Suddenly, Joel made a low murmur, his eyes going sideways as he stumbled to one side.
"Woah, are you okay?" The girl’s hand instantly sprang out, catching him.
They stopped walking.
Joel’s delicate white hand loosely gripped the girl’s forearm for balance as he took a slow, labored breath. "Uh, yeah." His usual high and silvery, voice was now dry and breathy, "So hot. I lost track... I need to...” His eyelids flicked behind his sunglasses, “The sun, now. I... forgot... the time." His head dipped down and back up as he swayed to one side again. "Ugh, I don't feel..."
"Oh my god! Yeah, let’s get you inside." She pulled his arm over her shoulder to hold him up, guiding him toward the building's air-conditioned interior.
Inside the rest area facility—where the room smelled of industrial floor cleaner and sunscreen. A low-volume TV in the corner, glitched with digital static as it murmured a daytime talk show—Rachel had been watching the kids interact through a large window that overlooked the dog-run. She saw Joel stumble and cried out her husband's name, "Oh, my God! Robert! Robert! Joel's in trouble!" Before Robert could lift his eyes from his magazine, Rachel had already sprinted to the door and slammed the panic bar at full force. The door banged against the exterior brick wall at such a level, heads inside and out of the facility turned towards the noise.
Rachel cried his name as she ran towards him. "Joel? Sweetie, are you okay?" Upon reaching him, she took his face in her hands. "Oh, my goodness, honey, you're burning up!" She hooked one arm under Joel’s arm while the girl kept his other arm hooked over her shoulder.
"He almost fainted, I think." The girl responded for him.
Joel started fading fast.
"Forgot... we were... mom… sorr—." He groggily murmured before his head fell to his chest.
“Oh, my God. Hang in there baby!” Rachel murmured a prayer.
When she saw Robert, she yelled to him as he came out of the building to see what was happening. "Robert! Robert! Come quick, get Lulu! I need to get Joel inside right away!"
Once inside, the sudden, frigid blast of air was a shock, making his skin prickle and his head spin even more. Rachel stripped off Joel's hoodie as he slumped into a seat beside her. Rachel wiped sweat from Joel’s face, her voice shattering the artificial calm as she spoke her worst fear aloud, "Oh, my god, he's got heat stroke!" She tried to remain calm, but her fear was palpable as she frantically looked around. "Ice! And towels, I need Ice water!” Not speaking to anyone directly. “Help me! I need Ice! Is there Ice anywhere?" She looked back at Joel "Oh, honey, I'm sorry." Tears started dripping from her eyes.
"I'll be right back!" The girl yelped as she disappeared.
Robert appeared after putting Lulu in the SUV. "What's happening? What's Wrong? Rachel? What happened?" Feeling out of control, he began to panic. "Where'd that girl go? Who is she? Did she do something?" He rubbed his hair and forehead in frustration as he looked around whispering to himself. "What the hell just happened?"
The redheaded girl reappeared with a bucket of ice and a couple towels. "Here! Here's the ice."
"Oh! Thank you, sweetie." Rachel said to the girl. "Robert! Get some water! We need to wrap him in ice and cold water. We need to get him cooled down."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know he was too hot! I'm sorry!" The girl begged. "If I had known."
Robert returned with a couple bottles of water. "Here, honey."
Joel slumped into his mother's lap. "Pour them in that bucket of ice and dip the towel in it." She commanded as she stripped Joel's shirt off, fully exposing his bright white skin.
The other travelers, now gathered around the commotion, their mouths agape, apparently never having seen an albino child before.
"Rachel, should I call 911?" Feeling helpless, Robert asked for direction.
"I don't know yet." Her voice shook as she wrapped the cold, wet towel around Joel's torso. "Robert, get my bag from the car please, it's got a thermometer in it. I need to know his temperature before we call for help."
Robert nodded, his panic clear as he sprinted out to the SUV. Joel's skin felt hot and clammy under her touch, and Rachel could feel his heart racing. The girl, sat beside them, her own eyes filled with worry. "Is he okay? He’s gonna be okay, right?" She whispered, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"Hold this, please," Rachel instructed, handing her the cold towel. "Keep it pressed on his chest." As she tucked some ice under the towel.
