So, all three of them have been with Jake this whole time, never even changing clothes.
Jeff couldn’t help feeling sorry for what Randy Harkner must have been through in her life, yet there she stood, lovely and composed. He jumped up and nodded to her. “Ma’am?”
“You’re that reporter, aren’t you?” she said, stepping closer and putting out her hands.
“Yes, ma’am.” He found himself trying to figure out if her eyes were green or gray. Should he take both her hands? She offered, so he did. She squeezed his hands warmly. Was this lovely creature really married to Jake Harkner? “You grabbed on to me when they were treating Jake out there in the street, Mrs. Harkner. I don’t think you even knew who I was.”
She shook her head. “I don’t even remember that. All I know is that Peter Brown visited earlier and told us about you warning Jake this morning.” She smiled softly through eyes that looked slightly puffy from crying. “Jeff Trubridge, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, I don’t know what to say but thank you, Jeff.”
“Ma’am, I was just lucky to see those men before Jake got there.”
Brian also stepped forward and shook Jeff’s hand. “Thanks for your help.”
Lloyd rose. “Is Pa awake?” he asked his mother.
As Randy let go of Jeff’s hands, he could see the devastation in her eyes. “No,” she answered, turning to face her son. “After all these years, this is the worst I’ve ever seen, even worse than finding him beaten up and suffering pneumonia in prison.” She looked from Lloyd to Brian. “I want both of you to go home to your wives. Brian, poor Evie probably wants to come over here and sit with her father for a while, but she’ll just have to wait. Tell her he’s still unconscious, and there is nothing she can do. And tell her I know without a doubt that Jake didn’t mean to yell at her like he did. He was losing blood and not in his right mind, and he was devastated that Little Jake could have been hurt.”
She turned to Lloyd. “And you—please go home to Katie, Lloyd. This has been a terrifying first day of marriage for her.”
Lloyd glanced at the bedroom door. “What if he needs me?”
“Katie needs you. Take it from a woman who knows what it’s like to have her husband in constant danger. She’s never experienced something like this before.”
“But what if he—”
“Are you listening to me, Lloyd?” Randy spoke the words more firmly. “I know what she’s going through right now, and you need to be there. Jake would tell you the same thing. He’ll understand if you aren’t here when he wakes up. For heaven’s sake, that’s why he didn’t ask for your help this morning. He wanted you to stay with Katie.”
Lloyd sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You tell him—”
“I know what to tell him, Lloyd, only I won’t have to. He’ll understand.”
Lloyd stepped closer and embraced his mother. Jeff made a mental note. The outlaw/lawman Jake Harkner, who is often referred to as meaner than a snake, has one of the most loving families I’ve ever met.
“Mom, I hate to leave you yet.”
“I’m fine—really.”
Brian walked up and touched Lloyd’s shoulder. “Go ahead, Lloyd. You need to be with Katie right now.”
Sighing deeply, Lloyd reluctantly let go of his mother. “Hey, by tomorrow it will be Pa holding you, okay?”
Randy nodded, blinking back tears. “I doubt it will be that soon, but at least he’s alive. Brian is more sure now that he’ll make it through this, but one more ounce of blood and we would have lost him.”
Lloyd still hesitated. “You don’t have to always pretend to be so strong, Mom.”
“Yes, I do. If I truly give in to the terror I feel sometimes, I’d crumble into a raving maniac and be no use to any of you.”
“And I have strong shoulders if you need someone to lean on. Pa always jokes about how you like to be hugged, so I’m here for that too.”
“You go home and hug Katie. Let her lean on those shoulders.” Randy backed up and pointed to the door. “Go!”
With great reluctance, Lloyd nodded to Jeff and finally left. A very tired-looking Brian gave his mother-in-law a quick embrace. “You clean up and change and get some rest yourself, Mom.”
“I will.”
Another note: Her son-in-law also calls her Mom. This woman seems to be everything to everyone.
“Do you need something to help you sleep?”
“No, Brian. I’ll be fine. Please get your own rest.”