The Ransom of Dr. Dave
Part 51
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian
Kerry: Oh no. God! What else is going to happen to that poor family.
Elizabeth: They've certainly had a rough year.
Carter: More than their fair share of tragedy.
Jing-Mei(with sadness in her voice): That was Manny, Dave's brother-in law on the phone. He said she was in great pain yesterday and when the painkillers no longer helped he took her to the hospital. She was sedated and given a suitable dosage of morphine. She never woke up.
Abby: Hopefully, she died without pain then.
Mark: Yes. (pause) So what happens now, Jing-Mei.
Jing-Mei: I make plane reservations and then I tell Rusty. Oh god, how am I ever going to tell that little boy about his aunt. He hasn't even gotten over is mother's death. I hear him crying to himself in bed at night. Poor little kid. I don't even know what I'm going to say him.
Carter: Rusty is only one problem. There's someone else who has to be told. How in the world are you going to break the news to Dave?
Jing-Mei: I don't even want to think about that right now. Let's just say I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Kerry: Jing-Mei, Malucci has to be told.
Luka: I agree.
Jing-Mei: So do I but just not right now. His condition is finally improving. News like this could cause a setback.
Luka: True. He mustn't get upset with his heart condition.
Jing-Mei: I want to tell Dave but not if it's going to hurt him. Rusty couldn't deal with losing another family member. Besides, it's not like I'm going be able to take him to the funeral in Italy.
Elizabeth: How long are you going to wait before you tell him that his sister has passed?
Jing-Mei: Just until he's stronger and better able to deal with it. So please, don't say anything to him if you go up and visit him until I figure out the proper way to tell him.
Mark: It's not our place to tell him. So on behalf of everyone, you have our word we will not say anything about this latest Malucci tragedy.
Jing-Mei walks in the front door of her house and sees Frankie and Rusty working hard on his English. Rusty runs up to her.
Rusty: Mama Jing! Mama Jing!
Jing-Mei: Hi sweetheart.
They hug each other and then she puts her pointer finger in air.
Jing-Mei: Wait one minute, sweetheart.
Rusty nods and Jing-Mei heads into the nursery to find Ms. Peterson sitting in a rocking chair humming to herself and knitting.
Jing-Mei: Mrs. Peterson.
Mrs. Peterson: Shhhhhh!!!! I just got him to sleep. He was a little fussy today. He seemed to settle down a little when I turned his mobile on.
Jing-Mei: Sorry. Listen I need a favor from you.
Mrs. Peterson: Anything dear. Whatever I can do.
Jing-Mei: I need you to take the baby for a few days.
Mrs. Peterson: Sure, I'd love to.(noticing that Jing-Mei is upset) Is something wrong?
Jing-Mei(nodding): Sophie passed away last night.
Mrs. Peterson's jaw dropped and she pulled Jing-Mei into a hug.
Mrs. Peterson: I am so sorry.
Jing-Mei: Thank you. The funeral is at the end of the week. Rusty and I have reservations on a flight in two days. I would like to take both Dave and Antonio with me but Dave is way too sick to make the trip and I don't want to expose the baby to an airplane trip yet. I don't know how he would handle it and last thing I need right now is a sick baby on the plane.
Mrs. Peterson: I absolutely agree. You take Rusty over there and don't worry about the baby and Dave. I will keep an eye on both of them for you.
Jing-Mei: I don't know what I would do without you. I can't say thanks enough for everything you've done for us.
Mrs. Peterson: Please, I'm happy to do it. If it wasn't for Dr. Malucci after we lost Grant, I would not have two wonderful "grandsons" to care for.
Jing-Mei: If not Dave, I'm sure someone just as deserving would have been given Grant's kidney.
Mrs. Peterson: Maybe, but any other recipient wouldn't have let me into their family the way you have. For that I will always be grateful. You don't know what spending time with you and the boys does for me. I feel needed again and not sitting at home alone feeling sorry myself. You provided an outlet for me to grieve and a shoulder to cry on.
