Sam's Promise (Blackwater)
The woman smiled. “She’s doing just fine, Mr. Jennings. She’s had a mild heart attack, but she’s doing quite well. You can see her now.” She looked at his four brothers, and then Julie. “Uh, it might be best to visit a couple at a time. We don’t want to stress her right now.”
“Of course.” Sam turned to the group and said, “How about Vance and I go in first? Sound good?”
“Yeah,” Brodix said, tucking his hands into the front pockets of
his slacks. “Tell her…”
That Brodix, of all people, was suddenly speechless said more than anything about his emotional state. Sam clapped him on the shoulder and squeezed. “You can tell her yourself in a few minutes, bro.”
He nodded, and Sam watched as Julie stepped up and patted Brodix on the shoulder. She appeared perfectly at ease around his brothers. Sam was equal amounts pleased and perturbed by that fact, considering she’d been anything but at ease around him. Hell, during the car ride over, she’d said all of two words to him. In fact, she appeared rather adept at completely dismissing him. Sam wasn’t sure what to make of it, or her.
The nurse led them down a hallway, then went through a set of double doors that brought them to a large room with several beds. Each bed was walled off by curtains to give the patient privacy. The memories of coming through the very same room when they’d rushed his dad to the hospital after the stroke swamped Sam until he thought he’d be sick. His dad hadn’t made it home. Sam was determined to see his mom sitting in the front porch swing, reading and hatching new and devious ways to marry her sons off, even if it killed him.
As they approached her section, the nurse pushed a curtain aside. “Your big, handsome sons are here to see you, Wanda.”
Within seconds, Sam took in his mother’s pale face. She looked tired, too tired. “Mom?”
She smiled and held out her arms for a hug. Vance moved to the other side of the bed and leaned down. Her hands shook as they came around his shoulders. “I’m going to be fine, honey. Don’t look so worried.”
Sam looked at the nurse for confirmation of his mother’s statement. “The doctor will be in to see you soon,” she replied.
Sam didn’t like the fact that the nurse didn’t rush to reassure him. “Is surgery required?” he asked, not bothering to dance around the issue.
“I don’t want to give you false information, Mr. Jennings. I really think it would be best if we let the doctor explain your mother’s condition, as well as the treatment options.”
“Sammy, don’t badger the girl,” his mother reprimanded.
Sam smiled, despite the gravity of the situation. “Even from a hospital bed, you’re scolding me.” After the nurse left, Sam moved next to the bed to receive his hug. As he pulled back, he grumbled, “You scared the daylights out of us.”
“I’m sorry, honey.” She patted his cheek, but her hand shook a little. “I’m going to be okay, though, you’ll see.”
“Yeah, you will be,” he confirmed. “The first step is getting you to slow down.” Sam could see the pallor in her mother’s cheeks, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Retirement was definitely on the horizon. When he looked over at Vance, he could tell his thoughts were running along the same lines.
“I’m with Sammy,” Vance said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Wanda laughed. “How’d I raise such bossy men? Must be your father’s influence.”
“Ha!” Sam exclaimed. “We all know that when push came to shove, Dad always surrendered to your stubborn will.”
“It was my sweet smile that always had him melting.” She paused, then said, “Speaking of sweet smiles, did Julie go home?”
“No,” Vance quickly answered. “She’s in the waiting room.”
“She should be a nurse,” Sam admitted. “Didn’t lose her head one time through all this.”
“Yeah,” Vance agreed in a soft, faraway voice. “She’s something else.”
“Pretty too,” Wanda said. “Don’t you think, Sammy?”
Sam narrowed his eyes as comprehension dawned. “You wouldn’t be trying to fix me up with her, would you?”
She shrugged. “All I did was invite her to dinner. Would you rather she spend the holiday alone with a microwaveable meal instead?”
Sam rolled his eyes at his mother’s description. “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
“I’m only speaking the truth. She has no one, Sam.”
An image of Julie sitting in some dimly lit room, alone and sad, clouded his vision. He didn’t like it and swiftly shoved it away. “And it didn’t once enter your mind that one of us might find her sexy? That one of us might not be able to resist her pretty smiles and infectious laugh?”