Ch 23
Kim peeked around the corner and saw that Jimmy was asleep. She picked up his chart and read it. Then she cursed to herself.
"Such language Kimmy." A groggy voice said. "You know that's private."
She put it back. "I oughta wring your neck. AMA? You sign out AMA and then you get on a plane? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"It's good to see you too."
"Don't get cute and don't try and be charming. I think I'm immune to it after all this time."
"Where's Joey?"
"He's in chairs with Bobby." Kim sighed. "You really are nuts, you know that?"
"Kim, don't start."
"Don't start? I haven't begun to start. God you took a header out of a window and the only reason you're not lying in the city morgue is because the guy who took you with him when he decided to learn how to fly was beneath you. You were in a coma and the second after you wake up you sign out AMA probably because you saw that picture of Joey that I left. Then after somehow finding out where I was going, you decided to get on a plane. Well that was just a great idea considering you had a syncopal episode in the middle of a coffee shop at O'Hare. God, do you know how lucky you were it was Bobby who picked you up? If it hadn't no one would have any idea where the hell you were. I realize that risk is all part of who you are but the next time the urge to fly after getting out the hospital hits you I'd like to ask you to remember that I will have to be the one to comfort our son after telling him that his father is dead."
"Are you done?" Jimmy asked.
"Yes. Now I am done."
"Good, cause I'd like to say something. You left. You took our son and you split. No warning and no reason. How the hell do you think that made me feel? Especially after I got that notice telling me that you had soul custody and that I had no legal recourse to make you bring Joey back. Jesus Kim, I know we didn't have the easiest time together and I know that a lot of nasty things went down between us before I married Brooke, but I didn't think you hated me that much."
"I don't hate you Jimmy. I didn't leave because I hated you."
"Then why?" Jimmy was starting to get tired again. "Why would you do that to me? Why would you do that to Joey?"
"Long story."
"I'm listening." He mumbled sleepily.
"Maybe later, huh? Get some sleep. I think transpo is here to take you upstairs." She nodded at one of the guys from transport. "Hey Mike."
"Hey Kim. What are you doing here?"
"I know this guy. Is he going to ICU?"
"No. Medicine."
"Keep your eye on him. He likes to sign out AMA and then go AWOL."
"You got it. See you later Kim."
Kim stood in the doorway to the exam room and watched them roll Jimmy towards the elevators. She sighed, knowing that Joey was waiting in chairs to see his dad.
Time to go face the music.
^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^
"Joey, you're gonna see your dad soon okay? They took him upstairs. We'll go see him as soon as visiting hours start, okay?"
Joey played with his breakfast. "Promise?"
"Promise." Kim said. She checked her watch. "Shoot. Bobby, will you take him up in about an hour? I have to go to work."
"Yeah sure. Uh what about?" He nodded to Charlie.
"Take her to daycare. It's on the third floor. They take drop-ins today."
"Got it."
"And Joey? I haven't had a chance to tell your dad about Charlie yet. I want to be the one to tell him so can you not?"
"Okay Mom."
"Thanks Honey. I'll see you later okay? Be good." Kim said before she took off for the elevators.
"Why don't we go up and get Charlie set up in daycare?" Bobby said. "Then we can go see your dad."
Joey nodded and he followed Bobby to the elevators.
Kim peeked around the corner and saw that Jimmy was asleep. She picked up his chart and read it. Then she cursed to herself.
"Such language Kimmy." A groggy voice said. "You know that's private."
She put it back. "I oughta wring your neck. AMA? You sign out AMA and then you get on a plane? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"It's good to see you too."
"Don't get cute and don't try and be charming. I think I'm immune to it after all this time."
"Where's Joey?"
"He's in chairs with Bobby." Kim sighed. "You really are nuts, you know that?"
"Kim, don't start."
"Don't start? I haven't begun to start. God you took a header out of a window and the only reason you're not lying in the city morgue is because the guy who took you with him when he decided to learn how to fly was beneath you. You were in a coma and the second after you wake up you sign out AMA probably because you saw that picture of Joey that I left. Then after somehow finding out where I was going, you decided to get on a plane. Well that was just a great idea considering you had a syncopal episode in the middle of a coffee shop at O'Hare. God, do you know how lucky you were it was Bobby who picked you up? If it hadn't no one would have any idea where the hell you were. I realize that risk is all part of who you are but the next time the urge to fly after getting out the hospital hits you I'd like to ask you to remember that I will have to be the one to comfort our son after telling him that his father is dead."
"Are you done?" Jimmy asked.
"Yes. Now I am done."
"Good, cause I'd like to say something. You left. You took our son and you split. No warning and no reason. How the hell do you think that made me feel? Especially after I got that notice telling me that you had soul custody and that I had no legal recourse to make you bring Joey back. Jesus Kim, I know we didn't have the easiest time together and I know that a lot of nasty things went down between us before I married Brooke, but I didn't think you hated me that much."
"I don't hate you Jimmy. I didn't leave because I hated you."
"Then why?" Jimmy was starting to get tired again. "Why would you do that to me? Why would you do that to Joey?"
"Long story."
"I'm listening." He mumbled sleepily.
"Maybe later, huh? Get some sleep. I think transpo is here to take you upstairs." She nodded at one of the guys from transport. "Hey Mike."
"Hey Kim. What are you doing here?"
"I know this guy. Is he going to ICU?"
"No. Medicine."
"Keep your eye on him. He likes to sign out AMA and then go AWOL."
"You got it. See you later Kim."
Kim stood in the doorway to the exam room and watched them roll Jimmy towards the elevators. She sighed, knowing that Joey was waiting in chairs to see his dad.
Time to go face the music.
^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^
"Joey, you're gonna see your dad soon okay? They took him upstairs. We'll go see him as soon as visiting hours start, okay?"
Joey played with his breakfast. "Promise?"
"Promise." Kim said. She checked her watch. "Shoot. Bobby, will you take him up in about an hour? I have to go to work."
"Yeah sure. Uh what about?" He nodded to Charlie.
"Take her to daycare. It's on the third floor. They take drop-ins today."
"Got it."
"And Joey? I haven't had a chance to tell your dad about Charlie yet. I want to be the one to tell him so can you not?"
"Okay Mom."
"Thanks Honey. I'll see you later okay? Be good." Kim said before she took off for the elevators.
"Why don't we go up and get Charlie set up in daycare?" Bobby said. "Then we can go see your dad."
Joey nodded and he followed Bobby to the elevators.