Read Online When Did We Lose Harriet? by Patricia Sprinkle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Sprinkle
Ads: Link
keep her hair a very natural-looking red. It fell straight to curl under at the jewel neck of the prettiest cotton sweater I ever saw—a soft swirl of green, blue, and violet. I didn’t have time to think about sweaters, though. As she passed me in a cloud of Chanel, I saw Glenna’s face. She looked like she had fallen into a deep freeze and gotten chilled to the bone.
I started telling her why I was late, but for the first time I could remember, she interrupted. “He’s worse, Clara. Dr. Watson says he doesn’t have a chance without surgery, but Jake won’t sign the papers. Says he thinks his time has come. I don’t know what to do!”
I hugged her, because I couldn’t stand looking into her eyes. “When can I see him?”
“I think they’d let you go in right now for just a minute, but don’t stay long.”
“Just long enough to tell him to get that operation,” I replied grimly.
Jake was so weak he didn’t try to smile. It nearly broke my heart to look at him, but I forced myself to sound mad. “Well, Jake, I hear you are being obstreperous again.”
He spoke in wisps and gasps. “‘s that…what they…tell you,…Sis?”
“It sure is. I won’t have it, Bubba.” I put on the voice I used to use when he wouldn’t eat his carrots. “You sign those papers for Dr. Watson and get it over with. I can’t shilly-shally around here forever. Joe Riddley needs me too, you know.”
He turned his head restlessly on the pillow. “Need…think about it.”
“What’s there to think about? Get the danged operation and be done with it!” I wanted to holler into his ashen face. But you can’t holler at a man who’s connected to a hundred tubes and whose entire life is reduced to an irregular little “blip” on a screen.
“It’s your decision, of course,” I told him, wondering when he’d gotten too big to obey me and why I’d ever let him.
He tried to shake his head, but it was a poor effort. “…don’t know…operation…any good.” He paused, then said weakly but clearly, “Maybe God’s calling me home.”
Now that did make me mad.
“You don’t know that, Jake. If the good Lord’s ready for you, he can take you in the operating room as well as here. But if he wants you around for a few more years, who are you to object?” I was getting nowhere fast, and I knew it. Quickly I winged a prayer for inspiration—and remembered a joke. “Maybe this operation’s your helicopter. Remember that old story about the man on a roof in the flood? How he turned down offers of help from a canoe, a rowboat, and a helicopter because he thought God was going to save him? Remember? He drowned, and got hopping mad, but God told him—”
I stopped. Jake was already mouthing the punch line. “Hey, buddy, I sent you a canoe, a rowboat, and a helicopter.” His eyes softened, then looked pleadingly into mine. “Think this…operation’s my…helicopter, Sis?” he whispered.
“I sure do, Bubba. Glenna needs you a while yet. Me, too, ornery though you are.” I reached down and lightly touched his shoulder. “You sign those papers and don’t give Glenna any more grief. You hear me?”
“…hear you, Sis. Lordy,” he said with a sudden surge of energy. “How does Joe Riddley stand you?”
“That’s Joe Riddley’s privilege.” Depositing a kiss on his forehead, I tiptoed out.
“He’ll sign,” I told Glenna.
“What did you do?” she asked, amazed.
“Beat him up a little. Big sisters are allowed.”
While Glenna and I waited for them to bring up Jake’s consent forms, I reckoned it was as good a time as any to tell her about my morning.
When I mentioned William Sykes, her face lit up. “That was his mother leaving when you came. They’re fine people, Clara. If you call and tell them you have the money, they’ll probably come get it. You’ve got such a good heart,” she finished warmly.
That made me feel like dirt. I didn’t set out to return Harriet’s money because I
I started telling her why I was late, but for the first time I could remember, she interrupted. “He’s worse, Clara. Dr. Watson says he doesn’t have a chance without surgery, but Jake won’t sign the papers. Says he thinks his time has come. I don’t know what to do!”
I hugged her, because I couldn’t stand looking into her eyes. “When can I see him?”
“I think they’d let you go in right now for just a minute, but don’t stay long.”
“Just long enough to tell him to get that operation,” I replied grimly.
Jake was so weak he didn’t try to smile. It nearly broke my heart to look at him, but I forced myself to sound mad. “Well, Jake, I hear you are being obstreperous again.”
He spoke in wisps and gasps. “‘s that…what they…tell you,…Sis?”
“It sure is. I won’t have it, Bubba.” I put on the voice I used to use when he wouldn’t eat his carrots. “You sign those papers for Dr. Watson and get it over with. I can’t shilly-shally around here forever. Joe Riddley needs me too, you know.”
He turned his head restlessly on the pillow. “Need…think about it.”
“What’s there to think about? Get the danged operation and be done with it!” I wanted to holler into his ashen face. But you can’t holler at a man who’s connected to a hundred tubes and whose entire life is reduced to an irregular little “blip” on a screen.
“It’s your decision, of course,” I told him, wondering when he’d gotten too big to obey me and why I’d ever let him.
He tried to shake his head, but it was a poor effort. “…don’t know…operation…any good.” He paused, then said weakly but clearly, “Maybe God’s calling me home.”
Now that did make me mad.
“You don’t know that, Jake. If the good Lord’s ready for you, he can take you in the operating room as well as here. But if he wants you around for a few more years, who are you to object?” I was getting nowhere fast, and I knew it. Quickly I winged a prayer for inspiration—and remembered a joke. “Maybe this operation’s your helicopter. Remember that old story about the man on a roof in the flood? How he turned down offers of help from a canoe, a rowboat, and a helicopter because he thought God was going to save him? Remember? He drowned, and got hopping mad, but God told him—”
I stopped. Jake was already mouthing the punch line. “Hey, buddy, I sent you a canoe, a rowboat, and a helicopter.” His eyes softened, then looked pleadingly into mine. “Think this…operation’s my…helicopter, Sis?” he whispered.
“I sure do, Bubba. Glenna needs you a while yet. Me, too, ornery though you are.” I reached down and lightly touched his shoulder. “You sign those papers and don’t give Glenna any more grief. You hear me?”
“…hear you, Sis. Lordy,” he said with a sudden surge of energy. “How does Joe Riddley stand you?”
“That’s Joe Riddley’s privilege.” Depositing a kiss on his forehead, I tiptoed out.
“He’ll sign,” I told Glenna.
“What did you do?” she asked, amazed.
“Beat him up a little. Big sisters are allowed.”
While Glenna and I waited for them to bring up Jake’s consent forms, I reckoned it was as good a time as any to tell her about my morning.
When I mentioned William Sykes, her face lit up. “That was his mother leaving when you came. They’re fine people, Clara. If you call and tell them you have the money, they’ll probably come get it. You’ve got such a good heart,” she finished warmly.
That made me feel like dirt. I didn’t set out to return Harriet’s money because I
Similar Books
