Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
M addie was wiping down the kitchen counter after breakfast the next morning when she heard a sound that nearly stopped her heart—a loud crash followed by a sharp cry of pain and a scared meow. Her heart lurched, and the dish towel dropped from her hands.
“Aunt Schatzi?” she called out, her voice tight with fear as she rushed toward the sound.
Rounding the corner into the living room, she found Aunt Schatzi crumpled on the floor near the staircase, her face pale, her breath coming in quick, shallow pants. Her cane lay on the floor beside her, and her right arm was bent at an unnatural angle. Ernie, the ever-watchful orange tabby, stood nearby, his tail twitching nervously.
“Oh, no, Schatzi!” Maddie gasped, dropping to her knees beside her aunt. “What happened?”
Schatzi winced, clutching her arm. “I—ugh. I missed the last step. I grabbed the railing, but my shoulder went wonky. Stupid, stupid. My arm... It’s bad, Maddie.”
Maddie’s hands hovered, unsure of where to touch her aunt without causing more pain. Schatzi’s skin was clammy, her forehead damp with sweat. Her breathing was shallow, and her face twisted with pain every time she tried to move.
“Okay, we need to get you to a doctor. Or, better yet, the emergency room. Or is there a clinic?” Maddie’s voice was shaking. She gently touched Schatzi’s good arm, trying to keep her calm. “I’ll call Sam. He can help us get you there.”
Schatzi’s face contorted in frustration. “No need to fuss. Feels like a stupid dislocation. I’ve had worse.”
Maddie wasn’t convinced. Schatzi was tough, but the way her arm hung unnaturally and the paleness of her face told Maddie it was serious enough to warrant professional care. “You’re not going to argue with me on this one, Aunt Schatzi. I’ll be right back.”
Maddie scrambled to her feet, grabbed her aunt’s phone from the kitchen counter, and quickly scrolled to Sam’s number. She hadn’t wanted to rely on him so soon, but right now, she didn’t see another choice. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the button to call him.
She started talking as soon as he answered. “Sam? It’s Maddie. I need your help—Schatzi fell, and I think she dislocated her shoulder. I can’t get her to the clinic by myself.”
“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 obvious discomfort, 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.
“See? Nothing to worry about,” Schatzi grumbled, though her voice was laced with exhaustion. “Just a bump in the road.”
Maddie walked over to the side of the bed and squeezed Schatzi’s good hand. “You scared the daylights out of me. And Ernie.”
Schatzi’s expression softened slightly, though she tried to keep up her tough facade. “Didn’t mean to. But I’ll be fine, I promise. You can stop hovering.”
Maddie shook her head, a mix of relief and exasperation bubbling up. “Hovering is my job now.”
Schatzi huffed, her lips twitching with a ghost of a smile. “Lord help me.”
Maddie updated Becca by text on the drive home later that afternoon. By the time Sam had them back to the mountain house, Schatzi had resumed her no-nonsense attitude, though she moved a little slower and complained more than usual.
Sam and Maddie helped Schatzi get settled in her favorite armchair by the fire, a warm blanket tucked around her legs, while Ernie jumped up onto Schatzi’s lap, purring softly.
Maddie nodded her approval. “He’s glad you’re home and even more glad you’re okay.”
Schatzi scratched Ernie’s head, smiling at the cat. “I’m all right, boy.”
“You sure you’re comfortable?” Maddie asked for the third time, fussing with the blanket.
“Maddie, I’m fine,” Schatzi said, her tone bordering on irritated. “I’m just a little banged up. I’ve survived worse winters than this.”
Sam chuckled from his spot near the doorway, where Fargo was sitting. “Better get used to it, Schatzi. Maddie’s not going to let you lift a finger for a while. Which is as it should be.”
Schatzi rolled her eyes, though there was affection in her expression. “Between the two of you, I’ll be lucky if I’m allowed to leave this chair.”
Maddie smiled, but she couldn’t shake the lingering worry. Schatzi was tough, but she wasn’t invincible. Maddie knew she’d need to step up in the coming weeks—take care of the house, the errands, and, most importantly, Schatzi.
Maddie would have preferred her aunt to be whole and healthy, obviously, but taking care of someone, having another person to focus on, might be nice for a change.
Sam stepped forward, his presence calm and reassuring. “If you need any extra help, Maddie, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m just down the road. You know that.”
“I do. I really appreciate it, Sam,” Maddie said softly, meeting his steady gaze. His offer wasn’t just a polite gesture—she knew that he meant it. What a good man he was.
As Sam turned to leave, a tail-wagging Fargo in tow, Maddie followed him to the door. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, keeping her voice low so Schatzi wouldn’t overhear and make any more fuss.
Sam waved it off. “You don’t need to. Schatzi’s like family to me. I’m just glad I could help.”
Maddie hesitated, feeling a warmth in her chest that hadn’t been there in a long time. She had spent so long trying to handle everything on her own—her grief, her isolation—but now, standing here with Sam, she realized how silly that was. There were people here who cared, who wanted to help.
“Still,” she said quietly, “I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t around. You were a huge help.”
Sam’s smile was gentle, and for a brief moment, Maddie let herself feel the comfort in his presence, in knowing that she wasn’t alone in this.
“Anytime,” he said before stepping out into the cold, Fargo trotting happily by his side as they walked to the truck.
Maddie watched them go, the rumbling sound of the engine fading into the snowy distance. When she closed the door and turned back to the warmth of the fire and the quiet company of Aunt Schatzi and Ernie, who were both now asleep, she felt something shift inside her.
Almost like she was starting to feel at home again.