iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第59节
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I arrive to find the door to the room blocked by the one person who is more physically intimidating than Charlie： his mother。 Mrs。 Freeman is explaining to a doctor that after taking the first train from Philadelphia to be here； and listening to a man from the dean's office say that Charlie is dangerously close to suspension； and being a nurse practitioner for seventeen years herself before being a science teacher； she is in no mood to have a doctor condescend to her about what's wrong with her son。 From the color of his scrubs I recognize him as the man who told Paul and me that Charlie was in stable condition。 He of the hospital words and canned smiles。 He doesn't seem to realize that the smile hasn't been invented yet that will move this mountain。
Just as I turn in toward Charlie's room； Mrs。 Freeman spots me。
〃Thomas；〃 she says； shifting her weight。
There is always a sense around Mrs。 Freeman that you are watching a geological effect； that if you aren't careful； you'll be crushed。 She knows that my mother is raising me alone； so she takes it upon herself to contribute。
〃Thomas！〃 she repeats； the only person who calls me that anymore。 〃e over here。〃
I inch closer。
〃What did you get him into？〃 she says。
〃He was trying to…〃
She steps forward； trapping me in a shadow。 〃I warned you about this sort of thing。 Didn't I？ After that other business on the roof of that building？〃
The clapper。 〃Mrs。 Freeman； that was his idea…〃
〃Oh； no。 Not that again。 My Charlie's no genius； Thomas。 He's got to be led into temptation。〃
Mothers。 You'd think Charlie couldn't find the wrong side of the tracks if you pushed him off the train。 Mrs。 Freeman looks at the three of us and sees bad pany。 Counting my one parent； Paul's none； and Gil's revolving door of steprelations； we don't have as many positive role models among us as Charlie has under one roof。 And for some reason； I'm the one with a pitchfork and a tail。 If only she knew the truth； I think。 Moses had horns too。
〃Leave him alone；〃 es a wheezy voice from inside。
Like the world on its axis； Mrs。 Freeman turns。
〃Tom tried to get me out of there；〃 Charlie says； weaker now。
A blip of silence follows。 Mrs。 Freeman looks at me as if to say； Don't you smile； there's nothing smart about getting my boy out of a predicament you got him into。 But when Charlie starts to speak again； she tells me to go in and talk to her son before he wears himself out carrying on like that across the room。 She has some business with the doctor。
〃And； Thomas；〃 she says； before I can get past her； 〃don't go putting any ideas into that boy's head。〃
I nod。 Mrs。 Freeman is the only teacher I've ever known who makes ideas sound like a four…letter word。
Charlie is propped up in a hospital cot with a short metal railing on each side； the kind that isn't high enough to keep a big guy from rolling off the bed on a bad night； but is exactly the right height to let an orderly slip a broomstick between the railings and keep you pinned to the bed forever； a permanent convalescent。 I've had more hospital nightmares than Scheherazade had stories； and even time hasn't sponged them all from my memory。
〃Visiting hours end in ten minutes；〃 the nurse says without looking at her watch。 A kidney…shaped tray is clamped in one of her hands； a duster in the other。
Charlie watches her shuffle out。 In a slow； hoarse voice he says； 〃I think she likes you。〃
From the neck up he almost looks fine。 There's a lick of pink skin jumping out over his collarbone； otherwise he just appears tired。 It's his chest where the damage was done。 He's wrapped in gauze down to the point where his waist is tucked lightly into the bed； and in places a sweaty pus has seeped to the surface。
〃You can stick around to help them change me；〃 Charlie says； drawing my attention back north。
His eyes seem jaundiced。 There's a wetness around his nose he would probably wipe if he could。
〃How do you feel？〃 I ask。
〃How do I look？〃
〃Pretty good； considering。〃
He manages to smile。 When he tries to peer down at himself； though； I realize he has no idea how he looks。 He is just together enough to know he shouldn't trust his senses。
〃Anyone else e to see you？〃 I ask。
It takes him awhile to answer。 〃Not Gil； if that's what you mean。〃
〃I mean anyone。〃
〃Maybe you missed my mom out there。〃 Charlie smiles； and repeats himself without noticing。 〃She's easy to miss。〃
I look out the doorway again。 Mrs。 Freeman is still talking to the doctor。
〃Don't worry；〃 Charlie says； misunderstanding。 〃He'll e。〃
