HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH PARTRIDGE, PART 6
Theresa Avila was a tall, thin Latino girl; the prettiest girl in the projects, if Lamar had his vote. Nearly all of the boys had had crushes on her at one time or another, but Theresa seemed to take it all in stride. She was like a mother to many of the kids in the neighborhood, gentle, understanding and smart; very smart. She was attending San Pueblo Junior College on a nursing scholarship; the closest most any of the people in this part of town would ever come to higher education, and that included most of the adults.
Lamar stood at her side as she looked at Keith's shoulder, the look on her face telling him that the news was not good.
"You're right, it is infected. Very infected. Have you put disinfectant on it? You know, iodine, hydrogen peroxide?" she asked, wiping her hands on a rag.
"Iodine, when I bandaged up his leg. Could it be because the bullet's still in there?" Lamar asked.
Theresa nodded. "I'm sure it is not helping. He needs a doctor, Lamar, you know that. He could die from all of these wounds."
Lamar swallowed hard, glancing at Ta-mara. "I thought we could help him, but I guess not."
"Oh, you helped him," Theresa assured him. "He would have died for sure out there in the alley. But he needs more medical attention than you are able to give."
"So….what do we do, now?"
"That is up to you, but I would call an ambulance and let them take him to a hospital."
Ta-mara sprang forward. "But we can't! Lamar could go to jail!"
Theresa looked surprised at the little girl's outburst. "What? Why?"
"They'll think Lamar did this to him! He didn't, but they won't believe him!" Ta-mara cried, her dark eyes filling with tears.
Theresa smiled gently, putting her hand on Ta-mara's dark face. "Of course they will. They are not policemen. But, if this boy dies in your care, they will hold both of you responsible!"
Theresa's words took both children by surprise. "They will?"
She nodded, her long dark hair bouncing on her bony shoulders. "Yes, because you neglected to get him the proper medical attention."
Lamar's heart pounded hard in his chest. "I'll go over to Miz Sanders' and use her phone."
Theresa smiled, nodding. "Good. I will get some ice for his fever. We need to cool him down as much as we can."
"Will you stay here when the men from the ambulance come, to tell them that Lamar didn't have anything to do with this?" Ta-mara pleaded.
"I will tell them everything you have told me," Theresa answered, as Lamar left the room. Glancing down at Keith, she lost her smile. For some reason, this boy looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.
Ta-mara noticed the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just…thinking. You do not know his name?"
Ta-mara shook her head. "No. He didn't have anything on him, not even a wallet. And he wouldn't - or couldn't - answer me when he woke up earlier."
Shrugging, Theresa led Ta-mara out into the kitchen.
Theresa opened the freezer and pulled out the two metal ice trays. "I will need a towel and the bottle of iodine."
"Okay." Ta-mara began to gather the items. "Do you know who he is, Theresa?"
"No. He looks familiar, but I cannot remember where I have seen him before."
"Maybe he's been in the clinic."
Theresa laughed lightly. "I don't think so. We don't get very many well-dressed Caucasians in the clinic. He looks very well-off."
"Maybe he goes to your school." Ta-mara brought in the iodine and the towel.
"That is possible. He looks to be about my age." Theresa emptied the ice trays into the middle of the towel. She and the little girl went back into the bedroom.
Keith was moaning now and Theresa leaned down, her hand stroking his face. "It will be all right. We're getting you some help." She spoke gently. To Ta-mara, she said, "Okay, now we will take the ice and rub him down. You can put the cubes in a washcloth so your hands won't get cold. Take one at a time until it is all melted, then get another one. You do his arms, and I will work on his face and throat. Make sure you get his wrists. It will cool the blood in his veins."
Ta-mara nodded, taking a cube from the nest in the towel. Theresa pushed Keith's sleeves up as high as she could get them and Ta-mara went to work, sliding the ice up and down his arm as fast as she could go.
Theresa opened the shirt collar wide and placed a cube on his throat, then worked it down underneath the shirt, all the while staring at this very familiar stranger.
The moaning continued, but softened as the two girls worked.
Lamar came in. "The ambulance is on the way. They said it would only be a few more minutes."
Theresa looked up. "Did you tell him he'd been shot?"
Lamar nodded. "Yes, and I told them that I didn't do it, either."
Theresa smiled. "You are very brave, Lamar. I am sure they will believe you."
The boy looked a little embarrassed, glancing down at the floor. "I hope so. All we did was try and help, right, 'Mara?"
