Chapter 5

In the back yard, Lil’ was kneeling on the ground at Lily’s side, the other children stood in a semi-circle around her. Near the kennel stood an old oak tree that the children played around most of the year. John had built a tree house there for the children. A stair with a banister lead around the trunk and up to a railed porch of the small structure. It was an amazing tree house and he had taken precautions that they would be safe. The children loved it. But the family rule was that Lily was never to go up without an adult nearby. The children had always obeyed this rule without question, at least, until today.

“Lil’ don’t move her!” John shouted as he neared.

“Daddy,” a small voice called and Sam saw a tiny white hand reach up. John knelt on the other side of Lily. “I fell down. My leg hurts.”

Samantha immediately saw why the leg hurt, it was obviously broken mid-way between the knee and ankle. The skin was not broken and that was good but it would take more than their skills to set it.

“John, we need to get her to Dr. York. The leg will need to be set and it would be best if he did it,” Samantha said. Doctors were few and far between on the Island but those they had were excellent doctors.

Lil looked up at Samantha. Tears streamed down her face but she nodded her agreement. “Will you bring your carriage around, Sam, so we can save time?”

There were three small hospitals that served the nine districts on the island, the largest was in their district. Still, they could not boast modern equipment reported by the more recent newcomers. Minor injuries could be fatal and serious disease and injuries often were fatal. It was one of the reasons for isolating newcomers for a period of time. Outside infections were not welcome and the six months of limited freedom was not only to allow a period of adjustment but to protect locals from possible infections.

Once the carriage was fetched it was decided that Samantha would stay with the children while Lil and John took Lily to town. They found splints to stabilize her leg to move her but even so, when they put her in the carriage she screamed.

John looked down from the driver's seat and said, "I'll be back as soon as possible. Will you and the children be all right?"

She smiled, "Right as rain."

Samantha and the other children watched as the carriage drove away. She did not envy either John or Lil going on this trip.

Mari began to cry and Tyler clung to Dylan and was asking if Lily would be all right. Poor Colin tried to put a brave face on things but Samantha could see it was difficult for him as well.

“Course she will. Our Lily is brave and strong. She’ll be back quick as a wink and good as new. Won’t she Aunt Sam?”

The plea in his eyes nearly did her in and she knew to let him down now would be terrible for all of them but mostly for Colin. “I’ve no doubt. Lots of people break their legs or their arms. It is very painful but they tend to heal up quite nicely. Now, lets all get inside and bake cookies so Lily will have a treat when she comes home.”

She shooed them all toward the house. Mari began continued to sob and Colin put his arm around her and walked her to the house while Tyler and Dylan followed in silence. Samantha marveled at John’s children. They had a composure she doubted she and her siblings had ever possessed.

They all sat down around the table and she gave them something to do to help with the cookies. Mari shook her head and pushed her bowl to Colin and began to sob. Obviously, cookies might not be the answer.

Samantha pulled a chair up next to Mari and put her arms around the small shoulders. “Mari, Lily will be fine. Dr. York will fix her leg and she will be home before you know it. They might let her spend the night there but I bet she will be home tomorrow.”

Mari shook her head so forcefully that her long brown curls swirled around her face. “No she won’t. She won’t be home for a whole three days.”

The comment almost made Samantha laugh but Lily’s earlier comment about knowing she was coming with candy made her hesitate. “How do you know that?”

“Lily said she would get to go to town today and stay for three days.” Mari turned tear drenched eyes up to Samantha.

“When did she tell you this?”

“Last night. After we went to bed. We slept for a bit and then she woke me and she told me. She told me you were coming to visit today, too, and you would bring candy.”

“Did she? Well, I suspect she was just razzing you and happened to be right.”
Mary took Sam's hand and placed her other hand next to Samantha ear. Then she whispered, “Lily is always right.”