Chapter 24 #2
When the service concluded, the crowd made its way down to the hospital. Ty expertly led Scarlett through the mass, ensuring the safety of her and Ice.
“Do you want to mingle with the crowd?” Ty asked, bending low to hear her above the sound of people telling stories of Debbie.
“Do you have a spot in the kitchen where I can sit out of the way or help serve something?” she asked. “I’m afraid Ice might get stepped on.”
“Of course. How about I put you and Ice at the end of the line to pass out the rolled utensils? When you get to the last box, let me know, and I’ll have the teens bring out more.
It’ll help keep the line moving if we hand it to them instead of them stopping to chat with their neighbor,” Ty explained.
“I can tell you’ve done this a few times,” she said as he led them outside the groups and into the main area.
“There’s a chair in front of you. I’ll get the supplies and put them on the table to your left, then you can pass them to your right,” Ty said, taking command of the kitchen. She listened as he set everything up and gave the teens their tasks.
A few minutes later, he returned with the prepared silverware, a glass of tea, and a bowl of water for Ice.
“Thank you,” she said, as he set everything down.
“You’re welcome. I placed your drink at three o’clock and the utensils at nine. I put a lid on your cup, in case the table gets bumped,” he informed her before one of his staff members interrupted him. “I’ll check on you in a bit,” Ty said as he went to handle something in the kitchen.
“Scarlett, thank you for helping out,” Lizzy said, giving her a slight hug. From her voice, Scarlett knew Lizzy still shed some tears.
“I’m sorry. I wish…” Scarlett paused as a little hand touched hers.
“Hi, I’m Tyler. You saved me, my brother, and my sisters. Thank you. I drew you a picture.” He handed her a piece of paper. “Caleb’s friend, Frankie, said it’s stupid because you’re blind, but Mama says if I tell you, you can see it in your head.”
“I will enjoy hearing all about it,” Scarlett assured him. “Can you keep it safe for me? When I finish my job, you can tell me all about it. Then I can picture it.”
“All right,” Tyler said as Lizzy encouraged him to take his silverware.
“We’ll talk later,” Lizzy said, ushering Tyler, Caleb, and Faith from the line.
She greeted people as they introduced themselves. In no time at all, the crowd thinned, and Ty approached her.
“Thank you for the extra set of hands. The teens did such a great job, I’m halfway done cleaning,” he said, sitting beside her.
“It still feels crowded. Did they go outside?” she asked.
“Yes, we have the hot chocolate and hot apple cider set up right before the back deck doors. Do you want a cup?” he asked.
“May I have a cup of cider, please?”
“Do you need to take Ice out for a break? We can grab you a cup and take him out the front away from the crowd,” he suggested.
“Don’t you need to stay here?” she asked.
“My team can handle everything,” he assured her. “I’ll get your cider and we’ll avoid the crowd.”
Scarlett stood, unfolded her cane, and took Ice’s harness. Ty returned, and she inhaled the scent of the cinnamon in the warm cider. “Turn right and it’ll take us to the elevator,” he instructed.
Scarlett navigated through the crowd and released her breath as they made it to the elevator. The door opened, and Ty held onto it while she walked inside. His hand rested on her lower back as they rode it to the first floor.
“When you step out, take a left and it’ll take you to the glass doors,” he instructed.
“I know my way around the hospital. I have a mental map,” she replied as the doors opened.
“Oh, I forgot.” He chuckled. “Then you lead the way.”
Ice led her down the stairs and into the grassy area.
When he finished, he barked. Scarlett removed the bag from her jacket, tucked it over her hand, and followed his back to the end of his tail.
She scooped up the poop, and Ice led her to the trash bin.
Once she disposed of it, she reached inside one of his pockets from his service dog vest, pulled out a wipe for her hands, and then squirted sanitizer on them. She returned to where she left Ty.
“If I’m completely honest, I wondered how you picked up his poop. You made it seem much simpler than I thought in my head,” Ty confessed.
“Trust me, when Allie told me about the whole guide dog thing, I asked her. It’s not complicated. It still weirds me out a little. I don’t necessarily need wipes and hand sanitizer, but it makes me feel better. When I get my own place, I’ll teach him to do it in a specific spot.”
