GOODNIGHT, SWEET PARTRIDGE
CHAPTER 14
Shirley really didn't feel up to meeting anyone new. She was a physical and emotional wreck, what with Keith nearly losing his life over a distraught fan, and whose parents she was here to meet.
She and Reuben had gone back to the hospital last night to check on Keith and both had come out somewhat emotionally drained. His blood pressure had dropped dramatically for some unexplained reason and the doctors and nurses had worked feverishly to resolve the situation. Shirley had donated a pint of blood to him herself, which was another reason she looked so tired.
Now, she and Reuben were here at the police station; waiting for Carly's parents to arrive. After a quick meeting, they would be reunited with Carly herself, whom, they'd been told, had been under a suicide watch. It was just another distraction, keeping her from Keith's side, where she felt she should be until his condition improved.
They were escorted to a small, but comfortable room and told that Carly's parents were on their way from San Pueblo and would be there shortly.
Exhausted, Shirley fell into one of the chairs at the huge mahogany table, while Reuben took advantage of the coffee brewing in a coffee maker on the counter behind them.
He poured them both a cup and slid Shirley's to her as he sat down beside her.
"Thank, you, Reuben. You read my mind."
"I've been thinking about these people. Suppose they're as flighty as their daughter?" Reuben muttered, sipping his brew.
Shirley smiled tiredly. "We will soon find out. Poor Carly. I wonder how her night was, all locked up like that."
Reuben grunted. "It couldn't have been worse than Keith's night."
At that, Shirley nodded, running her finger along the rim of the cup. "We could have lost him, Reuben." She looked at the manager, the worry and fear so evident on her face.
He reached over, squeezing her hand. "But we didn't, that's the main thing."
She shook her head. "The thing that amazes me the most is Keith's concern for Carly. Yes, she's a sweet girl, but, Reuben, she could have killed him! Yet, he's worried about her. A six-inch deep wound in his stomach, and he's wondering about her well being."
Reuben smiled. "He's good kid, Shirley."
"You're right; he is." She pulled a face, closing her eyes. "And he's still not out of this. Dr. Lowrey told me he's still in danger. Oh, Reuben, what if he doesn't pull through after all?"
Reuben gently rubbed her shoulder. "He will. He's strong, and he's got a lot to live for. To be able to pester Danny would be reason enough to give him a will to live."
She had to laugh at that, as behind them, the door opened. A policeman led a man and woman into the room.
"Mrs. Partridge, Mr. Kincaid, this is Jim and Lydia Stratton, Carly's parents," he announced, then left as quickly as he'd come.
Jim Stratton was fairly handsome, rugged, tall and lanky, and Lydia was somewhat shorter, but a pretty woman. They both looked as weary as Shirley and Reuben.
Reuben extended his hand to Mr. Stratton. "I'm sorry we have to meet under these circumstances."
Mr. Stratton remained serious. "We've been goin' crazy wondering what happened to Carly."
Shirley nodded. "We could well imagine…we tried to get her to at least phone you, but she wouldn't even give us her last name, and…"
"We should have known she was out here. Her room's a practical shrine to your son, Mrs. Partridge. She worships the ground he walks on. Can't see it myself, but that's the way she is about him," Mrs. Stratton cut her off, shaking her head.
Shirley tried not to take offense at that. "We…found that out the hard way."
"She wouldn't have done what she did if your son hadn't lured her out here," Mr. Stratton snapped.
"Lured her…? Exactly what do you mean?" Now Shirley began to bristle.
"Well, it's all those magazine articles he does and the pictures…practically advertising for a girl friend!" Mrs. Stratton said, sitting across from her at the table. "My daughter is very impressionable. She fell for it hook, line and sinker."
"Keith had nothing to do with those articles, nor has he been 'advertising' anything! He's just a normal, eighteen-year-old boy, who just happens to be in the spotlight because we sing for a living! It is not his fault that Carly took the magazine stories seriously. We have no control over what is written about Keith or any other member of our family. We cannot police every little word. The magazines know what sells and it just happens to be my son at the moment." Shirley frowned.
Mrs. Stratton smiled, speaking softly. "Well then, don't you think you should do everything in your power to make sure that what's written or said about your family is accurate, then? There are thousands of Carly's out there, Mrs. Partridge. Young girls who think that your son is Mr. Right, and who expect a lot more from him than just an autographed photo and a smile from the stage. The price of fame, so to speak, am I right?"
