Page 40 of Healing Hazel

“Who will care for Nerea now?” Hazel asked.

Padre Cavallero put the beads over his shoulder, out of the baby’s reach. “Her aunt, Jakinda’s sister, is very anxious for the baby to be returned home.”

Seeing Hazel’s unconvinced expression, the priest gave her a reassuring smile. “The aunt—Iraxte Royo is her name—is very kind. She is a widow with grown children and is rather lonely, I believe. This arrangement will be good—for both of them. She will treat this little one with patience and love, as did her sister.” The priest’s voice became solemn as he spoke the last words. He gave the baby back to Hazel.

Hazel’s expression looked worried. Perhaps a bit confused. She held Nerea closely, swaying back and forth and speaking to her in a soft voice.

Jim wondered how much of the man’s words Hazel had understood. When he found a moment to speak with her, he’d make certain she knew Nerea would be well-loved.

“You will take Nerea home with you tomorrow, I assume?” Jim asked, stepping up to stand beside Hazel.

“That is what I hoped to speak with you about, Doctor.” Padre Cavallero pulled his beads back around so the wooden cross rested again on his chest. He folded his hands. “I would ask a favor.”

Jim frowned. He liked the man, but he couldn’t let his regard impede the hospital’s ability to care for the sick and wounded. “Padre Cavallero,” he said, keeping a calm tone, “with respect, the hospital is not equipped to care for a baby on a long-term basis. She requires constant attention, and I cannot spare a nurse indefinitely to tend to her. Not when we could at any time have an influx of wounded who need every available hand to save their lives.”

Padre Cavallero bowed his head. “Yes, God bless all those who have been taken, both by the fighting and by the cause.” He crossed himself, and padre de Leon followed suit, as did Lucía and a few of the other nurses. “Our little village has lost so many.” He sighed, looking utterly devastated by what the people of Santa Rosa had endured. “And now I come to the favor.” He glanced at the nurses gathered in the hall and then at padre de Leon.

The other priest nodded encouragingly.

“We, myself and the people of my village, wish to bury our dead in the churchyard of Santa Rosa. I believe there are three who have passed here in the hospital since the attack five days ago.”

Jim and padre de Leon confirmed. Jakinda had been the third.

“No men remain in our village to drive a wagon to the hospital to fetch them, I’m afraid.” Padre Cavallero looked directly at Jim. “We hope, God willing, that you will bring our people home where they belong.”

Jim dismissed the idea immediately. “They will be interred on holy ground,” he said. “In the hospital’s cemetery. If you would like to perform the burial rites, I’m certain padre de Leon would be happy—”

“So they are as yet not laid to rest,” padre Cavallero interrupted.

“I don’t believe so,” Jim admitted. Bodies were kept in a cold room beneath the hospital until the orderlies and hired men from a local town could dig their graves, but with the shortage of help, he knew the more recently deceased were still not buried.

“Surely it is not too much to ask for you to bring them home to be buried with their families and those who love them,” padre Cavallero pressed.

Jim opened his mouth to tell the priest that the ambulance wagons were not hearses, but he glanced at Hazel and his argument dissolved in his mouth.

She was bouncing the baby gently, smiling as she pulled her necklace from the baby’s fist and tucked it inside her collar. He didn’t believe she understood the conversation, but if she did, what would she say? Jim knew the answer all too well. Seeing Jakinda returned home and buried with her family would be comforting for Hazel, and while they were at it, she could deliver the baby to its relatives. Seeing that Nerea would be well tended to would go a long way to ease the young woman’s worries too.

“Very well, padre,” Jim said. He scratched his chin, considering his words. “I know it is often the custom for a vigil and a procession to precede a funeral, but these people have been dead for days. They should be buried as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, of course,” the priest responded without hesitation.

Jim was glad he didn’t have to explain about the odors carried by bodies in advanced stages of decomposition. If the bodies were buried right when they arrived at the town, the funeral would follow directly, and he believed Hazel would be appreciative of the opportunity to attend.

“There are some preparations to be made, of course,” Jim said. “We’ll leave at first light.”

“Thank you.” Padre Cavallero bowed his head.

From the corner of his gaze, Jim saw the other nurses glance at one another. They had obviously not anticipated that Jim he would agree to the priest’s request. He glanced at Hazel and saw that she was still occupied with keeping the baby quiet.

“Lucía will see that you are fed and shown to a room,” he told padre Cavallero. “You know where the chapel is, I believe.”

“Yes, thank you.” Padre Cavallero kissed Nerea once more before Lucía led him away.

Padre de Leon looked pleased that they were at last finished with the conversation and he would be able to rest. He bowed his head in farewell and left, heading toward his bedchamber.

The nurses went in various directions, returning to their duties.

Seeing the others depart, Hazel started back toward the wards, but Jim stopped her. “Hazel, might I have a word?”

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