Chapter 5: Visiting Time
Early the next morning Susan and Susie piled into the car. Luka had gone straight from Susan's house to work the previous evening, he had offered to skip work to go with them but Susan had declined saying Weaver would get suspicious. Besides it was only a sixty mile drive so it should only take about two hours to get to the small town of Bristol, Joe was living on the outskirts of the tiny town. Of course Susie was very excited about seeing her Daddy again, she spent half of Saturday night on the phone to Luann talking about it. After the encounter with Elizabeth the day before Luka and Susan had been more cautious but had also decided to see each other providing they were careful about it at work. A smile tickled Susan's lips as she drove along as she remembered Elizabeth's confused reaction to she and Luka being together - it was as if she'd just stepped into some alternate reality. Susan glanced in her rear-view-mirror, Susie was asleep, hardly surprising considering the pair had been up at six 'O' clock. It was now after nine and they were over halfway there, Susan began pondering what she would say to Joe. The visit was, however, mainly for Susie's benefit, she saw no reason why Susie couldn't stay with Joe while she went shopping or suchlike. In the back Susie began to stir, "Auntie Susan. Are we nearly there yet?" I gotta go to the bathroom." Susie murmured sleepily. "Okay Honey, can you hold on? We'll be at a restroom soon." Susie 'Uh- huh'd' and curled up once more. Susan checked her watch to confirm that they would have time to stop for breakfast and maybe even phone Joe so he knew they were on their way. Once at the restroom Susan helped Susie to the bathroom and then the pair got some breakfast, Susan got a bagel and coffee while Susie chose a milkshake and cream bun. After breakfast Susan made an attempt to phone Joe, there was no answer, the phone just rang out. A wave of terror ebbed through Susan's veins; maybe he had collapsed or was dead. No, he wasn't expecting her for another hour; he had no reason to be there to answer the phone. Hopefully. She crossed her fingers for luck as she climbed into the car, 'Please let Joe be alright,' she wished silently.
At just after ten 'O' clock Susan drove up the main road of the small town called Bristol. She could see why Joe had chosen to live out his final days here, in the same way that Mark had chosen Hawaii where the surroundings were familiar. Bristol was just the same, one main street with lots of sub- streets coming off it. Susan continued driving along the street looking for a sign labeled Brook Street. It took two attempts but finally Susan found the right place. "Is this the place Auntie Susan?" Susie asked as they pulled up at a two- story house at the end of Brook Street. "I think so Honey. Can you just wait here while I go check? I'll be back in a minute." "Promise? I'm good at waiting." Susan nodded and signed as she got out of the car. She couldn't see if he was in or not. At the front door Susan knocked heavily and peered in through the window. There was no answer. Glancing round Susan could see Susie watching anxiously. Slowly she made her way back to the car. "Is it the wrong house?" Susie asked. "Umm. No. I think he might be in the garden. Will you wait while I go check?" Susan replied; Susie nodded. The terrible thoughts reentered her mind as she walked back up the path. Susan scooted round the side of the house; she tried glancing in at a few windows, only to find that the curtains were drawn. The garden was overgrown and empty, the backdoor was locked, Susan let out a sigh and continued back round to the front of the house, peering in at windows as she went. "You looking for Joe?" A deep female voice called at her. "Yeah. Do you know where he is?" Susan asked. "Uh huh. He's been pretty sick lately, the other day he passed out at the mailbox. Keeps on getting these terrible headaches, I don't think he's been sleeping too well." The dark haired woman told Susan. "Can you tell me where he is please?" Susan urged. "I've brought his daughter to see him, it might be the last chance she gets." "Oh. He never said he had a daughter." The woman looked as if she wanted to as who Susan was but thought it best not to. Finally she surrendered "Last night an ambulance showed up and took him away. I think he might have had a fall, I don't know who called the ambulance. I'm not one to interfere, so I didn't go out, they probably just took him to Bristol General. It's about four miles up the road." Susan was already making her way back to the car. "Thanks." She opened the car door, got in and started up the engine. "Auntie Susan. Was it the wrong house? Where's Daddy?" Susan asked worriedly. "We have to go to the hospital." Susan told her. "Is Daddy sick? Like Mommy?" Susie asked. "He's sick. Very sick. Worse than Mommy." Susan began in a disjointed fashion. Susie seemed to understand. "It just means that we have to visit him at hospital." Susan continued. "Will he die?" Susan asked abruptly. Susan choked, what should she tell her? "I don't know Honey, I really don't know." She sighed.
