Serendipity Read Online Free PDF Page A

she’d suffered a stroke. I’ve books and a journal to which I refer. They all concur after such an episode, the patient is expected to be exhausted and confused.”
    His light brown brows crinkled. “Confused?”
    “Unable to recall where she is, or even who you are – though it’s safe to assume she recognizes you from how she responds to your nearness. She’s not uttered a word for me. Has she said anything to you?” Please say yes. Please recall her having spoken even a few sentences. . . .
    Wiping his rough hand down very worried features, Mr. Valmer paused. “Sounds. She’s made sounds. As for words . . .” He shook his head slowly. “What would this mean?”
    Experience taught Maggie to save some good news to give after the bad, so she folded her hands on the tabletop and continued to meet his gaze. “Very often, when someone suffers like this, when they lose their ability to speak, they keep functioning abilities of the right side. She might well struggle to communicate, but your mama will be able to do lots for herself.”
    The muscles in his jaw twitched as he clenched it tighter and tighter with every word she spoke. That tattled on a stubborn temperament – and Mr. Valmer was going to need plenty of dogged persistence in the next several months to hound his mama into relearning how to do things for herself. “Ma’s left-handed.”
    “I see.” Immediately realizing she needed to change the comforting things she planned to say, Maggie nodded to give herself a moment. “We’ll see how much use she regains in her limbs. As I said, there’s a possibility she’ll regain some of her abilities again. But as she’s left-handed, that means she’ll most likely have preserved her ability to speak. Praise Jesus, she’ll be able to talk and make herself understood, to sing and to pray. Of all the losses a body could suffer, I’d imagine that not being able to speak would be the most frustrating of all. We still have another hand that can take over if the other’s injured, but we’ve only one voice box.”
    Mr. Valmer remained silent.
    Folks needed a chance to weigh the information given them. Maggie doubted the stranger would need long, though. He’d been swift and sure in deciding how to treat Jerlund. One glance, and it was plain that Jerlund was one of those special individuals who’d remain a child all his days, but Mr. Valmer treated him like the man he wanted to be. The selfsame attitude – to look past a problem and see the person – that would be the best medicine his ma could get.
    A single deep inhalation expanded Mr. Valmer’s already vast chest, and he let it out slowly as he stood. “Miss Rose, I know you did your best by Ma, but a physician might know something more. I must give Ma that chance. Mr. Carver, I need to borrow a horse.”
    “Son, that’s a fool’s errand.”
    “It’s a son’s duty.”
    Uncle Bo set down the dishrag and came closer. “Your going out, getting lost, and freezing both yourself and a horse won’t do your ma a lick of good.”
    “I’ll follow the railroad tracks.”
    “At night? In the worst weather we’ve had in years? In territory you don’t know? It’s fifteen miles to Big Dip. Doc Wyant’s probably away at his still, but if he’s in town, you don’t want him. Tomorrow is Tuesday.” Uncle Bo shook his head.
    Bafflement painted Mr. Valmer’s features, so Maggie explained, “He’s usually sober Mondays because of the train going through.”
    “Cold weather and hot coffee – they will sober him.” Determination filled his voice.
    Maggie walked around the table and touched Uncle Bo’s shoulder. “ ‘There’s small choice in rotten apples.’ Mr. Valmer needs a medical opinion from a healer he approves. We may as well let him take our biggest and strongest horse so he stands his best chance.”
    Her uncle gave her a frustrated look.
    “I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t seat him on Adam.” Chin rising a notch, she willed