The girl did as she was asked, touching Joel's feverish skin caused tears to creep from her eyes as she watched Rachel frantically rummaged through her bag as she prayed. "Please God, don't let it be Heat Stroke." Having found the thermometer, she quickly placed it under Joel's tongue. “I have to take your temperature sweetie.” She said, holding it in place. The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Joel's breathing was shallow and quick, his body shivering despite the heat.
Looking grateful at the red-haired girl, "What's your name, sweetie?" Rachel asked, trying to distract herself from her fear.
"Emily," she replied, her eyes never leaving Joel's pallid skin. "He never said anything about being hot." tears flowed unrestricted now, "If I had known... I'm sorry."
Rachel stroked Joel's sweat-soaked hair, her eyes darting between the thermometer and his eyes. "It's okay, Emily. It's not your fault." She tried to soothe her, but the guilt was already setting in. "Just keep the towel on him, please.” Rachel packed some more ice under the wet towel. “He's had episodes like this before."
Emily nodded, her eyes brimming with tears as she tightly clutched the towel to Joel's chest. "I'm sorry." she murmured. "What did he mean by time? He said he forgot about the time."
"It's okay, Emily." Rachel offered a gentle smile. "Don’t feel bad, you didn’t do anything wrong. Joel has albinism, so he can't be in the sun for long. And as you can see, he’s really susceptible to the heat, he's only good for about 15 minutes at most. I'm sure he was just excited to be talking to you; he forgot to check the time." Rachel's voice was calm, but the edge of fear was unmistakable. "But, it’s really my fault, I'm his mother, I should've watched the time better myself." Rachel took the thermometer from Joel's mouth. "Ugh, only 102 degrees. Thank God, it’s only heat exhaustion, not heat stroke. We just need to get him cooled down; he'll be okay." The onlooker's collective sigh of relief echoed around the room, as if they were all holding their breath waiting for word from Rachel. "Robert, honey. This towel is warming up, please, I need another one. And hand me that bottle of water there."
Robert nodded, his own heart racing, as he took the towel, dipping it in the bucket of ice water before handing it to Rachel. "Don't worry, sweetheart, you're going to be fine," Rachel said, her voice shaky. Joel moaned quietly, his eyes still closed. “Joel, honey, you're doing great, just keep breathing, okay?" She comforted him as she took him in her arms, rocking gently. "I love you, sweetie, you're gonna be fine… Mamma’s sorry. I forgot the time too. But you’re gonna be okay." She slowly ran her fingers through his shaggy white locks. "I love your hair, sweetie, it's so pretty." She propped him up a little, touching a water bottle to his lips. "Can you take a sip of water, honey?" His mouth barely opened, but he managed to take in some water.
Emily watched, feeling utterly responsible for his condition, guilt covered her face.
"It's not your fault," Rachel assured her, noticing her distress. "This is just part of Joel's life, sometimes these things happen."
The rest area buzzed with whispers, the sight of the alabaster boy and his devoted mother, out of place among the tanned families and rugged truckers. Rachel felt the weight of their stares, the curiosity and pity, but she focused solely on Joel as his breathing slowly began to even out.
"You're gonna be okay baby," Rachel whispered into Joel's ear, her own breath a shaky sigh of relief. "You're gonna be okay, it's almost over."
Their eyes met, Rachel could see the fear in Joel's deep blue eyes. "I'm sorry, mom." He murmured, his voice barely audible. "I forgot... time... she's a... dog whisperer," he said pointing a finger in Emily’s direction.
“I saw that too, honey, pretty amazing, right?” Rachel responded.
Emily blushed at the compliment, looking away. "It's really no big deal. Dogs just like me."
Robert returned with fresh ice and a wet towel, taking the one Emily had been holding and replacing it. "Thank you," Rachel murmured, her eyes never leaving Joel's face. She could feel his temperature dropping slightly, a relief that washed over her like a cool breeze.
"Dog whisperer." Joel whispered to Emily, his eyes still closed.
Forcing a smile, she looked at him with understanding and unshed tears.
The Taits had never seen such genuine kindness, towards Joel, from a complete stranger. Rachel felt a warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the oppressive heat outside. "You know, Emily," she said, her voice gentle, "other than Joel, you're the first person I've ever seen that Lulu liked. She's usually pretty... selective. And, seeing Joel… I saw you two laughing, and… well, that means a lot to me."
