|
One in a Billion
Chapter Four
“Day Four”
Jim awoke the next
morning an hour earlier then he had to, so he could do a little investigating.
He got ready for work and left the motel, but instead of heading for the
restaurant, he headed for the old buildings. He circled around so he would be
one block behind then and slowly drove towards the restaurant. He seen someone
walking, it was just starting to get light out and he was driving with his
lights off. Jim could tell the person was a woman and he guessed her to be
Donna's size. He continued to drive and watch through the breaks in the
buildings and blocks until he seen the person turn to their right, he then made
a right at the next corner and eased the van over to the side. He switched the
engine off and slumped down in the seat. Then he saw her, she walked across the
intersection not 30 feet from his van, it was Donna and she was headed for the
restaurant. After she was out of sight a little, Jim started the van and backed
to the corner behind him, he turned the way she had come from. He went down and
turned to the right and made a left into the alley, he could see the front end
of the car from here. He slowly approached the car wondering if there was
someone in it for the windows had stuff laying over them or stuck on them
inside.
Jim stopped about 30
feet from the car and got out of the van and started slowly walking towards the
car, when the rear door on the passenger's side opened and a young teenage girl
got out, she was wearing what looked to be her pajamas and was rubbing her
eyes. This girl looked like a younger version of Donna. Just as Jim stood there
frozen, a second person climbed from the car, it was a boy. He was also in his
pajamas and seemed to be younger then the girl. Neither had seen Jim yet as
they made there way to the rear of the car and moved some of the plywood and
tin away and then opened the hatchback of the small station wagon. Jim didn't
want to startle them, so he stood very still until they were behind the car and
quietly and quickly he returned to his van. He was very glad his van ran so
quietly, he backed out of the alley and sat there for a few seconds wondering
why Donna and her kids were living a car in the run down side of town. Jim then
headed for the restaurant to get some breakfast.
Upon entering the
restaurant, Jim found Donna sitting by herself at the booth he usually sat at
in the corner. He stepped of and asked if she wanted some company. She smiled
when she seen him and told him she would enjoy having him join her. Jim sat
down and told the waitress he what he would have and took a sip of the coffee
she had brought to him. He then asked Donna if she was still tired from all
that cleaning because he sure was. Donna said yes she was too and hoped today
would be a light day at the factory. Jim then asked her if she wanted to ride
with him again to the factory and also go to lunch together. Donna smiled even
more when he asked and shook her head yes as she swallowed a sip of coffee. Jim
ate his breakfast a little quicker then normal since he had gotten there a
little later. They headed to his van and then drove to the factory. Once at the
factory they clocked in and headed for their departments. As the work started
Jim began wondering if Donna and her kids lived in the car, where did they eat
at, where did they bathe at and how they all three sleep in that compact
station wagon. These thoughts repeated themselves several times over and over.
Jim was lost in his
thoughts and only heard Sandra speaking to him the second time she called his
name. He asked her what she said, and she repeated it that he was being paged
to the personnel office up front. At first Jim thought that they had figured
out who he was, but then he decided maybe it was about the cleanup work Donna
and he had done yesterday. As he turned and headed towards the office, Donna
joined him and they walked together side by side. Upon getting to the front
office, Jennifer asked them to come in and have a seat. She told them she had gone
by the apartment and Mrs. Wilcox was there now and had just called her. Mrs.
Wilcox told her to let them know they had done an excellent job and deserved a
reward, other then just the overtime. She had decided that the company would by
them their lunch today at the restaurant. Jennifer had already called the
restaurant and told them that whatever the two wanted was on the factory tab.
This delighted Donna for she would be able to eat anything without it taking
away from her money for groceries for the week. Jennifer said that was all and
they returned to their work areas just as the break buzzer rang.
As they headed to the
break room, Jennifer came quickly towards Donna and pulled her to one side, she
spoke to her in a lowered voice and then handed her a piece of paper. Donna had
what Jim thought were signs of tears in her eyes, he quickly stepped to where
they were and asked if he could help in any way. Donna started to speak but
seemed too choked up to. Jennifer explained to Jim her daughter had gotten sick
at school again and had passed out, they had taken her to the emergency room
and called to ask for Donna to meet then there. Jim asked if he could clock out
to drive Donna to the hospital, and if that was ok with Donna. Jennifer said
she would clock them both out and Donna only nodded, trembling while fighting
back tears. Jim put his arm around Donna to steady her and helped her out of
the building and into his van. He drove quickly although safely to the
hospital, they headed into the emergency room entrance.
