| C'eathlin Sioda
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| Family Ties Katie met Liam at the door with her coat on. She couldn't reach him earlier by phone to tell him--warn him what had happened. “Sarah is in the hospital again!” She wrapped her arms around his unyielding frame. He patted her absently on the back with one hand, then removed himself from her grasp. He walked on through the dining room dropping his coat over a chair back and tossing his cap on the table. “When did this happen?” Liam said sitting down heavily in the arm chair facing the television. He switched it on with the remote. Katie sighed deeply walking over to Liam’s chair. “We need to go now!” she said, a small pleading in her voice. “She’s been up there all day with no one. I haven't talked to her since last week-she sounded all right then” she said more to herself than him. We were going to the movies tomorrow. She has mail on the cupboard that looks important. Let’s go, Liam!” “We'll go! I just want to sit a minute and catch the news. When will she get over this?” he said flipping through the channels until he found CNN. “When did she go in? Last night?” “I guess.” “At least we got a night’s sleep,” Liam said watching soldiers carrying machine guns kick refugees from another war. “What did they say when the hospital called?” “They didn't tell me anything except that she’s stable now and she took too much medicine. They had to pump her stomach, Liam,” Katie said almost in a whisper. A tear made a path through the makeup on her cheek. “Katie, you know she can't come back here and stay, not again. It never works. It turns our life upside down every time. I won't have it any more!” he shouted clicking off the television and grabbing his cap and coat. Katie said nothing following Liam out the door to the car. The ride to the hospital was silent except for her effort to stave off more tears with deep breaths. The night sky was spitting tiny capsules of snow as the wind sliced through everything in it’s path. The hospital parking lot had only a few cars, as if the weather were too cold for more tragedy. “I can't be here all night” Liam said as he walked through the automatic doors and on down the familiar florescent washed halls. Katie didn't respond. As she walked passed the information desk, in a voice used for often repeated speeches, she whispered, “Can someone tell me where my daughter is?” They continued on; right...left...then right again, oblivious of the color coded flooring’s attempt to guide them. Liam pushed the opener on the wall and the large gray door to ICU swung open with a hollow clanking sound. “She was in this room before,” Liam said as he watched the drips fall in silent tempo down the IV line into the sleeping girl. “I remember it being the second door on the left,” he said as if this mundane statement would bring some normality to the scene before him. Katie ran her fingers lovingly through her daughter’s honey colored hair now matted and damp. “Her face looks swollen, Liam get me some tissue from the bathroom so I can wipe this charcoal off her mouth.” He handed her the tissues then turned toward the door. “I'm going to ask what’s going on,” he said over his shoulder heading to the nurse’s station. “Sweetie, it’s Mom. Can you open your eyes? Liam and I are here. We love you. Can you wake up?” Katie said, running her hand up and down the girls untethered arm. Puffy eyes opened and grew large. Their once vivid blue muted by the red tributaries of too many tears. “Mom! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to have them call you, but I was so scared! I'm so sorry!” “It’s okay Sarah. You don't have anything to be sorry about. I'm glad you asked them to call me. I'll always come,” Katie said softly her faced pressed into her daughter’s hair. “I was so tired, Mom, and I couldn't sleep! I just kept taking them! I got confused and then I got scared so I called 911!” she poured out through rapid breaths and tears. “Shhhh. It’s okay now. I love you. I always love you” Katie said, rocking her daughter back and forth in that slow age old rhythm of comfort. The subtle hint of dawn was in the sky when Liam unlocked the car doors. “The nurse said she will be discharged at noon. We may as well get some rest until then.” Katie studied Liam as he stood unmoving by the open car door. The snow drifted down in large flakes now, falling all around him as if he stood encased in one of those plastic spheres children love to shake. “Liam! What is it?” “The doctor said she should not be alone for a while. They almost lost her this time.” His head hung down, a defeated chin touching his open jacket. “I just can't believe there wasn't something I could do to help!” His face grew redder as tears began to flood his eyes. “Liam, you did the best you could! We just can't fix it” Katie said, biting her lip for control. “I told them that we would come back and take her home with us,” he said finally getting into the car. “Of course. I knew you would,” Katie said as she shut her door. She lay her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. “Tomorrow,” she whispered. Lifting her head and looking out the window she added, “Tomorrow I will make a big pot of soup.” “Tomorrow is today, Katie, Liam said. “It’s today.” |
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