All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language, please exit now.
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"ALL MY TOMORROWS"
Copyright Ritchris 2005
sequel to "As I Remember Him"
A story by
Ritch Christopher
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"I really don't know what happened. I was only braking slightly as I came down the slope of the highway. I didn't see any oily or slippery spots on the pavement as I reached the bottom. Then I started up the next incline...but all of a sudden, I could feel the back of my rig edging over to the right shoulder, as if my rear brakes had locked...then I knew I was going to jackknife and it happened so fast, there was nothing I could do but steer to the left to keep from capsizing...". This was the official statement made to the VHP by the driver of four-axle Peterbilt semi carrying frozen beef. The trailer had finally stopped perpendicular to the highway, thus blocking both southbound lanes.
As Luke's BMG came over the crest of the hill to start down, he was traveling 75 mph. He tried to avoid hitting the trailer by making a sharp right turn to go around it, but it was too late for such a move. Luke's car skidded and hit the back of the truck with the passenger side where David was sitting, then swerved ninety degrees to the left, causing the driver's seat to go beneath the trailer, decapitating Luke instantly. The airbags helped to save David, but they were no help in protecting Luke from the side collision. The force of the bag knocked the breath out of David, while thrusting his head backward on the top part of the passenger seat, rendering David unconscious.
It was nearly twenty minutes before the witness' call got a response of the investigating VHP officers and another five minutes for the paramedics to arrive. The EMT's saw there was nothing they could do that would benefit the driver, Luke, so they focused on saving David's life. The truck driver suffered no injuries at all.
Carefully, David was removed from the wrecked BMG and was sped off back to UVA Hospital emergency room. A second ambulance took Luke's body at a slower speed to pronounce him dead officially. The head nurse in the hospital triage found David's wallet in the pants which the EMT's had cut from his body at the scene of the accident. His driver's license listed David's River Oaks address. Calling information for a Stanley residence in River Oaks gave them Neil's telephone number which the nurse promptly called. Neil was home and answered the phone.
"Hello?" Neil said.
"Pardon me, but is this the residence of David Stanley?"
"No, I'm sorry," Neil replied. "There's no one here by that name."
"No David Stanley?"
"I said there wasn't and there ISN'T," Neil said, rather gruffly.
"Thank you, sir. I apologize for reaching the wrong telephone number," the nurse said, puzzled, as she put the phone back into the cradle.
David, in the meanwhile, was undergoing all kinds of x-rays and intensive examinations to reveal the extent of his injuries. David was still unconscious, either from shock or trauma. The nurse looked further into David's wallet and found no next of kin or any other forms of identification except his UVA student ID card. Next she called the UVA main office to see if David was still enrolled as a student and the student secretary gave the nurse the telephone number of David's dorm...where she learned a few minutes later that David had moved out of the dorm only a few hours earlier. Before hanging up, the nurse asked the dorm monitor if he had a listing of David's home phone number. The monitor gave the nurse the same number which she had reached only a few minutes ago. 'Why would anyone at David's house say he didn't live there?', she asked herself.
Finding no internal injuries and after completing a CTscan plus an MRI on David, he was transferred temporarily to the intensive care unit of the hospital until, if, and when he regained consciousness. Luke had been examined and taken to the hospital morgue until his next-of-kin could be reached. An attendant in the morgue had received the same strange answers from Luke's dad that Neil had given to the triage nurse. 'No, there's no one here by the name of Luke Sparks! I never heard of him!'.
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Six days passed and David was still in a coma. The coroner who was in custody of Luke's body, finally called the River Oaks police department, asking if some one from the ROPD would go to the Sparks residence to find out if the family was related to Luke, even though, over the phone, Luke's dad had denied knowing him. That left the coroner to decide what to do about Luke's remains.
One of the R.O. rookie police officers, Jerry Collins, had gone to high school with Luke and had known Luke, personally, as well a Luke's dad. Jerry had been to Luke's house several times when he and Luke were classmates. So Jerry's captain suggested that Jerry take a run over to the Sparks' to see what was going on? He could think of no reason why Andrew would deny knowing his own son and refusing to plan a funeral or providing a means of burying Luke. Probably if Luke's mother was still alive, she would have already made arrangements and Luke would be in the River Oaks cemetery.
