I knew that both of them would be in shortly to get me out of the stuff I had on and that I'd be diapered for sure. I just listened as Mom went on.
"Despite all the tests, the doctor's felt that it wasn't necessary to keep him longer than another day or so. So, on that Wednesday we checked him out of the hospital. But, before we left, we wanted to express our thanks to the staff; for all of their efforts. Especially, to one particular nurse who was almost always constantly at his side.
"She never said much but always managed to assure us that he was "being well cared for" and that "over..."time"...he would blossom." And on two occasions, as she stroked his hair said "he is well protected." I thought, I'm sorry, I meant, we presumed she was referring to the constant efforts of all of the staff; who were concerned, to save him.
"Anyhow, just prior to check out we went to the nurses station on his floor, and thanked all whom we recognized; yet, no where was the one who spent the most time with Chris to be found. Naturally, we asked for her by name, but the nurse in charge...said, "No one...who worked the floor...or who was responsible for his care....was employed by that name." We insisted that she did.
"We were adamant. I emphatically stated, "Of course she does, she was always with him and would only leave when another nurse or aide would take over for her, if only for so ever a brief period of time." She just smiled at us and shook her head "No" while adding, "I'm sorry, but there is no one here except for us, and the night shift, and there is no one who has the name "Ann" or even the initials you gave me, "A.N."
"Naturally, we went down to the personnel office. Spoke with the head administrator and were again told that "There is no one employed here who, as you say, that merely goes by just the name of "Ann" or as a matter of fact just initials or even because her name won't fit on an I.D. tag, or even by the acronym of "A.N." Perhaps you are, and I respectfully suggest - mistaken?" We were flustered. We did not try to reply or desire to argue the point. We both knew what we saw and no one was going to change our minds.
"We left the hospital in a huff but still ever so happy to have not lost our son. We brought Chris home. Your Dad carried him up to his room and put him to bed. We gave him the medications prescribed: a variety of antihistamines along with the provided strong sedative and high potency vitamins. He spent the next five days in bed and mostly slept.
"You came home that Friday evening and wondered where he was, as you thought Chris would certainly be at the bus station to meet you. Dad told you he had the "flu"...and....needed to stay in bed for a while. On the drive home, you were beside yourself as to how great the camp was. There was so much to do and see. Horseback riding, canoe trips and even archery contests were included....which the brochure made no mention of.
"When you got home, you gave me a quick kiss but headed straight upstairs to Chris' room. Despite your efforts, he would not wake up for you, even though you were quite the chatterbox. You sat beside him, on his bed and went on about all of the activities that were offered and of how all of the girls were so happy to have gone on this "special" trip.
"Especially beautiful to you was the vast meadow which backed to the camp itself. You said it was almost impossible not to stop and smell every flower. Moreover, of how many butterflies filled the air: hundreds and hundreds flittered sofly to and fro, and would seem to gather and pause, every so often around you. The variety of colors; the flowers, the butterflies and the many birds, "all together...and all so beautiful to see." And all appeared to acknowledge your precence.
"But, especially striking was the fact that even the birds seemed to know you were there: especially, the largest bird you had ever seen, which seemed to circle above you whenever you went on an outing of any type. You even managed to take a few pictures of it. The most impressive were the few you managed to take of it when it surprised you by landing only ten feet from where you knelt as you created a rubbing of a particular bronzed monuments raised lettering.
"And regardless of how tired you or the rest of your troop were from the various day or night activities; that all of you were so pleasantly happy each moring when you woke up. And with all agreeing, describing the sleep as feeling "almost heavenly."
"You told him that there were lots of pictures; not only of the butterflies and flowers, but also of a lonely cemetery as well as the single bronzed monument which had been placed on the hillside overlooking the camp. You're Dad and I stood in the doorway as you told him all of these things and much more. But, at no time did you mention a single name.
"I still have the card from the digital camera and the photos which were downloaded to a saved disc. To you, at the time, all of these were distinctly seperate events running together in a beautiful one week's vacation. To your brother, it was a week where he was ... alone.
"And today as I thought of this particular nightmare, I remembered the two photos you had taken of the headstones in the cemetery. I inserted the disc in our computer and found them.
"In the first picture, clearly chiseled upon the headstones, the names of who were buried could be read. Upon the first granite headstone to the left, read the name of "William H. Worthington of Coventry." Below his name it read "Died in the Year of Our Lord - 1754." Upon the last granite headstone to the right the name reads "Edwina A. Worthington of Coventry." Below her name it reads, "Faithful Wife to William and Loving Mother to Her Son." Below that it reads, "Died in the Year of Our Lord - 1754." The second and much larger headstone centered between the two others reads...it reads...."Elias H. Worthington - Born to the World 1742 - Returned to Heaven 1754." Below his name..."Beloved Son of William and Edwina." And the last line...."Slain by Most Foul of Men."
As Mom begins to tell Christine of the second picture....I...I bolt upright from my kip and stumble quickly to the bathroom door...reach thru the opening and grab the hanging bath towel. Putting the thick folded edge between my teeth....I bite down a hard as I can...SCREAMING....into it! I fold the remainder back over my head and become an ostrich of fear and pain. I don't try to talk...I just...as hard as I can....Scream! It's the kind of one where it just comes out in so high a tone or screech that you think you've got someone else's voice in you. What a laugh! Especially for me!
I reach around the door opening and feel for the second switch. I flip it on...the fart fan starts to drone....and fall to my knees just outside the bathroom door opening. I pull my head to my knees....and allow both sandaled feet to pull away in opposite directions...I form the perfect tripod. I know that beyond the edge of "my" dress....my ankles and legs are exposed...at least to mid-thigh. What the hell!...do I care?! Yea...I think I do!
I can just imagine myself...crap...I must be quite a sight....a little girly/boy on her knees...screaming...I mock myself..."oooh, is the boogey man gonna get cha?" I can't stop hearing Mom talk to Christina....while at the same time realizing that I really hurt like hell! From by stomach on down to my knees! Damn it! I think I'm gonna hurl some major chunks!"
Betty Pearl's Sissy Stories 20.1
Topic: Promises, Obligations and Consequences (Read 144406 times)
