One thing that nobody had expected was the gales of laughter bursting forth from his room. In the early evening, Billy and Bobby were both in there, sitting by the bed, and they were playing the old kid’s board games. Who knew that Ludo and Snakes and Ladders could be so funny?
Attracted by the merriment, Justine and Danny both went in and joined them. The laughter got louder. After a while, Bill Lyons could stand it no longer and he went in and joined in with them as well.
Mrs. Lyons sat alone, out in the kitchen, watching TV and trying not to feel resentful. That was just stupid, she knew that. She could go in there if she wanted to, she just didn’t want to. But, she couldn’t help feeling left out of the happy families scene in the bedroom.
Eventually, Mr. Lyons, the doctor, saw that Jon was tiring and called it a night – insisting that everyone went to bed and left him to rest. After the others had gone, Billy and Bobby said goodnight, with kisses, and they went out of the ranch-slider door and up the stairs to their bedroom above the three-car garage. They left a cell-phone in case Jon needed to call for them in the night. He didn’t use it.
Actually, although they always made sure that he had it with him, he never used the cell in all the time that he stayed with them.
Sunday came and went. They couldn’t go out walking as it was a miserable, wet day. But the day passed quickly with lots of games and laughter, in between Jon’s frequent rest periods. Justine and Danny both hung around all day. They both seemed to be under the spell of this charming boy as well.
Surely, Mrs. Lyons couldn’t have THREE gay sons, could she? No. That was stupid thinking. ‘Danny’s only 10, he’s just a kid.’
Justine was not gay anyway. Maybe she was going to be a ‘fag-hag’, like her mum? No, that’s stupid too. ‘Shut up, Claire.’
When the nurse came around, Billy and Bobby stayed in the room. They wanted to know all they could about caring for the patient. She showed them how to give him a ‘bed-bath.’ That could be fun, if only he wasn’t wearing that stupid cast!
Monday morning, at breakfast, Mrs. Lyons said, “Boys, I wish you’d take those pearls off. You shouldn’t be wearing them to school.”
“It’s okay, Mum. We never take them off now. Well, except for when we’re playing sports.”
“Mr. Bourke said that it’s okay for us to wear them, as long as we keep them inside our shirts while we’re at school.”
“You still shouldn’t be wearing them. They’re very valuable. What are you going to do if you lose them? What if someone steals them?”
“We’re not going to lose them. We’re much too careful for that.”
“No-one would pinch them either. No-one would dare – they were Jon’s pearls.”
“I don’t see what Jon could do about it. He’s kind-of laid-up, you know.”
“Maybe he is, but his friends aren’t, and he’s got a lot of friends.”
She shuddered again. ‘Jon’s friends?’ She kept forgetting how weird this kid was.
Just as the family were leaving, the nurse came back to tend to him again. When finished, she left him there, in the house alone. He’d be fine, what could happen? He was just going to sleep anyway, and he had the cell-phone next to his bed.
Mrs. Lyons arrived home first, at lunch-time. She wasn’t going to, the boys would soon be home anyway, but she had a quick look in to make sure that the kid was all right. He’d been alone there all morning. He was lying there, wide-awake and looking at the ceiling above him.
“Hello, Jon. You okay there? The boys will be home soon.”
He glanced over and then looked back up. “Hello, Mrs. Lyons. I’m fine, thank you.”
She stood staring at him. (‘Strange child!’) But he was not fine – there was something wrong here. His cheeks were shining. Wet? Yes, they were wet. She went over to the bed and looked closely at him.
“Don’t talk crap, Jon. You’re not fine at all. You’ve been crying – you have! You’ve been crying a lot by the look of you. What’s the matter?”
He was slow to answer. “It’s all right, Mrs. Lyons. Really it is. Billy and Bobby will be here soon, you don’t have to worry.”
“It’s too late now. I am worried. Dammit! What’s the matter with you, Boy? Are you in pain?”
He lay there, looking straight up, and then the tears started again and he sobbed. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I don’t want to be any trouble for you. I try to be strong – but it hurts, Mrs. Lyons. It really hurts. I’m sorry.”
