“Mom will probably be home in just a few of days.”
“Okay, good,” JJ said after a pause. He clearly had been distracted by his gaming.
“Could you stop playing your computer game and talk to me for a moment?” Jack said with a touch of exasperation.
JJ rolled his eyes but reluctantly did as Jack asked.
“Were you worried about her today at school?” Jack asked, ignoring the eye-rolling.
“A little, but it was okay.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you today like I said I would,” Jack said. “What happened is that I didn’t hear anything until really late. I thought I was going to hear earlier. Did that concern you?”
“No,” JJ said.
“Do you want to ask me any questions about anything?”
“No. Except can I go back toMinecraft?”
Jack smiled when he recalled the conversation. In many ways it was typical, at least since JJ had been in the fourth grade. Getting any information out of him was becoming progressively difficult, especially when he was on his computer.
The elevator was crowded, so much so that Jack was pressed up against the back wall. When the car stopped on the eighth floor, he had to excuse himself and push his way out. As he walked down the corridor, he saw that most of the rooms had visitors. When he got to 838, he paused at the open door. Laurie was asleep in a typical hospital bed with the side rails up. To Jack she looked as beautiful as usual,with her face framed by dark hair that she had obviously taken the time to comb.
Silently Jack stepped inside and glanced around at the rest of the room’s interior. As Laurie had suggested, it was impressive indeed, with an expansive view out over the East River. A good portion of Queens and Brooklyn was plainly visible. The bed was oriented parallel with the large window and faced the wall to the right that contained a strikingly large, built-in flat electronic screen. A news show with talking heads was playing without sound. The rest of the furniture included a bedside table, a loveseat, a desk, and some built-in drawers. There was an open door leading into a bathroom, as well as a closed door that Jack assumed was a closet. Jack had to smile to himself at how different it was from any hospital room he’d ever seen when he was in medical school or when he was a resident.
Silently, so as not to wake Laurie, he tiptoed over to the bedside. Mounted into the wall behind the head of the bed were several flat-screen monitors capable of displaying her vital signs. Only one was functioning, with her ECG playing across the screen in a monotonous but reassuring repetition. The sound associated with the ECG was an equally repetitious, faint beep announcing each heartbeat. The only other noise in the room was the muffled voices drifting in from the hallway.
Jack was confused as to what he should do. He didn’t want to wake her, yet he wanted desperately to talk with her. As he was about to tiptoe over to the couch and wait for her to awaken, one of her eyes popped open. As soon as she saw him, the other one opened as well. Then she managed a smile. They exchanged endearments and he gave her a gentle kiss and a tentative hug, being careful to avoid putting any pressure whatsoever on her chest. Then he brought over a chair to put next to the head of the bed.
“Thanks for coming in,” Laurie said. With some effort she pushedherself back against the head of the bed to assume a semi-upright position. She winced as she did so.
“My pleasure,” he said. “I must say you look terrific despite what you’ve been through.”
“That’s nice of you to say but I don’t believe it for a second,” she said, managing a smile. “Did you get to talk with JJ?”
“I did, and I’m happy to report that he’s acting totally like his old self,” Jack said. “It was hard to get him away from his computer screen. I think he’s taken his mother’s having surgery in stride.”
“I’m not surprised,” Laurie said.
“Do you want to talk at all about your procedure and what was found?” Jack asked. “I’m sure you’ve been told what Dr. Cartier told me.”
“Thank you for asking,” Laurie said. “But to be honest, I’m trying not to get too hung up on the details until I get to talk with the oncologist.”
“I think that’s wise,” he said. “And, if you don’t mind, I’ll follow your lead.”
“At the same time, I’m truly glad and thankful it was found as early as it was, considering its small size, and that there was only a microscopic amount in one lymph node.”
“I was thrilled about that, too,” Jack said. He noticed she avoided the termcancer, so he did as well.
“On a happier note, what do you think of this room?”
“It’s pretty amazing,” Jack said, letting his eyes roam around the room again. “Is that a sleeper couch?”
“It is, but don’t get any ideas,” she said with a laugh. “I want you home with the children.”
“Aye, aye, captain,” he said, raising his hands in surrender.
“Let me show you something else amazing,” Laurie said. “Hand me that tablet from the bedside table.”
