Read A Crying Shame: A Jesse Watson Mystery for Free Online Page A

looked
down and saw the reason why. A cast ran from my wrist to the bicep on my right
arm. As if a light bulb had just gone off over my head, red flags went up. What
about my baby?
    “Mom,” I moaned as I tried to sit up. A flash of pain shot
through my spine, bringing me back down. “Oh, God, that hurts. What’s wrong,
Mom? Am I okay? Is my baby okay? Where’s Billy? Is he okay?” I cried out in
pain. I couldn’t move without something hurting.
    Mom reached down and touched me with her warm hand. “It’s
all right, Jesse. The baby’s fine. Billy’s fine. You were in an accident, but
you’re okay now.”
    “Are you sure, Mom?” I cried. “Tell me the truth. I can
handle it.”
    “Yes, honey. You know I wouldn’t lie. Now why don’t you just
lay back and try to get some rest? The doctor says you need to rest. Your body
will heal itself sooner if you take care of it.”
    I tried to relax and go with the pain as I settled back down.
I lay my head against the pillow and drifted off before I had a chance to ask
Mom about Billy’s whereabouts.
    I must have slept for several hours, because when I awoke, it
was daylight. The curtains in the room had been pulled back and the sun was
shinning through. Unfortunately, the beginning of a new day didn’t change the
pain that I was in. I gritted my teeth and called out.
    “Billy! Mom! Where is everybody?”
    A woman in hospital scrubs walked in the room. It was obvious
from her attitude that she wanted me to hush. “Please, Miss Blackhawk, this is
a hospital and there are other patients here who need their rest, too. What can
I do for you?” She walked over closer to the bed and checked the I.V. attached
to the top of my hand. “How do you feel?”
    “I feel like crap. Where’s my family? I know someone must be
here.”
    “Your mother was here, but I think she left a little while
ago. She’s been here all night.”
    “Where’s my husband?”
    “I’m afraid I don’t know. Perhaps your mother can tell you.”
    “But she’s not here and I need...”
    I looked up just as Billy entered the room. The right side of
his forehead had a large bandage on it and he sported a shiner. I wanted to
jump out of the bed and hug him, but that wasn’t going to happen. It took all
that I had just to sit up.
    He came over, leaned down and planted a kiss on my lips. He
hugged me for a long time. His grip was firm and he held onto me as if he let
go, he would lose me.
    “I’m sorry that I wasn’t here when you came to,” he
whispered.
    “What do you mean came to ? How long was I out?” I
asked when he released me.
    He sat down in the chair next to the bed. He leaned over,
propped his elbows on his knees and placed his head in his hands. He stared at
the floor. When he raised his head, I knew something bad had happened. I could
tell from the look on his face.
    “You’ve been in and out of it for three days.”
    “Three days! Are you serious?” I let his words sink in for a
few seconds and then reached over and grabbed him by the sleeve. “Tell me the
truth, Billy. Is our baby all right?”
    “Oh, yes, `ge ya. The baby is fine. Dr. Bryant has been
monitoring him very closely. Did you know that our little warrior could fit in
the palm of my hand?”
    “You should see the look on your face when you talk about our
son. It’s so adorable…” I stopped short and looked into Billy’s eyes. “How do
you know it’s a boy?”
    “I am a Cherokee; we know these things.” He smiled at me and
waited for a response.
    “So it’s a boy, huh? You’re sure of it?”
    “Yes, I am.”
    It so touched my heart to see the proud look on his face. I
loved him more and more with each passing day. I smiled back at him. I lay back
and soaked in the news. For some weird reason, I had a strange feeling that
Billy might be right on this one. Chief Standing Deer swears that some of his
people have a special gift, so who am I to doubt him? He was right when he
predicted that I was