Kevin and Oscar: Snapshots Episode 4: Unfinished Business
Written by Jake Collins
Kevin opened the cubicle curtain and went to perch on the edge of the hospital bed. The small girl who was occupying the bed looked at him over the top of the comic she was reading, and smiled.
'Hey, Katie,' said Kevin.
'I thought you'd gone home,' she croaked in reply.
'Just doing my final rounds,' Kevin grinned at her. 'How's the throat?'
'Still a little sore,' said Katie. 'I've had four bowls of ice cream since lunch, and I think I can get in at least two more before they make us all go to bed.'
'I bet you can,' said Kevin. 'That's the best thing about having your tonsils out – all the ice cream you can eat!'
'Did you have your tonsils out when you were my age?' asked Katie.
'Yes, I did... well, I was a little older than you, actually,' said Kevin.
'How old were you?'
'I was ten.'
'How old are you now?'
'I'll be eighteen next month.'
'So you're seventeen,' Katie said firmly.
'Yes,' Kevin laughed, 'I'm seventeen.'
'Kevin, you know all about ghosts and stuff, don't you?' Katie suddenly asked.
'Er... well, I know something about them,' said Kevin, 'but I'm not an expert. Why do you ask?'
'I think the toilets are haunted,' said Katie. 'You know, the ones at the end of the corridor with the mural of the otters on the door?'
'What makes you think that, Katie?'
'I feel really cold whenever I go in there, even when the heating's on full blast. Plus when I was in one of the stalls earlier, I felt like there was someone right outside and I heard one of the faucets being turned on, but when I went to investigate there was no one there.'
'That's interesting,' said Kevin. 'I'll have to look into it.'
'Are you gonna get the Ghostbusters to come?' Katie asked eagerly.
'Well, maybe not just yet,' said Kevin. 'I'll do some investigating of my own and see what I think first.'
'You're not a Ghostbuster,' Katie said sulkily.
'I will be after I leave school,' said Kevin. 'Trust me – I know what I'm doing. You'd better rest your voice now – I'll let you get back to your comic.'
Kevin left the cubicle and drew the curtains back into place, before moving to the far end of the room and opening the curtains around another cubicle. A boy of about ten was in the bed beyond, looking distinctly less robust than Katie and sporting several drips and leads coming from various parts of his body.
'Hi, Josh,' said Kevin.
'Hi, Kevin,' said Josh, smiling weakly as he awoke from his doze. 'Are you going home now?'
'Yes; after I've said goodbye to you,' said Kevin. 'Tomorrow's the big day, right?'
'That's right,' said Josh. 'Could you get me a drink of water? I'm really thirsty.'
'Sorry, dude – you're nil by mouth.'
'Oh, yeah. Damn.'
'It'll be worth it in the long run.'
'That's what everyone says, but... can you promise me that everything's gonna be all right after my surgery, Kevin?'
'No,' said Kevin, 'I can't promise you that, Josh. But I can promise you that you're doing the right thing, right now.'
'Yeah, I guess I am,' said Josh, smiling again. 'Do you know where they've gotten the bone marrow from, Kevin?'
'From your brother, wasn't it?'
'That's right – Jordan. He's four years older than me. Our dad wanted him to pass the eighth grade before he came in for harvesting – I mean, I could have waited a little longer – but Jordan wouldn't wait. He said the most important thing in the world to him is to get me well. Pretty amazing, huh?'
'Definitely,' said Kevin. 'But brothers and sisters usually are pretty amazing to each other when it really comes to the crunch.'
'Do you have a brother, Kevin?' asked Josh. 'Or a sister?'
'I have a brother,' said Kevin.
'How old is he?'
'Nine months.'
'Wow!' said Josh. 'Is he your whole brother? I mean, he's not a half?'
'He's my whole brother – we have both the same parents,' said Kevin. 'His name's James.'
'Would you donate your bone marrow if he needed it?'
