Divine Hart

by Heather Shere

  I can see him in my head all smug, waiting for me to tell him what it is I’m calling for.

  “Yes? Spit it out, Skye.” Ah there is the bastard I know.

  I almost hang up the phone. What stops me is seeing Preston come out of the double doors openly crying as he walks into the men’s restroom.

  “Dad, I need your help.” I’m pretty sure I sound pathetic.

  “Go on.” Not one smidge of compassion is in his voice.

  “Preston’s mom…” I can’t seem to get all the words out.

  “Yes, we saw her being taken out of the convention center. How is she doing?”

  “Not good, Dad. She had a heart attack and they don’t have health insurance.”

  “Oh? Is she at County then?”

  “No, they brought her to Desert, but they are stabilizing her now to move her to County, because they can’t pay.” I keep watching the bathroom door to see if Preston is going to come out.

  “That’s a shame,” he states flatly.

  “I overheard the nurse saying she won’t make it if they move her,” I whisper into the phone.

  “Why are you telling me this, Skye?”

  The bastard knows damn well what I’m trying to ask for here, but he’s going to make me say it. “Can we maybe help them?” I hold my breath once I say the words.

  “Be very clear on what you’re asking for,” he states with his business tone.

  “Can we pay for her medical care to stay here at Desert Hospital, is that clear enough?” I can barely contain my attitude.

  “Watch your sass, girl. Remember it’s you who needs me.”

  “Yes, Dad, can we help them, please?” I hate this bastard.

  “You do know this will cost you, don’t you?” he says smugly.

  “Of course.” There is always a high cost with him, but it doesn’t matter. For Preston I will pay it, no matter what it is. “I have the money… right?” I bite the inside of my lip to keep from running my mouth.

  “Not until you’re twenty-three, for now you are at my mercy. Want me to change my mind?” I can hear the steel in his voice.

  “No. If you could make the call to the hospital, that would be great.” I swallow. I just literally made a deal with the devil.

  Just as I hang up the phone with my father, Preston comes walking out of the bathroom. I push myself off the floor as he turns and makes eye contact. I try to give him a small smile and he holds his hand out for me to take. We walk back in silence to the little room they gave us to wait in. The only sound that seems to filter into the room is the beeping from monitors up and down the hall. They punctuate our heartbeats as our anxiety fills the air. I can only pray one of them belongs to Liliya.

  There’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” Preston is quick to answer.

  Angel walks in the room. “Hi, we have her stabilized and we can give you a few minutes with her.”

  Preston kisses the back of my hand and jumps up looking to the nurse to follow her out.

  “Is it ok if I wait here?” I ask. I don’t want to go back to the waiting room to sit in the crowd of people.

  She nods. “Yes, that will be fine. We’ll need you nearby for the transfer papers."

  “Okay, I’ll be here. Give her my love,” I tell Preston.

  “I will,” he says with a solemn tone.

  I sit for a second, the reality of all that’s happening not quite sinking in. I wish they could get someone to tell us what they could do to help her, more news or even an update. Instead it’s a hurry up and wait game.

  I should call Lea and let her know that Liliya is stable. I just don’t want the questions that will follow. They all know I’m not much of a talker on the phone, so they will forgive a short text to Lea, she can pass the news along. Pulling out my phone I text her two words, “She’s stable.” I turn off my phone and shove it in my bag.

  Three

  “Is she awake?” My palms feel sweaty, so I wipe them on my shorts. I don’t know what to expect when I see her.

  "I'm sorry, no, they're keeping her sedated to keep her heart rate regulated," Angel replies softly.

  We walk past lines of beds all shielded by curtains, it's a full house today. As we head to the end of the hall, two rooms actually have doors and glass windows. The entrance to the first is open, and I can see in. A sheet has been pulled over the patient's head, and the family is around the bed crying.

  “What happened?” I can’t help the curious whisper that comes out.

  "Car accident," Angel says solemnly.

