Laurel the Damsel in Distress

        Two weeks had passed, the Cromwell girls had seen Mr. Foster almost every day, he still came and sat with them at church and Mrs. Dumont always insisted on him coming to lunch afterwards which he gladly accepted. While he always acted caring during the moments they found them alone nothing had changed between them. In fact Laurel felt they were emotionally further apart than they had been in Pine Haven. All of this began to play havoc on Laurel's health. Laurel's health was growing worse with each passing day though she tried to ignore it, by end of the fortnight she looked pale and stayed in bed most beds.

            "Aunt, I don't think Laurel and I should stay any longer. She is getting worse and Mr. Foster is clearly not making any intention towards her. I think she should be at home with mother she will feel better there with the fresh air and room to breathe also she can start putting Mr. Foster behind her," Emmy said.

            "Yes I agree. I think I have pushed Laurel beyond her limit."

            "Please Aunt Iris let us go home."

            "All right, just stay till the end of the week then I can throw you a proper goodbye dinner party," Aunt Iris kissed Emmy's forehead much in the same way mother did to tell her everything would be all right.

            The dinner party, however, was not to happen the night before the party Laurel came down with a horrible fever. It was so hot and so sudden that Mrs. Dumont sent for the doctor in the middle of the night. He came within the hour, by that time the whole household was awake. Emmy paced the floor in front of Laurel's door even though Aunt Iris kept insisting that Emmy sit down but Emmy could not. She would walk to the little bench, sit next to Aunt Iris then would pop right back up. She also began chewing on pinky nail out of nervousness.

            "It is all right Emmy, she will be fine," Mrs. Dumont said leaning against the back of his chair.

            "If she will be fine then why did Aunt Iris insist on calling the doctor."

            Mr. Dumont looked over at his wife with a "I told you look."

            "I am a nervous Nelly. I worry so much about you girls, a slight fever and I call the doctor," Aunt Iris was now holding Emmy close. "I am just a nervous Nelly and I love you girls so much. I don't want to see you girls go through any pain I promise though everything will be all right."

            "Oh I wish we had just gone home weeks ago. None of the would happen." Emmy pulled away from Aunt Iris and paced the floor again.

           

            The doctor came out of the room shaking his head.

            "What is it doctor?" Emmy asked frantically.

            "She has a high fever but I fear more."

            "What do you mean?"

            "Her heart beat is erratic and she shakes from the cold."

            "What can we do?"

            "I have given her some medicine for her heart. The shakes are due to the fever."

            "Will she be all right?"

            "Yes, oh yes in a few days. Medicine, rest, and comforting words that is what she needs."

            "Thank you Dr. Clark, I will show you out," Mr. Dumont said and tool him down stairs.

            "I will write to our guest in the morning to inform them the party is cancelled," Aunt Iris said.

           

            Emmy just nodded not taking her gaze off Laurel's bedroom door.

            "I am glad Dr. Clark came so quickly, he is a good man."

            Emmy nodded again.

            "Do you want me to write your mother?"

            "No I will do it," Emmy finally spoke.

            "All right," Aunt Iris was about to go down stairs "I am sorry this has happened Emmy, I never thought all this would happen."

            "I know but it has."

            Emmy wanted to climb into Laurel's bed as she had done when Laurel was first sick but knew right now all Laurel need rest and anything she did or say would just wake her up. But Emmy couldn't move away from Laurel's door. She took the chair Mr. Dumont had been sitting in and moved it right next to the door and sat there listening for Laurel to make any noise. As she was listening she fell asleep and that is where Aunt Dumont found her the next day.

            "Did you sleep here all night?"

            " I wanted to make sure I was here in case Laurel needed anything."

            "You are a good sister."

            "No Laurel is the good sister."

            "You are both good."

           

            "Mr. Foster is here," a maid announced.

            "It is not even breakfast time."

            "I know mam. I told him the house has not yet waken but he insisted on waiting. I put him in Mr. Dumont's study and got some coffee and some muffins for him."

            "That is very kind of you Sarah," Aunt Iris then looked back at Emmy. "I guess he should be told Laurel is too ill to see anyone."

            "Yes I will go down," Emmy said "Emmy tell him I will be down in ten minutes, I just need to change."

            "Yes miss."

            "Are you sure you want to go down, you look so ill yourself."

            "Someone has to and I fear Mr. Dumont will not express enough concern and you will express too much."

            "Yes you are right."

 

            It wasn't an important day but Emmy paid extra attention to how her hair looked, fixing any loose strands, she also adjusted her dress making sure the seams were in the right place. She checked herself in the mirror one last time before she headed down the stairs. Mr. Foster wouldn't care how she looked but she still thought it would be important for her to presentable. He became so worried at the dinner when she first told him Laurel was sick, now to tell him she was in a worse state she thought he would panic, and if she looked concerned it would only raise his worries more. No she had to look confident and calm. It would not be easy since all her emotions felt their complete opposite of what she had to convey. No matter what the doctor had said during the night Emmy knew something was not right. Laurel was the strong one, never getting sick or even tempting fat with sickness. Laurel was being quite the damsel in distress and that was not in Laurel's nature. This all made Emmy uneasy and now she had to push that all down to be composed for Mr. Foster.

            "Mr. Foster."