'In a heartbeat. I'd donate anything he needed, if I could.'
'Jordan says brothers should always stick together, no matter what,' said Josh.
'Jordan's absolutely right,' said Kevin. 'I know what can happen if they don't and... well, yeah, it's much better if they do.'
'Are you thinking of someone in particular?' asked Josh.
'Yes – my dad and my Uncle Eduardo,' said Kevin. 'They don't get on too badly nowadays, but when I was growing up... well, I heard them say some truly awful things to each other.'
'Like what?' Josh pressed.
'Oh... lots of stuff,' said Kevin. 'Stuff I'd rather not repeat, to be honest.'
'That's cool,' said Josh. 'I understand, Kevin.'
'I'd better leave now,' said Kevin. 'You'll need your strength tomorrow – you must get as much rest as you can.'
'Will you come back and talk to me tomorrow, after the surgery?' Josh asked.
'Yes,' said Kevin, 'if you're feeling up to it. Oh, actually, before I go, have you ever been to the toilets at the end of the corridor? You know, the ones with the otters on the door?'
'I've been stuck in this ward for the past two weeks, Kevin,' said Josh, giving him a look.
'Oh yes, of course you've been to them,' said Kevin. 'Sorry, that was a stupid question. Have you ever felt a presence in there with you?'
'Only when there's another kid taking a poop in the stall next to me,' Josh shrugged.
'Okay,' Kevin laughed. 'But you've never thought the place might be haunted?'
'No,' said Josh. 'Why, is it?'
'It might be,' said Kevin, rising to his feet. 'I'll get back to you when I've done some sleuthing. Bye for now, Josh. I'd say good luck for tomorrow, but I know you won't need it.'
Josh smiled, and held out his right arm in an upright position. Kevin grasped his hand, and they indulged in a very cool and very manly handshake.
'I'm glad you're here, Kevin,' said Josh. 'Hospital's not so bad when you're around.'
'Hey, Katie,' said Kevin.
'I thought you'd gone home,' she croaked in reply.
'Just doing my final rounds,' Kevin grinned at her. 'How's the throat?'
'Still a little sore,' said Katie. 'I've had four bowls of ice cream since lunch, and I think I can get in at least two more before they make us all go to bed.'
'I bet you can,' said Kevin. 'That's the best thing about having your tonsils out – all the ice cream you can eat!'
'Did you have your tonsils out when you were my age?' asked Katie.
'Yes, I did... well, I was a little older than you, actually,' said Kevin.
'How old were you?'
'I was ten.'
'How old are you now?'
'I'll be eighteen next month.'
'So you're seventeen,' Katie said firmly.
'Yes,' Kevin laughed, 'I'm seventeen.'
'Kevin, you know all about ghosts and stuff, don't you?' Katie suddenly asked.
'Er... well, I know something about them,' said Kevin, 'but I'm not an expert. Why do you ask?'
'I think the toilets are haunted,' said Katie. 'You know, the ones at the end of the corridor with the mural of the otters on the door?'
'What makes you think that, Katie?'
'I feel really cold whenever I go in there, even when the heating's on full blast. Plus when I was in one of the stalls earlier, I felt like there was someone right outside and I heard one of the faucets being turned on, but when I went to investigate there was no one there.'
'That's interesting,' said Kevin. 'I'll have to look into it.'
'Are you gonna get the Ghostbusters to come?' Katie asked eagerly.
'Well, maybe not just yet,' said Kevin. 'I'll do some investigating of my own and see what I think first.'
'You're not a Ghostbuster,' Katie said sulkily.
'I will be after I leave school,' said Kevin. 'Trust me – I know what I'm doing. You'd better rest your voice now – I'll let you get back to your comic.'
Kevin left the cubicle and drew the curtains back into place, before moving to the far end of the room and opening the curtains around another cubicle. A boy of about ten was in the bed beyond, looking distinctly less robust than Katie and sporting several drips and leads coming from various parts of his body.
