whispered, "My poor Laura. Poor, poor Laura . . ." His head fell to the right and the monitor began a long, shrill humming sound. I released his hand and
stepped back.
"Stat!" I heard behind me. Two nurses rushed
past me and the doctor on duty came across the CCU.
I backed away slowly as they all gathered around
Uncle Jacob's bed. Electric pads were being placed on
his chest.
Someone shouted, "Clear!"
I saw Uncle Jacob's body jump and heard the
doctor say, "Again, clear!"
I fled the CCU. Cary was waiting in the
hallway and I ran into his arms.
"What?" he cried.
"Something's happening to him. I---" "Dad!" he groaned and charged through the
doorway into CCU. I waited a moment and then
turned to see Aunt Sara and May standing in the
lounge, Aunt Sara's hand on May's shoulder, both of
them gazing at me with the same horrified look in
their eyes.
I started to cry. My stomach felt hollow, just
the way it had felt when I learned Daddy had been
killed in the mining accident. Aunt Sara started to
shudder with her own sobs. May's face wrinkled with
pain, her moans distorted by her great fear and sadness. I went to both of them and the three of us embraced, held each other, and waited, all of one heart, small and trembling, alone and helpless against the dark cloud encroaching, moving with the wind
raging around us.
"He's back!" Cary cried from the doorway. He
was laughing through his tears. "It's a resurrection." We turned and gazed at him. He wiped his
cheeks with the back of his hand and took a deep
breath.
"Back?" Aunt Sara said.