Still With Me

“Don’t get upset, but…we’re at the hospital.”

“What? Why? What happened?” Victoria almost screamed.

“It’s Simon. He cut himself.”

“He cut himself? How? My God!” Victoria panicked.

“Victoria, calm down. Everything’s fine, I assure you. Simon’s fine. They gave him stitches. He’s resting.”

“They gave him…What are you talking about? What happened?”

“He broke a jar and fell on a piece of glass. It’s an ugly cut on the forearm, but nothing serious, really.”

“Are you telling me the truth?”

“Yes. Of course.” Jeremy paused. “I feel responsible, Victoria…”

“I don’t care what you feel! What did the doctors say?”

“I don’t know yet. We’re waiting to hear from the one taking care of him. Don’t get worked up.”

“Don’t get worked up? Are you serious? I’m gone a few hours and my son winds up in the hospital and you tell me not to get worked up.” Victoria started thinking out loud. “What can I do? I can’t come right away. I’m two hundred miles away, and I don’t have a car.”

“Find a way,” Jeremy said, thinking only of himself. “Simon’s going to need you.” As soon as he said this, he felt gui

lty for taking advantage of the situation.

“The next train is tomorrow morning. I…I don’t know what to do.”

Tomorrow? That word doesn’t mean anything to me anymore. I’m not going to see her. I’m going to lose her again.

Jeremy wanted to beg her to come, but Victoria’s anxiety kept him quiet. What would she think of him if he whined?

“My son is in the hospital, and I’m stuck here. He’s going to ask for me,” she moaned.

“No, he’s going to sleep. If he wakes up, I’ll tell him you’re on your way.”

Victoria was quiet for a moment. Jeremy could hear her sigh. Or was she crying? Eventually, she regained her composure. “And Thomas, how did he react?”

“He was very brave.”

“Put him on.”

He handed the phone to his son.

Jeremy was happier after speaking with Victoria. And terribly disappointed by the idea of not seeing her.

Before hanging up, Thomas looked up at his father. “You know, Mom, it’s not Dad’s fault. It was an accident. Dad took really good care of us. You want to talk to him again?” From the look Thomas gave him, Jeremy knew Victoria had said no. Thomas hung up. He turned to Jeremy and shrugged his shoulders to show there was nothing he could do.

“She’s coming tomorrow,” Thomas said as consolation.

“She’s mad at me, isn’t she?”

Thomas lowered his eyes.

“I haven’t been very good to her lately, have I?”

The boy said nothing.