Jonathan's Promise

by Hans M Hirschi

  Jonathan looked up and into Marc’s eyes, and he saw the raw pain, the hurt, and he regretted what he’d said. “I’m sorry, Marc. I didn’t realize. I didn’t know.” Jonathan didn’t know what to say.

  “It’s okay, I know, I’m so much younger than you, that you don’t really think that I could love you. But I do. I do love you Jonathan, and yes, I do think about losing you. How could I not? I know you have better days, and you have days when you barely get out of bed. I see the pain you hide from those around you, and I see that you sometimes talk to Dan, when you think I’m not listening, about being tired…”

  “Oh my, you have…?” Jonathan was embarrassed. He wasn’t aware that Marc had overheard his infrequent rants to Dan.

  “Jonathan, we’ve lived together for some time now, on a very limited area. I grant you, it’s more than what most people have, but still, since we’ve been on a constant vacation, we’ve literally been together twenty-four seven. You see things about people—”

  “And you’re still here?”

  “I’m still here, and I’m not about to leave, except to bed, and you’re coming with me, and you’re taking one of those pills. You need to sleep.”

  Jonathan didn’t argue with Marc. He simply got up, took his hand, and let him lead the way to their bedroom, where he took the pill, got undressed, and slipped under the sheets, soon falling into a deep dreamless sleep.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 16 - Family Reunion

  The next morning, Jonathan woke to sounds coming from a distance. He opened his eyes and felt lost. He didn’t recognize his surroundings, then he remembered: the accident, leaving the ship, the hotel.

  Marc wasn’t in bed anymore, and his vid-phone wasn’t on his nightstand. Jonathan heard Marc’s voice out there somewhere and got out of bed, put on a bathrobe and walked into the living room. Marc was sitting there, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, talking to someone on the vid-phone.

  “…Yes, the Polynesian Village. No, they’re still asleep. I see, you’re going straight to the hospital… Uh-huh… Yes. Do you want me to get you guys rooms here? Uh-huh… Sure, no problem. Yeah… Okay, I’ll tell him. See you in a bit, then. Bye.”

  Watching Marc talk to, presumably, Jeanette, filled Jonathan with pride. Sure, this man was an adult, not a youth, yet it must have been strange to talk to his boyfriend’s daughter for the first time—a woman who was almost ten years his senior—and to do so under these circumstances. But it seemed as if he’d handled it gracefully.

  “Good morning, love. How are you?” Jonathan approached Marc.

  “Good morning to you, too. Did you sleep well?”

  Jonathan nodded. “I was out like a light. Any news from the hospital? And I presume that was Jeanette?”

  “Yes it was, and yes, the hospital reports that things are unchanged for Cody, which, under the circumstances, is good news.”

  Jonathan ran his hands through his hair, scratching his head. He often did that when he was stressed. “What did Jeanette say?”

  “They landed about an hour ago, they’re on their way to the hospital. We should wake Parker and get down there ourselves. Want some coffee?”

  “Did someone mention coffee and my name?” Parker dragged his feet as he came into the room, dressed in only his underwear.

  “Yes, I can get you a coffee, too. Your mom says hi. They’re on the way to the hospital as we speak. Mrs. Thomas wanted to see Cody right away.”

  “Poor Momma. I can’t imagine how she must feel right now, her only child. Given how I feel, she must be a mess.”

  “You certainly were a mess last night,” Jonathan offered. “How are you feeling now?”

  “Empty? This is so strange, I feel completely empty. I feel nothing.” Parker looked confused. “Is there something wrong with me?”

  “No, Parker. Seems to me you’re doing just fine under the circumstances.” Marc got up and made him and Jonathan a cup of fresh coffee. “Remember that you’re still in shock. For your brain to temporarily shut down your emotions is a coping mechanism. It allows you to function, gives you the strength you will need in the coming hours, days and weeks to be there for Cody, to help him get through this.”

  “The wedding…” Parker’s face suddenly turned white.

  Marc rushed to him before Jonathan could respond. “Take it easy, Parker. Everything is under control. I asked them to put the plans on ice for now. I called the ship this morning and provided them with an update. Since you’ve already paid for the passage to Singapore, your suite is kept in case you…” Jonathan gave Marc a stern look, and he rephrased his words. “In case we want to return. But since we don’t know when Cody will be out of the hospital, it was wise to cancel the plans for now…”

  “If—” Parker said solemnly.

