Chapter Twenty-five
Seeing Angie lying in the hospital bed with oxygen tubes and intravenous equipment strapped to her arm, Jack had to admit to a certain fright at seeing the old girl looking so weak.
The nurse arrived to change the intravenous drip and spoke quietly.
“She hasn’t come out of the anesthesia yet.
We’re getting a bit anxious for her to gain consciousness so we can ask her questions.
Maybe talk with her, Jack, and see if you can break through.
” Her serene nurse’s smile and cool attitude might have been used to calm his worries, but it didn’t work.
After she left the room, he sat beside the bed.
He’d always admired Angie’s look, her luxurious hair she normally wore piled on the top of her head in curls, but he’d not noticed the gray streaks peeking through before.
Now, with it down around her shoulders, it showed clearly that his friend had lived many years longer than he had.
Maybe that was the reason he felt so comfortable around her. Why she could make him laugh, and they’d become embroiled in deep conversations most younger people either had no time for… or worse, didn’t care about.
They’d discovered early on they felt the same about God, the universe, where they came from and where they ended up. Turns out they were both far more spiritual than religious. It made for some lively discussions.
Holding her hand, he began talking to her in a soft voice. “Hey, Ange. Time to stop messing around and come back to us. You’ve rattled the doctors enough now; they need to question you.”
“Well they can bloody well wait until I’m ready to talk to them, now can’t they?”
“Why you old faker, you. Have you been awake all this time?”
“Maybe. Won’t let a body catch up on her rest, constantly sticking needles here and tubes there. I need to get back home to my palace and outta this joint.” Her voice became stronger with every word, and Jack relaxed muscles that had stiffened from worry. Angie was back in form.
Until he looked closer and saw she’d slipped back into sleep. Her breathing had strengthened, the raspiness having faded, and she seemed somehow relaxed. He called for the nurse and told her that Angie had spoken to him, and he could see the relief in her eyes.
She went over to the side of the bed and leaned over the patient. “Angie, can you hear me?”
“The devil himself can hear you… all that yelling. I’m sleeping now. Come back later.”
Though she didn’t speak loudly, and she’d slurred her words slightly, she was obviously coherent.
“Let’s let her sleep then.” The nurse guided him from the room, her attitude of no nonsense letting him know she’d prefer he left. “We’ll make her more comfortable, and the doctor will want to see her for himself.”
Jack probably could have left and maybe should have, but he needed to know that the doc was happy with her results before he could leave her there alone.
He’d seen the worry the nurse couldn’t hide, and it had started a seed of anxiety growing inside him that only a doctor’s examination would resolve.
***
By the time he’d gotten the final results, he’d seen that time had moved on, and he was late for his swim date with Maisie. It bothered him, keeping her waiting. He didn’t like to do so and never would have except for what he considered an emergency.
Not knowing why, he suddenly felt anxious. His foot pushed the gas pedal down, forcing the truck past the speed limit. Hell, he’d gotten enough tickets in his life that he knew better than to take chances, but something drove him on.
By the time he’d reached the driveway and parked, he heard the screams coming from the pool area. He took off running, clearing the hedge by a foot, leaping over the fence without slowing down. It was Lucas’s voice he’d heard yelling and driven by fear, his adrenalin spurred him on faster.
By the time he’d reached the pool, his eyes saw what his heart couldn’t take without pain stabbing him raw. A little girl’s body floated at the bottom. Suddenly, in front of his eyes, she was being forced to the top by Lucas who had leapt in seconds before he’d gotten there.
It was the angel who got her to the side. And it was he who breathed into her mouth so gently that the air of life worked its magic. Or maybe it was the angel’s magic that gave back life. Jack never did know.
Lucas pushed her into Jack’s arms. “Keep breathing for her. She took in very little water. I got to her in time, but she got so scared, she passed out. She’ll be fine, Jack. Don’t have a heart attack, my boy.”
Jack felt a gentle swoosh of life inside himself. It was as if Lucas hugged him spiritually and gave him the strength to fight for Maisie’s life.
Swimming with her to the steps, he was able to force the little bit of water she’d taken in from her lungs. After a few seconds, he felt the difference. She began choking and crying.
That’s about the time he heard Mia’s scream.