Read Online The First Stone by Don Aker - Free Book Online

chest, looked at theceiling through streaming eyes. Tried to feel how lucky she was.
    â€œI knew things were moving quickly, but the judge surprised even me.” Hank Elliott seemed younger on the phone. Maybe it was not seeing that pasty, Legal Aid face of his when he spoke. Wearing his I-can’t-believe-I’m-doing-this expression that made Reef want to puke. Or punch him out. He looked out the window at the Barkers’ back yard, the grass long since choked out by weeds and cinch bugs. He said nothing.
    â€œSo,” Elliott continued, “can you make it to the courthouse by three o’clock?”
    Reef looked across the table at Karl. “Oh, I got someone here who’s just dyin’ to take me.”
    Karl glanced at him sharply. Scowled. “Smartass,” he said.
    Reef flipped him the finger.
    â€œPhone call for you, Mrs. Morrison,” the nurse said from the doorway. “You can take it at the nurses’ station.”
    Leeza gripped her mother’s hand, then thought of all the times her sister had lain in beds like this one, being strong for everyone. Now here she was, clinging to her mother like Velcro. She forced herself to let go.
    â€œThanks, Joyce,” Diane said. She turned to Leeza. “Must be Jack.” She pointed to her purse. “You can’t use cellphones in the hospital. I’ll be right back, honey.” She patted her daughter’s hand and hurried out of the room.
    â€œJoyce,” said Dr. Mahoney, “I’ve adjusted the dosage of Leeza’s pain medication. You’ll see it on the chart.”
    â€œYes, Doctor,” the nurse replied. She came around by the bed, checking instruments and recording notes on a chart.
    â€œAnd she’ll be moving to rehab tomorrow.”
    â€œGood for you, Leeza,” said the nurse. “I’ll be sorry to see you go, though. We didn’t have much chance to get to know each other.”
    â€œI’ll check on you later this evening,” Mahoney told Leeza. “See you then,” she said, then left.
    Leeza said nothing, gripped the handle of the mirror in her white-knuckled fist.
    â€œSo,” the nurse said as she flipped through the chart, “I’ve been meaning to ask you about your name. I’ve heard Lisa lots of times, but we don’t get many Leezas here.”
    Leeza swallowed audibly. Forced back tears. She didn’t think she could speak and was grateful the nurse pretended not to notice, busying herself with the chart.
    â€œIs it a given name or short for something?” the nurse asked brightly.
    Leeza swallowed again. “Short for Elizabeth.”
    The nurse turned to her. “Is that right? I have a sister named Elizabeth. Everybody calls her Liz.”
    Leeza said nothing for a long moment, and the nurse continued checking instruments and recording Information. She hummed a bit as she worked, seemingly unaware of the continued silence.
    Finally, Leeza was able to force out the words. “It’s the name my sister called me.”
    â€œReally?” the nurse asked without looking up. “Did she hear it somewhere?”
    Another pause, this one shorter than the last. “When I was born, she couldn’t say my name. Called me Leezabit. Then just Leeza.”
    â€œThat’s sweet,” the nurse said. “I had quite a few names for my little sister when we were growing up, but, fortunately for her,” she grinned, “none of them stuck.”
    Despite the pain that ground its teeth along her left side, and even despite the horror she’d seen under the sheet and in the mirror, Leeza smiled. A wan. fleeting thing, but still a smile. Apparently encouraged by this reaction, the nurse was well into a humorous account of how she’d sabotaged her sister’s first date when Leeza’s mother returned.
    â€œI have to go out for a while. Leeza,” she said, her face ashen. “Jack’s on his way now