One quality her father didnotpossess was organization. That was where she came in. Without her, Dad would be lost in his piles and piles of books, sketches, tools, and fossils. “I’m quite certain that I could see this floor no more than half an hour ago.”
His laughter rumbled up through the mess. “It doesn’t take much for me to tear a room apart, now does it? Probably why my mother called me Peter the Twister growing up.”
Anna placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the damage. “Did you need help finding something or simply help to get out from under the weight of all this?”
“Now that you’re back here, I’ve forgotten what I needed.” He clucked his tongue.
That was odd. Dad was unorganized, but the man could remember and recite a list of genera at least fifty long. “Are you feeling all right?”
“Sure.” One hand held a book, the other a stack of papers. But he wasn’t reading either one. “Wish I could remember what I called you back here for. Oh well. I’m sure it will come to me.” He set everything down and picked up another stack of books.
“Dad, if you stay on the floor like that, your legs will fall asleep. Remember what happened last time?”
“Quite right.” He set the books down and got to his knees. “I know what it was. The investor gave us the go-ahead via telegram—I told you that already, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Dad.” She pointed toward his desk. “I can see the paper over there as we speak.”
“Good, well next, I need to make sure we have the contracts for the men. They’ll be here in the morning.” He squinted at her. “I hadn’t told youthatgood news yet.”
“Ah, no you hadn’t.” Anna held out her hands so he could gain leverage to get to his feet. “I didn’t realize they would be arriving so soon. Who is coming?”
“Zachariah, Tom, and Luke. They’ll be here tomorrow. In the morning.” Dad’s words slowed down as he stood.
“Got it. Tomorrow morning.” She held onto his hands as her brow pinched. Something wasn’t right. First he’d repeated himself. Then his speech wasn’t normal. Now his eyes stared blankly at her. “Dad?”
His eyes closed and his hands went limp in hers.
With every bit of strength she had, Anna held onto her father as he collapsed onto the books covering the floor.“Dad?”
At least she’d kept him from hitting his head when he went down.
Patting his face, she tried to rouse him. Nothing. Leaning over his face, she could hear him breathing. That brought a smidgen of relief against the worry creeping up her spine. What would she do if something happened to him? Tears stung but she couldn’t allow the thoughts to take root. Dad was fine. Maybe overexcited. Or overtaxed.
She ran to the kitchen and fetched a towel and then ran outside to the pump. Once the towel was thoroughly wet, she dashed back inside not caring that a trail of water dripped withher. At Dad’s side once again, she wiped his face and neck with the towel, hoping and praying that he would rouse.
If only she had some smelling salts! But they’d never had need of such a thing before.
“Dad! Wake up. I need you to wake up!”
No response.
After fifteen minutes of trying everything she could to wake up her father, she blinked back the tears that threatened to overtake her. What could she do? She couldn’t carry him to his bed. She was all alone. Louise wasn’t coming until this afternoon. What she needed was the doctor.
But that meant leaving him all alone. The debate raged within. Leave her father to fetch the doctor, or stay and try to take care of him on her own.
The best thing she could do for her father right now was to get the doctor.
She scrambled down the hallway to his bedroom and grabbed a pillow and a blanket. Once she had the pillow tucked under his head and covered him with the blanket, she ran to the barn and didn’t even bother with a saddle for Dad’s horse. Time was too precious. So she hiked up her skirts and used the fence as a ladder to climb on.
Hot tears squeezed from her eyes as she raced to the doc’s house.Lord,please let him be there. Please.
Her prayer made the tears surge and for several moments she couldn’t see as she blinked them away. Now was not the time to fall apart. Dad needed her. Needed the doctor.
Swallowing against the anguish that churned in her, Anna lifted her chin and swiped at her cheeks with one hand.
It didn’t take long to reach Doc’s house. She slid off the horse and ran for the building. “Doc Walsh! Are you here?” She burst through the door and glanced around.
Thudding sounded down the stairs.
