(concluded)
He was in the door frame when her mother, arms akimbo took note. “And how may I help you, young man?”
A sharp shriek from the seated bedside Judy:
“Oh-my-God.” She coiffed her hair.
“What, who is this man?” - mother
“Who is it, what’s the matter? - daughter
“I don’t believe it. You son-of-a...” - Judy
“Oh-my-God. You’re the one? You son-of-a- .” - mother
“Oh-my-God.” As she touched her hair. - Patricia
“Call security. Press the panic button, Judy. Now! Oh-my-God.” - mother
“Please.” - Jack
“You son-of-a- .” mother, advancing across the private room.
“Mother! Mom! Stop!” She had at once stowed the panic button beneath the hospital blanket and was holding it with a death grip.
Judy shrieked again.
“Judy!” - Patricia
“How dare you! What the is wrong with you? To come here after assaulting this child.” - mother
“I’m, I’m, I’m sorry. I came to...”
“Sorry? You son-of-a- , you. If my husband, her father were alive he’d show you sorry. You son-of-a- . I’m calling the police.”
“Mom, please. Please, mom, okay?”
The woman broke-just the slightest.
“Mom, just a couple minutes, please. Judy?” Judy stood and smoothed her clothing.
“What? You want me to leave you alone with this, with this, this animal? No. Uh, uh. No way. I won’t do it. I should call the pol...”
“Mom. I need a few minutes with him. Please, mom. I promise it will be okay.”
“C’mon, Mrs. Stafford, we’ll have a coffee down the hall.”
He moved out of the doorway and inside the room, just barely.
Judy reached for her hand, but, the woman ignored the gesture, moved past Jack and out the door.
“Asshole.” She hissed.
Judy followed, her eyes bearing into his. “I wish he’d swept my legs.” She thought to herself.
“It’s alright. You can come over now.”
The quieting of the footsteps of the women steadied Jack. He moved to the seat that Judy had occupied, but, did not sit.
“You’re okay?”
“Sure. No concussion. Just a bit of a headache, probably mostly from the alcohol. I’m not much of a drinker. Patty is my name, well Patricia, but, everybody calls me Patty.”
She turned loose of the panic button, left it under the hospital blanket and extended her right hand. It was warm when Jack’s ice cold hand engaged it.
The combination of warm and cold was immediate. A crack of blue light wasn’t seen, but, was felt, but, not extinguished as they both held on.
“I’m sorry, Patricia.”
“Me too, uh,,, I don’t even know your name.”
“It’s Jack.” He was stunned.
“What!” She was incredulous.
“Yes, my name is Jack.”
“Oh-my-goodness, I had no idea. I picked a name out of the air. No wonder you were so, so, well so confused, is that the right word, uh, Jack?”
“Yes, confused and mean. No excuses, Patricia, I was wrong. I’m glad you’re not hurt.” The knot in his stomach began to unravel for the first time since he pushed thru that lounge door.
She’d never heard her Christian name practiced with such quality and caring, even from her mother.
Their clasp held, the warmth nurturing both youngsters.
Time was up, he could almost hear her mother galloping back, perhaps with law enforcement after all.
“I’d better go, Patricia.”
But, Patricia held tight to Jack’s hand, so firmly that Jack laid his other hand to the grip, then leaned in slowly and kissed the girl, on her cheek ever so softly.
“I’ll make it up to you. Please.” She’d not opened her eyes, but, heard his vow plainly.
“Yes.” Just a whisper.
The clip-clop could be heard in the distance. He’d have to hurry.
“I’ll come for you tomorrow night, Patricia. Please.”
“I’ll be waiting, Jack. I promise.”
The clip-clop sounded like a freight train when the children released their clasp and the boy straightened, the girl easing back in the bed.
“You’re still here, young man.” She swept into the room, Judy was nowhere in sight.
“Mother, please.”
“Mrs. Stafford, again my profound apologies to you and to your late husband. I will make this up to you and your daughter. I’ve promised Patricia and I make you that same vow.”
The woman renewed her protest, but, her words retreated as Jack met Patricia’s eyes, then exited the room.
Just this side of the elevators Jack found Judy and respectfully garnered Patty’s contact information from the young woman.
“It’s okay, Judy, I swear it.”
“Mom, would it be possible for you to make your meatloaf tomorrow night?”
“Jackie?” She was graveled.
“Yes, mother, please. I’d like to come to dinner and bring a friend I’ve just met. I want her to meet my parents.”
She sat down in a kitchen chair, Jack Sr., edged into the room for a closer look-see. He knew his wife’s tones like the back of his hand.
“Of course, Jackie, you’re always welcome here, son. This is your home.”
“Mom?” Jack’s voice broke just a measure ... It’d been years since she’d heard him call out to her, or, his father.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here, your father as well.”
“I love you, mom, dad, too...”
A skein of silence took hold.
... And I always will.”
“We’ll be here, Jackie. Always. See you tomorrow evening. Good night, honey.”
She set the phone aside.
“Jack, our boy, our son is coming back to us.”
-The End-