Jex Blackwell Saves the World by P. William Grimm

Author:P. William Grimm [Grimm, P. William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-938349-82-9
Publisher: Pelekinesis
Published: 2018-01-18T16:00:00+00:00

Diagnoses

Free-styling

“Betsy,” Jex says firmly. “I don’t think there’s really much doubt about it. Ben has bacterial meningitis.”

Betsy turns pale, seems weaker than before, maybe about to fall over. “Oh, holy shit. What does that mean?”

Jex puts her hand up. “It’s OK – it’s only been about twelve hours, I think you said, since he began to show symptoms. There’s time. He’s going to be fine. But, right now, for sure, we have to get Ben to a hospital to diagnose it and start treatment if I’m right. They need …”

“Oh, man, I just can’t do hospitals. Q, I thought you said your friend could fix Ben?”

Jex interjects. “I definitely do not have the ability to fix Ben. He needs a doctor; a real doctor. And a hospital and all its resources. I …”

“See, Q, why do I even want to listen to some punk kid about this? Look at that ratty sweatshirt, and you know what, she stinks. I can’t be going to a hospital right now. With all respect, I am not taking this kid’s advice,” Betsy continues nervously. “I am sure it’s just a cold or flu or what have you.”

Q protests. “No, Betsy, you’re wrong. Come on, don’t be like that. Jex is the real deal, I’m telling you, if she says you should be going to a hospital, I think …”

“Betsy, listen to me,” Jex says firmly.“There is only one thing to do here. And that one thing is to bring Ben to a hospital immediately.” Her tone leaves no doubt to consider. “There is no other choice.”

Loudly, but with an assurance that seems slightly diminished, Betsy rebuts. “There is a choice. There is always a choice. I am his mama and I am the one who gets to choose what’s good for him and what’s not.”

Jex does not back down, knowing there is no time for a delicate bedside manner. “You may be the one who chooses who makes the decisions for him, but you don’t get to choose what’s good for him. What’s good for him is treating his meningitis. There is no doubt about that. It will save his life. The layers of his brain have become inflamed by a bacteria and if he doesn’t get antibiotic treatment, things are guaranteed to get much worse – and fast.”

Q butts in, having watched the exchange with growing despair. “We could call child protection. I bet they would demand Ben be taken . . ”

Jex interrupts her before Betsy can. “I am not calling child protection on anyone. Period, Betsy. Period.”

Q looks startled but shuts her mouth. Jex continues, looking directly into Betsy’s eyes, whose emotions Jex reads as a roller coaster of anger, fear, confusion and helplessness.

“Betsy, no one is calling child protection. The decision is yours. You’re his mama. But as his mama, please, please just listen to me for three minutes. Literally three minutes.”

Betsy squints her eyes in doubt and cynicism, but there is fear behind those eyes, too, and she mutters quietly.

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