31
me, I must get things straightened out. Keep drinking
those liquids, both of you. Come along, Mr. Randall.
Jim, is it?” She put a firm hand on Jim Randall’s elbow
and steered him out into the hall. “I agree, too much
excitement isn’t good for . . .”
Her voice faded as they moved down the hall. Renie
picked up a tiny digital clock from her nightstand. “It’s
going on five. I haven’t eaten since last night. When do
they serve around here?”
“I thought you hurt so much,” Judith remarked,
plucking listlessly at the white linen sheet. “Good
Cheer Hospital” had been stitched in blue on the hem,
but the letters had worn away to leave only “Goo . .
h . er Ho . p . . .”
“I do,” Renie said, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t be
hungry.”
Before Judith could respond, Dr. Alfonso reappeared, now dressed in blue jeans, a denim shirt, and a
black leather jacket. “You’re looking a bit brighter,
Mrs. Flynn,” he said, though his own voice was weary.
“Let’s take a peek at that dressing.”
“When do we eat?” Renie asked in a petulant tone.
“After a bit,” the surgeon replied without taking his
eyes off the loose bandage. “We’ll get the nurse to
change that. How’s the pain?”
“Awful,” Renie broke in. “Whatever happened to
Demerol?”
“It’s bearable,” Judith responded bravely. “Though
it hurts quite a bit to make even the slightest move.”
“We’ll take care of that, too,” Dr. Alfonso said with
a tired smile. “Now let’s talk about your rehab—”
“How can a person rehab,” Renie demanded, “when
his or her arm feels like it fell off? In fact, I think it did.
Do you want to check the floor for me?”
32
Mary Daheim
“We’ll have you try to sit up tomorrow,” the doctor
said to Judith. “Maybe later in the day, we’ll see if you
can take a few steps.”
“That sounds next to impossible right now,” Judith
said, though her weak smile tried to convey courage.
“I’ll do my best.”
“I’ll do my worst if somebody doesn’t put something besides corn syrup in this IV,” Renie snarled.
With shoulders slumped, Dr. Alfonso started to turn
away from Judith. “I’ll be by in the morning to—”
His words were cut short by screams and a large
thud from nearby. Judith stiffened in the narrow bed
and Renie’s expression went from grumpy to curious.
Dr. Alfonso picked up his step, but was met by a petite
Asian nurse in a fresh white uniform and cap.