Ta-mara grinned. "Right."
"You probably saved his life," Theresa said, her face serious.
"Anybody would've done the same thing." Lamar brushed it off.
"No, Lamar. They would not have. That is what is so sad. Most people would have just let him die." Theresa ran the ice cube over Keith's throat, staring down at him.
Lamar nodded. Unfortunately, she was so very, very right.
%%%%%
Ta-mara watched anxiously as the paramedics lifted Keith onto the stretcher. They had put a needle in his arm and attached it to a large bottle. He still hadn't completely wakened, and her heart ached, knowing that she would probably never see him again. She'd become quite attached to this stranger, though not a word had passed between them in all this time.
Lamar and Theresa sat in the living room, talking to the policeman that the paramedics had called because of the gunshot wound. The officer had explained that it was just routine, that Lamar was not under arrest or anything, but the boy was still a little wary in answering his questions.
"You didn't see anyone around him when you first saw him in the alley?" the policeman asked again.
"No. Just my sister. She came and got me and I looked him over. That's when I saw the bullet hole." Lamar explained, his eyes darting to Theresa.
She nodded, patting his leg as the policeman continued. "Did you look for the gun?"
"No. I was too worried about him. I knew he wouldn't make it out there, so I just picked him up and brought him inside."
"Why didn't you call an adult?"
Lamar shrugged. "I didn't know who to call. You cops - er, police don't like coming around here, and Mama's out of town." He looked frustrated. "I was just trying to help the guy. I didn't know I was doing anything wrong!"
The officer's face softened. "You weren't, son. You did your best, but you really should have called us. That's what we're here for."
"I know," Lamar muttered, looking up as Keith was brought out of the bedroom on the gurney. Ta-mara walked right beside it.
The policeman, Theresa and Lamar stood up. "Where are you taking him? I'll need to notify his family."
"San Pueblo General," the taller of the two medics answered.
Theresa looked surprised. "You know who he is? He doesn't have any identification on him."
"His name is Keith Partridge. His family reported him missing yesterday evening."
Ta-mara stared after the gurney as it was pushed out into the hall. So now she knew his name. She smiled softly to herself.
"They must be very worried." Theresa put her arm around Lamar's shoulders.
"Yes, but thanks to these two kids, they'll all be sleeping a little easier tonight." The policeman smiled down at Ta-mara, then at Lamar. "Thanks, kids. I'll be sure and tell his family what you did for him."
Lamar's gaze shyly met the floor, while Ta-mara grinned. Suddenly, she felt ten feet tall. She nearly felt like she could fly!
%%%%%
Right in the middle of "The Music Man," the phone rang. Everyone in the living room froze.
"Maybe it's Keith," Laurie whispered, hoping beyond hope.
The ringing continued with everyone just staring at it.
"Somebody answer it!" Danny cried.
Trembling, Shirley started to reach for it, then stopped. "Oh, I can't, Reuben. You do it."
He grabbed the receiver, clearing his throat as he brought it to his ear. "Hello?" His eyes darted around the room, taking in each face as he listened, his face reflecting no emotion at all. "Yes, yes…I see. Fine. Thank you so much for letting us know. Yes, of course."
He was his old, calm self as he sat the receiver into its cradle.
There was only the sound of breathing in the room.
What came next was totally unbelievable.
"Keith is in San Pueblo General. Some kids found him in an alley on the North end of town." He said it so non-chalantly, that one would think he was ordering a pizza. Then he grinned as wide as he could.
Chaos erupted around him. The kids began screaming and jumping around as Shirley burst into tears, grabbing Reuben in a tight hug.
Tears came to the blond man's eyes as he soaked in all the love the Partridges were showing for their brother and son. And like Wendy and Ta-mara, he too, could easily fly right now.
%%%%%
Still unconscious, Keith lay in the hospital bed, this time surrounded by family, Reuben, and a young doctor.
"We were able to remove the bullet in the E.R. without any problems. The infection should go away in a day or two. His leg, however, will require some surgery; the x-ray showed a fracture in the tibia and quite a bit of ligament damage. He could be looking at some therapy there. Other than that, ladies and gentlemen, Keith seems to be in okay shape. His wounds are serious, but we can deal with things as they come up. He's quite dehydrated. His jaw wasn't broken, which was lucky, and the bruises on his face will heal fairly quickly." The doctor spoke rapidly but professionally, keeping an eye on Laurie as he talked.
