Free Changing Woman by David Thurlo

Mom.”
    “I know,” Rose said quietly. “She cares for my granddaughter. But I wish . . .”
    “Her profession is her profession,” Ella said firmly. “And what she does is sorely needed,no matter how unpleasant it seems to you.”
    “I’m not against her, daughter. I know life isn’t easy for... that kind of doctor.”
    “No, it’s not. She needs friends, and we need her.”
    Rose sat up, then tried to get off the bed, but wavered badly. Ella forced her to stay where she was. “Mom, what do you think you’re doing? You still have an IV in your arm.”
    “I’ve had enough. It’s time for me togo home. My hand feels better now. I don’t need to see the doctor anymore. I know what I have to do.”
    “You can’t leave now, Mom. That’s not the way it works.” Seeing the spark of defiance in her mother’s eyes, Ella shook her head firmly. “No, Mother. We’re staying until the doctor says you’re ready to leave.”
    “What exactly are we waiting for? The bleeding’s stopped, and now the healing has tobegin. It’s time for a
hataalii
to take over,” Rose insisted.
    Ella knew she’d lose the argument in another minute.She had to do something quickly. “I’ll call my brother for you, then. He’ll be glad to come here.”
    “Well, if you’re sure . . .” Rose lay back down, and Ella made sure the IV wasn’t being crimped.
    She knew that the speed with which her mother had given in was directly proportionalto how ill she really felt. “I’ll be right back.”
    Ella stepped out into the hall and saw a doctor striding toward her. The name tag on his white coat said Dr. Martinez. At a glance, she suspected Dr. Martinez had Navajo blood, but was also partly Hispanic. Right now he seemed in a hurry and was probably overworked, like most of the doctors at the hospital these days. The police department wasn’tthe only public service experiencing financial cutbacks.
    “I’m Ella Clah, Rose Destea’s daughter. Were you looking for me?”
    He nodded, but didn’t offer to shake hands. “I wanted to speak to you first, then ask you to convey this information to the rest of her family. Your mother will need to take very special care of her hand. I’ve stitched her up, but I’ll need her back in a week, earlier ifshe experiences any problems. Most important of all, she’s not to put any stress at all on her hand. She could rip out the stitches and cause even more damage.” He paused, then added, “She’s right-handed, and I understand that she uses a cane.”
    “Yes, from time to time. Her legs were badly injured in an automobile accident a few years ago.”
    “If she normally holds the cane in her right hand, switchingto the left may take some practice, or may not be much help at all. But it’s imperative she doesn’t put any pressure on her injured hand until she’s fully recovered.”
    “Will she need surgery?”
    “Tendons on three fingers were badly cut. If I see that her hand isn’t healing well and her dexterity is impaired, surgery might be indicated. But, right now, I just wantto give those stitches and herown body a chance.”
    “Understood.” Ella realized that under the circumstances she had only one option. She’d have to find someone to take care of Rose and Dawn during the day. The only problem, of course, was how to tell her mother. Rose would hate even the thought of having anyone looking after her or her granddaughter.
    Dr. Martinez gave her a wry smile. “From what I’ve seen of your mother,I don’t think she’ll appreciate taking a vacation from her normal routine.”
    “That’s an understatement, Doc. I’ll just have to be insistent. How long will it be before you can release her?”
    “A few more hours. I need to see how she reacts to some of the painkillers and antibiotics we’ve given her.”
    “All right. Thank you.” As the doctor moved away, Ella went farther out into the lobby. Cell phonesweren’t allowed inside certain areas of the building and