Chapter 2
Jasmine Bennett walked down the hallway to her son, Tyrone’s, room in the new facility. It was bigger, cleaner, and less crowded. When they’d arrived a couple of days ago, the sheer beauty of the facility had impressed her. The manicured lawn and what appeared to be acres of trees surrounded the red-bricked building with tall glass windows. Overall, the outside of the hospital offered a feeling of hominess. That impression lessened once you stepped inside. Modern equipment, doctors, nurses, and general hospital personnel filled the halls and rooms.
“Did you get any rest?” Renee, her older sister, asked, falling in step with her.
“About as much as you,” she teased her sister. Neither had rested much since following the ambulance to this location. The nurse had offered them beds and a place to clean up, which they'd both utilized. Now, they waited while Tyrone underwent a series of tests.
“That much huh? Worried?” Renee asked as they turned a corner.
“Yeah, I know the doctor said he had slight brain damage, but Rone didn’t seem too out of it to me yesterday. What did you think?” Jasmine asked as they entered his empty room.
Before Renee could say more, two huge orderlies wheeled Tyrone into the room. Both women stood and watched them transfer Tyrone from gurney to bed. The nurses checked the equipment and left with slight smiles.
“Rone, how you feeling sweetie?” Jasmine asked while gently touching his swollen face. She ached seeing him like this and cursed the military that kept taking from her. Her baby was too young to fight.
He moistened his tongue. Renee picked up his cup and placed an ice chip on his lips.
“Umm thanks Aunty.” His voice was just above a whisper.
“You’re welcome. Now answer your mom. How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been blown up.” He grimaced and chuckled.
Jasmine’s hand flew to her chest as water filled her eyes. “Baby boy, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. What —"
“Ma,” he interrupted. “That was… horrible bedside humor on my part.” His voice sounded stronger. “Actually, I am feeling somewhat better. They have been treating me with meds that seem to be working. The nerve endings in my fingers and toes are healing.” He moved the digits as proof. “All in all, seems I will be around for a little while longer.”
Jasmine broke down. Loud gushing sobs tore from her throat, her body shook as the fear of losing her son overcame her.
A nurse rushed into the room, checked the equipment, the patient, and then turned to Jasmine. Renee stroked her back as tears rolled down her face unchecked. The dam had broken with Tyrone’s words. He looked better, but he had been on death’s door just a few days earlier.
“She’ll be okay,” Renee said, her voice cracking. “She’s just grateful he’s recovering.”
The nurse nodded, looked at them askance, and left the room.
“Mom… mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I know you hate Rese and I joined the military after what happened to daddy. I can see this is too much for you.” He paused as if to gain strength. “Aunty, why don’t you take her for a ride, maybe she needs to get away from here for a little while.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jasmine countered, steel in her voice as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Yes, I hate the danger you and Tyrese are under in your line of work. As a mother, a part of my job description is to worry over my children. Your father loved what he did, and that made him who he was. I don’t begrudge him that. But never think for one second that because I disagree with your choices, I love you any less. It hurts me to see you in pain. You and your brother are my heart. That will never change, Rone. Never.”
He nodded. A slight smile on his face. “Okay. The doctor should be here soon. I want to know his diagnosis. And you haven’t called me baby boy since I was seven, thanks.” He winked at her.
Her heart lifted as the small gesture. He was trying hard to convince her he was okay. She couldn’t accept it, not after seeing him all bandaged up a couple of days ago. Granted, he looked much better now, but he had almost died. Had died and then revived. She was too grateful to take his recovery for granted.
Doctor Fields walked into the room looking over papers attached to a clipboard. “Someone wants answers I hear, let me see what we have.” He paused, flipping the pages and reading. “Well, there’s good news and not so good news here. First you, young man, are responding to the medications I have prescribed and are progressing very well. There is no apparent damage to your brain. Your back needs more work to insure no skeletal or nerve damage. If all goes well, we will start your treatment and therapy in three days. By then your legs and arms should be functioning enough to determine the extent of the damage to your back.” He lifted kind eyes to Jasmine and then Tyrone.
“How long will all of this take, Doc?” Tyrone asked.
“It all depends on your arms and legs. If everything is the way I think, then about six to eight weeks. Maybe less.”
“How is he healing so fast? What are you treating him with?” Renee, the skeptic, asked.
Jasmine hadn’t thought about it before, but one of the doctors at the VA had said Rone would be down for months. They had been here for a couple of days and Tyrone showed remarkable signs of improvement.
“You aren’t giving him experimental drugs are you?” Jasmine asked, voicing a new fear.
The doctor walked over to the IV, and glanced at the writing before answering them. “No Ma’am, this hospital specializes in severe trauma cases, we have fewer patients and place all our energies on them getting better. Your son is in good hands.” His soft-spoken words offered the comfort she desperately needed.
“Thank you,” she murmured as he left the room.
“I’m glad you’re doing better,” Renee said while bending down to kiss his forehead.
“I’m glad you came, Aunty. It’s good seeing you. Tell Mandy hi for me when you talk to her.”
