Missing Pieces of My Forever-Heart by Janet Grosshandler Page A

Jame.  We’ve got other important things to think about.”
     
    “Nothing is more important than you and me,”
     
    I gave him a kiss.  “Hush now.  I promise we’ll talk about it later.”
     
    He was getting drowsy from the meds they had given him. “Love you, Cath.”
     
    “Love you too, my sweet Jame, forever and ever,“ I whispered into his ear as the orderly wheeled him away.
     
    I saw him give a small smile and a little wave of his hand as he went out of my sight.
     
    Doctor Hadler found me a few hours later.  Erin held my hand as he reported on Jame’s surgery.  “We got all of the melanoma and removed the sentinel lymph node from the path.  It looked a bit suspicious but we’ll know more after the node is biopsied.  He’s in recovery now and a nurse will come for you when he’s awake and ready to go to his room.”
     
    I didn’t realize how worried I was until the doctor left the room and my tears started.  Erin hugged me hard and whispered to me as I used to do for her, “It’s gonna be all right, Mom. Shhhh, I promise it’s gonna be all right.”
     
    At that moment my cell phone rang.  It was allowed in the surgery waiting room so people could be in touch with family members.  I didn’t recognize the number and almost didn’t answer it.  It was Jack Masterson.
     
    “Cath, it’s Jack.  I’ve been leaving messages for Jame all day but he’s not picking up.  How can I reach him?”
     
    “Jame just came out of surgery, Jack.  What is it?”
     
    “I found your son, Michael.”
     
    I sat stunned in silence.  I could not process what he was telling me. “Wh...what?”
     
    “Cath, I traced him through his high school and college information.  He’s in Boston.  Lives there and works there.”
     
    “I…I…Jack, I’ve just been through hours of waiting for Jame’s surgery and am a little incoherent at the moment. What do we do now?”
     
    “No rush, Cath. Michael’s not going anywhere.  Take it easy, talk things over with Jame when he’s better and let me know.  I’m here for you.”
     
    “All right, Jack.  We’ll call you back.” I turned off my phone.
     
    “Who was that, Mom? You look sick.” Erin was watching me closely.
     
    “Oh, someone trying to reach Jame.  He has to call him back.  Nothing big, honey. No worry.”  No worry, right.  I was on emotional overload and couldn’t process this news.
     
    Erin went back to Rutgers and I followed Jame up to his room.  He was still mostly out from the anesthesia and it was unnerving to see my big, strong healthy guy so helpless and weak.  No matter what he had said, this was a major surgery.
     
    I slept in the chair in his room that night, giving him sips of water, listening to his moans of pain, and watching the nurses check his back and his drains. And I prayed to all my angels and saints to heal him so we could have our life together.
     
    “Cath,” I heard as I came out of a deep sleep. I was slumped over in the chair and it was just starting to get light outside. I jumped up and leaned over him.
     
    Jame was trying to move in the bed. 
     
    “Hi honey, are you in a lot of pain? Do you want me to call the nurse?”
     
    “Yeah, could you? I could use some more pain meds. Thanks.”  He moaned as he tried to move his shoulder.  “Ouch, this really bites.”
     
    As I pushed the call button for the nurse, he said, “Hey Cath, I dreamed I saw Michael.”
     
    I froze.  Now I believed in coincidences but this was too much.  Maybe Jame did have super powers so that all he did was want something and it appeared.  
     
    The nurse came in, adjusted all his tubes and lines, and gave him more pain meds and Jame settled back into sleep.  What would his reaction be when I told him that Jack found Michael? He’d probably jump out of bed and drive to Boston.
     
    I used a bathroom with a shower for family members and did a quick run to the cafeteria for some coffee and breakfast.  I