SOMETHING SO SERIES

by Madison, Natasha

  “You do.” I nod at him. “Now, how about you follow Mallory? She’ll put you in a bed, and we can start getting you better?” I say.

  “Are you coming with me?” he asks me, and I nod.

  “I’m just going to put my coat away, and then I’ll meet you there, Jumping Jack.”

  “Okay,” he says, and Mallory holds out her hand to him. He takes it, and I watch him walk down the hallway.

  “What a bitch,” Sarah says from next to me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but I just can’t.”

  “Yeah,” I agree with her. “I haven’t met her, nor do I want to.”

  “He tried to wear it to bed last night,” she tells me. “The kid was sweaty, but he said in case Mommy came home.”

  I shake my head. “I’ll meet you there,” I tell her and walk to the locker room. Taking off my stuff, I grab my white lab coat and put it on with my stethoscope around my neck. The door opens, and Steve walks in.

  “What are you doing here?” he asks me, putting down files on the table.

  “I got a new patient who I came to greet.”

  “New patient?” he asks. “I thought you were at your max.”

  “I’m never at my max.” I wink at him. “And what are you doing here?”

  “I switched with Debbie so I can have tomorrow off,” he says.

  He’s dating Olivier, who works with my brother. They aren’t an official item, but they’ve been together for the past six months. Ever since they met at one of the functions, they have only had eyes for each other. But neither of them wants to put a title on it, so they call each other “casual.” The last time I was at his apartment, though, half of Olivier’s suits were hanging in the closet.

  “I want you to read the file,” I tell him, “to see if you think the same thing as me.”

  “Send it over and I’ll look at it sometime today.” I nod at him and walk out, making my way to Jack.

  “Now, this is going to hurt just a touch,” I hear Mallory say, “but because you’re big and strong, it probably won’t hurt you.”

  “I have big muscles,” he says, and I lean against the doorjamb, looking at him show her his muscle. “When I get better, I’m going to be big and strong like Daddy and Grandpa.”

  “Is that right?” Mallory says as she pricks him with the needle, and sure enough, he doesn’t even flinch. “Wow, you really do have big muscles,”

  she says, taking off the blood collection tube when it’s full and putting another one in its place.

  She repeats this for four tubes and then unsnaps the rubber band from his arm. Taking the needle out, she applies some pressure. “All done,” she says, rolling away from him on her chair to grab a Band-Aid from her cart. “So what type of Band-Aid do you want? I have blue, red, orange, and green.”

  “Blue,” he says, and I look at him. “It’s my favorite.”

  “You did good,” I tell him, and he looks over at me.

  “I didn’t even cry,” he says happily. “I’m strong like Daddy.”

  “No.” I shake my head, and his smile falls a bit. “You’re stronger than he is.”

  He laughs now. “But he’s bigger.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” I tell him. “Would you like to walk around and meet some of the other kids?” I ask him. Maybe if he sees kids like him, he won’t be so self-conscious of that fucking hat I want to burn. Sarah helps him off the bed, but he doesn’t move right away.

  “I’m dizzy,” he says, and I nod at Mallory, who gets him some juice.

  “How about you drink some juice?” she says and hands him the cup after Sarah sits him back on the bed.

  He takes the juice and drinks it. “Did he eat this morning?”

  “A little bit. I made eggs and toast, but he just picked at it.”

  “I have some Jell-O around here,” Mallory says, going out of the room and then coming back with orange Jell-O. “Got the last one.”

  Sarah opens it and spoons him some as he takes little bites. “You need to eat to keep the strength up,” I tell him. “To get stronger than Daddy,” I whisper, and Sarah’s phone rings.

  “It’s Daddy.” She smiles at him, and then hands Jack the phone so he can press the green button. He holds the phone in front of him while it connects, and I see Zack’s face pop onto the screen

  “Hey, buddy,” he says, smiling, and I can see he is panting more or less. “I just got off the ice. How you doing?”

  “I’m good. I got dizzy,” he tells him, and I see Zack’s eyebrows shoot together and worry fills his face.

