THE POOL – Part Six The police were still trying to find Rodney and Therral to tell them about their mother, Sybil Michaels, who was in ICU in the very same hospital, in the very same ICU unit where Rodney was now occupying a room just six beds away on the other side. Therral had never left his brother’s side and couldn’t figure out why his mom wasn’t answering. It was just the three of them now, at home, since his step-father Therral Michaels had left. This would get more confusing as time went on… Rodney’s injuries had been worse than was expected, tremendous blood loss and cracked Tibia and Fibula bones requiring surgery with rods and pins. He wouldn’t be going to meet Jesus just yet but it would be a while before he worked on any more pool installations. Sybil Hampton Pearl Evans Michaels did not currently possess the same last name as her two sons, Rodney and Therral by Michael Evans. Her fourth husband, Therral Michaels currently on his way out, with a son named Rodney by a previous marriage to a woman named Cora Long and a daughter named Pearl by another previous marriage to a woman named Sybil, was now toying with a third relationship with a woman named Pearl Hampton. This family tree had more branches than the Little Missouri River. It was for this reason that the records department at the hospital never put two and two together… that they had a mother and son, together, in their ICU unit with totally unrelated accidents and completely unaware that the other was there! Don’t you just love small towns? “I’ve been up since seven this morning! Where’ve you been?” Thelma was standing in the doorway in a very short negligée, a coffee mug in hand, her bleached blond hair piled in a disheveled configuration on the top of her head, staring at Randy and Charlie who had sheepishly driven up at eight that morning. “How’s your head?” “Throbbing.” “Well, I been trying to find me a couple of boys to help me finish this job. Charlie here is a good worker but he and I can’t do it by ourselves and it’s going to be at least a couple of days before Therral can leave the hospital… and weeks before Rodney can do anything. “So what exactly happened and am I in for a lawsuit? I mean, this DID happen in my back yard!” “He’s not gonna sue.” “Oh sure, I’ve heard that story before. In fact, I’ve got a woman coming over here later today to try and convince me to do the same thing.” Randy paused, “Brice Ketchum?” “Uh huh.” “Might get some money for that one; I hear he’s loaded.” “That’s what she said.” “Well…” “Well…” Randy started to ask Thelma about Grace but thought better of it since Charlie was there. “Well, Rodney’s accident was his own fault, hit himself with a hatchet.” “WITH A HATCHET?” “With a hatchet. I told you that yesterday.” “But he was trying to chop down that brush back there. An attorney will see that as my fault for having stuff that needed to be cleared out.” “Not when he hears that he was aiming at a tarantula that was doing pushups on his shin.” “You’ve got to be kidding.” “I wish I was.” “See Ms. McWhorter, Rodney’s got a thing ‘bout spiders. Cain’t stand ‘em.” “I’m not fond of them either but I wouldn’t chop my foot off to kill one.” Randy continued, “Anyway, the cement truck is going to be delayed one more day in order to give us time to finish clearing out the brush and get the forms built for the pad. You wanna come back there and show us exactly where the two graves are so we won’t uh, disturb them?” “Well, it’s not like there are graves back there.” “But I thought you said…” “I had them cremated. It’s just their ashes.” “Oh, well, then you won’t mind if we build the pad over them.” “I won’t mind, they won’t mind and it’ll be fine.” Therral was asleep in a chair. Rodney had been heavily sedated, was coming around, now a little confused, and lying there in the hospital with his leg in a sling, some fourteen inches above the bed. Groggily he mumbled something and Therral opened his eyes; he was instantly by Rodney’s side. “How’re ya feelin’?” “Like the morning after the prom.” “They’ve had you out. Does your leg hurt?” Rodney tried swaying it from side to side. “GOD-MIGHTY!!” Two nurses bolted in. “What’s wrong?” “He tried movin’ his leg.” “YOU LEAVE THAT LEG RIGHT WHERE IT IS, YOU HEAR ME?” “Don’t worry.” One of the nurses left. “How do you feel this morning?” “Like I been run over by a bus.” “That’s what happens when you try to chop off your foot.” Rodney lifted his head to get a better view. “Could they save it?” “It’s there, isn’t it?” “I don’t know, thought maybe you guys made the end of the cast to look like a foot.” “We wouldn’t go to that much trouble. You’ve still got your foot but it’s gonna be a while before you use it.” Rodney looked over at Therral. “Hey, where’s mom?” “Can’t find her.” “Whatdaya mean, can’t find her?” “I been callin’ all night long, she won’t answer the phone.” “You been home?” “Yeah, last night but she’s not there and the car’s gone.” “Whur you ‘spose she is? “I don’t know. I called her work and they hadn’t seen her either.” “You ‘spose she’s been kidnapped?” “Who’d kidnap a forty-five-year-old woman?” “I RESENT THAT!!” “It happens all the time on SVU.” The nurse was looking at a chart and taking all this in. “Now don’t get all worked up. You gotta take it easy for now. If had two teenaged boys who were as smart as you, I’d be taking a little vacation too!” “Wull, it don’t make sense.” “You talked to the boss?” “Yeah, he’s fine. Said for me to tell you not to worry about anything.” “He’s a good guy.” “Yeah, says he’s gonna take care of all the bills and things.” “I guess tha’s a good thing… if mama’s left, it’s… it’s gonna be… hard… hard to…” The nurse had given Rodney a shot and it was beginning to take effect. He slowly closed his eyes and was out again. She turned to Therral. “He needs to sleep now and believe me he does NOT want that pain medicine to wear off; it’s going to be a few days before his pain levels begin to go down.” “He’s a purty tough kid.” “I don’t care how tough he is, pain is pain.” “I guess so.” “So you really can’t get hold of your mom?” “No mam. I started callin’ when we came in yesterday. That’s been almost twenty-four hours ago.” “And no one’s seen her?” “Nobody that I’ve talked to.” “Hmmm, let me do some checking. I’ll see what I can find out.” “Thanks.” She started toward the door and turned back and tossed him a weak smile, “Go home. Get some rest. He’s gonna be just fine. We’ll move him to a private room tomorrow if nothing happens. And if I find Mrs. Evans I’ll be sure and call.” “Who?” “Your mom! Mrs. Evans?” “Oh, her last name isn’t Evans; it’s Michaels.” The nurse went white as a sheet. “Sybil Michaels?” “Yeah, why?” “Don’t leave, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 12:19:32 +0000
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