  Marc gently corrected him. “No Parker, when, not if. You have to believe that. You have to believe that Cody will pull through, and that he’ll be there for you, and that you’ll be there for him, to help him through his difficult recovery. No ifs, only whens!”

  Parker only nodded in response.

  Marc handed him the coffee, and gave a cup to Jonathan. “Now, gents, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll grab a quick shower. We shouldn’t stay here too long. I’m sure the others will be at the hospital by now.”

  ***

  “Mom!” Parker cried when he saw Jeanette sitting in the waiting room of the ER at Queen’s Medical Center. “Dad, you came, too? Where are the kids?”

  Jeanette got up and hugged her son, and so did Paul, who answered his question. “They’re with Uncle Rick and Aunt Rachel. I’m so sorry about Cody, son. How are you holding up?”

  Parker shrugged and let his gaze drop to the floor. Meanwhile, Jonathan hugged his daughter and his son-in-law, and introduced them to Marc.

  “Where’s Momma Thomas?” Parker asked, suddenly noticing her absence.

  “She’s in Cody’s room, together with his grandma. They wouldn’t let us in, of course, so we figured we’d wait here for you. Maybe you should go ahead and go see them?”

  Parker nodded and set off toward Cody’s room, his steps heavy, despite the speed at which he walked.

  “How was your trip?” Jonathan asked.

  Paul shrugged. “It was good, but under the circumstances, I’d rather not have had to take it.”

  “I hear you, son, I hear you. You’re not alone. I blame myself for what happened.”

  “But, Dad, why? What could you have done?”

  “I invited them along on this trip, Jeanette. I asked them to join me. Had it not been for me, this would never have happened.”

  Marc hugged Jonathan and tried to offer him a different view. “You can’t think that way. Who knows what might’ve happened if you’d stayed at home? One of the boys could’ve been hit by a car, right there in Chicago, or there could’ve been a shooting at the school. Bad things happen, no matter what. You can’t blame yourself for this, and the unknowns are so many it makes no sense to even try to contemplate them.”

  Jeanette was impressed. “Wow, you landed yourself a philosopher, Dad. Finally someone with a bit of wisdom in this family. Marc, you’re a most welcome addition to the Jacksons. My dad’s always been a bit of a fatalist, haven’t you, Dad. Remember that night when you almost got yourself killed, just because you thought that Papa had deserted you?”

  Jonathan shook his head. Yes, he remembered, but it was far too painful to think about. He’d thought he’d lost Dan, lost everything, including the will to live. He’d been so wrong, so awfully wrong, and it had nearly cost him his life.

  “How long are you going to be in town for?” Marc wanted to know.

  “Well,” Paul shrugged, “that depends entirely on how this plays out. We know almost nothing yet about Cody’s condition. I would figure we’re here until he can be shipped back to Chicago, for further treatment, or at least until he’s awake and stable enough so that we can leave Parker here, though I don’t want my son to have to go through this o
n his own. Nobody should.”

  “Just wondering,” Marc said, “the hotel reception asked how long we wanted to keep the rooms. I said a couple of weeks for now. Worst case, we’ll have to move elsewhere.”

  “That’s fine, Marc. Don’t worry about us. We’re fairly easygoing. I can sleep on the floor if need be. As long as I know my son is fine.

  ***

  “Momma?” Parker whispered when he approached Cody’s room. Inside, an elderly woman was sitting on a chair by the door, and Momma Thomas was sitting next to the Cody’s bed, holding her son’s hand, gently stroking it.

  When the women saw Parker, they got up and came out to hug him, greet him. They were both crying.

  “Oh, Parker, I’m so sorry,” Momma Thomas said.

  “It is I who is sorry, Momma. I should have taken better care of him. I didn’t see the truck coming. It all happened so quickly. We had just left the mall and were crossing the street and had just gotten halfway. He came from out of nowhere, so fast…” The memory was painful for Parker, the disturbing images causing him to cry anew.

