Pier Lights by Ella M. Kaye Page B

option in the world,
Caroline let Nelda take the lead. She pointed out her car and Nelda
asked how she drove that way without the right foot. She shook her
head when Caroline answered. “Nonsense. I’ll take you in the taxi.
Harry can follow in your car. I don’t drive a lot but I can drive
that old thing no farther than we’re going. Harry, he’s a good
driver. No worries about the car.”
    “I’m not. It’s ancient anyway. Not that I
would doubt his ability. I only mean...”
    Nelda grinned, a beautiful grin, and patted
her hand. “Don’t worry. We’re not touchy. Come get in the taxi now
and get off your feet. We’ll take care of things tonight. Tomorrow
you can start sorting it all out.”
    “I ... I have to be somewhere tonight. By
nine. It’s important.”
    “Harry’ll get you there and back, then.
Don’t you worry. Time don’t matter at all to him. He can sleep for
ten minutes and jump up and go whatever the time day or night.
Don’t you worry.”
     
    Dio drove like hell. She was barely
breathing, gasping for air. He’d carried his mom to the car and
jumped in and just ran it. He hadn’t even grabbed his mask.
    He hadn’t called in to work, either. He
would do that from the hospital as soon as they took care of her.
They would take care of her, and this time, like it or not, she
would damn well stay there until he didn’t have to worry every
minute.
    “Still okay?” He glanced over.
    She gave him a slight grin. Very slight. She
didn’t answer.
    He whipped around a car that poked along
trying to read the damned boat where he hoped Lina saw his
message... And he wouldn’t be there. If she saw it and he wasn’t
there... Dio would have to worry about that later. First things
first. Ten more minutes to the hospital. Or less if he could make
it less. His mom hated when he drove even the speed limit which she
said was too fast, but she’d have to understand this time.
    Only a couple of minutes left, and red and
blue lights pulled in behind him. He wasn’t stopping. They were
nearly there. He’d explain later. And he could just see that going
well.
    Dio nearly laughed at the irony. Yesterday
the threat of cops only because he knocked on Lina’s door and today
he would have to explain his speed without his mask. He’d wind up
in jail yet. Wouldn’t that be the topping on the stripper’s cake?
Not bad enough he had to live with hiding his face and he had to
run a farm he didn’t want and he’d probably just lost the one girl
who might have had the spunk to stay with him when she saw him, but
a jail record on top of it?
    He did slow down as he pulled into the
hospital parking lot. He wouldn’t risk some other poor soul’s life
to save his mother’s. Whisking around to the emergency room, he
stopped right at the doors, threw it in park, and jumped out to
hurry to her door. Orderlies came.
    “She’s having trouble breathing.”
    They looked at him and drew back, at the
same time the officer stepped out of his patrol car, directly
behind Dio’s, and came at him.
    “My mother.” He reached in to pick her up
out of the car and turned to where they could see her. “She has
pneumonia. She’s barely breathing.”
    At the look of her, they hurried forward
again, with glances at him, and helped her into the chair.
    “Take her in. I’ll be right there.” He
turned to the officer. “I’m sorry. I don’t drive like that, but
she...” He pointed.
    “Yeah okay.” The man eyed him. “You have a
license?”
    Dio pulled it out and handed it over. It
looked just like he did now, full face scar and all.
    “Address correct on this?”
    “Yes. Look, write me up if you need. I’ll
come to take care of it tomorrow. Just let me get in there with
her. She’s all I have.”
    He nodded and handed the license back. “No
ticket. Just move your car to a parking space. Hope she’s all
right.” With a nod, the officer left. One right thing.
    Sometimes all it took was for one right
thing to happen.