Problems of an Invisible Girl

Chapter 44

After finally catching their breaths and after Rina's excitement over being reunited with her great-grandma was replaced by worry about her father, they managed to catch Zizi up in as few words as possible on their situation. The old lady was much more vigilante in a crisis than they expected.

With quick practiced movies, Zizi started gathering herbs and ointments that seemed to have been strewn all over the small house. She had a bag full of them before she deemed it enough.

"Don't you have any real medicine?" Caroline asked.

"My dear, if you weren't the woman who gave birth to the wonderful little girl I love more than life itself, I would've been offended by your words. As it is, I will put your words down to ignorance and move past the lecture that you don't have time to listen to. Just know that sometimes a properly used herb is much more efficient than the overly used medicine." Zizi said.

Her voice was firm and steady although knowing her as well as Rina did, she could feel that her dear great-grandma was offended by the comment. That and similar reactions to her healing herbs and other natural remedies were part of the reason why she chose isolation and why she removed herself from the prying eyes of the public.

"I am sorry Zizi, she just doesn't understand. She didn't mean to offend you. You know how difficult it is for some people to believe that something as simple as plants can create something as complex as cures. It is a challenge to accept the truth even for the ones who know it for a fact." Rina said to Zizi.

"I know, my dear, it's okay," Zizi said.

As she said that she gently stroked Rina's cheek as if she wanted to make sure, once more, that she was really there. After years of dreaming of having her in front of her, it took the old woman some time to get used to the idea that all of her dreams had come true. Maybe not in the way she hoped, but she was still thrilled to see Rina alive and well.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to sound patronizing. I just really don't know anything about the natural remedies but if you think that's enough I trust your judgment." Caroline said.

Nodding her head in approval, Zizi gestured for them to follow her to the stables where the most beautiful mare they had ever seen was patiently waiting to help out its mistress in any way it could.

"One horse won't be enough," Serena stated the obvious.

She was getting more nervous and impatient with every passing second and that was becoming obvious in the general lack of manners she displayed. Also, she didn't seem to be able to stop fidgeting.

"Of course it won't. That's why we are bringing the carriage with us." Zizi said.

As she said that she pointed to an old carriage that looked nothing like the carriages that the girls were familiar with from the movies. There was just a wooden floor surrounded by two walls, no ceiling to the carriage.

"This is used for farm work and it is just long enough for a person to lay down plus a few more people could sit down. Still, Rina, I want you to stay at the house and prepare everything for our return. Although you have never been to this particular house, you know me well enough to be able to find everything you might need." Zizi said.

"No, no. What if Jack is too sick? What if he is dying and I don't get to say goodbye?" Rina said.

"Your great-grandmother is right. WHEN we come back with Jack alive and kicking we will need everything to be ready so that we can take care of him properly. As a matter of fact Serena, why don't you stay with your sister as well, to help out?" Caroline said.

Serena shared Rina's fears and worries but it was obvious that the two adults have conspired against them and if she had learned anything from her years of foster care, it was that it was sometimes better to give in than to argue in vain.

Both girls just nodded their heads in defeat and went back to the house to get things ready for what they hoped was their safe return with Jack. It felt like they were not doing enough to save their father's life and yet it seemed like the two women knew what they were doing.

"Thank you. If we are too late, I don't want the girls' last image of their father to be a pale unmoving corpse." Caroline said once the girls were out of earshot.

"No problem. I agree with you, but I have a feeling that we will be just in time. Just help me adjust these things. My hands are not what they once were." Zizi said pointing to the carriage.

After the preparations were finished the two women set off on a rescue mission that Caroline hope with all her heart would go well. She had truly gotten her husband back only recently, and she wasn't ready to lose him, not yet, not ever.

Luckily for Caroline, the speed with which they were moving was much greater than what she expected and that gave her some consolation. Maybe, after all, they wouldn't be late.

Even having in mind their incredible speed Caroline felt like they weren't going fast enough. There was a feeling deep down in her core that Jack was slipping away, and she urged Zizi to make the horse run faster which the old woman did do.

Soon enough they could see the car in the distance. Unbeknownst to them, their arrival coincided with Nat's praying for help and his struggles to keep Jack alive. That was probably the reason he didn't even register their loud approach.

Only when Caroline opened the car door did he realize that she was there, that the help he had so longed for had finally arrived. It was like his prayers were immediately answered, and he couldn't help but be in awe.

However, upon closer look, he noticed that Caroline was alone except for the old woman driving the carriage. A ghost of fear and worry started gripping his heart.

"Serena.." He started to say.

"Serena and Rina are just fine. They are getting the house ready for our arrival." Caroline quickly answered as she moved to her husband's side.

To her utter relief, he was breathing. He was burning up, but still, the fact that he was alive, that he held on until she came to save him meant the world.

"Hold on, my love. Help is here." Caroline said.

Although he wasn't conscious Caroline could have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile on his pale, tortured face.

In the meantime, Nat the gentleman that he was, helped Zizi down from the carriage, and she hurried on squeezing beside Caroline to check her patient. It felt to Caroline like the old woman knew exactly what she was doing as if it were her true calling.

"I will put something on to cool him down a bit and something to stop the bleeding, but we need to move him to the carriage and back home as soon as possible," Zizi said.

As she said that she started applying some cool smelling ointment and putting some herbs on Jack's wounds. That seemed to make his breathing less labored and his condition looked mildly better.

"Hurry, carry him to the carriage. This won't hold him for long. I need some stronger herbs, more different tinctures, plus we need to do the disinfection." Zizi said.

Nat and Caroline carried Jack out of the car and into the carriage as carefully as they could and soon enough the horse was galloping down the path to what they hoped was salvation.

Both Caroline and Nat were anxious to see what would happen but the old woman seemed eerily calm as if she had seen everything and done everything and learned not to worry too much. Having in mind her age that was probably true.