Jerry was in his policeman's uniform when he rang the doorbell at the Sparks' house. The door had a glass window in it, covered by a white filmy see-through curtain. If Andrew hadn't seen the blue uniform, he might not have opened the door...but he did.
"Mr. Sparks?" Jerry said.
"Yes?"
"I'm Jerry Collins. You probably don't remember me but I used to come here to visit with Luke after school let out at River Oaks High."
"I'm sorry, officer, but I don't...I...I don't remember any of Luke's friends. To be honest, I didn't know he had any, except one whom I won't mention."
"Sir?"
"What can I do for you, officer?"
"Mr. Sparks...it's about your son, Luke."
"Apparently, you don't lend an ear to gossip, but I don't have a son named Luke any longer. I...I haven't seen him in a couple of years."
"Mr. Sparks, I'm not here to inquire about yours and Luke's relationship. I'm here at the request of the Charlottesville coroner to ask what you want done with Luke's body."
"Luke's dead?" Andrew asked. His facial expression didn't change.
"Yes, sir. I just assumed someone had contacted you about Luke and the traffic accident he was involved in?"
"You're saying that he was killed in an auto accident?"
"Yes, sir...almost a week ago."
"Well, apparently no one bothered to tell me anything."
"I'm very sorry to hear that, sir. I...I'm also sorry that it is I who has to break the news to you this way."
"No reason for you to be sorry. It wasn't your fault, I suppose...and very frankly, his being dead is no concern of mine."
"But surely, sir...Luke is or WAS your son. You must have some idea of what you'd like us to do with him."
"As far as I'm concerned, you can take his body to the butcher shop and have it cut up into little pieces and fed to the dogs."
"I'm sorry, sir, but that's illegal and against legal procedures."
"Well, I'm sure as hell not going to bury him or pay a single dime to have him put away. He's the millionaire with all the money. Go to the bank and use HIS money. I'll have nothing to do with it."
"Mr. Sparks, if you could make just one small suggestion... I mean, Luke could be buried in the cemetery here in River Oaks, or since you are his next of kin, you could give your written permission to have him cremated...or even have his body donated to the University Medical School. But SOME decision HAS to be made."
"In that case...just so long as I don't have to see him, if you or someone will bring me the papers to sign, I'll agree to have him cremated. He SHOULD burn. I have no doubt that his soul is already smoldering in hell."
Jerry was confused and almost afraid, as he had never seen hatred such as this, toward anyone...especially a father's hatred for his son. Jerry always knew that Luke was gay back in high school, but would Luke's homosexuality cause such a grudge from Luke's father? Sure not! And yet...?
"Mr. Sparks, if you're agreeable to have Luke cremated, I'll tell my captain and we'll see to it that someone brings you the approval document for the coroner."
"I've already told you that I agree to that."
"You..you don't wish to have a funeral or a memorial service?"
"HA! Why would I want a memorial service to remember Luke when I've spent all this time trying to forget he ever existed?"
"Yes, sir. I see your point, Mr. Sparks. I...I'll try to have the document back for you to sign as soon as possible."
"The sooner the better...and DON'T ask me what to do with his ashes! I could care less... just as long as they aren't scattered near me or near this house!"
"No, sir. I'll make sure that doesn't happen!"
"Is there anything else, officer?"
"No, Mr. Sparks. I think that will be all for now."
Jerry walked off the porch, got into his police car and drove away. Andrew went back into the house, closed the door behind him, while a single tear rolled down his right cheek.
Jerry had read the traffic report of Luke's accident and noticed that David Stanley was a passenger in Luke's car. Jerry didn't know David, but he DID know David's younger brother, Mark, who had been Luke's best friend. Mark had been at the Sparks' house when Jerry had visited Luke there. Jerry and Mark were friends...not good friends, but friendly class mates, just the same.
As Jerry drove away from Luke's house, he wondered if he shouldn't go by the Stanley residence to inquire if Mr. and Mrs. Stanley could tell him how well or poorly David was recovering in the UVA hospital. The Stanley house was only four or five blocks from the Sparks', so he headed his patrol car toward the Stanley's. Naively, Jerry had no idea that Neil Stanley had refused to talk with David's nurse about the accident...and Jerry CERTAINLY didn't know that Mark had died two weeks ago...or he might not have made the short journey.