  Losing a patient must be hard. I feel for the doctor that delivers the bad news. We stop in front of the second door and my heart starts pounding. These must be the trauma rooms. Not only is my heart racing, it's in my throat, choking me.

  "Right here, Mr. Hart." Angel leads me into the room with beeping monitors and two nurses checking my mom’s vitals. They both check the machines one more time and then leave me alone with her.

  Mama's lying so still. I inch closer to the bed. There's a chair at the side of the bed and I move it aside with my foot and stand over her. My shoulders slump, the color is gone from her face as well as the smile that always graces it. I notice the wrinkles around her eyes and how tired she looks.

  I pick her hand up and gently squeeze it, noticing the wrinkles there too. This selfless woman, she doesn’t deserve to be lying here. One of my tears drops onto the back of her hand. I quickly wipe the tears off my face, but more soon replace them.

  “Mama, you have to fight. I need you. I need you so bad.” I feel the desperation in my voice, making my muscles bunch and I feel as if a dam is about to break. “Don’t leave me.”

  The door to her room opens and the nurse, Angel, looks in. She takes a look at me and bows her head. "I'll give you a few more minutes, Mr. Hart," she says quietly and backs out of the room.

  I turn back to my mom and sit in the small space on the bed next to her, I have her fragile hand cradled between mine. I can't help but think I'm part of the problem. I haven't been able to provide for her well enough, and maybe it's the trailer park living that has her sick and worn out.

  "Please, Mama, fight, and I'll make sure your life is easier. Just please…please fight."

  I bow my head and bring her delicate hand to my lips and kiss it. I'm not sure how long I stay like this, but the beeping of the machines scares the shit out of me. I drop her hand and jump up, the door swings open and a small army of nurses comes in.

  I back away from the bed as they swarm around her. “Mr. Hart? We are going to need you to wait outside while we work on her.” I back out of the room, not taking my eyes off my mom.

  “Fight, Mama, fight!” I can’t help the gruff yell that I let out as they shut the door, so I can’t see her any longer. Interlocking my hands behind my neck, I lean my forehead against the glass. I want to bust into the room and have them stop poking and prodding her.

  I'm not sure if it's just been a few minutes or hours, the smell of the hospital burns through my nostrils. The beeping of the machines as my father struggles to breathe, I don't want to be back here. I sit silently beside the bed as my mama whispers loving words to him in Russian. My Mama is so strong, but she's telling him not to leave her, that we need him. She leans down and presses her forehead on his, it's at this moment I see the tears streaming down her face.

  “Mama is Papa going to be okay?”

  “I don’t know, Preston. Come here and give your Papa a kiss. Maybe that will help him.” My mama opens her arms for me and sits me on the side of the bed.

  I place a kiss on my Papa's cheek and my mama squeezes me tight. I slide off the bed landing on my feet and sit back down in the chair, while my Mama pats Papa's hand.

  Beep…beep…beep

  The sound loud in the small room.

  Beep…

  This time the sound lingers, and my eyes go round in surprise.

  “Mama?” I move to the edge of the chair.

  “Nurse!” my mama cal
ls frantically rushing to the door.

  Three nurses come running in. “Can you please wait outside, Mrs. Hart?”

  The beeping sound gets longer, it’s not beeping anymore it’s just a high-pitched noise now.

  She nods her head. “Preston, come.”

  I stand up and feel a coldness spread through me, I don't want to leave my Papa.

  “Papa?” My voice sounds small over the noise in the room.

  My mama scoops me up with her arm around my waist. “We need to let them work, Preston,” she says as she drags me out of the room.

  “No! I want Papa. Papa wake up!” I wiggle trying to get out of her arms.

  “Papa!!!”

  “Mr. Hart?” a gentle voice says beside me.

  I take a deep breath and turn to follow the voice. “Yes?”

  "She's stable for now. If you want to go back to the private room, your friend is still in there," Angel says very softly.

  I nod my head “Thanks” and start to walk down the hall; at least Skye will be there to wait with me. I’m about fifty feet away when I hear a voice I would never expect to hear here.