'Hi, Josh,' said Kevin.
'Hi, Kevin,' said Josh, smiling weakly as he awoke from his doze. 'Are you going home now?'
'Yes; after I've said goodbye to you,' said Kevin. 'Tomorrow's the big day, right?'
'That's right,' said Josh. 'Could you get me a drink of water? I'm really thirsty.'
'Sorry, dude – you're nil by mouth.'
'Oh, yeah. Damn.'
'It'll be worth it in the long run.'
'That's what everyone says, but... can you promise me that everything's gonna be all right after my surgery, Kevin?'
'No,' said Kevin, 'I can't promise you that, Josh. But I can promise you that you're doing the right thing, right now.'
'Yeah, I guess I am,' said Josh, smiling again. 'Do you know where they've gotten the bone marrow from, Kevin?'
'From your brother, wasn't it?'
'That's right – Jordan. He's four years older than me. Our dad wanted him to pass the eighth grade before he came in for harvesting – I mean, I could have waited a little longer – but Jordan wouldn't wait. He said the most important thing in the world to him is to get me well. Pretty amazing, huh?'
'Definitely,' said Kevin. 'But brothers and sisters usually are pretty amazing to each other when it really comes to the crunch.'
'Do you have a brother, Kevin?' asked Josh. 'Or a sister?'
'I have a brother,' said Kevin.
'How old is he?'
'Nine months.'
'Wow!' said Josh. 'Is he your whole brother? I mean, he's not a half?'
'He's my whole brother – we have both the same parents,' said Kevin. 'His name's James.'
'Would you donate your bone marrow if he needed it?'
'In a heartbeat. I'd donate anything he needed, if I could.'
'Jordan says brothers should always stick together, no matter what,' said Josh.
'Jordan's absolutely right,' said Kevin. 'I know what can happen if they don't and... well, yeah, it's much better if they do.'
'Are you thinking of someone in particular?' asked Josh.
'Yes – my dad and my Uncle Eduardo,' said Kevin. 'They don't get on too badly nowadays, but when I was growing up... well, I heard them say some truly awful things to each other.'
'Like what?' Josh pressed.
'Oh... lots of stuff,' said Kevin. 'Stuff I'd rather not repeat, to be honest.'
'That's cool,' said Josh. 'I understand, Kevin.'
'I'd better leave now,' said Kevin. 'You'll need your strength tomorrow – you must get as much rest as you can.'
'Will you come back and talk to me tomorrow, after the surgery?' Josh asked.
'Yes,' said Kevin, 'if you're feeling up to it. Oh, actually, before I go, have you ever been to the toilets at the end of the corridor? You know, the ones with the otters on the door?'
'I've been stuck in this ward for the past two weeks, Kevin,' said Josh, giving him a look.
'Oh yes, of course you've been to them,' said Kevin. 'Sorry, that was a stupid question. Have you ever felt a presence in there with you?'
'Only when there's another kid taking a poop in the stall next to me,' Josh shrugged.
'Okay,' Kevin laughed. 'But you've never thought the place might be haunted?'
'No,' said Josh. 'Why, is it?'
'It might be,' said Kevin, rising to his feet. 'I'll get back to you when I've done some sleuthing. Bye for now, Josh. I'd say good luck for tomorrow, but I know you won't need it.'
Josh smiled, and held out his right arm in an upright position. Kevin grasped his hand, and they indulged in a very cool and very manly handshake.
'I'm glad you're here, Kevin,' said Josh. 'Hospital's not so bad when you're around.'
'“Hospital's not so bad when you're around”,' Kevin said to Oscar over the phone later that evening. 'Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever heard?'
'Yeah, I guess so,' Oscar laughed. 'What are you gonna do about this haunted bathroom?'
'Investigate, just like I said I would,' said Kevin. 'With your help, I hope.'
'Yeah, sure,' said Oscar.
