The Noel Bridge

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A licia jumped into the Tahoe, put it in drive, and maneuvered onto Main Street. It took until she was away from the center of the village before her wipers had cleared the snow from her windshield. She had no idea where she was going, but she couldn’t stay downtown. Back home, she couldn’t handle the solitude, but now she wanted to be alone. And if that meant she’d use up a tank of gas in the colossal machine she was driving just so she could have some quiet time, then that was what she’d do.

Camille was probably right. She should call her sister back and book the next flight out of there. She’d see Evelyn this afternoon and they could catch up. Then there was nothing more to do but leave. Right?

As she drove, the bridge kept whispering to her, calling her even though there was no point in seeing it. She could always go to the bridge after meeting Evelyn, and when the outcome was exactly what she knew it would be, she could go to sleep, get up, and fly to Key West to spend Christmas with her family .

Maybe it was a subconscious yearning or simply old routine, but when the rush of Main Street gave way to rolling hills of snowy farmland, Alicia found herself driving down the road where she used to live. She drove parallel to the barbed-wire fencing strung between wooden posts, which kept cattle in place on the Rockwoods’ farm where she used to take horse-riding lessons every Wednesday with Camille. The fields were barren and covered with snow, the cows sheltering under the sheds at the edge of the property.

The pastures tapered off, the landscape changing again as the mountainous terrain took hold. A few cabins were still tucked away on the edges of the cliffs, their stone chimneys puffing smoke. Most of them had been rentals when she was in high school, so she didn’t know if anyone lived there permanently now. She imagined a house full of vacationing family members playing card games and drinking hot chocolate while wearing fuzzy socks and lounging by the fire. Then the land flattened out a bit and there it was: her childhood home.

She slowed down to get a good look at it. The oak tree where her swing had been was standing strong, its limbs covered in ice. The windows of the clapboard bungalow were dark with no movement behind them, the driveway empty—no one seemed to be home. The side yard where she and Camille used to Hula-Hoop was hidden by snowfall, and the tree house her dad had built for them on the edge of the forest was no longer visible. It seemed to have been cleared away like everything else. The front porch had been updated, the old spindles replaced with more contemporary columns. The front door was new as well, the simple wreath of spruce complimenting the natural wood.

She stopped the SUV and zeroed in on the left dormer window in the arched roofline—her old room. What was it used for now? Did another little girl live there? Was it someone’s exercise room or home office?

As she pondered, her old life—her happy life—came rushing over her like a tidal wave, and tears pricked her eyes. If that little girl had known the heartbreak she’d endure as an adult… But no one could be prepared to lose the person they loved. It was unthinkable. But that loss had happened, and she was struggling to find her way to the other side. What if she never found her way out?

She wiped a tear from her cheek and tried to get herself together. Then she pressed the gas and drove away. Where she was going, she had no idea. As she drove, she felt more isolated than she had even back in her condo. While she’d wanted to be alone, she began to wonder if it wasn’t really solitude she yearned for, but someone who could comprehend what she was going through, and if she couldn’t find anyone who understood, she’d rather be alone than try to exist in the regular world.

Her dreams and her future had died with Bo, and she didn’t know how to live anymore. It was easy enough to tell herself to snap out of it, that nothing was going to change, and she had to learn to live with the loss, but she couldn’t make her mind cooperate. Had she been irreparably changed? Would she never again fit in with everyone else?

A magnificently familiar sight came into view: the blue H hospital sign. Her work as a nurse had gotten her through the worst pain of losing Bo. Helping people was her way of giving back the one thing she really needed: care from someone who understood pain. And now, still struggling, she wanted to be in a place where she felt as normal as one could feel in her situation.

The next thing she knew, she was driving to St. Francis West Hospital. Maybe she could walk the hallways in the lobby for a while and pull herself together. She wouldn’t have to carry on long conversations with anyone there, but she might be able to talk to other people who were hurting. Everyone else would be too busy to notice her at all.

She pulled into the front lot and parked the SUV in a visitor’s spot next to a pile of shoveled snow. Then she got out and walked up to the entrance. The doors slid open and then closed behind her. The crisp atmosphere and smell of antibacterial agents and alcohol was oddly soothing. She went over to the visitor’s desk draped with silver garland to check in.

