Two Tears in a Bucket (30 page)

Before Thomas’s massive stroke, Simone had brought Kayla, Jordan, and Andre to the hospital with her several times a week. Since Thomas was his usual jovial self, Kayla couldn’t understand why her granddaddy was even in the hospital.

“
Granddaddy, you not sick,” she’d told him.

“
Then tell the doctor’s to let me go home so me and you can go get a Happy Meal from McDonald’s.”

Things were different now, though, and Simone didn’t want the girls to see their grandfather in his current state.

“
You already picked up Kayla?” she asked with her eyes closed.

“
Naw, not yet. What’s wrong with you?”

“
I have a bad headache and I’m tired,” she mumbled.

“
Well, ride with me to go pick Kayla up.”

Simone’s face squinted into a knot. “Huh?” She frowned, her eyes still closed.

“
Come on,” he said, tapping her leg lightly. “Ride with me. We’ll stop and get you something for your headache.”

“
Andre,” Simone whined. Leaving was the last thing she wanted to do. Drained mentally and physically, she couldn’t even muster enough energy to head to the bedroom, but Andre obviously didn’t care. He pulled the throw off of her.

“
Come on, Simone!”

Simone’s eyes sprang open as she released a frustratingly deep sigh. “I guess me not feeling well don’t mean nothing.”

“
Simone, just ride with me, and I’ll get you something.”

Knowing Andre wouldn’t leave her alone until she was up, she pulled herself from the couch, slid halfway into her shoes, grabbed her purse, and headed outside with Andre in tow. There was no way in hell she was driving. Unlocking the doors to her car, she climbed in on the passenger side, reclined her seat, and closed her eyes.

The car bounced over a pothole, waking Simone from her catnap. She glanced out her window and realized they were nowhere near Angela’s.

“
Where we going?”

“
I figured we’d go have a drink or something.”

“
Ah, Andre, I don’t feel like drinking. Let’s just pick up Kayla and watch a movie or something. I just wanna chill. I have to go back to the hospital early in the morning.”

“
Naw, Simone. You need a drink. You got a lot goin’ on.”

“
You’re right, I do, and a drink’s not gonna solve it. If anything, take me to church.”

“
One drink might do you wonders.”

“
Yeah, if I wanted to go to the club. I don’t want a drink, Andre. I just want to chill and pretend that life is normal.”

“
See, that’s fucked up.”

“
Oh, Lord,” she sighed under her breath.

“
Oh, Lord, nothing. You can sit up in the hospital every day, but you can’t go have one drink with your husband.”

“
How can you even compare the two? I’m not sitting at the hospital because I want to!”

Andre pressed the volume control on the steering wheel, turning the music up to drown out Simone as he whipped an illegal U-turn and headed to Angela’s. The booming bass pouring from the radio made Simone’s head pound more. She couldn’t tolerate it and turned the volume down. Andre turned it back up, louder than before.

“
Andre, I told you I have a headache,” Simone said, turning it back down.

“
Man, fuck you and your headache,” he said and turned it back up. “Take your ass back up to the hospital.”

The last thing Simone wanted to do was argue. Ignoring Andre, she reached for the radio again, but this time, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

“
What the fuck is wrong with you!”

Horns blew and cars whipped around them as they tugged back and forth, sending the Mercedes across the double yellow line in the road. They tussled back and forth as Simone tried to free her hand from Andre’s grip, but he maintained his hold, squeezing tighter.

Leaning forward, she bit his hand and tore open his flesh.

“
Agh!” He drew back his hand in pain as blood oozed to the surface. “You dumb bitch!”

Andre turned the corner on two wheels and flew down Angela’s street. Screeching to a stop in front of Angela’s house, he jumped out and slammed the door.

You lucky you picking up Kayla,
Simone thought as she climbed over the center console to the driver seat.
Or I would leave your sorry ass right here.