Noticing his unabashed attention, she blushed, glancing down at her brother. "Why is he still unconscious?"
The doctor cocked his head. "It could be due to a lot of things. The high fever, which, by the way, we were able to pull down from 103 to 101; the loss of blood…let's just say he was a quart low…it may be even something serious like a blunt trauma to the head, which we will be checking into before we take him to surgery."
Shirley reached down, placing her hand on her son's cheek. "I'm just glad to have him back…"
The doctor smiled kindly. "From what I hear, he's lucky just to be here. Those children saved his life."
Shirley looked up, nodding. "Does anyone know who they were? We really should thank them somehow."
"The police should have all that information, Shirley. I'll find out." Reuben looked down at the kids. "Anybody want to hit the cafeteria for some dinner? I'm starved."
"Me, too!" Danny agreed, and Tracy and Chris nodded.
"You 'kids' go on ahead. I think I'll just stay here until they take Keith to surgery. What time did you say that would be, Doctor?"
"Seven p.m. Just a little over an hour. The nurse will let you know when visiting time is over."
"Thank you," Shirley said, her dark eyes shining.
The doctor smiled at her, then turned back to Laurie. "If you're hungry, young lady, I would love to buy you dinner. And not that cafeteria food," he grinned at Reuben. "How about at the diner across the street?"
Laurie looked a little flustered. "Well, I'd love to, but…"
"Go on, honey. I can wait with Keith." Shirley smiled knowingly.
"Yeah, Laurie…go on…he's a doctor," Danny said out of the side of his mouth. "Don't blow it!"
Blushing again, Laurie nodded. "Okay, sure. The diner it is."
"Good!" The doctor flipped his chart closed. "I am officially off duty for the next forty-five minutes." To Shirley, he added, "Of course, if you need me, have the nurse page me. I don't anticipate any complications, but you never know."
"Thank you, I will. Have fun, honey…and Reuben, would you be a doll and bring me a salad back with you from the cafeteria?" Shirley was already pulling the chair up next to Keith's bed.
"Sure. Come on, kids." Reuben ushered them out, and Laurie and the doctor followed.
Finally alone and the room quiet, Shirley literally fell into the chair at the bedside, her emotions getting the best of her. After all, she'd been through hell, not knowing if she would ever see Keith alive again; the waiting, the worry, the horror.
She reached over, clutching his hand and bringing it to her mouth. Weeping, she kissed it and closed her eyes, whispering a very heartfelt prayer: "Dear God, thank You so much for letting me get my son back…please watch over him now and forever! Amen."
She sat forward in the chair, gently petting Keith's head, soaking in every bit of his face as if it were the first time she was seeing it. Already she could see an improvement in the bruising. Standing up, she bent down, her lips gently pressing into his cheek, half-hoping it would wake him. Alas, that only happened in fairy tales…
She laid his hand back down and forced herself away from the bed. Seeing him like this made her heart ache, but not as much as not seeing him. It was a feeling only a mother would know, not being able to find her child. Whether he was eight or eighteen, the feeling was the same. That unbearable emptiness, the interminable feeling of helplessness. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy, even if she had one.
Sobbing, now, Shirley dropped into a chair next to the window. She had him back, but at what price? He'd been shot; a bullet had actually invaded his body! And his leg. The doctor had mentioned therapy. Did it mean that his gait would be forever altered? Not that it would make him any less loveable, it's just that, well, he was so darned young! Maybe he'd never even walk again. She hadn't thought about that.
She took a deep breath. Stop thinking these crazy thoughts. Even if one of them came to pass, at least he was here. He was her son, and she loved him no matter what.
The door opened and Shirley looked up to see the nurse and two orderlies. "Mrs. Partridge, you'll have to wait in the waiting room, now."
Shirley looked at the clock. "You're taking him in, now?"
"Yes. We need to prep him, take x-rays and so forth. We'll keep you posted as the surgery progresses."
Shirley nodded as the orderlies brought in a stretcher. She had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched them ease Keith from the bed to the gurney. Bolting forward, she went to him for one last, long look as the nurse, apparently a mother herself, stood back, waiting patiently.
"Please take care of him. I already nearly lost him once." Shirley pleaded squeezing Keith's hand.
The nurse smiled. "We will, I promise."
Shirley had to hold back another sob as she watched them wheel Keith out the door. Following them out, she didn't take her eyes off the gurney until it rounded the corner and left her sight.
continued...
