Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Good Food and Restorative Sleep

Reggie walked into the cabin, and it smelled wonderful. The beef stew was cooking on the stove. He gave it a stir and tasted the broth, realizing it wasn't ready. He looked around the kitchen, and it was clean. Pans and dishes were drying in the sink. Pots and pans of hot water were on the stove.

He went over to the shelf and took down Mrs. Polansky's tea pot. He filled the brass bobber with tea leaves. Reggie ladled hot water into the teapot. He took down a teacup, drizzled some honey into the cup, and placed crackers on a plate. He needed to get Charlotte to drink and eat something. Reggie set up an area around Ivan's chair. He even moved the bucket close to the chair in case she was unable to hold down the tea and crackers.

"Charlotte, Charlotte, wake up. You need to drink something. I made you some tea."

Her eyes fluttered and closed again. He pulled her to her feet and moved her slowly over to the large chair. Reggie sat down and pulled her into his lap. He covered her with a blanket and handed her a cracker. Charlotte nibbled on the dry biscuit, savoring the taste of the salt. She took a small bite. As she chewed, she felt disorientated, and her head hurt more when she opened her eyes. When she finished the cracker, she asked for a sip of the tea. Reggie handed the cup to her. Using both hands, she slowly sipped the tea with pure pleasure. Reggie pulled down the cup.

"Wait a minute. Not so fast. We don't want that coming back to greet us."

He set the cup down and adjusted himself in the chair. Charlotte pulled up her legs, and Reggie wrapped the blanket tighter around her. She laid her head against his shoulder and waited.

"Hand me a couple more crackers."

Reggie gave her a couple of crackers, remembering how he had to eat several to settle his stomach. She settled in and nibbled on the crackers.

"Tell me what happened."

Reggie told her the entire story as she laid on his chest and listened with her eyes closed. Her fuzzy mind tried to process the series of events that she had no recollection of in her memory. When Reggie finished the story, he handed her the teacup, and she drank down the rest of the cup. Her stomach felt better.

"Charlotte, I'm afraid I have some bad news. It's about your father."

"Let me guess. He had a heart attack and has taken to his bed. But he is well enough to tell anybody asking questions that he will not say a word until his lawyer arrives."

"How did you know?"

"My father has pulled that stunt before when he gets in trouble."

"The doctor confirmed that he had a heart attack and is not to travel."

Charlotte's eyes opened wide, and she blinked several times, trying to adjust to the light in the room.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't speak ill of my father."

Then they heard Kaiser cry out loud. He was trying to move closer to Charlotte. Charlotte moved the blanket and climbed off Reggie's lap and went to the floor in front of Kaiser.

"Hello," she said, petting him. "I'm so glad to see you. You saved my life, you big, beautiful dog."

She laid her head next to Kaiser, and he licked her face. The two had been reunited. Reggie walked into the kitchen, leaving the two of them together. He stoked the cookstove and stirred the stew. He poured himself a cup of coffee and drank it down. Then Reggie filled a bowl of water for Kaiser and brought it over to him.