A Child's Heart (Trent & Cassie's Story) A River City Novel (22 page)

He turned and introduced himself.

“Pleased to meet you, Dr. Anon,” Cassie said,
extending her hand.

He motioned for them to follow him into the
hallway.

“We don’t want any stimulus. We want complete quiet.
I’m sure you want to be here with your son, but we’d prefer that
you weren’t. If you want to see him, do it from this side of the
glass. Go home and come back this evening for a few minutes. I will
call you if there is any change. He’s in a deep sleep, and we want
him to stay that way.”

“I need to get my purse and a few things from the
room.”

“That’s fine. Do it quietly. It's imperative that he
has complete quiet.”

~~23~~

Getting Trent out of the hospital was not easy, but
in the comfort of Cassie’s apartment, he stretched his legs out and
turned on the TV. She fixed her bed so he could nap in a more
upright position.

“I don’t want to take a nap. I’m not sleepy.”

“You don’t have to sleep. Just try to relax and rest
your shoulder.”

“This cast is killing my back.”

“Where?”

He reached around with his good arm and pointed. She
lifted his shirt and looked. The skin did look raw where the cast
ended.

“Maybe I could tuck something there to cushion that
edge.” She looked in her drawers and found an old cotton tee shirt.
She cut a strip off the bottom and tucked it under the edge.

Trent moved a little and it fell out.

She cut a wider strip, folded it, and tucked it
further under the cast. “Try again.”

This time it held.

“Okay, now go get comfortable, if that is
possible.”

“It’s not,” he grumbled.

She helped him out of his jeans and sneakers and then
refolded the quilt to give him more cushioning behind his back.

He stretched out on the bed. “Oh, yeah, this is much
better.” He eased his shoulders into the pillows she had stacked in
front of the quilt.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s quite enough.” She grabbed
a cushion off the sofa and brought it in. “Sit up.”

She stuffed the cushion behind the quilt and then
repositioned the pillows.

“Now try it.”

He eased back as he slowly exhaled. “Almost
perfect.”

“What can I do to make it perfect?”

A sly smile spread over Trent’s face. “If my son were
healthy and well, and you were naked, it would be perfect.”

“Naked I can handle, but I doubt either one of us is
really that interested.”

“True, but I’ll take a kiss.”

***

Cassie leaned over Trent and kissed him. Her warm,
sweet lips pressed to his, as he wrapped his arm around her,
pulling her to him until she lost her balance and almost fell onto
him. “Sex is the furthest thing from my mind, but your love for
Shawn and me has been a huge comfort.” He held her tight. “I’m
sorry that I’ve been such a wimp.”

She rolled off of him and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Why would you say that? You’ve done very well.”

“Men aren’t supposed to cry.”

“I’d seriously wonder about a man who couldn’t show
his emotions.” She got up and brought him a box of tissues. “I
think most men cry. They just try not to do it publicly.” She
leaned into him and gave him another kiss.

There was no perfume, just her natural scent. Her
warm body and her soft lips pressed to his.

“M-m-m, I’ve fallen for an older woman, and I’m in
love.”

“I’m glad you’re in love, but please don’t remind me
that I’m older.”

He grinned. “Yeah, you’re older, wiser, and better
educated.”

She glared at him and then giggled. “Get some
rest.”

He watched her leave the room and
close the door. His mind was spinning with images of Shawn lying on
the hospital bed, his mother expecting to see her grandson, and
Cassie’s sweet kiss. But it was the image of Shawn lying there with
tubes running everywhere and monitors all around him, that sent
talons into Trent's heart.
He's made it
this far.
Please don't let him
die.

***

Cassie and Trent sat quietly, waiting for the doctor
to make his morning rounds. They had both noticed the difference in
Shawn’s coloring. Instead of being pale white, he seemed to have a
pink glow about him.

Cassie saw Dallas Nixon and tiptoed out of the room.
“Hi. You’re an early bird.”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to get up here.
Fortunately, I know some back stairways. How’s he doing?”

“We don’t know. He looks so much better than he did
yesterday. We came last night and sat for hours. This morning we’re
supposed to meet with his doctor.”

“How’s Trent doing?”

“Very well, under the circumstances. He’s had his
moments.”

