“She’s stable, but we need to get her to the hospital,” the woman whispered as the two men scooted Maria onto a gurney.
Christy took Maria’s hand and squeezed it. Maria opened her eyes, looking terrified. Christy felt the same but tried not to show it.
“It’s okay, Maria. You’ll be fine.”
Maria tried to speak but no words came. The attendants rolled the gurney into the hall and then the waiting elevator.
“Can I ride with her?” Christy asked, stepping inside with the medics and elevator man. She clenched Maria’s free hand, which was cold and shaking.
“Sure,” the female attendant said. “Is there family to call?” she asked.
“A granddaughter,” Christy answered. “I’ll do it. I think she needs more covers.”
The paramedics pushed the gurney to the front of the building and into the ambulance. Christy climbed in with the others. “Where are we going?”
“Lenox Hill.” The ambulance took off, and Christy could hear sirens blaring outside. The hospital was only blocks from the apartment. None of it seemed real.
A young dark-haired paramedic put another blanket over Maria, whose eyes were closed. Christy took her hand once more. “I’m here, Maria. We’re going to Lenox Hill. You’ll have the best doctors. I promise.”
Maria opened her eyes slightly and tried to talk. “R—…R—…”
“Renata will be fine, I promise. I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry.” You have to get better, Christy thought.
The ambulance stopped, and the doors sprang open. In a flurry of activity, hospital attendants wearing scrubs evacuated the rolling bed from the vehicle. Christy’s stomach dropped when she saw the lost expression on Maria’s face. “R…Re…” she slurred again. Christy caught up with the gurney. She knew Maria was thinking the unthinkable. She tried to pretend she wasn’t more frightened than she’d ever been.
“Of course I’ll raise Renata if anything happens. You know I promised you that, Maria. But you’re gonna be fine.” That’s right, she thought, Maria will be fine. She just needs rest. When she gets out of the hospital, I’ll send her on a tropical vacation. A sunny place where she can sleep and get her strength back.
Maria visibly relaxed. She closed her eyes and Christy could see that her lashes were wet with tears. The attendants told Christy to wait outside. They were taking Maria to a restricted area. In an instant, she was gone. Christy stood there, staring, as the door slammed in her face. She wanted to call Michael, but he wouldn’t be landing for another two hours. She felt utterly and completely alone.
Christy found her way to an empty orange plastic chair in the waiting room, brushed away a candy wrapper, and sat down to think. How could this be happening? Was there time to run home, handle the luncheon, and then get back to the hospital? Maybe she should skip the board meeting. No, she had to be there. Maria may be dying. No, that’s impossible. Of course it’s possible. People die every day. Renata. She had to find the child and bring her to the hospital. Christy called Katherine on her cell but got voice mail. She explained the situation and asked her to cover the lunch. She promised to call back in a half hour to brief her on what she’d planned to say. It’ll be okay, Christy thought. Katherine has presented to the board before.
Christy called Steven and asked him to pick her up at Lenox Hill as soon as possible. Walking outside to Seventy-seventh Street, she realized she had no idea where the kid went to school. She knew it was in Queens, but that was all.
Steven pulled up and Christy hopped into the back. “Steven, you don’t happen to know where Maria’s granddaughter goes to school?” Christy was virtually sure that he didn’t, but she asked anyway.
“I don’t know the name of it, but I think I can find it. I drove Maria there in December for some Christmas show.”
“Thank you. God bless you,” she said. “Drive as fast as you can.” Christy sat back, closed her eyes, and tried to steady her hands. Her head felt like it would explode. Keep it together, keep it together, she told herself. She couldn’t show up at Renata’s school acting hysterical. Traffic was a nightmare. Christy cursed the big trucks that were double-parked leaving only two lanes open for traffic. She pulled out her phone and called the Lenox Hill emergency room.
“Hello. It’s Christy Hayes, and I was just there with Maria Ruiz. They said she had a stroke. I’m on my way to pick up her granddaughter. Do you have an update on her condition?”
Christy held long enough to hear “I Will Always Love You,” “Uptown Girl,” and the beginning of “Your Song” before the nurse came back. The music helped calm her. That was smart, she thought, playing lite FM on an emergency room’s hold line. Christy listened to the nurse’s update, then thanked her. She snapped her cell phone closed and stuck it into her purse. She found an unexpected pack of Big Red gum in the bag. She took a piece and offered one to Steven. Cinnamon gum is definitely the best kind, she thought. Maria is dead. Christy said these words to herself, but she couldn’t really take them in. Today is Thursday. The sky is blue. Maria is dead. Words, just words. So many things she’d never said to Maria. She just felt there would always be time.
Renata’s Big Day
Public School 223 was housed in a square, tan brick building with iron bars on the windows. After trying every door to the place, Christy found
