Read Online Down the Hidden Path by Heather Burch - Free Book Online Page A

into leaving the military before this happened.
    “Reading over his limitations, I think you’ve covered the basics here. He can get to the kitchen, restroom, bedroom; you’ve removed tripping hazards and have dedicated spaces for furniture. That will all make an easier transition for him, but, Miah, there’s so much more to brain injuries than the physical things.”
    He knew that. Had already been warned about it. But where some of the soldiers were embracing the next level of therapy, for Caleb it was beginning to take a toll. A soldier was only as strong as his mental state.
    “Caleb has some behavioral issues, am I right?”
    “Frustration, mostly.”
    Gray leaned forward. “For you it may seem like frustration, but for him it feels like the world is falling apart. Throwing him into society before he’s ready could pose a huge threat to his progress. Plus, what are your goals? Caleb needs goals. Something he’s working toward.”
    “Getting well.”
    She pressed her hand firmly against the folder. “Getting well for what? A goal, Miah. Not just a destination. Didn’t they walk you through all of this? I seem to remember them offering classes to family members. Caregiving classes.”
    “Yes. They did. I got through the first few hours, then got a call that my pipes had busted. I had to leave.”
    He watched her closely as she weighed his words against what she’d read in the file. His hold on the situation was slipping. In another moment, Gray would stand and tell him she wouldn’t sign off. He had to make her understand.
    “Gray, that’s why I need you. Obviously, Caleb needs daily therapy. That’s what he’d get if he stayed in Tampa.”
    “That’s right. They simulate living in society, but it’s in a controlled environment. So much safer for the soldiers.” She sat the folder on the coffee table by her cocoa.
    “Caleb has had about all of the controlled environment he can handle.” Miah reached over, placed his hand on hers. “Please, Gray. I need you to sign off on the paper. Then, I need to hire you to help rehabilitate him.”
    She pulled a deep breath. “Do you have any contact with your grandfather? Grandfather Havinger? You know I see him in Laver now and then.”
    Miah blinked, trying to catch up to the change of subject. “Uh, no. None of us have spoken to him.”
    She tugged her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down. “The kind of care you’re talking about will be expensive, Miah. Your grandfather could—”
    Miah stood. “No. He couldn’t. He wanted to take our mom away from us, Gray. When she was dying, he wanted to send her off to Europe. Or have you forgotten?”
    “For an experimental treatment.” There was a pleading tone to her voice.
    “A treatment that had shown zero results.” His own voice rose in frustration, so Miah corralled it as best he could. “Listen, Mom set up trusts for each of us. The money isn’t an issue.”
    He could plainly see her doubt. Of course, Gray didn’t know how much money they had, just that the treatment and care could be exhaustive.
    “Tell me about the building alongside the lodge.”
    Another quick change. Somehow this all fit together, even if it was only Gray who knew how. “It’s an indoor pool. Drained. So, I guess it’s a giant hole in the ground. Why?”
    “Does Caleb still love the water?”
    “Yes.”
    “How expensive would it be to fix? It could be a really great form of therapy for him.”
    Miah rubbed a hand over his face. “More than I want to spend right now, but if it’s necessary . . .”
    “It’s not. We’re near the lake. When summer rolls around, it will be useful. Caleb can fish, swim. All of that just seems like normal activities, but for him, everything is now therapy. Do you understand?”
    “Yeah.” He could run the numbers. See if the pool could be worked into the budget. He’d just been bragging that the money wasn’t an issue. And now here he was, counting dollars to see if he could