Cannot Wait to Get to Heaven - Fannie Flagg [65]
A half hour later the red-haired lawyer walked out of one elevator and Franklin came out of the other one. They walked over to the desk and Franklin inquired, “Where is the next of kin?” The girl pointed to room 607.
Norma was now in a private room, sitting up on the bed, drinking a glass of orange juice, after having fainted again, and was being observed by an emergency room doctor to make sure she was going to be all right.
“Oh, Mrs. Warren,” Franklin oozed, “I’m Franklin Pixton, and this is my associate Winston Sprague. We were just called and told of the situtation…and I came down as soon as I heard. First of all, how are you?”
Norma said, “Well, I’m still so rattled I can hardly think straight. First they told me she was dead and then we find out she’s not, one minute I’m heartbroken and then the next I’m overjoyed she’s alive, and now I just feel like somebody has thrown me up against a wall.”
“I can understand.” Franklin nodded.
“My poor daughter’s so upset, I’m just surprised my husband didn’t have a heart attack. Look at this, my hair is coming out.” She showed them a few strands of hair that had indeed fallen out, then turned to the doctor. “Can shock cause your hair to fall out, Doctor? Oh, God, don’t tell me that now I’m going to have to wear a wig.”
“Mrs. Warren, is there anything, anything at all, we can do? All of us here feel so terrible about this. Naturally all of your aunt’s hospital expenses will be voided.”
“Oh, that’s very sweet of you, Mr….”
“Pixton.”
“Mr. Pixton, but you don’t have to do that, we’re just so thankful she’s alive, surprised but thankful.”
“No, Mrs. Warren. I insist, we really want to make it up to you and your family for any…uh…” He glanced over at Sprague for the correct word.
The lawyer said, “Inconvenience.”
“That’s right, any inconvenience you might have experienced,” he said as the lawyer handed him the paper he had just pulled out of his briefcase.
“But in the meantime, if you could just sign this for us.”
“What is it?” asked Norma. “I already signed a lot of things earlier.”
“Just a small formality, making sure that down the line you are protected if anything…ah…if you need something…and that we are protected. We feel it’s best to take care of it now, so we can get it processed as soon as possible.”
“Protected from what?”
Sprague jumped in. “It’s really more to assure you that no expenses will be incurred while your aunt is here under our care.”
“Oh, I see,” said Norma. “I appreciate that, but really, you shouldn’t have to pay our bills, it’s not your fault this happened.”
If anything was music to somebody’s ears, to Sprague and Pixton, Norma’s last statement, “It’s not your fault,” was an entire concerto by Beethoven.
Norma continued, “If anything, we should apologize to you. I feel so bad about that little nurse. I think she was scared half out of her wits. I hope she’s all right. They say she hasn’t come back yet.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, Mrs. Warren.”
“I hope so. I’m sorry I got so upset and fainted twice, but you have to understand, you may be used to this happening all the time, but I’m not.”
They both nodded sympathetically. “No need to apologize to us, Mrs. Warren. The only thing you can do for us is to sign the paper so we can get everything in motion.”
Norma still seemed reluctant. “Maybe I should ask my husband. I don’t think he would want you to pay for anything. It’s probably going to be a big bill.”
The lawyer jumped in. “Don’t you worry