A Special Gift

by Alice Brown

Stephanie took Ramona to see Tim the next afternoon after school. She explained to the little girl that Tim had been beaten very badly, and told her not to be surprised or shocked that his face was bruised and swollen. “He really is a nice boy, though, and I think he could use a friend right now.”

  “I feel so sorry for him,” Ramona whispered as she kicked a rock with her foot, sending it skittering away. “Is his mother in the hospital too?”

  “Yes, I think your mom and my mom are going to see her later on this afternoon,” Stephanie answered.

  They arrived at the hospital and found Tim’s room easily enough. As they walked in, a quick, frightened look passed across his face. That only lasted a second as he recognized Stephanie and attempted to give her a smile. His face was just too swollen to do so.

  “Hi, Tim. I don’t know if you remember me. I was at your house last night.”

  “You were the angel who saved me,” he whispered in awe. “I looked up and saw an angel and thought I was dying.” A tear slipped from the corner of his eye.

  “Well, I don’t think I had the chance to introduce myself last night. My name is Stephanie, and I brought a friend of mine with me today; her name is Ramona. I think Ramona can understand what you are going through. You see, she was kidnapped a couple of weeks ago and I happened to find her in time and save her, like I saved you.”

  “Thank you,” Tim replied softly, but with heartfelt emotions. “I don’t think he would have stopped if you hadn’t showed up.” He looked up at Stephanie with eyes begging for an answer. “Do you know how my mom is doing? I keep asking, but they won’t tell me anything. They just tell me she is okay and for me to rest. I really need to know how she is.”

  Stephanie reached down and touched his hand. “I don’t know anything, but if you will give me a few minutes, I’ll do some checking and see what I can find out. How about if Ramona stays here with you and I’ll go nosing around and see if I can find some answers out for you.”

  “I’ll stay here with Tim, that is, if it is okay with him,” Ramona responded.

  “Okay, Ramona, do not leave this room for any reason,” Stephanie warned as she walked out of the room to begin her investigation.

  It didn’t take her long to discover that Tim’s mother was on a different floor from her son. Stephanie took the elevator and headed to her room, only to stop, stunned, when she opened the door. She wasn’t sure what she had expected to see when she entered the room, but this wasn’t it. She knew the mother was in far worse shape than her son but Stephanie didn’t think it was that serious. As in, life-or-death serious. It was hard to spot her small body in the midst of all the machines hooked up to her. Her face was completely covered in bandages, both arms and right leg in casts. Her eyes were closed, and Stephanie hoped they were giving her strong medication. Her best option was to sleep, so she didn’t feel the pain.

  The door opened behind Stephanie, and a nurse poked her head in. “Are you family?” she inquired.

  “No, I am the one who found her and her son last night and called for help. How bad is she?” Stephanie didn’t know if they would give her any information or not, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

  The nurse motioned for Stephanie to follow her out in the hall. Keeping her voice down to just above a whisper, the nurse said, “I am not supposed to speak to anyone but family. The problem is, we have not been able to locate any. Right now, she is not doing well at all. She has four broken ribs, punctured lung, both arms and right leg are broken, and she has second-degree burns covering her face and chest.” The nurse paused for breath before continuing, “I understand her son is here also. Is he in better shape than she is?”

  “A little bit, yes. At least he wasn’t burned. He just got the life beat out of him,” Stephanie replied.

  The nurse shook her head. “I will never understand men who can do that sort of thing. You wouldn’t happen to know if she has any family?”

  “No, but I can ask her son. He is young, but maybe he will know of someone.”

  Stephanie left the nurse and walked back to Tim’s room, considering how much she should tell him. She knew she wouldn’t be able to leave him totally in the dark, but she surely couldn’t go into complete detail as to how bad his mother’s condition was. When she reached the room, she pulled a chair close to the bed.

  Tim glanced over at her and knew something wasn’t right. “She isn’t doing well, is she?”

  “Well…” again she debated on just how much to tell this small child. “She does have some broken bones, and her face is bandaged up to allow for the burns to heal. She is hooked up to some machines right now, and I think they are keeping her asleep so her body will heal.” Stephanie stopped to allow the young boy time to process everything. “Tim, do you and your mom have any family around here? Maybe an aunt or uncle or grandparents?”