'Can you come to the hospital after school with me tomorrow?'
'Won't I get kicked out?'
'What for?'
'For not having a good reason to be there.'
'You'll be fine so long as you stick with me,' said Kevin. 'I need you to sneak the PKE meter in and out in your bag – I don't want it hanging around with my stuff in the staff lounge all afternoon, in case anyone stumbles over it and wonders what it is.'
'We're taking a PKE meter?' said Oscar.
'Of course we are,' said Kevin.
'Do you have a PKE meter?'
'Yeah – Eduardo issued me with one a couple of weeks ago, when I covered that shift, and he said I might as well keep it because I'll be needing it pretty soon.'
'Oh, cool,' said Oscar. 'Meet at the music block after school?'
'You bet,' said Kevin.
'Yeah, I guess so,' Oscar laughed. 'What are you gonna do about this haunted bathroom?'
'Investigate, just like I said I would,' said Kevin. 'With your help, I hope.'
'Yeah, sure,' said Oscar.
'Can you come to the hospital after school with me tomorrow?'
'Won't I get kicked out?'
'What for?'
'For not having a good reason to be there.'
'You'll be fine so long as you stick with me,' said Kevin. 'I need you to sneak the PKE meter in and out in your bag – I don't want it hanging around with my stuff in the staff lounge all afternoon, in case anyone stumbles over it and wonders what it is.'
'We're taking a PKE meter?' said Oscar.
'Of course we are,' said Kevin.
'Do you have a PKE meter?'
'Yeah – Eduardo issued me with one a couple of weeks ago, when I covered that shift, and he said I might as well keep it because I'll be needing it pretty soon.'
'Oh, cool,' said Oscar. 'Meet at the music block after school?'
'You bet,' said Kevin.
Kevin pushed open the toilet door and entered the room, with Oscar following a few steps behind him. Kevin swept his PKE meter in all directions, causing it to whine and beep very faintly.
'Trace readings,' said Kevin. 'I don't think it's in here right now.'
He led the way past the row of stalls, all of which were empty. Suddenly the sound of running water met their ears; they stopped and clutched each other.
'Didn't you say the ghost turned on a faucet yesterday?' Oscar whispered.
'That's what Katie said,' Kevin whispered back. 'Come on – let's take a look.'
They came to the end of the stalls, to an area with four washbasins and a two-person urinal. A figure was standing at the urinal. Oscar squeaked in alarm, and the figure turned its head to look over its shoulder.
'What's the matter?' it said. 'Never seen a kid take a piss before?'
'Oh, Ethan!' said Kevin, exhaling heavily. 'Sorry; we didn't think anyone was in here.'
Ethan shrugged, zipped himself up and wandered over to a washbasin. Kevin glanced at his PKE meter, which was still showing trace readings.
'Ethan, did you notice another presence in here with you just now?' Kevin asked. 'Did you feel like someone was watching you?'
'Yeah, I did,' said Ethan, as he ran his hands under the tap. 'Then I found out it was you and your girlfriend, Kevin!'
'No, I mean like a... a ghost,' said Kevin.
'A ghost?' Ethan laughed, as he dried his hands on a paper towel. 'Don't be silly!'
With that, Ethan threw his paper towel in the vicinity of the bin and sauntered out of the room. As Kevin bent to pick up the badly aimed piece of litter, Oscar took a look at himself in one of the washbasin mirrors.
'Do you think I should get a haircut?' Oscar asked. 'A short one, I mean. You know, something more mature?'
'If you want,' said Kevin, 'but personally I love your hair exactly the way it is, just like I love the rest of you. I don't think we're gonna see anything – let's get out of here and try again later.'
'Nothing but trace readings, huh?'
'Yeah, and they're pretty faint. Our ghost obviously isn't in the mood for visitors right now.'
