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.”“Brothers?”“Lovers,” I said and the nurse nodded and smiled.I told Takoda all about Nick and his forensics banter.I described the police officers and about me using so much smudge that I had to turn on a fan.I tried to keep my voice calm, but I was crying all the time.There wasn’t much to do but stand around and try not to get in anybody’s way.I kept up my one-sided conversation, speaking softly into Takoda’s ear.I took my man-purse off my shoulder and put it in the corner of Takoda’s area.It had my wallet and a deck of Rider-Waite and Yeager.I pulled out the Yeager and decided to tell Takoda a story based on some random card.I drew the card: The Lovers.Ick.I totally hate The Lovers card.It has one guy and two women.Most civilians like the Lovers card.They get hung up with the name of the card, which really has nothing to do with the card itself, at least in my understanding.Most tarot artists show one young woman and one who’s not-so-young.Yeager has the man and one woman naked with weird vegetation growing out of their genitals.I imagined my dick with ivy roots going inside my piss-hole.It’s gross.All we need is an apple or two and a snake, and we’ll see who gets pregnant from the encroaching vine.The older woman is sitting and in some kind of robe.The card’s about making choices.Does the guy pick the young woman with the grapevine undies, or should he go with the matron in her muumuu? I want a recount.“I know you didn’t choose to have a wreck, but it brought us together,” I said, suddenly wishing I could take that back.My mind stopped working in a crisis.Takoda was motionless, and I was so afraid.“Hello?” I said into the phone.“Hello, this is Kimimela Renville,” said a woman.“The police just called and said that my son was in a traffic accident and you might know the details.”“Yes, Mrs.Renville,” I said as I walked away from Takoda’s bed.“I’m Brent.Brent Hill.”“What happened, Brent?”I was standing out in the long hallway, speaking as softly as I could.I don’t think you’re supposed to use cell phones in a hospital.“It was maybe two hours ago, and I don’t have all the details.He’s alive, but he’s in the hospital.I guess you’d call it a coma or something.”“Oh, god,” she said.“The nurse says it isn’t as bad as it looks,” I said.“Was it that damned motorcycle?”“Yes, ma’am.”“Don’t let him buy another one,” she cried.“Anything from the doctor?”“I haven’t seen any doctors, but I just got here a few minutes ago.The nurse told me they are going to be taking him into surgery.”“What for?”“I really don’t know, Mrs.Renville.I am so sorry.”“What happened?”“Hit-and-run on the interstate,” I said.“That’s what the police told me.I have a friend down at the police department, and I called him already.He promised to stay on top of things.”“Should I come there?”“If you want,” I told her.“I have keys to his condo and all.”“Who are you exactly?”Gulp.Here goes.“I’m his fiancé.”“Fiancé?” she repeated.“As of yesterday,” I said.“It all happened really fast, or he would have told you himself.He asked me just last night.”“Oh, I see,” she said.I left his mother almost speechless.Great first impression, dude.“Yes, ma’am.I’m sorry to introduce myself in such circumstances.”“Do you love my boy?”“I do, Mrs.Renville.”“He loves you?”“Yes, ma’am.That’s what he said, Mrs.Renville.”“Then I say congratulations and welcome to the family, tragedy and everything on your first day.Call me Kimimela or Kimi or just mama,” she said.“Were you on his motorcycle too?”“No, ma’am.I was at work.”There was silence.I think she was collecting her thoughts.BEEP went my phone.There was another call.It could wait, or they could leave a message.“Okay then, Brent.You take care of my son.”“I will, Kimi.Are you coming?”“Let’s talk tomorrow,” she said.“Call me when he goes to surgery and when he comes out.”“Okay, I will.You’ll call his sisters?”“Of course, Brent.”BEEP said call waiting again.Roll over, damn it.“I love him so much, Kimi.”“I do too, Brent.You take care of my boy.”“I promise [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]