she took Judith by the hands.
“It’s nothing,” the nurse said to Renie. “Maybe she
isn’t quite ready to stand. Still, if she doesn’t try . . .”
“If she doesn’t try, she won’t pass out,” Renie cut in
tersely. “Let me get somebody to help you put her back
to bed.”
Though Heather was stronger than she looked, she
didn’t turn down the offer. The nurse was a short, slim
size four; Judith was a statuesque size fourteen. Another strong body was needed for the task. Renie found
the silent orderly just outside the door, stacking trays
onto the meal cart.
Judith’s eyelids fluttered open as the nurse and the
orderly got her back into bed. “Oh . . . What happened?” she asked, her mouth dry and her eyes unfocused.
“You had a little setback,” Heather said, tucking the
covers around Judith. “We’ll try that again later.” The
nurse began taking vital signs.
Renie was standing by the windows. “Damn,” she
breathed, “I think it may snow. I wish Bill and Joe
would get here soon, while it’s still daylight.”
SUTURE SELF
73
“Joe said he’d be by around three,” Judith said.
“Bill’s coming with him, I think.” She took a deep
breath before Heather popped the thermometer in her
mouth.
“Right, there’s no point in taking two cars,” Renie
said, looking down at the hospital entrance’s graceful
landscaping and the adjacent parking lot. “Boy, it
looks really cold out there. I can feel the chill through
the windows.”
Judith couldn’t respond with the thermometer in
her mouth. The dizziness had passed, but she felt
weak as a newborn lamb. The idea of trying to stand
up later in the day sounded impossible.
“I need some water,” she said in a thick voice after
Heather had removed the thermometer. “I’m so dry.”
“You mustn’t get dehydrated,” Heather warned,
proffering the plastic glass. “Remember how we’ve
told you to keep taking in fluids.”
“Hey,” Renie said, “I see Addison Kirby heading for
the parking lot. I wonder if he’s off to see Tubby Turnbull at the . . . Look out!” She shuddered as her good
arm reached out toward the window in a pleading motion. “Ohmigod!”
“What?” Judith sputtered, choking on the water.
Horror-stricken, Renie staggered around to stare at
Judith and Heather. “It’s awful,” she gasped, leaning
against the window embrasure for support. “A car just
came from out of nowhere and ran over Addison
Kirby!”
