Nimble Be Jack: A Jack Nolan Novel (The Cap's Place Series Book 2)

by Robert Tarrant

  I cocked my head and did my best to smile, “Ah, thanks Mom, you’re so good to me.”

  “Sure you say that now, but come Mother’s Day you won’t even give me a card.”

  First, the shock of getting the hell beat out of me and now the shock of Marge joking. How much can a guy take in one night?

  I don’t know how much time past before the doctor returned, but it wasn’t long enough for him to show signs of five-o’clock shadow yet, so I know it wasn’t years. He looked at the chart in his hand and then down at me, “Mr. Nolan, you have four fractured ribs and some bruising to your kidneys. The ribs are cracked, not broken, so they didn’t puncture any organs. They’ll heal on their own in a couple of months. The bruising of your kidneys will heal much faster and should not present any long term problems, but we are going to admit you for a day or two in order to continue your IV’s and monitor your blood pressure. It’s most important that we make certain your kidneys continue to function. We will give you something for the pain. Once you’re settled in upstairs you’ll probably sleep for awhile. Do you have any questions?”

  I really didn’t know what I had expected to hear, but this didn’t sound too bad so I said, “No . . . I guess I don’t. You say I’m going to be okay, right?”

  Doctor Willis shook his head in the affirmative and said, “Oh, I have every expectation that you’ll be just fine if you follow our instruction until your body has time to recover from this trauma.”

  After the doctor left, the nurse asked me if there was anyone I would like contacted now that I was going to be admitted. It’s funny how you skate through periods of your life without really analyzing where you are until something extraordinary happens. Contemplating her question, I realized I didn’t have anyone outside of the people I know through Cap’s. I do have my parents and siblings up in Michigan, but since I wasn’t on my deathbed, at least if Dr. Willis was to be believed, I didn’t think this warranted calling them. I’ll tell them all about it when I see them sometime in the next few years, or not. I answered softly, “No. Marge will take care of that. Thanks though.”

  Marge told me she’d check in on me in a few hours and she left. I began my gurney ride to my room. Suddenly, a strange feeling of bone chilling loneliness descended on me.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The next few hours were a recurring cycle of drifting off to sleep, partially waking to the presence of someone doing something with the monitors, my IV, or me, and then drifting off again. When I awoke for the first time without cobwebs totally enveloping my mind, I saw from the clock on the wall that it was 2 o’clock. From the light filtering through the blinds, I surmised it was afternoon. What day it was, I had no clue.

  The door to my room opened and Sissy walked in carrying a cup of coffee. “What are you doing here? You should be in school.”

  She smiled, not just a smile, but a sincere, I’m really happy to see you smile and said, “Hi there Jack. Glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?” She walked to a small table next to a chair and set her coffee down before coming to my bedside. She took my hand, the one without the IV, between her hands. From the pile of textbooks, empty coffee cups, and sandwich wrappers on the table it was obvious Sissy had been here awhile.

  I started to scooch up to find a sitting position, but my ribs immediately reminded me that prone was just fine. “Better . . . I think. How long have you been here? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

  Her grip on my hand tightened, just the slightest, “First, I’m right where I want to be. Second, I don’t have classes on Tuesday, so just quit worrying about that.”

  “How did you know I was here? Marge call you?”

  Sissy smiled again, but it was more condescending, “Of course she called me. I’d have killed her if she hadn’t. Gave her hell, as it was, for not calling me while she was following the ambulance to the emergency room. She said she didn’t want me rushing down here if you were going to be treated and released.”

  “When did you get here?”

  Cocking her head as if trying to recall, “Oh, I guess it was about eight. Marge said when she called, after they admitted you, that you would be out for awhile, so I waited until morning.”

  “How did you get in? Don’t they have visiting hours or something?”

  The smile was sly now, “They probably do, but I told them I was your wife.”

  Now I smiled, “Well Mrs. Nolan, why don’t you sit down and enjoy your coffee while it’s still hot.”

