5:00 PM PDT
Marty Jr found himself blinking back tears, as he was driving to the hospital with Marlene and Harmony. Please, God, Marty Jr prayed, let Dad be all right. Let him get well, soon. I can't bear to lose him. Then Marty Jr pulled into the parking lot of Hill Valley Hospital, and he looked for an empty parking space close to the visitor's entrance. Then, as the teens stepped out of the car, Jennifer came walking up towards them.
'I'm glad you kids could make it,' Jennifer exclaimed.
'Oh, Mom,' cried out Marty Jr, as he threw his arms around his mother, 'how is Dad doing? Is he still very sick?'
'I'm afraid he is, honey,' Jennifer said, quietly. 'He's also been very feverish, and keeps seeing things that are not there. So keep in mind that your father might not quite seem himself. We can hope and pray that your father gets better soon - but the doctor says there's a slight possibility that he may not make it.'
'Oh, Mom,' moaned Marty Jr, as he began to cry, 'he's not going to die, is he? Please say no! I don't want Daddy to die. I love him!'
'Yeah, I know, honey,' Jennifer said, patting Marty Jr's back. 'I don't want your dad to die, either. Maybe he won't. Still, it is a possibility.'
'Oh, no!' sobbed Marty Jr, burying his face in his mother's shoulder. 'Please, God, no! He can't die! Daddy can't die! Daddy cannot die!'
'Shhhhh! Shhhhh!' soothed Jennifer. 'Try to relax honey. The doctors will do everything they can to make sure your dad stays alive, and gets well.'
Marty Jr just buried his face in his mother's shoulder and wept inconsolably.
oooooooooo
As Marlene watched her brother crying on their mother's shoulder, she felt like crying herself. She glanced at Harmony, with despair. Harmony looked like she wanted to cry, too.
'Come on, Harmony,' urged Marlene, as she grabbed hold of Harmony's hand, 'let's go. I have to see how Dad is doing. I refuse to accept that he might - uh, well, I can't even bring myself to say the d-word.'
'I understand, Marlene,' Harmony said, quietly. 'Your dad is a very friendly and loveable individual. He's always a fun person to hang around. He's only 48 years old. He cannot die, already!'
Then, as the girls entered the hospital, they stopped by the reception desk.
'Hello,' said the receptionalist, 'may I help you?'
'Yeah,' said Marlene, swallowing, 'we are here to see a Martin McFly Sr. He's my dad.'
'Okay, just have a seat, girls,' the receptionist said, 'and we'll send someone out to get you, shortly.'
'Thanks, ma'am,' replied Marlene, as she and Harmony went to grab a seat.
Marlene had just stared at the clock on the wall, as she was feeling too restless to look at and magazines. After about five minutes, Clara walked into the waiting room.
'Hello, girls,' greeted Clara. 'Hey, Marlene, where's your brother?'
'He's outside with Mom,' explained Marlene. 'He was crying when we left. Tell me, Clara, is Dad really in that critical a condition, where he might die?'
'I'm afraid he is, sweetie,' Clara said, sadly. 'He caught a very nasty virus, I'm afraid. The doctors do give him an 80 percent chance of survival, though.'
'Only 80 percent?' cried Marlene. 'How the bloody hell did Dad get so sick, anyway?'
'Uh, well,' stammered Clara, 'when he went to a meeting earlier today, he was sitting next to someone who just returned from a Carribean cruise, and was very sick. Your dad had caught the virus from him.'
'Oh, good grief!' cried Marlene. 'Why didn't that person have the good sense to go to the hospital, if he was that sick? What a bastard!'
'Calm down down, Marlene,' Clara said, softly. 'He didn't know he was sick. It was in the beginning stages of his illness.'
'Then how Dad get so sick so bloody fast, then?' Marlene cried out, with anguish.
'I'm not sure, honey,' Clara said, blinking back tears. 'Come on, you girls, let's go see him.'
oooooooooo
As Marty Jr and Jennifer had stepped into the in-patient room where Marty was staying, Marty Jr stared at his father, long and hard. His father looked very pale. Marty Jr slowly walked to his father, and tenderly stroke his face.
'My son!' cried out Marty, as he opened his eyes. 'How are you doing?'
'Not too well,' Marty Jr said, sadly. 'I can hardly believe you're so sick. I really hope you get better soon. I need you, Dad.'
'Honey,' Marty said, softly, 'I have no intention of going anywhere. What makes you think otherwise?'
'Well,' Marty Jr said, quietly, 'Mom told me that the doctors said that there is a slight possibility that you might, uh, uh, well, you know.'
'I refuse to believe that I'm going to die,' Marty said, firmly. 'Don't worry, honey, I am bound and determined to pull through this. Hey, aren't you going to say 'hi' to Polly?'
'Uh, who is Polly?' Marty Jr asked, confused.
Marty pointed to the TV, and said, 'Don't you see her? She's over there! She's sitting on top of the TV.'
Marty Jr glanced in the direction of the TV, and he didn't see anyone over there.
'Uh, I don't see anybody over there,' Marty Jr said, shaking his head.
'How can you not see her?' demanded Marty. 'She's quite a colourful parrot, if I must say so.'
'A, uh, parrot?' Marty Jr asked, confused. 'I don't see a parrot in this room.'
'Hey, honey,' Jennifer cut in. 'I'm going to have a little talk with our son. we'll be right back.'
'Okay, sweetie,' replied Marty, smiling at Jennifer.
After Jennifer and Marty Jr had left the room, Jennifer whispered to her son, 'Uh, honey, remember how I told you that your father is feverish - and he sees things that are not there?'
'Uh, yeah, Mom,' replied Marty Jr, 'I remember you telling me that. I gather the parrot is one of them?'
'That is correct,' replied Jennifer. 'It's best just to humour your father and act like you see what he sees. Otherwise, he gets very agitated. I think it would be better for his health just to humour him. Can you do that, honey?'
'Yeah, Mom, I guess so,' replied Marty Jr. 'I'll try to keep that in mind. I just hope he gets better, soon. It makes me feel so sad to see him so sick. He has to get better, Mom. He does.'
'Yeah, we all would like that, honey,' Jennifer said, softly, as she gave her son's shoulder a gentle squeeze. 'Well, we should just pray for him that he gets better - and then he should pull through fine. The doctors do give him an 80 percent chance of survival?'
'Only 80 percent?' Marty Jr gasped, stunned. 'Only 80 percent, Mom?'
'Honey, isn't it better to see the glass as half-full?' Jennifer asked, gently.
'I don't want to see the glass as only half-full!' Marty Jr cried out, in anguish. 'I want the glass to be full full!'
'I know, honey,' Jennifer said, softly. 'We should try to remain optimistic, though - just like your father.'
Marty Jr then threw her arms around his mother, as he blinked back tears.