Theresa Avila was a tall, thin Latino girl; the prettiest girl in the projects, if Lamar had his vote. Nearly all of the boys had had crushes on her at one time or another, but Theresa seemed to take it all in stride. She was like a mother to many of the kids in the neighborhood, gentle, understanding and smart; very smart. She was attending San Pueblo Junior College on a nursing scholarship; the closest most any of the people in this part of town would ever come to higher education, and that included most of the adults.
Lamar stood at her side as she looked at Keith's shoulder, the look on her face telling him that the news was not good.
"You're right, it is infected. Very infected. Have you put disinfectant on it? You know, iodine, hydrogen peroxide?" she asked, wiping her hands on a rag.
"Iodine, when I bandaged up his leg. Could it be because the bullet's still in there?" Lamar asked.
Theresa nodded. "I'm sure it is not helping. He needs a doctor, Lamar, you know that. He could die from all of these wounds."
Lamar swallowed hard, glancing at Ta-mara. "I thought we could help him, but I guess not."
"Oh, you helped him," Theresa assured him. "He would have died for sure out there in the alley. But he needs more medical attention than you are able to give."
"So….what do we do, now?"
"That is up to you, but I would call an ambulance and let them take him to a hospital."
Ta-mara sprang forward. "But we can't! Lamar could go to jail!"
Theresa looked surprised at the little girl's outburst. "What? Why?"
"They'll think Lamar did this to him! He didn't, but they won't believe him!" Ta-mara cried, her dark eyes filling with tears.
Theresa smiled gently, putting her hand on Ta-mara's dark face. "Of course they will. They are not policemen. But, if this boy dies in your care, they will hold both of you responsible!"
Theresa's words took both children by surprise. "They will?"
She nodded, her long dark hair bouncing on her bony shoulders. "Yes, because you neglected to get him the proper medical attention."
Lamar's heart pounded hard in his chest. "I'll go over to Miz Sanders' and use her phone."
Theresa smiled, nodding. "Good. I will get some ice for his fever. We need to cool him down as much as we can."
"Will you stay here when the men from the ambulance come, to tell them that Lamar didn't have anything to do with this?" Ta-mara pleaded.
"I will tell them everything you have told me," Theresa answered, as Lamar left the room. Glancing down at Keith, she lost her smile. For some reason, this boy looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.
Ta-mara noticed the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just…thinking. You do not know his name?"
Ta-mara shook her head. "No. He didn't have anything on him, not even a wallet. And he wouldn't - or couldn't - answer me when he woke up earlier."
Shrugging, Theresa led Ta-mara out into the kitchen.
Theresa opened the freezer and pulled out the two metal ice trays. "I will need a towel and the bottle of iodine."
"Okay." Ta-mara began to gather the items. "Do you know who he is, Theresa?"
"No. He looks familiar, but I cannot remember where I have seen him before."
"Maybe he's been in the clinic."
Theresa laughed lightly. "I don't think so. We don't get very many well-dressed Caucasians in the clinic. He looks very well-off."
"Maybe he goes to your school." Ta-mara brought in the iodine and the towel.
"That is possible. He looks to be about my age." Theresa emptied the ice trays into the middle of the towel. She and the little girl went back into the bedroom.
Keith was moaning now and Theresa leaned down, her hand stroking his face. "It will be all right. We're getting you some help." She spoke gently. To Ta-mara, she said, "Okay, now we will take the ice and rub him down. You can put the cubes in a washcloth so your hands won't get cold. Take one at a time until it is all melted, then get another one. You do his arms, and I will work on his face and throat. Make sure you get his wrists. It will cool the blood in his veins."
Ta-mara nodded, taking a cube from the nest in the towel. Theresa pushed Keith's sleeves up as high as she could get them and Ta-mara went to work, sliding the ice up and down his arm as fast as she could go.
Theresa opened the shirt collar wide and placed a cube on his throat, then worked it down underneath the shirt, all the while staring at this very familiar stranger.
The moaning continued, but softened as the two girls worked.
Lamar came in. "The ambulance is on the way. They said it would only be a few more minutes."
Theresa looked up. "Did you tell him he'd been shot?"
Lamar nodded. "Yes, and I told them that I didn't do it, either."
Theresa smiled. "You are very brave, Lamar. I am sure they will believe you."
The boy looked a little embarrassed, glancing down at the floor. "I hope so. All we did was try and help, right, 'Mara?"