  “He just had his blood drawn, and I don’t think he had much to eat for breakfast, but I’m going to monitor him a bit before he goes home,” I tell him and then Jack turns the phone so I can see Zack.

  “Daddy, Dr. Denise said I’m stronger than you,” he tells him. “And I didn’t even cry.”

  “Did she now?” he says, the worry lifting a bit from his face.

  “She did, and I showed her my muscles, and she said they were so big.” He laughs. “And they called me Jumping Jack.”

  “It sounds like you’re having a lot of fun.” He just nods his head. “I’ll be back tonight late, but we can have breakfast together tomorrow.”

  “Will you make me funny eggs?’ he asks him, and Zack just nods while he drinks his Gatorade.

  “I have to go, buddy. I’ll call you later before the game, okay?” he says “I love you,” and disconnects.

  “You feeling better?” I ask him, and he nods. “Let’s try getting up again.”

  Sarah picks him up and places him on the floor, and this time, he’s okay. He walks over to me and slips his hand in mine. “Are there lots of kids here?” he asks, and I just nod at him as we walk down the hall, peeking into Evie’s room. I introduce him to all the kids, and before long, he is playing Uno with Evelina, another little girl his age with no hair.

  “Are you new here?” Evie asks him.

  “No,” he says, shaking his head. “I just came to give blood.”

  “That’s too bad. They have yummy ice cream here,” she says, and I laugh, walking out.

  The results come back faster than expected, and I see that there hasn’t been a change in his T-cell count, which is good. “Hey, you’re still here.” I hear Steve say when he comes to the nurses’ station.

  “I was waiting for some test results.”

  “Good?” he asks me, and I lean back in the chair.

  “There hasn’t been a change in his T-cell count, so that’s good. It means he’s stable of sorts.”

  “You thinking he’s going to be a good candidate for the new medicine?”

  “Yeah,” I say, thinking about everything. “You have a chance to read his file yet?”

  “I did, and I have to say I’m not as sure as you on this one,” he says. “They did two rounds, and nothing changed. Not a single thing. In fact, he went from normal to high risk.”

  “I want to at least try,” I tell him, and he just nods.

  “We can’t save everyone,” he says and looks down, “no matter how much we try.”

  “His mother told him that she doesn’t want to see him without a hat on because it makes him look too sick.” I watch his face as he takes in the words. “I’ve seen some doozies of mothers come and go, but that one takes the fucking cake.” I sit up. “Makes me want to fucking try everything.”

  He doesn’t say anything; he just nods his head. “I’d hate to be there if she comes for a visit,” he says and walks away.

  “No kidding,” I say under my breath and then go to find Jack.

  “We need to go, Jack,” Sarah says, and he gets up and walks out of the room, saying bye to everyone.

  “Dr. Denise”—he smiles at me as he walks—“Sarah said we can get McDonald’s.”

  I smile and look at her. “I told him that yesterday, and he didn’t forget.”

  “That sounds like so much fun.”

  “You want to come with us?” he asks me, and I’m abo
ut to say no when he says, “Please.”

  “I’d love to,” I say. “I’m going to go grab my things, and then I’ll meet you at the elevators.”

  I walk to my locker, taking out my jacket and purse. “Can you send me the rest of the results when you get them, Mallory?” I ask her before I leave, and she nods at me. “See you guys tomorrow.”

  “There she is,” he says. “You took forever,” he says, jumping and pressing the elevator button.

  We walk out of the hospital, and he grabs my hand as we walk to the McDonald’s around the corner. We sit down with our meals, and I cut up his cheeseburger in four pieces while Sarah goes to the bathroom.

  I pick up a french fry. “We should make a toast,” I tell him. It is something that I do with my nephew when I take him to McDonald’s. “Pick up a french fry,” I tell him, and he does. I hold my french fry out, and he follows my lead. “To getting better,” I say and knock my french fry with his, and then I eat it.

  “Let’s do that again,” he says after he finishes his french fry.