  “Momma has a sister, Aunt Sissy, but she doesn’t live near here,” he stated with a slight shake of his head, then winced because it hurt just to do that. “She lives in Texas. My grandfather lives in Georgia. He is Momma’s daddy.”

  “Do you know your Aunt Sissy’s last name? Or do you know your grandfather’s name?” Stephanie pressed.

  “Grandpa’s last name is the same as mom’s and mine, ‘cause she never married Gregory. Our last name is Sutton. My grandpa’s first name is George.” He seemed to run out of energy as he leaned back into the pillows and close his eyes. Finally, without opening his eyes, he added, “I don’t know Aunt Sissy’s last name. She’s married to my Uncle Walter, but I don’t know their last names.”

  Okay, she was getting a little further than the hospital had been able to. At least she could give Erica something to go on, knowing she would be the one seeking out this family. “Okay, your aunt and uncle live in Texas. Do you happen to know the town they live in? Or do you know where they work?” Stephanie knew her mother shouldn’t have trouble finding the grandfather, and if she could just get a bit more information about the sister, her mother could track her down also.

  “I know they live in a small town, and it’s in the top part of the state. You know, Texas is a big state. I’ve always wanted to visit them, but we never could.” He closed his eyes again, and Stephanie sat silent for a moment, waiting to see if he would add anything. “Uncle Walt is a police officer, and my Aunt Sissy works at the library.”

  Okay, not a lot to go on there, but hopefully Erica could get in touch with the grandfather and maybe he could tell them how to contact the sister. A lot of maybes in there, but she knew her mother would do what she could to find them. Stephanie glanced over to Tim to see that he had reopened his eyes. She gave him a soft smile.

  “Thanks, Tim. I am sure we will be able to get in touch with your grandfather and hopefully we can get in touch with your aunt and uncle, also.”

  He shook his head negatively, even though it hurt him to do so. “Grandpa’s not going to be happy. He never liked Gregory and begged mom not to live with him. Mom stopped talking to Aunt Sissy a long time ago because Gregory threatened to kill her if Uncle Walt ever found out about him beating her. Uncle Walt is going to be mad too, when he finds out what happened.” He was breaking Stephanie’s heart. He sounded so dejected, as if this whole mess was somehow his fault and his family was going to be mad at him.

  “Tim, they aren’t going to be mad at you. You were very brave, and did everything you could to help your mother last night. I want you to relax and let me worry about things for a little while, okay?” Stephanie reached over and gently wiped the stray hairs off the boy’s face and softly running her fingers through his hair, hoping it would calm him down a bit.

  He nodded his head in agreement, and Stephanie instructed him to rest and told him that she would be back the following afternoon.

  “Can Ramona come with you?” The truth of the matter was that Stephanie had forgotten all about the little girl, who was sitting over by the window, silently watching but never interrupting the conversation. Evidently, they had st
ruck up a friendship in the few minutes she had been gone.

  “I can’t say for sure, but probably,” she replied to Tim as she continued stroking the top of his head.

  *****

  Once she had Ramona doing her homework, she headed for her mother’s office. She quickly explained what the nurse had told her earlier regarding the mother. Then, she relayed what little information Tim had been able to provide.

  “His grandfather, George Sutton, lives in Georgia. His mother has a sister also, but Tim couldn’t tell me a lot about her. His Aunt Sissy and Uncle Walt live in the upper part of Texas, but Tim didn’t know what town. Walt is a police officer, and Sissy is a librarian.” Stephanie watched as her mother’s fingers worked their magic on the computer keyboard. She had watched her mother do this countless times over the years. She had learned well from her instructor, Stephanie’s Grandpa Charles. That was one man who was well known to be able to track down just about anyone.

  A moment later the monitor showed the data. “Here we go. One George Sutton living just outside of Atlanta. I’ll give him a call.” Stephanie sat silently as she watched her mother dial the number and then begin speaking with someone on the other end.

