DECISIONS
OF THE HEART
BY: ANNIEO
Chapter Four-A
Father And Son
Conrad came running into the house and found Shana talking on the phone. “Then you haven’t seen him? Thank you Mrs. Saber.” She hung up the phone, glancing up and noticing Conrad standing in the doorway.
“No sign?” She shook her head in answer He noticed her red eyes and knew she had been crying. “Where would he go?”
“I don’t know. I called all his friends and no one has seen him Dad’s out walking the streets with the boys looking. He could be anywhere,” She glanced at the clock again, “and we’re running out of time.”
Conrad paced racking his brain, trying to think where a seven- year- old boy would go to think., he suddenly had an idea. “Shana, can Jarred get in the Dojo?”
“He knows where Dad keeps the spare key….” She stopped and quickly ran into the den opening one of the desk drawers. “It’s not here, the key is gone.” She glanced at Conrad a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “Let me grab he’s insulin. I can call Dad on his cell phone from the car.” She said as she ran back into the kitchen.
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Jarred sat alone in the dark Dojo, he’s sobs echoing against the walls of the large room. “Why didn’t she tell me?” He thought to himself, “All I ever wanted was a Dad, and she never told me who he was.” He wiped his nose on his coat sleeve, “ I’m not going to go home, I’ll sneak back with him. He’ll want me I know he will.” He spoke out load, his voice echoing in the large room. He wiped the tears from his face, and a look of stubborn determination took their place. “That’s what I’ll do, I’ll go live with him.” He pulled on his jacket as he suddenly felt a chill come over him, despite it being a warm spring night.
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“Which way?” Conrad asked as they came to an intersection
“Left, then right at the fifth light.” Shana answered, “Conrad, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper tonight.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I shouldn’t have forced you to tell him. You promised to do it, and I should have let you do it your way.” He took her hand in his free one. “We both lost our tempers and Jarred is paying for it. Let’s not make the same mistake twice.” He took a moment to glance at her.
She nodded in agreement and silently said a prayer that they would get there in time.
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He was cold, so cold yet sweating he knew what the signs meant he knew what was happening. “Mom.” He cried, “Mom, I need you.” He pulled his jacket closer around him he reached in his pocket and found the candy that Shana always out there for him. He quickly opened the wrapper and placed one piece in his mouth.
“There, on the right.” Shana pointed to the large building at the end of the street. Conrad pulled quickly into the driveway Shana jumped out of the car not bothering to wait for him to stop completely and ran into the building. “Jarred!” She yelled as she dashed into the main practice room Conrad coming in close behind her.
Jarred stirred, was that Mom calling him? It must be it was after dark he should have been inside long ago. “Mom,” He called weakly. “Mom, I’m over here.”
“Over there.” Conrad pointed to a small shape huddled under what look like a jacket.. He dashed quickly over and gathered Jarred up in his arms meeting Shana half way. “He doesn’t look good.”
“I’ll give him a shot now, it should help some but we have to get him to the hospital.” Shana said as she quickly dug out a bottle on insulin and syringe. “Ok Jarred, I am going to give you your shot now. You just hang on and will take care of you.” She said as she injected the dose and placed a light kiss on his forehead. “Ok lets go, nearest hospital is just down the street.”
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The waiting was the hardest, it always was. Conrad paced, Patrick sat a worried look on his face, The brothers wandered around looking lost, Shana stood looking out the window, her face composed in a unreadable expression. Conrad glanced over at her and walked over to her.
“Do you think he’ll be alright?” He asked
Shana glanced up at him, “Truthfully, it’ll depend on how fast his levels go back to normal, the longer it takes the higher the chance of more problems later.” She took a sip from the coffee cup she had
“You never told me, was he born with it?”
“No, he was fine until he was about a year old, then he got sick with a virus of some sort. Doctors never did find out what it was, anyway, it damaged his ability to make insulin, he’s had to have shots ever since.” She turned as she heard a door open.
“Miss. O’Hara?” A Doctor asked glancing around the waiting room.
“Yes,” Shana said steeping forward.
“Jarred is doing fine, he’s levels are stable. I would like to keep him over night though.”
“Of course, can we see him?” Shana asked
“He asked to see his Dad if he could.”
Conrad glanced over at Shana, who in turn nodded to him. “Which room is it Doctor?”
“Just go straight down the hall it’s the last one on the right.”
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“Come in.” Jarred said to the knock at the door. He smiled when he saw Conrad enter the room. “Hi, I guess I can call you Dad.”
Conrad nodded his approval and sat down in the one chair in the room. “How are you feeling?”
“Ok, just tired, the doctor said I can’t go back to school for a few days though.”
Conrad smiled at the tone of Jarred’s voice, “Don’t sound so disappointed. You had me and you’re Mom worried you know.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“And you didn’t mean what you said to you’re Mom did you?”
“No, I’ll tell her I’m sorry I promise.” Jarred looked up at his father, his blue eyes silently pleading. “Dad, can I come live with you?”
Conrad was taken back by the question and took several moments before he could answer. “That’s something you need to ask your Mom Jarred, I can’t make that decision.”
“Why not? I want to go with you, Mom doesn’t need me….”
“Your wrong there Jarred, you’re Mom needs you. More then you will ever know, and she loves you very much.”
“I don’t care I want to be with you, please, I want to go with you.” Jarred’s eyes began to well up with tears.
“I can’t Jarred, I’m sorry.” Conrad gathered the boy into his arms.
“But I want to be with you..” Jarred whispered.
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The figure at the door wiped away the tears that had escaped her eyes, and quietly closed the door behind her. For the second time in her life Shana O’Hara felt her heart break and knew what she had to do, no matter how much it tore her up inside. She would, for the first time in her life do it right.
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Continued in Chapter Four-B!
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