Her words hit Shirley square in the face. She was right! The magazines had built Keith into a god that little girls all over the world worshipped. Carly just happened to act out her homage. Still, there was no way she was going to let him take the blame for this. Not when it was he who was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life because of their daughter's misplaced devotion!
"Maybe so, but Carly's adulation could cost my son his life! THAT is the price my family and I will pay!" Shirley choked, tears springing to her eyes.
The Stratton's exchanged glances.
"They told us it was an accident," Mrs. Stratton muttered.
"It was. But it doesn't change the fact that Keith is in the hospital and Carly…Carly needs help, Mrs. Stratton. A young girl who attempts suicide over someone she hardly knows has a problem deeper than you or I could ever imagine," Shirley calmed. "I don't think either of them are to blame for what happened. But you need to do something about it before it's too late."
Mr. Stratton's face softened. "We're thinking of putting her…some place where she can get the help she needs. We've done all we can at home. But she needs more," he said, looking at his wife.
Shirley sighed. "I'm sure that wasn't an easy thing to admit, Mr. Stratton."
Mrs. Stratton brought a handkerchief to her face, fighting tears. "Is your son going to be all right, Mrs. Partridge?"
Shirley's face was serious. "To be honest, we don't know. He was hurt pretty badly, and last night, we nearly lost him."
The door opened and another policeman looked in. "Are you ready to see your daughter, Mr. Stratton? I can get her for you, now."
The Stratton's nodded hesitantly as Shirley and Reuben rose to their feet. "We'll leave you to talk with her alone."
"Oh, no, please stay. We know what you did for her, taking her in, and we'd like to thank you…"
Shirley smiled. "Your coming here and speaking with us is thanks enough. I would like you to meet the rest of my family, though. What hotel are you staying in?"
"The Ramada Inn, just down the street."
"Why don't we get together there, say 10 o'clock tomorrow morning?"
"If it's no trouble."
"Not at all."
Mrs. Stratton smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Partridge. Thank you for all you've done for our little girl."
Shirley nodded, unable to reciprocate the message. She just slipped tiredly out the door with Reuben behind her.
continued...
CHAPTER 14
Shirley really didn't feel up to meeting anyone new. She was a physical and emotional wreck, what with Keith nearly losing his life over a distraught fan, and whose parents she was here to meet.
She and Reuben had gone back to the hospital last night to check on Keith and both had come out somewhat emotionally drained. His blood pressure had dropped dramatically for some unexplained reason and the doctors and nurses had worked feverishly to resolve the situation. Shirley had donated a pint of blood to him herself, which was another reason she looked so tired.
Now, she and Reuben were here at the police station; waiting for Carly's parents to arrive. After a quick meeting, they would be reunited with Carly herself, whom, they'd been told, had been under a suicide watch. It was just another distraction, keeping her from Keith's side, where she felt she should be until his condition improved.
They were escorted to a small, but comfortable room and told that Carly's parents were on their way from San Pueblo and would be there shortly.
Exhausted, Shirley fell into one of the chairs at the huge mahogany table, while Reuben took advantage of the coffee brewing in a coffee maker on the counter behind them.
He poured them both a cup and slid Shirley's to her as he sat down beside her.
"Thank, you, Reuben. You read my mind."
"I've been thinking about these people. Suppose they're as flighty as their daughter?" Reuben muttered, sipping his brew.
Shirley smiled tiredly. "We will soon find out. Poor Carly. I wonder how her night was, all locked up like that."
Reuben grunted. "It couldn't have been worse than Keith's night."
At that, Shirley nodded, running her finger along the rim of the cup. "We could have lost him, Reuben." She looked at the manager, the worry and fear so evident on her face.
He reached over, squeezing her hand. "But we didn't, that's the main thing."
She shook her head. "The thing that amazes me the most is Keith's concern for Carly. Yes, she's a sweet girl, but, Reuben, she could have killed him! Yet, he's worried about her. A six-inch deep wound in his stomach, and he's wondering about her well being."
Reuben smiled. "He's good kid, Shirley."
"You're right; he is." She pulled a face, closing her eyes. "And he's still not out of this. Dr. Lowrey told me he's still in danger. Oh, Reuben, what if he doesn't pull through after all?"
