Trickery & Envy (33 page)

“
Has she been sick?” one of the paramedics asked.

“Y
es, she has uterine cancer.”

The
paramedics entered the room to see a woman curled up in bed with her back to them. The lower part of her light blue gown was stained with blood.

“Oh my God, Jennifer
,” Vivian said and moved to the opposite side of the bed to see Jennifer’s face.

“M
s, you’re going to have to step back and gives us room to tend to her,” said the female paramedic.

“It
hurts,” Jennifer moaned. Tears were in the creases of her eyes and the cordless was still burrowed to her chest. “Vi, it hurts,” and new tears eased from her eyes.

“A
ww, Jennifer, sweetie,” and Vivian brought one hand to her mouth to suppress tears. “You’re going to be okay. The paramedics are here to help…aw Jennifer,” she said feeling contrary due to so much blood on the sheet.

The female
paramedic slid plastic gloves over her hands and stooped to Jennifer’s level.

“Ms. I need you to tell me exactly where you’re having pain
.”

“My
vagina...it hurts. It hurts so...bad,” and Jennifer opened her eyes for a brief second before they closed again.

“No other part of your body hurts or is injured?”

Jennifer could barely move her head to answer no, but did.

“I want to go to the hospital with her. Where are you taking her?”
Vivian asked and glanced from one paramedic to the other.

“Forest Park
General,” the male paramedic answered and they positioned Jennifer to lift her onto the stretcher. “It would be better if you trailed us. Right now we need your assistance.”

“Sure, sure anything,” Vivian said.

“If you could open the front door for us to exit,” he said.

“No problem
, Jennifer, I’ll call Charles and let him know where they’re taking you,” and Vivian headed for the front door.

Jennifer couldn’t answer
as she lay helpless and in pain.

“On the count of three,” the male
paramedic said. “One, two, three,” and they moved Jennifer onto the stretcher. They then rolled the stretcher out of the bedroom to the living room.

Vivian s
aw the EMT rolling the stretcher toward her and stepped outside to hold the security door open for them. She then went back inside for Jennifer’s bag she took with her to treatments, which had all her medications and other information inside.

“Where
’s her cell phone,” she uttered and glanced around the bedroom for it. She spotted it on the dresser and retrieved it and as quickly as she turned to leave contacted Charles.

Meanwhile, Vernon was across the street
hiding between two houses taking in the scene. He had on a short winter brown bomber jacket but still looked cold. His baggy jeans were wrinkled suggesting he may have slept outside.

Vernon
’s intention was to ring his sister’s doorbell and explain to her his role in the invasion of her house Halloween night. If he had to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness it’s what he had planned to do, then turn himself back in to the police. He didn’t want his sister thinking he was some kind of monster setting her up to be raped and robbed. He wanted her to know that the rape was not part of his plan; that he was only going take a few things of value from her. And after learning about the rape he plan to take care of the man that violated her.

But
Vernon’s intention was spoiled when he walked up and saw a black SUV parked in Vivian’s driveway. He told himself he would just have to hideout until he could catch his sister home alone. He was about to walk away when he heard the ambulance coming down the street. Now seeing his sister exiting her house again with a man he uttered, “That must be her man. He looks like the same cat that was there a while back. Why I do that dumb shit,” he said referring to robbing his sister house and he headed down the street.

***

A couple hours later the ER doctor was heading toward the waiting area. Charles saw him and rapidly rose from his seat. If the doctor wasn’t coming to speak with him, he was still going to inquire about how his wife was doing.

“Mr.
Washington, Dr. Jones,” the doctor said while exchanging a handshake with Charles.

“You
’re the doctor that saw my wife a few weeks ago when she came in with the flu, correct?”

“
Correct,” Dr. Jones replied and with a couple nods of the head.

Vivian,
sitting next to Toni, rose from her seat to listen to what the doctor had to say.

“If you don’t mind I’d like to talk to you in private,”
the doctor suggested.

Charles look
ed at Vivian who nodded her understanding.

Dr.
Jones then led the way to a consulting room that had three small tables inside. “Please, help yourself to coffee,” he said.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Charles
responded as if eating or drinking something would be a distraction to whatever the doctor was going to tell him. He took a seat in one of the chairs at a table and rested his arms on his legs and clasped his hands together while Dr. Jones went for a cup of coffee.

Dr.
Jones returned, sat his coffee down, and pulled a wooden chair from the table.

“Your wife
appears to have suffered severe acute ovarian pain. It’s the type of pain that comes on quickly and usually lasts a short time.”  He lifted the coffee cup then blew lightly over the top to cool the coffee. “With the cancer spreading what could be happening is the tumor is starting to bear down on tissue around it, the reason for the bleeding. We’re going to take x-rays,” he said sitting the cup back down and stirring his coffee with the small tan stirrer he stuck inside. “Or her pain could be the results of her radiation treatments. Neuropathic pain it’s called. The pain is often sharp, a shooting type of pain which she’s described.”

Charles nod
ded. “So she’s out of pain now?”

“
For the moment she’s free of pain. That was our focus. I’ve prescribed Oxycodone. I’m going to prescribe an antidepressant for her also.” Dr. Jones paused then said, “Mr. Washington, the other reason I wanted to speak to you alone is that I’m concerned with your wife’s mental state.”

Charles
tightened his mouth.