  “Ms. Storm, I kept my maiden name when we married.”

  A nurse came in and asked if I was hungry. I was and she told me that she would get me a tray. She also told me that it was important that I begin to drink as much liquid as I could to keep my kidneys and other organs working. She raised the head of my bed which put me in a semi-sitting position with much less pain than my earlier attempt.

  I was famished so I ate every morsel of the broth, clear gelatin, and applesauce she placed in front of me. What I wouldn’t give for one of Juan’s burgers. After finishing my feast, I remembered the problems with the produce delivery and asked Sissy if Marge had gotten things straightened out. She said that Marge had gotten a delivery about noon, but she didn’t know what the problem had been. I asked how everything else was around Cap’s.

  Sissy leaned back in the chair, crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and replied, “Well let’s see. Moe’s sulking around the place because Marge won’t let him come down here and see you. She told me she didn’t think you needed a parade of visitors to distract you from following the doctor’s orders. According to Marge, Juan and Sid are going around as if they’re in shock themselves. She thinks they’re both really concerned about your recovery. The whole thing really upset them both. All of the regulars are coming in to see how you’re doing. Marge said she thinks it may have given business a little boost today.”

  I shook my head, “Leave it to Marge to analyze my being beat within an inch of my life through her business model.”

  A serious look spread across Sissy’s face, “Oh, she’s plenty concerned about you Jack. She called me four times last night while she was here with you. She kept telling me not to come to the hospital because you might be released, but she needed to talk. She was plenty scared about you.”

  We sat just looking at each other for several minutes. Me in my bed and Sissy in her chair. Finally, she stood, walked over to my bedside and took my face in her hands, “Jackson Nolan, don’t you ever think there aren’t a whole bunch of people who care about you.” One single tear appeared at the corner of her eye, “Sometimes I don’t know why, but people do care about you. You scared the shit out of us all last night.” With that, she leaned down and gave me the lightest of kisses on the lips. I sunk into the bed feeling that maybe I wasn’t as alone as I was feeling when I arrived here.

  After taking out my IV that afternoon, the nurses actually had me up and walking around the floor. Hospitals are such depressing places, sick and injured people everywhere you look. I kept drinking the tepid, watered down, white grape juice they were foisting at me. The blood content in my urine had diminished dramatically. By early evening, I was able to produce a sample that must have been deemed acceptable, because I was told that the doctor would be up to see me soon, and that I had the potential to be discharged that evening. I had all but given up on discharge that late in the day. It was my perception that hospitals only discharged you between set hours in the morning. For once I was pleased to again be wrong.

  With the pending opportunity for discharge, I declined the dinner tray that was offered. It was probably rude not to let the little candy-striper set the tray on my table to show me the culinary delight being offered, but I had already set my sights on one of Juan’s hamburgers and knew nothing else would measure up.

  Dr. Willis showed up at around 7:00 p.m. carrying my chart. I was observant enough to realize that the sheaf of paper on my chart had become much thicker. I hoped that was a good sign. He asked the standar
d questions and when we got to the ten scale I went with a four. I’m pretty confident that a four doesn’t warrant a hospital stay or healthcare costs would be out of control.

  Returning from the cafeteria carrying two cups of coffee, Sissy came back into the room just as Dr. Willis was telling me that I could go home. With feigned high spirits, I introduced her as my wife. Dr. Willis looked confused and flipping through my chart said, “Oh, we have a mistake in our intake forms. We have you listed as single.”

  I shook my head, “Probably just a clerical error, you know, checking the wrong box. Marge . . . Ms. Williams was pretty upset last night when she filled out the forms for me. Probably just checked the wrong box.”

  Dr. Willis smiled and said, “Well, I must tell you that I am relieved. I was not anxious to send you home alone. You are doing very well, but it’s important that you follow our instructions carefully over the next few days. Any sign of change, blood in your urine or stool, increased pain, lightheadedness, anything abnormal, you see a doctor. I see from your chart that you do not have a general practitioner.”