Emily smiled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm just a sucker for cute dogs I guess," she said, trying to lighten the mood. Joel cracked a smile, his cheeks still flushed. "And cute boys" she added, winking at him.
Rachel looked between them, her heart swelling. “It’s rare for Joel to connect with anyone outside of our little family bubble, and even rarer for someone outside our family to see beyond his albinism." she said, with hope sparkling in her eyes.
"Well, he made me earn it, that's for sure!" Emily giggled a little "He flat out told me to go away at first. But I don't give up so easily. My dad says I'm 'bull headed'."
"Yeah, 'bull headed' that’s a good one." Rachel giggled along with Emily. "I'm grateful for your bullheadedness today. Joel's always had a hard time making friends." The sadness in her voice was plain. "Joel's been bullied so badly, because of his looks, it's made him afraid of nearly everyone, especially strangers. But it looks like you may have won him over." She looked at Emily with thankful eyes.
"We were just getting there, that's when he collapsed." Emily said.
Rachel nodded, her eyes never leaving Joel's face as his breathing grew steadier. "I'm Rachel, by the way," she said, extending a hand to Emily. With Emily’s hand in hers, Rachel looked up at the man who'd been standing near Emily observing the emotional scene. "And you must be Emily's dad?"
The man nodded, a look of concern etched on his weathered face. "Yes ma'am, I'm George, George Redd, and this here's my wife, Judy, and you've met Emily, of course." he said gruffly, his calloused handshake firm. Rachel felt a pang of gratitude for the Redds, who, like Rachel, had also been keeping a watchful eye on their daughter befriending the strange albino boy.
"Thank you for your help," Rachel said, her voice still shaky. "I'm Rachel Tait, and this is my husband, Dr. Robert Tait, and our son Joel." Indicating Joel with a nod. "I don't know what we would have done without the bucket of ice and towels. We're indebted to you," Still emotional over the ordeal, her eyes welled up again. "I just can't thank you enough."
Judy, like Emily, was a petite, fiery red-haired woman with a kind face. She took the seat next to Rachel, handing her a cold bottle of water. "Oh, dear, you don't owe us a thing.” Attempting to comfort her, gently rubbing the back of her shoulder. “We're all just glad he's going to be okay. Besides, it was really Emily's quick thinking. She was the one who got the bucket and towels from our van."
Joel's eyes slowly opened, the sapphire blue peeking out from under his lids. "Mom," he croaked, his voice dry and raspy. Rachel's eyes snapped to his face, her heart jumping. "You okay, baby?" She asked, her voice thick with concern. “Here. Take a sip of water.”
"Yeah, I think so," he responded weakly, managing a small nod.
Emily's eyes lit up with relief, at the same time, tried to lighten the somber mood that hung in the air. "Hey Joel, here's an idea for you, maybe start wearing one of those wide brimmed sun hats, instead of a hoodie? You know, like in that old timey movie, The Bird Cage." She playfully poked his arm.
"The Bird Cage?" Looking confused at Emily, "Never heard of it."
"Oh my god, Joel, you have to see it! You'd love it! It's got to be one of the funniest movies of all time!" Emily laughed, holding her stomach. "Ooh, that Nathan Lane, he's hilarious! I just love him!"
The parents’ faces all crinkled with disappointment as they exchanged understanding glances. Emily’s reference to an "old timey movie" hit a little close to home, reminding them of how quickly time passes. That movie came out when they were teenagers, long before either of the kid’s parents were even married.
Emily's dad chuckled, "The Bird Cage is a classic, Joel, I’m sure you'd like it. It's about a drag..." he trailed off, remembering the plot and its complex nuances, would take too long to explain in the moment. "Well, you'll see. It's a really funny movie," He finished awkwardly.
"Maybe we could watch it together sometime, sweetie." Rachel said, her eyes glistening with hope as she gave Joel a loving squeeze. "Looks like you're feeling better, huh? How do you feel? We should take your temp again."
Joel nodded slightly, his energy not quite restored. "Tired, but, I think I'm okay." He took another sip of water, feeling the cold liquid soothe his dry throat. "And I'm not going to wear a sunhat," he added with a weak smirk, earning a gentle chuckle from Emily.
"Well, you do you, Joel, but I think it would be perfect for a fashionista like yourself! And remember," Emily’s eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's not every day you meet a dog whisperer, who also might know a thing or two about fashion."
