A nurse
appeared in the doorway. “Johnny,” she said quietly, “your mother’s here to see
you.”
Johnny
opened his eyes. At first were wide with surprise, then they darkened. “I don’t
want to see her,” he said firmly.
“She’s your mother.”
“I said I don’t to see her.” His voice was
rising. “She’s probably come to tell me about all the trouble I’m causing her
and about how glad her and the old man’ll be when I’m dead. Well, tell her to
leave me alone. For once”-his voice broke- “for once just to leave me alone.”
He was struggling to sit up, but he suddenly gasped, went whiter than the
pillowcase, and passed out cold.
The nurse hurried me out the door. “I was
afraid of something like this if he saw anyone.”
The nurse, after rudely rushing us out of the
door, walked out and went up front again. I looked into the window and saw
Johnny, as still as wood, and as silent as a sleeping baby. As soon as I turn
around, the nurse comes up behind me with his mom. Shoot! Even after he said no until he knocked
out, she stabs him in the back.
“Where’s my boy? Where, huh? Johnny!” she
gasped, “Johnny, oh Johnny my baby!” She set her hands gently on his face, and
seemed to cup his face in them. Then out of nowhere she snapped. “Damn you
Johnny! You pathetic little –“ She wrapped her hands around his throat and
choking him. The nurse slammed against her and wrapped her arms around her waist. She through her towards the door. Johnny was still out cold and Two-bit and I didn't know what to do.