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Dani winced at the thought, but the photos were horrifying. “It’s like still shots from a horror movie,” she muttered, and then she saw the bones, and a chill ran through her. “Oh my God. This is total proof she wasn’t dead when they left her down there. They would have abandoned her and made a run for it, not stopped to pose her like that.” Dani’s eyes welled. “She’s so tiny. I never pictured someone like this being the mother of giants.”
“Neither did we. But she left her mark on all our babies born with her black hair.”
Dani touched her own hair, thinking of making babies with Aaron and growing old in his arms. Then she saw the big metal box.
“Is that the gold?” she asked.
“It’s what nearly got Charlie killed, but it’s not gold,” Sean said. “It’s full of worthless Confederate money.”
“Not much of a treasure after all,” Dani said. “But it’s good the mystery of it has been solved. It will be the perfect deterrent for future treasure hunters.”
Wiley nodded. “That was part of the reason for the search. Finding whatever had been hidden and making it known, so this would never happen again.”
Then they heard the sound of footsteps in the hall—someone wearing boots and walking fast.
“That’s Aaron,” Shirley said, and moments later, he walked in.
They all stood as he approached.
A look passed between him and Dani, and then for a few moments, he was all business.
“Have you heard anything?” he asked.
Shirley shook her head. “No, but give me a hug. B.J. has given me orders not to make a fuss and informed me you’re his hero again, so there’s that.”
Aaron breathed a quick sigh of relief. They were all past the age of being afraid of their mother’s wrath, but at the same time, he never wanted to disappoint or bring her shame.
“Thank goodness for that,” he said lightly as he hugged her and kissed her cheek, then glanced at Sean and Wiley who were standing beside him. “Are you two needing a hug, too?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” they echoed, laughing as they both punched his shoulders before returning to the concession area.
Aaron turned to Dani. “You’re getting one whetheryou need it or not, because I do need one…and from you. Today was hell, and I’m needing a reminder of how good it is to be alive, okay?”
“Always okay,” Dani said, and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Held fast within the strength of his embrace, her cheek pressed against his chest—the steady thump of his heartbeat in her ear—she knew this man was her “meant to be.”
A few moments later, Aaron reluctantly let go. “That’ll do for now, but be warned. I’m going back for seconds.” Then the moment they sat, he reached for her hand. Today, she was his touchstone to reality.
A short while later, a surgeon entered the waiting area. “Are you the Pope family?”
Shirley stood. “Yes. How’s my son?”
“He’s fine. It was a wise move putting him under. We removed a good deal of debris from those wounds before we stitched them up. Does he live with you?”
“Yes,” Shirley said.
“Then he can go home as soon as he’s awake enough. He’s off work until the stitches are removed, which all depends on how rapidly he heals. Don’t remove the bandages. Don’t get them wet. Bring him back to his doctor in about four days to check for infections. I’ve ordered antibiotics and pain pills. You can pick up theprescriptions when you check him out. Let the nurses’ station know you’re here. They’ll let you know when he’s awake enough to go home.”
“Thank you,” Aaron said.
The surgeon left, but Sean was right behind him. “I’ll let the nurses know where we are,” he said, and hurried from the room.
Shirley was in mother mode again, and began organizing who would go home and get B.J.’s bedroom ready for convalescing, and who would stay behind to bring him home, when Aaron interrupted.
“Mom, you and Sean go home. You’ll do a better job of getting things ready than any of us. Wiley can finish his shift, and I’ll hang around to take B.J. home, okay?”
Shirley frowned, “I don’t like you having to wait here by yourself.”
