Free Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover by Ann B. Ross Page B

finally got Sam officially admitted to a private room on the third floor of the hospital with a penthouse view of the parking lotand the spire of the First Methodist Church peeking over the trees. I did nothing for the next hour but sit and watch as one nurse or technician after another came in to fill out forms or draw blood—I didn’t watch that—or to check on Sam’s comfort. But no doctor came around—the only way I knew one existed was by seeing phoned-in orders being carried out. At least I hoped they were following orders from someone who knew what he was doing. “Just routine for a new admittance” was the only response I could get to my questions. Oh, except one nurse said, “You’ll have to ask the doctor.” Something I would’ve gladly done if he’d ever shown up.
    When we heard the rattle of supper trays being trundled down the hall, Sam said, “Why don’t you go on home, honey. Lillian will have your dinner ready and Lloyd will be coming in. As soon as Dr. Allen comes by, I’ll make it an early night. It’s been a long day.”
    Suddenly fearful again that he was sicker than anyone was telling me, I suggested that I spend the night in the one easy chair in the room. “I’d like to speak with that surgeon anyway, and it looks as if the only way to do it is to stay right here.”
    â€œNo, ma’am,” Sam said in a mock-forceful way, “you are not going to do that. I want you to go home and reassure Lloyd and Lillian that I’m all right. Besides, you have Trixie to see to, too.”
    â€œOh, my word,” I said with a sinking feeling. “I’d forgotten about her. For all I know, she’s lost somewhere between our house and Hazel Marie’s. Or else, Hazel Marie is ready to shoot me for leaving Trixie with her all day.”
    â€œYou run on then,” Sam said, taking my hand. “Just, if you have time, would you call around some more? Call the same ones again and see if you can find anyone who’ll fill in for me, at least tomorrow and the next day. I should be able to manage after that.”
    Well, right there I knew what I had to do. “Stop fretting about the campaign, Sam. I’ll do it—not as well as you, but I’ll go to every one of those events and if my speechifying doesn’t suit the party, why, they can just do it themselves. Which is what they ought to be doing anyway.”

Chapter 11

    As soon as I got home and stepped into the kitchen, I heard voices and laughter coming from the living room. Raising my eyebrows at Lillian, I wondered who was visiting.
    â€œThey all in there,” she told me. “Miss Hazel Marie an’ the babies an’ Lloyd an’ Miss Trixie, too. They all worried ’bout Mr. Sam an’ waitin’ to hear how he is. And me, too.”
    As a burst of laughter emanated from the living room, I frowned, thinking that they didn’t sound too worried to me. But to answer Lillian’s implied question, I said, “He’s doing all right, I guess, if he can do without all the blood they’ve drawn. But of course I haven’t seen his doctor yet. I think they all make rounds when family members are unlikely to be there, and do it on purpose, too. I’ll go back over after supper. Maybe somebody can tell me something then.”
    As I pushed through the swinging door into the dining room, the sounds of revelry increased in the living room. Vaguely wondering why Lillian had not been with them, I walked into the living room to find Lloyd and Trixie on the floor playing with the babies, while Hazel Marie sat smiling at their antics.
    â€œOh, hey, Miss Julia,” Lloyd said, immediately rising and coming toward me. “How’s Mr. Sam? Boy, it sure knocked me for a loop when Lillian told us he’s in the hospital.”
    â€œYes, how is he?” Hazel Marie rushed over to me, and I just managed to avert a