Chapter Nine
Sam and Billy got to the dirt road, just as the fog started rolling in. In less than thirty minutes, Billy was at the hospital being treated for his wound. Sam sat with Phyllis and Ben until the doctor invited them back to Billy's room.
On her way out the door, Phyllis asked Sam, "Aren't you gonna come see your brother?"
"In a minute," Sam answered.
They left the waiting room, and Sam turned to Al, who had been standing there smoking his cigar for the past couple of minutes.
"Huh, this is the only time I'll ever get to smoke in a hospital," Al remarked, looking at his beloved cigar.
"So is Billy going to be okay?" Sam asked.
"Oh, sure." Al raised the handlink to read from it. "He makes a full recovery, graduates from high school, and opens a powersports shop where he sells four-wheelers, go carts, and dirt." Confused, he looked at the handlink. "Why would he sell dirt?" He whacked the handlink, and it cried out a high-pitched squeal. "Bikes. Oh, dirt bikes." He chuckled a little and continued. "Anyway, he and Jacob go on to teach safety courses for hunting and four-wheeling."
Suddenly, Misty burst through the waiting room door. "Jacob! I heard about what happened! Is Billy gonna be okay?"
"Yeah," Sam smiled. "He's gonna be just fine."
"Good," Misty grinned. "'Cause I'd hate to think anything bad happened to my future brother-in-law!"
Sam raised his eyebrows at Al, who looked at the handlink and shook his head.
"She doesn't marry Jacob. If fact, she drops out of high school and doesn't get married at all. She bounces around between dead-end jobs and just disappears into society." Al looked back at Sam. "Unless you change history, of course," he added with a smirk. Sam hesitated for a moment.
"Go on," Al encouraged.
"Misty," Sam called as she was about to leave the waiting room. She turned around, and Sam hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled back and slapped him. "Ew, Jacob Henderson, you are so gross! I always knew I liked Billy better!" And she ran down the hall toward Billy's room.
"Well," Al said, trying to stifle a chuckle as he read the handlink. "You did it. Misty finishes high school at Billy's insistence. They get married after she graduates, and he puts her through nursing school with the money he makes on the shop. Oh, and get this, Sam. She adds wilderness first aid to Billy and Jacob's safety courses, and together they save a lot of lives."
"Hey, Jacob," Ben called from the waiting room door. "Billy wants to see you."
Sam walked down the hall and into Billy's room and sat down by the bed, near where Al was now standing.
"You know what I've decided to do?" Billy asked.
"Um," Sam looked at Al and Al shrugged, pounding the handlink. He then looked back at Billy. "No, what?"
"I've decided to buy you your own four-wheeler as soon as I get the chance. I think you've earned it. It's just my way of saying..." He held out his hand, and Sam grasped it. "...thanks, Little Brother."
And Sam leaped.