The Big 5-Oh! by Sandra D. Bricker

Author:Sandra D. Bricker [Bricker, Sandra D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781426702358
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2010-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

14

Prudence dropped her head, and one of her ears fell across her eye. “It's a scary thing,” she told Horatio. “Change.”

“But there are two very different kinds of change,” her friend explained. “Change in your circumstances is always a little scary. But change from within … that's a blessing to behold.”

All right, Georgia. Tell him I’ll meet the ambulance at the hospital.”

Liv looked down at herself. Hallie's bright red bathing suit mocked her from beneath the white eyelet peasant-style coverlet and red Capri pants with white pearl buttons at the cuffs.

“We’re going to the hospital?” she asked with a wince. “I’m not exactly dressed for anything except a drive to the Gulf.”

“I’m sorry,” Jared replied, squealing into a U-turn. “It's Clayton. He's having chest pains and shortness of breath. They’re taking him to Fort Myers.”

“Oh, no.”

“I’m sorry to derail our plans, Liv. Hopefully, we’ll still get to the marina later this afternoon.”

“No,” she objected. “Don’t worry about that. Please.”

Her white flip-flops smacked out a goofy little rhythm as she tried to keep up with Jared, up the sidewalk and down the long linoleum hallway of the hospital. In the elevator, she raked her hair with all ten fingers, and then she scurried out behind Jared.

Georgia's scowling face was the first thing that drew Liv's attention as she and Jared arrived at the desk. Georgia looked as if she’d just bitten into a big, bold, sour lemon and didn’t mind letting on how she felt about it.

“He's in Exam Room 3,” Georgia explained as she interlocked her arm with Jared's and whipped him around and down the hall. “They’re doing an EKG right now. His rhythm is erratic, and his pulse is 122.”

“Okay,” Jared said, and then he turned around toward Liv as he continued to walk backward. “Have a seat over there. I’ll be back as soon as I know something.”

Liv nodded, and then he was gone.

Slipping down into one of the leather chairs in the lobby, Liv caught the eyes of a little girl, reclining across her mother's lap while Mom smoothed her dark brown hair in long, gentle strokes. Liv smiled first, and the girl returned the smile with a tired, honey-coated effort.

“I got a fever,” the little girl stated, and it took Liv a moment to realize the comment was directed at her.

“You do?” she returned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

The girl's mom grinned at Liv in a knowing way, and then Liv cocked her head and leaned toward the little girl.

“You just rest. They’ll see you very soon.”

“My name's Sarah,” she said. “I’m seven.”

“Hi, Sarah. I’m Liv.” She decided to skip the age update.

“That's a funny name.”

“It's short for Olivia.”

“Oh. I don’t have a short-for.”

“You don’t need one. Sarah is a beautiful name.”

“I was named after a lady in the Bible. She wanted a baby real bad, but she never could have one. Then when she was really, really old, God said she could have one, and she laughed at Him.”

“I remember that story,” Liv replied. “I think I might have laughed too.

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