Finding Love (GxG) -completed-

Chapter 16- Good Samaritans

Eli: Let’s meet at Apache Mall at 3:00PM and I can drive from there. I drive an older Toyota Tacoma and I’ll meet you in parking near JCP. I remember you saying you liked photography, so feel free to bring your camera if you’d like? Should be plenty of opportunities for great shots.

Nurse Kameron: That sounds great! See you then.

Eli: Oh, and we will be outside, so please dress accordingly. 

Nurse Kameron: Will do. Thanks for the heads up. (Smiley face emoji).

Unsure what to plan for date number two, Elise wanted to do something fun and unique, so she planned to meet Kam in town and then drive out to Sekapp’s Apple Orchard. They met at Apache Mall and drove the short distance out to Sekapp’s orchard together. Upon arrival, workers directed parking, they walked up to the barn, each grabbed a small bag to place their apples in, and then joined the line waiting for the wagon ride. A huge red apple sculpture with a green leaf and brown stem marked the front of the line with a sign that says, “U-Pick apples, wagon stops here.” Everywhere we looked their were children and parents running through the hay bale maze, sampling apple slices, or drinking apple cider. The sun was shining and it was about sixty degrees. A beautiful fall day. Eli and Kam talked about their weeks as they waited. Kam was snapping pictures with her professional digital camera every so often when the mood hit her. Eli pulled her phone out and asked a lady standing next to them in line, if she would please take a picture of the two of them as they stood in front of the Apple sculpture that was about the same height they were. The lady happily obliged, so Eli and Kam stood with one arm around each other’s shoulder and smiled. Next Kam suggested a comical picture and both made bunny ears over the other’s head and made funny faces. Both laughed, Eli thanked the kind lady, and they got back in line. Like last time, Eli texted the pictures to Kam so she had them as well. The funny poses had lightened the mood and both were now smiling bigger, cracking jokes, and laughing. “Why did the apple cry?” Eli asked with a huge smile. Kam simply shook her head, not knowing the answer. “It cried because it’s peelings were hurt. Badumpbump,” Eli said and acted like she was pounding it out on the drums. 

“Oh my gosh,” Kam responded but kept laughing. “Okay, I’ve got one.... What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple?”

Elise laughed, “Oh come on, everyone knows that one. Finding half a worm in your apple. Ha”

Kam thought briefly before saying, “What kind of apples throw the best parties?”

Eli thought for a second. “Hmm, that one I don’t know.”

“Gala of course!” Kam laughed and Eli joined her. 

“I have to admit, that one was better. Guess they are all pretty corny huh?”

Kam responded, “Nope, they are worthy of apple-aus. Haha.”

Just as they caught their breath from laughing so hard, the wagon arrived and the riders unloaded. The line moved fairly quickly after that. Elise offered Kameron a hand when she stepped up onto the wagon and Kam smiled sweetly at her. Eli climbed in and they sat at the end nearest the tractor, side by side. Once everyone was seated, they were informed the wagon would drop them off in the orchard with their bags and pick them up in about 30-60 minutes.  This should hopefully give them time to pick their apples, ride back to the barn, and browse before they close for the day at 5:00PM. If time, Eli was hoping to take Kam in the corn maze too. Everyone nodded in understanding, so John, as the young driver had introduced himself, turned the ignition, put it in gear, and off they went. On the ride, everyone was talking and laughing and seemed to be having a grand old time. Every so often, John would stop and point out several different kinds of the more than 25 kinds of apples grown at the orchard. At every stop, a few people got off to pick. Eli and Kam remained on until they came to the area where McIntosh apples were grown. It turned out they both like sour apples and the more sour, the better. Not far from their tree were several honey crisp trees, and the majority of their wagon’s passengers were there picking them. Several children were climbing up and down the ladders with parents reminding them to be careful so they didn’t get hurt. After Eli and Kam filled their small bags, Kam was able to get some beautiful pictures of apple trees, families having fun and picking apples, and even the beautiful changing leaves off in the distance on the bluffs. Losing track of time, Kam and Eli soon heard the tractor off in the distance, so moved from the trees, toward the main aisle where they would be picked up. 

The group continued to grow as the tractor drew near. As they were waiting, a commotion could be heard followed by an ear splitting scream and then loud crying. “Oh my gosh, Eliot. Are you okay?” A female voice said loudly and with a lot of emotion.

“No mommy, it huuurrrtts.” The little boy continued to cry.

Eli and Kam looked at each other and headed in the direction of the crying. “Mam, can we help you? We know First aid,” Kam said as they reached the woman and child. From the strange angle the boy’s wrist was in, it was almost certainly fractured. Of course neither Kam nor Eli mentioned that, because they didn’t want to scare Eliot or his mother. 