“Who are you here to see?” the attendant asked. The woman’s salt-and-pepper hair was pinned back with a Christmas-tree barrette, and a jingle bell hung from a red cord around her neck.

Alicia dug her hospital ID out of her handbag and showed it to the woman. “I’m just coming to observe,” she said.

“All right. Is there a particular doctor you’re visiting?”

“No, ma’am,” she returned with a guarded curiosity. “I used to live here so I wanted to pop in.” She gave the woman a reassuring smile, knowing there was no way she’d get upstairs without proper verification.

“You won’t be able to leave the main corridor without clearance.” The woman gave her a placating smile. “But you’ll have access to the cafeteria, the lounge, and the hallway leading to the elevator. You’ll need a code to board the elevator, though, and without a contact here, I’m afraid I can’t offer you one.”

“That’s fine. The public areas will be great.” Attempting to hide her disappointment, but understanding completely, she took the visitor sticker from the woman and placed it on her chest. Then, for good measure, she slid the lanyard with her nurse’s identification around her neck.

As she walked away, the woman called to her. “Miss?”

Alicia returned to the desk.

“Would you like to volunteer? Here’s the form.” She handed Alicia the paperwork. “You could be volunteering by next week.”

Alicia folded the paper and dropped it into her jacket pocket. “Thank you. I’ll hold on to it for another time. I’m only going to be in Noel through tomorrow.”

“Alicia Silver?” a voice cut through the conversation.

Alicia turned to see a woman walking toward her wearing scrubs. As the woman neared, Alicia recognized her old school friend Tabitha Brice. She was leaner than she had been growing up, making her features more pronounced. Her hair was the deep auburn it had always been and pulled back in a ponytail.

“It’s been a long time, but you haven’t changed a bit,” Tabitha said, putting her hand on her hip, her diamond wedding set catching the light.

Alicia had nearly mastered hiding the little punches she received each day—couples holding hands, love songs playing on the radio, wedding rings to remind her of what she’d never have with Bo.

Tabitha moved away from the desk to allow a couple to get their visitor stickers, and Alicia followed. “Didn’t you move to South Carolina?”

Alicia nodded. “I did, but now I live in Georgia.”

“Oh, wow.” Tabitha’s unassuming pleasure was hard to match.

“You’re a nurse,” Alicia said, latching on to their shared profession. It seemed a fitting position for Tabitha. She’d been a caring person when they were growing up. She used to stand up to the bullies at school when they set their sights on meeker kids. “Me too.” Alicia held up her badge.

“I can’t believe it. What are you doing at St. Francis West? Are you thinking of working here? We need people.”

“I just stopped by. I was hoping to have a look around.” She sent a glance of appreciation to the woman at the desk for trying to help.

Tabitha’s laugh pulled her away from the desk clerk. “You’re off the clock and frequenting a hospital? Why?”

Unwilling to delve into her story, Alicia shrugged and sent her phony smile across her face. “I needed to burn some time before I meet up with Evelyn and thought maybe I could take some ideas back to my team.”

Tabitha lit up. “I should’ve guessed you two would be getting together. You were inseparable in school.”

“I know.” Getting back to her old life allowed her to escape the grief for a bit. She already felt lighter, knowing she’d see Evelyn again. She could rely on their shared experiences from childhood to fill the conversation, and with so little time before her flight out of Noel tomorrow afternoon, Alicia wouldn’t have to worry about their chatting leading to Bo.

“Well, I work on the geriatric hall, and I’m on my break. But I can show you around up there.”

“I’d love that.”

Tabitha walked Alicia to the front desk attendant to vouch for her and get her a clearance sticker. Then they went over to the elevator, and Tabitha swiped her badge. The doors opened and they stepped in.

“So what brings you back to Noel?” Tabitha typed in a code, pressed floor two, and the doors shut.

“Oh, I thought it was time to pay everyone a visit. I haven’t been back since we moved,” she replied with the best answer she could think of.

“The Fergusons will be happy to see you. Their offices are on my floor.”

Dr. Mitchell Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, and his wife, Dr. Rose Ferguson, had headed up the hospital since Alicia was a child. Two of the most prominent Noel residents, their names were synonymous with St. Francis West, the largest employer in the area. The Fergusons were known throughout the community for their pro-bono work with veterans, and they supported all the town festivals with generous financial donations. Dr. Mitchell, as they called him, was known to do house calls in the middle of the night. He and his wife were also good friends with Alicia’s parents—her mother had always called the Fergusons with any medical questions.