“Here.” Dallas handed Cassie the newspaper. “Might
want to check the front page. At least they didn’t use your
name.”

Cassie unfolded the newspaper and quickly scanned the
front page. Shawn’s surgery was the headline and under that was an
article about the museum and its financial situation.

Dallas grinned. “Seems someone is taking a very hard
look at the museum. Whose arm have you been twisting?”

“Me? Seems you guys had Jim yesterday for hours.”

“Not us. Ken Lyles wrote that article.”

Cassie smiled at her friend. “Thanks for bringing
this to me.”

Dallas looked into the room. “Did you find the name
of the artist?”

Cassie shook her head.

“Check the planks on the ship. That boy’s got some
talent. You should see his computer animations.” Dallas smiled at a
nurse passing them. “I’ve got to run. I know I’m not supposed to be
here.”

“Thanks for the newspaper.”

“I’ve got my fingers crossed for Shawn.”

Cassie smiled as she watched Dallas walk down the
hall. Movement at the nurses’ station caught her attention, and she
realized Dr. Ramsey was there.

***

When Dr. Ramsey came into Shawn’s room, Trent stood
and watched the doctor as he checked Shawn. “How’s he doing?”

“Just fine. We’re going to discontinue the one
medication. We want him to stay quiet, so we’re going to keep him
somewhat sedated. He’ll be awake, but groggy. We want him to wake
up. You may resume normal conversation or watch the TV.”

Trent nodded, wishing he understood more. He knew Dr.
Ramsey was top-notch, but the man never really explained much.

Cassie asked, “Will he be awake enough to talk, eat,
and use the bathroom?”

“He’ll be on liquids and soft foods today. Tomorrow
I’ll let him get up. He’s got to stay quiet.”

Dr. Ramsey left the room, and Shawn’s nurse came in a
few minutes later.

He watched the nurse fiddle with several buttons on a
box connected to Shawn’s IV’s, and then wordlessly she left.

“So strange, they never really say what they are
doing,” Cassie said in a whisper.

“I know, and it drives me nuts.”

Cassie went back to whatever she
was doing on her computer, forcing him to stare at the pirate
murals on the walls. He wondered what it would have been like to
grow up in a room filled with spaceships and other galaxies.
Fuel for the imagination.

He flexed his swollen
fingers.
Maybe if my shoulder had been
properly fixed back then, I wouldn’t be going through this
now.
He shifted in his seat and drew in a
breath as pain seared where the cast cut into his skin.

“You okay?”

“It’s the cast. The shoulder is just a dull
ache.”

She put her computer to one side and went to him.
“Lean forward.”

Her fingers were cool against his skin as she raised
his shirt.

“You’ve got a problem. You’re raw and weepy. You will
see Dr. Amory today.”

She picked up the phone in the room and asked for Dr.
Amory’s office.

“No, you don’t understand. Next week is not soon
enough. He needs to be seen today.” “Fine, have Dr. Amory call room
2262.” “Yes, he’s here in the hospital. His son has had heart
surgery.”

A smile spread across his face as he watched the
flush of anger rise to her cheeks. She wasn’t a woman who hid her
emotions.

“Little nitwit!” Cassie spat in a whisper.

He chuckled. “What makes you think he’s going to call
me? I’m just another orthopedic patient. I go back in three weeks,
just like anyone else.”

“I don’t think so! Not with what you have going on
back there.”

Shawn stirred.

Trent flew to his feet and stood next to his son. He
took the child’s hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. “Hey,
Shawn, Daddy’s here.”

There was movement behind Shawn’s eyes as if he was
trying to open them and had forgotten how.

Cassie smiled as she ran her fingers through Shawn’s
blond locks. “Hi, sweetie, are you going to wake up?”

Shawn’s legs moved, and his hand went to his face as
a little groan escaped.

Trent leaned over and kissed his son’s forehead.
“You’ve been sleeping since yesterday.”

Shawn’s eyes fluttered open, but it was as if he
didn’t really see anyone.

“Surgery is over, you’re going to be fine.”

Shawn pulled the oxygen line from his nose.

“Better leave that alone. It’s just air they are
giving you.” Cassie fitted the tube to his nostrils.

“Un-ah.” Shawn protested and went to grab for the
tubing. His little foot kicked and a monitor started beeping.