“Dammit, Boy! Stop saying you’re sorry. You can’t help it if you’re in pain. That’s what the pain-killers are for. Where are your pills?”
“They are . . umm, they’re over there, on the dresser.”
“On the dresser?” She looked across the room to where the bottles of pills were sitting on the dresser – in plain sight but way out of his reach. “What the hell are they doing away over there?”
She grabbed both bottles and brought them to him, and then poured him a glass of water.
“You poor little bugger! Lying there suffering and looking at your pills where you can’t reach them. Those boys are going to get a piece of my mind. This is no way for them to be looking after you.”
He swallowed some pills, drank the water and laid back with a sigh. “Thank you, Mrs. Lyons. Thank you. I’ll be fine now. Please don’t say anything to Bobby and Billy, it’s not their fault. I know that I need the pain-killers, I should have made sure that they were here. I won’t do that again.”
“I’m sure you won’t! I’m still going to tell them. It’s up to them to make sure that you have what you need. And, Jon, next time, use the bloody cellphone. That is what it is there for. Call somebody – call me if you need help.”
“Yes, Mrs. Lyons. Sorry, Mrs. Lyons. Thank you.”
“Okay. Nothing else you need? I’ll go and get us some lunch. Call if you need to, Jon.”
Billy and Bobby arrived home for lunch. Their mother waylaid them in the kitchen, and, when they came into Jon’s room, they were both crying. They were tearful, apologetic and worried.
Their mother had told them that, if they couldn’t look after him better than that, Jon would have to go back to the hospital where he would be cared for. There was no way that they were going to let that happen.
When she came home again after work, Mrs. Lyons could hear the gales of laughter in his room again. All the kids were in there with him and everything really was fine this time. She was, sort-of, pleased that she’d been able to help him, but she was still not going to get involved. The kid was not her problem.
The days rolled on. Billy and Bobby took him out and about, in the wheelchair, on fine days, but it was always slow progress around the town.
The nurse started to get him out of bed in the mornings and leaving him reclining in the wheelchair for the day. It was a big chair and he could sleep in it if he needed to. Also, he could slide the door open and get himself outside if he wanted to.
When the boys came home from school, they often found him under the shade of the Pohutakawa tree, across the road, next to the estuary.
Days went on. Jon was making steady, if slow, progress in recovering from his injuries. Billy and Bobby were having a great time. They’d never been so popular at school. Most, but not all, of the people there were friendly to them now. A few weren’t. They could be quite nasty, but they were used to that and they had plenty of potential help around now. They were only jealous anyway.
The best thing was that, when they hurried back home, their favourite person in the world was always there waiting for them. Jon was slowly getting better, and that was good. They were pleased for him, they really were, but they quite liked having him as more-or-less a captive in their home. If only he wasn’t wearing that stupid cast!
On a Saturday morning, they tucked Jon into his chair and they went uptown to go visiting. First, they went to the Beachhouse, but couldn’t go in there because of the high steps. Stupid steps!
Sherry and Jacquie, and some of their boarders, came out to talk to him on the sidewalk. He was doing good and he’d be back home soon. Billy and Bobby both frowned at that, but said nothing.
From there, they went along to the Supermarket. That was a mistake; it took ages to get away from there again. The Craddocks told him that his job would always be there waiting for him, no matter how long it took. He just had to get well first, there was no hurry.
Further along, Dee and Sharon Hartigan joined them, for a while, but they left them at P.J’s Music Centre. They went on, up Brigham Street, until they came to the Square.
There seemed to be a lot of activity in there. Billy and Bobby were not keen, they’d never been welcome in there, but they went in anyway. Things were different now, weren’t they? Besides, what could happen?
They found out.
Attracted by the merriment, Justine and Danny both went in and joined them. The laughter got louder. After a while, Bill Lyons could stand it no longer and he went in and joined in with them as well.
Mrs. Lyons sat alone, out in the kitchen, watching TV and trying not to feel resentful. That was just stupid, she knew that. She could go in there if she wanted to, she just didn’t want to. But, she couldn’t help feeling left out of the happy families scene in the bedroom.