Just as he had done at the Sparks' residence, Jerry parked his car in front of the Stanley's, got out, and slowly walked up the steps onto the front porch, and rang the doorbell. Jerry was relieved to see Mrs. Stanley, Mark and David's mother. It was as if he needed to talk with a woman and not be confronted by another father, who just might happen to have the same demeanor and attitude as Andrew had just displayed moments ago.
"Mrs. Stanley?" Jerry said.
"Yes?"
"I'm Officer Collins from the River Oaks police..."
"Yes?"
"I...well, I'm Jerry Collins and I went to school with your son, Mark."
"Well, how nice it is to meet one of Mark's friends."
"The reason I came by...I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by to ask how David is doing?"
"Oh, I'm sure he's busy with his classes at the University of Virginia. He's a senior this year."
"Yes, ma'am, but I was referring to how he's doing at the UVA hospital?"
"Oh, David's not in medicine. He's studying literature."
"I don't understand, Mrs. Stanley. I mean, has David recovered from his auto accident?"
As soon as Meg heard Jerry's words, she felt faint and staggered backward a couple of steps.
"David was in an automobile accident?"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Stanley, but didn't you know?"
"No, officer...I'm afraid no one has said a word to me about it. I had no idea!'
"I...I just assumed..."
"NO! Where did you say he was?"
"At the University of Virginia Hospital."
"Officer..."
"Please call me 'Jerry', Mrs. Stanley."
"...Jerry, how much can you tell me about the accident?"
"I...I only read the traffic report."
"Was anyone else involved? I mean, was anyone else hurt?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry to have to tell you, but the driver of the car in which David was riding was killed instantly."
"Oh, dear God!"
Jerry could see that Meg was sinking to the floor of the porch and stepped quickly forward to grab her to give her support.
"Here, Mrs. Stanley, let me help you to this rocker over here. I think you'd better sit down."
"Thank you, Jerry." Her face was pale.
Jerry eased her into the white painted rattan rocker, knelt by her side, and held her hand.
"That should be better," Jerry said to her.
"Jerry?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Did the report you read mention how badly David was hurt?"
"No, ma'am. It just said that he arrived at the triage in an unconscious state...which is pretty normal in auto collisions. I only assumed that you knew all about it and could tell me what you'd heard about David and how he was doing?"
"Jerry, I'm sorry, but I don't understand. How could David's name be on the traffic report and no one bothered to call here and let us know? I mean, surely he had some ID on him, otherwise you wouldn't have his name."
"You're a pretty good detective, Mrs. Stanley, but I'm afraid I don't have the answer to your question. It would seem LIKELY that someone from the UVA hospital would have called you, once David's ID had been discovered."
"I must look like the worst kind of mother to you, Jerry...but honestly, neither Neil nor I..." Meg stopped her sentence. 'DID NEIL KNOW?' she wondered. 'Was he so angry with David that he wouldn't go to David's side at the hospital?' She looked scared and turned to face Jerry. "Jerry, do you know who was driving the car?"
"Well, yes ma'am. It's a matter of public record, so I'm not really breaking a law to tell you who it was."
"It was Luke, wasn't it? Luke Sparks?"
Jerry tried to hide his surprised expression, "Yes, ma'am, it was..."
"Oh, my Lord!" Meg broke down and cried. Jerry leaned forward to nestle her head into his shoulder. Her weeping turned into loud sobs. Jerry held her close to him. A few minutes later, she caught her breath enough to ask, "Jerry, when did the accident happen and where?"
"It was a week ago. Luke was apparently driving from the university and was headed south on the freeway."
"Jerry, I MUST go see David at once! I MUST see my son!"
"Mrs. Stanley, would you like me to call your husband and maybe the two of you go together to see David?"
"FRANKLY, NO! I don't want you to say a word about this to Neil. I suspect he's known about it since it happened. I'm SURE the hospital must have called him and told him about David."
"I...I don't understand, Mrs. Stanley."
"I didn't myself...until just now. Suddenly, a lot of things seem clearer."
Jerry remained quiet. However much or little Meg wanted to tell him would be enough for Jerry, at least for now. He wouldn't pry. Jerry began to remember Andrew Spark's attitude and it occurred to him that perhaps Mr. Stanley felt the same way about his own son. Jerry knew Luke was gay. David was in the car with Luke...two parts of a logical equation...one equaling the other...David was gay, too? Did Andrew Sparks and Neil Stanley know about their sons and had this fact resolved itself into hatred from both fathers toward their sons? A lot of things were looking clearer to Jerry now, as well as to Mrs. Stanley.
