Coffey comes to visit Janet in the hospital, telling her that Len and Tab are also coming in to help look for Tex.
The nurse, not Flora, came in. “Hi, Mrs. Macy….”
“Ms. Yarkowsky, please. Make a note. It’s because of Mr. Macy I’m here. I’d really like to pretend that name doesn’t exist.”
The young blonde scribbled a note on the chart. “I sure will. How’s your head?”
“Better, thanks.”
“Your doctor will be in shortly. With luck, you’ll be out of here by this afternoon. He did want to get one or two more tests.”
“Anything, just set me free. I don’t do well being confined.”
The nurse smiled kindly. “Your sister told us that.”
The doctor spoke to Janet, did his own poking and prodding and sent her for an MRI. Once she was back in her room, she fell asleep.
Janet woke when the dinner cart clattered in the hall. Her doctor came in a short time later.
“The MRI looks good. I’m gonna cut you loose. I want you to go home and rest. And don’t take even an aspirin, unless you get my permission.”
“I won’t. I’m not much for pills. Did you figure out what he gave me?”
“Still working on it. His own concoction, I’m afraid. It looks like half a dozen different medications in your blood stream. Glad you’re in such good health. A dose like that could have killed a lesser woman.”
“Constitution like a horse,” she said.
Her doctor laughed. “Okay, well, Secretariat, I’m gonna give the nurse the go. You can call someone to come get you.”
“Thanks, Doctor.”
Janet finished her meal and the nurse came in to take out her IV. Her father planned to pick her up in about half an hour, but Janet was all ready champing at the bit to be gone. She changed into her clothing and lay on her bed. Nothing interesting was on TV, so she closed her eyes and tried to remember more details from the night before. It still was foggy.
Tex had called, wanting to come by. He insisted on seeing her, needed her help—again. Why couldn’t he simply sign the damn divorce papers, and leave her in peace?
“I’ll sign them, baby. I’ll do anything…. Please, Janet. Just see me, let me talk.”
And she’d agreed. Like an idiot, she’d said yes. They’d had a cup of coffee and she started to feel strange. The only thing she remembered after that was Tex waving the shotgun at Danny and Ricky. Danny stood up to Tex, protecting his baby brother, shielding him with his body. He was hardly more than a baby himself, when his father died. He’d had to be a man every since. He took care of her and Ricky.
Her eyes drifted shut and she lingered on the edge of sleep. The door to her room opened and handsome, dark haired man stood there. There was something familiar about him, but he didn’t look quite like himself. A long, jagged scar ran from his right eyebrow, down the side of his face, to his jaw. His dark hair was longer than the last time she’d seen him, the mass of dark curls wild and untamed.
“Baby, is that you?” She held out her hands to him.
“It’s me,” he said, his voice hoarse, gasping like he’d been running.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Me too…. I can’t stay….”
“Don’t leave me!”
“I’ll be back….”
The door closed and she woke with a start. Running to the door, Janet looked around, but there was no sign of him. She hit the call button for the nurse.
“Janet?” The young blonde was back. “You okay?”
“Did you see the man who was in my room?”
“A man? Not your dad?”
“No! A man with black, curly hair. Did you see him?”
“Honey, no one’s been up here—well, no strangers. You’re sure?”
Janet sat on the bed. “It was so real. I really thought…. Did you ever dream something that seemed so real, only to wake up and find out it wasn’t?”
“Yeah. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Janet cried, trying to smile. “I don’t think I ever will be again. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“No bother, honey. Oh, look. There’s your dad. Let’s get you out of here!”
©2020 Dellani Oakes
Dellani Oakes 