Eventually, Mr. Lyons, the doctor, saw that Jon was tiring and called it a night – insisting that everyone went to bed and left him to rest. After the others had gone, Billy and Bobby said goodnight, with kisses, and they went out of the ranch-slider door and up the stairs to their bedroom above the three-car garage. They left a cell-phone in case Jon needed to call for them in the night. He didn’t use it.
Actually, although they always made sure that he had it with him, he never used the cell in all the time that he stayed with them.
Sunday came and went. They couldn’t go out walking as it was a miserable, wet day. But the day passed quickly with lots of games and laughter, in between Jon’s frequent rest periods. Justine and Danny both hung around all day. They both seemed to be under the spell of this charming boy as well.
Surely, Mrs. Lyons couldn’t have THREE gay sons, could she? No. That was stupid thinking. ‘Danny’s only 10, he’s just a kid.’
Justine was not gay anyway. Maybe she was going to be a ‘fag-hag’, like her mum? No, that’s stupid too. ‘Shut up, Claire.’
When the nurse came around, Billy and Bobby stayed in the room. They wanted to know all they could about caring for the patient. She showed them how to give him a ‘bed-bath.’ That could be fun, if only he wasn’t wearing that stupid cast!
Monday morning, at breakfast, Mrs. Lyons said, “Boys, I wish you’d take those pearls off. You shouldn’t be wearing them to school.”
“It’s okay, Mum. We never take them off now. Well, except for when we’re playing sports.”
“Mr. Bourke said that it’s okay for us to wear them, as long as we keep them inside our shirts while we’re at school.”
“You still shouldn’t be wearing them. They’re very valuable. What are you going to do if you lose them? What if someone steals them?”
“We’re not going to lose them. We’re much too careful for that.”
“No-one would pinch them either. No-one would dare – they were Jon’s pearls.”
“I don’t see what Jon could do about it. He’s kind-of laid-up, you know.”
“Maybe he is, but his friends aren’t, and he’s got a lot of friends.”
She shuddered again. ‘Jon’s friends?’ She kept forgetting how weird this kid was.
Just as the family were leaving, the nurse came back to tend to him again. When finished, she left him there, in the house alone. He’d be fine, what could happen? He was just going to sleep anyway, and he had the cell-phone next to his bed.
Mrs. Lyons arrived home first, at lunch-time. She wasn’t going to, the boys would soon be home anyway, but she had a quick look in to make sure that the kid was all right. He’d been alone there all morning. He was lying there, wide-awake and looking at the ceiling above him.
“Hello, Jon. You okay there? The boys will be home soon.”
He glanced over and then looked back up. “Hello, Mrs. Lyons. I’m fine, thank you.”
She stood staring at him. (‘Strange child!’) But he was not fine – there was something wrong here. His cheeks were shining. Wet? Yes, they were wet. She went over to the bed and looked closely at him.
“Don’t talk crap, Jon. You’re not fine at all. You’ve been crying – you have! You’ve been crying a lot by the look of you. What’s the matter?”
He was slow to answer. “It’s all right, Mrs. Lyons. Really it is. Billy and Bobby will be here soon, you don’t have to worry.”
“It’s too late now. I am worried. Dammit! What’s the matter with you, Boy? Are you in pain?”
He lay there, looking straight up, and then the tears started again and he sobbed. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I don’t want to be any trouble for you. I try to be strong – but it hurts, Mrs. Lyons. It really hurts. I’m sorry.”
“Dammit, Boy! Stop saying you’re sorry. You can’t help it if you’re in pain. That’s what the pain-killers are for. Where are your pills?”
“They are . . umm, they’re over there, on the dresser.”
“On the dresser?” She looked across the room to where the bottles of pills were sitting on the dresser – in plain sight but way out of his reach. “What the hell are they doing away over there?”
She grabbed both bottles and brought them to him, and then poured him a glass of water.
“You poor little bugger! Lying there suffering and looking at your pills where you can’t reach them. Those boys are going to get a piece of my mind. This is no way for them to be looking after you.”
