She turned and ran out of the hospital, and jumped into the cab parked outside the entrance. “Take me to the airport,” she said. “Hurry.” The cab sped away.
She couldn’t bring herself to look back at Billy, standing outside the door, baby in his arms.
8
It took her almost ten hours to get from San Antonio to Gunnison, and then another hour to get a cab to take her to Crested Butte. Renie felt as though she’d been run over by a bus. She trudged up the steps, and knocked.
“Renie? How did you get here?” her mom asked when she opened the door.
“It’s been a long day, and I’d really rather not talk right now. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is. Come in and set down your things. Can I get you anything to eat?”
“I’m not hungry, thanks. I’d like to lie down.”
“Go ahead, honey. We’ll talk after you rest.”
Renie went downstairs, and threw her suitcase on the bed. She went to wash her face and brush her teeth, but stopped in hallway when she heard her mom talking to Ben.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I don’t have any idea,” her mom answered.
“Can you call Dottie?”
“I’ll try. But, Ben, I cannot imagine what could have happened. I’ve never seen her look so…defeated.”
Dottie told Billy that she’d be back in a few minutes to help with the baby, she needed to go home and grab a couple of things. When she walked in the back door, Bill was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for her.
“How is he?”
“Devastated.”
“She just left?”
Dottie let her husband hug her, the way she usually hugged everybody else. She needed his comfort.
“She’s twenty-three years old, Bill. It’s hard to remember she’s so young. She’s usually the wisest old soul in the room. When it comes to Billy, she’s a young woman in love, and she was completely unprepared for this.”
Dottie let go. “I need to get back up there, but I want you to do somethin’ for me. It won’t be easy, but I need you to call Liv, and tell her what’s happened. I can’t. Billy needs help with that beautiful little baby. Come up to the house after you talk to Liv, and meet your granddaughter.”
“I’ll call Livvie, sweetheart. Don’t you worry, this will all work out eventually.”
Dottie patted Bill’s cheek. “So certain everything will work out. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you, Bill Patterson.”
Ben picked up Liv’s phone when it rang and looked at the screen.
“It’s Dottie,” he said, handing it to her.
“Hi, Dottie,” she answered.
“No, Livvie, not Dottie. Bill here.”
“Oh, Bill. Is Dottie okay?” Bill never called her.
“Dottie’s fine, but I need to tell you something. Have you talked to Renie?”
“I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t talk back. So no, I don’t know anything.”