Once inside Donna
stepped to the counter and told the nurse seated there who she was and asked
where her daughter was. The nurse said she need some paper work filled out, and
that her daughter was in the first room to the right, she said Donna could go
ahead in and her husband could fill out the papers for the insurance. Danna
started to explain that Jim wasn't her husband, but he just looked at her and
told her to go on and get in there with Chrissy for she needed her. Jim then
told the nurse that whatever the bill was to put it on his credit card, he
handed it to her as he spoke. The nurse said she would need to check the limit
on it, but it should be ok. Jim thought to himself, it better be ok, there is a
million dollar limit on it.
After a few minutes
of waiting the nurse handed Jim back his credit card and said everything was
ok, that all the bills would be paid for with it. She then told him he could go
in with his wife and daughter. Jim smiled and thanked the nurse, he was really
proud that they thought the two were married. When Jim entered the room Chrissy
was sitting up in the bed and Donna was sitting on the edge of it holding her
hand. Donna turned to Jim as he came in and smiled, and then she turned to
Chrissy and told her to meet the most wonderful man on earth. Jim blushed
slightly, and said hello to Chrissy and told her his name was Jim Davis. Chrissy
said hi back to him in a weak but steady voice. Jim asked Donna what had
happened to her and she quickly told him that Chrissy had not been eating
properly due to worrying over school and all and had fainted from
mal-nutrition. Chrissy looked away and then back at her mother, she then spoke
up and said she was ok now and wanted to go home.
The nurse came in
about then and told Donna the Doctor had wanted them to put an I.V. into
Chrissy to help get her system back to normal and they were going to move her
to a private room down the hall, she would be there at least four days maybe a
little longer. Donna started to speak, but Jim thinking quickly spoke first. He
told the nurse that would be ok for she was very precious to them and whatever
needed to be done to make her well again was what they wanted to do. Donna
looked at Jim with an asking look on her face, and he just told her not to
worry, everything was taken care of. The nurse asked them to step out to the
waiting room for a few minutes so they could transfer Chrissy to her private
room and get the I.V. started. She told them she would let them know as soon as
they could see her again.
Donna and Jim
stepped out in the hallway and another nurse told them the waiting room was
down the hall on their left, just past the first nurses’ station. They were
just sitting down in the waiting room when Donna finally spoke again. She asked
Jim how everything could be taken care of, because she didn't even have
insurance on the kids at this point. Jim just leaned towards her and told her
not to worry, he had seen to everything. She thanked him and said she didn't
know how she could ever begin to repay him for all his kindness and help. Jim
told her she already had, just by accepting his help and being a friend to him.
Donna wiped the tears from her eyes again, and then sat upright rather quickly.
Oh my GOD! I forgot about Josh and it is almost time for lunch, he always eats
lunch at school with Chrissy. Jim told her not to worry that he would go and
get Josh and bring him here if she wanted him to. Donna said that would be
really nice as Josh and Chrissy were very close to each other. Jim waited till
the nurse came a few minutes later and told them they could go into Chrissy's
room, number 204, just down the hall to the left and the third door on the
right. They went to her room and after Jim made sure everything was ok, he said
he would go get Josh.
He left and went to the parking lot
to his van. Jim drove to the school following the directions Donna had given
him. When he arrived he went to the Office, there sat the boy he had seen
earlier, coming out the car in the alley. Jim spoke to the woman behind the
counter, explaining who he was and that he was supposed to pick up Josh and
take him to his mother. The woman said she knew for Donna had called and told
them to expect him. She beckoned to Josh and after he approached the counter
she introduced him to Jim, and told him he would be taking the boy to his
mother. Josh said ok and followed Jim out to his van. Jim wanted to ask Josh a
lot of questions about their living in a car and all, but he decided now wasn't
the time.