"Jerry?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"I know this is asking a lot of you, but...is it at all possible for you to drive me to the UVA hospital to see David?"
"I don't know for sure, Mrs. Stanley. I could call my captain and give him a thumbnail description of the circumstances without going into..well, speculative details. I think he would let me...probably, if I agreed to drive my own car."
"Would you call him, then?"
"Yes, ma'am. Right away!"
Jerry called his captain on his cell phone to get permission to drive Meg to see David. The captain was talking on another line and asked Jerry to wait for a few seconds. Meg put on a bit of makeup, checked inside her purse, picked up a sweater, getting ready for the drive. While Jerry was waiting with his phone in hand, he looked at Meg and asked, "Oh, by the way, Mrs. Stanley, have you heard anything from Mark? Someone told me he left town to go live down South. Do you know how he's doing?"
Meg's face was already pale from hearing the news about David's accident, but Jerry's mentioning Mark suddenly brought back the horrible news David had related to her about her younger son. One son was dead; the other son might be dying. She WAS weak in the knees now, so much so that Meg collapsed on the floor about ten feet from Jerry. Jerry clicked disconnect on his phone and ran to her.
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Only after Jerry thought that Meg was recovered sufficiently and felt strong enough for the two-hour drive did he leave with her to take her to see David. Jerry's captain had been very sympathetic to Jerry's request to escort Meg to the UVA Hospital when Jerry had finally reached him by phone. Jerry first drove home to leave the squad car there and transfer the two of them to his own Toyota Camry.
During the trip, Jerry kept glancing at Meg every few minutes to check on her health. The poor woman was stressed out to the breaking point, Jerry observed...what with finding out about the dismal fate of her two sons. Apparently, Neil had offered little empathy or support to his wife. Jerry, not knowing the story behind this family skirmish, was puzzled by Neil's behavior. Why wouldn't a father want to go see his own son, lying in a coma in a hospital miles away from home? Aside from Luke, neither Jerry nor any of Mark's other friends ever knew why Mark had left home, but Jerry had put two and two together and surmised that it might have had something to do with Luke's homosexuality.
In high school, when Mark, Luke, Jerry, and a few more male friends got together, it was just a meeting of young males bonding normally, playing sports, cards, video games. If Luke WAS gay, Jerry often wondered how a guy could be that way without a partner? With the exception of the close friendship displayed between Luke and Mark, there were no other guys in their high school that Jerry would even suspect of being a 'homo'.
River Oaks High was a very conservative school with very conservative students who were reared very conservatively by very conservative parents. The idea of ANY River Oaks student being gay? Unthinkable! As for the female students, the word 'lesbian' wasn't even in their vocabulary. BUT the biggest question haunting Jerry was, 'what was David doing in the same car with Luke? How had they 'hooked up'? Luke had an extremely expensive condominium in River Oaks, but David should have been in class at UVA. The whole town knew of David and Jenny's engagement. Why in the world wouldn't Jenny have called David's mother about him being in the hospital? Could it be that Jenny didn't know either? Just what in hell was going on? Granted, Jerry might have only been an R.O. policeman, but his detective instincts were suddenly on overdrive with a million unanswered questions.
Jerry had installed satellite XM radio in his car. He tuned in channel #73 called, 'Frank's Place', a station with songs by 'Frank' himself, Frank Sinatra, as well as a number of other singers such as Mel Tormé, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, along with a few less familiar voices...all which David thought might relax Meg and help soothe her nerves to change her demeanor. As he turned on the radio, Vic Damone was finishing, 'An Affair To Remember'. This was followed by a song by Nancy LaMott, according to the running digital title on the tuner. She sang a song which Jerry didn't know, a song entitled, 'As I Remember Him'.
The lyrics were haunting and Jerry was suddenly afraid Meg might suffer a melancholic relapse by listening to the words. Jerry reached for his remote control to change to a different channel, but Meg stopped him.
"No, Jerry, please...I want to hear this, if you don't mind...?" Meg said.
Jerry, himself, almost choked up when Nancy sang,
"As I remember him, he was a loving man.
I knew it well because, where he was, life began.
And if you knew him, you would understand just why.
As I remember him, I cry.
