Page 261 of Love in Riverbend
She reaches for my hand. “Thank you, Marilyn. How are you liking Indianapolis?”
I’m a bit surprised she knows that much about me. “I’m liking it better lately.”
Mrs. Sheers grins. “Devan was telling me.” She looks around. “Ricky is here somewhere.”
“Right now, I’m more concerned with Devan.”
“Thank you” —Mrs. Sheers turns to Jill— “and to you for making the trip. Friends we can count on are the most important.”
With Devan between us, Jill and I lead her to a small room with a coffeepot, a rack of snacks, and a table with four chairs.
Once we’re seated, Devan starts talking. “I don’t know for sure how long he was there—out in the barn. When I got home from school, I couldn’t find him and assumed he was working. It was weird because I hadn’t heard from him since after lunch. Usually, he sends me silly text messages during the day.”
“You found him?” Jill asks.
Devan nods as more tears slide down her cheeks. “I’ve never been more scared. I couldn’t wake him.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “His phone was in the pocket of the leg that was under the baler. It’s shattered. He couldn’t have called for help if he was awake. I just don’t know…”
I shake my head. “I don’t know much about farm equipment. Is the baler big?”
“About 23,000 pounds.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“I think he had it jacked up to work underneath, and something fell.”
“Have the doctors told you anything?” Jill asks.
“They think they can save his leg.” When our eyes open wide, Devan says, “I don’t understand it all, but there was fear with something like this that the leg loses blood supply. As bad as it was, I guess it could be worse.”
“How long has he been in surgery?” I ask.
Devan looks at her watch. “They finally took him back around four thirty.”
I cover Devan’s hand, and Jill lays hers over ours. “He’s going to be all right.”
“We just started our lives together. I can’t lose him.” Devan’s voice cracks.
I blink away new tears. “You won’t lose him. Justin Sheers has always been hardheaded and stubborn. That man isn’t about to leave you.”
“Devan?”
We all look toward the deep voice. My breathing hitches as I take in Ricky. He looks totally different than he did hours ago in my office. His new suit has been replaced by jeans, a thermal, and an unbuttoned flannel shirt. His shiny loafers are gone, hiking boots in their place. However, it’s his expression that is the biggest contrast. In the course of hours, Ricky looks as if he’s taken on the weight of the world.
Ricky walks into the small kitchenette. “Dr. Evans is out there. She wants to give an update, but she won’t until you’re with us.”
Devan nods, grabbing a napkin from the counter, and she wipes her tears. Ricky waits for me as Jill takes Devan’s hand, and they walk ahead of us.
Ricky wraps an arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “Thank you for being here for Devan.”
“I’m here for you too.”
Pressing his lips together, he nods. “Let’s go hear what the doctor has to say.”
As we join the others in the larger waiting room, a woman in scrubs is talking. Devan is standing next to Bridget, their hands clasped and fingers interlocked. Justin’s dad, Randy, is standing at his wife’s side. Everyone else is standing—Kandace, Dax, Todd, and more of Justin’s friends, Galvin, Cory, Harvey, and Nick.
“…through the first stage of the surgery…”
I hold tight to Ricky’s arm.
