idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part seventy
John and Chris sat down in the screening chairs. They were bewildered by Mrs. Smith's brash move to have the board members donate.
"Please fill out this questionnaire and I will take the information to see whether you are eligible or not to donate."
John glanced through the questions that seemed rather personal. Had he paid for sex in the last twelve months? Had he ever had sex with a prostitute? Had he ever had sex with a man since 1977? Had he visited the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996? Had he ever been paid to have sex? John's head swam as he was trying to remember... Then the last couple of questions seemed like his ticket out. Had he traveled outside of the United States? Where? When? Did he have any vaccinations in recent months?"
John turned his paper work in as the technician who was watching something on the internet, sighed.
"That accident must have been god awful."
He heard a familiar voice and caught his breath.
"May I see the announcement?" He asked as innocently as he could.
He covered his smile as he saw Jenny standing at a podium to make an announcement for Lansing Memorial hospital.
"Oh, so you traveled to Vietnam?"
"yes."
"And you got your vaccinations for malaria and typhus?"
"yes."
"I see." The technician looked at the other questions and said, "Well, I thank you for coming in today to try and donate, Mr. Matthews. But there are so many here to donate already. You will not be needed."
"Darn it." John stated with a slight smile. He got up and left as he saw Chris lying in a chair, turning pale at the sight of the huge needle.
---
Jenny sat in the surgery waiting room. According to the OR charge nurse, Lynn was in trouble... critical did not aptly describe her condition. She got up and headed to the vending machine area. She sat down, numb. What about Charlie? What about Rick? What about me? Dear God, please, please spare her... I beg of you. Please. She pulled out her cell and found the phone number labeled, sly fox. She pressed the button.
---
Rick got up asking Carl to stay while he went to talk with Steve Hauser's daughter. As he cleared the ICU area, his cell vibrated.
When he saw the ID, blond tiger, he immediately picked up.
"Rick, it's me."
"Jenny? I thought you had left."
"Change of plan. I need you to come to Lansing Memorial right away."
"What? Is Sara okay?" Then he realized.... "Lynn... is she there?"
"Yes. She is in emergency surgery, has been in there for hours and the charge OR nurse told me that she may not make it. Rick, come quickly."
"I have got to talk to Carl and then I will be on my way."
"Don't tell him I called. I am still in hiding... sort of."
"Jenny, I..."
"Just don't. Get over here now. Lynn... needs you to be here."
"Okay."
He ran back to the ICU. He found Carl still sitting beside Charlie.
"Rick? What's wrong? You look like hell."
"Carl, it's Lynn. She is at Lansing and is critical. I have got to go. Can you handle checking out the locket key?" He tossed it to him before the man could even respond.
"Sure. Do you need me to be with you?"
"I need you to take care of Charlie... Please Carl." He paused, looking at his keys shaking in his hand.
"You think you can drive in that condition?" Carl paused. "You are thinking about your mom, aren't you?"
"I ... have.. got to go. Now."
He took off running out of the door.
Carl sighed.
"Go." a surreal voice hit Carl's ears. "Go with Wick. Charlie will behave. Go with Wick. Li LI needs you both."
"Charlie, you heard?"
"I know. Li Li is dying. Go with Wick." The boy held tight to his teddy bear. "If that girl wants my bear, she will come to me." He held out his hand. "Give me the magic key... and go. Charlie knows what to do. Just go."
Carl handed over the key without giving it another thought and ran after Rick. He missed him on the elevator and took the stairs... running as fast as he could, he spotted Rick just twenty feet ahead of him in the lot. He yelled, "Wait for me." As Rick unlocked his sedan, and hopped into start the car, pulling out of the space, he slammed on his brakes... just missing hitting Carl by an inch.
"Get out. I am driving. You are in no condition."
Rick complied and Carl took the wheel.
"I could have killed you, you know."