● ● ●

The sun peeped through the blinds, giving Simone the excuse to get up after tossing and turning all night and get ready for Thomas’s first day in rehab. The phone rang just as she applied the finishing touches to her makeup.

Who in the world is this?
she thought, while snatching the cordless from its base. Kayla was resting peacefully on Andre’s side of the bed. The last thing she wanted to do was wake her.

“
Hello?” Simone whispered, tiptoeing into the master bathroom.

“
Why in the world you whispering?” Lavon whispered back.

“’
Cause I’m trying not to wake Kayla.”

“
Oh, me and Melanie have been calling you like crazy. How’s your dad doing?”

“
Um…he’s pretty much the same. They transferred him to rehab yesterday. I’m on my way there now.”

“
Is Andre going with you?”

“
Please,” Simone said, sucking her teeth. “We got into it bad last night, but that’s a whole ’nother story. As soon as my father gets better, I’m not renewing my tenant’s lease. I’m outta here. I’m moving back into my house.”

“
You serious?”

“
As a heart attack. Girl, this bullshit ain’t no marriage. All we do is argue all the time over stupid shit, and don’t get me started on everything else. I can’t take it no more. But anyway,” she sighed, releasing the anger she felt building back up, “right now, it’s all about my dad. I gotta focus on him.”

“
Well, Simone, you know I’m here if you need me. What’s up with your clients?”

“
I have two agents handling things for me. I’m losing a ton of business, but I don’t care. Then again,” Simone giggled, “I need to care. I told my father I’d pay his mortgage every month if he’d give up one of his jobs. He works like crazy.”

“
That’s what’s up, Simone. Man, I love the relationship you have with your dad. Just let me know if you need my help. I’m not doing anything today, so if you need me to, I can swing by your office and maybe return some calls and get your marketing stuff out.”

“
Ah, Lavon, I love you. You’d do that?”

“
Simone, c’mon now! It ain’t like I’ve never helped your butt before. Just let me know what you need me to do. Who knows?” Lavon chuckled. “Maybe one day I can leave my government job and be your assistant.”

“
Oh, that would be the bomb. You’re an executive secretary in human resources, too. That’s just what I need.”

“
I’m serious, Simone.”

“
I’m serious, too. I can’t pay you no eighty thousand dollars, but we can do something creative. You sure you can go past there today?”

“
Simone, ask me something serious.”

“
Okay, I’ll call you from the hospital and tell you what to do. I’ll get the receptionist to let you in. Meanwhile, I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

“
Okay, Simone. Tell your father I said hello and we’re all praying for him.”

Simone placed the phone back in its cradle and planted a gentle kiss on Kayla’s cheek. Heading down the steps, she found Andre asleep on the couch. She shook him before heading out the door.

“
What!” he growled, still full of anger.

“
I’m out. Kayla’s still in the bed.”

“
How long you gone?”

Simone didn’t respond. She headed to the front door and left.

● ● ●

Simone walked into Thomas’s hospital room at nine on the nose. “Look at you!” she beamed. Freshly showered and dressed in a pair of fresh pajamas, Thomas was sitting tall in a wheelchair, working with a therapist.

“
Hi.” The therapist rose from her chair just a little and offered Simone her hand. “I’m Sharon Rice, the speech therapist.” Her voice was sharp, yet friendly, unlike her smile. Simone could only imagine what was going through her father’s head. He loved pretty teeth, and the therapist’s smile came together like a jigsaw puzzle.

“
Hi, Ms. Rice,” Simone replied, shaking her hand. “I’m Simone, his daughter. How’s he doing?”

“
Well,” Ms. Rice said, as she settled back in her seat, “he swallowed some water for me with no problem.”

“
Daddy, you had something to drink?”

“
Yeah,” Thomas whispered.

“
Oh my God!” Simone screamed in excitement. “You’re talking! He’s talking!”

“
He wasn’t talking yesterday?” Ms. Rice asked, just as surprised.

Mae walked into the room. “What’s going on in here?”

