The Two-Family House(34)

“Do you think it’s serious?”

“I think he’ll be fine. Harry got hit like this when he was little too. They’re boys—it happens.”

“If he’s so fine, then why should we drag him to the hospital?”

Helen took a deep breath. “I’m not a doctor, Mort. They need to examine his eye. Obviously I can’t do that. And they should check him for a concussion. To be safe, you should take him.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Don’t you want to wait for Rose?”

“What I want is for this all to be over so I can get the hell off of this goddamned island. If she doesn’t get back here in five minutes, we’re leaving.”

“But Teddy will want Rose to be with—”

“If Abe can’t find her in five minutes, I’ll drive and you’ll sit with Teddy in back.”

“But Mort—”

“Someone needs to sit in the back with him,” Mort snapped. “If you won’t go, Judith will do it.”

That’s the last thing Judith needs. “Of course I’ll come with you. But I’m sure Rose will be back in a minute.”

*

Five minutes passed, and Rose hadn’t returned. After ten more minutes, Abe still couldn’t find her. Helen had no choice but to go with Mort. She pulled Abe to the side before she left. “Find Rose and bring her to the hospital as soon as you can.”

“I will,” he promised.

Helen sat in the backseat with Teddy while Mort drove. Teddy had finally stopped crying, and Helen was rubbing his back and patting his hair. His head was in her lap, and she was holding the wet dish towel over his eye. The ice had melted, but the towel was still cold. Teddy’s other eye was open, watching her. She smiled at him. “Everything is going to be all right,” she said. She said it over and over, like a prayer.

When they arrived at the hospital, Mort pulled up to the emergency room entrance. Helen carried Teddy through the double doors to check in while Mort parked the car. Inside, it looked like every other hospital Helen had seen. The walls were a forgettable shade of pale green and the shiny floors were speckled white linoleum. The smell was familiar—mint and medicine mixed with the faint smell of sickness. Teddy started crying again as soon as they walked through the entrance.

“Shh, don’t be afraid.” While Teddy sniffled, Helen explained the situation to the nurse at the reception desk and took the necessary forms. She held Teddy to her chest while he closed his eyes. The poor thing was exhausted. Still carrying him, Helen walked over to the most comfortable looking of the four couches in the waiting area and arranged him so that he was lying down with his head in her lap, the same way they had been sitting in the car. He seemed to like that position best. The hard gray leather of the couch was cold against her bare legs, and Helen wished she had a blanket.

Helen’s right hand was free so she flipped through the forms. Should she fill them out or wait for Mort? She knew her brother-in-law would want her to be as efficient as possible, but she hesitated. Rose might not like it if she filled out Teddy’s forms. But Rose isn’t here.

After ten minutes passed, Helen decided to start. She wrote down Teddy’s birthday and his blood type, his height and his weight, the things he was allergic to (dust and cherries) and the results of his latest vision and hearing tests. She wrote down when he’d had the chicken pox and when he’d had bronchitis. Then she signed the form and brought it back to the desk. “Miss, you forgot something,” the attendant called to her as she was walking away.

“Sorry, I thought I was finished,” Helen apologized. She walked back to the desk. “Only one more thing!” the nurse chirped. “Just write ‘mother’ on this line.”

“Excuse me?”

“Right here, where it says ‘Relationship to Patient,’ you forgot to write ‘mother.’”

“Oh, but I’m not—you see, I’m just…” Helen couldn’t get the words out. She cleared her throat. “I’m his aunt.”

“Oops! My mistake! Okay then, just put ‘aunt’ right on that line there.” The nurse was unfazed.

Helen wrote in the word. Her hand was shaking. “Am I done now?”

“Yes, you’re all set. One of the doctors will call you in a few minutes. It’s pretty slow here today, so it shouldn’t be a long wait.”

“Thank you.”

Helen had just settled Teddy on her lap again when Mort finally returned. “What took you so long?”

“I parked across the street, so I had to walk a little bit.”

“Why didn’t you just park in the hospital lot?”

“They’re charging a dollar to park there, that’s why! They have you over a barrel, so they try to rob you blind,” Mort harrumphed and sat down next to her on the couch. He had just opened a magazine when a nurse called Teddy’s name. Dr. Schlatner was waiting for them. He examined Teddy and asked a long list of questions. Had Teddy lost consciousness? Where did the ball hit him? Any vomiting? Blurry vision?

When the doctor finished, he told them Teddy’s eye was unharmed and he didn’t appear to have a concussion. “I want you to be very careful with him for the next few days” the doctor cautioned. “No running or physical activity for twenty-four hours. If he vomits or complains of blurry vision or headaches, I want you to see your pediatrician immediately.” Dr. Schlatner winked at Teddy and rumpled the little boy’s hair. “Keep your eyes open, slugger, and don’t walk into any more line drives.” He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a lollipop. For the first time all day, Teddy smiled.