Part 53 (1/2)
EPILOGUE.
Joshua had thought that the cancer ward at Mount Sinai hospital was the most wretched place he'd ever been, until he stood in the hallway of the AIDS unit at Kings County Hospital. The lighting was dim, the inst.i.tutional-green walls hadn't been painted in years, and linoleum floor panels were chipped and lifting from their base. The smell of death permeated the air, and moans of torment echoed from the rooms.
He walked into her room. It was barely large enough for four patients, but it held six. No one noticed his presence. The patients seemed lost. Coughing. Groaning. Gasping. He looked at their faces, and moved slowly until he recognized the one he'd come to see.
He stood by the foot of her bed for a few minutes, watching her sleep. She looked different. Sickly, emaciated, but he would have known her anywhere.
She opened her eyes as if she knew someone was there, and for a moment she thought she was dreaming. ”Joshua?” she said.
He smiled.
”Is that you?”
”Yes, it's me.”
She smiled broadly, a tear fell from her eye. He moved closer to wipe it, feeling the weathered flesh of her cheek. ”I'm here, Celeste.”
”I knew you'd come. Sooner or later, I knew it.”
”So did I.”
She coughed, took some water and drank. ”Jerome told you where I was?”
”Yeah.”
”Good old Jerome.”
”He tries. He loves you.”
She thought about his words. ”He says he's going to take care of me from now on.”
”You going to let him?”
”Suppose I should. I'm tired of the streets. Need to get healthy. The doctor says I could live a long time if I cleaned up and took my medicine. Says I wouldn't be in the hospital so much.”
”Sounds like a plan to me.”
She coughed again. ”d.a.m.n pneumonia. Third time this year.”
He was wordless.
”You know,” she said, ”my mama's in a nursing home, feeble minded. Sad thing.”
”Yes, Jerome told me.”
”Your mama's okay?”
”Like the day I was born.”
She stared off in silence. ”Let me touch you,” she said as she took his hand. ”Feels good to touch you.”
”For me too.”
”You been okay?”
”Up and down.”
”Yeah, I heard. Jerome told me about that lady friend of yours. Sorry thing, real sorry.”
”Sure is.”
She saw the glimmer in his eye. ”You loved her?”
”Very much.”
”Just like you, Joshua, going off, loving the wrong people.”
”That's true enough.”
”Guess you can't help who you love.”
”Never could.”
”Neither could I.” She squeezed his hand.
”Strong grasp for a sick lady.”
”Not as sick as you think; I'll be out of here in no time!”
He smiled again. She was always able to make him smile.
”Jerome also tells me you're a big lawyer now.”
”A lawyer, yes. Big?” He looked himself over. ”Not really.”
She laughed, and coughed some more.
He watched her.
”So you here to save me again?” she asked.
”You need saving?”
”Probably.”
”Then I'm your man.”
”Good. Cause when I get out of here, I'd like to have you around.”