friend of mine has been hurt and is in the hospital there.”
He didn’t wait for her to answer. She trusted his judgment and he knew she wouldn’t question his leaving.
When he emerged from the bathroom with wet hair and damp, clean clothes shoved onto his body, she asked, “How many days will you be gone? There’s only a week’s worth of stuff in the bag.”
“Thanks , Mom. It’ll do. I can go to the laundry mat if I need to. She may not live that long.”
“She?”
“Betty. She was in a car accident and is in critical condition.”
“Betty,” she murmured.
He saw the confusion in her face. “If she makes it, she will be my wife.”
He held her in a tender embrace. “We met at the Bible College. It’s okay.”
“I’ll be prayin’.”
“Appreciate it.”
He loped to the pickup and filled it with fuel from the farm machinery pump. He had no time to waste. Nashvill e was eight hundred and fifty miles from the farm. Hang in there, Bet, I’m comin’.
Bill sat in a straight-backed chair next to Betty’s bed. He had gotten out of the hospital, arranged, and attended Sweetie’s funeral. Still, Betty remained in a coma. He saw the rumpled young man sleeping on a cot next to her bed. Bill wondered that the hospital staff allowed him to stay in the room with her.
He shifted in the chair. The suit was scratchy and unfamiliar. Sweetie would have laughed at him for buying it to wear only once. He figured he would be buried in it when his time came, so it wouldn’t be a waste.
Man, how he missed that laugh. Johnny sat up and rubbed his eyes. He saw Bill still in his suit and bandages. He reached over to him and shook his hand. “You should be gettin’ some rest. I can’t believe they let you out so soon.”
“I had to take care of my wife’s arrangements.”
“I am so sorry for your loss.”
“Me too.”
“How did the funeral go?”
Bill slumped and put his elbows on his knees. “Everybody came. They all love...loved her. She was that kind of woman.”
“Betty would have wanted to be there.”
“What did the doctor say when he came in this morning?”
Johnny looked at the motionless girl and spoke in a low voice, “Her brain is swollen. He thinks she could wake up any time.”
“How is it that they are letting you stay here?”
“I lied.”
“ Lied?”
“Told them I am her brother. You understand, I couldn’t leave her alone in here.”
“I would do the same thing,” Bill agreed.
Johnny went into the bathroom and freshened up. He re turned in clean clothes and his hair combed. “How did it happen?”
“The crash?”
“Drunk driver.”
“Where is he?”
“T’was a teenaged girl. She didn’t make it. Died yesterday. Her mama and daddy are crazy with grief.”
Johnny looked in his billfold. “I’m gonna get some coffee and a donut. Can I bring some for you?”
“Sounds good.” He shifted to reach for his wallet.
“Let me get it. I wasn’t able to make the funeral. I want to do something for you.”
Bill nodded.
Johnny was gone. Bill sat for a few minutes listening to the clock tick. It seemed that it ticked more slowly each time. He stood and walked over to Betty and took her hand. “Betty, Sweetie died. I can’t have you dying on me too. Could you please leave the peaceful place you are dreaming in and wake up for me? There are folks here who need you.”
He stared at her for a full minute. It seemed that her mouth twitched a little. “Hon, wake up. Your mama and daddy will be here by tomorrow. You will want to see them.”
A tiny frown creased her brow. Her eyes squeezed tight and soon she blinked. Bill pushed the red button for a nurse. A raspy loud voice answered the call, “Can I help you?”
“She is waking up. I think she is waking up.”
“Be right with you.”
Johnny heard voices in the room and carefully opened the door. “What is it, Bill?”
“Look at her! I think she is gonna wake up.”
Johnny studied the face. Her
He didn’t wait for her to answer. She trusted his judgment and he knew she wouldn’t question his leaving.
When he emerged from the bathroom with wet hair and damp, clean clothes shoved onto his body, she asked, “How many days will you be gone? There’s only a week’s worth of stuff in the bag.”
“Thanks , Mom. It’ll do. I can go to the laundry mat if I need to. She may not live that long.”
“She?”
“Betty. She was in a car accident and is in critical condition.”
“Betty,” she murmured.
He saw the confusion in her face. “If she makes it, she will be my wife.”
He held her in a tender embrace. “We met at the Bible College. It’s okay.”
“I’ll be prayin’.”
“Appreciate it.”
He loped to the pickup and filled it with fuel from the farm machinery pump. He had no time to waste. Nashvill e was eight hundred and fifty miles from the farm. Hang in there, Bet, I’m comin’.
Bill sat in a straight-backed chair next to Betty’s bed. He had gotten out of the hospital, arranged, and attended Sweetie’s funeral. Still, Betty remained in a coma. He saw the rumpled young man sleeping on a cot next to her bed. Bill wondered that the hospital staff allowed him to stay in the room with her.
He shifted in the chair. The suit was scratchy and unfamiliar. Sweetie would have laughed at him for buying it to wear only once. He figured he would be buried in it when his time came, so it wouldn’t be a waste.
Man, how he missed that laugh. Johnny sat up and rubbed his eyes. He saw Bill still in his suit and bandages. He reached over to him and shook his hand. “You should be gettin’ some rest. I can’t believe they let you out so soon.”
“I had to take care of my wife’s arrangements.”
“I am so sorry for your loss.”
“Me too.”
“How did the funeral go?”
Bill slumped and put his elbows on his knees. “Everybody came. They all love...loved her. She was that kind of woman.”
“Betty would have wanted to be there.”
“What did the doctor say when he came in this morning?”
Johnny looked at the motionless girl and spoke in a low voice, “Her brain is swollen. He thinks she could wake up any time.”
“How is it that they are letting you stay here?”
“I lied.”
“ Lied?”
“Told them I am her brother. You understand, I couldn’t leave her alone in here.”
“I would do the same thing,” Bill agreed.
Johnny went into the bathroom and freshened up. He re turned in clean clothes and his hair combed. “How did it happen?”
“The crash?”
“Drunk driver.”
“Where is he?”
“T’was a teenaged girl. She didn’t make it. Died yesterday. Her mama and daddy are crazy with grief.”
Johnny looked in his billfold. “I’m gonna get some coffee and a donut. Can I bring some for you?”
“Sounds good.” He shifted to reach for his wallet.
“Let me get it. I wasn’t able to make the funeral. I want to do something for you.”
Bill nodded.
Johnny was gone. Bill sat for a few minutes listening to the clock tick. It seemed that it ticked more slowly each time. He stood and walked over to Betty and took her hand. “Betty, Sweetie died. I can’t have you dying on me too. Could you please leave the peaceful place you are dreaming in and wake up for me? There are folks here who need you.”
He stared at her for a full minute. It seemed that her mouth twitched a little. “Hon, wake up. Your mama and daddy will be here by tomorrow. You will want to see them.”
A tiny frown creased her brow. Her eyes squeezed tight and soon she blinked. Bill pushed the red button for a nurse. A raspy loud voice answered the call, “Can I help you?”
“She is waking up. I think she is waking up.”
“Be right with you.”
Johnny heard voices in the room and carefully opened the door. “What is it, Bill?”
“Look at her! I think she is gonna wake up.”
Johnny studied the face. Her
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