Ethics of a Thief

by Hinrichsen, Mary Gale

  “It’s nice to meet you both,” she said. “I’m sure you’re quite concerned about your daughter.”

  “Can you give us an update on her condition?”

  “The good news is she’s stable and has a normal heart rate. Unfortunately, she is still in a coma.”

  “Do you think she might come out of it soon?”

  “It’s anyone’s guess. It could be today or in a few months. We have no way to predict when she might wake up.”

  After thanking the nurse, they walked into room 404. Neither of them was emotionally prepared to see her hooked up to medical equipment, an I.V. and the sound of some device beeping to alert her caregivers. Above her, a screen flashed symbols with various vital signs. The room was warm, but the blanket was tucked up to her neck.

  John held Elizabeth’s arm tightly. She covered her mouth with her hand as she walked toward her daughter. After their initial shock, they went next to the bed and gazed at her. After Elizabeth bent closer, she kissed her daughter’s forehead.

  John pulled two chairs and placed them next to each other. The one closest to their daughter was for Elizabeth. When she sat, she held Alisa’s hand and softly wept.

  Slowly, John walked toward the window with tears welling up in his eyes. He looked out the glass and bent forward, holding his stomach. Within minutes, he walked toward the door and started to leave. “I’ll be back in a few.”

  After nodding, her attention was drawn back to her daughter.

  While trying to discover where the chapel might be, John avoided eye contact with each person he passed. After walking around for ten minutes, he found it and reached for the chapel door. When he opened it, it was unoccupied. He took in a deep breath and slowly released it. The small room was softly lit from the sun coming through the three stained-glass windows. On the podium was a Bible, and next to it, two chairs. The chapel pews could easily seat twenty. After sitting in the back row, he knelt with his head lowered.

  At that moment, he didn’t know if he felt angry or confused, so he prayed. “Haven’t I done everything you’ve wanted? Why are you allowing my family to suffer like this? Please. I beg you. Don’t take our daughter from us. Danny and Lisa need their mother. And, we need our daughter. So, please, I’ll do anything, but don’t let her die.” While praying, he could no longer hold back his tears. He grabbed a tissue box and wept.

  As he sat thinking about various Bible verses, he remembered, “God will never give us more than we can bear.” So, he reminded God. “I can’t bear to lose Alisa. She’s my first-born, I love her. You know how close we are. I beg you. Don’t take her from me.” Crying, he said, “Please give me direction. I need to get the best possible care for her.”

  Exhausted, John slumped over the pew. His face started to relax, and his mind had some level of peace. “At least, I know she is in your hands, and you already know the outcome. I do trust you with our daughter.”

  When he opened his eyes, everything in the room looked brighter, and his mind felt as if it had been cleansed. Okay. I need to be prepared. What questions do I need to ask her doctor? Can she be transferred to San Diego, and, if yes, when? But, first, I should call Scripps or Scripps Green Hospital and find out what options we have once she is transported.

  Quickly, he marched back to the nursing staff on the fourth floor. “Is Doctor Nelson here?”

  “No. We’re sorry, and we don’t have an exact time to expect him. Most likely he’ll be here after six.”

  “Can you page him?”

  “I can, but it won’t do much good, He’s in surgeries all day.”

  “Thank you. I’ll check back later.”

  As he was walking to his daughter’s room, a male nurse tapped his shoulder. “Hi, my name’s Ian,” he said. “I was working when your daughter was brought here. She almost didn’t make it; her vital signs were alarmingly low. The doctor gave her a shot to bring her back.”

  John looked at the young man without a word.

  “But, your girl’s a fighter, that daughter of yours. I hope you don’t feel discouraged because she’s in a coma. It’s a miracle she made it this far.”

  John touched the man’s shoulder. “Thanks for putting things in perspective. I guess we should be grateful she is alive.”

  “Your daughter has a will to live, that’s for sure. Otherwise, I think we could have lost her.”