  “I’ve only been down here a couple of years, haven’t had the need to find a doctor.”

  Dr. Willis replied, “Well, if you experience any adverse changes, go to any medical facility or come back here to emergency.” With that, he began going over what must have been about a thousand do’s and don’ts. Fortunately, most of his dialog was directed at Sissy in her role as my wife. There are advantages to being married.

  Once Dr. Willis had handed my chart to the nurse and departed, it only took about thirty minutes to complete my discharge process, including wheeling me downstairs to Sissy’s waiting car.

  By the time we pulled into the lot at Cap’s, my ribs were really reminding me of their fractures. I told Sissy I wanted to go upstairs by way of the outside stairway as I just didn’t feel up to talking to everyone, which would be necessitated if we went into Cap’s and up the inside stairs to my apartment. Sissy helped me as I gingerly walked up the stairs. It was not as painful as the trip I had taken with Juan and Sid last night, but it was no cakewalk either.

  Somehow it seemed as if I’d been gone from my apartment much longer than one day. It felt strangely comforting to be back. I asked Sissy if she would go downstairs and get me a burger and fries and whatever she would like to have for her late dinner with me. Of course, I do have a full, pretty well appointed, kitchen. When Uncle Mickey bought this place, one of the concessions Aunt Jean demanded was a nice kitchen. I, on the other hand, have never seen the need to stock much food when there is a perfectly fine kitchen downstairs operated by people who actually know what they’re doing. The only exception to this was the period when Sissy stayed with me and she dragged home various food stuffs in order to prepare meals so we could “stay in” some nights. Actually, it was kind of nice at the time.

  Sissy stopped at the doorway and said, “You know Marge will want to come up and see you.”

  I was surprised, “Marge is still here?”

  “Oh yeah, when I called her earlier and told her it looked like you would be discharged tonight, she said she was staying around to see you.”

  “Sure, it’s fine if she comes up.” Sissy wasn’t gone two minutes when Marge called to me through the closed door. Obviously, I have underestimated Marge’s compassion. “Hey Marge, come on in.”

  Marge came over to the table where I was seated and placed her hand on my shoulder, “How are you feeling Jack? Pretty sore I would imagine.”

  I gingerly rotated in the chair so that I was facing her, “You got that right. Sorest I’ve ever been in my life, with the obvious exception of last night. By the way, I want to thank you for everything you did for me last night. It was nice of you to stay with me at emergency. I don’t know how I’d have gotten all of their forms filled out. The only mistake you made was in my marital status.”

  Marge’s face wrinkled in confusion, “What?”

  I told her the story of Sissy’s ruse to get in to see me and she chuckled, “Pretty darn resourceful that gal. Good one to have in your corner.”

  I was intrigued by the boxing reference. Marge certainly didn’t seem like a boxing enthusiast, but I was beginning to appreciate just how much I didn’t know about Marge. It was at that point I remembered the problem with our produce delivery yesterday, “Hey, what did Williams Brothers say when you called about our missed delivery?”

  Marge sat down across the table from me, “Real strange thing. The dispatcher said that our delivery was on the truck, but a couple of guys flagged down the truck a mile or so away and told the driver that if he made the delivery Monday they’d break both of his legs. Evidently they seemed capable of their threat and were very convincing.”

  “Wow. Wonder what that’s all about. So did they call the cops?”

  Marge rubbed her brow, “I didn’t think to ask?”

  “But we got the delivery okay today?”

  “Yeah, that’s the weird part about it, these guys told the driver it was okay to make the delivery Tuesday, just not Monday. Weird, huh?”

  I was trying to understand, “So they threatened the driver just to delay delivery one day?”

  Marge shook her head, “Seems so. Strange, huh?”

  “Yes Marge, very strange.” Unfortunately, I was beginning to assemble a theory in my mind linking my ass kicking and the delayed delivery, and I didn’t like the picture it painted.

