A Work in Progress by Bolton Nancy Shew

Author:Bolton, Nancy Shew [Bolton, Nancy Shew]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Prism Book Group
Published: 2016-02-26T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Mark hurried down the hospital corridor behind Julie and Casey, Kevin ahead of them on a stretcher. Kevin’s unresponsive body and white pallor tinged with blue made Mark fear the worst. Possible imminent death from alcohol poisoning? His heart quailed at the thought. Julie and Casey were already emotional wrecks.

But maybe it wasn’t alcohol poisoning. Unlike the strong smell of whiskey the first time he’d met him, he’d detected only a mild beer scent emanating from Kevin tonight. A person accustomed to alcohol would need to drink an awful lot of beer to get poisoned. He’d spotted three bottles on the floor of Kevin’s car, with three more still unopened in the six-pack at his feet.

Kevin might have other health problems. The 911 operator wanted to know, but Julie and Casey answered that he didn’t, other than an old leg injury. The paramedics found a prescription bottle on Kevin, and gave a grim nod at each other after reading it. Kevin wouldn’t try to kill himself, would he?

One of the paramedics looked familiar, and Mark almost asked him what they thought, but decided not to interrupt their hurried activity. Poor Casey. The boy’s face was almost as white as Kevin’s, and Julie didn’t look much better. He hated the helpless feeling of not knowing what he could do to ease them. Lighthearted jokes and sarcasm always seemed to amuse people, but not here, not now.

The two tactics always appeased and distracted his father’s erratic temper, as long as the sarcasm wasn’t directed at him. Mark became a virtuoso at defusing impending ugly scenes with a well-placed joke or wry observation. Other than cooking, it was his only talent. But neither of those would help Julie or Casey.

A slender, middle-aged nurse stopped them near some double doors and spoke in a kind but firm tone, “Let the doctors do their work.”

Mark laid a gentle hand on Julie’s arm. “She’s right. Let’s go sit in the waiting room.”

Julie shook her head. “I’d rather go to the chapel.”

Casey gazed up at the nurse, tears starting. “Please let me go with Dad. I promise I won’t get in the way, honest I won’t.”

The woman patted his shoulder. “Of course you wouldn’t. But it’s hard for the doctors to concentrate with extra people around. As soon as your dad’s better, someone will come and get you, all right?”

Casey gulped, glanced down the hall where Kevin had disappeared, and gave a short nod. “Okay.”

The nurse asked Julie, “You’ll be in the chapel, then?”

“Yes.”

While Mark followed Julie and Casey, it bothered him how the nurse made everything sound so easy. What if Kevin didn’t get better? Was it fair to make Casey think he would? Mark studied the boy. His panic had receded. He supposed the nurse did a merciful thing. Mom always said, “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” Kevin was still alive.

The chapel, a small pretty room with soft lighting and a large stained-glass window, exuded a quiet hush. Julie went straight past the lines of pews to the front, and dropped to her knees, head down.

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