UNDERSTANDING SASSIE, Ch. 27, Mom's Hospitalization

Ruth got to the hospital and quickly went up to her mother’s room.  As she entered the room, she saw a nurse holding an empty box labeled “Chocolate Covered Cherries.”  

The nurse announced, “This must be the reason for her spike in blood sugar!”

“How in the world did that get in here?” Ruth loudly questioned her, while she walked to her mother’s bedside. 

The doctor was also standing next to the bed. He asked, “When did she get her insulin shot?” 

The nurse checked her records and reported, “It was a half-hour ago.  She should be more alert soon.”

Ruth’s mom, Valerie, had heard Ruth’s question and was trying to talk.  She was groggy, but the soft words were clear.  “I’m sorry!” As Valerie struggled to talk, she seemed to have tears in her eyes. 

Ruth asked, “How did you get that candy?” 

Valerie mumbled a reply. 

Ruth continued to have her explain, but only after she repeated her answer three times did Ruth understand what she had said, “I found it on my lunch tray.”

Why would anyone give candy to a diabetic? Ruth asked herself.  The nurse explained that the trays were sometimes unattended as they were handed out during the lunch period. 

Ruth realized why her mother was quite tempted by the Chocolate Covered Cherries.  Pop had always given Mom a gift of Chocolate Covered Cherries and claimed they said, “I love you.” 

Mom had always said that she felt Pop’s love whenever she ate a chocolate covered cherry.  However, this had now become a deadly treat for her mother, and Ruth worried that someone had wanted to kill her mother and had almost succeeded.

I think it might be wise to have someone stay with Mom for her safety.  I can be with her sometimes, but for now she needs constant security, she thought.  Then she remembered her out-of-state retired sister. Maybe if she came and stayed for a time, it might be a good solution.  I’ll call and arrange for my sister to come and stay with us.  Maybe while she is here we can brainstorm and maybe discover who might want to hurt Mom. 

The doctor examined Mom and told Ruth that they had decided to keep her in the hospital for another night. 

Ruth agreed and asked for permission to stay with her until she would be discharged the next day.    Ruth called her older sister, Mary, and made the travel arrangements.  Mary would be arriving at the airport the next afternoon.

Meanwhile Donald had heard about Valerie and the box of chocolate covered cherries.  What have I done?  They said she nearly went into a diabetic coma and that she could have died!  I only wanted to make her miserable, not kill her! 

Donald was shocked about the situation and suddenly realized that making Valerie suffer was a big mistake.  He started to look closely at his feelings about Valerie.  Why was I so angry about being adopted?  The parents that adopted me were loving, supportive, and the best parents anyone could have! 

As he thought back to the day of the auto crash that took his parents’ lives, he began to realize that he was afraid and did not want to accept the sad reality of the situation.  I wonder what the real story had been behind Valerie’s actions.  I see her feed the stray cats at the farm and how she shows her love to Ruth.  I realize now that she never just threw me away like a piece of garbage!  

As Donald began to realize that Valerie was a good mother and a good person, he decided, I’ve got to make up for the hurt I have caused!


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With her permission, I am serializing a chapter a week, on this blog, near-final material from this instructive novel by dog trainer Helen A. Bemis, published by Outskirts Press and available through amazon.com:  UNDERSTANDING SASSIE  

Connect with all Helen A. Bemis books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=helen+a.+bemis&ref=nb_sb_noss

I coached and edited for Helen through my Write Your Book with Me endeavor.