“
Mae, he’s talking! Oh my goodness! And, Daddy, your smile. Your smile is back! Oh my gosh!”

Mae cupped her hands together, closed her eyes and said, “Thank you, Lord!”

“
Hi.” Ms. Rice smiled, sharing in all the excitement as she introduced herself to Mae. “Well, as you can see, the paralysis will slowly begin to release itself, and with therapy, Mr. Woodard could be home in no time.” She removed her glasses and placed them and Thomas’s file inside her briefcase. “Why don’t you take this celebration outside? Mr. Woodard’s dressed in those nice pajamas and sitting nice and tall in the wheelchair; you ladies should take him on a stroll. There’s a wonderful garden outside.”

“
What you say, Thomas? You wanna go?” Mae asked.

“
Yeah,” he whispered again.

Mae secured her and Simone’s belongings in Thomas’s closet. Then Simone grabbed the back of the wheelchair, released the brake, and the threesome headed to the garden.

“
It’s nice out here. It don’t even feel like the end of July,” Mae said, inhaling the gentle breeze as Simone parked the wheelchair in the shade of a mature oak tree rooted near a park bench.

“
Wow, Thomas,” Mae said as she plucked a speck of lint from Thomas’s pants. “This is the first time you’ve been outside in almost a month.” She reached out and took his hand. “Simone, where’s Kayla? Home with Andre?”

“
Mmm-hmm,” Simone mumbled, nodding her head.

“
What’s wrong? You and Andre arguing again?”

Don’t we always,
Simone thought to herself. She caught her father’s eyes. The last thing Simone wanted was for him to worry about her and her pitiful marriage.

“
No,” she lied, “we’re cool. They were knocked out when I left.”

The threesome sat in silence, enjoying the cool summer breeze and the marvelous views of the landscaped grounds. Simone tapped Mae on her leg and pointed at Thomas, now sleeping in the wheelchair.

“
You think we should take him back upstairs?”

“
Yeah, we may as well.” Mae released the brakes and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair. “That way, he can get some real sleep.”

The nurse from the prior night strolled in to help Thomas back in the bed.

“
I’m sorry, ma’am, but we didn’t get your name last night,” Simone said in her professional voice.

“
I’m Nurse Elaine.”

“
Nurse Elaine, I’m Simone, Mr. Woodard’s daughter, and this is Mae, his wife,” Simone lied. Thomas and Mae weren’t a bit more married than the man to the moon. “You’ll be seeing a lot of us. Do you need some help?”

“
No. His left side is perfectly fine. I’m just going to assist on the right. Hopefully, your father will regain full use of his right side, but in the event there’s some impairment, he needs to know how to cope. So,” she said as she tucked her body under Thomas’s armpit, “remember,” she panted, “you can’t do everything for him.”

With Thomas tucked in bed, Nurse Elaine dimmed the overhead lighting and passed Simone the remote to the television secured to the wall. Before the nurse’s foot could grace the threshold of the room, Thomas’s eyes popped open, and he started gasping for air.

“
Daddy, what’s wrong?” Simone jumped from the chair.

Panic reigned over Thomas’s face.

“
Oh my God!” Mae cried.

Turning on her heels, Nurse Elaine took one look at Thomas and said, “He’s having a seizure.” She pressed the call button to summon the nurses’ station and yelled, “We need a doctor in 2C.”

Simone grabbed Thomas’s hand. “Calm down, Daddy. Calm down,” she encouraged. “You’re having a seizure.”

The doctor barged through the door. “Okay, I need this room cleared, now!”

“
Okay, ladies,” Nurse Elaine said, ushering Simone and Mae to the door, “we need you to wait outside the room.”

“
Nurse Elaine!” the doctor yelled. “He’s not having a seizure. Call a Code Blue!”

“
Oh God,” she cried out, and then screamed down the hallway, “CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE! Stay out here,” she ordered before rushing back in Thomas’s room.

Seconds later, “Code Blue in 2C” was announced throughout the hospital.