A Family Affair(63)

She wanted to go home but was repeatedly told it would be another day or two until more information about her condition could be gathered.

Jessie was finally persuaded to leave, though she promised Anna she’d be back after picking up her car and getting a change of clothes.

A man in scrubs came into the room. Anna was gripping her phone in her hand and she thought she recognized the man, but she just shook her head.

“I’m Patrick Monahan. I know Jessie and she called me when you were having a stroke. I’ve been here several times but you’ve been a little confused and sleepy. That’s predictable, by the way.”

“I have a cell phone,” she said, then thought how stupid that sounded.

He smiled, put his hands in his pant pockets and rocked back on his heels. She briefly thought how handsome he was. “Good,” he said.

“How does it work?” she asked.

“Give yourself another few hours, don’t worry about it or think about it, and it will begin to work.”

“Why are you here?”

“Jessie is a friend and I’ve known her awhile now. She called me when you were in crisis and I promised to follow your progress, which has been great, by the way.”

Suddenly she recalled Judge William Andrews, the man who medically retired, leaving a vacancy in the Superior Court that she filled. The memory and the fact that she recalled it when she still wasn’t sure how to operate her phone startled her. And Judge Andrews had had a stroke, was confined to a wheelchair, could not walk and could barely speak. He was older, but how could that be determined to be good news? She was only fifty-seven and did not want to end her career nor her active life just yet.

“Why did I have a stroke?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “The neurologists will look into the possibilities. Your blood pressure wasn’t high that anyone knew of. Perhaps a genetic predisposition? We may not find a definitive answer but the real challenge now is to be sure a second stroke is prevented. With the right medication and regular exams, your prognosis is excellent.” He smiled and took her hand. “I think you’re going to be fine, Anna. Is it all right that I call you Anna?”

“Yes, of course. It’s just that I have so much left to do.”

“I think that’s a good thing. We’re here to make sure you have the time to do it.”

Those should have been comforting words and Anna was glad he had stopped by to try to reassure her, but she just could not get Judge Andrews off her mind. She had visited him in a nursing home after his stroke and he was in terrible shape without much hope of getting better, and that was three years ago! The fact that Judge Andrews was a good thirty years older than Anna did not give her much comfort. In fact, in some ways it was harder. The thought of having another stroke and being unable to work or even enjoy life for decades was terrifying.

Worst of all, Anna, the most capable woman, had pride that bit at her and she couldn’t fathom being a burden to her family.

The nurses got her up and walking, using the restroom; she had a little dinner and while she was oddly off balance, weak and everything felt awkward, at least she was out of bed. All she could think about was her fear of a debilitating stroke, one that left her helpless and crippled.

And then toward the end of the day, while she sat up in her bed trying to remember how to use her phone, reading through the many old text messages, Joe walked into her room. She looked up at him, instantly remembered their last time together and held out her arms.

“Joe!” she said.

He went to her, sat on the edge of her bed and embraced her. She put her head on his shoulder and began to cry softly.

“Am I going to be okay?” she asked.

“Yes, Anna. It appears they got to it in time and the drug—TPA—successfully broke up the clot. You’ll have some therapy but you’re very lucky. Thanks to Jessie’s quick thinking, I believe.”

“I can go back to work?” she asked. “I’ve forgotten things.”

“Things that will either come back or you can relearn.”

“We were together,” she said.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “The night before. And your kids all dropped in unexpectedly so the cat’s out of the bag on us.”

“Was it Sunday morning?” she asked.

He nodded. “Bess had some kind of breakdown, an anxiety attack over school. Michael has been with her at your house ever since. Jessie has been checking in on them by phone, making sure Bess is okay and filling them in on your progress. I wanted to be here with you sooner, but I was told you weren’t allowed visitors until your condition was properly evaluated. You’ve been in very good hands, I take it.”

“But Jessie has to go to work!” Anna said.

“I think everyone is taking time off right now,” he said. “You’re a priority.”

“I could have been paralyzed! In a wheelchair for the rest of my life!”

“Shows you how little control we actually have,” he said, holding her close. “If you’d been alone, this could have gone badly.”

“Where is Jessie?” Anna asked.

“She’s in the hall. I passed her on my way into your room. I think she’s giving us a few minutes alone. And we need a lot more than a few minutes. When you get through the next days or weeks or whatever, when you’re feeling better and more secure, we’ll take a vacation.”