“Excuse me, the nurse said, as she reached past Trent
to the monitor and silenced it. “Hi, Shawn. It’s over. Time to wake
up.”

Shawn pulled the tube from his nose and grunted.

“Shawn, you need to leave that in place.” The nurse
replaced it and Shawn immediately removed it.

Cassie took Shawn’s hand. “Must he wear it? I mean,
if it bothers him and he’s more comfortable without it…”

The nurse glared at Cassie. “We are trying to do
everything for him.”

Cassie glared back and then pointed to the monitor.
“If this is his oxygen saturation, then why not leave it off and
see if it drops. If it doesn’t, then he obviously doesn’t need
additional oxygen.”

“I’ll check with the doctor, but until then he can
wear it.”

The nurse put it back on the child, and he instantly
pulled it off.

Trent took the tube from his son’s hand. “Please,
check with the doctor.”

Shawn reached up and rubbed his nose with the back of
his hand. Then that same hand ran down his neck to the tubing.
Trent caught it.

“NO!” Shawn yelled.

“Sweetie, open your eyes.”

Shawn responded by kicking the sheet off of him, thus
setting off the monitor. Cassie grabbed his legs while Trent held
his son’s hands.

“Good morning, I’m Dr. Sanjay Anwar. I’m an
intensivist. Shawn isn’t very happy. I’ve ordered something else
for him.” Dr Anwar reached past Trent, opened Shawn’s eyes, and
flashed a small penlight across them. “Has he ever taken a cold
medicine and it made him hyper?”

“He was given something as a baby when he had an ear
infection and he screamed for hours.”

Dr. Anwar nodded. “That’s what I suspected. I’m going
to restrain him for a while, until we can get another medicine in
his system and this one leaves.”

The doctor took the restraints from the nurse and
gently tied Shawn’s wrists and ankles to the bedrails. “Okay, you
can’t kick or get to any of your lines. This is just going to be
for a little while.” He looked at the old dinosaur and the fuzzy
bear. “Hand me his favorite stuffed animal.”

Shawn wailed.

“Shh, no reason to scream. Here’s your dinosaur.” The
doctor tucked it next to Shawn’s chest so the head was across the
boy’s shoulder. “Nothing wrong with his lungs.”

“What’s wrong with his heart?” Trent asked.

“You mean this line?” Dr. Anwar pointed to the
monitor.

“Yes.”

Dr. Anwar chuckled. “Nothing, just means he’s
screaming his head off. Why don’t you two walk down the hall? I’ll
sit here with him and see if I can calm him down. I’m waiting until
we can get the old med flushed out and then we can get the new one
into his system.”

Cassie turned to Trent. “Let’s go find a cup of
coffee.”

“No. Dr. Amory might call.”

“Dr. Amory?” Dr Anwar asked. “You have a
problem?”

Trent said nothing, so Cassie did. “Yes. The cast has
rubbed a raw area on his back.”

“I’ll have you paged if you stay on this floor.”

Trent frowned as Cassie gave him a little push
towards the door.

~~24~~

Once out of the room, Trent and Cassie took a deep
breath. From the other side of the glass, they could see Dr. Anwar
talking to Shawn and his screams were more muffled, but they hadn’t
subsided.

Cassie wrapped her arm around Trent’s waist and
leaned against him. The warmth of his body and his natural scent
fueled a need that she had to push aside. He slipped his arm over
her shoulder and held her tight. She looked up at him, only to find
he was staring down at her. She noted that the tension seemed to
leave his body.

“Let’s go find some coffee,” she said in a low voice.
"This is nothing more than a drug-induced temper tantrum."

As she started down the hall, tucked under his arm,
she spotted Dr. Amory as he turned the corner and headed towards
them.

“Good morning,” Trent said.

“What’s happening with your cast?” the doctor asked.
He motioned for Trent to follow him into a small room. The doctor
pulled up Trent’s tee shirt and looked carefully at his back.

“Any other places?”

“Over here, under this arm and over here. I feel as
if every square inch of skin under it is on fire.”

“There’s no question. You’ve got a problem. Be in my
office,” he looked at his watch, “at ten thirty.”

Trent shook his head. “Shawn’s waking up. He’s got a
doctor in there now.”