Joel couldn't help but laugh a little, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "Maybe," he conceded, feeling a little more like himself as his flushed face began to fade back to its normal, paper-white tone, highlighting his freckled cheeks. The conversation flowed easily between them now, their shared sense of humor shining through the awkwardness of their first encounter. Rachel watched her son come back to life before her eyes, his usual vibrancy slowly seeping back into his porcelain features. "Hold this in your mouth honey." She put the thermometer back under his tongue.
"So, Mr. Redd?" Robert inquired, as he glanced between George and Judy, "What brings you and your family through this area? You folks on vacation?"
George looked at Joel, then back to Robert, his expression softening. "I wish it were a vacation, haven't had one of those in years." He snickered. "Uh, but, anyway, we're on our way to Oakland. I'm starting a new job there next week, teaching welding, at the community college.
"Oh, my goodness! Is that right!?," Rachel’s eyes lit up. "That’s where we’re headed, Robert is starting a new job too.” Joel wasn’t the only Tait feeling anxious about making new friends in Oakland. “He’s the new President of The State University. Isn't that amazing, Robert?"
“Yeah, honey, that’s great.” Robert managed an awkward, but, friendly smile. His tone was slightly elevated, over his usual flatness. Almost cheerful.
Emily's parents exchanged a surprised glance, "Well, isn't that just a small world!" Judy’s eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What a coincidence!"
“Yeah,” Emily agreed, her cheeks flushing pink as she turned to Joel, a mischievous smirk crossed her face. “Maybe we're destined to be friends or something.”
Joel's heart skipped a beat. Is she for real? Does she actually want to be my friend? Like a real friend? Not a pity friend, but a real, genuine friend? I’ve never had that before. And even though he so, deeply, desired a true and genuine friend, his deep-rooted fears of rejection wouldn't allow him to be too excited. "I suppose anything is possible." His muffled words nearly unintelligible with a thermometer still under his tongue.
"Well," Rachel said, her eyes darting between Emily and Judy, "It seems we're all going to be neighbors… of sorts. I think it would be nice if we got together once everyone’s all settled in." Rachel saw the way her son's eyes had lit up when Emily had talked to him. Now, full of hope, she wanted to do whatever she could to encourage their budding friendship.
"I think that sounds great, don't you honey?" Judy said to her husband, George, with a warm smile, her eyes reflecting the same hope Rachel felt. Turning back to Rachel, she continued. "Emily doesn't have any siblings, so she could use some new friends around her age too."
George nodded, his eyes still on Joel. "Aye, I think that sounds good, maybe Joel will be a good influence on our little rebel," He ruffled Emily's hair, who playfully swatted his hand away with a giggle. "And keep her out of trouble. heh?"
Emily rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad, dad!"
They all laughed, the tension in the room dissipating like a cloud of dust in a gentle breeze. Joel felt something stir inside him that he hadn't felt in a long time: hope. Maybe, just maybe, this small town wouldn't be as bad as he thought. The onlookers had long gone back to their respective trips down the highway to destinations unknown, Joel was back to his normal self and everyone was feeling pretty hopeful about their new town, with their newfound friends.
"Let's see this now." Rachel pulled the thermometer from under Joel's tongue. "Oh, ninety-nine degrees, we're getting there!" As Rachel took a deep breath before she helped Joel to his feet, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that was so palpable, like a physical weight lifted from her shoulders, the whole room felt it. "You and Emily should exchange numbers," Rachel suggested, her voice brimming with excitement. "So, you can keep in touch and maybe even go exploring the city once we're all settled in."
Emily beamed, her eyes bright. "That would be amazing!" She exclaimed, while making a jab at her father's rebel comment. "We can see how much we can get away with before we catch hell from the police, heh Joel?" Her eyes darted between Joel's and her father's eyes.
"Emily," Judy chastised gently, though she couldn't hide the smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Let's not scare off our new friends with talk of trouble."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Redd," Joel said, though his own grin was hard to suppress. "I'm a real homebody, so I don't think we're in any danger of being arrested. Well..." He instantly modified his response. "Me at least. I can't control what she does on her own time."
Everyone shared a laugh, and Rachel watched the exchange with a mix of pride and relief. Her son, who had been so often misunderstood and isolated, had found a kindred spirit in a feisty redheaded girl.