Page 38 of The Women of Oak Ridge

Jonas gently led me away. Instead of stopping in the crowded ER waiting room, we continued down a hallway to a quieter area. Chairs sat against the wall, and I practically fell into one. He used his walkie-talkie to let dispatch know where he was, then joined me.

“Do you want something to drink?” he asked. “I saw a soda machine.”

My stomach rebelled at the thought. “I just need to know she’s going to be okay.”

He reached for my hand. The warmth of his fingers wrapped around mine was comforting. “They’ll take good care of her.”

I nodded, then frowned. “Was the accident Aunt Mae’s fault?”

His face gave me the answer before he said a word. “I spoke with the officer who arrived on scene first. It does appear that Mae ran the red light.”

My heart sank. “I was afraid of that. I’ve been concerned about her driving. She’s had some vision issues lately.”

Compassion filled his face. “If she is at fault, she’ll receive a citation, but there won’t be any charges against her. She wasn’t drinking alcohol and didn’t intentionally cause harm.”

A new thought brought me up. “I need to call Dad. He’ll want to come down.”

“That’s a good idea. Maybe you should wait until you know more about her injuries.”

His suggestion made sense. “Thank you for being here with me.” My throat tightened. “I’ve never been close to Aunt Mae, but being in Oak Ridge with her has been really special. I don’t want to lose her.”

His grip on my hand tightened. “I know.”

We sat in the hallway for nearly an hour before the doctor found us.

“The good news is, your aunt doesn’t appear to have any internal injuries,” he said when Jonas and I stood. “She does, however, have a concussion and a broken wrist. We’ll keep her in the hospital overnight. She’s been moved to a room. You’re welcome to see her now.”

My legs felt wobbly as the doctor led the way. I’d never been in a situation where someone I cared about was seriously injured. The intense emotions swirling inside of me were unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

The hospital room had two beds, but thankfully the second was unoccupied. I immediately went to Aunt Mae’s side.

“Aunt Mae?” I said softly. Bruising on her face was beginning to appear. She must have slammed into the steering wheel when she hit the other vehicle.

Her eyes fluttered before partially opening. “Who’s there?”

I realized she wasn’t wearing her eyeglasses. Her left hand was in a cast, so I grasped her right hand where it lay on her chest. “It’s me, Aunt Mae. Laurel.”

“Laurel,” she repeated. A groan escaped her lips. “I don’t know... what happened. I can’t...” Her words became incoherent, and her eyes drifted closed.

“Shhh. You don’t need to worry about that right now. Just rest.”

There was no response.

The doctor came around to the opposite side of the bed.

“She’s had a low dose of pain medication, but with a concussion, we’re cautious about administering anything that can increase the risk of bleeding.

People with head injuries are often confused, agitated, and can even experience hallucinations.

We’ll watch her for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

As her relative, we’ll need you to fill out some paperwork. ”

I remembered Dad. “My father—her brother—will want to be involved in her care. I planned to call him as soon as I knew more.”

“That’s fine. We just need someone to give us basic information. Name, age, address. That sort of thing.”

A young nurse brought in a clipboard and pen. While I sat in a hard metal chair and filled out the forms, Jonas and the doctor spoke in low tones in the hallway. After I handed the paperwork back to the nurse, Jonas returned alone.

“The doctor said Mae’s glasses were broken in the accident. They’ll have the ophthalmologist examine her to make sure her eyes weren’t damaged, then get a new prescription going.”

Worry tightened my throat. “This is just awful. What will we do if she isn’t able to see well enough to drive or live alone? I need to call Dad.”

“There’s a pay phone in the waiting room. I’ll stay with Mae.”

Again, appreciation for Jonas welled up. Tears formed in my eyes. “Thank you.”

I hurried to the public phone and made a collect call to Dad’s office.

“Hi, honey,” he said after accepting the charges. “You never call me at the office. Is everything okay?”

A sob escaped. “No, Daddy, it’s not. Aunt Mae’s been in a car accident. She’s in the hospital.” I filled him in on Aunt Mae’s injuries and everything I could remember of what the doctor had said, adding, “The accident was her fault, Dad.”

“Poor Mae. Hold on, Laurel.” I heard him speak to someone, although I couldn’t make out the words. Moments later he said, “My secretary is working on getting me a flight. I’ll get there as soon as I can, honey. Are you okay? Were you in the car with Mae?”

“No, I was at the library. We were supposed to have dinner together later. I don’t know where she was going.” Tears ran down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Dad. I should’ve been with her. I should’ve been driving.”

“This isn’t your fault, Laurel. I’ve been concerned about my sister living alone, fearing something like this might happen. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with everything, but I’m glad you’re with her. Hang in there, sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Dad.”

I hung up the phone receiver, letting tears flow.

“God,” I whispered, a sob choking me. “Please let Aunt Mae be okay. I’m just getting to know her. I promise to be a better niece.”

When I returned to Aunt Mae’s room, I found Jonas speaking to Velvet and Roonie in the hallway.

“Laurel,” Velvet said, her voice motherly, “we came as soon as we heard.”