Reuben gently rubbed her shoulder. "He will. He's strong, and he's got a lot to live for. To be able to pester Danny would be reason enough to give him a will to live."
She had to laugh at that, as behind them, the door opened. A policeman led a man and woman into the room.
"Mrs. Partridge, Mr. Kincaid, this is Jim and Lydia Stratton, Carly's parents," he announced, then left as quickly as he'd come.
Jim Stratton was fairly handsome, rugged, tall and lanky, and Lydia was somewhat shorter, but a pretty woman. They both looked as weary as Shirley and Reuben.
Reuben extended his hand to Mr. Stratton. "I'm sorry we have to meet under these circumstances."
Mr. Stratton remained serious. "We've been goin' crazy wondering what happened to Carly."
Shirley nodded. "We could well imagine…we tried to get her to at least phone you, but she wouldn't even give us her last name, and…"
"We should have known she was out here. Her room's a practical shrine to your son, Mrs. Partridge. She worships the ground he walks on. Can't see it myself, but that's the way she is about him," Mrs. Stratton cut her off, shaking her head.
Shirley tried not to take offense at that. "We…found that out the hard way."
"She wouldn't have done what she did if your son hadn't lured her out here," Mr. Stratton snapped.
"Lured her…? Exactly what do you mean?" Now Shirley began to bristle.
"Well, it's all those magazine articles he does and the pictures…practically advertising for a girl friend!" Mrs. Stratton said, sitting across from her at the table. "My daughter is very impressionable. She fell for it hook, line and sinker."
"Keith had nothing to do with those articles, nor has he been 'advertising' anything! He's just a normal, eighteen-year-old boy, who just happens to be in the spotlight because we sing for a living! It is not his fault that Carly took the magazine stories seriously. We have no control over what is written about Keith or any other member of our family. We cannot police every little word. The magazines know what sells and it just happens to be my son at the moment." Shirley frowned.
Mrs. Stratton smiled, speaking softly. "Well then, don't you think you should do everything in your power to make sure that what's written or said about your family is accurate, then? There are thousands of Carly's out there, Mrs. Partridge. Young girls who think that your son is Mr. Right, and who expect a lot more from him than just an autographed photo and a smile from the stage. The price of fame, so to speak, am I right?"
Her words hit Shirley square in the face. She was right! The magazines had built Keith into a god that little girls all over the world worshipped. Carly just happened to act out her homage. Still, there was no way she was going to let him take the blame for this. Not when it was he who was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life because of their daughter's misplaced devotion!
"Maybe so, but Carly's adulation could cost my son his life! THAT is the price my family and I will pay!" Shirley choked, tears springing to her eyes.
The Stratton's exchanged glances.
"They told us it was an accident," Mrs. Stratton muttered.
"It was. But it doesn't change the fact that Keith is in the hospital and Carly…Carly needs help, Mrs. Stratton. A young girl who attempts suicide over someone she hardly knows has a problem deeper than you or I could ever imagine," Shirley calmed. "I don't think either of them are to blame for what happened. But you need to do something about it before it's too late."
Mr. Stratton's face softened. "We're thinking of putting her…some place where she can get the help she needs. We've done all we can at home. But she needs more," he said, looking at his wife.
Shirley sighed. "I'm sure that wasn't an easy thing to admit, Mr. Stratton."
Mrs. Stratton brought a handkerchief to her face, fighting tears. "Is your son going to be all right, Mrs. Partridge?"
Shirley's face was serious. "To be honest, we don't know. He was hurt pretty badly, and last night, we nearly lost him."
The door opened and another policeman looked in. "Are you ready to see your daughter, Mr. Stratton? I can get her for you, now."
The Stratton's nodded hesitantly as Shirley and Reuben rose to their feet. "We'll leave you to talk with her alone."
"Oh, no, please stay. We know what you did for her, taking her in, and we'd like to thank you…"
Shirley smiled. "Your coming here and speaking with us is thanks enough. I would like you to meet the rest of my family, though. What hotel are you staying in?"
"The Ramada Inn, just down the street."
"Why don't we get together there, say 10 o'clock tomorrow morning?"
"If it's no trouble."
"Not at all."
Mrs. Stratton smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Partridge. Thank you for all you've done for our little girl."
Shirley nodded, unable to reciprocate the message. She just slipped tiredly out the door with Reuben behind her.
continued...