Ta-mara grinned. "Right."
"You probably saved his life," Theresa said, her face serious.
"Anybody would've done the same thing." Lamar brushed it off.
"No, Lamar. They would not have. That is what is so sad. Most people would have just let him die." Theresa ran the ice cube over Keith's throat, staring down at him.
Lamar nodded. Unfortunately, she was so very, very right.
%%%%%
Ta-mara watched anxiously as the paramedics lifted Keith onto the stretcher. They had put a needle in his arm and attached it to a large bottle. He still hadn't completely wakened, and her heart ached, knowing that she would probably never see him again. She'd become quite attached to this stranger, though not a word had passed between them in all this time.
Lamar and Theresa sat in the living room, talking to the policeman that the paramedics had called because of the gunshot wound. The officer had explained that it was just routine, that Lamar was not under arrest or anything, but the boy was still a little wary in answering his questions.
"You didn't see anyone around him when you first saw him in the alley?" the policeman asked again.
"No. Just my sister. She came and got me and I looked him over. That's when I saw the bullet hole." Lamar explained, his eyes darting to Theresa.
She nodded, patting his leg as the policeman continued. "Did you look for the gun?"
"No. I was too worried about him. I knew he wouldn't make it out there, so I just picked him up and brought him inside."
"Why didn't you call an adult?"
Lamar shrugged. "I didn't know who to call. You cops - er, police don't like coming around here, and Mama's out of town." He looked frustrated. "I was just trying to help the guy. I didn't know I was doing anything wrong!"
The officer's face softened. "You weren't, son. You did your best, but you really should have called us. That's what we're here for."
"I know," Lamar muttered, looking up as Keith was brought out of the bedroom on the gurney. Ta-mara walked right beside it.
The policeman, Theresa and Lamar stood up. "Where are you taking him? I'll need to notify his family."
"San Pueblo General," the taller of the two medics answered.
Theresa looked surprised. "You know who he is? He doesn't have any identification on him."
"His name is Keith Partridge. His family reported him missing yesterday evening."
Ta-mara stared after the gurney as it was pushed out into the hall. So now she knew his name. She smiled softly to herself.
"They must be very worried." Theresa put her arm around Lamar's shoulders.
"Yes, but thanks to these two kids, they'll all be sleeping a little easier tonight." The policeman smiled down at Ta-mara, then at Lamar. "Thanks, kids. I'll be sure and tell his family what you did for him."
Lamar's gaze shyly met the floor, while Ta-mara grinned. Suddenly, she felt ten feet tall. She nearly felt like she could fly!
%%%%%
Right in the middle of "The Music Man," the phone rang. Everyone in the living room froze.
"Maybe it's Keith," Laurie whispered, hoping beyond hope.
The ringing continued with everyone just staring at it.
"Somebody answer it!" Danny cried.
Trembling, Shirley started to reach for it, then stopped. "Oh, I can't, Reuben. You do it."
He grabbed the receiver, clearing his throat as he brought it to his ear. "Hello?" His eyes darted around the room, taking in each face as he listened, his face reflecting no emotion at all. "Yes, yes…I see. Fine. Thank you so much for letting us know. Yes, of course."
He was his old, calm self as he sat the receiver into its cradle.
There was only the sound of breathing in the room.
What came next was totally unbelievable.
"Keith is in San Pueblo General. Some kids found him in an alley on the North end of town." He said it so non-chalantly, that one would think he was ordering a pizza. Then he grinned as wide as he could.
Chaos erupted around him. The kids began screaming and jumping around as Shirley burst into tears, grabbing Reuben in a tight hug.
Tears came to the blond man's eyes as he soaked in all the love the Partridges were showing for their brother and son. And like Wendy and Ta-mara, he too, could easily fly right now.
%%%%%
Still unconscious, Keith lay in the hospital bed, this time surrounded by family, Reuben, and a young doctor.
"We were able to remove the bullet in the E.R. without any problems. The infection should go away in a day or two. His leg, however, will require some surgery; the x-ray showed a fracture in the tibia and quite a bit of ligament damage. He could be looking at some therapy there. Other than that, ladies and gentlemen, Keith seems to be in okay shape. His wounds are serious, but we can deal with things as they come up. He's quite dehydrated. His jaw wasn't broken, which was lucky, and the bruises on his face will heal fairly quickly." The doctor spoke rapidly but professionally, keeping an eye on Laurie as he talked.