  John’s eyes become moist, “It’s comforting to know someone like you is looking out for her. I’m glad you reminded me of her inner strength. Those words are precious.”

  When John walked back into the room, he saw his wife holding their daughter’s hand, and her head lowered while praying.

  He walked to the other side of the bed and stopped next to Alisa. As he glanced at her, he placed his hand on her face. “So, how’s my beautiful girl? We love you, Honey. You’re going to get better. We’ll make sure you go home as soon as possible. Can you hear me, Sweetie? If you can, squeeze Mom’s hand.” He looked over at Elizabeth and waited. After she shook her head, he said, “It’s okay if you can’t react right now. You need your rest.”

  When he saw the exhaustion on Elizabeth’s face, he was surprised when she offered him a smile. She stood and moved into the hall and motioned for him. When he joined her, she asked, “Did you find out anything?”

  “The doctor won’t be here until later, around six tonight. He’s in surgery all day. I met the nurse who was on duty when she was admitted.”

  “What did he have to say?”

  “That we should be glad she’s alive. She almost didn’t make it. He said it’s a miracle she’s with us.”

  “I’m worn out. I have no energy,” she said.

  John lifted her chin with his hand and said, “Look. We both need rest. We must be at our best when we speak to her physician. Let’s go get something to eat.”

  “I can’t leave her alone. Don’t ask me to. You go if you want.”

  “But, we both need to be alert. Please understand, dear. Our minds must be clear when we speak to her doctor. We want to ask intelligent questions.”

  She shook her head. “I won’t leave her alone.”

  “Be reasonable,” he said, “for her sake.”

  Elizabeth softened. “Alright. I’ll go, but only if you stay with her.”

  “Of course, I’ll stay. You go now. Get something to drink and eat. Relax for a few minutes.”

  Reluctantly, she walked toward the elevator, got in and pushed the button to the basement. After getting off, she went directly to the cafeteria. While standing in line, a woman started up a friendly conversation, but she had difficulty listening. Her mind was preoccupied with her daughter.

  After placing her food on the tray, she paid. The woman said, “Would you join me? I hate eating alone. My name is Nicole Wright.”

  “Hi Nicole, I’m Elizabeth Wilson. And, yes. I will join you.”

  The women selected a booth to sit at, but first they removed their food and drinks and returned the trays. After sitting, Nicole said, “My sister is in this hospital. I’m here to be with her.”

  “I hope she will be okay.”

  “A few days ago, I received a call. When I found out she was in the hospital, I took the next flight out of New York. I found out she needed a stent, but her blocked artery is next to a vital one, so they couldn’t do the procedure.”

  “Oh my, what will happen to her?”

  “I was told with medication and diet, she can get her strength back. When she is strong enough for open heart surgery, they will perform a bypass.” Nicole took a sip of her coffee, put it down and added two more creamers. “So Elizabeth, do you live in town?”

  “No. My husband and I are from San Diego. Our daughter came here for a vacation with her husband. But, they were in a car accident. I gather you live in New York, but you have another accent. Where are you from, originally?”

  “Russia.”

  Elizabeth grinned, “Oh. I was raised in Croatia. My friend and I left as teenagers.�
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  “Two girls, leaving that young. You must have been pretty brave.”

  “We were talking one day. Without giving it much thought, we went home, packed some things and walked across the border. We went to a small town in Italy, Trieste.”

  Nicole glanced up. “I know the town, I’ve been there.”

  Elizabeth sipped her coffee. “Some man noticed us, asked if we were from Croatia. When we said yes, he said the police department could assist us. He also told us about a camp, not too far away, for refugees. The police department arranged for us to stay at the camp until we got on our feet.”

  “That must have been quite an experience for two young women.”

  “You’re right. Within a year we lived in three different camps. Mostly we worked in cafeterias or did housekeeping. Many of the men worked in a local sawmill. Eventually my friend and I saved enough money to leave Italy.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “A farm in Washington state, where we culled sugar beets and picked corn.”