“Yes please. He said his wrist hurts. He fell from the ladder and missed about the last four steps. He tried to break his fall with his hand.” Mom said nervously as the little boy remained on the ground with tears still running down his face.

“Did I hear your name is Eliot?” Kam asked as she kneeled down next to the boy. The little boy nodded but continued to cry quietly. “Well Eliot, my name is Kameron and I know first aid and I’d like to help you with your arm. Can I do that Elliot?” Again, the little boy nodded but the tears were beginning to slow as he concentrated on Kameron. “Eliot, this is my friend Elise. I’m going to have Elise hold your other hand okay?” Eliot nodded. Elise moved over to the boy's uninjured arm and took his hand. 

As Elise began to distract the little boy, Kameron sent a bystander to see if John on the tractor had a first aid kid. Kameron also quietly informed the mother that the forearm was almost certainly fractured and that Eliot needed to go to the hospital. Mom opted to take the boy by car instead of calling an ambulance to transport him. Within minutes the bystander returned with John and the first aid kit. Kameron opened the kit and found a splint that can be fitted to the limb so she could leave it at its current angle. A gauze roll to go in the hand, two triangular bandages, and an instant ice pack completed the needed supplies. Since Kameron wasn’t a doctor, all she could do was assess the limb, which seemed to have proper blood flow judging by pulses, capillary refill, and presence of sensation. Kameron then splinted the limb in its current position, and made a sling to secure the arm to the body for stability. Elise continued to talk to Eliot and found out he was four years old, he has two older sisters, a dog named Bart, his favorite show is “Paw Patrol,” and someday he wants to learn to fly an airplane. Elise helped Kameron tie the knots on the triangular dressings (one like a sling holding the wrist up slightly to help prevent swelling, and one to hold the injured arm to his body) to stabilize it so he was safe for transport. Once the arm was secure, Kam reassessed the limb and added an ice pack to help decrease the edema and pain.

“Well Eliot, you were very brave. Now we can stand up, walk to the wagon, and ride back to our cars. Ready young man?” Eliot nodded, but this time with a smile. Holding onto Eliot’s uninjured arm, Elise helped him stand without jarring his injured side. Eliot sat on his mother’s lap on the ride back to the barn with only a few complaints on large bumps. Kam praised Eliot for being such a brave boy. Apples forgotten, Eliot and his mother got buckled into the car, him in his car seat and her in the driver’s seat. Buckling the car seat was a challenge with his arm wrapped, but Mom made due. Eliot smiled and waved at Kam and Eli as they drove away. 

Both Kam and Eli were smiling when they looked at each other after the car drove away. The wagon had been parked because it was soon closing time, so the young women walked over to grab their bags of apples and walked to the barn to pay for them. Standing at the cash register with money in hand, the young women are approached by a smiling John, “Oh no, no. You two were magnificent. The least we can do is give you your apples on the house. Thank you so much for helping that young man... and his mother. I’ve no doubt he will be just fine, but it may have been a very different outcome had you not been present. The angle of his wrist did not look normal.” John shuddered as he said the last part. “In fact, we would like to invite you back again when you can enjoy yourselves and not have to work for your apples.” John winked as he finished his offer. 

Eli laughed and thought to herself, he is such a flirt. Too bad it’s wasted on us. Kam looked at Eli and Eli shrugged in return. Kam responded, “oh it was no work really. It was our pleasure to lend a hand. I don’t know about Eli, but I’d love to come again.” Kam continued to look in her direction, waiting for a response.

“Umm yeah… I’d like that. Thank you John.” Eli held out her hand to shake John’s hand. 

John shook her hand but held it slightly longer than necessary. After finally letting go, he held his hand out to Kam who shook his hand as well. Pressing his luck, John offered, “Maybe I could take you ladies out for a proper dinner to thank you?” John wiggled his eyebrows up and down at the end of his offer. 

Kam laughed, “Oh John, that’s a very generous offer, but I’m afraid we have plans for tonight and then we both work this weekend. Thank you though.” 

There was a short, awkward silence as John stood looking at the two ladies. Finally John said in a loud whisper, “You can’t blame a man for trying.”

This time it was Eli who laughed in response, “nope, no we can’t. We are flattered really, but we need to get going. Kam works early in the morning. Thanks again for the apples.” Eli grabbed Kameron’s hand and they walked over to her truck, climbed inside, looked at each other and broke out laughing. Once Eli had wiped the tears from her cheeks from laughing so hard, she turned the ignition and drove away.