Post by minianne on Oct 14, 2009 22:20:19 GMT -5
"A Long Way Up"
Chapter 7
Jim turned toward his mother’s voice.
“Yeah mom,” he replied. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Neither could I,” she said, cinching the belt to her robe and closing the bedroom door quietly so as not to wake Rick.
“Would you like some company?” she asked, walking into the living room.
“I’d love some,” he said, sitting up straight and taking his feet off of the coffee table.
Carole sat down next to Jim and patted his knee.
“How are you doing Jiminy Cricket?” she asked, using his childhood nickname.
Jim grinned. That made Carole very happy. She studied his face, trying to gauge his mood. Of her three boys, Jim had always been the most private, always wanting to take care of everyone else, never burdening anyone with his problems.
The only light was from a Tiffany style lamp in the corner. It cast a restful amber glow over the entire room.
“Have you been up long?” she asked.
“No ma’am,” he replied, stifling a yawn.
“Why don’t you lie down here on the couch?” she said, grabbing a pillow and urging him to lay his head in her lap. “Here. Let’s cover you up with that afghan.”
Soon Jim’s head was cradled in his mother’s lap and she was gently stroking his hair.
For the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, all was right with the world.
Carole looked down at her first-born. Where had the years gone? It seemed like just yesterday he was skipping rocks and catching frogs at the farm. All too soon, he was a soldier, off to war. Now, here he was, forty years old next month, a grown man, a husband, a detective…a hero.
She looked intently at the wound on the left side of his head. It broke her heart to see her child like this. Wounded. Blind for life.
When she first heard of his injury she begged God to please, just let him live. He had answered her prayers. But she wondered what Jim's life was going to be like from this point on. He had always been so active…so athletic…so ambitious. It broke her heart to see the blank stare…to watch him so disoriented…so broken. But she had no doubt that he could find the inner strength to overcome this tremendous challenge.
“Why don’t you close your eyes and try to sleep?” she coaxed him, continuing to stroke his hair.
Then she began to sing:
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.
Within minutes, Jim’s breathing was deep and even. She sat with him like that for hours, until long after the sun had come up.
Chapter 7
Jim turned toward his mother’s voice.
“Yeah mom,” he replied. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Neither could I,” she said, cinching the belt to her robe and closing the bedroom door quietly so as not to wake Rick.
“Would you like some company?” she asked, walking into the living room.
“I’d love some,” he said, sitting up straight and taking his feet off of the coffee table.
Carole sat down next to Jim and patted his knee.
“How are you doing Jiminy Cricket?” she asked, using his childhood nickname.
Jim grinned. That made Carole very happy. She studied his face, trying to gauge his mood. Of her three boys, Jim had always been the most private, always wanting to take care of everyone else, never burdening anyone with his problems.
The only light was from a Tiffany style lamp in the corner. It cast a restful amber glow over the entire room.
“Have you been up long?” she asked.
“No ma’am,” he replied, stifling a yawn.
“Why don’t you lie down here on the couch?” she said, grabbing a pillow and urging him to lay his head in her lap. “Here. Let’s cover you up with that afghan.”
Soon Jim’s head was cradled in his mother’s lap and she was gently stroking his hair.
For the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, all was right with the world.
Carole looked down at her first-born. Where had the years gone? It seemed like just yesterday he was skipping rocks and catching frogs at the farm. All too soon, he was a soldier, off to war. Now, here he was, forty years old next month, a grown man, a husband, a detective…a hero.
She looked intently at the wound on the left side of his head. It broke her heart to see her child like this. Wounded. Blind for life.
When she first heard of his injury she begged God to please, just let him live. He had answered her prayers. But she wondered what Jim's life was going to be like from this point on. He had always been so active…so athletic…so ambitious. It broke her heart to see the blank stare…to watch him so disoriented…so broken. But she had no doubt that he could find the inner strength to overcome this tremendous challenge.
“Why don’t you close your eyes and try to sleep?” she coaxed him, continuing to stroke his hair.
Then she began to sing:
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.
Within minutes, Jim’s breathing was deep and even. She sat with him like that for hours, until long after the sun had come up.