  “Okay, your turn,” I tell him, and he picks up his french fry.

  “What do you want to toast?” I ask him.

  “To getting better, silly,” he says, laughing and knocking my fry, then popping it in his mouth. When Sarah comes back, he does toasts with her also till the fries are gone.

  When we leave McDonald’s, he yawns and leans into me. “I’m tired,” he says, and I bend down to pick him up in my arms. He wraps his arms around my neck and places his head on shoulder. “You have soft hair,” he says while his hand brushes my hair, and I just nod.

  “There is the car,” Sarah says when the car pulls up to the curb. “I’ll take him,” she says, putting her hands out, and he goes to her. “Say thank you to Denise.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Denise,” he says sleepily.

  I rub his face with my hand. “Today was my favorite day ever,” I tell him, and he smiles slyly, trying his hardest to keep his eyes open. “You have my number?” I ask Sarah, and she nods at me.

  “Zack gave it to me last night.”

  “Text me if anything comes up,” I say, and she nods. Bending down, she gets in the car and holds his head to protect him. I watch the car drive off, wondering how a mother could not be there for their child, how a mother wouldn’t give their own life for their child. How if it was my child, I would make a deal with the devil just to have him safe. I shake my head, and my phone rings. I look down and see it’s Steve.

  “What’s up?” I say, answering right away as I walk into the subway.

  “You were right,” he says. “He’s the perfect candidate.”

  I smile. “I knew it.”

  “Now all you have to do is call the pharmaceutical rep and beg them to include him.”

  “I’ll get my knee pads ready,” I tell him as I hang up, and for the first time since I met him, I actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

  Chapter Six

  Zack

  “One more period, boys,” Matthew says, getting up and heading for the ice. “Let’s get some pucks to the net.” I follow him to the ice as the third period starts. I’m on the ice when the puck drops, and Matthew wins the face-off, knocking it to me in the back. I skate down the side of the ice with the puck. Dallas’s forward tries to pick up my stick, but I’ve already passed the puck to Nathan, who passes it to Max at the blue line. I skate in, waiting at the blue line and watching them set up plays. My eyes follow the puck while it’s passed to Max, then Matthew, and then Phil. They make a box, trying to get inside the box that the other team has made.

  When the puck is poke checked from Dallas and goes to Nathan, I skate in a bit of what I call my sweet spot. I see him with control of the puck, and he sends it my way, so I wind up my stick and slap it to the goalie. It slips under his pad, hitting the back of the net. I point at Nathan, who smiles and comes over. “Nice pass,” I tell him when he hits my head with his glove.

  Max comes over. “Welcome to the team.” He laughs as we skate back to the bench to high-five everyone.

  Matthew skates in behind me. “Glad you’re on my team,” he says, and I go to sit on the bench, squeezing water in my mouth as the announcer says my name. We end up winning the game. I walk to the back and find the reporters waiting around to talk to me.

  “So how does it feel to wear different colors?” one of them asks me, and I just look at him with a smile.

  “It feels the same,” I tell him. “The Stingers are a great organization, and I’m happy to be part of the team,” I answer, taking a sip of water.

  “Is it true that you took a pay cut just to get out of Arizona?” a female reporter I’ve never seen before asks me.

  “Like I said, the Stingers are a great organization, and I’m lucky to be here.” I smirk at her while she just almost glares at me.

  I answer a couple of more question till Coach tells them everyone out. I grab my things and finally head to the shower. I’m one of the last ones on the bus, wearing a beanie hat on my head. Olivier comes over and hands me my phone, and I nod at him.

  “Nothing to report,” he says. I look down to check my messages and see that Sarah messaged me.

  He was really tired tonight and went to bed as soon as we got home. He wanted to sleep in your bed for when you come home. He has lots of stories to tell you.

  She sends me a picture of Jack sleeping in my big king-size bed, pillows all around him, wearing Paw Patrol pjs with one foot on top of the blanket and one under.

