Oh for Pete's Sake!

[sssarawolf]

Thank you, great chapter.

[223shootersc]

good sruff, hpe Janey pulls through

[PacNorWest]

#40
"Oh dear heavens," Evie cried aloud. "Will, please help." the sheriff listened to the anguish and pain, and could tell the old lady really did love and care for the child she was crying about.

"Get in the car," he said bruskly. "I'll drive over." He conferred in low tones with his deputy and then ushered them swiftly to the car.

The ER was buzzing with activity. Will spoke with the front nurse while Evie and Benny circled aimlessly, Evie holding her arms tightly around herself. She felt like she would explode if she couldn't be with Janey. She and Benny stopped walking and stood close together, holding hands, anxiously as Kevin brought in papers and handed them to Will.

Waving the papers under the nose of the nurse, Will sent her scurrying to the back.

Seconds later a large booming voice split the clamor of the waiting room.

"Bring that woman and the Sheriff back here. I want to charge her with child neglect, endangerment and abuse. Sheriff, I want her arrested!" the Doctor shouted loud enough to be heard two counties over.

All Evie remembered was 'neglect and abuse' as the enveloping darkness curtained the light.

[Deena in GA]

ACCKKKKKKKKK!!!! Don't you dare let something else bad happen to Evie!

And please post more soonest!

[CGTech]

<snicker> Pac, yer mean..!!

[sssarawolf]

Another Idiot doctor. You can see what I think of them can't you.

[PacNorWest]

#41
The first thing Evie could clearly discern, was Benny's sobbing. She was lying on a exam table, cold and hard. The overhead light stark and glaring to her eyes. Benny stood tight at her shoulder, patting her arm and crying his little heart out. Evie reached her hand to cover Bennys. The young man then roughly scrubbing at the tear stains, so she couldn't see his weakness and fright.

"Benny, what happened, how about Jane, how is she, where is Will, are you ok." Evie rattled on, trying to make sense of what had happened. Will's face came into view, looming over her. "Easy Evie. You passed out. Jane is hanging in there; you banged your shoulder pretty hard, so they put your arm in a sling. LAY DOWN," he roared, as she struggled to get up.

That comotion brought doctors and nurses running. The next thing Evie saw was the loud mouthed doctor that had accused her of neglecting Jane.

"See, Sheriff," he boomed once again. "That baby is pitfully underweight, this boy is skinny as a rail; grossly undernourished. And," he paused for effect. "I understand there are four more children in the home in the same condition. I want you to know I have called child protective services to come and rescue these children. This is a crime, and I want her arrested for abuse."

Evie went to put her hand on her forehead, only to discover that was the arm in the sling. Dear Lord, she had injured her right shoulder. Now, how was she going to get around that.

Struggling to get to her side so she could swing her feet towards the floor, Evie sat up in a shower of cascading stars. The thin set of her stubborn mouth the only indication of what was going to happen, and happen real soon. She had taken a deep breath, locked her eyes on that fool doctor and was a cat's whisker from blasting that runny nosed upstart a new line of thinking, when Will grabbed her arm and shook it gently.

It was a gentle shake for Will; but being that the closest arm was the injured one, it sent shock waves through Evie. Just like Benny; she busied herself with gathering the hiccuping boy to her side, to mask the jolt of pain she felt. As it was, her voice squeeked a bit when she finally found it.

"Listen here young man, I want to know how Jane is, what she has, and what you are doing for her?" the stern teacher's tone practically pinning the doctor to the wall behind him. It rolled like water off a duck's back.

"You have no legal right to access any information concerning that child," Evie was smartly informed. The social worker will be here shortly to discuss with me, the situtation as I see it. You will have the full explanation in the charging documents as they are filed." he added supercillously.

Sheriff William Leroy Pendelton, stood tall, hitched his grey uniform pants a notch higher, and fixed his piercing blue eyes on the well meaning, but totally misguided doctor.

"By order of the court," Will said softly but with threatening intonation;"this woman has sole custody of the five Apperton children. Their mother is not located, and their father has agreed to a custody transfer while he is recovering from injuries. Judge Thomas Evans has signed the order, the county child welfare dept. is aware of the situtation, and doctor," he stared intently at the young man,"just what is your problem."

Doctor Phillips blustered a bit, searching for rationalization for his actions. He had examined a female child, approxamately age two, that had all the classic signs of malnutrition, arrested development, and failure to thrive syndrome. What else was he to think, especially after seeing the boy in the same condition. And then, to find out there were three more children, why he was thinking total neglect.

"Are you unaware of the general times," Will asked directly. "Hell man, there are people starving to death out in the world. Surely you of all people have seen that!"

Doctor Phillips did have the grace to blush and back off his agressive stance.

"Please," Evie begged, "Tell me about Jane, will she be alright?"

"Why is this child," the doctor looked at Benny," in this room. He needs to be in the waiting room. Child visitors are not allowed with patients."

"Stuff it," Will snapped, totally out of patience. "Now, what about the girl," he repeated.

She is suffering from a Vit.B deficiency. I understand her diet has been mainly rice and beans. Totally unsuitable for an infant. She is dehydrated, and needs proper nutrition. Milk and fruits, meats and fats." Dr. Phillips concluded. The neglect is the fact she is not getting proper food."

"When can I, ...I mean we, see her," Evie persisted. Drawing Benny closer, she included the youngster in her request. "She has got to be so frightened, she has never been away from us." she added. "I can hear her crying, that can't be good for her to get so worked up and frightened."
The doctor nodded his head at the nurse and she left the room to fetch Jane.

Jane had been screaming. Her eyes red rimmed and her little body heaving with the force of her sobs.; she held her arms out to Evie and Benny and clung to Evie in total desparation. Her hair was wet with sweat, and her voice hoarse with the force of her crying.

Evie enfolded the thin child in her arms and rocked back and forth, crooning softly. Benny fit in close, rubbing Janey's back and cooing to her. Burrowing her face into Evie's sore shoulder, Jane stopped crying. Evie was just smoothing the girl's tangled hair back from her face, when a cold, authoritive voice interupted the now quiet room.

"Good, your here Sheriff. Is this the woman to be arrested?" inquired the stout, matronly, humorless social worker.