Jing-Mei: You are very kind. Now, for the hard part. I've got to explain this all to Rusty. (pause)I was just talking to her the other day. She sounded tired but that's understandable after the treatments she's been going through. I didn't know that it had progressed that far. I just can't believe that Sophie is gone.
Mrs. Peterson: She was such a lovely girl.
Jing-Mei: She was. I loved her like a sister. We hadn't known each other for very long and it was Dave's attack that brought us together, devastating as it was, but in just that short amount of time we have gotten close. She's a lot like her brother.
Mrs. Peterson: I know what you mean about getting close to someone you hardly know. I've only known you for a short time but I feel like we have been friends for years and as for Sophie being like her brother, I can't really agree on that because I don't know Dr. Malucci enough to make that determination. But there is one thing that I can agree on: they are both very strong, brave, loving and giving human beings that I am proud to call "family".
Jing-Mei and Mrs. Peterson hear Frankie and Rusty arguing in Italian in the next room. Jing-Mei goes out to investigate.
Jing-Mei: Be quiet you two. You'll wake the baby. What is going on?
Frankie: You are paying me good money to teach the kid to speak English, but all he wants to do is watch the tv.
Jing-Mei: It's okay. Frankie, I'd like to talk to Rusty and you for a moment.
Jing-Mei turns off the tv and gets Rusty's attention. He starts to scream but she calms him down---for the moment anyway.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, sweetheart, we really need to talk.
Frankie translates. Rusty sees tears in Jing-Mei's eyes and he gets worried.
Jing-Mei: Something happened and it's not good. It's about your Aunt Sophie.
Rusty: Aunt Sophie--phone.
Rusty starts to head over to the phone but Jing-Mei grabs him and sits him back down.
Jing-Mei: No, no baby. There's no easy way to tell you this so I'm just going to come out and say it. Rusty, your Aunt Sophie is up in heaven with your mama.
Frankie's face turns to shock but he composes himself and translates for Rusty.
Rusty becomes hysterical and starts getting very fidgety and shaking his head.
Rusty: No, Aunt Sophie--we call her. Talk to her. She's coming to my birthday and take me back home.
Frankie(translating): He wants you to call his aunt. He says something about her coming back to bring him home for his birthday.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, she can't do that. Look baby, your mama was lonely up in heaven so your Aunt Sophie went up to keep her company and tell her all about you and your little brother.
Frankie translates.
Rusty: I go to keep them company too.
Frankie(translating): He wants to go to heaven too.
Jing-Mei: No, baby. You'll just a little boy. You've got your whole life ahead of you.
Frankie translates.
Rusty: Then papa go. Why not? Everyone else is leaving me.
Frankie(translating): He says that if he doesn't go than his papa will because everyone else he loves is leaving him.
Jing-Mei lightly grabs Rusty by the shoulders and turns him to face her.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, your papa still has a lot to do here like taking care of me, you, Antonio and all his patients at the hospital. Don't worry about him. He's going to be fine and he is going to be around for a long time. Okay.
Frankie translates what Jing-Mei said to Rusty word for word and adds a few of his own.
Frankie: Yeah, your papa is going to be around for a long time alright...not if I can help it. (trying to hold back his laughter)
Rusty becomes unnerved with the threat that Frankie just made at his papa and bursts into tears. Jing-Mei, unaware of the threat comforts an upset Rusty thinking that he is mourning his aunt's death not realizing that Rusty is crying out of fear as well as grief. She looks at Frankie as if to say--Help me with him.
Frankie: Hey fucker, get out of here and watch your tv.
Rusty upset and terrified tries to settle down in front of the tv but he can't get what Frankie said out of his mind.
Jing-Mei: Well, you have a way with children.
Frankie: Not really. That's why I never had any.
Jing-Mei: No children? None at all.
Frankie: Had other things to do then settle down and have kids. Why do you ask?
Jing-Mei: I guess I just assumed that a young, nice-looking fellow like you would have a girlfriend and a baby or two.
Frankie: Maybe some day.