Kevin and Oscar left the toilets and wandered back down the main corridor. Kevin looked in and saw that Josh was back in his cubicle and seemingly awake, so he went to speak to him. Oscar followed behind, looking and feeling more than a little awkward.
'Hey, Josh,' Kevin said to the prostrate figure. 'Did everything go okay?'
'I... I think so,' Josh replied weakly. 'But Kevin, I'm so glad you're here – I saw the ghost!'
'You did?' Kevin asked eagerly.
'Yeah, I did,' said Josh. 'I was waiting to go up to the operating room and they left me on a gurney outside the bathroom for about ten minutes. I remember I was getting pretty drowsy... and then I suddenly saw this figure appearing through the bathroom door – right through the otter mural, I mean – and it seemed to stop when it saw me.'
'Can you describe it?'
'It was definitely a woman... a young woman. I don't remember seeing any legs, but it definitely had arms because it reached out to me.'
'Did it say anything?' Kevin asked.
'It said “Susan”,' said Josh.
'Susan?' said Kevin.
'Yes; Susan,' said Josh. 'I know I don't really look like a Susan, but the ghost obviously thought I did.'
'Weird,' said Kevin. 'Well, at least that gives us something to go on. You should try to get some rest now, buddy – I'll talk to you some more later on.'
Josh smiled and nodded, and was about to close his eyes when he saw two familiar figures through the window to the corridor.
'My mom and my brother are here,' said Josh. 'Stick around, Kevin, and I'll introduce you to them.'
Kevin nodded, and he and Oscar drew back to a discreet distance. Josh's family entered the ward.
'I don't understand why we can't stay the night on those fold-out chairs, like the other concerned family members,' Jordan was saying.
'I just... I don't like being here too long,' his mother replied uncomfortably. 'And you can't stay by yourself because you're only fourteen... plus I want you sleeping in a real bed while you're still recovering from the harvesting procedure. Oh honey, there you are!'
She went up to Josh and kissed him, then turned away with tears in her eyes. Josh held out his arms to Jordan, who immediately bent down and hugged him as much as was physically possible.
'I wonder if Jessica would give me some of her bone marrow if I needed it,' Oscar said to Kevin.
'Of course she would,' said Kevin. 'I know the two of you don't always see eye to eye, but she absolutely adores you.'
'Adores me, huh?'
'Yeah.'
'It's not much to go on, is it?' said Oscar. 'What Josh told us about the ghost, I mean.'
'I guess not,' said Kevin. 'In the movies they always go to the library and find the answer in an old newspaper, at this stage in the mystery.'
'This is the Twenty-First Century,' said Oscar. 'Let's try the internet first.'
'I hope Josh didn't imagine the whole thing,' said Kevin. 'He said he was drowsy, and I did put the idea about the haunted bathroom into his head last night.'
'I bet he did pick up on something, even if his imagination filled in the gaps,' said Oscar. 'Let's assume we can rely on his testimony, for now.'
Jordan stood up and wiped his damp eyes, allowing his mother to take hold of Josh's hand and fix him with an enormous smile.
'Mom, I want you to meet Kevin,' said Josh. 'He's really great to talk to and he brings me all kinds of neat comic books.'
'Looks like you're up, dude,' Oscar remarked.
'Trace readings,' said Kevin. 'I don't think it's in here right now.'
He led the way past the row of stalls, all of which were empty. Suddenly the sound of running water met their ears; they stopped and clutched each other.
'Didn't you say the ghost turned on a faucet yesterday?' Oscar whispered.
'That's what Katie said,' Kevin whispered back. 'Come on – let's take a look.'
They came to the end of the stalls, to an area with four washbasins and a two-person urinal. A figure was standing at the urinal. Oscar squeaked in alarm, and the figure turned its head to look over its shoulder.
'What's the matter?' it said. 'Never seen a kid take a piss before?'
'Oh, Ethan!' said Kevin, exhaling heavily. 'Sorry; we didn't think anyone was in here.'
