Читать книгу Heart At Risk - Ana Leigh - Страница 11

“Boy, this is cool,” Scotty said when Kurt brought his backpack into the bedroom. “I never had a roommate before.”

“You mean you’ve never had a sleepover?”

“Oh, sure, but that’s not the same as someone staying for more than one night. How long you gonna stay, Mr. Bolen?”

“Sorry, pal, just for tonight,” Kurt said. Unless he could think of a good excuse for leaving right away.

“I cleaned out one of my dresser drawers. You can put your clothes in it, Mr. Bolen.”

“That’s not necessary, Scotty. I’ll keep them in my pack. And just call me Kurt. I’m not used to such formality.”

“My mom said it’s not polite to address an elder person by their first name.”

“Maybe a woman—but we fellows have to stick together, right?” He gave Scotty a high five and the boy grinned.

“Aunt Beth brought in some extra hangers so’s you can hang up your shirts and pants.”

“That was very nice of her, but I only have a couple shirts, and an extra pair of jeans. I didn’t figure on staying away too long.”

“You mean from the hospital in Milwaukee?” Compassion now glowed in the boy’s blue eyes that only seconds before were alight with happiness. “Does your leg hurt real bad?”

“Naw…nothing to worry about. Tomorrow it’ll be fine.”

“I hope not.” He blushed in embarrassment. “I mean, I hope you don’t have any more pain, but I want you to stay longer.”

As Kurt glanced around the room, a thought crossed his mind. “Do you have a computer, Scotty?”

“No, but my mom does down at the bookstore. Sometimes she brings it home with her. We could go down and get it.”

“No, forget it. I just thought I’d pass some time chatting with a couple friends on the Internet.”

“Sometimes when I’m at the bookstore Mom lets me play a game on the Internet, but that’s all. She said there are naughty pictures and per…”

“Perverts,” Kurt said.

Scotty nodded. “She said these perverts lurk on the Internet trying to se…ah…”

“Seduce?” Kurt asked.

“Yeah, that’s the word. They hurt young kids.” He frowned. “How can they do that, Kurt, if they don’t even live here?”

This was as bad as trying to explain the birds and the bees to the kid. “They pretend to be your friend to find out where you live. If you’re too young to come to them, they’ll come to you.”

“I guess I don’t have to worry ’cause I don’t have a computer. You can watch television if you like.” He walked over and turned on a small set on the corner of a desk.

Kurt picked up the remote, sat down on the edge of the bed and began to channel surf. The choices were limited.

“My mom had a chip put on the channels I shouldn’t watch.”

“Can’t get away with anything today, can you?”

He hit a news channel and was about to move on when the newscaster mentioned the world-wide spread of criminal organ harvesting. Recalling what he had observed while in Colombia, Kurt listened to the discussion between the panel of three men and a woman. He was surprised to see that one of the panelists was Dr. Escobar, the doctor in charge of the hospital in Colombia.

According to the panelists, organ donations were needed all over the world but the demand was so much greater than the supply that in many countries innocent victims were being attacked and would wake up missing vital organs.

“Kurt, what’s organ harvesting?” Scotty asked.

Kurt switched off the tube. “Prior to dying, Scotty, many people indicate that they want their organs donated to others who are in need of them.”

“Like what?” Scotty asked.

“There’s a multitude of things, pal. Hearts, lungs, kidneys, livers. All sorts of things. Even skin.”

“Wow! You mean you can take something from someone’s body and put it in somebody else’s?”

“Well, it’s a pretty tricky procedure but yes, you can and it saves thousands of people’s lives.”

“Kids’ lives, too.”

“Sure. Babies born with damaged heart valves and things like that. It’s amazing. Of course, there has to be a lot of things in play to make it successful. The donor would have to have been in good health—most likely died from an accident. Then the organ has to be removed when the donor is legally brain dead, but still has a functioning heart and lungs. In other words, the organs would be useless if removed after there ceased to be oxygen being transported to those areas.”

