Runaways (Orphans 5)

that, I never saw any of those relatives again." "I'm so

sorry, Crystal."

She shrugged.

"I was lucky in a way. My life, as hard as it is

to imagine, would probably have been worse if I had

gone to live with people who really didn't want me." Caroline rose and brought the papers back to

the desk.

"Why is it taking so long?" she asked the nurse,

who just took the papers and turned to file them and

enter information into a computer.

Caroline looked to us and we went to her side.

The doctor finally stepped out of the emergency

examination room. The nurse behind the desk gave

him Caroline's paper work. He looked at it, nodded

and then turned to Caroline.

"You are Mrs. Forbas?"

"Yes, how is he? Is he alive?" she asked

quickly.

"He's stable now, Mrs. Forbas. He's on his way

up to the cardiac care unit. We'll wait for the specialist

to examine him and give us a full diagnosis. Who

performed the CPR?"

"She did," Caroline said, nodding at Crystal. "You did real well, Miss," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind you saved his life. You should be very

proud of yourself. Where did you learn it?"

"Health class," Crystal said.

He laughed at her matter-of-fact, modest tone.

"Well, you're proof of why students should pay

attention. Tell your teacher."

We watched them wheel George out of the

examination room, the oxygen mask over his face.