thought, he was wishing he’d stuck a note on her, too.
SUTURE SELF
19
Renie nudged Judith. “I guess we checked our
voices at the door.”
The nun looked at a computer screen. “They’re
right,” she said to the nurse. “Jones and Flynn, Drs.
Ming and Alfonso.”
“Whew,” Renie said facetiously. “I’m sure glad
we’re the right people.”
Bill poked her in the ribs. “Don’t say anything. Let
them do their jobs.”
Renie scowled at Bill. “I was only trying to lighten
the—”
Bill poked her again, and Renie shut up.
The nurse handed several forms to Joe and Bill.
“Have your wives fill these out over in the reception
area. We’ll call their names when the doctors are
ready.”
“What are these?” Renie asked, despite the glower
from Bill.
“Medical information,” the nurse responded. “Consent forms. Releases.”
“Release from what?” Renie inquired, resisting
Bill’s efforts to propel her away from the desk.
“Consent to the procedure,” the nurse said, looking
impatient. “Releasing the hospital from responsibility
in case you expire.”
“Expire?” Renie blanched. “As in . . . croak?”
“Let’s go,” Bill muttered, his jaw set.
Joe had already wheeled Judith into the waiting
area. “Did Renie say ‘croak’?” she asked her husband.
“It sounded like ‘croak,’ ” Joe answered in his
breeziest manner. “Of course, it might have been ‘joke’
or ‘Coke’ or ‘cloak.’ ”
Judith looked down at the forms that Joe had put in
her lap. “She said ‘croak.’ If I croak, it’s not their fault.
20
Mary Daheim
I wonder how Joaquin Somosa and Joan Fremont feel
about that? I mean, I wonder how their families feel?”
“Glum,” Joe replied. “Just fill the damned things out
and let’s get on with it.”
“Aren’t you and Bill being a bit callous?” Judith demanded.
“No,” Joe asserted. “Those were flukes. Didn’t the
newspaper hint that Joan Fremont had been doing
some drugs? She was an actress, Somosa was an athlete. I once worked in Vice. I know how that goes. It’s
all show biz, and a lot of those people get involved in
drugs, both legal and otherwise.”
Judith wasn’t reassured, but she stopped arguing.
