hundred dollars.
'That makes fourteen thousand, three hundred dollars I've won this week. I like poker,' Amy said. She tossed her head and the long brown hair flipped over her shoulder. 'I'm beginning to get the hang of it, I think.'
Kirk lit another cigarette. 'It's just beginner's luck,' he said. 'You must have pull with God.'
'I know just what I'm doing,' she said. 'My deal. Let's play seven-card stud, all the spades are wild.'
'Good Lord,' Kirk said. 'If you went to Las Vegas, they'd never recover.'
'I think she's a hustler, Kirk,' Brent said. 'She probably could shuffle before she could walk. I bet she's just playing innocent so she can steal our money. If I weren't a millionaire, I'd start to worry.'
Amy laughed. It made Brent feel good to hear that sound.
'Yeah, well, I'm broke. As a matter of fact, I'm over nine thousand dollars in debt to this cardshark. I ran out of money after the first hand four days ago. I'll have to start selling my body on the streets to pay you off, Amy.'
'Sorry, Kirk. I won't accept payment in peanuts. Are we going to play or not, you guys?' she said, riffling the pack of cards in her hands.
'Maybe I could talk Nurse Rush into slipping me some money for a little action. I've noticed how she's been ogling me lately.'
'Yeah, like she just stepped on a rattlesnake,' Brent said.
'It's all right, chums. You can pay me in monthly installments.'
'Wowie, the cardshark has a heart of gold,' Brent said.
'This is getting dull. Let's change the stakes. How about a little strip poker for a change?' Kirk suggested.
'Now there's the epitome of an evil mind for you,' Amy said. 'Notice the way he tricks us into this friendly game for small stakes, Brent, just to lead us to this moment of depravity.'
'It's no fair anyway,' Brent said. 'I only have one thing to take off, and that's already open in the back.'
'That's all right, Brent. We'll count the sheet too.'
'Well, you can forget it,' Amy said. 'Who wants to play strip poker with two dirty young men? I've got my modesty to keep up, after all. No one has seen me in the altogether since Jimmy Cavarelli paid me a quarter to run down Midland Avenue stark naked when I was four. He was very progressive for kindergarten.'
'It doesn't sound like you were so backward.'
'I didn't mind. I thought of it in terms of two double Tootsie Rolls, a box of Jujubes and Hershey bar. For that it was worth it. The spanking, however, was not.'
'Besides, what would Nurse Rush say if she walked in here and the three of us were sitting around undressed, so to speak?' Brent said.
'She'd probably say, 'All right, children, you'll catch your death of cold,'' Kirk replied.
'Well, Mr.Playboy of the Youth Ward, you can count me out of this round. I play for Kleenexes or nothing,' Amy said.
'Chicken,' Kirk replied.
'You bet.'
Just then Jewel wheeled the lunch cart through the door. Three covered trays were stacked on the cart.
'I might have known I'd find you three together. I've got all your gourmet lunches here.'
Brent swung the bedside table over the bed so he and Jenny could share it. Kirk wheeled his chair over to his table. Jewel put a tray at each spot.
'The menu reads: Iced fresh fruit cocktail; Crisp tossed salad with dressing Parisienne; Roast beef
'Yeah, but what does it look like?' Kirk asked.
'I don't know. I couldn't tell the beets from the fruit cup or the angel cake from the roast beef,' Jewel laughed. 'Dig in, kids,' she called over her shoulder as she wheeled the cart out again.
'Brace yourselves,' Kirk said, and he lifted the lid of his tray. 'Good Lord, it looks like it should have been sent to the operating room.'
'Not even a surgeon could help this,' Brent said, as he peeked under his lid. 'It looks malignant.'
'It looks absolutely scrumptious to me,' Amy said. 'I love Alpo.'
'Does anyone ever die of food poisoning in this hospital?' Brent asked.
'If not, this could be a first,' Kirk replied.
'I liked it better when they fed me through the tube.'
'Didn't I tell you so?'
Amy ate a mouthful of fruit cocktail. 'It's not so bad,' she said.
'What can you do to fruit cocktail?' Brent asked.
'Not much,' Kirk said. 'Except they heated it up by mistake a few weeks ago. Hot grapefruit, ick.'
Amy ate a mouthful of roast beef. 'The meat's not bad either, although it tastes like the ham we had yesterday.'
'All the meat's the same. You know that. They just call it by different names. It's actually all something called Mystery Meat.'
'What's Mystery Meat?' Brent asked.
'It depends on what's cheap that week,' Kirk said. 'Either kangaroo cutlet or roast of goat. It doesn't matter much. Amy's right. It all tastes the same anyway.'
Yet Amy was the only one who didn't eat the whole lunch, Brent noticed.
'What I wouldn't give for a really good hamburger and a milk shake about now,' she said, putting her fork down by her half-finished meal.
'Send out for one. You have fourteen thousand dollars worth of Kleenex, after all.'
'Funny man, Kirk.'
'Just trying to be helpful.'
Amy began to smile. 'I've got an idea. Thanks a lot, Kirk.'
'What did I say?'
'You're a genius, is all. Think you can get your bed wheeled into my room, Brent, after Nurse Rush leaves and the evening nurse comes on?'
'Yeah, I guess so.'
'Good. Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, you are invited to my room for dinner. Semiformal. Dinner at seven sharp. Don't be late.'
'Are you kidding?' Kirk asked.
'Nope. Just be there.'
'Hot damn,' Kirk said. 'My mouth is watering already. What do you have in mind?'
'It's a surprise. I've got to go plan. See you later.'
Amy left the room. Kirk looked at Brent and shrugged his shoulders. 'Crazy broad,' he said.
Jewel returned and took the trays out.
'Do you mind if I take a stroll, Brent?' Kirk asked.
'No. Fine. I just wish I could get out of this room myself. I'll be fine. I don't mind being alone.'
'Okay. I'll see you later.'
'Don't peek in on Amy. You wouldn't want to ruin her surprise. What are you up to?'
'Nothing. Just a little wandering. Maybe I'll pay a visit to the maternity nursery, and when the new fathers look through the glass, I'll say, 'That one's not yours. I just saw them switch the tags all around.''
Brent laughed. 'See you later.'
'Right. Take care.' Kirk struggled with his crutches for a few moments and left the room.
Brent lay back and looked at the ceiling.
I almost don't mind being here now that I feel better, he thought. If I were home I would be just kicking around at the pool until the family left for Maine.
Brent picked up the book he was reading and found his place. He was halfway through the second volume
