
Within minutes, Maddie heard the sound of tires on the snow outside and the low rumble of Sam’s truck coming to a stop. Fargo barked once, announcing their arrival.
Maddie rushed to the door and flung it open just as Sam stepped out of his truck, his expression deep with concern. “Where is she?” he asked as he headed toward the house.
“By the stairs in the living room,” Maddie said, stepping aside to let him by. “She’s in a lot of pain.”
Sam went straight ahead, his boots tracking snow across the entryway as he hurried toward Schatzi. He knelt down beside her, assessing her arm with cautious eyes.
“Schatzi, I’m going to help you up, but we need to be careful, okay?” Sam said gently, his hands steady and sure.
Schatzi nodded tightly, her jaw clenched in pain. “Fine. Just get me off this damn floor.”
Together, Maddi and Sam—mostly Sam—managed to carefully lift Schatzi from the floor. Her face was white with pain, and Maddie flinched as she watched her aunt bite back a groan.
“You’re doing great, Schatzi,” Maddie said, trying to sound reassuring even though her stomach twisted with worry.
Sam guided Schatzi toward the door, his strong arms supporting most of her weight. “Maddie, grab her coat and purse. We’ll get her to the walk-in.”
Maddie hurried to get Schatzi’s coat and purse and went after them. The cold air outside was a shock, the bitter wind stinging Maddie’s cheeks. Fargo trotted beside Sam, his brown eyes full of concern, as if he knew something was wrong and wanted to help in any way he could.
Once Schatzi was settled in the passenger seat of Sam’s truck with her coat around her, Maddie climbed into the small backseat with Fargo, who curled up beside her, his head resting on her lap. Sam had left the truck running when he’d come inside, so the heat was on.
She absentmindedly stroked Fargo’s fur as they drove down the winding mountain road, her pulse still elevated from the sight of Schatzi crumpled on the floor. Thank God it had only been her shoulder.
The drive to the clinic was tense, the truck’s tires grinding over the snow-covered road. Sam kept the conversation light, telling Schatzi about a recent project he was working on to repair the roof of the cabin down the hill. Schatzi, despite her obviousdiscomfort, tried to keep up with the banter, but Maddie could see the pain etched in her face, even in profile.
By the time they arrived at the small clinic in town, Schatzi’s skin had gone ashen, and her breaths were shallow. Maddie couldn’t imagine the pain she was in.
The nurse, recognizing Schatzi immediately, wasted no time getting her into a room. Maddie started to follow, but Schatzi frowned, despite the pain. “I don’t need babysitting,” she grumbled.
Maddie sighed at her aunt’s crankiness and went back to sit in the waiting area, bouncing her knee anxiously. Sam stood nearby, his hands shoved into his coat pockets as he watched Maddie with concern.
“It’s just the pain,” he said.
“That and she hates being seen as old and vulnerable. I get it. It’s just who Schatzi is.”
“Very true. She’ll be all right,” Sam said quietly, finally taking a seat beside her. “Dislocations are a real bear, but they’ll fix her up.”
“I hope so,” Maddie whispered, staring at the floor, thinking about how she’d found Jack on the floor, too. The thought sent a chill through her. She needed Schatzi more than anything. “She doesn’t deserve this.”
Sam reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, the warmth of his touch bringing her back to the moment. “Schatzi’s as tough as they come. She’ll be just fine.”
Maddie nodded, though the knot of worry in her stomach didn’t fully ease. She had always known Schatzi as strong, but seeing her vulnerable like that, seeing her in pain, had shaken something loose inside Maddie. Schatzi wasn’t indestructible. None of them were. Jack had proved that. The weight of the realization made Maddie’s entire being feel heavy.
While they waited, Maddie sent Becca a quick text.Schatzi fell and hurt her arm. At the walk-in now. Maybe a dislocated shoulder? I’ll keep you posted.
Becca was quick to respond.Oh, no! Tell her I’m thinking about her and praying for her. Let me know!
About an hour later, the doctor came out to meet them, a friendly smile on her face. “Schatzi’s shoulder was dislocated, but we’ve reset it. She’ll need to wear a sling for a few weeks and take it easy—no heavy lifting or sudden movements.”
Maddie let out a breath she’d been holding. “That’s a relief. Can I see her?”
The doctor nodded. “She’s in recovery now. She’ll be a bit sore, but she’s already giving the nurses a hard time,” she added with a chuckle. “That woman doesn’t like to sit still. That might change once the pain meds kick in.”
Maddie smiled, the tension in her chest loosening just a little. That sounded like Aunt Schatzi.
When Maddie entered the room, Schatzi was propped up in a bed, her right arm secured in a sling. She looked pale but alert, her blue eyes sharp as ever.