Ethan shrugged, zipped himself up and wandered over to a washbasin. Kevin glanced at his PKE meter, which was still showing trace readings.
'Ethan, did you notice another presence in here with you just now?' Kevin asked. 'Did you feel like someone was watching you?'
'Yeah, I did,' said Ethan, as he ran his hands under the tap. 'Then I found out it was you and your girlfriend, Kevin!'
'No, I mean like a... a ghost,' said Kevin.
'A ghost?' Ethan laughed, as he dried his hands on a paper towel. 'Don't be silly!'
With that, Ethan threw his paper towel in the vicinity of the bin and sauntered out of the room. As Kevin bent to pick up the badly aimed piece of litter, Oscar took a look at himself in one of the washbasin mirrors.
'Do you think I should get a haircut?' Oscar asked. 'A short one, I mean. You know, something more mature?'
'If you want,' said Kevin, 'but personally I love your hair exactly the way it is, just like I love the rest of you. I don't think we're gonna see anything – let's get out of here and try again later.'
'Nothing but trace readings, huh?'
'Yeah, and they're pretty faint. Our ghost obviously isn't in the mood for visitors right now.'
Kevin and Oscar left the toilets and wandered back down the main corridor. Kevin looked in and saw that Josh was back in his cubicle and seemingly awake, so he went to speak to him. Oscar followed behind, looking and feeling more than a little awkward.
'Hey, Josh,' Kevin said to the prostrate figure. 'Did everything go okay?'
'I... I think so,' Josh replied weakly. 'But Kevin, I'm so glad you're here – I saw the ghost!'
'You did?' Kevin asked eagerly.
'Yeah, I did,' said Josh. 'I was waiting to go up to the operating room and they left me on a gurney outside the bathroom for about ten minutes. I remember I was getting pretty drowsy... and then I suddenly saw this figure appearing through the bathroom door – right through the otter mural, I mean – and it seemed to stop when it saw me.'
'Can you describe it?'
'It was definitely a woman... a young woman. I don't remember seeing any legs, but it definitely had arms because it reached out to me.'
'Did it say anything?' Kevin asked.
'It said “Susan”,' said Josh.
'Susan?' said Kevin.
'Yes; Susan,' said Josh. 'I know I don't really look like a Susan, but the ghost obviously thought I did.'
'Weird,' said Kevin. 'Well, at least that gives us something to go on. You should try to get some rest now, buddy – I'll talk to you some more later on.'
Josh smiled and nodded, and was about to close his eyes when he saw two familiar figures through the window to the corridor.
'My mom and my brother are here,' said Josh. 'Stick around, Kevin, and I'll introduce you to them.'
Kevin nodded, and he and Oscar drew back to a discreet distance. Josh's family entered the ward.
'I don't understand why we can't stay the night on those fold-out chairs, like the other concerned family members,' Jordan was saying.
'I just... I don't like being here too long,' his mother replied uncomfortably. 'And you can't stay by yourself because you're only fourteen... plus I want you sleeping in a real bed while you're still recovering from the harvesting procedure. Oh honey, there you are!'
She went up to Josh and kissed him, then turned away with tears in her eyes. Josh held out his arms to Jordan, who immediately bent down and hugged him as much as was physically possible.
'I wonder if Jessica would give me some of her bone marrow if I needed it,' Oscar said to Kevin.
'Of course she would,' said Kevin. 'I know the two of you don't always see eye to eye, but she absolutely adores you.'
'Adores me, huh?'
'Yeah.'
'It's not much to go on, is it?' said Oscar. 'What Josh told us about the ghost, I mean.'
'I guess not,' said Kevin. 'In the movies they always go to the library and find the answer in an old newspaper, at this stage in the mystery.'
'This is the Twenty-First Century,' said Oscar. 'Let's try the internet first.'
'I hope Josh didn't imagine the whole thing,' said Kevin. 'He said he was drowsy, and I did put the idea about the haunted bathroom into his head last night.'
