Chapter 9
Eleven forty. I was really tired. No one had put me back to bed. I pushed the call button and one of the nurses came in my room. I saw an agent behind her and recognized Matt Damon, Jake James.
“Hey, Jake.”
“Danny! You’re awake and up,” he smiled and seemed happy to see me.
“Thanks for the candy and stuff, Damon.”
“Sure thing, Danny. What did you need?”
“Back to bed. I’m whupped.” I slid my cell phone into the backpack with my NOOK so that was all he saw. He helped the nurse walk me to the bed and lowered it so I could slide my ass in. I managed to swing my legs over and she pulled up the sheet and blanket.
“Anything else, Danny?” He questioned.
“Where’s Dad?”
“Went home. He had an emergency session in Congress he had to sit through. He said to tell you, he’ll be here tomorrow. Ms. Penny will stay with you if you need her.”
“No, that’s okay. Tell Dad, it’s Felice’s birthday soon and ask him to get her something for me. She likes Terry Hicks and Morgan Feist books. Aran sweaters and lime green shoes, size 7B. Find out how much Space Camp would cost.”
“That’s out of your budget, kiddo,” he laughed. “Cool idea though. I’ll pass it on.” The nurse handed me a cup of pills and some water.
“What’s this?” I asked, poking around in the cup.
“Steroids, a sleeping pill and Elavil,” she answered. “Antibiotics and a pain med.”
“Pain med? What for? I’m not hurting,” I protested.
“You will be. Those doctors drilled your skull open two days ago. Believe me when those wear off, you’ll feel it.”
I swallowed them and grumbled, “how come I was asleep and you woke me up to take the sleeping pill?”
“Hey,” she shrugged. “I just follow the doctor’s orders. Good night.”
“Want me to stay with you until you fall asleep, Danny?” Jake asked. “I can do my shift in here as well as outside the door.”
“Sure,” I mumbled.
“Danny, who told your Dad about the guy with the rifle, the guy with a cat?”
“I did.”
“You did, Danny?”
“Saw it,” my eyelids felt as heavy as the weight bar in the gym. I felt as if I was wading through mud.
“How, Danny?”
I mumbled something, but I’m not sure if it made any sense.
*****
I woke up early in the morning with a stuffed head, and a sense of being one step behind everyone. Assumed it was the pills and resolved to ask Dad to get the doctor to D/C them. I didn’t like the feeling, it made it too hard to think. Nurses came and left. So did the doctors on rounds and they talked over my head like I wasn’t there. Discussed removing the catheter, IV lines and redoing another set of CAT scans, MRIs and EEGs. They wanted to bring in another neurologist from Cambridge.
Some guy from dietary came up and asked me what I wanted for breakfast. I could barely read the choices so I picked out an omelet, white toast, bacon, short stack, OJ and chocolate milk. I was just able to hold the utensils when it came, and halfheartedly shoveled it in. I ate about half and started complaining.
I wanted a shower, to brush my teeth, to get up and go to the bathroom on my own. I wanted my own clothes on.
I yelled. “God dammit! Take this out of my prick or I will!”
In walked Dad, Felice and Ms. Penny. I shut up quick, ashamed of my behavior. Although, I still wanted to throw my plate at the wall.
“What’s wrong, Danny?” Felice asked, coming in to give me a hug.
Whining, I said, “I want to go home.”
“Doctor soon said maybe in two days,” Dad said cheerfully.
“Really?” I looked at all three of them and saw only happy faces. “Can I have a shower?”
“We’ll ask your nurse. I don’t think you’re supposed to get your head wet,” he returned. “You eat?” He handed me a paper Dunkin Donuts bag and inside was a super-sized hot cocoa and three Boston cream doughnuts. I ate all three, licking my fingers. Felice sat on my bed next to me and held my hand.
“Sorry. I ate them all,” I apologized handing over the hot cocoa. She pushed it back.
“Your Dad bought me a cup and four doughnuts.”
“Help me out of bed to the chair, please,” I asked and both of them shuffled me over to the recliner. Dad took the other chair and Felice set on the bed, picking at the remains of breakfast.