“I thought they would have retired by now,” Alicia said.

Tabitha’s eyebrows rose in what seemed to be agreement, but she said, “Still going strong.”

“It would be just like them to keep working, even though they must be in their late eighties.”

“Noel isn’t really a magnet for medical professionals—who else is going to lead the hospital?”

Tabitha had a point. As long as Alicia could remember, the Fergusons had put everything they had into St. Francis West. They were the most trusted healthcare professionals in Noel. What would happen to the hospital when they finally did retire? Perhaps they’d asked themselves the same thing, which was why they were still there.

Tabitha nodded down the hallway. “Want to say hello?”

“I’d love to.”

Alicia followed her friend past the nurse’s station where, behind a small tinsel-draped tree with blinking lights, a few people sat on stools updating charts on their computers. One of them nodded hello to Tabitha when they walked by. Continuing down the hallway and maneuvering around a row of vital monitors and a folded wheelchair, they arrived at a door with a wilting holiday wreath. The door was cracked open, and the hushed voices coming from inside gave them both pause.

Tabitha peeked in through the crack, ready to knock, but then stopped. Blocking Alicia’s view, she turned her head, placing her ear in the open space, her gaze moving around the hallway but clearly not taking in the view. A few seconds later, she stepped away, her eyes wide.

“Maybe another time,” she said, grabbing Alicia’s arm and guiding her to the other side of the door against the wall. “The sheriff’s in there,” she whispered. And then, as if something had registered, Tabitha’s smile fell slack.

“What is it?” Alicia asked.

Tabitha grabbed her arm once more and whisked her past the nurse’s station and back into the elevator.

“Where are we going?”

“Let’s go to the cafeteria where we can talk.”

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Alicia followed Tabitha through the main entrance to the other side of the hospital. They entered the empty cafeteria, and Alicia took a seat at one of the round tables while Tabitha went over to the large beverage refrigerator.

“Want a Coke or anything?” Tabitha called over.

“No, thank you.”

Tabitha retrieved a bottle of soda and swiped it over the self-pay scanner, paying with her badge. When she returned, she opened the bottle and took a drink.

“What was that all about upstairs? ”

Her friend looked around the empty room, then leaned toward her, despite the fact they were the only two there.

“So this elderly man who introduced himself as Dean came to us two weeks ago for tests for early stages of dementia,” she said in a low voice. “He was adorable. He cracked little jokes that made no sense and he’d tickle himself.” She laughed, clearly still affected by the memory of his humor.

But then her smile fell. “When we went in to take his vitals, the room was empty. Dr. Mitchell thought he had gone straight to the lab for bloodwork, and he went off to follow up. The rest of the day was so busy that I never had time to find out if Dr. Mitchell located him. But my friend Teri works in the lab, so when I saw her going home that day, I asked her if the old man had made her laugh, and she said he was bewildered when he got to her. They’d found him wandering the halls a floor down.” She took another drink, then twisted the cap back on, fear in her eyes. “He was discharged that same day, but I wondered if he should have been.”

“I just heard the sheriff in the Fergusons’ office, and he said the man has been missing since Sunday. They’ve been making the rounds everywhere he might have gone in town, and they were checking to see if anyone had brought him here.”

The anxiety that had plagued Alicia since Bo’s passing welled up with ease. “Oh, my goodness. That’s terrible.” She recalled how cold she’d felt walking in town earlier. “I hope he’s inside somewhere.”

Tabitha nodded. “Me too. And with the storm expected to worsen tonight, there’s no way he could survive out there.” After a pause, hope filled her expression. “Given how witty he was with me and how ‘with it’ he seemed to be at times, I’ll bet he’s gotten himself somewhere safe and just hasn’t been able to let anyone know.” The glisten in her eyes betrayed her lingering distress.

Alicia’s chest tightened. “What does he look like?”

“Thin, thick gray hair, long face…”

“No striking characteristics I could be on the lookout for?”

Tabitha shook her head. “Not that I saw.”

Alicia pulled out her phone. “What’s your number? I’ll send you mine. Could you let me know if you find him?”

“Of course.”