The car was parked about six minutes walk away from the hospitals main entrance. Susan was nervous about what she should do with Susie. They approached the inquiries desk, Susan indicated that Susie should sit on a chair and look at a magazine; in the meantime Susan spoke to the woman on the desk. "Good Morning, can I help you?" The cheerful young receptionist chimed happily. Susan explained who she was looking for and when he had been brought in. The receptionist nodded, taking it all in. A moment later she was clicking away on the computer. "Ahh yes." She exclaimed, "here he is, he's on the fourth floor. Take the elevator up an turn left. One of the nurses at the desk will take you to him." Susan thanked the woman and called Susie over before following the young receptionist's directions to the cancer unit. "May I help you?" The nurse on the desk asked. Susan explained about Joe and the woman led Susan and her niece to the private room where Joe had been placed. "Susie. You wait here while I go see your Daddy. He's pretty sick okay Honey." Susan told Susie before moving into the room with the nurse. "Joe. You have a visitor." The nurse told him moving round the clean white bed to check his IV. "Huh." Joe muttered, slurring slightly, his gaze fell upon Susan. "You came. Susie? Did you bring Susie?" "Of course Joe. She's waiting outside." Susan told him perching on the edge of the chair. "I'll leave you alone now, if you need me I'll be at the desk." The nurse whispered as she left. "Joe. What happened?" Susan asked leaning forward to check his chart. "I had a seizure." He explained in a slow deliberating voice. Susan recalled her feelings when Mark died, the way she had never really got to say goodbye. Suddenly she thought of Susie and never getting to say goodbye to her father. "I'll go get Susie - "She started, beginning to get up. "No. Wait." Joe told her. He reached out an arm and weakly grabbed her wrist. His grip was loose and the action was jerky like he could barely control his own limbs. Compulsively Susan sat back down and looked Joe in the face, he continued. "Make sure she knows I love her, always. I've signed the papers. I sent them back. She's yours now. Take good care of her Susan." Joe seemed to doze off. Susan nudged him gently, he was still breathing. Susan quietly exited the room, took Susie and informed the nurse that Joe was sleeping and they would be back once they'd eaten. The nurse directed them towards the canteen.
An hour and a half later they returned. Once again Susan went in first and check that it would be okay for Susie to go in. Joe seemed different somehow. He was sat up, or at least propped up against the pillows, a young blonde nurse was helping him drink from a feeding cup with a straw. He gave Susie a lopsided grin as she hopped over to the bed and sat down beside him. Joe made small talk with the bubbly child asking her about her friends, complimenting her on the outfit she had chosen, talking about the new school she would be starting the next day and finally about staying with Susan in general. At last Susan decided it was time to go, she sent Susie out ahead of her. "See you Joe." She whispered as she opened the door to leave. "Wait Susan." Joe muttered, he suddenly seemed overcome with emotion. "Promise me you'll take care of her Susan. She's my little girl. Promise." Susan nodded. "I promise Joe. Good Luck." And with that she left.
Early the next morning Susan and Susie piled into the car. Luka had gone straight from Susan's house to work the previous evening, he had offered to skip work to go with them but Susan had declined saying Weaver would get suspicious. Besides it was only a sixty mile drive so it should only take about two hours to get to the small town of Bristol, Joe was living on the outskirts of the tiny town. Of course Susie was very excited about seeing her Daddy again, she spent half of Saturday night on the phone to Luann talking about it. After the encounter with Elizabeth the day before Luka and Susan had been more cautious but had also decided to see each other providing they were careful about it at work. A smile tickled Susan's lips as she drove along as she remembered Elizabeth's confused reaction to she and Luka being together - it was as if she'd just stepped into some alternate reality. Susan glanced in her rear-view-mirror, Susie was asleep, hardly surprising considering the pair had been up at six 'O' clock. It was now after nine and they were over halfway there, Susan began pondering what she would say to Joe. The visit was, however, mainly for Susie's benefit, she saw no reason why Susie couldn't stay with Joe while she went shopping or suchlike. In the back Susie began to stir, "Auntie Susan. Are we nearly there yet?" I gotta go to the bathroom." Susie murmured sleepily. "Okay Honey, can you hold on? We'll be at a restroom soon." Susie 'Uh- huh'd' and curled up once more. Susan checked her watch to confirm that they would have time to stop for breakfast and maybe even phone Joe so he knew they were on their way. Once at the restroom Susan helped Susie to the bathroom and then the pair got some breakfast, Susan got a bagel and coffee while Susie chose a milkshake and cream bun. After breakfast Susan made an attempt to phone Joe, there was no answer, the phone just rang out. A wave of terror ebbed through Susan's veins; maybe he had collapsed or was dead. No, he wasn't expecting her for another hour; he had no reason to be there to answer the phone. Hopefully. She crossed her fingers for luck as she climbed into the car, 'Please let Joe be alright,' she wished silently.