  “Hello. Is this Mr. George Sutton?” The person on the other end must have said yes, because she continued, “This is Erica O’Rourke, with the Victims Crime Task Force in California. Do you have a daughter living out here and another that lives in Texas by the name Sissy? Yes, great, then I have the correct number.”

  “Well, again, I am calling from the Victims Crime Task Force in California. I am trying to reach family members of a Ms. Sutton and her son, Tim. They were involved in a domestic dispute last night.”

  Erica hit the speaker button so she could use her hands. Stephanie could now hear both ends of the conversation.

  “What do you mean, ‘domestic dispute’? Are Betty and Timmy hurt? What happened? Where are my daughter and grandson?”

  “Mr. Sutton, please calm down, and I will answer all questions that I am able to. Your daughter and grandson were attacked last night by a man whom I believe was living with them. I don’t have his name; however, he is in jail. Your daughter and grandson are both in the hospital.”

  “Oh, God, I knew I would get a call like this one day. How bad?” he asked in a choked voice.

  “Your grandson was beat up pretty badly, but should end up healing okay. I am told that your daughter is in worse condition. I know she has numerous broken bones as well as second degree burns on her face. I understand you have another daughter living in Texas. Is there a way we can get in touch with her?” Erica inquired.

  “Yes, of course. I’ll give you her phone number. Can you get a message to my grandson and daughter for me?” he requested.

  “I can get a message to your grandson. Your daughter is being kept in a sleep induced state right now due to the severity of her injuries,” Erica replied calmly.

  “Tell Timmy that Grandpa is on his way, and that I will be there just as soon as I can get a flight,” he choked out.

  “I’ll make sure he gets the message, Mr. Sutton. Let me give you my name and phone number. If you need anything, a ride from the airport to the hospital or anything else, please do not hesitate to call.”

  She gave Mr. Sutton her contact information, and thanked him for the sister’s information, then glanced over to her daughter. “I think I am going to meet Inez at the hotel today so we can leave from there and head to the hospital. We probably won’t be able to be of any use to the mother, but I will stop in and see Tim, and deliver the message from his grandfather.”

  “I’ll take care of Ramona,” Stephanie offered. Really, the little girl was never any problem at all. “Maybe I’ll call Marshall and see what he is up to. I’ll see if he’s interested in coming over and playing Barbie dolls with Ramona.” Stephanie chuckled over that one. Just the idea of Marshall playing with dolls had her laughing.

  “Good luck with that one,” Erica replied as she headed out the door.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Marshall met Stephanie and Ramona in front of the hospital the following afternoon. He wanted to check on both mother and son for himself. Both the boy and his mother had been in his arms when he placed them on the stretchers, and now he felt somehow connected to this family. They stopped by Tim’s room first, and the little boy was excited to see that Ramona had come. It seemed they had developed a fast friendship. It was easier for Tim to talk because the swelling was going down, and Stephanie was glad to see his bruises fading as well.

  “Guess what, Ramona? My grandpa is coming this afternoon. And my Aunt Sissy is going to be here tonight,” he announced, smiling as widely as he could manage. That accomplishment made Stephanie smile, as she remembered that yesterday he had been unable to give her even a little smile.

  The adults left the kids talking and went to check on Tim’s mother, Betty. She was still in a medically-induced sleep, and they overheard two nurses talking about Betty’s having to undergo skin grafts on her face and neck. She had a long road ahead of her as she recovered, and Stephanie wondered whether Betty would be a strong enough woman to make it through the difficult period that lay ahead of her. Hopefully, having her family around her would help pull her through.

  Marshall and Stephanie returned to Tim’s room, and had opened the door just in time to hear Ramona state, “Yes, his name is Marshall. He was there that night, along with Stephanie. He’s some sort of cop.” She had just finished when they walked in. She leaned over to whisper to Tim, “He’s also Stephanie’s boyfriend,” while grinning mischievously.

  “You two aren’t talking about me, are you?” Marshall asked in mock dismay.

  “Tim just wanted to know if you were one of the policemen at his house the other night,” Ramona stated.

  “Yes, I was the one who handcuffed the man who did this to you, and I also placed you and your mom on the stretchers for the ambulance drivers,” Marshall answered as he sat on the side of the bed. “So how are you feeling today, sport?”

