Alaskan Summer by Marilou Flinkman Read Free Book Online

help.” Laurette coaxed Mrs. Sutherland to a seat and went back to pick up the clipboard. Efficiently, she got the information to fill in the necessary facts.
    “I want to see Dan. Can you find out how he is?” Mrs. Sutherland pleaded.
    Taking the papers back to the desk, Laurette asked, “Where will Mr. Sutherland be taken? How soon will his wife be able to see him?”
    “Thank you,” the admitting nurse said, taking the clipboard. “I’m sure the patient will go into the ICU. The nurse there will tell you when he can have visitors. Do you know where that waiting room is?”
    Laurette shook her head.
    “Let me take you up there and make sure there’s a fresh pot of coffee.”
    Mrs. Sutherland seemed to be a bit more relaxed. “You are very kind,” she told Laurette as they followed the nurse to the waiting room.
    “They’ll take good care of your husband. Everything will be all right.” Laurette patted the woman’s arm.
    Gladys smiled weakly. “You make it all sound so possible.”
    “All things are possible with God.” The nurse left them, and Laurette poured two cups of coffee. “Do you take anything in your coffee?”
    “No, thank you.” Mrs. Sutherland wrapped her hands around the cup.
    “Are you cold? I could get you a blanket.”
    “Just shocked. It all happened so fast. Dan was fine at dinner. Said he had a little indigestion and wanted to go to bed early. Then he collapsed.” She turned tear-filled eyes toward Laurette. “What am I going to do?”
    Laurette put her arm around the weeping woman. “The doctors here are very good. The medics on board had your husband stabilized. If it had been more serious, he would have been flown in by helicopter. I’m sure they just want to monitor him for a day or two.”
    “But we live in Minnesota. How will we get home?”
    Handing the woman a tissue, Laurette reassured her. “As soon as your husband is able to travel, we’ll make arrangements for you to fly home. The cruise line will send your luggage to your house.” She patted the distraught woman’s shoulder. “Is there family you want to contact?”
    “My son.” She looked at Laurette. “Could I call my son?”
    “Certainly. With the time difference, you won’t even be waking him up. Let me find the nearest phone.” Seeing the worried look on Mrs. Sutherland’s face, she added, “I’ll stay here while you call. If there’s any news about your husband, I can let you know at once.”
    After reassurance from her son, Mrs. Sutherland relaxed a little. When the nurse came to tell her she could see her husband, she hugged Laurette and begged, “Will you please stay a little longer?”
    “I’ll be right here,” she assured the worried woman. While she waited, Laurette pulled her Bible from her pack.
    A short time later, Mrs. Sutherland returned looking much better. Her face held some color, and she had combed her hair. “They said as soon as Dan is out of intensive care, I can have a cot in his room.” She sank into the chair next to Laurette. “All the tubes and wires look scary, but he talked to me. He says he’s not in pain. The nurse taking care of him said they’ll do more tests later today, but it doesn’t look like there is new damage to his heart.”
    Laurette had closed her Bible with a silent prayer of thanks.
    “Were you praying?” Mrs. Sutherland asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Would you pray with me? I believed you when you told me all things are possible with God.” She clasped Laurette’s hand. “I’d feel better if we both prayed for Dan.”
    ❧
    Ryan had received Tyler’s message when he returned from an evening of playing piano at the Dockside Hotel. He got to the office early and sent the two helpers out on the most critical tasks. He called the hospital to get a report on the heart attack victim and notified the ship’s captain of the man’s condition.
    “They won’t be able to rejoin the cruise. We’ll see that they get a flight back home,” Ryan told