Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [137]
“Would you like to come behind the counter, sir?” Elmo nodded.
“I was about to fill a prescription for Amoxicillin. Would you like to do it?”
“I would like that very much,” Elmo managed to say. Annie’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle a cry. Jane turned away, tears rolling down her cheeks. Daisy counted the boxes of Jujubes on the candy counter. Clay jammed his hands into his pockets, deciding he must be allergic to something in the store. Why else would his eyes be burning like this?
They stared at one another as they waited for the pharmacist to wheel Elmo to the front of the store. When they heard his running feet they met him halfway down the aisle. “I called an ambulance. It should be here any second. He finished the prescription and collapsed. I’m so sorry.”
Annie patted the young man’s arm. “That was a kind, wonderful thing you did for Elmo. Knowing he was coming here is what kept him going. We’re all grateful.”
“Mr. Richardson asked for two aspirin. I gave them to him. Sometimes it helps a little. Ah, the ambulance is here. Hurry, hurry,” he called to the paramedics.
Annie and Jane watched helplessly as Elmo’s frail body was placed on the gurney and wheeled to the ambulance. One and all noticed the weathered sign clutched to his chest. “I’ll go with him,” Annie said.
“We’ll be right behind you,” Clay said.
Jake held the paramedics at bay, all one hundred and thirty pounds of him. He growled menacingly, his fangs bared. Daisy raced up to him. “It’s okay, Jake, Uncle Elmo isn’t feeling good. They’re going to make him better. That’s a good boy, Jake.”
“Jesus,” one of the paramedics said, “I wouldn’t want to meet up with that dog in a dark alley.”
“Jake doesn’t go in dark alleys, mister. He goes on the grass. Don’t you, Jake?”
“Get in the car, Jake. In the backseat with Daisy and Charlie. Do you know the way, Jane? They’re going to use the siren, and I can’t run red lights.”
“I know the way,” Jane blubbered. “I’m glad it happened here. I didn’t want it to happen at all, but this is the best place. He got to fill one last prescription. For Elmo, it didn’t get any better than that. He wouldn’t take any more medication. He just flat out refused. I think he knew this was going to happen just the way it did. Today he insisted on drinking scotch. He had two doubles. I didn’t want to give it to him, but I could never refuse Elmo anything. Do you think that did it, Clay?”
“No. It’s his time, Jane. Not many people get to do that one thing they love doing best in the whole world before it’s time to go. From what I know, Mr. Richardson had a good life. He has wonderful friends he loves and who love him. He was a lucky man.”
“Annie and I are the lucky ones. We were all the family Elmo had.”
“He might come out of this,” Clay said, his eyes on the careening ambulance ahead of him.
“No, not this time,” Jane said sadly. “Annie’s going to fall apart. You don’t have any idea how much she loved that old man. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” Clay said quietly.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Who are all those people trooping in and out of Elmo’s room?” Annie asked. “I thought only family could visit patients in Intensive Care. Where’s Clay?”
“Annie, please sit down,” Jane said. “You’re making me nervous. This is as hard on me as it is on you. I don’t know who those people are. Clay is outside with Daisy and the dogs. As you know, they don’t let dogs in hospitals. They’ll let us see him when it’s time. Why don’t you go outside and check on things. I’ll wait here. If anything happens, I’ll call you.”
“Do you want some coffee?”
“Coffee has been running in my veins for the past few hours. It’s lucky Elmo’s old doctor is still practicing. Elmo felt good about that. We could be here for a very long time. How do you feel about me telling Clay to take Daisy and Charlie back to his hotel room. It has to be the Four Seasons, because the Ritz doesn’t allow animals. We were pushing our luck with Charlie in his little bag. I think Clay can handle anything that might come up. I’m not saying anything will. And there’s Jake. Nobody in