CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
(part six)
Wednesday — 7:36 P.M.
“I understand Sandra is here.”
Sandy’s mother approached Jill while she and Jacob waited outside Sandy’s curtained area. Knowing how happy Sandy would be to see her mother, Jill smiled. The woman glared at Jill.
“Thanks for coming. I know…” Jill started.
“Is she here or not?”
“We can only have two people here,” Jacob said. “I’ll go to the waiting room.”
Jacob squeezed Jill’s hand then kissed her cheek. Jill smiled at him then turned to the angry woman in front of her.
“She just woke up,” Jill said. “The doctor is talking to her now. We have to wait until they tell us we can go back.”
Sandy’s mother flared her nostrils then nodded her head.
“Angry?” Jill asked.
“I suppose you knew about this the whole time,” Sandy’s mother said.
Jill’s eyes were luminous. She nodded.
Sandy’s mother ground her teeth. Her rage was apparent.
“You can go in now,” the nurse said. “She’s very fragile. We’ll give you a chance to visit before we take her for tests.”
Jill held the curtain for Sandy’s mother.
“Mom!” Sandy exclaimed.
“Do not speak to me,” Sandy’s mother said. “I knew. I just knew to my bones that he left me for another woman. It never occurred to me that the other woman was my own daughter.”
Too horrified to speak, Jill went to Sandy’s bed. She took Sandy’s hand in silent support.
“I was two years old!”
“And the sex tapes? You made those tapes behind my back so that everyone would know that he wanted YOU and not me! You’ve humiliated me!”
“But…” Sandy’s voice shifted from indignation to pain.
“You were always trying to sit on his lap. Kissing his cheek. I knew you were a whore! I just never knew how low you could possibly go as to steal MY husband from me!”
“I did it for you!” Sandy sobbed. “For your child support!”
“You are no child of mine,” the woman said. “I will never forgive you for betraying me! EVER!”
Jill launched into action. Pushing the woman’s shoulders, she shoved her out of the small space.
“Get out!” Jill exclaimed. “OUT! You are no mother! Get out!”
“Slut whore,” Sandy’s mother spit in Jill’s face. “You’ll get what you deserve.”
Jill slapped the woman’s face. Sandy’s nurse ran over to the women.
“Can you get someone to help this… person out of here?” Jill asked the nurse.
The nurse took the woman’s arm and began to escort her from the emergency room.
“I’m not paying for this hospital stay,” Sandy’s mother turned to say.
Shaking her head at Sandy’s crazy mother, she returned to Sandy’s bedside. Sandy was sobbing uncontrollably.
“I should have died. I should have died. I should have died,” Sandy repeated over and over again.
Not knowing what to do, Jill smoothed Sandy’s hair.
“How am I going to pay for all of this?” Sandy asked.
“You’re not,” Jill said. “I already paid for it.”
“But…”
“Heather and Tanesha are on their way,” Jill said. “We’re going to take care of you, Sandy, like you always take care of us.”
Sandy turned her face away from Jill.
“I’m so glad you’re alive,” Jill said. “I know Aden is glad you’re alive. And Seth.”
“I’m glad you’re alive.”
Heather came through the curtain. She went to the other side of Sandy’s bed to hold her hand. Tanesha followed Heather through the curtain. She held onto Sandy’s toes. Her smile said what had been repeated.
“When you’re better, we’ll decide what to do about your Mom,” Jill said.
“What Mom?” Sandy asked. “I’ve been disowned!”
“Yeah like that crazy mess was worth owning,” Tanesha said. “Yours is bat shit crazy. Mine’s crack whore. I get to see her on the corner of Colfax and Broadway. You want to trade?”
Tanesha’s tone made them laugh. Even Sandy smiled.
“Sorry ladies but we need to take her for some tests,” Sandy’s nurse said.
“Can one person go with me?” Sandy asked.
“Sorry,” the nurse said. “They can wait right here until you get back.”
“Love you!” Jill leaned over and kissed Sandy’s cheek.
Heather kissed Sandy’s cheek and Tanesha patted her feet. They watched as an orderly came to push Sandy out for her tests.
“Tell all,” Tanesha said to Jill.
Jill relayed the grim story.
Denver Cereal continues on Monday….