  “Nobody’s blaming you. The dear Lord saw fit to put this trial in our path, and we must deal with it. Cody is a strong young man. He’ll pull through. You’ll see!” Cody’s grandma had a strong faith, and her voice carried every single bit of that conviction.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Thomas.” Parker offered her his hand.

  “Nonsense. You’re family. Call me Grandma. We all need each other right now. Have you been to see him yet?”

  Parker sniffed briefly. “Yes, last night, for a minute, after he’d come out of surgery.” The women beckoned him into the room and sat him down on the chair next to the bed. Momma Thomas pulled up another chair and sat next to Parker. He took Cody’s hand in his and stroked it gently.

  “Talk to him. They say coma patients can hear you.”

  Parker didn’t really know what to say, and he felt a bit apprehensive to be so emotional in the presence of Cody’s mom and grandma, but he continued to stroke Cody’s hand.

  “I’m here, Cody. I won’t leave you, babe, ever. Please fight this, fight to stay with me. I need you. I love you.” Parker cried, and once again, he was overwhelmed by the emotional impact of the situation. He dropped his head on Cody’s hand and wet it with ever fresh tears. Momma Thomas placed her hand on the back of his head and comforted him. “It’s okay, son, let it all out, just let it out. Cody will understand, and he feels your love.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter 17 - Slow Progress

  Over the next few days, the two families, the Jacksons and the Thomases got to know each other, as they shared the time and effort to be at Cody’s side. Jeanette, who had gotten to know Cody’s mom and grandma on the flight over, took over as matron of a combined clan and made sure that everyone was properly looked after. She cared for her son and protected him like a lioness, while Paul was in charge of any- and everything practical, organizing hotel rooms, extensions, food, cars, and whatnot.

  Jonathan felt oddly out of the loop, but at the same time he was grateful that he didn’t have to be in charge. He trusted his daughter and son-in-law implicitly. He also understood that Jeanette didn’t fully trust Marc to handle things. This was, after all, her family, and even though she had written a lovely and accepting note to Jonathan about his relationship to Marc, in real life, she was still struggling. To meet Marc all of a sudden—to see him at Jonathan’s side, holding hands, hugging him, even kissing him—proved difficult for Jeanette, and as much as she tried to hide it, it was evident in her body language, her facial expressions, even her words. She barely spoke to Jonathan and Marc, essentially ignoring them in favor of her son and his well-being.

  Although Marc never showed it, Jonathan knew he was hurting. He focused his attention on helping Marc cope and tried to explain; he knew, of course, that while Marc understood on an intellectual level, the heart was an entirely different thing.

  On the fifth day after the accident, Cody woke up. The swelling of his brain had gone down, and the doctors had gradually eased him out of his induced coma. When he opened his eyes, his mother and Jeanette were in the room, talking to each other in subdued voices. The family had agreed on a sort of duty roster where someone would always be there with him, to talk or read to him, at the request of the medical staff, and Jeanette had come to relieve Cody’s mom from her morning shift.

  It wasn’t easy for Cody to speak. His throat hurt from the tube that had been inserted during and after the surgery, and he hadn’t had a drink for days and was dried out.

  Barely audible, he whispered coarsely, “Where am I?”

  His mother turned around. “Baby? Oh my goodness. You’re awake.”

  Cody seemed surprised to see her. “Momma? What are you doing here? Where am I?” He struggled to get up, but he was too weak. Jeanette pushed the emergency button to call the nurse.

  “Cody, baby. You were in an accident in Honolulu. You’re in a hospital, but you’re going to be fine.”

  “Accident? I don’t remember. Where’s Parker?”

  “He’s fine. We’ll call him down. He wasn’t in the accident. Apparently you were hit by a truck while crossing a street. Rest now, we’ve called the nurse. You’ve been out for several days.”

  “Several days?”

  A nurse came running into the room: “What’s going on?”

  Jeanette explained, “Cody’s woken up.”

  The nurse walked up to Cody checking the monitors. “Good morning, son. Do you know your name?”

  “Cody. Cody Thomas.”

  “Do you know where you are?”

  “Apparently, I’m in a hospital in Honolulu? Am I going to be okay?”

  “That’s for the doctor to discuss with you. Let me go get him for you. Meanwhile, if you’re up to it, take a small sip of water, to moisten your mouth and throat a bit. But just a sip. Let’s not overdo it. Your stomach needs to get used to food and drink again.”

