Our Fooling Game

028

Percy Flynn

"What did she say?"

I got off the sofa, shrugging a shoulder up and really trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding in my chest. "I don't know. They just said you needed to be at the hospital, something about your mom."

"It's your mother..."

"What's wrong?"

"She just..." There was a long pause and if I could have reach through the phone to get the information, I would've. "You should be here."

"She just what?"

"Come with any other guardian or family."

"Is she... Is she okay?"

The line went dead.

"Nothing else?" Spencer asked his hand locked together so tightly.

"Nothing else."

He nodded, shaking his head as he leaned to get his car keys off the coffee table. I could tell he wasn't okay; a million thoughts were probably going through his head. But when he looked up at me, he smiled. "She's probably awake and demanding to see me."

"Probably," I forced a smile. "You should hurry. She must miss you a lot."

"Yeah," His hand clamped on mine, so tightly, I couldn't have struggled out of it if I wanted to. "Come on then."

I didn't remind him that I wasn't supposed to leave the house. I myself didn't remember that until we were out the door and heading to his car. I decided to drive and Spencer let me. The drive was silent and all through Spencer's hand kept shaking and I didn't know if he felt it too. I didn't know if I was feeling it or if it was just the pessimist paranoid part of me showing its ugly head.

I really hoped Ida Caldwell wasn't dead.

*

We reached the hospital quickly enough and Spencer ran inside not letting go of me even once. The nurse tried to stop us and ask questions but Spencer insisted on seeing his mum right away. Finally she let up and took us to the room where she was. She's been transferred again. This time there was a doctor and two nurses in there and Ida was lying still on the bed. Spencer pushed through the door, running to his mother side and letting go of my hand only when he was knelt beside her bed.

I couldn't hear a thing he was saying. I couldn't hear a thing the doctor was saying either. All I could hear was radio noise as I looked from the really pale and bony woman lying on the bed to the heart monitor as one of the nurses turned it off. No more beeps. I hadn't even noticed the beeps until they were gone.

"What's wrong with her?" I finally heard Spencer ask as he held his mother's hand. It looked as if it could break in his hand.

"Kid, once more, you shouldn't be here." The doctor said in what I think is supposed to be a calming voice.

"I'm not a kid, I'm her son!" Spencer screamed, "I'm all she's got."

"There's got to be someone older. Your father?" He said and Spencer just shook his head, turning his attention back to his mom.

"Tell us." I finally said and my eyes met the doctor's. "Tell us, we can take it."

"No." Spencer voice said, sounding hoarse. "No, I can't."

There was silence in the room as nobody moved or said anything, until the doctor spoke that is. "You have some minutes to be with her."

"Until what?" Spencer asked, not tearing his eyes away from his mom.