“I spoke to Doctor Soong and Doctor Kujowski, Danny. They said you can come home after the second tests. If they show any improvement after the steroids you’ve been on to shrink the… lesion. The last EEG looked good. Did talking to Uncle Townsley help?”
“I think so, Dad. I feel better. Except for these drugs they’re pumping into me. They make me feel foggy and out of it. Can you asked them to stop?”
“It helps to keep your mood stable, you flew off the handle, Danny. Hit people. That’s not like you.”
“I was scared, Dad. I want to go home, be in my own house, in my own bed.” I sounded remarkably like a whiny brat. But I didn’t care.
“We’ll see. I want you well, and looked after, Danny. When you come home, you’ll have a live in RN there to see you’re getting well.”
“I don’t need a babysitter!” I spat. “Felice is old enough to go to Space Camp by herself, why can’t I go home alone?”
“Space Camp?” Felice asked. “I’m going to Space Camp?”
“Oops,” I said weakly. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Dad? For my birthday? Cool!” She paused. “How did you find out?”
I mumbled something about her Dad asking me what she wanted for her birthday.
Dad excused himself and went in search of the doctors, Ms. Penny brought me the cards from my junior high and unfolded the thing until it was the size of a flag. She taped it to the wall and I could read every signature from every classmate and teacher in the place, including a few dog and cat prints.
“I’ll leave you two alone. I’m sure you have things to say you won’t with us here,” she offered and shut the door after herself.
“Really, Downtown? How did you know I’d love to do Space Camp? I hear they keep an eye on those kids for future astronauts. I’d love to become one like your Dad. Super cool! Dad was okay with that? You know how he hates me being out in public, what with security and all.”
“He was going to get you a trip to Aspen. Or jewelry. Nix on the car, we’re both too young for wheels, although that would be way cool, too. What would you ask for – Mini Coupe with racing stripes? Beamer or Audi 6?”
“Hah. With my luck, I’ll get a big honking SUV built like a tank and complete with armed agents. Can you imagine Daddy when his little girl’s driving?”
“Dad’s the same way,” I reminded her. “Because of Mom.”
“I know, Danny. I’m sorry that happened. A bunch of us promised our parents to never drink and drive in honor of your Mom. When did you talk to Dad? You never come over to my house.”
“Your house is the White House, Felice,” I said. “Like I’m going to steal a kiss under the nose of all those Secret Service drones. It’s bad enough with my Dad and Ms. Penny around.”
“I thought you liked the challenge,” she grinned. “When did you talk to Dad?”
“I heard him mention it to Dusty,” I said, and that stumped her like it always did.
“Like she tells you things,” she scoffed and punched me. “You getting up today?”
“Yeah. Can you help?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Dad bring me any clothes?” I asked and she went to the closet, found my jeans and polo shirt, flannel pajamas, clean brand-new underwear and socks still in the packages. My boots.
“Pretty fancy climbing shoes,” she admired. “Top-of-the-line. Are these hand-sewn?”
“Yep. Got them off the Internet.”
“You know you can’t get dressed, right, Downtown? You got a catheter up your wee wee.” She was grinning.
Disgruntled, I said, “I thought I’d just tuck everything to the right and let it hang out.”
“You’re attached to the bed. You gonna let that hang out and drag it around on the floor?”
“How’s it come out?” I gave an experimental tug and yelped. That hurt. “What? Is it sewn in or something?” Oh gross.
“I think it’s got a balloon on one end or something, to hold it in. You need the nurse to take it out. Look, here’s a clean gown. I can help you into that.”
“You just want to see me naked,” I complained.
“Oh sure, Dantan, it’s been my dream since I turned twelve, and developed boobs,” she mocked.
“Felice, would you do it with me if I was going to die and never got the chance?”
She grabbed my ears and stared into my eyes. “Dantan Townsley De Rosier, you are not going to die and when we’re both ready, it’ll be worth the wait.” She kissed me in promise. I copped a feel. She punched me and I fell backwards onto the bed, grinning like a fool. Dad walked in. Wisely, he didn’t say a word.