you, Mrs. Ward, am I a cripple?” he had asked, decisively striding about the living room.
She shook her head slowly. “Maybe I’m imagining things,” she said weakly. “I could have sworn—”
“Lay off the swearing,” he said, grinning. Sobering, his mood changed. “God, sweetheart! There’s nothing wrong with me. The doctors found nothing. Besides, I wouldn’t let anything go wrong. You know that.”
Allowing herself to be embraced, she had impulsively thrown her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry, darling,” she had said, but decided to call Doctor Dayton Monday morning.
Her gaze, traveling up his quiet form lying in the hospital bed, stopped to study his handsome features. The half light created an illusion of puffiness and lines in his face. The feeble glow shone on his right eye and forehead while darkness covered the left side of his upper face. Directly above his mouth the shadow of his nose gave him the appearance of wearing a small moustache. Despite her concern, she managed a fragile smile. Then the door opened and the light from the hallway spilled in.
Trina turned to find a heavyset nurse framed in the doorway.
“Mrs. Ward?” the woman asked.
Trina walked toward her and into the hall when the woman motioned for her to follow.
“I’m Selma Overton. Doctor Lehigh asked me to visit with you for a moment. He was on his way here but was called to an emergency operation. Doctor has looked at the results of the tests your husband underwent when he was admitted this afternoon. Everything seems to be within normal ranges. However, he has suggested Mr. Ward undergo another angiogram.”
Trina cringed inwardly at the thought. She remembered Jon’s trepidation about the angiogram he had had administered the previous week. Although the possibilities of a reaction or blood clot existed, nothing adverse had happened. Now, he would apparently have to have another of the tests.
“Is it necessary?” she asked.
“Doctor seems to feel that since it is so close timewise to his having experienced the dream, something might show up on this test that didn’t before.”
Trina nodded, understanding the logic, but fearing Jon’s attitude.
“Doctor also suggested that you go home and get a good night’s rest. Your presence here will not help your husband at this time.”
“When will the angiogram be administered?” she asked.
“Very early, tomorrow morning. I believe he’s scheduled for seven.”
“I’ll have to call in early so the school can get a sub for me but I’ll be here. Probably earlier than that.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Ward. Your husband should sleep the whole night through with no effort. We have orders to check on him every fifteen minutes. If he should wake up, we’re to notify the doctor on duty immediately. As a result, he’ll be under observation all night.”
Trina studied the older woman. An air of professional conduct prevented her from smiling even though laugh lines were in evidence at the corners of her eyes. Her ruddy complexion contrasted sharply with her white uniform while dark eyes peered steadily at Trina.
“His vital signs are all normal, Mrs. Ward,” she continued. “Right now, he’s sleeping. Everything should be fine for tonight.”
“If you’re certain it’s all right,” she said.
“You won’t be worth anything to him when he’s awake in the morning if you stay up all night, Mrs. Ward. Please. A good night’s sleep will work wonders for you, as well as for your husband.”
“Very well. I’ll get my purse and be on my way,” she said, moving to the door.
It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the half light of the room before she walked to the side of the bed. Jon still lay on his back, asleep. Bending down, she tenderly kissed him. “I’ll see you in the morning, darling,” she whispered.
Leaving his side to retrieve her handbag from the bureau, Trina moved silently to the door. Before she left, she turned to look at her
She shook her head slowly. “Maybe I’m imagining things,” she said weakly. “I could have sworn—”
“Lay off the swearing,” he said, grinning. Sobering, his mood changed. “God, sweetheart! There’s nothing wrong with me. The doctors found nothing. Besides, I wouldn’t let anything go wrong. You know that.”
Allowing herself to be embraced, she had impulsively thrown her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry, darling,” she had said, but decided to call Doctor Dayton Monday morning.
Her gaze, traveling up his quiet form lying in the hospital bed, stopped to study his handsome features. The half light created an illusion of puffiness and lines in his face. The feeble glow shone on his right eye and forehead while darkness covered the left side of his upper face. Directly above his mouth the shadow of his nose gave him the appearance of wearing a small moustache. Despite her concern, she managed a fragile smile. Then the door opened and the light from the hallway spilled in.
Trina turned to find a heavyset nurse framed in the doorway.
“Mrs. Ward?” the woman asked.
Trina walked toward her and into the hall when the woman motioned for her to follow.
“I’m Selma Overton. Doctor Lehigh asked me to visit with you for a moment. He was on his way here but was called to an emergency operation. Doctor has looked at the results of the tests your husband underwent when he was admitted this afternoon. Everything seems to be within normal ranges. However, he has suggested Mr. Ward undergo another angiogram.”
Trina cringed inwardly at the thought. She remembered Jon’s trepidation about the angiogram he had had administered the previous week. Although the possibilities of a reaction or blood clot existed, nothing adverse had happened. Now, he would apparently have to have another of the tests.
“Is it necessary?” she asked.
“Doctor seems to feel that since it is so close timewise to his having experienced the dream, something might show up on this test that didn’t before.”
Trina nodded, understanding the logic, but fearing Jon’s attitude.
“Doctor also suggested that you go home and get a good night’s rest. Your presence here will not help your husband at this time.”
“When will the angiogram be administered?” she asked.
“Very early, tomorrow morning. I believe he’s scheduled for seven.”
“I’ll have to call in early so the school can get a sub for me but I’ll be here. Probably earlier than that.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Ward. Your husband should sleep the whole night through with no effort. We have orders to check on him every fifteen minutes. If he should wake up, we’re to notify the doctor on duty immediately. As a result, he’ll be under observation all night.”
Trina studied the older woman. An air of professional conduct prevented her from smiling even though laugh lines were in evidence at the corners of her eyes. Her ruddy complexion contrasted sharply with her white uniform while dark eyes peered steadily at Trina.
“His vital signs are all normal, Mrs. Ward,” she continued. “Right now, he’s sleeping. Everything should be fine for tonight.”
“If you’re certain it’s all right,” she said.
“You won’t be worth anything to him when he’s awake in the morning if you stay up all night, Mrs. Ward. Please. A good night’s sleep will work wonders for you, as well as for your husband.”
“Very well. I’ll get my purse and be on my way,” she said, moving to the door.
It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the half light of the room before she walked to the side of the bed. Jon still lay on his back, asleep. Bending down, she tenderly kissed him. “I’ll see you in the morning, darling,” she whispered.
Leaving his side to retrieve her handbag from the bureau, Trina moved silently to the door. Before she left, she turned to look at her
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