Book 1-Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

Continue Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

                                                                                       Chapter 9

                                                                                     Case Closed

     When the group of family and friends reached the waiting area, which was conveniently located directly across the hall from Alex's room, Max and Janeen went first to the nurses station to ask if the " two people in a room" rule could be bent a little, so to allow Lyn to come with her parents to see her brother.  The nurse smiled sympathetically and said she could.

     Alex's other visitors made themselves comfortable in the waiting area while Alex's parents and sister walked hand in hand into room 201.  Alex was sitting in an elevated position when his guests entered.  He grinned widely at them as they stepped up to his beside.  Lyn immediately eyed his arm and leg cast, shook her head at him and said, "Boy!  You really did it this time."  Her parents couldn't help but laugh and so did Alex.

     "Well, that sums up the whole thing nicely, doesn't it?"  Alex said with a grin at his sister.  "Can I sign them?"  Lyn asked eagerly, pointing at his casts.  "Sure," he said, looking at his father who was already looking for a pen.  While Lyn was busy signing Alex's  casts, his mother pulled a chair up to his bedside.

     "How do you feel dear?"   "I feel pretty good.  Whatever pain med they have me hook up to really works."  He said looking up at his I.V. unit.  "Your fan club is waiting to see you."  His father said with a wink.  Alex smiled a sudden sleepy smile.  "We're going to go honey.  The nurse said we should only stay for a few minutes at a time. You need your rest."

     Lyn handed the pen back to her father and gave her brother a toothy grin.  "Remember.  Do what the nurses tell you to do."  "I will Linney."  Alex said, with a small wave at her.  His mother blew him a kiss and she and Lyn walked out of the room.

     Max bent down and brushed a tress of hair off of his son's brow, and whispered, "Lee retrieved your board.  But don't tell mom."  Alex grinned his crooked grin. "I won't....and Dad, I love you."  Max choked back a tear and said, "I love you too son," he said, patting Alex's shoulder, then walking swiftly to the door.  He paused there to look at his son again.  Alex smiled and gave him a feeble wave.  Then his father left and closed the door.

     As Alex lay in his bed, the events of the day ran through his brain like a slow motion film; the short thrill, the pain, the sounds of sirens and the nearness off family and friends.  "I'll bet Mom blames herself for all of this because she and Dad gave me that board."  He said softly.  "You know the first sign of losing your marbles is talking to yourself,"  Alex heard a voice say.  When he opened his eyes he saw Lee standing beside his bed, his sly grin in place; Fletch, Dawn and Glenna stood around him.

     "You would know."  Alex said, grinning up at his friend.  Alex's sleepiness was temporarily gone.  Dawn pulled up the same chair Janeen had used and placed it at Alex's bedside.  The others stood around her.  "I was so worried about you," she said, her eyes streaming again.  "He's going to be okay Dawn.  He's already sounding like his old self again."  Fletch assured her.

     "By the way, you'll never believe who's out there waiting to see you."  Lee told him.  "Who?" Alex said, now sleepy again.  "Mr. Wells."  Lee said nodding and smirking.  "Then my being alive isn't the only miracle that happened today."  Alex said with a small chuckle.  "Yeah.  I mean he's changed a lot for the good and all, but this is on another level, huh?"  Fletch said.

     "I think it's lovely."  Glenna said, dabbing at her cheeks with a tissue she drew from the pocket of her jeans.  Lee rolled is eyes at her, but Glenna didn't notice.  Both Alex and Fletch chuckled softly that Lee's eye rolling was a wasted effort. 

     Lee was eyeing Alex's casts as Lyn had done.  "May I?"  He asked, taking a pen from his shirt pocket.  "Be my guest."  Alex said with a wave of his hand.

     "By the way, Matt, Sam and Nick are coming by later to see ya."  Fletch told Alex.  Alex just nodded.  Then he added, "Hey Fletch, I don't want to hear anymore of that, it should've been me stuff.  Okay?"  "Okay."  Fletch agreed.  "Your dad set me straight on that," he admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Yeah.  Dad's good at that,"  Alex said, closing his eyes.  Dawn immediately stood up.  "We'd better go now and let you rest," she said leaning over the bed and placing a kiss on his cheek.  Glenna took her turn.  Alex opened his eyes and smiled at them. Then the girls hurried to door and left.  But Lee and Fletch stayed a minute more looking down at their friend.  "Hey guys, thanks for everything,"  Alex mumbled.  "You're welcome."  Fletch and Lee said in unison.  But Alex didn't hear them; he was suddenly fast asleep.

     When Lee and Fletch got back to the waiting room Lee told Mr. Wells, Mrs. Books, Scarlet and Mr. Bern that it looked like Alex was out for the night.  Alex said that he and the others would see him tomorrow.  Then after saying goodbye, Mr. Wells, Mrs. Books, Scarlet and Mr. Bern left.  Dawn, Fletch and Lee were riding back with Alex's parents.  Janeen asked them to wait while she checked on her son one more time.

     She slipped quietly into his room so as not to wake him, leaned over his bed and placed a kiss on his forehead.  Before leaving, she whispered in his ear, "Don't ever give me a problem about wearing your helmet again."