Gratitude Page 8

  They all stayed until the end, with Daniel mopping the last little bit as they all moved out the door. It was dark already, and had been for hours, but there was still a crazy man waiting for them. A giant guy that kept yelling at himself. He didn’t approach them at all, but it was clear that he just didn’t have anywhere else to go.

  “You can follow us to the hospital. I know where it is.” Daniel made it sound natural. Like just anyone would have gone to see her father as he lie dying. It was nice of him. Plus that way they could have Jen checked out, if she needed it.

  She probably should have gone earlier. Even her own mother had told her several times that medical people always made the worst patients.

  Allison drove carefully, but the streets weren’t all that busy and the trip only took about ten minutes, since they’d gone to the closest hospital. It wasn’t as nice inside as the one her mother worked at, but it was clean and seemed like the people there cared about keeping things at least in fair shape.

  At the front desk, the one that said information on the front, she froze. She knew to ask for her father, but what if he’d died? They wouldn’t just blurt it out right there, would they? She didn’t know if she could handle that.

  “Um, I need to know about a patient? My father? Blake Kenders.”

  The nurse, who was a heavyset older woman with a sweater over her light green outfit, looked at her computer screen, made a soft “hmmm” sound and then smiled.

  “On the fourth floor. Room fourteen. It’s a bit late, but since he’s being released, I think you can go right up. Do be quiet, please, since people are resting.”

  Daniel, who clearly knew the place better than the rest of them, walked straight to the elevators. It was about then that she realized that Benny had come along as well. She noticed because he tried to pass her, limping at a better speed than she was, as Daniel, Lucas and Jen climbed into the elevator.

  The Marine spoke in a low voice, so it wouldn’t carry too far.

  “I bet we look a sight, don’t we?” His voice was soft, but Daniel heard him as they climbed into the little box and the button was hit for the fourth floor.

  The Native man went stoned faced and raised his head proudly.

  “It looks as if the Indians have fought with the white invaders… and won.”

  That got a soft, and pained, chuckle, as Lucas and Jen both clutched at things as they made noise. Jen’s hands went to the front of her head, and Luc patted at his lip, to see if it had broken open again.

  Room fourteen wasn’t empty, but the bed hadn’t been laid in, and her father was sitting in a wheel chair, with a pilgrim woman getting ready to roll him out.

  She grinned at the others. For once she actually seemed truly happy.

  “Acid reflux and fatigue from standing for so long. Not a cardiac event at all. Blake needs a few dietary changes, and some antacids. That’s all.” She looked at her children and smiled hugely. It was a lot more than what she normally would have done. She let her hand rest on Blake’s shoulder. “The chair is just for the sake of the rules. Some places work things that way still. He can’t walk until he hits the door.”

  Daniel nodded.

  “Then we can just dump him on the sidewalk. It’s very handy, actually. People don’t want to leave Brickston, due to our great bedside manner here.”

  That, him working there, would explain how well he knew the floor plan.

  Allison just stood back, a sense of real relief coming across her then. It left her feeling almost weak, and no one noticed, except her brother.

  “Are you feeling all right?” He sounded slightly worried, so she smiled.

  “Yeah, I just realized that I have more to be thankful for this year than I thought I did. You guys.”

  She looked at everyone else, and they turned away, to walk, or roll down the hall.

  Lucas stayed by her though, and patted her arm, which was affectionate for him.

  “Still, next year I say we all meet up for Chinese food. Vegan Chinese.”

  Allison nodded, but it was her mother that spoke, her voice warm.

  “Actually I was thinking of cooking at home for once. You kids can get on that and learn how, between now and then, right?”

  Then, laughing, they all went home.

  Thankfully.