Hometown Star - By Joleen James Page 0,13
wonder what his game was. “I take care of myself.” They faced each other, the open car door sandwiched between them. “Please give me the keys.”
His eyes searched her face but instead of seeing meanness or hate like the old days, she saw compassion and tenderness. Those emotions made her feel too much. Star refused to acknowledge the vulnerability rising inside her. She hated that Cade knew so much about her dysfunctional family, hated the long forgotten pain stirring inside her. He made her feel ten years old, beaten down by a life she couldn’t control.
“Get in the car,” he said. “Let me take care of you.”
“Why?” she asked, at her wit’s end.
“Because I want to. I owe you.” Cade glanced away from her, then back. “You know I do.”
They’d reached a stalemate of sorts. Star knew Cade wouldn’t back down, he never did. The need to see Brandi outweighed her desire to argue with him. Star got in the car. A minute later they were on the road to town.
Silently, she contemplated calling the police as soon as her phone had service but to report what? Cade giving her a ride to see her sister? Even to her that sounded ridiculous. More than anything she wanted to give him the silent treatment but too many questions bounced around in her head.
“What else did Bud say?” she asked.
“Just that she started feeling sick last night. Swelling. First thing this morning, he took her to the doctor.”
“I hope the baby’s okay.” Star pressed her hands together. Didn’t babies die from toxemia? Brandi wanted this baby so much. She couldn’t bear to think of her sister suffering the loss of a child. “I can’t stand not having phone service.”
“She’ll be okay.”
Star glanced at Cade. He looked away from the road briefly, making eye contact with her. Again, she saw the foreign kindness, yet she couldn’t let go, couldn’t accept anything good from him yet.
“Why aren’t you fishing?” Star asked. “You have all those guests.”
“Ron took the boat out this morning. The boat only needs one skipper. We trade off.”
When they reached the medical center, Cade cut the engine and passed Star her keys.
“Let me know if I can do anything else to help,” he said.
Star took the keys from him. “Thank you.”
Star went straight to the information desk and was given directions to where Brandi was. She entered the room to find her sister pale, her forehead creased with worry, her hands resting protectively over her large belly, as if sheer will would keep the baby safe inside her. Star’s worry meter spiked. Brandi’s eyes, wide with fear, fixed on Star.
“Hey,” Star said softly.
“Star,” Brandi cried, relief sagging her shoulders. “Oh, Star.”
Brandi’s husband, Bud, rose from his chair next to the bed. “Star. Thanks for coming.”
Star had always liked Bud. He was an honest, what–you–see–is–what–you–get kind of guy. His sandy blond hair was mussed, as if he’d been wearing a hat but had discarded it. He was dressed in his work uniform, navy pants and work shirt, his name embroidered on the right pocket below the words Sherman Electric.
Star grasped Bud’s hand on her way by. “How are things going here?”
“Better,” Bud replied, but she heard the worry in his tone, and to her he looked older than his twenty–two years.
Large tears filled Brandi’s eyes, spilling over onto her pale cheeks. “I’m scared, Star. They want to move me to Anchorage, to the hospital there. They want to do a C–section.”
“Women have C–sections every day.” Star sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed Brandi’s curls from her forehead. “Everything will be fine. Women get toxemia all the time.”
“I know.” Brandi rubbed her belly. “I thought the swelling was from being on my feet all day at the diner. I didn’t realize it was more serious. If anything happens to my baby...”
“Nothing’s going to happen,” Star assured her, covering her own fears.
“At least he’s moving,” Brandi said. “I know he’s okay.”
Star smiled. “That’s great.” She touched Brandi’s belly. Brandi’s hand closed over Star’s and she moved it. A tiny kick met Star’s palm. “Was that him?” she asked with wonder.
“Yes.”
The baby kicked Star again. “Oh, my.”
Brandi smiled. “You see why I love him so much already?”
“I do.” But Star didn’t. She didn’t understand at all why someone would want to feel that responsible for another human life. She remembered how scared she’d been when the girls had been sick or injured, how helpless she’d felt to make them well. She’d even