Waiting Is The Hardest Part
Chapter 22
Bosco was putting the finishing touches on breakfast after bringing the kids in from the yard. He glanced at the clock – 10:00 a.m.
"Hey, Jord. What don't you go wake Mommy up. Tell her breakfast is served," he called over his shoulder, glancing toward Jason to see that he was eating the last of the Cheerios that he'd put on his high chair tray.
"Okay!" she called out happily as she headed for the stairs.
Bosco put the orange juice and muffins he'd purchased on the counter and laughed as he watched Jason trying to get the lone Cheerio that was stuck to his hand off.
He heard Jordan yelling and thought how much Jennifer would appreciate that in her ear first thing in the morning when he realized that it was an anguished yelling. He glanced over at Jason to see that he was okay and headed toward the stairs.
As he neared the stairs he could hear Jordan crying. He started to take the stairs two or three at a time and heard Jordan's words. "Mommy! Please wake up! Daddy!"
"Jordan! What's wrong?" he yelled back to her as he rounded the corner and took in the sight of Jennifer lying on the floor and Jordan sitting next to her, grabbing her face and shaking her mother.
"Jordan! Go down and stay with Jason," he told her to get her out of the way until he could find out exactly what the problem was. As he fell to his knees next to Jennifer, he instinctively grabbed for her wrist to check for a pulse. He glanced at her chest to see that it rose and fell with each breath and then let himself take a breath. Noticing that Jordan was still wailing at his side, he gently took hold of her hands and pulled her face toward him.
"Jordan. I need you to go and take care of your brother. Mommy's okay. I'll take care of her," he said, waiting to see that the words had made it through Jordan's hysteria.
She looked back at her mother and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, he repeated. "I've got Mommy, Jordan. You need to go and check on Jason for me. Go now, Jordan," he said as he heard a sigh come from Jennifer's lips.
Jordan ran from the room to go and check on her brother and Bosco brought his full attention to Jennifer as he reached for the phone off the desk and dialed 911.
"Jen? Can you hear me, Honey. Wake up," he called to her as she moved her head slightly from side to side. She let out a soft moan and he saw that she tried to open her eyes.
"Jen. I'm here. It's okay. Just relax," he said, as he waited for the operator to answer on the other end.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at the ceiling and then around her as if to figure out where she was.
"Yes, I need an ambulance at 1417 Birch Lane. My wife is sick," he said to the 911 operator on the other end of the phone. "I don't know. I think she passed out," he said in answer the operator's questions.
"Maurice?" Jennifer managed to say as she came to more. She started to try and sit up, but felt Bosco restrain her.
"Jen. Just stay there and relax. Help's on the way. Do you know what happened?" he asked her, trying to figure out what happened.
"I think I passed out," she said, seeming confused.
"Okay. Do you know why? Did you feel okay when you got up?" he asked as she tried to sit up again. "Maybe you should just stay still for right now. There's an ambulance on the way," he told her.
"No. I want to sit up. I don't need an ambulance. I just hyperventilated," she said, remembering what had happened. He helped her to sit up and lean against the side of the bed.
"Okay, but no more moving around. You might have hit your head on something when you fell," he ordered her.
"Yes, Doctor," she said teasingly. This brought his attention to her face and he saw a different look in her eyes then.
"Jen?" he said, questioningly.
"Maurice," she said softly, putting a hand on the side of his face. "I remember."
"You remember? Remember what?" he said, trying to figure out if there was somewhere they were supposed to be today.
"I remember everything," she said and he saw a smile come across her face.
He just stared at her for a moment as the sound of sirens could be heard coming down the road.
"Whaâ, you meanâ, you remember? Everything?" he said, the meaning of her words finally settling in his brain.
"You remember everything?" he repeated and she laughed.
"Yes, Maurice. All of it. The day we met at that rest stop, you coming into the ER after your accident. The day I fell in love with you – the same day that I met you – everything," she said, holding her arms out for him.
He leaned toward her and embraced her, feeling her return the embrace. It had been so long since he'd felt that and he'd wondered if he'd ever feel her love again.
"Oh, Jen," was all he could say as they held onto each other. He broke the embrace as he heard the sounds of footsteps hurrying up the stairs, led by Jordan.
"I remember the wedding, having Jason, our vacations at the beach. All of it," she said, the excitement in her making her talk faster.
"Up here. Mommy fell down," Jordan said and they each heard the fear in her voice.
"Jordan, it's okay," Jennifer called to her. "I'm okay, Honey." Jordan escorted the paramedics and the police officer into the room and, seeing her mother awake and talking, ran over and clung to her.
"Hey, Doc," one of the paramedics said to her as he knelt down and opened up his bag. "What's the problem?"
"Hey, Danny. Nothing, really. I just hyperventilated and they over-reacted," she said, embarrassment showing in her cheeks as Danny began to take her vital signs. Bosco reached down and took Jordan in his arms so they could check Jennifer over.
"Well, you know the drill, Doc," he said, apologetically, but still meaning to do his job.
"I know, Danny," she answered. She added, "But, I'm telling you now that I'm refusing treatment."
"Jen," Bosco started to object, but the look she threw him told him not to.
"I'm fine, Maurice. I'm a doctor, remember?" she said to him as Danny finished taking her pulse, blood pressure and respirations.
"Did you fall and get hurt anywhere?" he asked her.
"It was more that I sat down first, but I didn't get hurt anywhere," she answered. He took out his stethoscope and was going to listen to her heart when she finally had had enough.
"Really," she said, pushing his hands away. "I'm fine. Just let me sign the paper and then you can go help someone who really needs it."
Not that Bosco had any say in the matter, but Danny looked up at him as if to ask if he agreed. "Thanks, guys," Bosco told them both. "I'll make sure she gets checked out. Sorry to bring you out for nothing."
"No problem. We're just glad it's nothing serious. Take care, Doc," Danny said, packing up his bag.
"Oh, man! Jason!" Bosco suddenly remembered, as he set Jordan on the floor next to him. He started toward the hallway in a hurry when the police officer that had come up with the paramedics called to him.
"It's okay. My partner's with him. She's great with kids," he said.
Danny and his partner helped Jennifer who was getting to her feet. They stayed next to her for a moment until they were sure that she wasn't going to have any problems and then said their goodbyes as Bosco ran down the stairs to Jason.
"Thanks again, guys," Jennifer called to the medics as Jordan climbed up alongside her on the bed and hugged her.
"No problem, Doc. We'll see you at the hospital," they called over their shoulders as they headed downstairs.
"Mommy, you scared me again," Jordan scolded her mother.
"I'm sorry, Bug. I just got overexcited and breathed too fast," she explained.
"Excited about what?" Jordan asked her as Bosco and Jason came back in the room.
"Mommy remembers everything, Jordan," he told her, smiling at Jennifer as Jason held his arms out for his mother.
TBC
