Emergency Time-out
part three
*****
Chloe had been fairly groggy most of the morning after John left. She and Sam watched cartoons and the morning news until a nurse came to change her bandages. Chloe squeezed her eyes tightly shut but didn’t make a sound. The day slowly slipped away in quiet monotony. The girl finally brightened when a cheerful, young candystriper brought a book cart and let her choose something to read.
Sam was reading aloud when she was distracted by someone standing in the doorway. She half-expected it to be John, but she was stunned by the man who actually faced her.
"Dad." Sam stared at him in surprise. She had completely forgotten to call him. "How did you... I mean..."
"It’s alright," he said. "Your Agent Grant called me. Apparently he thought you were... too wigged to think straight, I believe is how he put it." A smile tugged at the corners of her father’s mouth. "He’s an... interesting fellow."
What has he done now, she wondered? And when did he become *my* Agent Grant?
"How is she doing?" her father asked, nodding at Chloe.
"Much better. Her doctor came by this morning and said she's doing fine. They want to keep her here for a couple of days, though."
He nodded again then studied Sam with a concerned frown. "When is the last time you had anything to eat?" he asked.
"I had breakfast."
"It's two-thirty, Sammy. The cafeteria is on the ground floor." He looked past her at Chloe, who was watching them with interest. "I can... sit with her for a while."
"Dad..."
"Samantha. Go."
She was standing in the hallway before she remembered that she wasn’t eleven anymore. Still slightly dazed by her father’s unexpected arrival she headed downstairs to grab a late lunch and phone *her* Agent Grant.
*****
"What did you say to him?"
"Hi to you, too, Sam. What did I say to who?" She’s completely spaced, John thought in amusement.
"My father, John. What did you say to him?"
Oops. Busted. He didn’t know why he had assumed that this wouldn’t come back to him so quickly. Sometimes he was convinced that his mind simply stopped working when it came to thinking logically about anything dealing with Sam.
"Did you call Tom’s parents, too?"
Tom’s...? Damn. "I don’t have their number."
"That’s funny. I don’t recall ever giving you my father’s number, either."
"Um... " Great defense, Johnny, he thought. "They don’t live in Atlanta." Maybe that would work. He heard her sigh. She wasn’t buying it. "So, he called?"
"No." She paused. "He came by."
"Came by? He actually... I’m sorry, Sam." He hadn’t intended to cause any trouble. "I shouldn’t have stuck my nose in it. I just thought..."
"It’s okay," she interrupted. "You should have stayed out of it... But I should have thought to call him."
"You’re sure it’s okay?"
"A little late to worry now, isn’t it?" She laughed unexpectedly. "Now, really, John. What did you say to him? He thinks you’re... interesting."
Interesting?
******
When Sam returned to Chloe’s room her daughter had drifted off again. Her father sat beside the bed simply watching the girl sleep. He looked up when he realized Sam was standing in the doorway. He gave her a small smile and rose quietly. They moved into the hallway.
"She seems to be doing fine," he said. "She’s a strong child."
Sam nodded. "Dad…" she began. "I know I should have…"
He unexpectedly laid a hand on her shoulder. "It’s okay, Sammy. You have a lot on your mind." He offered another small smile. "But next time, I’d rather hear from you than from John."
She laughed softly. "Alright. I think I can do that." They stood awkwardly for a moment then Sam wrapped her arms around her father. The gesture seemed to surprise him and he stiffened briefly. Sam found it encouraging, however, when he finally returned the embrace.
After his departure Sam settled in the empty chair to watch Chloe sleep. The soothing quiet of the hospital room gave her more than enough time to think. Her phone conversation with John had been less than enlightening but not entirely unhelpful. It wasn’t until she hung up the phone that she realized he had completely dodged her questions. He had done it so creatively that she hadn’t been able to do anything but laugh. He’s good at that, she thought with a smile. A master of imaginative explanations. And of making me laugh.
*****
Chloe flipped pages without really looking at them. She was bored. She had only been in the hospital for a day and she was bored. Sleepy and bored. Angel had come by after her school was over. She had brought flowers, which were nice. She had also brought homework. That part wasn’t so nice. Spelling, math, and map stuff. It all looked boring, too. Chloe sighed. She hoped that she would get to go home soon.
"Still awake?" someone asked.
She looked up at the new voice and smiled. John pulled up one of the chairs next to her bed and sat down. Her mom straightened in the chair on the other side of the bed. She smiled at John but didn’t say anything.
"I figured you’d be out cold by now," John said. "Isn’t it past your bedtime?"
"No," Chloe told him. He could be really silly sometimes. "It isn’t even dinnertime, yet."
"They going to feed you?"
She sighed again. "No. Not yet. Maybe tomorrow."
"I’m sorry." He really did look like he felt sorry for her.
"Maybe you could bring me something again?" she asked hopefully. He laughed.
"No food, but how about this?" He pulled a package of colored pencils from his inside jacket pocket and handed them to her. "I’m not exactly a flowers kind of guy," he said. "I figured you had enough of them anyway."
"Thanks, John." Chloe smiled at him brightly. "These are the nice ones." Flowers were okay, but new pencils… They were even sharpened already. Her mom pulled a notebook out of the stack of schoolbooks and Chloe began to try out all the colors.
*****
Sam realized with a start that both Chloe and John were staring at her. Neither was stifling their laughter very well. She raised her hand to her mouth self-consciously. "What? Am I drooling?" The smothered laugher erupted. Sam glared at them.
"No, of course not," John said between chuckles. "You’re just... sort of... snoring."
"No, no," Chloe giggled. "It's more of a..." She made a little snorting sound that sent John into gales of laughter again.
Sam tried to scowl but their laughter was too infectious. "You two..." she said hopelessly.
"You’re really wiped out, aren’t you?" John asked finally. "You should go home, Sam. Get some sleep."
She shook her head. "I’m fine." She tried to ignore the muffled giggles from the bed and John’s badly hidden grin. "Besides, I need to stay with Chloe."
"Why? She’s fine, too."
"John, I am not leaving my child alone in this hospital..."
"Who said anything about leaving her alone?" he said. "I’ll stay."
Sam stared at him. She knew him well enough to see that he was obviously serious about the offer. "But, you can’t..."
"Are you saying you don't trust me?"
"No. Of course, I trust you. It's just..."
"You haven’t been home in two days," he continued. "At least go home and get a shower. Change clothes. Maybe get a little sleep... horizontally."
"But..."
"Don’t worry about me. You know I can sleep anywhere."
"John, I can’t ask you…"
"You didn’t." He grinned maddeningly. "I volunteered."
He’s enjoying this, she realized. He gets a kick out of trying to make me crazy. I can’t believe I’m still listening.
"We'll be fine," he said. "Visiting hours are nearly over. Things are going to be pretty quiet. You won’t miss anything. Go home, Sam."
"You sound like my father," she said crossly. At his horrified expression, however, she had to laugh. He stared at her in return. He thinks I’m delirious, she thought. He might be right. "You’re sure?"
"Go."
She stifled the urge to laugh again. He had no idea... Her father probably wouldn’t find the comparison amusing, either. She really did need some sleep. "Chloe?"
"It’s okay. If John stays, I’ll be fine."
"I’m not going to win this, am I?" she asked.
"Not a chance." His grin had turned triumphant.
Sam shook her head in resignation. If they were both fine with this, who was she to argue? She kissed Chloe and tucked her in for the night. "You’re sure?" she asked again.
"Good night, Mom."
Knowing she was defeated Sam left.
*****
on to part four