Fragile Hearts

18: More Hospital Visits

For the next few days, Tyce picks me up every evening to visit Lucy. I meet her mother, Dotty Arnez, who gives me a big hug. She says, "Lucy talks nonstop about you. I'm so happy the two of you became friends."

Lucy's mother could pass for her sister, that's how young she looks. Mrs. Arnez confides to me and Tyce, "I have to tell you, I'm not surprised that Lucy has done this. My daughter's heart is as big as the universe. As a child, she rescued so many animals I actually thought about creating a charity foundation. Thankfully, we were able to find homes for most of them and kept the rest." She fingers a tear. "Yep, when the good Lord passed out hearts, my little girl got the biggest one."

The next day Lucy is discharged and it's also the day Kaylee is allowed visitors for the first time. We wave goodbye to Mrs. Arnez and Lucy as they pull away from the curb, and then reenter the hospital to take the elevator to Kaylee's floor. We're told she's been transferred to the second floor. We hurry to her new room. Outside Kaylee's door, I pause to compose myself. I don't know what to expect. Tyce reaches for my hand and together we enter her room.

Kaylee is hooked up to an IV and a machine monitors her vitals. There are a couple of other intimidating machines pushed against the wall.

The child looks good. In fact, she looks great! Her coloring is rosy and her eyes bright. She's reading a book when we enter, but slams it shut and tosses it on the table over her bed. She reaches for the controls to raise her head higher. Grinning, she says, "I was wondering when you two would get here. I was hoping you'd sneak into ICU while I was incarcerated and bring me something to eat. The food there sucked. In fact, it wasn't really food; it was more like liquid muck."

Kaylee already has me laughing, which is good, because all the medical paraphernalia creeps me out. It brings back too many memories.

Tyce walks to her bedside and bends to kiss her cheek. "Hello, honey."

I reach to hold her hand. "I think you're on a special diet and the nurses would kick us out if we brought you junk food. As soon as you can have regular food, we'll bring you whatever you want."

Kaylee frowns. "There you go again, being my role model." Her frown is replaced by a grin. "But I forgive you because it's so good to see you." Her grin widens. "The doctors say everything is looking great and my body isn't rejecting the kidney. Can you believe a donor was finally located? Of course, with the internet, they can search the world. They said my donor wants to remain anonymous, but as soon as I can get up, I'm going to become a detective and see if the person is still in the hospital. I want to give him or her a big hug." She glances first at Tyce and then me. "You don't know who it is, do you?"

"The doctor never told us," Tyce responds cleverly.

While Kaylee prattles on about her donor, Tyce and I exchange a knowing look. We need to let Lucy know Kaylee's playing detective.

Over the next hour, Tyce and I sit beside Kaylee and catch her up on all the happenings. I tell her about my swim practice becoming even more grueling and Tyce cracks a few jokes. We can see she's getting tired, so we say goodbye even though she protests.

For the next week, Tyce and I continue our visits to Kaylee every evening after my swim practice. Sometimes he comes to the pool and watches me, but stays hidden in the shadows. At first, I was really nervous, but I'm learning to tune everything out and focus only on my breathing and swim strokes.

Kaylee seems agitated when we enter her hospital room. When I set a chocolate chunk blizzard from DQ on her bed table, her eyes light up, but I can see something is still bothering her.

She sips the blizzard and says, "My mom's leaving tomorrow to meet my dad in France."

I'm not sure how to respond.

Tyce says, "You do realize, don't you, that she's been here longer than usual."

"Yeah," Kaylee sighs. "I wonder what it would be like to have a normal mom and dad."

I interject, "Maybe its better they're not normal."

Both Tyce and Kaylee look at me strangely.

I try to explain. "If they were normal, then you might not be the fighter you are. I truly believe your attitude is what kept you going when the odds were stacked against you. When I first met you, I marveled at your will to overcome adversity at such a young age. It made me look at myself. I have a regular mom and dad and they kept me so protected I never stepped out of my comfort zone. But you, you were always pushing the boundaries. Maybe you were trying to prove something to your parents."

I glance at Tyce and then back at Kaylee before continuing, "I didn't do anything until my parents finally realized they had to step aside. They forced me to live on my own; to become more than someone watching life from the sidelines." I shrug. "I hope you understand what I'm trying to say."

A noise from the doorway distracts us and we see Mrs. Ventura standing there. She has tears in her eyes.

Quickly, I say, "Ah, I think I'll get something to drink."

Tyce says, "Me, too."

As we leave, Kaylee's mother steps into the room and mouths the words, "Thank you," to me.

Tyce is unusually quiet as we sit in the cafeteria sipping sodas. Finally, he says, "What you said was beautiful."

I'm embarrassed. "It just sort of came out like that. I really wasn't sure how to express what I wanted to say."

"I think you've accomplished the impossible—bringing Kaylee and her mother closer."

We chat a little longer and then Tyce says we should tell Kaylee goodbye because he has an appointment to meet a new tutoring student.

After we leave the elevator, I say, "I'll meet you back at the room. I need to stop at the restroom."

When I return to Kaylee's room, the door is slightly ajar. I start to push it open but stop when I hear Kaylee say, "So, when are you going to tell her?"

Tyce responds, "I don't know."

"She has a right to know."

"Maybe she does. Maybe she doesn't."

"Tyce, she does. She has a right to know how you're connected to her accident."

"You don't know the truth of what happened. All you know is what was in your father's investigative report."

I frown, wondering who they're talking about until Kaylee responds, "That's true, but Tyce, you've got to tell Morgan what happened."

A cold wave of dread washes over me. Tyce was connected to my accident?