At my questioning look, Roonie had a sheepish look. “It’s a small town. Word travels fast. Someone saw the accident and called someone else. You know how that goes.”

Being from Boston, I didn’t. “Thank you for coming. I spoke to my dad. He’ll get here as quickly as he can.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Velvet glanced into the room, worry on her face. “Poor Mae, I just hate that this happened. Everyone is prayin’ for her, you can be assured of that.”

I nodded, unable to speak past the tears welling again.

“I should get back to work.” Jonas’s eyes held an apology. “I’ll come by to check on you and Mae a little later. Is there anything I can bring you? Do you need anything from the house?”

My brain felt so foggy, I couldn’t think of a thing. “I’m sure there is, but at the moment I couldn’t tell you what.”

After he left, Velvet said, “I’m going to stay with you until Harris gets here.”

“I can’t ask you to do that. It could be late when he finally arrives.”

She gave a single nod. “All the more reason for me to stay. You don’t need to be alone. Besides, we came in separate cars for this very purpose.”

The kindness of these people meant more than they would ever know.

Roonie left us a short time later. A nurse brought in a second metal chair, not the most comfortable furnishings, but Velvet and I settled in for a long night after the doctor gave us permission to stay beyond normal visiting hours. Nurses came and went, checking Aunt Mae’s vitals, adjusting tubes.

“I haven’t spent much time in a hospital,” I said, my voice low. “A friend from high school had a baby last year, and I visited her. But this,” I indicated Aunt Mae, “is completely different. This is... frightening.”

“As a pastor’s wife, I’ve spent many hours in hospitals. What I’ve learned is that while it can be overwhelming, especially when someone you care about is injured or sick, this is also a place of healing, filled with good people who have dedicated their lives to helping others.”

I glanced at Aunt Mae’s still form. “I should have been home so I could’ve driven her where she needed to go. Just yesterday I admitted I was concerned about her eyesight, but she assured me she was okay to drive. I should’ve listened to my instincts.”

Velvet offered an understanding look. “Mae is a stubborn woman. She’s also one of the most unselfish people I know.

Always giving and doing for others. She doesn’t like to be on the receiving end of things though.

I tell you, sometimes she wears herself out volunteering here or giving a hand there. ”

“What was she like when you first met her?”

A soft smile lifted her lips as her eyes fastened on Aunt Mae.

“Kind. Friendly. Full of curiosity. She’d left home to come to Oak Ridge all by herself, and I always thought she was so courageous.

Of course, that was true of most of the young women who worked on the project.

Young people always seem to be more adventurous than us old folks.

If Roonie and I hadn’t been married already, I don’t believe I would have been brave enough to come here by myself. ”

I thought back to the day I’d interviewed Velvet and Roonie.

She’d mentioned that Aunt Mae changed, becoming withdrawn.

Wasn’t it the fall of 1944 when that happened?

The same time period Clive Morrison filed a complaint against Aunt Mae, followed by the fire that destroyed his trailer the next day.

I had a strong feeling all of it was somehow connected.

Before I could question Velvet about it, a pretty blonde nurse came in. After taking Aunt Mae’s vitals, she attempted to rouse her.

“Ms. Willett? Can you hear me? Try to open your eyes.”

Moments passed. Aunt Mae took a deep breath, and her eyelids fluttered open.

“Good job,” the nurse said, pleased. “Do you know where you are?”

Aunt Mae glanced around the room, then back to the nurse. “Hospital?”

“Yes, ma’am. You have a concussion.” She turned to me. “I’m sure she’d love to see you.”

I hurried to the opposite side of the bed. “Aunt Mae? It’s Laurel.”

Her head moved slightly on the pillow, and she turned toward me. “Laurel, I didn’t know you were here.” Her words were slow and slurred. “What are you doing in Tennessee?”

I shot a concerned look at the nurse. “Is she okay?”

The nurse frowned. “I’ll get the doctor.”

After she left the room, Velvet joined me. She leaned down so Aunt Mae could see her.

“Hi, Mae.” Warmth and caring radiated from her voice.

Aunt Mae’s eyes focused on the woman. “Velvet, what... doing... here?” The slurring continued.

Velvet reached to put her hand on Aunt Mae’s. “I had to come see about my friend. You gave us a bit of a scare.”

The nurse returned. “The doctor will be in shortly.” She moved to Aunt Mae’s bedside. “Ms. Willett, I’m going to ask you some questions.”

Aunt Mae’s attention moved to the nurse.

Suddenly her eyes widened and a look of fright filled her features.

“Sissy? Is that you, Sissy? I thought you were... I thought you were...” She panted, her hands grasping the air.

“Where? I don’t understand...” Aunt Mae tried to sit up, but the nurse gently pushed her back against the pillow.

“Calm down, Ms. Willett,” the nurse said. “We don’t want you to injure yourself.”

Aunt Mae continued to fight and mumble unintelligibly.

The doctor arrived in the middle of the commotion. “What’s going on?” He came up behind the nurse.

Before she could answer, Aunt Mae let out a piercing scream.

“Leave her alone. Don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt her. Oh, Sissy, Sissy. He hurt you. He hurt you.”