And though I loved the boy for such a little while,
It was so wonderful.
It was so beautiful.
As I remember him, I smile."
"That was lovely," Meg said. "Didn't you think so?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jerry replied.
"It's just like she sang, 'I loved the boy for such a little while'. That's how I felt about Mark when he left. He lived at home for sixteen years and then he was gone. I only knew him for a little while. I never saw him grow up to become a man."
"Mrs. Stanley, please tell me to shut up if I'm prying, but didn't Mark ever write, didn't he ever call you after he left town?"
"No, Jerry, I never heard another word from him until David came home a few days ago and told me Mark was dead."
"Again, don't let me get too personal, but was his passing accidental or was he sick?"
"He was sick, Jerry."
Jerry wanted his next question to be, 'Did he have AIDS?', but he refrained, saying only, 'Was he sick long...I mean, did he have cancer or something?"
"Hepatitis C."
Jerry was almost relieved by her reply. A fellow police officer's wife had also died from Hepatitis C and her death from the disease was not sex related. "I've heard that that can be very painful."
"I...I read up on the disease this week and it usually causes sclerosis of the liver before the organ just shuts down," Meg replied.
"And none of you ever knew?"
"No, Jerry."
"Knowing Mark as I did in high school, I can see why he wouldn't call to upset you. Mark was a very caring person, but always toward other people. He was not self-centered and always kept whatever was bothering him to himself."
"Jerry?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"You KNEW about Mark and Luke, didn't you?"
"Not really, Mrs. Stanley...just rumors after Mark disappeared and Luke went away to a military academy."
"I...I'm afraid most of the rumors were true, Jerry. Had I known that Mark was homosexual, I might have taken a stronger stand in his defense against Neil, my husband. It's true. Neil DID find Mark and Luke in bed together in Mark's bedroom. Neil was so belligerent, he hardly gave Mark time to pack his clothes before throwing him out of the house."
"I suppose that's why Luke was sent to a military school...?"
"Oh, yes, Luke's dad and Neil have the same attitude toward gay people. All of them are abominations, according to the two of them."
Since Meg had brought up the topic of discussion, Jerry felt a bit freer to ask a few pertinent questions. "How did David react when he learned what had happened between Mark and his dad?"
"David didn't know a thing until he came home from school for a visit, almost a month later. At first, David was just like Neil and me. He was shocked to learn about Mark's sexual behavior, but he became angry when he learned that Mark had been ordered out of the house. He spent hours and days on the telephone trying to find Mark. I was fearful for David, running up the phone bill like that, because when Neil found out what David was doing, he put a stop to David's calling anywhere long-distance."
"David and Jenny ARE still engaged, aren't they, Mrs. Stanley?"
"Jerry, you're doing me such a nice favor, I wish you would call me 'Meg'."
"Sorry, ma'am, I will."
"I...I'm afraid David and Jenny have broken off their engagement."
"Oh?"
"Yes, when David came by the house to tell us about Mark, he was acting very strange. He seemed almost in some kind of a trance, as if he had been hypnotized. He...he had spent a week in Atlanta, seeing about Mark's burial preparations and meeting lots of Mark's friends. I...I don't know what happened down there...whether someone gave drugs to David...or brainwashed him the way those religious cults do...but...but David announced that he was gay now. He even said that he and Luke were...well, a couple."
"No way! I don't believe David is gay...and certainly not that he and Luke would ever..."
"I didn't believe it either. I even called Jenny at the university and told her to do all she could to change David back to the way he's always been."
"You think Jenny talked with him?"
"I don't know. I haven't heard from her. It's just that when you said that David was riding in the car with Luke...OH, DEAR GOD! What on earth could have happened? That's why I've simply got to go see David to help him recover, and also to find answers to a number of questions. First of all, I pray to God that he's going to be all right. Then, when he's ready, I'm sure he'll make everything clearer."
"Yes, ma'am, I hope so."
Jerry's mind was racing faster than his car on the Interstate. David gay? David and Luke, a couple? NO WAY!
Their conversation subsided and Meg dropped off to sleep, resting her head on the headrest while listening to Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby. She slept until Jerry drove into the parking lot of the hospital when he touched her gently to awaken her.