On their way back to the hospital
Jim stopped by the restaurant and picked up 4 plates to go and four sweet teas.
When they went past the nurses’ station Jim asked the nurse if Chrissy could
have the food he had brought, the nurse told him yes, for she wasn't on any
diet, they just need to get nutrition into her and food was a good way. Jim and
Josh entered the room after knocking and sat the plates and drinks on the table
in the corner by the chair, Jim told Donna the nurse had approved of the food
for Chrissy and he hoped they liked what he had brought. Donna took one of the plates
opened it and placed it on the bed table for Chrissy. Both of them smiled when
they seen it was pork chops, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, fried
okra and even had a roll with butter. Chrissy started eating immediately. Donna
took the plate Jim handed her and opened it and was soon eating hers also. Jim
and Josh both took a plate and dug in as well.
After they had all
eaten, Jim noticed it was going on 1 o'clock and asked
Donna if she need anything from her place, as he was thinking of going to his
motel room and taking a shower and changing clothes. She said she was ok. Jim
then asked if Josh could go with him as he might feel better getting some air
and may even want to freshen up a bit also. Donna said if he wanted he could,
Josh said yes. So Jim and Josh headed to his van once again. As soon as Jim started
the van, he turned to Josh and asked him if he wanted to go by their place to
get some stuff before going to the motel. Josh said sure and Jim headed to the
alley way to their car.
Josh thought that
his mom had told Jim where they lived for he drove straight to where they were
living in their car. Jim and Josh both got out of the van. Josh reached in his
pocket and took out a key; he then opened the rear hatch on the car and started
to dig through some clothes. He soon had a small plastic bag with some clean
underwear, socks, a pair of jeans and a clean shirt in them. Then he turned to
Jim and asked if he was going to spend the night in the hospital with his mom
and sister or here by himself. Jim told him that if his mother said it was ok,
he could stay with him at his motel room. Josh's eyes lit up at this offer and
he also grabbed his pajamas and added them to the bag of clothes. They went
back to the van after Josh locked the car up and Jim drove to his motel room.
Once inside, Jim
told Josh he needed to check his messages and if Josh wanted to he could go
first at taking a shower. The boy was delighted; this was the first shower he
had taken in months. While living in the car they would wash either with a
bucket and bottled water or sometimes they would go over to the service station
and use their bathroom sinks to wash in. They even washed their hair the sinks
there and sometimes their clothes too.
He grabbed his bag and headed to the bathroom, thinking how nice a
shower was going to feel for a change. Jim told Josh he could take as long as
he wanted to, and not worry about the towels for he was going to go get some
more at the front desk.
When Jim returned
with more towels, Josh was sitting on the foot of the bed watching TV. Jim told
him he could change the channel if he wanted to as he was going to take a
shower. When Jim came out from his shower Josh was asleep on the bed closest to
the door. Jim thought about waking him, but then decided the sleep may do him
good. Jim went to the motel office and got a local paper. Once back in the room
he started looking through the want ads for houses for rent or sale. He was
browsing over the ads when Josh stirred awake and asked how long he had been
asleep. Jim told him only about an hour. Josh came over to the table and looked
at the paper Jim was looking at. He roamed over the ads and then told Jim that
his grandma's house was for sale. He pointed to the ad which described a nice
sized house just about half a mile form the motel. Jim told Josh to get ready
and they would go look at it. He picked up the phone and called the realtor,
they said they could meet him there in 30 minutes.
Jim and Josh drove
to the house and as they pulled into the drive, Jim told Josh not to say
anything about him living there before. He told him if the realtors knew he had
lived there before, they may not budge off the price as they would think it
held sentimental value. They were only there a couple of minutes and were
peaking in the windows on the front porch, when a car pulled into the drive and
a woman got out. She told Jim her name was Carolyn Walker and she was with the
reality company. Jim introduced himself and then introduced Josh as his nephew.
She unlocked the door and they went in. Jim, led by Josh went through every
room of the house, even through the basement and attic, and then came back to
the front entrance hall. Jim asked the price of the house and Carolyn told him
they were asking one hundred twenty thousand for it, but it was negotiatable.
Jim thanked her and told her he would let her know something soon. He then
motioned to Josh and they went to the van.