At just after ten 'O' clock Susan drove up the main road of the small town called Bristol. She could see why Joe had chosen to live out his final days here, in the same way that Mark had chosen Hawaii where the surroundings were familiar. Bristol was just the same, one main street with lots of sub- streets coming off it. Susan continued driving along the street looking for a sign labeled Brook Street. It took two attempts but finally Susan found the right place. "Is this the place Auntie Susan?" Susie asked as they pulled up at a two- story house at the end of Brook Street. "I think so Honey. Can you just wait here while I go check? I'll be back in a minute." "Promise? I'm good at waiting." Susan nodded and signed as she got out of the car. She couldn't see if he was in or not. At the front door Susan knocked heavily and peered in through the window. There was no answer. Glancing round Susan could see Susie watching anxiously. Slowly she made her way back to the car. "Is it the wrong house?" Susie asked. "Umm. No. I think he might be in the garden. Will you wait while I go check?" Susan replied; Susie nodded. The terrible thoughts reentered her mind as she walked back up the path. Susan scooted round the side of the house; she tried glancing in at a few windows, only to find that the curtains were drawn. The garden was overgrown and empty, the backdoor was locked, Susan let out a sigh and continued back round to the front of the house, peering in at windows as she went. "You looking for Joe?" A deep female voice called at her. "Yeah. Do you know where he is?" Susan asked. "Uh huh. He's been pretty sick lately, the other day he passed out at the mailbox. Keeps on getting these terrible headaches, I don't think he's been sleeping too well." The dark haired woman told Susan. "Can you tell me where he is please?" Susan urged. "I've brought his daughter to see him, it might be the last chance she gets." "Oh. He never said he had a daughter." The woman looked as if she wanted to as who Susan was but thought it best not to. Finally she surrendered "Last night an ambulance showed up and took him away. I think he might have had a fall, I don't know who called the ambulance. I'm not one to interfere, so I didn't go out, they probably just took him to Bristol General. It's about four miles up the road." Susan was already making her way back to the car. "Thanks." She opened the car door, got in and started up the engine. "Auntie Susan. Was it the wrong house? Where's Daddy?" Susan asked worriedly. "We have to go to the hospital." Susan told her. "Is Daddy sick? Like Mommy?" Susie asked. "He's sick. Very sick. Worse than Mommy." Susan began in a disjointed fashion. Susie seemed to understand. "It just means that we have to visit him at hospital." Susan continued. "Will he die?" Susan asked abruptly. Susan choked, what should she tell her? "I don't know Honey, I really don't know." She sighed.
The car was parked about six minutes walk away from the hospitals main entrance. Susan was nervous about what she should do with Susie. They approached the inquiries desk, Susan indicated that Susie should sit on a chair and look at a magazine; in the meantime Susan spoke to the woman on the desk. "Good Morning, can I help you?" The cheerful young receptionist chimed happily. Susan explained who she was looking for and when he had been brought in. The receptionist nodded, taking it all in. A moment later she was clicking away on the computer. "Ahh yes." She exclaimed, "here he is, he's on the fourth floor. Take the elevator up an turn left. One of the nurses at the desk will take you to him." Susan thanked the woman and called Susie over before following the young receptionist's directions to the cancer unit. "May I help you?" The nurse on the desk asked. Susan explained about Joe and the woman led Susan and her niece to the private room where Joe had been placed. "Susie. You wait here while I go see your Daddy. He's pretty sick okay Honey." Susan told Susie before moving into the room with the nurse. "Joe. You have a visitor." The nurse told him moving round the clean white bed to check his IV. "Huh." Joe muttered, slurring slightly, his gaze fell upon Susan. "You came. Susie? Did you bring Susie?" "Of course Joe. She's waiting outside." Susan told him perching on the edge of the chair. "I'll leave you alone now, if you need me I'll be at the desk." The nurse whispered as she left. "Joe. What happened?" Susan asked leaning forward to check his chart. "I had a seizure." He explained in a slow deliberating voice. Susan recalled her feelings when Mark died, the way she had never really got to say goodbye. Suddenly she thought of Susie and never getting to say goodbye to her father. "I'll go get Susie - "She started, beginning to get up. "No. Wait." Joe told her. He reached out an arm and weakly grabbed her wrist. His grip was loose and the action was jerky like he could barely control his own limbs. Compulsively Susan sat back down and looked Joe in the face, he continued. "Make sure she knows I love her, always. I've signed the papers. I sent them back. She's yours now. Take good care of her Susan." Joe seemed to doze off. Susan nudged him gently, he was still breathing. Susan quietly exited the room, took Susie and informed the nurse that Joe was sleeping and they would be back once they'd eaten. The nurse directed them towards the canteen.
An hour and a half later they returned. Once again Susan went in first and check that it would be okay for Susie to go in. Joe seemed different somehow. He was sat up, or at least propped up against the pillows, a young blonde nurse was helping him drink from a feeding cup with a straw. He gave Susie a lopsided grin as she hopped over to the bed and sat down beside him. Joe made small talk with the bubbly child asking her about her friends, complimenting her on the outfit she had chosen, talking about the new school she would be starting the next day and finally about staying with Susan in general. At last Susan decided it was time to go, she sent Susie out ahead of her. "See you Joe." She whispered as she opened the door to leave. "Wait Susan." Joe muttered, he suddenly seemed overcome with emotion. "Promise me you'll take care of her Susan. She's my little girl. Promise." Susan nodded. "I promise Joe. Good Luck." And with that she left.