“You bet, speaking of which, I need to call her to check and see how the business is going. I’ll be right back.” She left the room, cell phone in hand.
“Mom, how long are you going to be here?” He looked out into the hall and then back at her.
“Until you’re much better.” She eyed him with determination. “Much better, so don’t count on me leaving anytime soon.”
He grinned.
His boyish smile wrenched at her heart. She longed to take him in her arms, hold tight and rock him like she’d done when he was little.
His smile fell away as he looked into the hall. She noticed and turned to look in the hall. It was empty. Frowning, she turned back to him.
The contemplative look on his face concerned her. “What is it?” She didn’t mean to sound worried, it was just hard to sit back, helpless.
Shaking his head, he smiled. But this one didn’t meet his eyes. “Nothing, just thinking about things. Have you heard from Rese?”
Recognizing the change of subject, she let it pass and answered. “Not yet. I left him a message and so did your Aunt. I hope to hear from him sometime today.” A chill skittered down her back and she pulled her sweater closer. “Are you cold?”
“No, Ma’am. I’m warm.” He picked up the remote.
Sitting back in the large, comfortable chair, she picked up her purse and pulled out her electronic reader. The earphones came out next. She didn’t bother hiding her grin when he zeroed in on a drama television program. Slipping the ear buds into her ears, she turned on her reader and tuned out the noise in the room.
Engrossed in the story, she felt a chill down her arms. She glanced at Tyrone. He’d straightened on the bed and appeared to be at attention even though he lay on the bed. She frowned. Pulling out the ear buds, she started to ask him a question. That’s when she heard someone’s footsteps leaving the room.
Confused, she looked at him again. He stared at the door without blinking. Alarmed, she ran to the bed and shook him. It took a few shakes and yells before he blinked.
“Ma. It’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m okay.” His voice lowered into a crooning sound. She had no idea she was crying. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”
“But… but you didn’t respond. It was like… like you didn’t hear me.” She sucked in a breath, hoping her trembling would stop. Her heartbeat wouldn’t slow down and she tried not to become hysterical. But she'd never before seen him in a trance or whatever it was he’d been in.
He placed his hand over hers, looked her in the eyes and spoke. “Mom, you’re overreacting. I’m fine. It was nothing.”
She jerked back as though he slapped her. “Are you… are you kidding?” She snatched her hand from his. “You must be joking. How the hell…” She stood up and walked off to the wall. This boy just told me I was overreacting. He’s lost his mind. Calm down? Where was Renee?
“Ma?”
Without looking at him, she threw her arm back and held up her hand.
He remained quiet.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled and exhaled to slow her heartbeat. She visualized the boys when they were small. The twins had been a loving handful, but they'd filled her long days and nights. Now they were grown, and she was overreacting. She pushed down the anger that threatened to choke her.
Renee was right.
She needed to do something with her life. Maybe go back to school, take up a hobby, do something so she wouldn't overreact. Damn it.
She spun and stared at him. “I can’t believe you said I overreacted.”
He squirmed beneath the sheet. “Maybe that was the wrong word, but Ma, I’m okay. See?” He sat straighter.
“How the hell does that prove anything?” She hadn’t meant to raise her voice, but he pissed her off and in a few minutes she would be overreacting.
The devilish grin he sprouted was reminiscent from when he was a young boy trying to escape a punishment. “It doesn’t. I just didn’t know what else to say to keep you from going off on me.”
She stared at him and started laughing. “You were close to the line. Don’t do that. I want you to get well, not make you worse.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said in a meek tone.
“So what happened?” She returned to the side of the bed just in time to see his face shutter closed.
“Nothing. Just a daydream.” He didn’t look at her.
“Tyrone Bennett.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“You know the penalty for lying to your mama, right?”
He released a long, drawn out sigh. “Yes. But I can’t tell you.”
“Why didn’t you just say that? You think I’d try to make you tell me everything? You’re grown and entitled to your secrets. Everybody got secrets. I’m concerned that’s all.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not up to par. Could you get the nurse in here, I need something for pain.”
Her stomach dropped. “If I left you alone for a while would you still need the pain medication?” she asked in a soft voice.
“No.” His voice rose, and then he gave her a sheepish grin as if afraid to admit he wanted his mama. “I’m glad you’re here. My side is sore and I want to sleep. I can’t do that without the drugs. Have you eaten?”
The change in topics threw her for a loop. “What?”
“Have you had anything to eat? You or Aunt Renee?”
She thought back and realized she hadn’t had anything since early that morning. “I can’t remember and I don’t know about Renee. I’ll ask her when she comes back.”
A few moments later, Renee and the nurse strode into the room.
The nurse stuck a needle into his IV and checked a few things. Jasmine noticed the nurse bend down and talk in a low voice with Tyrone. When they finished, the nurse turned, smiled at her and Renee, and left the room.
Jasmine itched to ask what the nurse said, but remembered her earlier remarks. “Is everything okay?” She stepped close to the bed and looked him over with a critical eye.