Dr. Jones sip
ped from his cup then said, “The reason I’m saying this is, I’ve been made aware of her prognosis by Dr. Maim. Even so, she needs to stay positive. Has your wife given up? She’s quoted passages from the bible several times and was rather joyous with her excerpt,” he said.

Charles cup
ped his hands to his face.
That’s why she wanted to speak to Dr. Maim alone. She inquired about how much time she has left.

Charles said,
“She has giving up, Dr. Jones. She’s okay with what she thinks is certain, her dying. She’s already refused the additional treatments Dr. Maim recommended she have.”

Charles not holding back
anymore wailed into his hands. His body jerked with sorrow at the thought he was going to lose his wife. He wiped at his eyes and stood sliding his hands into his pants pocket. He strolled over near the coffee table and stopped with his back to Dr. Jones.

“I’ve got to find a way to get her to believe that she’s wrong, convince her that this next round of radiation is what she needs to get better
, Doc.”

“I understand. You’r
e going up against a tough wall, but I have to ask you, do you think your wife is suicidal? We can have her monitored.”

Charles
shook his head no, and then turned with a pinch of a smile. “I don’t think she’s going to let go until her last wish is fulfilled.”

“Her last wish
and what might that be if you don’t mind me asking?” Dr. Jones, curious, took another sip of coffee.

“She wants to
meet Angela Bassett. Can you believe that? Instead of focusing on getting better she tells me and her best friend to promise we’ll find a way for her to meet Mrs. Bassett. She’s even mumbled the name a couple times just going about the house, Angela Bassett, Angela Bassett. Then she’d turn and smile at me.” Charles moved his head from side to side becoming a little tickled again.

“Mrs. Bassett
, yes...the actress,” Dr. Jones uttered then grinned, too. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d thought she was Angela Bassett. The resemblance is undeniable.” He too shook his head. “Well, if it doesn’t happen for her, you can always give her a mirror and have her speak into it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Charles said
with a couple of nods, his low spirit uplifting a bit.

“Well, I have other patients that I need to
see. If you have any questions, give me a call or have me paged.”

Dr. Jones r
ose from the seat and headed toward the door leaving his half cup of coffee on the table.

***

A couple hours later Charles was given permission to see his wife.

Vivian about to stand with him
stayed seated after Charles turned to her.

“
I know you’re concerned Vivian, but if you don’t mind I like to see her first,” he said.

“Sure Charles
.”

Even though Jennifer
’s pain had subsided her energy level was very low. She lay as if she was already lifeless. The bible she had requested was lying upon her chest. She was facing the door and smiled when she saw Charles enter the room.

“There
...you are,” she said. “Praise the Lord...He sent my husband to...see me.”

Though he was informed that Jennifer was in a biblical mindset,
Charles was a little taken back to see the bible atop her chest.

“Hey, sweetie,” he said and lean
ed over and kissed Jennifer softly on the forehead. “When did you start reading books?”

Jennifer
beamed. “Oh, this is not an...ordinary book. This is an order...of preparation. It’s just...it’s just a shame the time I chose to acquaint myself...with it. Charles...did you know in the beginning...that God took earth and divided...it in half. One half He called...Heaven and the other...Earth.”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

Charles pulled the chair next to the bed closer and sat in it looking at his wife.

“
Did you know I thought...the bible was a great big book, but it’s a...book of many books? It all starts with...the book of Genesis, then Exodus, well...that’s if you’re reading in the Old...Testament.” She smiled again and said, “I decided to bypass all...the other books and go straight to Revelation...because that’s where I am headed...to the end.”

Charles
gave her a minuscule smile and nod while her feeling of rapture continued.

“I’ve got a whole lot
...of repenting to do before I get...out of here.”

Again
Charles smiled and nodded at her. He was actually at a loss for words, taking in to consideration neither of them went to church or ever talked about the Lord. He also knew there was no weapon he could form against what she was saying.

Jennifer said,
“He said...blessed
is
he that read...and they that hear the words...of this prophecy...and keep those things which...are written therein: for the time
is
at hand...I’m a witness to that,” she added happily, and nodding then she coughed. Her eyes grew a little at the leakage below that escaped when she coughed.

“
Baby, are you okay, how do you feel?”

“I’m fine...
but, I think when we leave here...our next stop should be a Wal-Mart for...some Depends,” and she sort of giggled.

It took Charles a moment to understand
and he nodded okay.

Jennifer cough
ed again and Charles rose and went to the other side of the bed for her glass of water and Kleenex.

“
Baby, Vivian and Toni are here,” he said positioning the glass for her to sip some water, which she did very little of. He went and sat the glass back down and then headed toward the door. He waved down the hall for Vivian and Toni to come.

“
Baby, I’m so glad...Vi opened her heart to Toni...again,” Jennifer said.

Vivian and Toni entered the room.

“You must love this place,” Vivian said walking over to her bed. “We’re going to see if we can have one of these rooms turned into a Timeshare for you.”

“Hey you two,”
Jennifer said to them.

Vivian’s cell phone rang
and she reached into her purse for it. She saw the call was from her assistant and pushed the talk button then looked back at her friend. “Hey Patricia, what’s going on?”

“
Ms. Fowler, that’s exactly why I called you. Are you okay? Everyone is asking about you. How are you doing?”