"Well, you didn't and we are in a hurry." Carl hit his cell phone to the state police requesting escort that was given. They met up with them on the interstate and ran lights and sirens all the way to Lansing Memorial making the forty five minute journey in less than twenty.
---
"I am very sorry, Miss Hauser. That bear apparently belongs to someone who is in the ICU. Your dad only borrowed the bear to give it to you for just a little while."
"I want my bear." Katie stated stubbornly. "Let me go see this person. I want my bear."
"If physical therapy says you can get up later, I will bring you a wheel chair. Otherwise, you need to stay put. Okay?"
---
Sam Clark took a deep breath after the hole in the atrial wall had been closed. Dr. Crookshanks stated to the perfusionist, "Let's take her off the machine."
Everyone in the room waited as the assistant took the paddles to the heart. Even the verbose Dr. Ortega could be heard muttering a rosary under his breath.
The heart started to move as the electricity brought it back to life. No leaks were found.
"What are her vital signs?" Sam spoke to the anesthesiologist.
"Heart rate 120, sinus tach, B/P 92/59. Oxygen Saturation at 100%."
"Now all we have to worry about is her head and kidneys... How long was that pressure under seventy?" Dr. Ortega spoke the thoughts of the doctors staring at the open chest.
"Let's close." Dr. Crookshanks stated. He glanced at the anesthesiologist. "Answer the man."
"About fifteen minutes at three different intervals."
Silence pervaded the room as Dr. Ortega stated. "She is in God's hands."
---
Jenny returned to the waiting room. She was surprised by a cup of coffee and a sandwich being shoved in her face.
"Here. Drink this."
"Ah, er," as she looked up and saw the face of a beautiful woman named Janice Clark. "Thank you."
Janice sat down with her volunteer's apron on and smiled.
"It feels good to take a load off." She sighed, then added, "Mr. Simon told us of your friend. He also gave me this to give to you. He forgot to this morning." She handed Jenny a pager.
"Gee, thanks. I think."
"Ah, you will get used to it. Now how is your friend?"
"She is very very critical." Jenny started to tear up.
"I see. Well, then, there isn't much you can do here now is there?"
"Um, excuse me?"
"You have a pager and I have given it to the OR charge to let you know how it went. We have to check up on the families and workers in the OR, the ICU, and the wards. Come on." She grabbed Jenny and pulled her up. Then, she took another pink striped, ruffled full apron and threw it over Jenny's head spinning her around to tie it in the back.
Jenny's pager went off.
"How do I work this thing?"
"Ah, all you have to do is press this button. See?"
"Okay."
"It is the OR nurse. Go ahead and find out before we leave."
Jenny returned stunned. Lynn was alive but remained critical. It would be at least twenty four to forty eight hours before anyone knew if her brain and kidneys had survived.
Jenny followed Janice like a whipped puppy upstairs to the ICUs.
Rick and Carl came running at full speed to the OR waiting room and grabbed the volunteer to find out about Lynn.
---
Charlie did not move. He had seen the van that held Li Li crash. He heard her scream. He heard her call out to him, and to Rick. He had been praying non-stop. Ignoring all the little annoying sounds, he kept praying that his Li Li would be safe. She did not need him. She needed Rick. A small tear slid down his face as he clung to his bear and prayed.
---
The ICU nurse looked stunned as a small teenaged girl sat in her wheel chair demanding to talk to the patient about her bear. Charlie pulled himself up and sat on the side of the bed. Stiff and sore, but as long as he thought about something else, it would be okay.
"Lady?" He spoke out loudly.
The ICU nurse came running in the room.
"Ah, Charlie? Are you okay?"
"Charlie wants to speak to that girl."
The girl had already scooted the wheel chair in behind the nurse using her feet. It hurt to much to use her arms... it made her chest incision hurt too much.
"Hi. My name is Katie Hauser. I am here to get my bear."
Charlie thought for a minute and made his eye brow arch like Rick.
to be continued.