  “How did you get to San Diego?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “My aunt lived in Escondido, the north side of San Diego. My uncle needed some workers, so we went. That’s where I met John, my husband. Eventually my friend moved back to Washington. Some guy she met asked her to return, so she did.”

  “How long have you and John been married?”

  “Thirty-five years.”

  “Is your daughter your only child?”

  “No. We have two daughters, a son and two grandchildren.” Elizabeth studied the woman. “How about you, are you married?”

  “No. Not that fortunate. Never married or had kids. Once I was engaged, but he died in Vietnam, never got over him. No one could ever measure up.”

  “That’s too bad. I’m sorry he didn’t make it home for you. That had to be difficult.”

  “It was. But that’s life. We all have our stories, don’t we?”

  Elizabeth stood. “I need to get back, but I enjoyed meeting you. I’m glad you invited me. I needed to get my mind off things. So, thank you.”

  The woman smiled, nodded and picked up her coffee to take a sip.

  While walking back to her daughter’s room, she was glad she listened to her husband. She did feel lighter. When she returned, she noticed the smallness of Alisa’s space. The two green chairs barely fit. She walked toward the window and looked though the blinds at the ocean. The rain was subsiding. As she turned, she reached for the door to the small restroom with a toilet and sink. She glanced at John; he was stroking their daughter’s arm.

  Within a few minutes Elizabeth walked toward the bed and stood while going through her purse. She pulled out a brush. After running it through Alisa’s hair, she kissed her forehead and cheek and hummed “Amazing Grace,” her daughter’s favorite worship song.

  A skinny, dark-haired nurse abruptly came into the room and started checking Alisa’s vital signs. She replaced the I.V. bag, but didn’t show signs of social grace. She moved quickly to complete her tasks, and walked to the door to leave.

  “Been on duty long?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Since eight o’clock.” She, then, quickly spun around. “Any changes or concerns, please notify me.” She pointed to a board that had her name and phone extension, and left.

  Chapter Seventeen

  With Carry’s stomach in knots, she heard the phone ring and hoped it was Steven with some news. But, instead, it was her brother saying, “Hello.”

  “Oh. It’s you. Hi Stan, what’s up?”

  “I’m calling to invite you, Abigail and the children over for dinner. Can you find out what day works best for you and her?”

  “Stan. You need to be sitting.”

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay, Sis?”

  “I’m fine. But, something awful has happened. Alisa and David were in a car accident.”

  “What? Are they okay?

  “They were in Hawaii at the time. Their taxi rolled down an embankment and David didn’t make it. He died.”

  Silence was on the other end of the phone. When he caught his breath, he said, “My God, how’s Alisa holding up? Do the kids know? I can’t believe he’s dead.”

  “Stan, Alisa’s in a coma; she’s still in Hawaii.”

  As she listened to him take another deep breath, she said, “Are you okay?”

  “I’m in shock. I can’t believe this.”

  While they talked, she paced. “To make matters worse, we can’t reach Abigail to tell her and the children.”

  “So, they don’t know what’s going on? What do you mean you can’t find them? Why?” Stan asked.

  “She isn’t answering her home phone, and her car is parked at the yacht club with her cellphone. She might not be able to call.” Carry exhaled. “All we can do for now is pray for them.”

  “So, where do you think she is?”

  “She must be on someone’s yacht. Steven and I have been searching and asking questions, but so far, no one knows anything.”

  “Great!”

  “At this point, we’re very concerned.” Carry stopped pacing. “If Alisa doesn’t make it, those poor kids will become orphans.”

  “I know. I hope and pray Alisa will come out of it.”

  When the doorbell rang, she said, “Hold on. I need to get the door.” She placed the phone down, and tried to regroup from her feelings of sorrow. If it’s Steven, I don’t want him to see me this gloomy.

  After opening the door, Steven greeted her with a warm hug.

  “Thanks. I needed that. Come in. I’m on the phone with Stan. I told him about the accident. Give me a minute. I need to say goodbye.”

