Mark, still semi-coherent, guesses the bike. David reluctantly participated, saying the ditch.
“I kid you not,” said Jason. “It was in the friggin’ tree, just hanging on a branch partway up, like the good Lord Himself put it there for safekeeping.”
“Saddle up; we’re headed out,” said Janice, as she inched the truck forward. “No more guessing contests, Jason. I want Mark to stay quiet and calm on the way to town.”
“Sure thing. Sorry about that,” replied Jason.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-eight
Weston, Colorado
It was strange, Janice thought, driving right past her property and waving to her husband sitting on the front porch. They were in contact by radio with James, agreeing to have them bypass the ranch for now and get the best medical help in the area. He even called ahead, flexing his Mayor muscle to get a recently overworked and underpaid Dr. Walters to wait for the new arrival.
Dr. Walters and two others, one less competent and one probably more if an official vote were ever taken, helped Mark out of the truck and onto a gurney. They whisked him inside after getting the mechanism of injury from Jason.
“He crashed his four-wheeler to avoid hitting a mama bear and her cub is the extent of it,” he said.
Before the day, the explanation would surely be followed up with ten or more questions. After all, doctors needed a good and thorough daily note on each patient and an initial exam of easily 4-7 pages. Now it was different, and every doctor knew it. “What happened and where does it hurt?” were the introductory questions, followed by an immediate treatment plan and execution of it.
* * * *
“Mark has a fracture of the sternum,” Dr. Walters said an hour later. “It’s not a major concern, but the pain is going to be tough at times. We’ve had our surgeon in for a second opinion, and she thinks the sternum is nonsurgical for now. His left femur will require surgery, and the sooner the better.”
“How soon?” asked David.
“Tonight! He also has two broken ribs on his right anterior—I mean the front side—and a concussion.”
“He told me he didn’t hit his head,” David spoke up.
“Where’s his helmet?” the doctor asked.
“Here. Right her... ” David paused, looking at the crack on the front right side. “This is a good helmet, best in the industry!”
“I know,” replied Dr. Walters. “My son used to race in one of these. He’s right next door—just jumped the courthouse yester...” He looked at a shocked Jason and backtracked as gracefully as one could, trying to cover a truth, or scandal maybe, in the small town of Weston.
“It’s going to be a double shift, everyone!” he called out to his staff.
“That why we get paid the big bucks!” one nurse joked.
The medical team’s compensation was a bit of a sore spot lately, with most patients having nothing to pay with beyond old-school bargaining items. The usual suspects lately were eggs, chickens, vegetables, and items that didn’t work anymore, like watches and electronics. Jason promised to bring it up to the Sheriff when he returned from fishing.
Jason stepped out to radio James. “Is he going to be okay?” James asked.
“David has a couple of broken ribs in the back. Mark has a fractured sternum, the Doc says, and two broke ribs on the front, as well as a concussion. He needs surgery on his left leg tonight, and not everyone is happy to work overtime here. Oh, and Doc Walters let it slip that he is Ken’s father and quickly changed the subject. Maybe nothing…just seemed weird is all.”
“I had no idea; it never came up. Everything is weird right now,” said James. “Do me a favor and check on the folks from the bleacher incident.”
“Will do,” replied Jason, heading back inside.
“We need to keep your son overnight, at least, and probably longer,” said Dr. Walters. “Do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?”
“I’m staying right here as long as my son is inside,” replied David.
“Please, sir. We are at capacity around here, as you can see. We simply have no room for family members to wait. So, I ask again, do you have somewhere to stay tonight?”
“Yes, he does,” said Jason quickly. “I’ll take him out to the ranch and bring him back in the morning.”
“All right,” said the doctor. “David, you keep that rib belt we gave you on, and we’ll check it again tomorrow. You already know what coughing does for rib pain, and if you don’t have to sneeze, don’t do it.”
“Thanks, Doc. You going to be okay, Mark?” he asked, catching him looking at a young blonde-haired blue- eyed girl about his age heading into his room.
“Oh, yeah, Dad. I think I’ll be just fine; the meds are kicking in. Kelly here, I mean Calie,” he said, trying to pronounce her name tag written in cursive, “is taking good care of me.”
“That’s right, and it’s Calleigh,” she said, writing it on a napkin.
“How old are you, Calleigh?” asked David.
“Almost seventeen,” she replied, not taking her eyes off Mark.
“How old do you think I am?” Mark asked, smiling from ear to ear.
“Hmm, I would say sixteen in about a month.”
“How did you? Ohhh…it’s in the chart,” he conceded as she held it up.
“They let you work here at your age?” he asked curiously. “No, disrespect,” he quickly added, as she paused.
“My daddy kind of runs the place,” she whispered. “Should I ask to help take care of you while you’re here?” she added quietly.
“Yes!” Mark blurted out. “I mean…that would be the best… Sure, that’s fine,” he added, putting an end to the bumbling. It wasn’t like he didn’t know girls. He had a few girlfriends before everything changed. None of them were too serious or as pretty as her and there were exactly none even close to his age at camp.
“So, you’ll be