Jing-Mei walks behind Rusty and holds him while Frankie goes into the bathroom. She takes this moment to confront Rusty when the doorbell rings. She answers the door to see Mr. Santini standing there. She invites him in.
Mr. Santini: I heard about Sophie.
Jing-Mei: News travels fast.
Mr. Santini: As I told you before, we lived in a small village in Sicily and I still keep in contact with them. I am so sorry to both of you. Sorry, about your aunt.
Rusty nods and wipes the tears from his eyes as he calms down.
Jing-Mei: We appreciate that Mr. Santini. Listen, I need to talk to Rusty...
Mr. Santini: Do you want me to leave?
Jing-Mei: On the contrary, I need you to translate. His tutor is indisposed at the moment.
Mr. Santini: Sure.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, your aunt told me that you said you saw Frankie before. Is that true?
Mr. Santini translates and Rusty nods.
Jing-Mei: Are you absolutely sure that he is the same man who was taking pictures in the hospital.
After Mr. Santini translates, Rusty nods again. Just then Frankie exits the bathroom while Jing-Mei starts wondering what the hell is going on.
Mr. Santini: Dr. Chen, will you be going to the funeral?
Jing-Mei: Yes. Both Rusty and I will be going. Mrs. Peterson has kindly agreed to babysit Antonio.
Mr. Santini: If you don't mind, I would like to go too.
Jing-Mei: No problem. That would be fine. I think Dave would appreciate that.
Mr. Santini: She was always a nice girl and a good friend to my daughters. Speaking of Dr. Dave, how did he take the news?
Jing-Mei: I haven't told him yet. He's got a weak heart. I don't really think he'd understand what I was talking about but if he did, a shock like that would kill him.
Mr. Santini nods in agreement and Frankie evilly grins at that last statement.
The next morning, Frankie and Mrs. Peterson report for duty.
Jing-Mei: Mrs. Peterson, I have to go by the hospital and pick up my schedule. I start working back there next week and I'm taking Rusty with me so we can say goodbye to Dave before we leave for Italy tomorrow morning. Frankie, you are welcome to join us or you can have the day off.
Frankie(to himself): Too perfect.
Jing-Mei: What was that, Frankie?
Frankie: Uh, I said I would love to go to the hospital with you.
Jing-Mei: It's settled then. Mrs. Peterson, the baby is still asleep. He hasn't eaten or been bathed yet. I've got more diapers under the changing table and there's plenty of pre-pumped milk in the refrigerator. We won't be long.
Mrs. Peterson: Relax everything is under control. Do you have Antonio's bag packed?
Jing-Mei: Yes. It's in the hallway. If you think you are going to need more than help yourself. This is okay with Mr. Peterson, isn't it?
Mrs. Peterson: Oh god yes. He loves the boys and he is honored that you asked us to take care of that little angel.
Jing-Mei: Thank you so much. Alright, Rusty and Frankie are we ready?
Rusty comes running out of his bedroom and hugs Mrs. Peterson while Jing-Mei goes into the nursey and gives Antonio a small kiss being careful not to wake him up. Then the trio leaves for the hospital.
Capt. Amos sits in his office when there is a knock on the door. An officer enters carrying a tape and a recorder.
Capt. Amos: What can I do for you, officer?
Officer: It's about the Malucci case.
Capt. Amos: What about it?
Officer: I've just reviewed some of the tapes from his home phone tap and I think you had better listen to this.
The officer puts the first tape in the recorder, pushes play and he and the captain listen to the tape.
At the hospital, Jing-Mei tells Frankie to take Rusty up to see Dave and she will be along shortly. She has some business to take care of. Frankie translates and then he firmly grabs the little boy's hand and pulls Rusty after him. Rusty turns to look at Jing-Mei with fear and tears on his face.
Abby: What's wrong with Rusty? He's crying.
Jing-Mei: Well, his aunt just died so that could be the reason.
Abby: He looked scared.
Jing-Mei: He'll be fine. He's just gets nervous when he's not with me. Have you seen Dr. Weaver?
