Lauren could not get an answer out of her and called an ambulance. Once the paramedics arrived, Lauren told them everything. The girl packed, took the sleeping Patrick from his crib, and wrote a short note for Norman.
There was nothing else to keep Lauren in this house, and she carefully pulled her wheelchair down the ramp and went to the train station. Lauren wanted to go home to her hometown, where her parents’ shabby but still comfortable home had been waiting for her for a long time. Back in the village, Lauren told her story to Aunt Gabriela, and her aunt, hearing all about it, waved her hands, then took her niece’s son in her arms and began to slowly wiggle him, humming a lullaby.
And I kept waiting for you, she said to Lauren when the boy fell asleep. I thought you were so mad at me that you didn’t want to see me anymore. Lauren shook her head and suddenly remembered her cousin.
Where’s Nick? she asked, peeking anxiously at her aunt. Had he moved somewhere else? Aunt Gabriela bit her lip and termed gloomily. He died, she said quietly.
It’s been 40 days. Caught pneumonia and didn’t make it. That’s it.
Her aunt continued to sing a lullaby, which sounded more like a silent wailing. Lauren threw the fallen shawl over her shoulders and hugged her gently, pressing her cheek against her. We have no luck, said Aunt Gabriela, staring at little Patrick.
Maybe he will be lucky. Do you think he will have happiness in life? Lauren did not know what to answer and only nodded silently. She also wanted her son to be much happier than she was and decided that she would make every effort to do so.
After autumn and winter had passed, spring returned to her native land. And by that time, Lauren had recovered a little from her ordeal and most importantly, had learned to stand on her feet again. Walking on crutches, she would sometimes come to her father’s old gatehouse and sit on the leaning porch, waiting for her old friend, Maggie the Bear.
But for some reason, she would not come. When she left, Lauren used to leave a few sugar cubes for her, and every time, they were taken by mice and ants. But there was still no trace of the bear.
Perhaps she had left long ago, never having waited for the girl. Sometimes, when Lauren was alone, she thought of Norman and his mother. After the divorce, she had not seen her ex-husband.
He did not appear, preferring to silently send money to his son. She knew very little of her mother-in-law’s fate. Norman had told her by phone that Sophia had suffered a stroke and paralysis as a result of poisoning, and that she was now confined to a wheelchair as well.
When she regained consciousness, she confessed that she had intended to poison her daughter-in-law and wanted to beg her forgiveness. But Lauren was far away by then. One day, on a visit to the gatehouse, Lauren was surprised to find its door wide open.
Walking around the gatehouse, the girl froze in wonder at the fact that some unknown young man was washing his head in a basin on the lawn. «‘You scared me,’ she said loudly, turning to the stranger. «‘What are you doing here?’ The stranger rinsed his head with clean water, dropped the ladle into the basin, and looked at Lauren with a smile.
«‘Am I that crazy?’ he asked, wrapping himself in a towel. «‘Actually, I’m sorry. I never expected anyone to show up here.’ The man wiped himself with a towel, then slipped his jacket over his shoulders and walked over to Lauren.
«‘Well, then, let me introduce myself. «‘Kevin. That’s my name,’ he said, holding out his hand to her.
«‘And you?’ Lauren introduced herself, and Kevin looked over attentively. «‘And why are you on crutches?’ he asked. Lauren told him about what she had been going through.
The guy listened to her very attentively. Then he walked around in a circle and stretched his long fingers on his hands. «‘Do you mind if I take a look at your back?’ he asked, rubbing his unshaven face.
«‘Maybe I could help you in some way. «‘Who knows?’ Lauren, not knowing whether to be surprised or angry, reluctantly threw off her coat, then pulled up her T-shirt slightly and looked bashfully at Kevin. He didn’t seem embarrassed at all, stepped right up to her and began examining her back.
«‘Your spine is not like a spine, but it’s like a straight plank. «‘It shouldn’t be like this,’ he grinned, moving his fingers from one vertebra to the other. «‘What were the doctors looking at? «‘That’s all right.
We’ll fix it now.'» He gently pressed on one vertebra, then the other, and did this all the way down her back. From her neck to her lower back, hearing the crutch, Lauren cried out. But by then, Kevin was finished and had put her shirt back on.
«‘Try leaning forward and backward,’ he asked, watching the girl’s every movement. «‘But slowly and carefully. No rush.'» Lauren bent gently forward, then backward, and was surprised to find that the bends were unusually easy.
Kevin, seeing that his efforts have not been wasted, smiled in satisfaction. «‘Now, try to take a step without crutches,’ he asked again, stepping back a few steps. «‘Also, carefully.'» Lauren threw her crutches on the grass and moved her right leg forward.
Taking a few steps forward, she staggered and almost fell, but Kevin immediately picked her up and led her to a bench. «‘Well, it’s too early to talk about walking without crutches,’ he said as he sat down next to Lauren. «‘I think it’ll get better in a week or so.'» Lauren looked at him in amazement and swallowed the lump in her throat.
«‘Who are you?’ she squeezed out. «‘How do you know all of this?’ «‘I’m just an ordinary ranger. I came here from the neighboring village,’ he said calmly, «‘breathing in the fragrant pine air.
And about your question, «‘my grandfather was a good chiropractor. The whole village used to go to him. «‘He taught me some things.
Grandpa’s been gone for five years, «‘and his knowledge still helps people.'» Kevin looked at Lauren, as she blushed embarrassingly. «‘So, will I be able to walk?’ he asked, looking at her legs. «‘Without crutches?’ «‘Of course you will.
There’s no other way!’ the boy exclaimed, clapping Lauren on the shoulder. «‘My grandfather helped people in even worse conditions.'» Lauren, encouraged by the good news of being able to walk, got up slowly, went to get her crutches and walked back. «‘There you go, walking! And you were afraid,’ Kevin said with a smile.
He got up, buttoned his jacket, and looked toward the thicket. «‘Well, I have to go to work,’ he sighed, holding out his hand to Lauren. «‘It was nice to meet you.
Come to my place if you need anything. I will make some tea.'» Lauren, shaking his hand, nodded and smiled. «‘I’ll be sure to come by,’ she replied.» Kevin had already turned and was about to go, when suddenly, somewhere nearby, there was a deafening crack of bushes, and Maggie came out onto the lawn, along with two small cubs.