            "Miss Emmy," he said kind of surprised to see her."The maid said Miss Cromwell would be down shortly and I assumed it would be Miss Laurel."

            "I am sorry to disappoint you."

            "No disappointment at all."

            "My sister came down with a high fever in the night and she is still recovering."

            "Oh my. I am sorry to disturb."

            "My aunt is sending word that the dinner party we were planning is cancelled."

            "Yes, I wanted to see Miss Cromwell before you left and I know tonight would be busy and distracting."

            "Is there a message I can pass on?"

            "No, no message. I assume you will be in Boston a few more weeks."

            "Actually I am going to ask the doctor how quickly she can travel, I think Laurel would be better back home with mother, in her room and fresher air."

            "When does the doctor return?"

            "We expect him anytime?"

            "Well I will not keep you Miss Emmy but please let me know if I can be of any assistance."

            "Thank you Mr. Foster, your kindness is assistance enough."

            "Please Miss Emmy let me be of assistance, you and your family deserve much more than my kindness."

            "Will do Mr. Foster if I can think of anything I will write immediately."

            "Thank you." With that Mr. Foster left.

            Emmy did not stand in the room long before Sarah, the maid, came in to let her know the doctor had returned. Emmy nodded and told Sarah to him in and notify Mr. and Mrs. Dumont. Usually had just had was played over and over again but the doctor's visit took precedence. Emmy didn't hear Aunt Iris' hesitations of her going into Laurel's room, she going to be by Laurel's side no matter what. Laurel looked so small, it was a mix of her paleness and just how vulnerable she was at this moment and to be honest Emmy was not prepared to see Laurel look this way. She could not turn back though so she lifted her head higher and followed the doctor. Emmy tried not to get in the doctor's way staying off to the side but she watched him closely and when Laurel stirred she was there to hold Laurel's hand and tell her everything would be all right. The doctor was thorough and seemed to have a tendency to check things twice. Emmy felt as if he spent an hour in the room and with each passing moment Emmy grew more anxious, surely if Laurel had been fine he would just announce it, though Emmy knew Laurel was not fine. Finally the doctor repacked his bag and the left the room not saying much more than a few "hmms" and "umms". On the other side of the door was Aunt Iris and Mr. Dumont they could absorb anything Doctor Clark said and while Emmy thought of following the doctor she felt her place was by Laurel.

            "Oh Laurel you must get better. Promise me you will try," Emmy did not expect a response. "I cannot face this world alone."

            Laurel made no movement so Emmy just squeezed her hand tighter. She gripped it between her hands and kissed it repeating the words she said.

            "Emmy can you please come out here," Aunt Iris called Emmy from the hall.

           

            She got off her knees and adjusted her dress.

            "Yes aunt," Emmy said when she was in the hall.

            "Doctor Clark says that Laurel's fever is worse than he hoped with the medicine he gave her last night."

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well first it means you can't travel back home as you desire, but I do think we should your mother here in case the worst happens."

            "The worst?" Emmy took a deep breath. "Last night Dr. Clark said she would be fine."

            "I know dear but Dr. Clark said she has gotten worse. So I think your mother should be sent for. However, this news would be better in person than by letter."

            "You want me to go get her?" Emmy said reading into what her aunt was saying.

            "I can stay with Laurel and make sure she is well tended to."

Dear Mr. Foster,

            I have found need for your assistance much sooner than anticipated. As you know Laurel is sick, Dr. Clark recommends bringing mother to Boston, and Mrs. Dumont thinks it is best if I go to fetch her. However I cannot travel alone, I was hoping to impose on your generosity and ask you to escort me to Pine Haven and back with my mother.

Thankfully yours,

Emmy Cromwell

            Mr. Foster did better than escort her to Pine Haven he drove Emmy all the way back home.

            "Oh Mr. Foster what if something happens to her while we are gone?"

            "You must not think like that that."

            "I can't help it. Aunt Iris is sending me to get mother incase the worst happens. 'The worst' the words just echo in my head. The worst can't happen she is too young, and--" Emmy couldn't not say the rest of the words but she thought "I could not live without her."

            Ethan without thinking place his hand on hers. Emmy had never been touched in such away, it was completely unselfish, very tender and pressure was firm and somehow firm in a way that told Emmy not to worry even though her heart was racing a thousand miles an hour about all the "what ifs" that could not happen. It was not a romantic touch much more of how Emmy imagined an older brother comforting a younger sister. Emmy rested her head on the bench seat, she tried to close her eyes and sleep but she couldn't although she was very tired. Thoughts of Laurel passing away, thoughts of how she would tell mother how sick Laurel had become and every bump in the road kept her from truly falling asleep as much as she longed for it. Every time she closed her vision would flash back to her last sighting of Laurel, she was so pale and her looked a bit hopeless. Emmy had her promise that she would hold on till she got back she hadn't said the words "I promise" just nodded at Emmy's insistence. Emmy know if she would be able to ever erase that moment from her memory.

           

            "You needn't worry Miss Emmy, we will be back in Boston very quickly," Ethan said as if almost reading her mind.

            "Thank you Mr. Foster."

            The rest of the ride was in silence. Ethan did not force Emmy into small talk or anything of an idle nature. He also didn't use any generic comforting words  such as "It will be all right" as he knew these words would not actually comfort her at all.