“So, he’ll be able to help with the orchard?” Sanna asked.
“It isn’t always about the trees,” Anders mumbled next to her so only she heard.
“His body is going to need most of its energy for rehab and healing. I’ve written all the instructions down and I’ll print them with his discharge papers in a few days. He needs to heal and he’s going to be in a fair amount of pain for a while.”
“What’s the damage, Doc?” Einars asked.
“You sprained your wrist badly, cracked three ribs, and snapped your shin in two. And you lost a fair amount of blood in the process.”
Sanna tried to listen as the doctor talked about X-rays and casts, but instead focused on the reassuring beep of the heart monitor. It was regular, predictable, calming. Beep. Beep. She nodded her head in time with her father’s heartbeat. By the time Sanna watched the white coat disappear behind the privacy curtain near the door, she had her purpose back. She and her dad would get through this together, like they did everything. They were a team. Both Anders and Sanna turned toward their dad, but Anders spoke first.
“I’ll stay to help get things in order.”
Sanna paused as she took in his words.
“Nothing is out of order,” Sanna said.
Anders clenched his jaw.
“Fine. Then I’ll stay to help keep them in order.”
“How would you even know what order around the orchard looks like?”
“Sanna,” Einars said, his voice low.
“No, Pa. He hasn’t worked Idun’s in over fifteen years. He won’t know how to do anything.”
“Have trees changed how they grow?”
Sanna narrowed her eyes and turned back to her dad.
“Your brother can help with the paperwork and accounting, I’ll keep him out of the trees,” Einars said. He patted Sanna’s back, but he may as well have put a knife in it.
Anders smirked, and Sanna wanted to slap the satisfaction off his face. He had no business in any orchard matters.
“Stay out of the barn.”
“I wouldn’t dream of upsetting your precious cider hobby.”
Sanna faced her dad, widened her eyes, and tilted her head, hoping he’d understand that Anders was going to cause more problems than help, but he closed his eyes and leaned back into the pillow. Sure, the doctor had said he’d be fine, but so many things could go wrong. He could get an infection or a blood clot. He could fall again during rehab and make it worse. She remembered an article somewhere about a stray shard of bone getting in the bloodstream and traveling to the heart, causing instant death—or maybe that was a book. Her quarrels with Anders didn’t matter when compared to all the possible complications. She would drop the argument and settle in to watch him tonight.
Anders cleared his throat, and Einars opened his eyes again.
“I heard from Eva Drake again,” Anders said.
“She knows what I think,” Einars said.
“Who is Eva?”
“No one you need to know about,” Anders said at the same time that Einars said, “Some woman from Wild Water Works who I’ve already told to go away.”
Sanna glared at Anders.
“Why are you even bringing that up again? I told you no. Pa told you no. The matter is settled.”
“First, I wasn’t addressing you, Sanna. Second, Dad should consider the offer, especially after this accident. This hospital visit isn’t going to be free.”
Sanna stiffened, gave her dad’s hand a squeeze, stood, and walked out of the room. As she left, she heard Anders say, “Why do you still let her get whatever she wants?”
She didn’t need to hear any more.
? ? ? ? ?
Sanna hadn’t thought her grand exit through until she had gotten out of the hospital doors. Isaac had taken Elliot home, so she had no ride. Luckily, the upside of being raised in a small community was there was always someone you knew nearby. Before she could even turn around, Mrs. Dibble had walked out the hospital doors and had offered her a ride back to the orchard. In addition to witnessing Thad’s bended knee debacle, she had dropped off a care package for Einars with the nurses, containing items he’d need overnight, like a toothbrush and deodorant—something she’d never have thought to do. At least she let Sanna think in silence during the ride home. She may be a gossip, but she knew how to stay quiet when it counted. When they pulled up to the house, Elliot waited in the parking lot.
As she left the car, Mrs. Dibble piped up.
“I’m glad you said no to Thad, dear. That fall couldn’t kill your father, but having Mrs. Rundstrom as an in-law might have. Get some rest.”
Sanna blinked, mumbled “Thanks,” and shut the door. She’d been buffeted by so much today, she’d lost the ability to process. She needed to get to the Looms.
She found the keys to Elliot on the seat complete with a new addition—a green dragon keychain.
She picked up the tiny gift—her heart warmed by Isaac’s thoughtful gesture. It fit neatly in the palm of her hand, and a small button protruded from its back. When she pushed it, a light glowed from its mouth along with a tiny roar. A mini-Elliot for her big Elliot. She climbed in and started up the truck—it jumped to life.
During the car ride with Mrs. Dibble, she had looked up Wild Water Works on her phone. They were a development company from Illinois that paid handsomely for property to build water-park hotels. As of now, there were no such establishments in Door County and even Sanna, who knew next to nothing about business, could see that being the first would be lucrative indeed. All those vacationers who now hiked and biked in the state forests and along the bendy highways would spend their time zooming down giant tubes and sitting in bacteria-infested hot tubs. The Eva Drake woman whom Anders had mentioned was the daughter of the CEO. Her picture on the website tried to make her look dainty and defenseless, with short, blond hair and tasteful makeup on her perky nose and flawless skin. She clearly tried for a conservative look with dark clothing and minimal jewelry, but instead of making her appear professional, it made her look hard. Sanna didn’t trust her one bit.