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KIM BALDWIN. The next time she awoke, the F rst thing that hit her was how sore her throat was
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The next time she awoke, the F rst thing that hit her was how sore her throat was. She couldn’t swallow. Her chest ached too. But that throbbing in her head was better.
She became aware of a gentle pressure in her palm. Another hand, holding hers. A gentle squeeze of comfort. Erin. Her eyelids f uttered.
“Gable? Can you hear me, sweetheart?”
Sweetheart? You’ve never called me sweetheart before.
Gable opened her eyes. Erin was leaning over the bed. Her eyes were puffy, and she had a gaunt, disheveled look, like she hadn’t slept in a long while. But her eyes lit up and her face registered her immense relief. “You’re awake!”
Gable squeezed her hand.
Erin burst into tears and squeezed back. “You’re here with me, aren’t you? You know who I am? You remember?” Her voice shook.
Gable squeezed her hand again and tried to nod her head. The respirator restricted her movements.
“Thank God,” Erin said. “I’ll be back in a second, Gable. Swear to God, just a second. Don’t drift off—I’m going to get the doctor.” She bent down and kissed Gable’s cheek, then disappeared.
Gable glanced around as much as she could. In addition to the respirator, she was on a heart monitor. An IV fed the contents of a clear plastic bag into a needle in her left arm.
From a distance, she heard, “Stewart! She’s awake! She remembers!
Get the doctor!”
Erin was quickly back beside the bed, and took Gable’s hand again. Tears tracked her cheeks, but she had a smile from ear to ear.
“You had us worried there, Gable. Welcome back. I love you.”
Gable squeezed her hand very deliberately, three times. I loveyou.
Erin’s face brightened more, as she got the message. “I know, honey. I know.”
Honey. I like it when you call me honey.
“The doctor’s going to be here in a minute, and they’re going to chase me out of here for a while. But I’ll be right outside. Stewart’s here too. He’s been in touch with your brothers.”
Gable wanted to ask about the boy she’d tried to save but didn’t know how. She squeezed Erin’s hand and blinked her eyes rapidly.
“Stewart? Do you want me to get Stewart?” Erin asked.
• 228 •
FORCE OF NATURE
Gable shook her head slightly from side to side. It was all she could manage with the respirator, but Erin understood.
“Okay, that’s not it. Are you in pain?”
Gable shook her head again.
“Want me to get you something?” Erin tried.
Gable’s forehead furrowed as she shook her head once again in frustration.
Erin frowned. “I’m sorry, honey, I don’t understand.”
Gable pulled her hand out of Erin’s and spread Erin’s palm open so she could use it as a writing tablet. With her index F nger, she spelled out b-o-y.
Erin’s face lit up. “Oh! Of course! The boy! Mike Ester. He’ll be F ne. You saved him. He woke up right after they brought him in, and the doctors say he’ll make a full recovery.” She bent and kissed Gable on the cheek, then remained like that, with their faces touching, for a long moment before she whispered, “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.”
She straightened just as the doctor arrived with Stewart. Smiling, she released her hand and retreated a step so that Stewart could take her place by the bedside.
“Hi, sis,” Stewart kissed her on the forehead. “Glad you’re back with us. The boys all send their love.”
“Gable, I’m Dr. Erickson,” the doctor began, as he approached smiling from the opposite side of the bed. He was an attractive older gentleman with a gray-streaked beard who reminded her of Sean Connery, without the accent. “You’ve got quite a fan club lined up outside to see you, so we need to get you well in a hurry. Can you understand me?”
Gable nodded.
“Good. Do you remember what happened?”
She nodded again.
“The rescue squad responded about F fteen minutes after you radioed in, and pulled you out by your rope. They administered CPR on scene, but you didn’t respond until you were en route in the ambulance.
We ran a number of tests, including an EEG and CAT scan—and there was no evidence of brain injury. We warmed you slowly, and we’ll keep the Bair Hugger on you for a while longer.” He gestured toward an odd blanket that was draped over her: it looked like an inf atable mattress with holes in it. “Because you swallowed some river water, I want to
• 229 •
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