4

Jane was released from the hospital late that afternoon after her physician declared that there was nothing more that could be done for her at a medical facility and heavily implying that a mental facility might be more appropriate. Milburn Drysdale, though he didn't put in another appearance, did send over his new secretary, Ruby Hargrove, to make sure that didn't happen.

Ruby, shorter, stouter, a little older and less educated than Jane was still very competent and Milburn was as pleased with her work as he could be. Though her thick glasses gave somewhat of an owlish appearance to her gray eyes and her pale skin did occasionally take on a rather ghoulish appearance, Milburn didn't care in the slightest. She was, to his estimation, even less likely to get married and leave him than he'd thought Jane was.

And she was efficient. Efficiency was something sorely needed right then. Though the Clampitt's had been in California for several years now and learned a great deal about the way of life out there, they were still relative babes in the woods when it came to navigating systems like that of the hospital and the machinations of well-meaning yet obtuse medical personnel who truly didn't understand people like them.

Ruby tackled that all quite well and within an hour of her arrival at the hospital, she arranged for the bill to be taken care of and Jane to be dressed and wheeled out to her car with Jethro walking anxiously beside her as they left the hospital right after checking on Junior, whose condition hadn't worsened, but hadn't gotten any better.

Jane showed no interest in anything until she saw her son lying there with tubes wires hooked up to his frail little body and his eyes closed, his usually effervescent smile missing. Then, and only then, did she actually show some signs of life as she laboriously pushed herself to her feet, and stepped over to the bed, taking her child's hand in hers and softly kissing it.

"See there, Jane." Jethro smiled happily, thinking that finally she was coming back to him. "Junior's alright. He's jes sleepin' fer a while. But it won't be no time and he'll be a runnin' around like he always is."

If Jane understood what he was saying, agreeable or not, she gave no indication of it. She simply stood there, stared at her son for several long moments then quietly returned to the wheelchair, Ruby held for her, never uttering a word.

Jethro sadly watched her then bent over the bed, kissing his son and glumly following Ruby and his wife out. In all of his born days, he'd never encountered anything like this before and he had no idea what to do. Although the two and half years he'd been with his brainy and much more mature wife had settled him some and even afforded him a certain measure of wisdom and maturity he'd never thought possible, it didn't equip him for this. Nothing did.

When they finally reached the mansion, Jethro quickly exited Ruby's car and opened the back door, helping Jane out. Though she walked along side of him easily, he had the nervous feeling that should he let go of her arm, she might just fall right there and never get back up. When they reached the stairs and she weakly started up them, he could stand it no longer and swiftly picked her up, carrying her up and to their room.

"Ya alright, honey?" He asked as he carefully laid her down on their bed. "Kin I get ya anything? Betcha Granny's got some vittles cooked. I could get ya some."

Jane laid her head back against her pillow but offered no reply. She wanted nothing but the child she was positive was either dead or dying. Nothing else, even the life she currently carried inside of her, could ever take his place or fill the void she already felt.

Seeing that she wasn't going to respond, Jethro turned for the door. "Well, I'm goin' on downstairs, Jane and see if'n Granny's got anything cooked. I'll bring ya up a plate if'n she does." He got no answer.

"Did she answer ya?" To his surprise, Granny was standing just outside of the room.

Mournfully he shook his head. "Naw, she ain't said nothing. Granny, I ain't got no idea what to do neither."

Granny pursed her lips for a second before finally patting him on the arm. "You go on downstairs to the kitchen. I got some ham hocks and greens fixed and they's a big ol pot of possum stew ready. I'll take care of Jane."

"You…" Jethro started to question but at the look in her eyes, he decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Besides, he really was hungry. "Alright, Granny." He said instead as he turned for the stair case.

Granny watched him go and then turned her attention back to the closed door, behind which her grieving granddaughter in law lay. She'd not really wanted to do this. She'd fought herself against it, knowing how painful it would be. But she now knew there was no other option. She was the only one who stood any chance of helping not only Jane through this but Jethro and the rest of the family as well.

So, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Granny opened the door and went in. "Jane." She announced when she entered. "We need to talk."

TBC