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For the first time in almost a week, something good had happened to Meg. When she came to David's bedside, followed closely by Jerry, she found out that David had just revived from his unconsciousness and was talking weakly to his nurse. The nurse had removed David's oxygen mask. His head was bandaged in a white turban. There were several butterfly sutures on his forehead, cheeks, and nose. Slowly, David turned his head and eyes toward the door to see his mother standing there and he managed to smile, slightly.
"Hi, Mom..." David uttered. His mouth was dry and sticky saliva tried to seal his lips when he spoke.
"Oh, David..." Meg said, walking fast to his bed while her eyes filled with tears. "David...are you all right, son?"
"Right now, I...I don't know, Mom! I have one heck of a headache."
Meg looked at the nurse, "Is my son going to be all right?"
"Yes, ma'am," the nurse replied. "Now that he's awake, we can take even better care of him. He needs some real food and plenty of rest, but I think, we'll have him back to normal in no time at all now."
David turned his head to face the nurse, "That's a rather unusual, vague word...'normal'? Just what does that mean? 'Normal' like I used to be or 'normal', the way I'm going to be from now on?"
"I was referring to your health, Mr. Stanley. 'Normal' in the sense that your vital signs are in a normal range."
David looked past his mother and saw Jerry standing in the doorway.
"My God, Mom! Did you have to get a police escort for Dad to let you come see me?"
"No, David, that's Jerry Collins, an old classmate of Mark's at River Oaks High. He's a policeman now. Don't you remember him coming over to the house with Mark's friends?"
"Vaguely," David said. "Hello, Jerry. Did you drive my mother here?"
"Yes, David, I did."
"Couldn't get the old man to bring you, could you, Mom?"
"He...he doesn't know you're here..or that I am. I asked Jerry if he would drive me here and he kindly complied."
"Have you had a chance to check up on Luke? I'm sure he must be on the same floor I'm on," David said.
Meg and Jerry froze, while the nurse tried to give them a silent indication not to tell David about Luke, just yet.
"No, son..." Meg said, softly. "I...I haven't seen Luke in several years. I doubt if I would recognize him...I'm sure he wouldn't recognize me," she replied bravely.
"Well, I'm sure as hell his dad won't come by to visit him, so please go by and see how he is after you leave here."
"I will, David."
Jerry spoke up, "David, do you remember anything at all about your accident?"
"No, I just remember seeing this huge tractor-trailer truck blocking the whole highway when we came over that hill. Luke did all he could to stop his car, but...I don't think Luke's car turned over, but I remember it spinning around a couple of times...and then...well, I guess that's when I hit my head and blacked out. The next thing I saw was Nurse Nightingale here, shooting one of those ear thermometers at me."
The nurse laughed..."It's Nurse Mitchell, Mr. Stanley. I'm Julie Mitchell, not Nurse Nightingale."
"Well, regardless, you're a looker...and quite a pleasant sight to behold when one wakes up. You said I've been here almost a week?"
"Just about," Julie replied.
"Do you know if my friend, Luke, has tried to visit me?"
"Well, actually, no. I don't think you're friend is on this floor."
"The lucky son-of-a-gun is probably driving everyone crazy trying to get out of here...just like I want to. Julie, could you check on Luke Sparks and tell me how he's doing and where they're holding him? I WOULD like to see him."
"I'll see what I can do, Mr. Stanley." She, Meg, and Jerry, all three knew to keep Luke's death a secret until, perhaps, David's doctor thought it was all right for David to learn the truth.
"Julie, if I'm gonna call you by your first name, the least you can do is call me 'David'. I think that's my name...isn't it, Mom?"
"Yes, David, there is only ONE David Stanley in River Oaks and I'm quite sure you're the only David Stanley in this hospital." Smiling to cover her confusion, she quietly left the room.
"Well, at least I know my own name! That proves my mind is still working. Jerry, could you come closer so I can get a better look at you?"
"Sure, David."
Jerry walked around to the side of the bed where the nurse had been standing.
"Golly! I DO remember you!" David exclaimed. You always wore those knee-high calypso pants and your blonde hair was combed down over your forehead. Didn't you have one of those rings pierced through your eyebrow?"
Jerry chuckled, "I did when I wasn't around my dad. He would have freaked out if he had seen it."
"I'll bet you have a tattoo somewhere too, don't you?"
"Actually, I do...but I'm afraid I can't show it to anyone in public. I even keep it hid when I have to change from my civvies into my uniform at the police station."
"Naked lady?"