  Sissy returned with my burger and fries and a salad for herself. Good thing the produce came through earlier. Marge said she was going home and would be back to open in the morning. Sissy and I settled in to eat. A couple of bites into my burger I realized something was missing. I slowly stood up and headed for the refrigerator. “I’m going to get a beer, would you like one?”

  Sissy rebuked, “You’re not having any alcohol. It says so on the instructions for the painkiller they gave you. No alcohol.”

  “Only married a few hours and already you’re in charge.”

  “I’m not joking, if you come back with a beer I’m going to punch you in the ribs.”

  I don’t think she would have really carried out her threat, but I decided not to take any chances, so I shuffled back to my chair and resumed enjoying my burger and fries, to the extent they can be enjoyed without a Landshark.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Sissy had just finished rinsing our dishes and setting them on the counter, so we would remember to take them back downstairs, when I heard heavy footfalls coming up the inside stairs. For a second, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, but I quickly recognized that it was no doubt Moe. Sissy had heard the same pattern of thuds and was already on her way to the door when Moe knocked.

  I was still sitting at the table since movement exacerbated the dull ache in my ribs. I knew I was making progress because the pain had gone from hot knives to a dull ache. Either I was making progress or just enjoying the benefits of modern painkillers. Moe came in the door with cautious, almost timid, steps. For Moe to do anything in a timid fashion is a stretch.

  With deep wrinkles in his wide brow, Moe said, “Hi Boss, how yu doing?”

  I did my best to look relaxed, “To be perfectly honest Moe, I’ve been better, but I’m much better than I was twenty-four hours ago. I’m confident I’ll make a full recovery and be back to my old self in a few days.”

  Moe came a couple of steps closer, “Boss, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here last night. I was taking my niece to the airport. If I’da been here none of this would’a happened.”

  It took me a second to figure out what he meant, but then it hit me, Moe was taking the responsibility for me being beat up on himself. “Don’t be ridiculous Moe. Even if you were here you wouldn’t have known it was happening. You would’ve been inside just like everyone else. This ass kicking only took about a minute. These two guys knew what they were doing. Even if you’d heard the commotion, by the time you’d have gotten outside it would have been all over. No reason at all for you to blame
yourself.”

  Moe took a couple more steps and started to lean closer as if he had something to say he didn’t want Sissy to hear. She seemed to notice and said she was going to run the dishes downstairs so she didn’t forget. As she went out the door I motioned toward the chair across the table, “Have a seat Moe.”

  He slowly lowered his huge frame into the chair and rested his forearms on the table. His voice was scant above a whisper, “Jack, remember how I found the video of the vehicle in our lot on the security cameras at’s the marina when that guy was trying to kill Sissy?” I nodded and Moe continued, “Well I knows yu ain’t got our cameras fixed, so I goed to Johnny at the marina and axed him again. No luck this time. His cameras show part of the lot but don’t show the back corner of the building, where yu’s got jumped. Sorry Boss.” Moe was hunched over the table with his head almost hanging down.

  “Moe, it’s not your fault that I got beat up and it’s not your fault that our security cameras outside don’t work. I should have gotten them fixed long ago. That’s on me, not on you. I appreciate you checking with Johnny. Frankly, I hadn’t even thought of that.”

  Moe seemed to perk up a bit and his dark brown eyes looked directly at me, “I just wants to do something to help yu Boss.”

  “Moe, just knowing that you’re helping Marge take care of Cap’s is more than enough. I really appreciate everything you do around here.”

  His eyes continued to bore into me, “Boss yu tells me why this happened. Yu knows and yu ain’t saying to Marge, but yu needs to tells Moe so I can protect yu.”

  The sincerity in Moe’s voice seemed to envelop me. I hadn’t ever thought of Moe and I as close friends, not even really friends, more just coworkers, yet, here he was asking to become involved in whatever was threatening me. While I didn’t really understand the foundation of his offer, there was something very comforting about it. First Marge and Sissy, now Moe. I had been holding this self-image of a loner without anyone close. Now the picture was morphing into a unique, but caring, family created not by bloodline, but by circumstance.