"Why don't you sit down here while I take care of the forms?" Fenton suggested, helping Joe limp into the lobby and sit down on one of the chairs. He returned a few minutes later with an orderly who was pushing a wheelchair.
"Is that necessary?" asked Joe, making a face.
"Policy," the orderly replied with a cheerful grin.
"Has anyone ever told you that you enjoy your job too much?" Joe demanded sourly.
The young man laughed, flashing a set of pearly whites. "Sure," he admitted. "But only the ones with lemons in their mouths."
"Touche," Joe acknowledged, grinning as he took a seat in the chair.
"I'm sorry, Sir," the orderly said to Fenton as he started to follow them. "But you will have to wait out here."
"All right," Fenton agreed, smiling even though Joe could tell it was one his father used when he wasn't happy at all. Fenton looked at Joe. "I'm going to call your mom and Frank and let them know what's going on," he said. "I'll be here when you're done," he promised.
"Okay," Joe agreed, giving his dad a funny look before being wheeled away.
Fenton went over to the courtesy phone and lifted the receiver. "Frank?" Fenton asked after placing his call and waiting for the receiver to be picked up.
"Yes," Frank acknowledged with a frown. His dad sounded upset. "What happened? Are you in trouble?" he asked, not having seen the note his dad had left yet.
"Is your mother home?" Fenton asked.
"No," Frank answered. "I guess she took Joe to the doctor. He was coughing a lot earlier and I made him promise to tell mom when he got home after practice."
"Your mother went shopping," Fenton informed Frank. "Joe was sent home early because he was having problems at practice so I took him to see Dr. Bates."
"Is he all right?" demanded Frank anxiously.
"No," Fenton answered. "But don't ask what's wrong because I don't know yet. The doctor sent him to Bayport General for some tests. That's where we are now. Wait for your mother and then come on over," he instructed. "And bring Joe a change of clothes and his toothbrush. He has to stay overnight."
"Dad, how serious is it?" Frank demanded.
"It has something to do with his heart," Fenton answered. "That's all I know for sure at this point. He has developed a heart murmur. The doctor said it was a side effect from the rheumatic fever."
"So he will just have to take it easy for awhile?" asked Frank, praying that was all.
"Son," Fenton said softly. "Joe's having trouble breathing as well as fluid retention and the coughing."
"But...but they can give him something for that, right?" Frank pleaded for an affirmative answer.
"We'll know more after the tests," Fenton said. "Just wait for Laura and then come on over. I'm in the lobby. They wouldn't let me go with him while he was having the tests."
Frank hung up the phone and stared at it, not hearing the door open and his mother enter. How could Joe have heart trouble? He was only seventeen.