Scotty frowned. “If a person’s dead, how can that happen?”

“Machines, Scotty. A person’s brain can be mush, but machines can keep them alive to remove these organs and such in time. And a person doesn’t have to be dead to donate an organ. Many people legally donate organs to family members and others in need in order to save their lives. Kidneys and bone marrow are good examples of what a healthy person can donate without dying to do so.”

“What about arms and legs. If a person was dying could you donate them, too?”

“I don’t think so, Scotty. At least I’ve never heard of it. I’ve heard of reattaching fingers and hands, but they were the victim’s to begin with.”

“Maybe someday the doctors will figure out how to do that, too, then no one would have to use a wheelchair or a pro…”

“Prosthesis,” Kurt said. He tousled the young boy’s hair. “Yeah, maybe someday.”

He liked this kid. He had never had much to do with children before, but it was almost as if he and Scotty had bonded on sight.

Unfortunately the same could not be said about him and Maddie. The woman seemed to dislike him on sight. So maybe he was a bit on the wild side when they were in school. How long can she carry a grudge? That was ten years ago—so let it go, lady!

Later Kurt sat down to have dinner with the Bennetts. He couldn’t remember sitting down as a family with anyone since he was young. Sure he and the squad had eaten countless meals together, but this was the first time it was a regular family meal with women and a child. Mike and Dave had only gotten married within the last year, and the rest of the guys were single.

He had to say he enjoyed it. Homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh Wisconsin corn on the cob. It all tasted different than in a restaurant. Either these two women were the best cooks in the world, or it just felt good to be a normal guy sitting around at a dinner table.

Besides, the company was great. Aunt Beth was a charming conversationalist, Maddie was quiet but good to look at, and the kid was a joy. It made Kurt begin to think about what he’d been missing all these years.

“Mom,” Scotty suddenly asked, “if I would have died this morning, would you have donated my organs to kids who need them?”

The startling question clearly caught her off guard, and Maddie’s fork clunked against the plate as it slipped through her fingers. “What?”

“I’ve decided that when I die I want my organs donated to help other kids who need them.”

Still startled, Maddie asked, “Scotty, where did you get such an idea?”

“Kurt and I were watching the television and they were talking about it.”

Oh, oh, Kurt thought, hang on to your head, Bolen, I think the ax is about to fall.

“Scotty, I’ve told you it’s disrespectful for a child to address an adult by a first name.”

Kurt came to the boy’s defense. “It’s my fault, Maddie, I told him he could.”

She turned a disapproving gaze on him. “That may be so, Mr. Bolen, but my son knows my wishes on the subject.”

“I personally have no objection to it.”

“And I’m also very selective about Scotty’s television viewing, Mr. Bolen.”

For God’s sake! The woman was chastising him as if he were a two-year-old. “It was a news channel, Maddie.”

“Good gracious, Maddie, I’m sure no harm was done,” Beth said. “And I think Scotty’s consideration for those less fortunate is very admirable.”

“That’s not the point, Aunt Beth. It’s a very unpleasant subject and I doubt Scotty understands it.”

“I do, too,” Scotty said. “Kurt explained it to me. Mom, do you know that in some countries there are bad guys who steal the organs from innocent people? And in China they remove organs from executed bad guys and then sell them.”

Maddie paled, but forced a smile. “I think we should change the subject. And in the future, Scotty, if you have any questions about organs and such bring them to me and don’t bother our guests with them.”

“Yes, Mom,” Scotty said, hanging his head.

Kurt was pissed. If Maddie was so hung up on what was proper and improper, why lecture the poor kid in front of a stranger, instead of waiting until she and Scotty were alone? But he bit his tongue to keep from saying what was on his mind. There was no sense in expressing his opinion to this uptight female. She only made him aware that he didn’t really belong.

Which was true. So what in hell was he doing here anyway?

Kurt stood up. “Ladies, thank you for dinner. It was delicious, and I can’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal. But I think it’ll be best if I leave now.”

