The trip to MICU would have been comical if not for Blayne’s pain. Pushing a wheelchair with one hand was not an easy task. Especially with someone as big as Blayne sitting in it.
In Mama C’s room, Blayne gripped her hand, tears rolling freely from his eyes. “Mama, please. Why are you just giving up?”
She’d given him the same spiel she’d given Kaylee—about wanting to be with her husband and son.
“It’s just my time,” she whispered, unable to speak any louder.
“But what about the others?” Blayne begged. “Hannah and Clint and DeMarcus. They need you.”
A faint smile crept onto Mama’s face and she laid a hand on Kaylee’s and squeezed Blayne’s. “They don’t need me anymore. They have you two now.”
Blayne looked up at Kaylee. The sorrow in his eyes almost too much to bear.
Mama C continued. “I want you two to send them home. Help them get home. Those children need their real mamas.” She turned her steel gaze to Blayne. “And you. It’s time for you to call your mama. You’re ready. Kaylee will be there for you.”
Kaylee’s parents took her to her apartment to change clothes and grab a toothbrush then they dropped her off at the hospital on their way to their hotel. She spent the night in the chair next to Blayne’s bed even though he protested, telling her to go home and sleep in her own bed. Neither of them got much sleep, Blayne’s pain kept them both up. Even with an ice pack and repositioning, the medication barely took the edge off.
The doctor rounded on him in the morning and said he could be discharged. Kaylee picked up his prescriptions and had her parents pick up a pair of jeans and a stretchy t-shirt for him. She really was glad they’d come. She didn’t know what she’d do without them since her car was still impounded as part of the investigation.
Kaylee’s parents sat in the waiting room, anxious to meet this man their daughter confessed to being in love with. She took the clothes in to him. He was sitting in a chair by the bed, his face still screwed up in a tight grimace. “Where did you get those?” he asked.
“My, um, my parents went and got them for you. They’re, uh, waiting out there to meet you.”
His eyes widened like a schoolboy caught cheating. “What am I going to say to them?”
“I don’t know. Hello, maybe?” She smiled.
“But I…I almost got you killed. They,” he swallowed, “aren’t they furious with me? Don’t they hate—”
Kaylee quieted him by kissing him softly. When she pulled away, she said, “They are excited to meet you. And very thankful that you saved my life.”
“Do that again.”
She turned her head and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
He attempted to smile. “Kiss me. I think that works better for the pain than the medication does.”
She laughed and shook her head. She bent over and he pulled her into his lap. They kissed with a gentle touch, their lips brushing softly against one another. Kaylee leaned in to deepen it, then pulled back. “Ouch.” She touched her swollen, split lip. “Better keep it soft for now.”
Before Blayne could protest, she was moving her lips across his again, only stopping when the door opened. “Oh, umm,” Kaylee struggled to stand. “We were just…”
The nurse smiled. “Oh, I know what you were just doing. Your discharge papers are signed. I see you have some clothes to change into.” She turned to Kaylee. “Do you want to help him change?”
Kaylee’s face flushed. “No. We aren’t…we haven’t…I mean. No. I’ll wait outside.” She chanced a glance at Blayne and blushed even harder at the glint in his eyes.
Laughing, the nurse said, “Okay, how about I help him with his pants, but you come back in so I can show you the easiest way to put his shirt on. It looks like you might need to know this for yourself, too.” She gestured at Kaylee’s sling.
“Yeah, okay.” Kaylee slipped out the door and tried to fan the redness out of her face and neck with her hand.
When the nurse called for her to come back in, Blayne’s face was pale and covered in sweat again. He leaned on the bed, panting. “Give me just a minute.”
Kaylee realized her mouth hung open, and she shut it. Blayne without a shirt—even pale, sweating Blayne with a big dressing on his chest, without a shirt—was astounding. How could someone who’d been homeless for three years, have such great abs? And pecs. And biceps. And everything. Kaylee shook her head and diverted her eyes. The nurse appeared to be amused by her gawking and Kaylee’s face blossomed into flames again.
