shoulder sleeve and let out a big sigh.
“Since we’re going to be here for a while, let’s grab some of those nice soft chairs from the family visiting room.” She squeezed Amanda’s hands tight, and then let go and grabbed Jake. “Help me carry, will you, Jakey?”
Amanda was stunned. “What are you doing?” she asked, following them down the hall.
Trix opened the door to the family room and popped the door stand down with her foot. “Let’s take both chairs and that big ottoman. They’re all vinyl, but we can grab those nice blankets from the ladies auxiliary.” Jake picked up a chair that was surprisingly light, and carried it into the hallway and into her mother’s room. Trix picked up the ottoman and headed down the hall.
Amanda went back into the hallway and found Trix digging in a large cabinet behind the nurses’ station. The nurse on duty was gone, but Trix made herself at home. She came up with a pile of folded quilts and knitted blankets.
“Aren’t these homey?” Trix said as she passed Amanda. Jake was carrying another chair out of the visiting room, and Trix went back into her mom’s room. Amanda followed them slowly, not realizing her mouth was hanging open.
Trix was tucking blankets into the chairs. Amanda realized then that she had brought a book bag with crossword puzzles, magazines, snacks, and bottles of water. “Can you track down some spare pillows, Jakey?”
Jacob left, and Amanda turned to Trix. “I don’t get it,” Amanda said. “Who are all these chairs for? It’s just me. I don’t have any other family.”
“Sweetheart, did you really think we were going to let you be here alone?” Trix asked with a watery smile.
Amanda sat on the ottoman with a thump. This family’s kindness was never ending, but Amanda felt so unworthy. She shook her head and tried to tell her that she didn’t have to stay. Trix sat on the chair next to her and grabbed her hands again. Amanda’s tears were dangerously close this time, and she dug her fingernails in her hands to push the feelings away. “But this has to be too hard for you,” Amanda finally said in a shuddery voice, April’s soft breathing and the beeping of the machines in the background. “You and Jake have spent enough time in the hospital.”
“So have you,” Jake said from the doorway, a pile of pillows in his arms. “I’m staying. But, mom, you should go.” Jake dropped the pillows on the chair and put his hands on his hips.
Amanda nodded at her.
“Okay, kids. We all know we’re worried about each other. No more arguing. We’re all staying.” Trix reached into her bag and pulled out a newspaper, ending the conversation. Amanda and Jake settled into their chairs.
When the next shift of nurses arrived, Amanda was asleep on a soft chair. Trix and Jake had pushed the ottoman under her legs and tried to get her to stretch out so she could sleep more comfortably. Jake turned on the TV without volume and watched music videos. Trix went into the hallway with one of the nurses after midnight to ask what April’s situation was.
Amanda awoke at 4:17 a.m. It was still dark outside. Trix was curled in a soft chair with her head resting on two pillows, looking surprisingly comfortable. Amanda saw that Jake was staring blankly at MTV with no sound.
“How can you stand to watch TV without sound?” Amanda asked softly.
Jake jumped a little at her voice, and then turned to smile at her. “Do you really think infomercials are any better with the sound on?”
Amanda stretched, and realized she must look and smell awful. She could taste peanut M&Ms in her teeth. She reached for a bottle of water and swished before she swallowed.
“I don’t ever sleep here,” Jake said, “so I’ve always gotten acquainted with the overnight TV schedule on my hospital stays.” Jake flipped to Nick at Nite broadcasting and an episode of The Cosby Show was on.
“I always did homework,” Amanda said, scrunching down under a
“Since we’re going to be here for a while, let’s grab some of those nice soft chairs from the family visiting room.” She squeezed Amanda’s hands tight, and then let go and grabbed Jake. “Help me carry, will you, Jakey?”
Amanda was stunned. “What are you doing?” she asked, following them down the hall.
Trix opened the door to the family room and popped the door stand down with her foot. “Let’s take both chairs and that big ottoman. They’re all vinyl, but we can grab those nice blankets from the ladies auxiliary.” Jake picked up a chair that was surprisingly light, and carried it into the hallway and into her mother’s room. Trix picked up the ottoman and headed down the hall.
Amanda went back into the hallway and found Trix digging in a large cabinet behind the nurses’ station. The nurse on duty was gone, but Trix made herself at home. She came up with a pile of folded quilts and knitted blankets.
“Aren’t these homey?” Trix said as she passed Amanda. Jake was carrying another chair out of the visiting room, and Trix went back into her mom’s room. Amanda followed them slowly, not realizing her mouth was hanging open.
Trix was tucking blankets into the chairs. Amanda realized then that she had brought a book bag with crossword puzzles, magazines, snacks, and bottles of water. “Can you track down some spare pillows, Jakey?”
Jacob left, and Amanda turned to Trix. “I don’t get it,” Amanda said. “Who are all these chairs for? It’s just me. I don’t have any other family.”
“Sweetheart, did you really think we were going to let you be here alone?” Trix asked with a watery smile.
Amanda sat on the ottoman with a thump. This family’s kindness was never ending, but Amanda felt so unworthy. She shook her head and tried to tell her that she didn’t have to stay. Trix sat on the chair next to her and grabbed her hands again. Amanda’s tears were dangerously close this time, and she dug her fingernails in her hands to push the feelings away. “But this has to be too hard for you,” Amanda finally said in a shuddery voice, April’s soft breathing and the beeping of the machines in the background. “You and Jake have spent enough time in the hospital.”
“So have you,” Jake said from the doorway, a pile of pillows in his arms. “I’m staying. But, mom, you should go.” Jake dropped the pillows on the chair and put his hands on his hips.
Amanda nodded at her.
“Okay, kids. We all know we’re worried about each other. No more arguing. We’re all staying.” Trix reached into her bag and pulled out a newspaper, ending the conversation. Amanda and Jake settled into their chairs.
When the next shift of nurses arrived, Amanda was asleep on a soft chair. Trix and Jake had pushed the ottoman under her legs and tried to get her to stretch out so she could sleep more comfortably. Jake turned on the TV without volume and watched music videos. Trix went into the hallway with one of the nurses after midnight to ask what April’s situation was.
Amanda awoke at 4:17 a.m. It was still dark outside. Trix was curled in a soft chair with her head resting on two pillows, looking surprisingly comfortable. Amanda saw that Jake was staring blankly at MTV with no sound.
“How can you stand to watch TV without sound?” Amanda asked softly.
Jake jumped a little at her voice, and then turned to smile at her. “Do you really think infomercials are any better with the sound on?”
Amanda stretched, and realized she must look and smell awful. She could taste peanut M&Ms in her teeth. She reached for a bottle of water and swished before she swallowed.
“I don’t ever sleep here,” Jake said, “so I’ve always gotten acquainted with the overnight TV schedule on my hospital stays.” Jake flipped to Nick at Nite broadcasting and an episode of The Cosby Show was on.
“I always did homework,” Amanda said, scrunching down under a
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