He swallowed some pills, drank the water and laid back with a sigh. “Thank you, Mrs. Lyons. Thank you. I’ll be fine now. Please don’t say anything to Bobby and Billy, it’s not their fault. I know that I need the pain-killers, I should have made sure that they were here. I won’t do that again.”
“I’m sure you won’t! I’m still going to tell them. It’s up to them to make sure that you have what you need. And, Jon, next time, use the bloody cellphone. That is what it is there for. Call somebody – call me if you need help.”
“Yes, Mrs. Lyons. Sorry, Mrs. Lyons. Thank you.”
“Okay. Nothing else you need? I’ll go and get us some lunch. Call if you need to, Jon.”
Billy and Bobby arrived home for lunch. Their mother waylaid them in the kitchen, and, when they came into Jon’s room, they were both crying. They were tearful, apologetic and worried.
Their mother had told them that, if they couldn’t look after him better than that, Jon would have to go back to the hospital where he would be cared for. There was no way that they were going to let that happen.
When she came home again after work, Mrs. Lyons could hear the gales of laughter in his room again. All the kids were in there with him and everything really was fine this time. She was, sort-of, pleased that she’d been able to help him, but she was still not going to get involved. The kid was not her problem.
The days rolled on. Billy and Bobby took him out and about, in the wheelchair, on fine days, but it was always slow progress around the town.
The nurse started to get him out of bed in the mornings and leaving him reclining in the wheelchair for the day. It was a big chair and he could sleep in it if he needed to. Also, he could slide the door open and get himself outside if he wanted to.
When the boys came home from school, they often found him under the shade of the Pohutakawa tree, across the road, next to the estuary.
Days went on. Jon was making steady, if slow, progress in recovering from his injuries. Billy and Bobby were having a great time. They’d never been so popular at school. Most, but not all, of the people there were friendly to them now. A few weren’t. They could be quite nasty, but they were used to that and they had plenty of potential help around now. They were only jealous anyway.
The best thing was that, when they hurried back home, their favourite person in the world was always there waiting for them. Jon was slowly getting better, and that was good. They were pleased for him, they really were, but they quite liked having him as more-or-less a captive in their home. If only he wasn’t wearing that stupid cast!
On a Saturday morning, they tucked Jon into his chair and they went uptown to go visiting. First, they went to the Beachhouse, but couldn’t go in there because of the high steps. Stupid steps!
Sherry and Jacquie, and some of their boarders, came out to talk to him on the sidewalk. He was doing good and he’d be back home soon. Billy and Bobby both frowned at that, but said nothing.
From there, they went along to the Supermarket. That was a mistake; it took ages to get away from there again. The Craddocks told him that his job would always be there waiting for him, no matter how long it took. He just had to get well first, there was no hurry.
Further along, Dee and Sharon Hartigan joined them, for a while, but they left them at P.J’s Music Centre. They went on, up Brigham Street, until they came to the Square.
There seemed to be a lot of activity in there. Billy and Bobby were not keen, they’d never been welcome in there, but they went in anyway. Things were different now, weren’t they? Besides, what could happen?
They found out.
6 comments:
David, great chapter again. The mother and nurse in Mrs Lyons wins out! And as cliff-hangers go that is way up there. Will just have to wait!
danny
Umm, David...
Remember the "dickey" heart here??
Hurry with the next chapter, please. I don't think I can handle many more of your cliff hangers!
Great job as always! Keep it up!!
Mark
I hate cliff-hangers, they´re the most annoying thing that exists, why not publish the next chapter at the same time, as a reader it would suit me not to wait for the next highlight...
But whom I try to kid?? The author likes to tease us way too much.....
Great chapter, but give us the next too please......
Joah!!
David, you know that if you do not clear all this up soon, there will be a lump of coal in your stocking on Christmas.Ho Ho Ho!
hugs,
Jim
I knew she couldn;t hod out. Great ch., but for the end, a cliff-hanger, you know readers hate that.
Jerry
Oops - Dickey hearts!
Sorry Guys, I just can't resist a cliff-hanger - 'cos i'm mean!
That fast enough?
Thanks, david
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