"No, just in a very naked spot on my body!"
David managed to laugh.
"Well, good for you! I like to see someone who's not afraid to do what he likes without needing his dad's approval," David said. "Are you married? Kids?"
"No, not even close!"
"Close your ears, Mom! Don't tell me that you're a gay policeman on the R.O. force!"
Jerry laughed. "No, not hardly. I'm not gay either. It's just that I'm mostly on the three-to-eleven shift and work weekends, which doesn't lend well to my social life or finding the right girl."
"Mom, was Dad there when you heard about me being in the hospital?"
"No, David, I asked Jerry to bring me here before Neil got home from work. I didn't even leave him a note."
"Boy, won't he be surprised when he gets home to find out that you're not there to bow down and kiss his ass."
"DAVID!" Meg, said loudly, while being embarrassed.
"Well, you DO! I'm proud of you. It shows you're getting enough spunk to defy him the way Mark and I did."
"David, he still IS your father!"
"Tell that to him. He doesn't think of me as his son any longer. He hadn't thought of Mark being his son for several years!" Suddenly, a thought occurred to David. "Jerry, I need you to act as a policeman and see if you can find out what became of my luggage after the accident. I had three large suitcases and a small one which resembles a woman's makeup case. I don't want to shock you, but Mark's ashes are inside the little one. Would you scout around and see if you can find it?"
"I'll try to contact the VHP and if I get no answer, I'll get my captain to make a few phone calls. Don't worry! We'll find it."
"Thanks. Luke and I were going to scatter Mark's ashes after we got home...before the truck got in our way."
David's last remark made Meg begin to cry once again.
"Mom, please don't cry. You made the trip up here from River Oaks and now that you've seen me and I'm alive, there's no reason for tears."
"I'm sorry, David...it's just that so much has happened..."
"I know...and you should be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I know I would be. Jerry, could you drop by and check on Mom once in awhile until I get back on my feet?"
"I'll be happy to, David."
"You remember Luke, don't you?"
"Almost as well as I knew Mark. There was a whole bunch of us guys who hung out together. Luke was probably the smartest of all of us."
"He still is smart! He's taught me about everything I never knew about in just one week. I just hope he didn't get a head injury worse than mine."
Meg had been as brave as possible, but David's talking about Luke was just too much for her and she broke into tears. Jerry left the right hand side of David's bed and walked around to put his arms around Meg and held her tightly. With this sudden action, David became suspicious and a look of fear came across his face.
"MOM! JERRY! Is there something you're keeping from me? Is Luke all right? Is there something you don't want to tell me?
Meg's sobs became more audible.
"OH, MY GOD, NO! IS LUKE DEAD?" David shouted.
There was no response from Meg or Jerry. The two avoided looking at David.
"OH, DEAR JESUS IN HEAVEN!" David screamed.
Jerry was torn over what to do. He couldn't let go of Meg, so he reached out his hand toward David and took David's hand and squeezed it while keeping Meg's face buried into his waist.
David burst into tears and kept repeating, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"
Nurse Mitchell came hurrying back into the room. It only took her two seconds to assess the situation. She ran to David's side to comfort him, but mainly to keep his head in place on the pillow from creating further damage to his concussion. With her free hand, she pushed the 'call button' beside David's bed to get more staff to assist her.
Two nurses' aides rushed in and on Nurse Mitchell's hand signal, gently ushered Meg out of David's room into an anteroom next door and laid her on a couch. Jerry was still holding onto David's hand and he leaned forward to help the nurse keep David's position steady. Jerry was only human. He was crying, as well.
"Take it easy, David," Jerry said. "Don't try to move, please."
"Oh, God, Jerry, please tell me Luke's not dead! PLEASE!"
"I'm sorry, David..."
"What the fuck am I gonna do without him? I...I loved Luke! Did you know that, Jerry? I LOVED HIM!"
"Yes, David, I know...and I'm so terribly, sorry..."
"OH, GOD! JERRY! Can you just hold me? Just lay down beside me and hold me! I need to be held!"
Jerry looked at the nurse and she nodded her approval. It was awkward, but Jerry managed to lie down next to David, while keeping David's head erect, but somehow, the two managed an embrace. David was crying on Jerry's shoulder and for the first time in his life, Jerry had a man in his arms.
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(To be continued in "All My Tomorrows"--chapter four.)