excerpt
… her and put an arm around her. “How bad? Aunt Millie, tell me the
truth, how bad?”
“We’re not sure yet, dear. It happened around midnight. Your
mother called me and we got him to Medicine Hat by ambulance.
The doctors are still examining him.”
“Is he conscious? Is there paralysis? Can he speak?”
“His speech is slurred, but he’s conscious. I’m not sure about paralysis.”
Tyne took a deep breath. “I’ll be on the first bus to Medicine Hat.
Pray for Dad, Aunt Millie.”
“I am praying, dear, every minute.”
Of course you are, Auntie, Tyne thought as she hung up the phone,
I should have known that.
The taxi seemed to take an interminable time to navigate the streets
of the small city of Medicine Hat. It was now mid-afternoon, more
than eight hours since the phone call that had sent Tyne scrambling
to the bus depot in Calgary after a hurried call to the Holy Cross
operating room. The night nurse on duty assured Tyne she would inform
Sister of the emergency, and call someone in as a replacement.
In the taxi, willing herself to remain calm, she suddenly remembered
that she had not asked Moe to call Cam.
At last the main building of the hospital in Medicine Hat came
into view. Moments later, Tyne jumped from the taxi and paid the
driver with the cash she had ready in her hand. Then she raced into
the lobby as if her own life depended on it.
Third floor, room 306, Tyne repeated to herself. Aunt Millie had
called back with the information just before Tyne left the apartment
that morning. The corridors were abuzz with visitors and staff in
white uniforms. Tyne was glad now that she had arrived during afternoon
visiting hours. She could go straight to her father’s room
without having to waste precious minutes obtaining special permission
from the nurses’ station.
Emily Milligan met her daughter at the door to room 306. The two
women embraced briefly, and Tyne felt her mother’s muffled sobs
against her shoulder. She drew back and looked into her mother’s
distraught face.
Libros Libertad 