Noticing his unabashed attention, she blushed, glancing down at her brother. "Why is he still unconscious?"
The doctor cocked his head. "It could be due to a lot of things. The high fever, which, by the way, we were able to pull down from 103 to 101; the loss of blood…let's just say he was a quart low…it may be even something serious like a blunt trauma to the head, which we will be checking into before we take him to surgery."
Shirley reached down, placing her hand on her son's cheek. "I'm just glad to have him back…"
The doctor smiled kindly. "From what I hear, he's lucky just to be here. Those children saved his life."
Shirley looked up, nodding. "Does anyone know who they were? We really should thank them somehow."
"The police should have all that information, Shirley. I'll find out." Reuben looked down at the kids. "Anybody want to hit the cafeteria for some dinner? I'm starved."
"Me, too!" Danny agreed, and Tracy and Chris nodded.
"You 'kids' go on ahead. I think I'll just stay here until they take Keith to surgery. What time did you say that would be, Doctor?"
"Seven p.m. Just a little over an hour. The nurse will let you know when visiting time is over."
"Thank you," Shirley said, her dark eyes shining.
The doctor smiled at her, then turned back to Laurie. "If you're hungry, young lady, I would love to buy you dinner. And not that cafeteria food," he grinned at Reuben. "How about at the diner across the street?"
Laurie looked a little flustered. "Well, I'd love to, but…"
"Go on, honey. I can wait with Keith." Shirley smiled knowingly.
"Yeah, Laurie…go on…he's a doctor," Danny said out of the side of his mouth. "Don't blow it!"
Blushing again, Laurie nodded. "Okay, sure. The diner it is."
"Good!" The doctor flipped his chart closed. "I am officially off duty for the next forty-five minutes." To Shirley, he added, "Of course, if you need me, have the nurse page me. I don't anticipate any complications, but you never know."
"Thank you, I will. Have fun, honey…and Reuben, would you be a doll and bring me a salad back with you from the cafeteria?" Shirley was already pulling the chair up next to Keith's bed.
"Sure. Come on, kids." Reuben ushered them out, and Laurie and the doctor followed.
Finally alone and the room quiet, Shirley literally fell into the chair at the bedside, her emotions getting the best of her. After all, she'd been through hell, not knowing if she would ever see Keith alive again; the waiting, the worry, the horror.
She reached over, clutching his hand and bringing it to her mouth. Weeping, she kissed it and closed her eyes, whispering a very heartfelt prayer: "Dear God, thank You so much for letting me get my son back…please watch over him now and forever! Amen."
She sat forward in the chair, gently petting Keith's head, soaking in every bit of his face as if it were the first time she was seeing it. Already she could see an improvement in the bruising. Standing up, she bent down, her lips gently pressing into his cheek, half-hoping it would wake him. Alas, that only happened in fairy tales…
She laid his hand back down and forced herself away from the bed. Seeing him like this made her heart ache, but not as much as not seeing him. It was a feeling only a mother would know, not being able to find her child. Whether he was eight or eighteen, the feeling was the same. That unbearable emptiness, the interminable feeling of helplessness. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy, even if she had one.
Sobbing, now, Shirley dropped into a chair next to the window. She had him back, but at what price? He'd been shot; a bullet had actually invaded his body! And his leg. The doctor had mentioned therapy. Did it mean that his gait would be forever altered? Not that it would make him any less loveable, it's just that, well, he was so darned young! Maybe he'd never even walk again. She hadn't thought about that.
She took a deep breath. Stop thinking these crazy thoughts. Even if one of them came to pass, at least he was here. He was her son, and she loved him no matter what.
The door opened and Shirley looked up to see the nurse and two orderlies. "Mrs. Partridge, you'll have to wait in the waiting room, now."
Shirley looked at the clock. "You're taking him in, now?"
"Yes. We need to prep him, take x-rays and so forth. We'll keep you posted as the surgery progresses."
Shirley nodded as the orderlies brought in a stretcher. She had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched them ease Keith from the bed to the gurney. Bolting forward, she went to him for one last, long look as the nurse, apparently a mother herself, stood back, waiting patiently.
"Please take care of him. I already nearly lost him once." Shirley pleaded squeezing Keith's hand.
The nurse smiled. "We will, I promise."
Shirley had to hold back another sob as she watched them wheel Keith out the door. Following them out, she didn't take her eyes off the gurney until it rounded the corner and left her sight.
continued...