Just Beyond the Curve

by Larry Huddleston

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  During the next few weeks Judy sat vigil at John’s bedside. The crowd stood vigil outside and the country held its collective breath waiting on news that John Travis was awake and ready to get back to work on his album. Janice had taken off a few days to make funeral arrangements for her father and see him properly laid to rest. She learned about the money she had been left and was surprised to learn she was nearly a millionairess. She should have known her father had provided for her, but for some reason she had never even thought about it. She figured he would always be there, to see her grown, married and raising her own family. Now he was gone and she stood in front of the hospital fretting over a man she didn’t know and thinking of a man she had hardly even met. She had only seen him through tears and a veil of abject sorrow. Still, he had been gentle and kind and concerned enough to assure her everything would be alright.

  She stood in the parking lot beside her pickup sipping soda through a straw and looking up at the windows, wondering which of them was to the room of John Travis. She wondered when the singer would awaken and announce to the world that a few small pieces of lead was not enough to stop him from his goal; like the death of her father had done hers.

  The liquid gurgled in the bottom of the cup and she set the cup of ice in the console cup holder and closed the door. When it melted she would drink some more of it. The day was growing warmer and would be hot by lunch. She would need all the liquid she could get to make it through the hot Texas summer day.

  She walked toward the small crowd to stand vigil with them. She had come to know several of the regulars and enjoyed talking to them. She was not attracted to any of them, thinking of them as star struck wannabes. But each time she saw Jake Strum, the drummer of the Travelers, her heart felt as if it were floating in her chest. She became breathless and nearly speechless at the same time. She knew him to be the kindest, warmest, man she had ever known since her late boyfriend, whom she had given her virginity to only to be kicked aside like a strumpet, a common whore, on graduation night three years ago. Since then she had lived only for herself and her father. Now, once again she was alone and her heart cried out for comfort. Jake Strum filled that void and made her feel alive and that her world was not empty. She hoped he would be able to keep their lunch date with her today. She liked being around him. He was funny and said things that made her wonder what he really believed about life and fortune. She doubted he had any real hang-ups except for his slightly crossed eyes. She didn’t think they were that bad; hardly noticeable unless one was really looking for the misalignment.

  Something drew her eyes to a fifth floor window. Standing there looking down at her was the man occupying her thoughts. She waved to him shyly and he turned away from the window without acknowledgement. She felt her heart sink, then thought maybe he hadn’t seen her.

  Less than five minutes later Jake came out the front door. He walked directly to her and smiled. He pulled her gently into his arms and hugged her tenderly. “How you holding up, Kiddo?” he asked, whispering in her ear.

  “I’m okay,” she replied, hugging him back. “How’s John?”

  “Still asleep,” Jake replied. “Judy’s with him now. Wanna go up and wait in the waiting room with the rest of us hangers-on?”

  “Na, I don’t ever feel like I can talk in a place like that,” she replied.

  “Come on, you can talk all you want. Billy needs someone new to talk to. He’s tired of talking to me and the other fellas, and his mom. Please?” Jake pleaded with a begging smile.

  “Well,” she said thoughtfully. “Maybe for just a while.”

  Jake seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He didn’t say that they were thinking that John was going to wake up at any time. Or that Doctor Black had been suggesting that certain changes on the monitors indicated that John was pulling out of his coma. Nor did he tell her that he wanted her there with him instead of out here in the parking lot.

  Jake had no way of knowing that in the ICU Judy sat beside John’s bed watching him very carefully. She held his hand while brushing the hairy back of it tenderly with her fingertips. Her exhaustion showed in her face and her eyes and nose were red from crying.

  After a while she leaned forward and rested her forehead on her hands, then her cheek over onto the edge of the bed. Before she knew it she was asleep with her lips pressed gently to the back of his hand and her fingers held gently in his hand. She was unaware of the first time he gently squeezed her fingers and silently whispered her name. She slept on.

  She awakened when his fingers gently brushed her cheek and he called her name again. She looked up into his face, then into his staring eyes.

  She felt her heart leap into her throat, then she kissed his lips and said, “Hello Stranger,” then kissed him again.

  John blinked, then tried to speak, but couldn’t, so smiled a little.

  “You didn’t come home a couple of weeks ago after your practice. I came looking for you and found you here. Jake told me you forgot to duck.”

  John smiled and blinked his eyes, then raised his eyebrow as if asking what happened.

  “You were hurt real bad. But, you’re gonna be fine. Half of Austin is out front rooting for you. Don’t let them down John. They love you!”

  “Family,” John managed to whisper weakly. “Love them. How’s baby?”

  Judy felt like jumping up and down and screaming to the world that her husband was going to be just fine! He remembered everything that was important to him, so the massive loss of blood he had suffered hadn’t caused brain damage. She felt like she wanted to put him inside her and keep him safe from everything that could ever hurt him again.