“Yeah, she wanted to know how bad the pain was.” His eyelids drooped.
She gave into the urge to touch him, to reassure herself he was okay. The back of her hand stroked the side of his face. He sighed as he fell under the dominion of the medication.
“He’s asleep?” Renee asked, coming to stand next to her.
Jasmine nodded, leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Hungry?” she asked her sister.
“Yeah. You?”
Jasmine nodded as she backed away from the bed. “I am. Is there some place here where we can eat?”
“I think I overheard someone mention a cafeteria. I’ll ask the nurse, and we can grab a bite before he wakes. Have you talked to the doctor about Tyrone’s next step? It’s good to see him healing, but what happens next?”
Jasmine hadn’t asked that many questions because the doctor had been so forthcoming about Tyrone’s condition. Before she could answer, Renee had walked off and was speaking to the nurse behind the counter.
“Thanks,” Renee said to the nurse as she waved for Jasmine to meet her.
“There’s a place here?” Jasmine asked as she caught up with her sister.
Renee nodded. “Yeah, a couple of floors down. Stairs or elevator?”
Jasmine looked toward the stairs, but didn’t feel up to it. “Elevator.” Following the signs, they took the elevator and walked into the cafeteria. Scents teased her nostrils, her stomach growled. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was before,” Jasmine said, heading toward the line for the grill. There were steaks, burgers, and prime rib on the menu. Her brows rose at the choices. No chicken or fish?
Renee picked up a pre-made salad and waited for her.
“I’d like a steak, medium rare. There needs to be a little pink in the middle. But I don’t want a big steak.”
The chef never spoke, he held up a raw piece of meat.
“Do you have anything smaller?”
He cut the steak in half and held it high.
Smiling, she nodded. “That’s perfect, thank you.” Jasmine stepped to the side and grabbed a small salad and garlic toast while waiting for her steak.
“What do you want to drink?” her sister asked.
“Water. A bottle, so I can take it back to the room.”
“Good idea.” Renee grabbed two bottles and picked up a large brownie.
“A salad and a brownie? How does that work out for you?” Jasmine teased as she accepted the plate with her steak from the chef. She slipped a tip in his jar and headed for the cashier. When they’d walked in the cafeteria earlier, it had seemed empty, but during the time they'd taken to grab their food, most of the tables had filled.
“Wanna sit outside in the sun?” Renee asked.
A table near the exit opened and Jasmine headed for it. The idea of swatting flies while trying to cut her steak held no appeal. “No, here’s one.” They each took a seat and looked out the large window. It was a beautiful day, maybe after they ate, she’d take a quick walk to stretch her legs.
“Jazz?”
“Hmmm?” She swallowed the garlic bread and took a deep breath.
“Have you noticed there’s a football convention going on here?"
“What?” She looked up at Renee.
“I mean, have you noticed how frigging big all the men are in this place? Even the women are tall. Plus there aren’t any black people working here. We’re in Maryland, how the hell can there not be any blacks working in a hospital.”
Jasmine hadn’t noticed the shape, size, or color of anyone. Her sole focus had been on Tyrone. She didn’t care if the people were zebras. Tyrone was better, and that’s all that mattered to her. But Renee was different. She was an anthropology professor back in St. Louis. Noticing people were her stock in trade.
“No. I hadn’t noticed. I’m just glad Rone is getting better. Have you heard from Rese?”
Her sister cut her eyes at her. “No, I would’ve told you. And I’m glad they’re taking good care of Rone, too. I owe them more than I can say. It’s just weird being in a place so… so sterile. There’s no diversity. Everyone’s the same. Big men, tall women. All pale.” Renee shivered. “It’s just strange.”
Jasmine looked out the window. Her eyes locked with a pair of turbulent bluish-green eyes. A chill snaked down her spine chased by a flash of heat. Her heartbeat stuttered and then picked up in speed. Warmth radiated through her and settled in her belly. A tingling started between her thighs. The alien feelings surprised her.
“See, they’re big.” Her sister tugged at her attention.
With reluctance, Jasmine pulled away from the fascinating eyes. “Huh?” A curl of warmth fluttered lower, tempting, and teasing.
“That guy you were looking at, did you see how big he was?”
She hadn’t noticed anything but his eyes. “No, not really.”
Renee sat back in her chair and stared at her. “That conversation we had back at the house a few days ago, you thinking about it?”
Jasmine fought through the fog clouding her mind. “No. Give me a minute to remember.”
Renee chuckled. “Okay. What time do you want to head back to the room?”
“I’m not sure, Rone was in pain and the medicine helps him sleep.” She finished eating and slid back from the table. “You want to take the scenic route back upstairs?”
Renee nodded as she joined Jasmine at the waste bin to dump their trash. Renee linked her arm in Jasmine’s and headed toward the glass door leading to the gardens.
For the first time, Jasmine took note of the people in the room. The men were huge. It could’ve been a linebacker convention. She was glad when they walked out into the sun, but the clarity of those turquoise eyes haunted her.