“Lena will need appointments with a team of doctors and nurses who’ll supervise her treatment on a regular basis. That’s a significant time commitment.”
He shrugged. “There’s no other option. Without a family, who else will take care of her?”
“That’s for us to figure out.” Rachel got to her feet. “For the moment, let’s see how she’s doing.”
In the emergency room cubicle, Lena looked better—her eyes had brightened and a rosy color tinted her cheeks. “Where’s my dad?”
Garrett cleared his throat. “We talked, but he couldn’t stay.”
“He doesn’t handle it when other people are sick.” The girl shook her head. “He wouldn’t pay attention to my mother, either. And he wasn’t at the hospital when she passed.”
“Well, I’m here,” the minister said after a stunned pause. “Dr. Vale is here. And you’re getting better. That’s good enough for me.”
Later in the afternoon, Lena was moved to a bed in the acute care ward of the hospital. Dr. Stevens reappeared when she had settled in. “Sorry about all the tests,” he said. “We have to acquire as much information as possible so we can plan your treatment.” He brought forward a woman with short white-blond hair who’d accompanied him into the room. “This is Kim Kaiser. She’s a nurse who specializes in diabetes education. She’ll help you understand how to deal with diabetes.”
“You should sit in on this,” Rachel told Garrett. “If you’re responsible for her, you have to understand her medications.”
He made a wry face. “I’m suddenly wishing I’d paid more attention in biology class.”
Kim’s visit lasted about an hour. She explained the cause of diabetes, much as Dr. Stevens had done, but then proceeded to discuss the treatment, which would involve Lena taking enough insulin through the day to balance her blood sugar. Fortunately, she’d brought printed materials along, and Rachel loaned Garrett a pen so he could make notes on the pages.
“The doctors are still working out what kind of insulin you’ll need,” Kim told Lena. “So I’ll be back tomorrow and we can go over that. But are there any questions you want to ask now?”
Lena nodded. “Is that all I have to do, take pills?” She glanced at Justino. “That doesn’t seem so hard.”
“I’m sorry to say that insulin can’t be made into pills,” Kim said. “It’s a liquid that has to be injected under your skin. With a needle.”
“Shots?” Lena’s dark eyes went round with horror. “I have to take shots?”
Justino looked equally distressed. “She hates needles.”
Kim took the protests in stride. “Then maybe you will want to use an insulin pump, which is similar to the IV you have right now. With a pump, the needle goes in once and stays for several days.”
“For how long? How long do I have to do this?”
“For the rest of your life, Lena.” A gentle voice, but a harsh piece of news.
The girl shook her head. “I can’t. No way.”
With a glance at Rachel, Garrett took a deep breath and stepped over to the bed. “Try not to get upset, Lena.” He grabbed the end rail with both hands. “We’ll figure out how to make it all work for you. Maybe the pump is what you need. Or...or maybe you’ll have to get used to taking shots. But not right this minute. Right this minute all you have to do is relax.”
She glared at him through the tears running down her cheeks. “It isn’t fair!”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not. You shouldn’t have to deal with diabetes. Nobody should.” He shrugged. “But it’s happened. And in the long run you will be happiest and be able to enjoy your life if you learn to take care of yourself.”
Lena had broken into sobs. Justino put his arms around her but looked at Garrett. “I think she wants to be by herself.”
“We’ll step out for a few minutes.” He picked up his hat, held the door for Kim and Rachel, and then followed them into the hall. “I guess you have to expect an emotional reaction. It’s a pretty serious diagnosis.”
“Yes, it is.” Kim gave him a calm smile. “As her father—”
He cleared his throat. “I’m not her dad. I’m acting in his place.”
“Oh.” Her brows drew together as she turned to Rachel. “Are you her mother?”
“No, I’m the physician in Bisons Creek, where Lena lives.”
“I just assumed...” The nurse took a breath. “Well, if you are Lena’s guardians, you’ll have to help her overcome her resistance. Her very life depends on it.”
As Kim left them, Garrett rubbed the nape of his neck. “Acceptance is a hard enough lesson for an adult to learn, much less a teenager. This kind of situation poses a real test of faith.”
“Faith isn’t the solution here.” Rachel took a deep breath, trying to curb her impatience at his approach to the problem. “We have to convince her that medical science can’t be ignored. It’s a fact that she has diabetes, a fact that she has to take insulin or suffer serious consequences. Faith won’t change those facts. There’s no other reasonable choice.”
His brows drew together in a worried frown. “Easier said than done.”
“It is a daunting prospect.” His obvious concern softened her mood, and she put her hand on his upper arm. “But you’ll take it a day at a time. An hour at a time.”
The frown cleared and then he smiled at her. “That’s all we ever have to manage, in fact. This moment. Thanks for reminding me.”
For a moment, she returned his smile, surrendering to the attraction she’d been resisting all day.
Then she remembered his vocation and disconnected her gaze from his. “We should check on Lena. I hope she’s calmed down by now.”
In fact, the girl had fallen asleep, curled on her side toward Justino, who sat next to the bed, holding her hand. When Rachel and Garrett entered, he eased his fingers free and came across the room to face them.
“Tell me the truth,” he said, his young face set in grim lines. “Will Lena die from this diabetes?”
When Garrett glanced at her, Rachel tilted her head to indicate that he should field the question.
“The effects of untreated diabetes can be life threatening,” he told the boy. “What we have to do is convince Lena to take the medicine that will prevent those effects. It won’t be easy—at first anyway. But with care she can live to be a grandmother. Or a great-grandmother!”
Justino sighed. “She has always hated getting shots at the doctor. But somehow she will manage. She’s strong. And I’ll help her.”
Garrett gripped his shoulder. “I know you will. We’ll all be on Lena’s side, supporting