  She left the room briskly, and his mother helped him sit up a bit, pushing an extra pillow behind his back. “Here, son, here’s some water.”

  “Momma, my legs hurt.”

  His mother looked at Jeanette in silent desperation and began to cry. Jeanette was equally lost for words but managed to squeeze out, “You’ll be all right, Cody, you’ll just need some patience. I’m sure the doctor can give you something for the pain.”

  “I can do what?” the doctor asked as he walked into the room.

  “Cody’s in pain. His legs hurt.” Jeanette said, emphasizing the word, to point to the inconsistency of hurting in a limb no longer in place.

  “Cody, I’m Doctor Chang. I’m your attending physician here, and I was part of the team that operated on you when you were first brought in. How do you feel?”

  “Doctor, I have this excruciating pain in my legs. What happened?”

  “Son, that is phantom pain, and it’ll take some time for your brain to get used to that. We’ll give you some medication to alleviate your pain.”

  “Phantom pain? What are you talking about?” Cody’s voice rose in panic.

  The doctor remained calm and factual. “You were in pretty bad shape when you were brought in. Both your legs were crushed in the accident. We had to amputate both of them, one almost all the way up to the hip, the other at the knee. Your liver was also damaged, and you suffered severe internal bleeding. We had to remove most of your liver, and you’ll more than likely need a transplant. We’ve already set you up on the donor list.”

  Cody cried as he listened to the doctor’s words. His life seemed to have come to an end. Blind, amputated and with a crushed liver. What kind of life would he be able to live?

  “Where’s Parker. I want to see Parker.” Cody was sobbing now, as he tried to assess the damage for himself. One arm was broken and in a sling, the other moved down his body. His mother tried to help him, tears in her eyes, not really knowing what to do to comfort her only child.

  “I’ve already texte
d him,” Jeanette answered Cody eventually. “He’ll be here as quickly as he can.”

  “Son, try not to exert yourself,” the doctor cautioned. “You should lie down again, get some rest. I can give you something to relax.”

  “I don’t want to relax,” Cody cried, defiantly.

  “Cody, please, listen to the doctor,” his mother pleaded.

  The doctor whispered to the nurse, and she left the room. She returned moments later with a couple of syringes, which she handed to the doctor. He injected both fluids into Cody’s IV. “You’ll see, you’ll feel better in no time. The important thing for you right now is to rest, to gain strength. You’ll need that for the next surgery.”

  Together, they eased Cody onto his back, removing the pillow his mother had stuffed behind him. Within a minute, he fell asleep again.

  Mrs. Thomas was worried. “What’s his prognosis Doctor?”

  “Well, he seems to be doing better. He’s just woken up from a coma. Disorientation isn’t unexpected. But his memories seem fairly intact, and phantom pain is common after amputations. When he wakes up again, he’ll undoubtedly have more questions. We’ll monitor the pain, and we’ll need to get him counseling. Eventually, once the physical wounds have healed properly, he’ll need to start on a regimen of physical exercise, and we’ll then begin to fit the prosthetics. There’s been a lot of progress in recent years. I see no reason why he won’t be able to walk again, in time. It’s going to take a lot of time though, and he needs to apply himself.” He turned to leave the room. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have other patients to attend to.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Mrs. Thomas said, deflated. The talk of how long it would take and prostheses left her in despair.

  “Are you okay, Denise?” Jeanette asked.

  “Not really,” Mrs. Thomas shook her head. “My child just suffered this terrible accident, had his future crushed, and I get to worry about paying for it all. We only have basic health insurance.”

  “Don’t you worry about money right now. Okay? He was on a trip with my father. I know that he’s terribly upset about this, and he feels guilty. I’m sure he’ll pay for whatever your medical bills will be. Besides, the police investigation surrounding the accident isn’t over. If found guilty, the truck driver’s insurance will cover the cost. You worry about Cody’s emotional well-being. Together we’ll get through this. You are family after all.” And to make the point, Jeanette gave her a big hug, as Cody’s mom became undone, and cried on her shoulder. “Shhh, it’s okay. Let it out. He’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. We’re all going to get through this.”