Chapter 21

Tuesday, June 9, 1987-Afternoon

The sound of dishes clanging together added to the hospital cafeteria's already unbearable noise level. Steve's tension headache intensified as he took a bite of his turkey sandwich.

No lettuce. No tomato. No onion. Tasteless. Five dollars is a waste of my hard-earned money. I should've made Ham stop at The Subshop.

Connie strode over to his table carrying a plate with an ear of corn on it.

"I'm glad you decided to come back to the hospital," she said. "Julie and I were worried about you."

You wish Julie was concerned about me.

"I've met with patient services," Connie stated.

"And?"

"Her insurance won't even cover half the surgery, let alone the ICU room. They're negotiating how long she can stay."

"What?" He choked on his sandwich. "She's still very ill, Connie. They can't do that!"

"Do you know if she has any savings? Did she put money away for the wedding, perhaps?"

If she did, she used it to set herself up after she deserted me. Steve placed the sandwich back on his plate.

"I don't know."

"She could sell that nice car of hers."

"She'll never part with it."

"Then maybe they can bury her in it." Connie balled up her napkin and slammed it onto the table.

"Connie, you can't let them release her. Not yet. It's too soon."

"Julie can live with you. I'll look after her while you're at work."

"She won't stay with me. You know how she feels about—"

"Well, she can't stay at her place."

"She might go to Maggie's once her bronchitis clears." An image of Julie lying on Maggie's living room couch with CJ shoving a board book in her hands flashed in his mind.

"She'll never rest with that baby around," Connie said. "We just have to convince her to stay with you."

"Just wait until the time comes. There's no point in upsetting her now."

#

CJ's grubby hand reached for a piece of toast as Maggie wiped his high-chair tray. She dabbed gobs of sticky bread away from his rosy cheeks. Crumbs fell on the tray while CJ crammed in another mouthful.

"C'mon, buddy. Have to get you ready for Daddy. Mommy's going to work."

Maggie worked the three to eleven shift as an R.N. at Santa Monica General. She'd called in sick yesterday to make a special trip to see Julie, but Julie's mother refused to let her in. Maggie resolved not to play Connie's "game", opting to get her updates on Julie's condition directly from Dr. Akers instead.

She unbuckled CJ's seatbelt then placed him on the floor. He toddled into the living room as the phone rang.

"CJ, come back here. I wasn't finished with you," Maggie called after him.

He turned to her, smiled, and grabbed a brown teddy bear from the carpet, muttering "Cai."

The phone rang again. Maggie grabbed it. "Faber's."

"I need your help," said Donovan.

"Don't tell me they won't let you into see Julie anymore."

"Actually, I saw her. She wants me to get her car."

"She must be feeling better. She's worried about her car. Did she make her mother let her see you?"

"Yeah. You too. Anyway, the car's still at Science Frontiers. I've got the keys. If you'll pick me up, I'll drive it back to my place."

"I have to work." She heard the screen door open and watched out of the corner of her eye as Chris came in and scooped up CJ.

"News on Julie?" Chris mouthed.

Maggie shook her head.

"I have to be at work too," Donovan said. "I'd like to get the car tomorrow morning, but I have to visit Sean."

"Have to?" she asked.

"He won't forgive me if I don't. Can you come to my house at one and take me to Science Frontiers?"

"I guess."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Bye, Donovan."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone.

"What does he want now?" Chris asked. "He find Ham?"

"He didn't say."

#

Later that afternoon, Steve sat in the ICU lounge watching the teaser for KDHB's six o'clock broadcast. He couldn't believe it when reporter John Nicholson said the night's top story would be an exclusive interview with KDHB's own Mike Donovan on Julie Parrish.

Connie entered the room.

"You'll never believe what Donovan's up to now," Steve said.

"Who cares, Stevie? Julie kept her broth down. I'm so proud of her." She beamed. "C'mon. She's kind of groggy again. Why don't you go see her before she falls back asleep?"

She grabbed his forearm, leading him down the hall.

How could he tell her that his desire to watch the six o'clock news report was greater than his need to see Julie right now?