  “Preston?”

  “Bob… I mean Mr. Divine?”

  “Yes, I heard what happened and came right over. I wanted to show my support for you and your mother.”

  His tone sounds sincere, and he looks it, but I can't help but be suspicious of his motives. "Yes, they are getting my Mom stabilized and then well…" My voice trails off.

  “Does your mother have insurance, boy?”

  “No.” I can’t help but feel ashamed, what kind of provider am I?

  “Have you thought any more about my proposal?”

  I swallow. I was so proud I told the bastard to go fuck himself, but now… “I already told you, I can’t,” I reply meekly and curse myself for sounding so weak.

  “Things change though, don’t they, boy? You have bigger concerns now, what with your mother’s health so fragile and no money for her care. I wonder if you might be wise to reconsider?”

  “I…” I falter. I was only ballsy enough to turn him down once, I don’t know if I can do it again. Not now that I know Mama’s life might depend on money, or the lack of it.

  “I don’t usually give second chances, Preston. I wouldn’t think too hard. You have a lot riding on this choice, be smart. A month away from home and then you’ll have enough money to make my daughter happy and pull your mama out of that hell hole of a trailer. Agree now and you can consider your mom’s medical bills a signing bonus. Gotta have you focused on the job, not worrying about your mother.” He studies me, his beady little eyes always calculating. “What’s it to be?” he demands.

  I hesitate for a moment, but then surrender. "I accept, sir." I need to save my Mom, and this is the only way. "Only, I can't leave right away."

  “One week then,” he states. “I’ll give you that courtesy under the circumstances.” He has a slimy smile on his face and I figure that courtesy will end up costing me somewhere along the line, but I have no options left.

  “And the other parameters you set?” I ask, hoping he’s changed his mind about me telling them I’m leaving.

  “Everything is the same.” He claps me on the back and laughs dryly.

  “A week? But what if…” I can’t even let the words come out of my mouth; I can’t bear the thought of what if.

  "We will cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, if she's out of the hospital, it goes down like I laid it out in our initial meeting. Just in case you forgot, boy, you leave and do it when I say without a word to anyone."

  “I need to tell my mom something, Bob. I can’t let her worry about me while she’s recovering from this.”

  “I’ll compromise there and let you tell her you will be out of town for work.”

  I look over at the door that I know Skye is behind; my heart hurts at the thought of leaving her for a month without telling her why, but when I look back to where I just walked from I know I have no choice. If this will give my mama a chance, I have to do it. I know it will be the best thing for the three of us in the long run. I just hope Skye will forgive me.

  "It's a deal, Bob." I extend my hand to further seal the deal.

  He takes it and firmly shakes it. As soon as he releases it he starts barking orders. “Who’s in charge? We need the best doctors in the Coachella Valley to come in and examine Liliya Hart.”

  Bob Divine has a high standing in the community, people know his name and the color of his money. It doesn't matter if the guy is a dick or not, this town values money, and he's got that.

  "Hello, Mr. Divine, is there something I can assist with?" Jasmine, the lady that was helping us with paperwork, is now behind the counter.

  “Jasmine? Correct?” he states. I'm not entirely sure how he knew her name.

  “Yes, sir, that’s me. Can I help with anything?”

  “Jasmine, Liliya Hart is a patient of yours. I want you to keep her here and direct all bills to me.”

  “Mr. Divine, we would need to have a credit card or check on file before we can start treatment. That’s hospital policy.”

  “Yes, I am aware of the policy. This should do it.” He sets a black American Express card on the counter.

  “Let me get a copy of this so we can go ahead and stop her transfer.” She rushes off with the card.

  "Thank you, Bob, I don't know how I can ever repay you." I know more words should be said, but that is all I have right now.

  “Don’t worry, you’ll pay me back.”

  “Here’s your card, sir. Will there be anything else I can help with?” she asks as she slides the card over.

  “Yes, make sure the doctors move their asses and find out what the problem is.” He almost growls this at the girl.