Haleh: I think she's on break in the lounge.
Jing-Mei: Thanks Haleh.
Mrs. Peterson is bathing Antonio when the phone rings. She takes the baby out of the tub, dries him off and lays him in the crib. She answers the phone.
Mrs. Peterson: Dr. Chen's residence.
Capt. Amos: I'm looking for Dr. Chen, is she there?
Mrs. Peterson: No, she's not. Could I take a message?
Capt. Amos: This is Capt. Amos and I really need to speak with her.
Mrs. Peterson: Yes captain. She went to visit Dr. Malucci at the hospital.
Capt. Amos: Do you have the phone number to Dr. Malucci's room?
Mrs. Peterson: He's in ICU and they don't have phones in the rooms.
Capt. Amos: That's right. I'll call the front desk in ICU then. Thank you. Goodbye.
Mrs. Peterson: Goodbye.
She hangs up and goes back to a crying Antonio. Capt. Amos calls the ICU front desk only to be told that she hasn't arrived up there yet. He hangs up and he and the officer head out the door and towards the hospital.
Fifteen minutes later, Jing-Mei walks out of the lounge with Kerry. She is holding her schedule for next week as she approaches the admit desk.
Carter: So, you are all ready to come back to work.
Jing-Mei: Yes. I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow and the funeral is Friday. We will probably leave Saturday night so I should be back in time to start on Monday.
Mark: It will be good to have you back.
Abby: We all missed you so much.
Luka: That's the truth and with you coming back it'll cut down on the patient load for the rest of us.
Jing-Mei: It will be great to be back. Believe it or not, I actually missed working in this place.
Kerry: How is Rusty doing with Sophie's death?
Jing-Mei: Not good. He misses her. Poor little kid. He's had to face death so much and I'm not sure he even understands about dying. All he knows is that both his mama and aunt are up in heaven and he knows he'll never see them again--at least not for a long time anyway. He told me that he wanted to go up to be with them and he's afraid that his daddy will be leaving him soon too.
Carter: I feel so sorry for the little guy. He's confused.
Jing-Mei: Confused, scared and worried about his daddy. I keep telling him that his daddy is getting better and he's going to be back home with us soon.
The phone rings. Randi picks it up.
Randi: Hello, ER front desk.(pause) Hold on, she's right here. Dr. Chen, phone.
Jing-Mei: Antonio is going to be staying with Mrs. Peterson while I'm gone and I told her if she wanted to pack additional things for him she could. She probably is having trouble finding things.
Before Jing-Mei could take the phone from Randi, Capt. Amos came in the ER doors.
Capt. Amos: Dr. Chen, I need to talk to you.
Jing-Mei: Sure captain, just let me take this phone call from the babysitter and I will be right with you. (pause) Hello, Mrs. Peterson is that you?
Frankie(muffled): No it isn't! It's your worse nightmare!
Jing-Mei shakingly pulls the phone away from mouth.
Jing-Mei(whispering): Captain, it's the crank.
Instantly, the captain puts the phone on speakerphone and hangs the receiver up then indicates for her to talk. Jing-Mei composes herself and does as the captain asks.
Jing-Mei: What do you mean that you are my worst nightmare?
Frankie(muffled): You and your whole family's nightmare come to life.
Rusty(in the background): Mama Jing---phone.
Jing-Mei pauses for a second and slams the speakerphone button off. Everyone stares at a shock Jing-Mei.
Jing-Mei: Oh god, captain! That was Rusty's voice in the background.
Capt. Amos: Where is the boy at now?
Jing-Mei: Upstairs with Frank...Captain, the call came from upstairs in the ICU---It was Frankie. He's been making the crank calls. OH MY GOD! DAVE'S IN DANGER! FRANKIE'S GOING TO KILL HIM!!
Capt. Amos: Someone call security up to ICU!! LET'S GO MEN!!!
Panic-stricken, Jing-Mei follows the police up to the ICU to apprehend Frankie before he gets to Dave.
To Be Continued. Please read and review.