Looking For You All My Life Part 25

"Later!" said Maggie as she pushed through the same

door into the same room where she'd been with her mother

just a couple of months earlier.

"Hey, Mom," called Spencer from a bed not far from the

door as a nurse read his blood pressure.

"Spence!" she cried as tears of thankfulness began to

stream down her cheeks. "Are you okay? I was so worried!"

"I think I'm okay, except that my foot might be broken."

Then he gingerly touched what looked like a good-sized knot

in the center of his forehead. "Oh, and maybe a concussion,

the paramedic said." His expression suddenly grew serious.

"I think Daniel's in pretty bad shape."

"What happened?"

"Some jerk with no taillights stopped right in the middle

of the road for no reason. Daniel hit the brakes, but he still

slammed right into him. I guess we were going pretty fast.

Daniel got a bunch of cuts on his face from when the wind-

s.h.i.+eld broke. And both his legs are hurt, maybe pretty bad.

The front of his Bug just smashed right up into the front

seat-you know, 'cause there's no engine or anything to stop

it. The paramedic said we both could've been killed."

Maggie took in a sharp breath. "Thank G.o.d you're okay.

Are Daniel's grandparents here yet?"

44 ~ Melody Carison

"I don't think so."

The nurse placed a cold pack on Spencer's swollen left

foot, then stuck an electronic thermometer in his mouth.

"Daniel's being examined by the doctor right now," she said.

"I think the cuts on his face may appear worse than they

really are. Most importantly, we need to make certain he suf-

fered no internal injuries where he hit the steering wheel.

Spencer seems to be okay in that regard, but we'll run some

tests just to be certain. Then we'll get him up to x-ray to see

what's wrong with that foot."

Maggie glanced down at Spencer's foot, now puffed up

to almost the size of a melon. All things considered, it sud-

denly didn't seem so bad, although she felt horribly sorry for

Daniel and sent up a silent prayer on his behalf. Before long

the doctor continued his examination of Spencer, and

Maggie apologized to the irritated ER receptionist and sat

next to Spencer's bed as she obediently filled in the numerous

and repet.i.tive questions on the insurance forms.

Just after the nurse wheeled Spencer up to x-ray, Daniel's

grandparents arrived, their faces pale and strained with

worry. No medical staff was around to greet them, so

Maggie began to explain, trying to gently relay what little

information the nurse had given her. "All in all," she fin-

ished, trying to sound positive, "it could've been so much

worse than it was."

Just then another nurse stepped out and ushered the