T Wave by Steven F. Freeman Read Free Book Online Page A

hall and were soon out of earshot. Nurse Corroto, David, and Fahima returned to the room several minutes later.
    “Sorry for all the hubbub, folks,” said Corroto.
    “That’s okay,” said Mallory. “It sounded like the patient didn’t make it.”
    “I’m not allowed to discuss details of other patients,” replied the nurse, but grim lines in her countenance betrayed the patient’s fatal outcome.
    “Excuse me for asking, but isn’t it unusual to call a code for a hospice patient?” asked Mallory. “It just seems odd that lifesaving efforts would be implemented…here.”
    “You’re right, dear. Most of our patients are listed as a “no code”—no lifesaving measures will be attempted if their heart or breathing stops. However, sometimes we have patients we are supposed to save, typically ‘respite care’ patients.”
    “‘Respite care’?” asked Fahima.
    “That means a patient who is normally looked after at home is brought here temporarily so the home caretaker can take a break. Those patients are still terminal but usually aren’t as sick, so they have a longer life expectancy. We’re typically directed to try to save respite care patients, but it’s up to each person or family to decide.”
    “Yep,” confirmed David. “That’s part of the paperwork I just filled out.”
    “I see. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity,” said Mallory. She turned to David and Fahima. “Are you all hungry? Can I get you some dinner?”
    David looked up with a distracted smile. “Um…sure.”
    Fahima also replied in the affirmative as she studied her husband with a worried gaze. Neither seemed to give any real thought to the meal. David’s obsession with chili dogs and Fahima’s recent interest in the ubiquitous American cheeseburger couldn’t break through the misery of Jacob’s illness.
    “I’ll surprise you,” said Mallory.
    “Why don’t I stay here?” asked Alton. “Can you pick me up a little something, too? Anything you choose is fine.”
    Mallory departed, and the three friends were left in silence to watch Jacob’s life slowly ebb away. Remembering his own dark times after the Afghanistan bomb, Alton felt grateful for the opportunity to do what he could to assuage the anguish of his friend and former brother-in-arms.

CHAPTER 12
    Two days after his brush with death, Scrubs and his wife balanced TV dinners on their laps in the den while watching Family Feud, a program Scrubs made a point to watch whenever possible. The phone rang, and—as usual—neither he nor Jeanette moved to answer it.
    “Crap,” grunted Scrubs as he eventually lifted himself off the couch. “Who’s calling on the land line, anyway?”
    He walked over to the phone and picked it up. “Yeah?”
    “It’s me—Leroy.”
    “Dude—what the hell happened at your place on Tuesday? You know I got shot, right?”
    “Look, I’m sorry, man. I don’t know who those punks were. I never got a look at them. I would ‘a helped you, but as soon as I heard everything going down in my yard, I dove behind the kitchen counter and didn’t come out ‘til they was gone. They shot up the house pretty good.”
    “At least it wasn’t your arm and face that got shot.”
    “Yeah—true.” Leroy paused. “Look, my buyers are all over me for more stuff. You think you can get some?”
    “There’s no way in hell I’m going to your place again, Leroy.”
    “You don’t need to. I moved. It got too hot for me. That gang is still there, and the cops was around. Whoever those guys are, they’ll just be waitin’ for the next supplier to try their ambush thing again. I couldn’t stay there.”
    “How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you didn’t put those guys up to it?”
    “Look, I see why you’re nervous, but I didn’t have no part in that business. We can meet wherever you say, and you can bring someone else if you want to. That’s fine with me. I just need more stuff, man.” He sounded on the verge of panic.