“Okay,” Blayne breathed. “Let’s do this.” He looked up at Kaylee then at the nurse. “What?”
“Nothing,” they both said.
The nurse talked Kaylee through helping him put his shirt on, then the sling and swath. She went through the discharge instructions, including how to care for his wound and when to follow up, with both of them. Blayne signed the papers, and they were ready to go.
He hesitated at the door. “I’m a little nervous. About meeting your family.”
“Well, hopefully you can repay the favor soon, when I finally get to meet your parents.”
Blayne grunted.
They walked slowly, Blayne still weak from his near-death experience. The only reason the nurse hadn’t insisted on a wheelchair for his discharge was because they weren’t actually leaving the hospital. Kaylee’s family stood when they entered the waiting room. Her dad stepped forward and extended his hand. As they shook hands, he said, “Blayne, it’s so nice to meet you. My name is Clarence.” He paused and looked down. When he spoke again, he choked up. “Thank you for saving her life.”
Blayne replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” He glanced at Kaylee then back at her dad. “I would die to protect your daughter.”
Kaylee’s mom, crying, stepped between him and Clarence wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you,” she blubbered.
Blayne froze, looking flustered for a moment. Then he put his right arm around her and let her cry, not pulling away until she did, his own eyes filled with tears.
Kaylee’s mom wiped her face and cleared her throat. “I’m Linda. And you are every bit as handsome as Kaylee said you were.”
“Mom!” Kaylee, of course, blushed.
“Well, he is.” Linda winked at Blayne.
“Hey, guys,” Luke said, stepping into the circle. “I think we should let these two sit down. Blayne looks pretty pale.” He looked at Blayne. “I’m Luke. The awesome little brother.”
“Nice to meet you, Luke,” Blayne said. “And, from everything your sister has told me about you, you truly are awesome. And a bit spoiled.”
Luke smirked and shrugged. “What can I say? Some people deserve to be spoiled.” He took Blayne by the right arm and led him toward a chair. “Now sit down before you fall down.”
Sweat sprung out on Blayne’s forehead and upper lip again as he gingerly sat.
Linda, concern etched into the creases in her face, said, “Are you sure they didn’t release you too soon?”
Blayne looked at Kaylee and nodded, giving her permission to speak for him.
She laid her hand on his knee. “Blayne is having a hard time with pain control. He’s a recovering drug addict and refuses to take narcotics.”
Luke was first to speak. “Wow, dude, that’s badass.”
“Luke! Language,” Linda said. “But, indeed, that is badass.”
Everyone laughed.
“That takes a lot of grit, young man,” Clarence said. “I don’t know that I’d be able to do that. Even with the strong stuff, I was a huge baby after my ankle surgery.”
Kaylee’s mom nodded.
“You guys…you aren’t gonna judge me?” Blayne said in wonder.
“No, son,” Kaylee’s dad said softly. “We all have things we’d rather not remember from our past. It’s what you do from here on that matters.”
Blayne shook his head. “But my past life got your daughter kidnapped. She could have been killed because of me.
”
Clarence scooted his chair, positioning it directly in front of Blayne. He leaned in, his gaze never leaving Blayne’s eyes. “You can’t control the actions of others, Blayne, just your own. And your actions were heroic.”
“Your family is amazing,” Blayne said.
“Yeah, they really are.” Kaylee smiled even though she was struggling to push the wheelchair she’d “borrowed” to get Blayne to Mama C’s room.
Mama C had been moved to a hospice room on the regular medical floor. She’d refused all treatment, including antibiotics, fluids, and breathing treatments. She was only allowing oxygen, the nurse had told them, because she wanted to be alert for their visit.
As hard as it was, they had agreed to each other that they would honor Mama C’s wishes and vowed that neither of them would leave her side until it was over.
The room was larger and much quieter than her room in the MICU had been. Kaylee parked Blayne on one side of the bed and she went to the other side.
Mama C started right in. “I want you two to do me a favor.”
“Of course,” Kaylee answered.