  "Yes, sir!" she replies and rushes off. I see her stop Angel, the nurse that was helping us, and update her. She looks toward us with a smile, then starts off at a quick pace to my mother’s room.

  Things are already happening. Bob smacks me on my back chuckling. “You see, kid, money talks.”

  "So I see," I reply, trying to ignore his hand sitting on my shoulder. He gives it a squeeze and then thankfully removes it.

  “I’ll leave you to care for your mom. We’ll talk before next week, yes?”

  An answer isn’t needed, he turns and is gone just as fast as he came. I stand and watch all the movement at the end of the hall where people are going in and out of Mama’s room. My feet start moving on their own, following my steps back to where a barrage of people are working around her bed. Their talking doesn’t even register in my brain, I focus on watching the heart rate monitor and see that regular beat that gives me a glimmer of hope.

  “Mr. Hart?”

  “Yes?”

  “If you want to go wait in the private waiting room, we have a cardiac specialist on the way to evaluate her after we get her moved into ICU.”

  “Okay, thank you.” I walk back to the waiting room. Skye’s head pops up as I open the door, she’s sitting on the floor hugging her knees.

  “Hey, how’s she doing?”

  I don't answer right away because I don't know what to say, I can't tell her about her father. I take a seat on the floor beside her and put my arm around her shoulders. She turns and leans into me. She cups my face and looks into my eyes searching for answers. I hope she doesn't see the guilt I feel. I squeeze her tighter. Just being near her makes my thoughts more grounded.

  “They are keeping her here,” I blurt, still in shock that all her medical expenses are now taken care of.

  “That’s awesome!”

  “Yeah, they have a specialist in with her now to see what’s wrong.” I’m relieved when she doesn’t ask me why they changed their mind about transferring her.

  She puts her arms around my neck, and we sit in silence, waiting for someone to come in to give us the news. She gently runs her fingers through the hair at the back of my head, it's very calming.

  A firm knock sounds a
nd not waiting for an answer, in walks a doctor with a clipboard in his hand and his glasses slipping low on his nose.

  "Hello, I'm Doctor Ross, your mother's cardiologist."

  Skye and I both shuffle to our feet while he introduces himself.

  “Thank you for seeing her so quickly doctor.” I shake his hand. “Do you have any idea what’s wrong?”

  “As you know, your mother suffered a heart attack. We are still in the process of running tests, but based on her ECG, we see she has an obstruction of the left main coronary artery.”

  I interrupt him while he’s talking. “Can you fix it?”

  "I’m going to go in and place a stent into the artery to open up the blood flow. That is the best case scenario. If that isn’t possible, then we will perform bypass surgery." Just as I open my mouth to interrupt him again, he holds up a finger and then continues on. "We are taking her down now, and I will do everything within my power to help your mother."

  "Okay," I say with some relief. Skye is behind me with her hand resting on my back.

  “How long before we know anything?” Skye chimes in.

  "We are prepping her for surgery right now, and that can last anywhere from two to six hours, longer if we run into any complications."

  "Thank you, doctor," I manage to whisper.

  The next four hours pass at a snail’s pace. Skye called and updated our friends and one by one they all showed up to wait with us. We’re family to each other and I’m glad they’re here, but thankfully none of them are trying to engage me in conversation. Skye and I sit silently with our fingers entwined, every now and again she squeezes my hand to remind me she’s still here with me.

  “Mr. Hart?” a confident voice cuts through the stifling silence.

  My head lifts up. “Right here,” I call as I stand and move toward Doctor Ross.

  The doctor looks at all the faces in the room and then back to me. “Would you like to go somewhere more private?”

  “No, everyone is family here.” Skye steps up to my side and slides her arm around my waist. The rest of our friends are silent, waiting to hear but giving us enough space for the doctor to talk to us.

  "Your mother came through the surgery successfully. The artery was too clogged for a stent, but I was able to perform bypass surgery. She is resting now in our cardiac care unit. Do you have any questions?"