“Oh, Kurt, I wish you would spend the night,” Beth said. “You should rest that leg, and it’s a long drive back to Milwaukee.”

“I’ve imposed on your hospitality enough. Thank you for everything.”

Scotty pushed back his chair and ran sobbing up the stairs.

Hell, now he would have to face the kid to get his pack out of the bedroom. What a mess!

“Would you care for coffee and dessert before you leave?” Beth asked.

“No, thank you. I think I should get going before it gets too late.”

Beth got up and began to carry dishes into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Bolen,” Maddie said.

“Feel free to call me Kurt. I think you’re old enough.”

“I guess I deserve that. Do you mind stepping outside? I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.”

They moved outside and sat down on a swing on the front porch. “I know you think I’m very rude, and I apologize,” she said. “When I heard about Scotty’s accident I fell apart, and however I may appear to you, I want you to know I’m deeply grateful. I shall always be.”

This was worse than an award ceremony with some stuffy navy commander pinning a purple heart or silver star on him.

“Look, Maddie, it’s over. Let it go. I did what any guy would have done.”

“I don’t want you to leave with the impression I’m ungrateful.”

“Fine. I believe you. So I’ll be going—”

“You think I’m wrong, don’t you?” she suddenly blurted out.

“Chill out, lady. I’m leaving.” His unexpected response caught her off guard and once again those green eyes widened with surprise.

“You don’t understand,” she said.

“You’ve got that right. You always this uptight?”

She drew a deep quivering breath as if it were her last one. “It’s just that all this has been very upsetting to me.”

“Well, like I said, it’s over. Scotty’s fine. So let it go. There’ll be other things you’ll have to deal with while he’s growing up. You can’t protect him from everything in life. There’s no way you can keep him from stumbling and falling sometimes. Just hope it’s not into another quarry,” he said, in an attempt to lighten the conversation.

“So you don’t agree with the way I’m raising Scotty.”

“Doesn’t matter what I think.”

“Would you believe me if I told you it does.”

“Frankly no, Maddie. So don’t try to tell me you give a good goddamn what someone like me thinks.”

She looked him straight in the eye. “You’re wrong. You have no idea how wrong you are.”

Kurt stood up to leave. “I’m not into this kind of scene, so I’ll get my pack and get out of here.”

“Kurt, you don’t understand. I’m not trying to be sarcastic. Your opinion is important to me.”

He looked at her a moment then flopped down again, jarring the swing. “Lady, you asked. In the short time I’ve been here, I have the impression you’re an uptight female too set in your ways. You’re smothering the kid. Once in a while it wouldn’t hurt to let Scotty make some of his own choices. Chips on his television, so he won’t watch what you don’t want him to. Ever think of trusting the kid? Putting him on his honor? Let him make the choice of the path he’ll take?”

“He’s only nine years old. I don’t believe he’s old enough to make the right choices.”

“You’ll never know until you let him try.”

She appeared to be struggling with her thoughts and he knew he had no right to express his opinions. But dammit, she had rubbed him wrong with her officious attitude at dinner.

“Maddie, I know I was pretty wild as a kid, so I’m a poor example to be giving lectures on child rearing, but maybe Scotty and I have the same problem. Neither of us had a father figure to emulate. My dad was the town drunk and I was embarrassed and ashamed of his actions. Scotty’s being raised by two women in a manless household. He needs some positive masculine influence in his life the same way that I did. How much contact does he have with his father?”

“None.”

“What? His dad lives right here in Vandergriff and Scotty has no contact with him! Is that your idea or his father’s?”

“Who told you Scotty’s father lives here?”

“Beth mentioned it earlier.”

“Well, it’s not true. Beth doesn’t know who Scotty’s father is. Nobody does but me.” She drew a deep breath. “I’ve never married nor told anyone the name of the man who fathered him.”

You sure have been blindsided, Bolen! Want to try that pass again?