  When she returned to the phone, she felt a little better. “It’s Steven. We’re trying to figure out what to do next.” After a short conversation, she handed the phone to Steven. “He wants to talk to you.”

  After he took hold of it, he said, “Hi Stan, it’s been a long time.”

  Once the men started talking, she left to gather her things in the bedroom. After picking out a lightweight jacket, she sat on the bed. David’s death, Alisa’s coma, not being able to talk with Abigail -- it was all taking its toll.

  When she heard Steven laugh, she looked up, stood and walked into the living room. When she entered, he was saying goodbye. He placed the phone in its cradle.

  “What was so funny?”

  “You know your brother. He has a story or joke for every occasion.” Carry realized how different men are from women. They know how to keep things on the surface. At that moment, she liked the masculine ritual and decided to control her emotions, as well.

  As they left, Steven checked the front door lock. When he escorted her to his car, she realized it was a BMW. Earlier, she hadn’t paid much attention. While turning on the engine, he offered her a warm smile.

  How can he possibly be cheerful with a dead brother-in-law, a sister in a coma and Abigail and the kids missing? On their way to lunch, their conversation lacked depth. After Steven pulled into a parking space, he stopped, got out and came to open her door. When he saw the sadness in her eyes, he said, “You look awful. Are you okay?”

  “I’m sorry, Steven. After telling Stan the news, I started feeling incredibly sad. I’m worried about Abigail. She’s my best friend. It doesn’t seem possible to have this many bad things happen at once. I just feel overwhelmed right now.”

  Steven took her hand until she stood up and wrapped his arms around her. While her head rested on his shoulder, she wept. “That’s okay, let it out,” he said. Once she was composed, he moved his thumbs under her eyes and wiped her tears.

  “I’m so sorry, Steven. I should be comforting you. They’re your sisters.”

  “Don’t worry. I already had a good cry today. I even had to call Mom to cheer me up. As always, she did. I’ll tell you all about it later. But first, let me work on soothing you, okay? Are you up for lunch?”

  While nodding, she tried to put on a happier face and offered a smile.

>   “I’m glad you had a good cry,” he said. “When we hold things in, the burden gets too heavy.”

  When they reached the restaurant, a male host greeted them. Within minutes, they were seated in front of a window looking out at the bay. After reading through the menu, he glanced at her. “So, what’s going on with Stan? I haven’t seen him for a long while.”

  “He recently celebrated his thirteenth wedding anniversary. He has two sons Lisa and Danny’s age. He and his wife both work. Together, they were able to buy their first home, so I would say they’re doing well. But, like all of us, they have their moments.”

  “I’m glad for him. He’s a nice guy.”

  “When did you buy your car?” she asked. “It smells new.”

  “Four months ago.”

  “BMW, can you afford it? Your job must pay well.”

  “I sold my company a little bit ago.”

  “So, you no longer have a job?”

  “Actually I do, I’m a consultant for the investors who bought my company. I specialize in connecting Internet sites.

  “Why did you sell your business?”

  “I didn’t have a life. I worked seven days a week. I’m in my thirties and not married. I didn’t have time to meet a woman, let alone start a family.”

  “Any regrets selling your company?”

  “No. It was a good decision, and I got what I wanted -- my life back.”

  When the waitress arrived, he ordered a bottle of Chardonnay and water with lemon.

  “Thanks for taking me here. Anthony’s is one of my favorite places because it’s near the water, and I like eating fish.”

  She grinned after he said, “You’re welcome; I remembered you like this place.”

  “You said you talked to your mom -- how’s Alisa?”

  “No changes. She’s still in a coma, but her vitals are good. The doctor said no one knows when or if she might wake up. He said, ‘Everything medically is being done, so now it’s in God’s hands.’ Mother was relieved when he included God in the equation. Just hearing her voice lifted my spirits. She’s always so hopeful.”

  After ordering and receiving their food, Carry picked at her meal. “So, what do we do next?”