But by now the nurse has called everyone who might care that Charlie is conscious again。 If Gil isn't here already； he's not ing。
〃Hey；〃 Charlie says； changing the subject。 〃You okay with what happened back there？〃
〃When？〃
〃You know。 What Taft said。〃
I try to call up the words。 We were at the Institute hours ago。 It's probably the last thing he remembers。
〃About your dad。〃 Charlie tries to reposition himself and winces。
I stare at the railing； suddenly pinned。 Mrs。 Freeman has bullied the doctor enough that he finally leads her into a private room to confer。 The two of them disappear behind a distant door； and now the hallway is empty。
〃Look；〃 Charlie says faintly； 〃don't let someone like that mess with your head。〃
This is what Charlie does on death's door。 He thinks about my problems。
〃I'm glad you're okay；〃 I tell him。
I know he's about to say something smart； when he feels the pressure I'm putting on his hand and keeps it simple。
〃Me too。〃
Charlie smiles at me again； then laughs。 〃I'll be damned；〃 he says； and shakes his head。 His eyes are focused on something beyond me。 〃I'll be damned；〃 he says again。
He's fading； I think。 But when I turn around； Gil is standing in the doorway； a bouquet of flowers in hand。
〃I stole these from the ball arrangements；〃 he says hesitantly； as if he's not sure he's wele here。 〃You better like them。〃
〃No wine？〃 Charlie's voice is faint。
Gil gives an awkward smile。 〃Only the cheap stuff for you。〃 He walks forward and extends a hand to Charlie。
〃The nurse told me we've got two minutes；〃 Gil offers。 〃How are you feeling？〃
〃Been better；〃 Charlie says。 〃Been worse。〃
〃I think your mom's here；〃 Gil replies； still searching for a way to begin。
Charlie's starting to drift； but manages another smile。 〃She's easy to miss。〃
〃You're not going to check out on us tonight； are you？〃 Gil asks quietly。
〃Out of the hospital？〃 Charlie says； too far away now to know how the question was meant。
〃Yeah。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Charlie whispers。 〃The food in here〃…he exhales…〃is terrible。〃
His head falls back onto the pillow just as the leather…faced nurse returns to say our time is up； that Charlie needs his rest。
〃Sleep tight； chief；〃 Gil says； putting the bouquet on the nightstand。
Charlie doesn't hear him。 He's already breathing through his mouth。
As we leave I look back at him； propped up in his bed； swaddled in bandages and guarded by IVs。 It reminds me of ic books I used to read as a kid。 The fallen giant that medicine rebuilt。 The mysterious patient's recovery that amazed local doctors。 Darkness falls on Gotham； but the headlines are all the same。 Today a superhero wrestled with a force of nature and lived to plain about the food。
〃He's going to be okay？〃 Gil asks； when we reach the visitor's parking lot。 The Saab is sitting alone in the lot； its hood still warm enough to have melted the falling snow。
〃I think so。〃
〃His chest looks pretty bad。〃
I don't know what rehab is like for burn victims； but getting used to your own skin again can't be easy。
〃I didn't think you were going to show up；〃 I tell him。
Gil hesitates。 〃I wish I'd been there with you guys。〃
〃When？〃
〃All day。〃
〃Is that a joke？〃
He turns to me。 〃No。 What's that supposed to mean？〃
We stop just short of the car。 I realize I'm angry at him； angry at how hard it was for him to find anything to say to Charlie； angry at the way he seemed afraid to visit Charlie this afternoon。
〃You were where you wanted to be；〃 I say。
〃I came as soon as I heard。〃
〃You weren't with us。〃
〃When？〃 he asks。 〃This morning？〃
〃This whole time。〃
〃Jesus。 Tom 。 。 。〃
〃You know why he's in there？〃 I say。
〃Because he made the wrong decision。〃
〃Because he tried to help。 He didn't want us going into Taft's office alone。 He didn't want Paul to get hurt in the tunnels。〃
〃What do you want； Tom？ An apology？ Mea culpa。 I can't pete with Charlie。 That's the way he is。 That's the way he's always been。〃
〃That's the way you were。 You know what Mrs。 Freeman said to me in there？ The first thing she brought up？ Stealing the clapper out of Nassau Hall。〃
Gil runs his fingers through his hair。
〃She blames me for that。 She always has。 You know why？〃
〃Because she thinks Charlie's a saint。〃
〃Because she can't believe you're the kind of person who ever would've done something like that。〃
He exhales。 〃So what？〃
〃You are the kind of person who would've done something like that。 You did do that。〃
He seems unsure what to say。 〃Does it occur to you that maybe I'd had half a dozen beers that night before I ran into you guys？ Maybe I wasn
