All the King's Horses and All the King's Men [Chapter 16]

I've started posting the chapters of Resolution 786. I'll post each successive chapter roughly every 3 or 4 days. Here's Chapter 16:


Fatima Hueghlomm had been admitted to the hospital unexpectedly. The night before she was excitedly picking out an outfit to wear to Adam and Becca’s weekend dinner party. Her lower back hurt the next morning. By noon, a screaming ambulance whisked her to a local emergency room.

Becca and Adam spent most of the evening at the hospital, difficult hours receiving a flurry of status reports, test results and evolving prognoses. They sat in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, watching Fatima rest. Tilted back in her hospital bed, needles and tubes running into the top of one hand, haggard and worn, Fatima insisted, “Have your dinner party. Don’t disappoint all those people.”

“Mom, that’s ridiculous,” snapped Adam, his voice weighted with worry.

“Mom, rest,” said Becca. She turned to Adam and muttered, “You too.”

Adam’s eyes dropped to the floor as he retreated into himself.

“We spoke to Dr. Patel,” Becca told Fatima. “He says they’re running some pretty strong antibiotics through your system. They want to make sure that they get the kidney infection. They’ll keep an eye on you for a couple of days. You should be home soon.”

“Ummm,” said Fatima. She slowly added, “Take Adam home. He should eat.”

“I will, Mom,” said Becca. “I’ll take care of him.”