Alicia’s trip to the hospital hadn’t been quite as soothing as she’d thought it would be, and she was relieved to park in front of Deloris’s Pie Shop to meet Evelyn. She scanned the passersby as she walked around her SUV and stepped up on the sidewalk, pausing to look around for an old man who appeared lost, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She tugged on the large wooden door and let herself into the cozy space.

One of the original buildings on Main Street, the pie shop occupied the old pharmacy that was originally built in the 1950s. The pie shop was on the bottom floor and Deloris’s apartment was upstairs. The long soda fountain counter was still in place, the stools re-covered in a soft blue to match the updated interior. Along the surface of the counter sat every flavor of pie imaginable, cooling on rattan mats.

“Well, butter my backside and call me a biscuit, if it isn’t Alicia Silver!” Deloris tossed a pair of floral oven mitts onto the back table and swished around to Alicia’s side of the counter. “How’s your mama’n them? ”

“Good,” Alicia replied as Deloris wrapped her in a warm hug. The sight of the woman pulled her right back to her childhood, when she and Camille used to sit on those stools and spin around as they waited for a slice of pie. She was glad for the distraction from the worrying news she’d heard at the hospital about the missing man.

“Glad to hear it. They here?”

“No, they’re in Key West. I’m the only one who opted for snowstorms this year.”

Deloris bounced with a jolly laugh. “Well, I’ll warm ya right up. Whatcha fancy?”

“The salted caramel apple pie, of course. Is there any other option this time of year?”

Deloris wrinkled her nose playfully. “Y’all got here just in time. I’ve got two slices left.” She turned toward the back wall. “Evelyn, you want one too?”

“Yes ma’am!” Evelyn waved to Alicia from one of the rows of rocking chairs.

Deloris went around to the other side of the counter. “How about a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with it, like you used to ask for when you were girls?”

“I’d love that.” Alicia went over to her friend and took a seat beside her.

Evelyn scooted her teacher bag out of Alicia’s way, allowing more foot room. “You been keeping busy today?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

Evelyn rocked in her chair. “It’s so good to see you.”

Deloris walked over, carrying two plates of steaming pie, and leaned toward the window. “It’s really coming down now. I hope y’all can get home okay.” She handed a plate to each of them. “Where you stayin’?”

“Fairlane House.” Alicia set the plate in her lap, careful to keep it steady so the already melting ice cream didn’t drip over the edge.

“Lucky girl.” Deloris brightened. “How long you stayin’?”

“I’m only here through tomorrow.”

Evelyn leaned forward, her face aghast. “What? That’s not long enough to catch up.”

“It was just a quick trip.”

“Well, I’m honored you’d come into my shop when you’re here such a short time.”

“Too short,” Evelyn added. “I thought we’d have more than just today.”

Alicia struggled to keep the guilt from rising at the sight of concern in her friend’s eyes. If only Evelyn knew what it had taken to get her here.

“What time is your flight tomorrow?” Evelyn asked.

“Eleven o’clock.”

“Promise you’ll at least meet me for breakfast before you leave Noel?”

“I need to get to the airport an hour before the flight, I have to return the rental car, and I’m flying out of Knoxville. It’s an hour and forty-minute drive.”

Evelyn’s expression fell, but she tried to smooth it out while dragging her fork through her pie. “It sounds like you’re coming up with reasons not to have breakfast.”

Called out, Alicia’s cheeks burned. “It isn’t that I don’t want to…”

“You were my best friend for almost sixteen years,” Evelyn said. “I finally get to see you again, but it’s so rushed. Is there something important you have to get home for?”

The question hung between them, and Alicia struggled for an answer. There was literally nothing calling her back to Savannah .

“I’m going to run to the bridge and ask for you to stay,” Evelyn said with a playful twinkle in her eye.

Alicia forced a smile.

Her friend nodded toward Alicia’s plate. “You haven’t touched your pie. It’s Christmas,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “Even if I only get a short time with you, let’s make it great.” She scooped up a forkful of flaky crust piled with caramel filling and popped it into her mouth.

Alicia did the same. It took only one bite of the gooey center and crisp tartness of the apples to remind her of all the good things she’d left behind.

“I’m hoping having great conversation with me will convince you to stay so I don’t actually have to go to the bridge,” Evelyn said, winking. “Since we both know that bridge doesn’t do a thing.”

Alicia had to fight the idea that her friend was right.