Page 5 of Cade’s Quest (The McIntyres #1)

Chapter Four

T hat night, the nurse brought Cade a tray and fed him. He’d discovered there was an upside to being blind and looked forward to meals. He leaned toward her voice. “This sure tastes good. Give the cook my compliments.”

“I will, cowboy.” She wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?” he asked.

“Fun? What’s that?” She laughed. “I like to read.”

“Me too. What kinds of books?”

“ Wuthering Heights, The Count of Monte Cristo, Jane Eyre . That kind of thing. How about you?”

“ Ivanhoe is a favorite and Treasure Island .” He sighed. “I sure hope this blindness isn’t permanent. I don’t know what I’ll do if it is.”

She patted his arm. “The doctor thinks you’ll be fine. Trust him. Want some more of your meal?”

“I think I’m finished. Thank you.”

“Then you don’t want your dessert?”

“Of course, I want it. I never turn down dessert.” He couldn’t stop the big grin. “What is it?”

“Chocolate cake.”

“Oh man! Bring it on.”

She fed him the cake then took everything away, pausing at the door. “Get some rest. The doctor will check on you in the morning.”

“Thanks.” Cade turned over and was soon dreaming he was back home and everyone was there. Their mother cooked a ham and made a delicious pudding with strawberries for dessert. It all seemed so real. He woke and touched the gauze around his eyes. “I have to see. I just have to,” he whispered.

He listened to the sounds in the doctor’s office and residence. The low mumble of voices, boots on the floor, the delicious smells coming from an oven. Home. Not his home, but a home where people were loved. Cade offered a prayer of gratefulness and hope that his ordeal would soon be over.

The doctor came in the next morning. “How are you, son?”

Cade really liked the warmth that exuded from the country doctor. Perkins made him feel like everything was going to work out.

“I’m fine, Doc. Slept good. Dreamed of my mother and home.”

“Those kinds of dreams really lift our spirits.” Perkins moved the sheet aside. “I need to change your bandage over the wound, but I won’t disturb the gauze around your head yet. The nurse will bring your breakfast in a little bit.”

“Thank you, sir.” He broached the subject that meant so much to him. “When will you take the bandage off my eyes? I need to know if I can see.”

Doc Perkins patted his arm. “It must be hard on you not seeing. How does day after tomorrow sound?” He paused and Cade could feel him laying something out on the bed. “I want to let your eyes rest a little more.”

“That’s fine, Doctor. I was just wondering.”

The doctor moved his nightshirt aside. “Oh dear. I’m afraid this will hurt. Blood has soaked the gauze and dried. Getting it free is going to be a challenge.”

“Just do what you have to. I’m used to pain.”

“I try to be gentle with my patients,” the doctor murmured. “It sounds like you’ve had more than your share of trials. I recognize the voice of experience.”

“A few years ago, a mountain lion attacked me and I thought I was a goner. Laid me up for a good while. The man I was living with doctored me but he didn’t have your skill.” Cade gritted his teeth as the doctor tugged on the stubborn bandage. “I know you’re doing your best.”

“Thank you for your vote of confidence.” The doctor pulled a bit harder. “There. It’s off. “Are you always so agreeable?” Doc Perkins asked.

“I try to be. No use complaining. That sure don’t help nothing.”

“That’s a good outlook.” The clock ticked as the doctor applied ointment and a new bandage. “I’ll check in this afternoon.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“What is your name? Do you have family we should notify?” Perkins asked.

“I’m Cade and I don’t have any family.”

“Cade it is. That’s a good solid name.”

Judging from the sound, Cade pictured Perkins gathering his things.

The door opened and the kind nurse burst in. “Forgive me but did you say your name is Cade?”

“Yes. Cade McIntyre.”

“Oh my goodness!” Her voice trembled with excitement. “Doctor, this man is my brother.”

“You don’t say?”

“Cade, I’m Summer. Your sister.” It sounded like she was crying.

“Don’t cry, Sis.” He fumbled for her hand and gripped it. For a moment, Cade was too overcome to speak. He took in a shuddering breath and found sudden tears soaking the gauze that blocked his vision. “I…is it really you? You’re not something my mind conjured up?”

“I’m as real as I can be. After you came in yesterday, I began to find you very familiar but I was almost afraid to hope. It’s been so long.” Sniffling, Summer perched on the side of his bed. “I’d given up on anyone coming for me. I didn’t know what happened to my kin or even if they wanted me.”

He squeezed her fingers. “I came as soon as I could. An older man in Clarendon mentioned that a doctor brought you here to Eagle Flat. But I had no assurance you were still here. The same man told me that a local couple took Ashland in, but they moved shortly after.”

“I’ve waited so long for someone to come. Tell me everything, little brother. Where have you been?” Summer asked.

For the next half hour, Cade told her about Tom Abernathy and his life on the Red River. Sometime during his recap, the doctor left the room.

“Look at the time,” Summer exclaimed. “You need your breakfast. I’ll be right back.”

She left and returned a little bit later with a plate of eggs and ham with a cup of coffee. “How about getting out of this bed? Let’s move you to a chair.”

“Sounds perfect to me.” He swung his legs over the side and sat up. The room spun for a moment. Then she helped him into a chair.

“Here you go.” She covered his lap with a sheet and handed him his coffee.

“Oh man, this tastes good.” He leaned his head against the high back of the chair. “I almost feel like a human again.”

Summer rose and her footsteps sounded as she moved around the bed, smoothing it up he supposed.

“I think I remember that about Ashland, but I was in so much shock. We all were. I tried to get them to let me look after you and the others until Jess returned home but they weren’t having it.