“It sounds like you’re adjusting to each other. He seems attached to you,” Ty said, handing her the cider.
“We have dogs at the farm, but they’re working dogs and never come in the house.
This one’s truly mine. I’m utterly in love.
He seems to know when I’m restless at night, and he sticks to my side.
Sometimes, Sledge will be up watching TV, or we’ll play cards.
Ice doesn’t mind as long as he’s by my side,” Scarlett said, blowing on the hot beverage.
“Did you make this, too? I love cinnamon.”
“Yes. I’ll have to make you cinnamon buns sometime,” Ty said.
Scarlett’s cheeks felt warm as she imagined waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and homemade buns. It almost sounded as good as sex. Something else she crossed off her list.
“The service sounded beautiful. Tyler drew me a picture. When we go back inside, will you send me to their table? He wanted to tell me about it.”
“Poor Lizzy and Michael, this devastated them. Caleb and Tyler might remember Debbie, but I’m not sure about Faith and Beth.
I’m positive Lizzy will find a way to keep her memory alive,” Ty said.
“I’ll miss her sneaking over for a dish of my mousse.
One day, she left her wallet at Lizzy’s, and when she came over, she baked me a dozen chocolate chip cookies to trade for some.
It became such a joke, I bribed her for one of Bryanna’s donuts in the morning and made fresh coffee.
She sat at the counter in the kitchen, drinking her beverage, watching me make the mousse, and then took it with her. ”
Scarlett heard the sorrow in his voice as if he only realized they’d no longer share those special moments.
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he murmured, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. “Shall we go inside? It’s getting chillier.”
Scarlett turned, and Ice led her to the hospital’s entrance. She loved the feeling of confidently entering the building with no assistance. Getting into the elevator, she ran her fingertip along the braille dots and pressed the button.
“You’ve learned Braille already?” Ty asked, surprised.
Scarlett smiled. “As much as I want to impress you, I read a teaching board once when I researched something in college. When the social worker explained how to read it, everything clicked. I’m not proficient yet, but in another month, I’ll have it down.”
“You constantly amaze me,” he said as the elevator opened. He guided her to Lizzy and Michael’s table before rushing off.
“Tyler, I came to hear about my picture. Can you tell me about it now?” she asked.
“It’s stupid,” Tyler said quietly.
“Tyler, honey,” Lizzy coaxed. “Stupid seems like a yucky word to describe something thoughtful. You drew her a picture to thank her without anyone asking. Your actions speak louder than words.”
Tyler paused, contemplating his mother’s advice. He pulled the paper from his pocket, set it on the table, and smoothed it out. “I colored you on your knees, holding Beth in your arms. Caleb and I held on to your cape, and you took us to the window.”
“A cape?” she asked.
“Yeah. All superheroes wear them. I made yours red,” he informed her.
Lizzy’s hands covered hers. “My Tyler sometimes sees things others don’t. It seems like he got it entirely right this time.”
Scarlett smiled and swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She pulled Tyler into a hug. “I’ll hang this on my fridge, then I can see it every day.”
“How can you when you’re blind?” he asked.
“Tyler,” Michael sent him a stern warning.
She held her hand up, letting Michael know Tyler’s question didn’t offend her. “Every morning, I’ll touch it and remember how you described my cape. It’ll make me smile. What do you, your brother, and your sister have on?”
Tyler continued to describe their PJs, and she listened to every detail, cataloging it in her mind.
From a child’s view, she became a superhero in his eyes.
He didn’t detail the frightened voice or the tears when she pleaded for him to come out of the closet.
All he recalled was how she saved him. Nothing could bring Debbie back to them, but at least her grandchildren would never remember the fear, anxiety, and pain of that horrible night.
Recalling the words she said to Sledge, maybe she needed to see herself in a different light.
Her blindness didn’t end her world. Since arriving in Serenity, she received a beautiful guide dog, made friends, and met an incredible man.
The world seemed scary, but to an eight-year-old little boy, she represented a superhero.
If she saved him, maybe she’d rescue herself.