Salad, Sandwiches, Dainties and Punch

Chapter 9

Rachel was breathless by the time she reached the phone. "Hello. Mom. What's wrong?" The charge nurse had told her that her mom was on the line. "An emergency," she had urgently whispered to Rachel. "Rachel," her mom sounded normal. "How are you?" "They said it was an emergency?" Rachel pulled at the ID badge on her lanyard nervously. "Oh yes, well you heard about the crash, about Art I assume," her mom wasn't getting to the point. Rachel sat down with a thump and the chair rolled back an inch or two before she rolled herself back up to the desk.

"Ya I heard about it. He came in about 30 minutes ago." News had spread quickly through the hospital once the call had come in. Someone made sure to catch Rachel since the victim had been from her hometown. Even though there har been relation, small town tragedies had a way of reaching everyone. "Is it dad?" She wondered if the shock of witnessing the crash had affected his heart. He had been relatively healthy, but he was of that age..." "No no your dad if fine," Teresa paused for a second looking out the kitchen window to the garage where Bill was 'tinkering'.

"Did you see Art when he came it?" Teresa continued. "No, he came through emerge," Rachel said matter of fact. "Well did the doctors say anything about it yet? I mean can you ask them what happened?" "Mom have you ever heard of the Hippocratic Oath?" Rachel let the line stay quiet while her mom thought about it. "Is this another one of your poems?" Teresa asked. "It's just that I was wondering if he passed away while flying and crashed or passed away because of the crash." It was Teresa's turn to wait on the line.

"Mom you know I can't tell you this stuff. It's confidential." Rachel looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening to this non emergent phone call mid shift. "Well I'm on the social planning committee at church so I have a right to know if I'm planning the funeral. No?" Rachel sighed, "No you don't. You can't hear it from me and I thought you passed the torch on the funeral planning?" "To Linda! You think Linda can handle a funeral like this? I'll be stepping in to oversee this last one. For Dottie."

Rachel knew that Dottie and her kids were on their way in to fill out some paperwork before they could release the body to the funeral home. "Was Dottie there?" Rachel couldn't imagine and she closed her eyes to wait for the answer. "No thank God," Teresa blurted out. "You making them a lasagne?" "Of course, I'm getting the sauce on to simmer as we speak!" "Good." Her mom might be nosy, but she took good care of people.

"Look mom I have to go. I have patients and paperwork to do before the end of my shift." "Ok," her mom's voice seemed older, frailer, all of a sudden and Rachel found an excuse to come home. "I have that stand mixer that has the wobbling bowl. Do you think dad would take a look at it for me tomorrow?" "Tomorrow would be fine. Will you be here for supper?" Rachel could hear her mom's voice perk up. "Of course," Rachel hung up and checked the clock. She should wander down and see if Dottie had made it in yet. It might not be a bad thing to see a familiar face.

Rachel picked up her clipboard and walked down the hall. Now that she thought about it, she was surprised that the events of today hadn't caused a few heart attacks in the stands. "Is everything ok?" Her charge nurse had sidled up beside her. "Oh ya, just shock I think. My parents, well the whole town basically watched that crash." Helen squeezed her eyes trying to block out the imagined scene forming in her mind, "Ohhh I can't even imagine. I think it might be hospitals first plane crash victim."

Fifteen minutes later Rachel was on her actual break and wandered downstairs to see if Dottie had come in. She spotted Sean first, Dottie and Art's oldest son. He looked lost in his jeans and plaid shirt at the information desk. His eyes were dry but he looked pale and scared. "Hey," Dottie touched his arm and he turned to see a Rachel. Before he said anything he wrapped her in a big bear hug almost lifting Rachel up off the floor. "You work here?" he asked as he let her go? She nodded and lifted her lanyard.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your dad," Rachel said and now she could start to see his eyes getting glassy. He pushed a tear out of the way with the back of his knuckle. "He sure went out big didn't he?" He tried to smile, and Rachel smiled back. "Is your mom here yet?" "Darren's driving her in they should be here any minute."

"I'll wait with you," Rachel said and the moved to the pale green chairs in the waiting room. She could see some of the tension in his body relax as they sat together. Rachel stole a few glances at Sean to make sure he was doing okay. She had forgotten how handsome Sean was and felt guilty for thinking that as they sat there quietly waiting for his mom.