Jim backed out of
the drive and headed back to the motel. Josh told him the house was in real
good shape, but it used to be beautiful until someone had painted every room
white. He also said it had beautiful hardwood floors, and he couldn't
understand why someone would put in carpet over them. Josh was a little angry
that someone would change so much in the house he used to live in. He had
always though the house to be his home, now he and his mom and sister were
living in their car. They had to use a bucket to wash in unless they went to
the service station and washed in the sinks there. The more he thought of how
bad things were for him and his family, the angrier he got. Jim noticed the
boy's mood changing and decided to ask him a few questions. He asked Josh if he
thought his mom would like to live in that house again. Josh said quickly that
he knew she would if she could afford it. Jim then asked if Josh knew to whom
his mother was paying for the burial and medical expense still owed on his
grandmother. Josh told him yes and that he would write the names of the places
and get their phone numbers for him when they got back to the motel. Jim then
asked Josh to promise to keep this all a secret from his sister and mom till
Jim said it was ok. Josh made the promise immediately and without hesitation.
Jim decided they
would stop by the restaurant before going back to the hospital so they could
eat supper and pick up some supper to go for Donna and Chrissy. Jim told Josh
this and he asked if they might go by the car and get a few things for his mom
and Chrissy as well. He said he knew his mom kept her work outfits ready and
also kept a separate bag with her makeup, hair stuff, perfume and toothbrush in
it. Jim said ok they would go by there first. When they got to the car, Josh
opened it and after a few minutes he had three bags of stuff in the van for his
mom and Chrissy. They then went to the restaurant and ordered their supper. Jim
placed an order for Donna and Chrissy also and asked the waitress if she would
wait till they were almost done before fixing it so it would stay hot longer.
The waitress assured him she would and asked if he wanted the chocolate pie
desert added to those as well. Jim said that would be a great treat and thanked
her. After finishing their supper Jim drove them back to the hospital.
When they walked
into Chrissy's room, she was asleep and Donna was sleeping also in the chair in
the corner. Josh stepped to his mom shook her lightly and told her they were
back and had brought supper as well as some of her stuff that he thought she
might need. Donna quickly turned to Jim with an embarrassing look, he told her
everything was ok and not to worry. She smiled and just mouthed the words
"Thank you" to him. Donna woke Chrissy and set her supper on the bed
table so she could eat. Jim asked how she was feeling and told her he hoped she
liked the supper. She told him she was feeling better and that fried chicken
was one of her favorite foods. Donna asked why Jim and Josh weren't eating; Jim
quickly explained they had eaten while they were at the restaurant.
After they finished
supper, Donna excused herself explaining she was going to shower and the nurse
was bringing her a cot to sleep on so she was going to put her pajamas on also.
Chrissy asked her if she could also put her pajamas on, but Donna said they
would have to ask the nurse first. Jim took this as a hint that it was time for
the guys to leave, so he told Donna that he and Josh were going for the
evening. She said ok and she had his motel room number if she needed him. She
stepped up close to him and gently kissed him on the cheek, thanking him again
for all he had done for her and the kids. Then she kissed Josh and gave him a
hug. She told Josh to mind his manners and do as Jim said, as he was his
temporary guardian now. She then added for him to be sure and attend school
tomorrow. She asked Jim if he would tell Jennifer that she needed to be off for
the rest of week at least and maybe longer. Jim told her not to worry he would
take care of everything. Then just before going out the door, he handed Donna
an envelope and told her to not open it till after they were gone.
As soon as Jim left
the room Donna tore the envelope open. She found a note along with fifty
dollars in it. The note explained that Jim figured she might need some spending
money for breakfast and stuff, and told her not to worry about paying it back
that everything was being taken care of. She thought at that very second of
just how a great a guy he was and how lucky she and the kids were to have him
in their life. She even noticed how warm she felt inside when she was around
him. She realized that she even had an emptiness feeling when he wasn't near.
She began to wonder if she was actually falling in love with this man whom she
had only recently met and if she was what should she do. With these thoughts in
her mind she went to shower and get ready for bed. She was tired and deserved
the rest.
|
Return to Main Page