The Past and Present
Louvenia is so anxious on her way to the hospital that she can barely sit still. I look behind me and place my hands over hers. At this, she looks up to me. Nothing is said between us, not verbally. Through my eyes I pass a message to her; a message that says, "No matter what I'll be here for you through all of it." She nods at me and continues to look out the window.
As we approached the hospital Henry tells us, "You two go inside. I'll find parking and meet you inside." Louvenia and I immediately leave the car and rush inside the hospital. Once inside, Louvenia dashes for the desk on the main lobby and asks for her grandson.
"Room 23 B," the lady with smooth peanut butter skin tells Louvenia. Within seconds she was running down the corridor toward 23 B. "Wait ma'am!" The receptionist shouted after her. You can't go in there! He's still in surgery! Ma'am!" But Louvenia kept running. I chased after her. Within moments I was by her side. I was on the track team in high school. I knew how to run fast and how to run hard.
"Stop Louvenia!" I shout as I wrap my arms around her to stop her.
"No! I have to see him! Louvenia screams. I look to my right and I see Henry running to meet us. He takes a hold of Louvenia just as she breaks out of my grip. "Let go of me!"
"You have to calm down Louvenia!" Henry tells her.
"No! I can't lose him Mr. Templeton! I can't! Not after Kindred! Not after I lost my daughter." Louvenia starts crying again and eventually stops fighting.
"I'm sorry for the loss of your daughter Louvenia, but you have to let the doctors do their job. If you interrupt them you could ruin the surgery." Louvenia just continued to cry and cry. I went toward her and hugged her. I held her and stood by her side for the whole six hours of the surgery.