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. You sure you don t want me to wait? I don t mind. Ed said ashe pulled up to the front entrance of the West Park. No, thanks.I don t know how long I ll be. Thad closed the doorand leaned down so he could see Ed. You go on.The walk home willdo me good.Ed yawned. Okay.Call me if you need anything.I m goinghome to sleep for a few hours before I go back to the hospital.Thad wondered about Ed s relationship with Josh.They had beenout on several dates.Thad was reasonably sure they d even had sex.Was Ed in love with Josh? What if Josh was in love with Ed? Maybe hewas interfering in something that wasn t any of his business.His instincts told him he was doing the right thing.Even if Ed andJosh were now a couple, Josh was his friend.Besides, Ed didn t seemto mind Thad calling Josh s father.Come to think of it, Ed hadn tseemed to mind Thad going back to the intensive care unit to see Joshinstead of him, either.He decided not to worry about Ed.At the door to the West Park, Thad realized he hadn t thoughtabout how to get into the building.He saw the receptionist, an olderAfrican-American woman in a bright yellow dress, busily going overpapers at a desk just inside the door.When she looked up, Thad wavedat her and smiled.She buzzed him in. Can I help you? Yes, thank you.I m Thad Parker.My cousin, Josh Freeman,lives in apartment 419.He was assaulted last night and is in George152 Michael RupuredWashington Hospital.I need to go up to his apartment to get a fewthings for him.A concerned look replaced the welcoming smile on her face. Ohmy goodness! Is he okay?Thad shook his head. We don t know yet.He s in a coma in theintensive care unit. Lord have mercy.Mr.Freeman is such a nice man.Of courseyou can go up, let me get someone to let you in. She reached for thephone on her desk. Thanks, but I have his keys. Well, you go right on up, then. She pointed down a shorthallway. The elevators are just through that arch.Thad took the elevator to the fourth floor and let himself intoJosh s apartment.The scent of Quorum cologne greeted him.Henoticed the message light blinking on Josh s answering machine andpushed the button. Hi, Josh.It s Linda.Glad your dad can join us.Sorry I missedyou.Call me!Thad cursed when she didn t leave a number.He noticed the listfinder beside the phone, slid the tab to  F and pushed the button.There next to  Dad was a phone number.Thad wrote it down on theback of his business card.He decided to look for Linda s number.Heslid the tab to  A.No luck.He moved through  B and  C.Stillnobody named Linda.He slid the tab to  D , and saw there were onlytwo numbers on the page; one for a Linda Delgado and another forMrs.Delgado.He wrote both numbers alongside the number for Josh sfather.Thad looked around the apartment.No point in getting clothes forJosh, or anything else for that matter.He checked the refrigerator forperishables and tossed several slices of pizza, some sandwich meat, andan already brown head of lettuce into the trash.He dumped the trashdown the chute, replaced the trash bag from a box under the sink, andthen, figuring he d done all he could, he locked the apartment andheaded back to the lobby.He stopped at the receptionist s desk. UNTIL THANKSGIVING 153 Thanks for letting me go up.I m not sure how long it will bebefore he gets out.Let me leave my number with you in casesomething comes up and you need to reach him.The receptionist took Thad s card. I ll be praying for yourcousin.You be sure to tell Mr.Freeman Vanessa said get well soon.As Thad walked home, he thought about the phone calls heneeded to make.Hi, you don t know me.I m a friend of Josh s and justwanted to let you know he was attacked last night and is in a coma.Hethought about asking Philip to make the calls.He was so good withpeople he d know what to say, without making a mess of it the wayThad was bound to do.But no.Calling Josh s dad wasn t Philip s job.Time to man up.As Josh s friend, it was his responsibility.He found Philip in his favorite chair in the sunroom.He lookedup from the magazine he d been reading. I called your parents to letthem know not to expect us tomorrow.They send their love.Did youfind Josh s dad s phone number?Thad had completely forgotten about their plans to see hisparents. I did.Thanks for calling Mom and Dad. No problem.Would you like for me to call Josh s dad? Yes, but it s something I need to do.Thanks for offering.Anysuggestions? Be gentle, stick to the facts, and the less said, the better. Josh had a message from someone named Linda.She mentionedhis dad.I got the impression they were close.I found a phone numberfor someone that might be her.I think I ll call her first. I m right here if you need me.Make your calls and get somerest.It s been a long night, and I suspect the week will be long as well.Thad retreated to his room.The empty, unmade bed beckoned,but he sat at his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed the number forLinda Delgado.He recognized the voice from Josh s machine when sheanswered. Hello, Linda.My name is Thad Parker.I m a friend ofJosh s. Is something wrong? Thad heard panic in her voice.154 Michael Rupured Yes, I m afraid so. He fought to control his emotions.Cryingwouldn t help. Josh is in the hospital.He got hit in the head with abaseball bat last night.Linda s plaintive  no was followed with several questions. How bad is he hurt? Is he paralyzed? Will he be okay?Thad fought to maintain his composure. We don t know.Rightnow he s in a medically induced coma to reduce the swelling aroundhis brain.He had surgery last night. A coma? Oh my God! Thad heard Linda sob. Aside from the head injury, he s got some broken ribs and acollapsed lung.Otherwise, as far as we know, that s it.I saw him a fewhours ago, and except for the bandage on his head, he looks the same asbefore. Have you talked to his doctor? Yes, but he isn t saying much.He ll know more in twenty-fourhours. Have you called his father yet? No, Thad replied. Not yet. Don t worry about it, I ll call him tonight.Should I come toDC? He heard papers shuffling. I can clear my calendar and be thereTuesday or Wednesday.Thad paused and thought about how to respond.He understoodher desire to run to Josh s side, but doubted her presence would makeany difference unless and until Josh woke up. Why don t you waitanother few days to see what happens? There s nothing anyone can doright now.I ll call you every day with an update. You re probably right.I hate for him to be alone up therewithout family or anyone who loves him.Thad hesitated for just a minute. I love him. UNTIL THANKSGIVING 155" 36 "THAD slept most of Saturday.He d wanted to go back to the hospitalthat night, but when he called, the nurse looking after Josh said he wasstill in a coma and would stay that way for at least the next twelvehours.She promised to call if there was any change in his condition.Having promised to call every day, Thad dialed Linda s number. I just called to let you know there hasn t been any change inJosh s condition.The doctor wants to keep him in the coma for at leastanother twelve hours.Linda sounded much calmer than she had the day before. It ssweet of you to call, Thad.We ve been worried sick.I talked to his dadyesterday.Like me, he s ready to come to DC any time. Honestly, right now there s not much point [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]