KINE-TV anchorwoman saw the newspaper reporter’s
name posted by the door. Mavis galloped across the
threshold and disappeared.
“What’s going on?” Judith heard Mavis demand as
Corinne pushed the wheelchair down the hall. “Are
you a prisoner in this place or what?”
Judith hit the brake, catching Corinne off balance.
The nurse almost fell over the top of the wheelchair.
“Sorry,” Judith apologized, looking shamefaced.
“Could we back up a bit?”
“What for?” Corinne asked, catching her breath.
“I just saw an old friend,” Judith said with a lame little smile. “I wanted to say hello.”
“If your friend has come to visit, whoever it is will
SUTURE SELF
279
wait,” Corinne declared. “I have to keep to a schedule.
I don’t want to lose my job when this Cleveland bunch
takes over. I have a mother to support, remember?”
Judith felt the wheelchair move forward at what
seemed to be headlong speed. Unfortunately, Renie
was up ahead. If she had seen Mavis, she hadn’t bothered to stop. But Renie and Mavis didn’t always get
along. Maybe, Judith thought, her cousin had chosen
to ignore the TV anchorwoman.
Once they reached the shower area, Corinne struck
a more amiable attitude. “I’m sorry if I was rude,” she
said as she helped Judith take off her hospital gown,
“but this has been a very difficult day, what with this
takeover and all. Plus, we’ve had some problems with
the showers the last couple of days. Curly, our maintenance man, thinks one or two of the pipes may have
frozen. In fact, the shower area has been off-limits
until just a little while ago.”
“That’s fine,” Judith murmured. “It’s just that I’m so
worried about my husband, and when I saw Mavis . . .
my old friend . . . I thought she might be able to help
me find out what’s going on.”
“There’s nothing to fret about,” Corinne said glibly as
she turned on the taps and helped Judith into the shower.
“I’ll stand right outside. If you need help, just call.”
Judith regarded the steady stream of water with
trepidation. “Are you sure this waterproof cover on the
dressing will keep my wound dry?”
Corinne nodded. “That’s why it’s there. Just don’t
do anything to dislodge it.”
“Where’s my cousin?” Judith asked, looking around
at the other stalls as if she were searching for a lifeline.
A stream of curses exploded out of a shower stall
across the aisle, answering Judith’s question.
280
Mary Daheim