“I wanna see the others. The kids. Before I go.”
Just saying those few words seemed to take all she had. She closed her eyes, her chest rattled with each laborious breath she drew.
Kaylee and Blayne looked at each other over her bed, her shell of a body. Neither of them wanted to leave her side, but they’d known this request was coming. They’d talked about it that morning. Kaylee whispered, “I’ll call Allie.”
Blayne nodded.
She took her phone over by the window and Facetimed her friend. “Allie,” she said, making sure the camera was positioned to catch the movement of her lips. “I have a huge favor to ask of you.”
Allie rolled her eyes. “It seems like there have been a lot of those lately. Ask away.”
Kaylee explained the situation and asked Allie if she would drive down to the viaduct and see if the three kids were there. She’d met them when Max had gone down to examine Mama C, and they should all be able to recognize her. If any of them were there, Allie would bring them to the hospital. If not, she would call back. Allie agreed, not even ending with a smart-aleck remark.
Sighing, Kaylee went back to Mama C’s bedside and laid her hand on the woman’s arm. Blayne looked up at her expectantly and she nodded, lips pursed against her emotions.
“Mama?” Kaylee said. “I have someone who’d like to talk to you on the phone.”
Sick as she was, Mama C was still able to open her eyes and give a look that made Kaylee’s knees quake. “And who might that be?”
“Don’t be mad at me, please,” Kaylee pleaded. “But I got in contact with your old friends in New York. Beth wants to talk to you.”
“Beth?” Mama C whispered. A tear struggled crookedly down her cheek, following the lines of wrinkles.
Kaylee nodded and called Beth’s number. As it rang, she held the phone to Mama’s ear.
“Oh Beth,” Mama croaked out, “it’s been so long.” A weak cough followed her inhalation of breath.
The only other words Mama spoke during the call were, “I’m sorry. I was so broken…am so broken.”
An hour passed before Kaylee’s phone buzzed with Allie’s text: On our way. Mama C hadn’t even opened her eyes again during that time. All Kaylee and Blayne could do was look at each other hopelessly.
Allie knocked before entering, then went straight to where Kaylee sat next to the bed and put her hands on her friend’s shoulders. DeMarcus, Hannah, and Clint followed her in, more subdued than Kaylee had ever seen them. Dirty tear streaks painted Hannah’s face like rain running down a grimy window. Kaylee moved out of the way and the three of them stood together across from Blayne, looking down at Mama C.
Blayne touched her face and said, “Mama, they’re here.”
She opened her eyes and looked first at him, then at the three devastated teens. Her cracked lips attempted a smile.
Hannah sobbed, “Mama, we didn’t know where you went. We went to try to find Blayne, and you were gone when we got back.”
Mama C moved her hand toward the girl, too weak to lift it.
“Hold her hand, Hannah,” Blayne said in a library tone. Or a funeral tone.
She did, still sobbing.
“It’s okay child. My turn to talk.” She closed her eyes and struggled against her diseased lungs to draw in enough breath to continue. “You all,” she looked at each of them in turn, “need to go home. Home to your real mamas.”
DeMarcus shook his head and wiped his face with the back of his hands.
Mama pinned him with a look. “You have family. Go to them.”
She closed her eyes again. This time it took her much longer to get enough breath. “Kaylee, tell them.”
Kaylee glanced at Blayne, and he nodded. She took a breath before speaking. “Blayne and I will help you contact your families.”
DeMarcus shook his head again and cleared his throat.
Kaylee continued before he could speak. “DeMarcus, you don’t have to go back to your dad. Who else could you go to, to get you off the streets?”
He looked down, his face twisted with anguish. “My nana. She’ll take me in.”
“Why didn’t you just go to her to begin with?” Blayne asked.
The young boy shrugged. “I didn’t want her to have to deal with my dad. She doesn’t need that.”
“That’s her choice to make, Dee,” Blayne said.
They talked quietly about who each of them could call and left Kaylee with a small list of numbers to find. Allie hugged her before leaving to take the kids to the shelter, where Blayne and Kaylee promised to find them after Mama passed.