  “Better,” Tim said, frowning. “But I still want to see my mom, and they won’t let me.”

  “Tim, I don’t know if anyone has told you, but your mom is being kept asleep right now so her body has time to heal itself. She wouldn’t even be able to talk to you if you could get in to see her,” Marshall patiently explained.

  “I know, but not being able to see her is making me worry about her. I feel like she’s not here anymore, and that everyone is afraid to tell me.”

  Stephanie picked up one of Tim’s small hands, and Marshall took the other. “I was just in her room checking on her myself. Now, she is still in pretty bad shape, but she is very much alive. You have to trust me on this. You will see her, just give her a little time to heal first, okay?” Marshall requested.

  “Okay, I’ll try,” he stated, looking down in the dumps until the door opened, and an elderly gentleman walked in. As soon as he spotted Tim, the older man had tears rolling down his cheeks. “Grandpa, you’re here!”

  The older man came to the bed, and Marshall stood to move out of the way. Tim held out both of his arms, the right one in a cast, for a hug from his grandfather. After giving his grandson a bear hug, George Sutton sat down on the side of the bed next to Tim. Tears ran freely down his weathered cheeks as he took a close look at his grandson’s face. Stephanie felt a pain in her chest knowing that the elderly man still had to see his daughter. He reached out and tenderly took Tim’s hand before whispering, “I’m here, Timmy, and I promise you no one is going to hurt you or your mama ever again!”

  He looked up, remembering there were other people in the room besides his grandson. “Please excuse my lack of manners. I’m George Sutton, Tim’s grandfather,” the man stated as he stood and offered his hand to Marshall to shake.

  “That’s okay, we understand. I’m Marshall Riggs, and this is Stephanie O’Rourke and Ramona Garcia. Stephanie is the one who originally heard all the commotion, and went in to try to
help. I arrived a few minutes later and started first aid, waiting for the ambulance to arrive,” Marshall continued.

  “Well, then I owe both of you a huge thank you,” the elderly man stated kindly.

  “Not at all, it’s what we do. We were just doing our jobs.”

  “So, are you two with the local police force?” Mr. Sutton asked.

  “No, we are with the Victims Crime Task Force, a private organization that assists the local, state, and even federal government when a situation becomes out of control or if complete secrecy is needed. I think you spoke to Erica on the phone the other day. That is Stephanie’s mother. Her father, Kevin O’Rourke, runs the VCTF. His father, Charles O’Rourke, founded the company.”

  “Oh, I see,” replied Mr. Sutton, “So, you have a crime-fighting family,” he stated as he looked over to Stephanie. “That is pretty cool.”

  Tim looked up at his grandfather. “Grandpa, have you seen mom yet? The nurses aren’t telling me much. Stephanie and Marshall said that she is being made to stay asleep because of her injuries, but I feel so alone not being with her.” He was clearly unhappy about the situation.

  “No, Tim, I have not seen her yet because I wanted to see you first to let you know that I am here. But I am heading that way in just a few minutes and then I will be back with you. Aunt Sissy and Uncle Walt will be here in just a few hours, so trust me. You will not be alone again.”

  “Mr. Sutton, if you would like, Marshall can show you where your daughter’s room is. Ramona and I can stay here until you get back,” Stephanie offered

  Mr. Sutton looked down at Ramona as if he hadn’t noticed her before. “Hello, Ramona. Are you friends with Tim from school?” he inquired politely.

  “No, sir. I was kidnapped a few weeks ago, and Stephanie found me and kept me safe until more help arrived. Then, her and her father showed up at the police department, and when the lady from social services was threatening to take me away from my mother because she didn’t have a job, Mr. O’Rourke and Stephanie brought me and my mother home to live with them until we get back on our feet. Mrs. O’Rourke helped my mom find a job, and we had to change our names because we had some bad men still looking for us.” Even though Ramona’s story was not a happy one, the adults had to hide their smiles as she finished with her story. She was so cute with her little pigtails and dark, round eyes. It didn’t help matters that she bobbed her head up and down the entire time she had been sharing her story.