Painful Decision

Chapter Nine... If only?

I am switching the story from third to first person so there will be instances of the two points of view.  

I rushed through the emergency room doors of Cedar Heights Hospital. I looked frantically for any sign of my mother. I asked the clerk at the desk for my father's room and ran to the identified section at the end of the crowded hallway. My mother and Aunt Jaine were at the doorway. I hurried to give her mother a hug before hugging my aunt.

"Mom?" I queried worriedly. "Where is he? What happened? What has the doctor said?" My mother held my arms tightly.

"Will you stop fretting for one second so that I can answer you?" she looked at me squarely in the eyes and smiled as she spoke.

 I took a deep breath and fixed my coat standing back and tried to look dignified. My aunt was also smiling.

'Okay mom." My mother was very relaxed in fact she looked quite calm. What was going on here?

"Honey, your father just had his x- ray and the doctor will be back soon with the results." She said openly.

"What was he doing to get this injury?" I was dumbfounded.

My mother looked at my aunt and they started to chuckle.

"Your ever so young father was strutting his stuff on the golf course. He was showing Gary his special skill when he swung a little too extravagantly. He slipped of course and got a badly bruised ankle for his effort." My mother  and aunt giggled.

I smiled since my father only had a bruised ankle and probably a broken ego as well from embarrassment.

Thank God for that.

"So he will be okay right?" I asked after the two ladies had stopped their laughter.

"Yes he will but since he passed out the doctor wants to keep him overnight for observation." I hugged her mother in relief.

"I was so worried that I could not think straight." My mother patted my back comfortingly.

"I know dear, but he will be fine." She snickered. " He will feel embarrassed but he will be fine."

I loved my parents so much that I hoped they lived at least 30 more years or at least long enough to see their grandchildren. An image of Chris popped into my head. I shook my head mentally why was this awful guy even in my brain at a time like this.

" Oh my, I'm sure his ego is a little bruised as well, when can we see him?" I asked feeling much more relaxed knowing that all my dad needed was a few days off his feet.

"Shortly I hope, the nurse is just finishing bandaging his foot." Just then Gary came in after parking his car. He was a professional golfer and had come for a fly by visit.

'Hey what's the news on Uncle Simon?" he asked strutting his stuff. A nurse passing stopped to give him a smile. He was a notorious charmer so he gave her a dazzling one in return. He was tall with blond hair and grey eyes. He had the Eton look down and used it notoriously.

"Gary," his mother cautioned.

"Is a smile illegal now?" he said putting his hands around his mother's shoulders.

"Yes, especially since you caused this whole thing?" she accused him.

He looked hurt. "Me?" he said holding his heart then moving to hold his mother's hand and give her a kiss on her forehead. Gary was a natural flatterer.

"You scoundrel, Simon was trying to impress you." my mother added. We laughed knowing my dad had always tried to impress Gary on the golf course.

"Thanks for picking me up Gary," I added.