The last thing Mama C said to them was, “Take care of each other. Don’t let Blayne get in trouble, college girl. Love wins. Love always wins.” She closed her eyes then, only to open them one last time around two in the morning as she drew her last breath. She stared at the foot of her bed, a look of joyous recognition on her face. She reached a hand up, then dropped it, closing her eyes with a smile.
The sun shone from a clear sky. Spring was close; Kaylee could smell it in the air. Blayne held tight to her hand, chewing at the inside of his cheeks.
In an attempt to calm his anxiety, she stopped walking and pulled him around to face her. She cupped his face and smiled when his ocean-blue eyes locked on hers. Then she kissed him as if no one else existed on the busy sidewalk. The short kiss lit a fire in her belly, and when she pulled away, Blayne’s eyes remained closed. He pulled her close and sighed.
When he released her and grabbed her hand again, she said, “Ready?”
He nodded.
They entered the restaurant and looked around. A young girl, around ten-years-old, bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. As soon as she spotted Blayne, she squealed and rushed to him, skidding to a stop and throwing her arms around him. She choked out, “Blayne.” And then she cried as he held her close. Blayne had opened up to Kaylee just recently about what had caused him to leave home. He’d told her before that he’d almost killed his little sister, but no specifics. In a rough voice and with moist eyes he’d recounted the events: he’d had several sheets of stickers laced with hallucinogenic drugs sitting on his nightstand in anticipation of a rave he was planning to sneak out to that night. Seven-year-old Lizzy had found them and plastered about six of them on her bare arms before he caught her. She’d almost died on the way to the ER, then twice again before they could get her stabilized. He’d left that next morning, after news that she would be okay.
Kaylee stepped out of the way as his parents closed in, embracing both of their children for the first time in years.
“Kaylee, get over here,” his dad’s voice was gruff as he opened the embrace to invite her in.
“Uh, your table is ready,” the hostess said. Kaylee could tell she didn’t want to interrupt, but there were people waiting behind them.
The group followed her
, winding through the restaurant. Blayne kept his arm around his sister’s shoulders. He ruffled her hair. “Lizzy, you’ve grown.”
“Yeah. That happens in three years.” She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face beamed like sunshine at noon on the Fourth of July.
They’d all spoken on the phone multiple times since Mama C’s death, but this was the first time Blayne’s family had been able to come to Denver. After they finished eating, they sat around the table, talking.
“How’s your job going?” Blayne’s mom asked him.
“Great. I love it. Kelly, she’s the supervisor, had me helping her with paperwork and stuff while my collarbone healed, and she said I’d make a great project manager some day. So, the company is going to pay for me to take some online classes.” Blayne’s eyes sparkled.
“And, what about you Kaylee? What are your plans after graduation?”
Blayne squeezed her hand and looked down at her with a smile.
“Oh, I have a job lined up at one of the Denver area homeless shelters. I’m going to help get people, young people in particular, off the streets.”
Blayne added, “She already has all the paperwork in to start a charity fund called ‘Mama C’s Kids’—the owners of the local sports teams and some of the players have already pledged huge amounts of money to get it started.”
“That’s amazing.” Blayne’s mom teared up again. “Though I expect nothing less from you, Kaylee.”
“Thank you. It’s important to me.” She glanced up at Blayne.
“The big question is,” his dad said, “what’s the plan with you two?”
“I think the plan should be marriage,” Lizzy piped up. “Can I be a bridesmaid?”
And of course, heat rose up Kaylee’s neck and face.
Blayne just laughed and put his arm around Kaylee, pulling her closer to his side. “Yes, Lizzy, I’m sure Kaylee will let you be a bridesmaid when the time comes.”
Holli Anderson has a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing—which has nothing to do with writing, except maybe by adding some pretty descriptive injury and vomit scenes to her books. She discovered her joy of writing during a very trying period in her life when escaping into make-believe saved her. She enjoys reading any book she gets her hands on.
Under the Viaduct Page 19