I wish I’d tried harder.” She paused and Cade wished he could see her.

“I wonder what happened to Jess. Have you seen him, little brother?”

“No. But a group of men in the Dancing Goat Café told me Jess had turned outlaw.”

“The Dancing Goat?” She laughed.

“I swear that’s the name of it. The food is excellent. But back to those men, they said Jess’s name is on a wanted poster.”

“Well, I don’t believe it. That doesn’t sound like the brother I know.” Summer sat back down and fed him the eggs and ham. “Our papa taught Jess, taught all of us, to obey the law. A piece of paper won’t convince me otherwise.” She wiped his mouth. “What are your plans, Cade?”

“I’m going to try to get us all together again under one roof. When I’m well enough, I’ll go back and fix up our homeplace while I keep looking for the others.”

“Cade, that sounds good. Do you remember when we were kids and berry picking the time that wild hog got after us?” She laughed and he joined in.

“That hog ran me up a cedar tree. I was hanging on for dear life when Jess finally heard us screaming and shot it. He sure saved us.”

“Yes, he did,” Summer agreed. “And remember the time the twins got the bright idea to float a homemade raft down the creek near our home?”

“I sure do. I had to dive in and pull Lucas out. Logan went under and Jess had to jump in and save him.” It felt so good to reminisce. It was the first time he’d had anyone to talk with about home and family. “I’m thrilled that I found you, Summer. I wish I could see you.”

Before their world had come to a tragic end, Summer had a wealth of beautiful red hair and the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. She had to be even prettier now with an infectious smile.

“Soon, little brother. Don’t wish your life away.”

He chuckled. “That’s one of our papa’s sayings. Will you stay here? I’m sure you’ve probably put down roots. Are you married?”

“No.” She adjusted the sheet covering him. “Cade, I don’t know what I’ll do. Doc Perkins and his wife have been very kind to me and taught me a lot about medicine and nursing. The doctor bought me a house. It’s going to be hard choosing.”

Disappointment set in. He knew it had been a longshot but after finding her, he really wanted her to go back to Clarendon. “I understand. I just thought there was a chance.”

“And there is, brother.” She rushed to his side. “It’s just not that easy to pull up stakes and move. Four years is a long time but there wasn’t a single day that I didn’t think about everyone and wonder where they’d gone.”

Cade handed her his empty coffee cup. “I was so lonely for family. At night, I’d look up at the stars and wonder where my brothers and sisters were living. Tom was as kind as he knew how which lacked a lot, but he wasn’t a McIntyre.”

“That’s for sure. No one can ever take our parents’ place,” Summer agreed. “Sometimes when I’m all alone and feeling blue, I hear Mama’s voice telling me to be brave.”

“I hear Jess quite often and think he’s come for us. Why do you suppose he hasn’t looked for us?”

Summer patted his hand. “Maybe he tried. There is so little to go on coupled with the passage of time. The years have changed us all.” Silence dropped between them. A moment later, she said, “You’re going to be laid up for a bit here. You have to heal before you can go anywhere.”

“Well, I don’t anticipate it taking more than a week to sit in the saddle again.” He’d leave as soon as he could, with or without Summer.

“There’s room for you in my place when you’re able to leave here in a few days.”

“That solves one problem. I’d love to take you up on that. Thanks.”

Footsteps sounded outside the door and the doctor stuck his head in. “Can you come help me with another patient, Summer?”

“Sure, Doctor.” She turned to Cade. “I’ll be back in a bit.” She went out and closed the door behind her.

Sleep overtook Cade. He leaned his head against the tall back of the chair and dreamed of Jess again.

His brother was riding with the Baxter gang. “I’m not really an outlaw,” Jess whispered. “It’s just pretend. Remember how we used to play like we were outlaws? That’s all this is.”

“I’m glad, Jess. I don’t want to see you hang. It would kill me and Summer.” There was a pause and Cade said the words that had bothered him. “Jess, why didn’t you come for us? Summer and me have waited for a long time.”

Jess’s deep voice sounded. “I looked until it seemed there was no point. You were all with new families and trying to go on with life. What right did I have to rip your lives up and give you yet another thing to deal with?”

“But, Jess, we wanted to be with you.”

“Sorry, Cade. Gotta go. I’ll ride your way sometime.”

Cade woke up to new tears. “It was just a dream,” he whispered to himself. Jess didn’t mean he didn’t want them. “Only a dream. Nothing more.”

The day wore on and it was noon before Summer returned to his room with a lunch tray. Cade told her about his dream and what Jess had said. “Do you think he was trying to reassure us?”

“I don’t know, Cade. Dreams aren’t real so I wouldn’t put a whole lot of stock in what he said.” Summer fed him a bite of potatoes. “I have good news.”

“I can sure use some.”

“Doc Perkins said you can leave here this afternoon and go to my little house.”

As the words sunk in, Cade slowly smiled. “Oh man. I’d sure like that.”

“Then, I’ll make it happen. I have a bed on my screened porch where you can sleep in the open air. I think it’ll do wonders for you.” She gave him a bite of green beans and creamed chicken. “I have a wedding to go to tomorrow, but I think you’ll be fine by yourself for a little while.”

“Thanks, Sis. This is the best news I’ve had other than finding you.”

After finishing with the meal, Summer took the tray and pulled Cade to his feet. “I want to hug you. I have to feel your breath. It’s the only way I can believe you’re real.”

She put her arms around him, and he held on to her for all he was worth. He’d found part of his family. It was a start on a long and winding road into the unknown.