Crash Test Dummy

Chapter 27

She grinned. "Nice save, kiddo." Then she sobered. "So you need to show BJ that you're sincere by braving the lion in his den, so to speak. If he blows you off, that's not your problem. At least you tried to do the right thing."

I sighed. "Ok, ok." I'd been sitting around in PJ pants and one of Dad's t-shirts. "Just let me go change."

I put on my purple t-shirt. I figured the Forgiven Ministry logo couldn't hurt. If BJ was up to talking and willing to do it, I might get a chance to tell him about ODWG and Dad and stuff.

While I was dressing, I had a talk with God, out loud. I had closed the door and Aunt Glory was waiting downstairs. I figured I was safe.

"It's CW again, God. I'm going to go see BJ. Let me say the right things. I know I don't deserve his forgiveness or his friendship, but ..." I sort of trailed off. I didn't feel right asking God to get BJ to listen or anything. That just sounded selfish. "Anyway God, I just want to do the right thing, no matter how it turns out...."

I asked Aunt Glory to stop at the gas station on the corner. I went in and bought a bag of cherry blasters. It was the only place around that you could get them. I knew they were BJ's fave. I drew a smiley face on the bag while we drove on to the hospital. It was kind of wavy and funky. "It sort of looks like a jack-o-lantern saying, Eww," I said holding up the bag.

Aunt Glory laughed. "Well, at least you can tell you personalized it yourself with that wonky left hand or yours."

When we got to the hospital, Aunt Glory checked to see if BJ was still in the same place. I thought maybe he'd graduated to a regular room, but he hadn't. I took a deep breath as we got out of the elevator. I wasn't really sure if I was up to this. That yellow streak down my back was getting wider by the minute. I stopped and leaned against the wall and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I don't know if I can do this." My voice was weak and sort of breathy. "Why don't you just take this bag to him and tell him I sent it?"

Aunt Glory leaned on the wall next to me. "Are we helping to hold up the hospital?" 

"What?"

"I thought maybe you expected this wall to fall down if you didn't lend it support."

I half-smiled. "You're worse than Pawpaw."

"I resemble that," she deadpanned.

I stood up and squared my shoulders. I started off down the hall. "Okay, here goes nothing."

As we came around the corner, I saw Dr. Patel leaving BJ's room. I stopped short. Aunt Glory ran into me.

"What's up?" 

I pointed at the doctor's retreating back. "That's my doctor," I said. "He was coming out of BJ's room. I didn't know he was treating both of us. I mean, he was so nice to me. But if he was treating BJ, he had to know that it was my fault BJ was in a coma. How could he joke around with me and put the cops off when he was BJ's doctor?"

"What do you mean he put the cops off?"

"He didn't let them talk to me as soon as I woke up. He gave me a strong dose of pain meds and put me to sleep, buying me time."

"He probably knew you needed the time. Your mind was sorta banged around in that thick skull of yours."

"But BJ was supposed to be dying."

"So, doctor's don't take sides. They're supposed to treat everyone, no matter what the circumstance."

"There's a difference between treating and befriending. I was sure he was my friend."