  “They know, John,” she said. “I told them you loved them. The baby’s fine so don’t worry about anything. I need to go get Momma and Billy. They want to see you. Do you feel up to it?”

  John smiled and his nod was barely perceptible, but Judy saw it. She stood up, kissed his lips again, then went for Misty and Billy. “I’ll be right back,” she said, then stopped and turned back around. “Want some water before I go?” she asked.

  He nodded his head and she stepped back and took the cup of water from the nightstand. She directed the straw to his mouth and watched as he tried to empty the glass. “Boy, I guess you was thirsty!” she said with an unbelieving giggle and he finished half the glass, then began on the second half. When he nodded Judy took the glass away and sat it back on the nightstand. “I’ll be right back,” she said, then went out the door.

  She was back a few minutes later with Billy and a crying Misty in tow. Billy went to the far side of the bed and stood looking with an expression of awe on his face. Misty stood on the other side with John’s hand held tightly in her own, she cried tears of joy.

  “I’m a wreck,” she said sorrowfully. “I’m sorry John. We’ve been so worried. We love you terribly!” she admitted, then kissed him tenderly on the cheek, then the lips.

  “Can I see your scar?” Billy asked, hopefully.

  John laughed a little, then grimaced in pain, and laughed again when Billy smiled eagerly.

  “Billy! You sadist!” Misty accused. “Don’t make him laugh! He’ll tear his stitches!”

  “It’s been weeks! He oughta be healed up by now! I just wanna see his scar!” he said breathlessly.

  John attempted to pull the sheet and blanket down, but was too weak and couldn’t quite reach it. Misty saw his attempt and assisted him. She stared unbelievingly at the trunk long incision.

  “Holey moley!” Billy exclaimed breathlessly. Look at all them stitches! Boy, there must be a hundred of them! Hey, them ain’t stitches! Them’s staples! I’ll bet that hurt like crazy!”

  No one noticed when Dr. Black entered the room and stood watching and listening. He stepped up beside Judy and placed his hand across her shoulders, then looked down at her and smiled. She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand excitedly, then pulled him down and kissed his cheek. “He’s awake!” she said excitedly.

/>   “So I see,” Black replied, not saying that the monitors alerted the nurses’ station and they notified him. He stepped forward and looked down at John. “How, ya doin’, John?”

  “Been better,” John said weakly.

  “I ‘magine so,” Black said with a wry smile. “Well, let’s have a look see.”

  Black pulled the blanket down to John’s waist, then slipped on some latex gloves and started probing and gently squeezing the incision. “Hurt?” he asked, glancing up at John’s face.

  John shook his head no.

  “Good,” Black said seriously. “This may a little.”

  He squeezed a reddish, inflamed looking area along John’s lower sternum. A small amount of yellow-green pus came to the surface. Black wiped it off with a piece of sterile gauze, brought the pad to his nose and sniffed.

  “Ooh, gross!” Billy exclaimed with a sour grossed out expression.

  “Pus is not always a sign of infection,” Black said with a smile at Billy. “It is often a sign of healthy healing. No rancid smell, no infection. Putrid smell, potential problems. Better to catch it early. Wanna smell?” he asked offering the pad to Billy for a whiff.

  “I’ll pass,” Billy replied, turning his head away in disgust.

  “So you’re not potential doctor material, huh?” Black chided.

  “Heck no!” Billy replied. “I wanna be a superstar like John!”

  “Be a doctor, Billy,” John said softly. “It’s safer.”

  “Danny was just jealous ‘cause you learned so fast and took Judy outta his future. He was really mad about that!” Billy said flatly.

  “Mad enough to try and kill him?” Black asked.

  “A hunnerd times over!” Billy said seriously. “He was really in love with Judy. Since grade school, he said.”

  “I never knew that,” Judy said with a trace of wonder in her voice.

  “He was really shy and when he was sad or troubled, he took it out on animals he could catch. He’s killed and tortured no telling how many!”

  “That’s not a good sign,” Black said.

  “Why didn’t you tell someone, Billy?” Misty asked disbelieving that Billy would keep something like that to himself for so long.

  “I ain’t no rat, Mom!” Billy replied. “Danny was my friend. But not anymore! Not after this!” he indicated John. “I’d never hurt someone he loved!”

  They all grew quiet, deep in thought over what Billy said. Then Black noticed that John was drifting off to sleep. “We’d better clear out and let him get some rest. He’ll need a lot of it in the months to come.”

  That afternoon Judy led Jake and Janice in to see John for a few minutes. Janice told John it was an honor for her to meet such a superstar. He sighed and told her he was just a person, same as her. She kissed his cheek and wished him the best, then Jake led her from the room and out for dinner. During those hours Jake learned a lot about her and he later passed it on to John.