  When I get in after two a.m., I dump my bag at the door and walk upstairs quietly. I get into bed with him, trying not to wake him, but he wakes anyway.

  “Daddy,” he says quietly, and I pull him to my chest, wrapping my arms around him.

  “I’m home.” I kiss his head, feeling his little whiskers. “Sleep,” I tell him, and soon, his soft snores fill the room, and I follow him.

  I’m at the stove wearing my shorts the next morning. Sarah just left for the day and will be back tomorrow afternoon when we have a game. Jack sits at the island coloring another picture; this time for Mallory.

  He told me all about his trip to the hospital and how he didn’t cry.

  I place his sunny-side up eggs on the plate with two slices of toast cut into strips so he can dip it.

  “Here you go.” I smile at him and place two eggs on my own plate, sitting down next to him.

  “We need to make a toast,” he says, grabbing a piece of toast and holding it up in front of him. “To me getting better,” he says, and I grab my toast and hold it up as he taps his piece on mine, then dips it in his egg yolk. I shake my head.

  “Where did you learn that?”

  “Dr. Denise,” he tells me while he chews. “We did it with french fries.”

  “Did you?” I laugh, and he says we should do it again. And again and again until nothing is left on his plate.

  “What do you want to do today?” I ask him.

  “Can we go to the park?” he asks, and I look down at him. He used to love the park. He would beg to go there until the bruising got so bad we said no more. “I’ll be careful,” he says, and I nod my head.

  “Yeah, why don’t we walk around the neighborhood and see where there is one?”

  “Yeah.” He celebrates, throwing his hands up in the air.

  I place the dishes in the sink, and my phone rings, showing me it’s Chantal.

  “Hello,” I say.

  “I can’t believe you,” she says, and I look over at Jack. Putting my hand on the microphone, I tell Jack to go upstairs and get dressed.

  “What can I help you with?”

  “I just got served divorce papers,” she says loudly, “at the fucking gym. In front of everybody.” I understand now why she’s pissed. She wants everyone to think she’s got everything going on for her. “Do you know how embarrassed I was?”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.” I smile. “Jack’s doing okay, thanks for asking.”


  “Ugh,” she says, “I know he’s fine or you would have called and guilt-tripped me into coming and seeing him.”

  I shake my head. “You’re unreal,” I tell her. “You never have to see him again. I’ll add that to the divorce decree.”

  “I want the house,” she says, “and everything inside it.”

  “Take it,” I say to her. If it will get me Jack without her, she can have it.

  “I also want alimony. You got me used to a lifestyle, and it shouldn’t change just because we aren’t together,” she huffs.

  Now, I really laugh. “You’re right; your life shouldn’t change just because we are getting divorced or because your son is sick.”

  “Oh, please,” she says, and I imagine her rolling her eyes. “I wanted us to do this peacefully.”

  “I’ll have my lawyer contact yours.”

  “I don’t have a lawyer,” she says.

  “Ask Colton; you could use the one he used when he divorced his second wife.”

  “You’re an asshole,” she seethes.

  “This has been fun,” I tell her. “Take care.” I hang up and then call my lawyer.

  “Mr. Morrow,” she answers right away. “She’s been served.”

  “I know. I had the pleasure of her calling me.”

  “Good,” she says, “that’s what I wanted. Did she ask for Jack?”

  “No,” I tell her, “she wants the house and alimony.”

  “What do you want me to do?” she asks me. “I know what I want to do, but it’s not my call.”

  “She can have the house and everything inside. I packed up everything I wanted when we left.”

  “What about alimony?” she asks, and I inform her of a fact that Chantal doesn’t even know.

  “I took a pay cut coming to New York. Will that help?” It is only for one year, then they will renegotiate the terms, but Chantal doesn’t need to know that.

  “Yes,” she says, “I’ll see if her lawyer reaches out.”

  “Thank you,” I tell her, and I hang up.

  “I’m ready.” I hear Jack yell from somewhere in the house. I walk up the stairs, going to his room next door to mine and find his clothes all on the floor.