When Detective Vecchio returned, he was carrying a large paper sack, which he sat down before pulling back open Ben's curtain, putting us all in one room again. He made no mention to either of us of the scene that had just taken place, instead he pulled a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts out of the sack, along with coffee for himself and milk for Ben and me. Breakfast.
"Don't worry," he told Ben. "I left some jelly-filled back at the apartment for Dief."
"You shouldn't have," Ben told him, his eyebrows raised in doubt.
"Ah, don't worry, it was no trouble."
"No, you really shouldn't have." Ben pulled at his eyebrow with one hand while holding a glazed in the other. "You know, Ray, you can't buy his affection with treats. Besides, Diefenbaker doesn't like doughnuts."
"Right," Detective Vecchio acquiesced, but he turned his head to me and winked conspiratorially. "Ah, but before we forget all about the suddenly very silent Maggie," he grabbed for the paper sack, moving it from the bedside tray to the foot of my gurney. "Some clean things to wear home."
I thanked him and opened the bag. It would seem my thanks had come too soon. First I pulled out a tiny, tiny hot pink angora sweater with a hood. It had long sleeves, but left me doubtful that it would cover my entire ribcage, let alone my abdomen. Certain there would be something else to go over it, and wondering if he was having a joke at my expense, I reached in a second time, withdrawing a plaid wool miniskirt, with Catholic school girl pleats. This too was hot pink, and sported a pair of black suspenders to complete the ensemble.
After I pulled each item out, I just stared. There were no words. Detective Vecchio had retreated into the lavatory, so for a moment I was safe. But Ben had seen it all. I looked to him for guidance.
"I--can't" I said. "I just--"
"No," he commiserated, widening his eyes and shaking his head. "Of course not."
I took a deep breath, and tried to think of a way to politely decline the gift.
The commode flushed and the door opened, and Detective Vecchio stepped out, but before I could begin, Ben stepped up to the plate.
"Ray, Maggie can't--" and then he stalled out.
"Can't what?" he asked, a line forming between his brows. "Something wrong?"
"Well, it's just that the clothes you so thoughtfully provided, albeit very--" he looked to me for help with a word.
"Fashionable?"
"Fashionable, and…well tailored, are not, that is to say--"
"Are not what?"
Seeing that Ben was drowning, I cut in. "I'm sorry, thank you, but I can't wear this out in public."
The detective took three steps over to my bed, and seeing the flash of pink, lifted the sweater off the pile of clothes he had so generously offered me.
"I'm gonna kill her," he said.
"Now, Ray," Ben interjected. "I hardly think the fact that Maggie has declined your offer of clothing would lead one to the conclusion that to satisfy honor it was necessary--"
"Not her, Benny," he cut him off, exasperated. "I'm gonna kill Frannie."
"Oh," said Ben. "Well, that's quite another matter."
Detective Vecchio turned to me. "I'm sorry. I asked my sister, thinking that, like you, she was--"
"Are you going to say 'small'?" I asked.
"Okay," he paused, re-wording his sentence. "More your size, that she might have something to give you so that you wouldn't have to wear your grubby things from the other day. I did not know this was what she chose."
He sighed, looked at the sweater again and tossed it and the skirt back in the bag. "Now I'm gonna have to call her and have her come up here with another set of clothes, and I've been trying to--keep her clear of the hospital as much as possible."
Ben cleared his throat. "If it's amenable to everyone, I can lend Maggie a pair of my sweats," offered Ben promptly, gesturing to where they were waiting in the closet.
I had to roll up the waistline and cuff the pants of the blue fleece more times than Leon from E!'s Fashion Emergency might endorse, but they were comfortable, and he promised me that the nursing staff had so far denied him any clothing but a gown, so that by the time I was able to wash and return them, they would not even have been missed.
"Besides," he added, "it's nice to see them on someone else for a change."