'I bet he did pick up on something, even if his imagination filled in the gaps,' said Oscar. 'Let's assume we can rely on his testimony, for now.'
Jordan stood up and wiped his damp eyes, allowing his mother to take hold of Josh's hand and fix him with an enormous smile.
'Mom, I want you to meet Kevin,' said Josh. 'He's really great to talk to and he brings me all kinds of neat comic books.'
'Looks like you're up, dude,' Oscar remarked.
As soon as Kevin entered his home and dumped his schoolbag on the floor, his father came storming out of the living room and placed himself firmly in the middle of the hallway.
'Where the hell have you been?' Carl demanded.
'At the hospital, Dad,' said Kevin.
'You're late!'
'I stayed to finish the book I was reading to a ten-year-old boy who's just had a bone marrow transplant.'
'Don't give me that Florence Nightingale crap!' Carl snarled. 'I've tolerated a lot from you, Kevin – your sissy views about war and violence, your relationship with Oscar, your insistence that I turn a blind eye to our tenant smoking pot to ease his arthritis – but I absolutely will not tolerate this!'
'I'm ten minutes late, Dad,' said Kevin. 'It's hardly the crime of the century.'
'I'm not talking about that!' Carl yelled. 'I will not tolerate illegal substances in my house, Kevin!'
'Except for the pot,' Kevin pointed out.
'Don't get smart with me! What you've got up there is obviously the hard stuff! Do you think I'm stupid? Did you think I wouldn't find out?'
'Dad, I don't know what the hell you're talking about.'
'It's no good playing the innocent with me,' said Carl. 'You tell me what it is, right now! Heroin? Ecstasy? LSD?'
'You're crazy,' Kevin told him.
'Crazy, am I?' Carl yelled. 'You'd just better pray I don't show you how crazy I can be!'
Carl took a step towards his son; Kevin could tell that he was trying to intimidate him physically. He thought back to what Eduardo had once told him: 'There's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself. Yes, even physically if you have to.' Kevin squared up to his father, and looked him in the eye.
'Dad, I've never touched drugs in my life,' Kevin said. 'Whatever you think you know, you've made a mistake.'
'Oh, have I?' Carl sneered. 'You can explain it to me, then, if I'm so stupid! You can come upstairs with me right now and try to talk your way out of it!'
Carl grabbed Kevin by the wrist and attempted to pull him towards the staircase. Kevin planted his feet firmly, and wrenched his arm free.
'You don't have to touch me,' he said.
'Just come upstairs!'
'No!'
'Kevin, you will come upstairs right now!' said Carl.
'You think you can make me?' said Kevin.
'You think I can't?' said Carl.
'Why don't you try it and find out?' said Kevin.
Carl took a step forward. Kevin was itching to take a swing at his father with all the power in his right arm, but he forced himself to hold back. Carl did not attempt to touch Kevin again.
'Are we just gonna stand here like this all night?' said Kevin.
'Okay,' said Carl. 'Okay, we'll play it your way. I'll go upstairs and get them, then we'll see what you have to say for yourself. Stay right where you are!'
Kevin watched his father disappearing up the stairs, a dark expression on his face. He visualised himself rejecting the entire situation simply by walking away, then he visualised himself pursuing Carl and attacking him physically with all his strength. But he stayed at the bottom of the stairs.
'Here!' Carl declared, as he bulldozed back down a few moments later. 'Evil, foul, disgusting pills! I really thought you knew better than this, Kevin – I thought you were a smart and sensible boy, whatever else you might be! What if James had gotten hold of them, huh? You're not fit to be a brother!'
Forcing himself not to yell a tirade of abuse at his father in return, Kevin peered at the four capsules in Carl's upheld palm. They certainly looked like pills; one was yellow, one was blue, one was red and one was green. A spark of recognition ignited in Kevin's brain, and he smiled in amusement.
'I found these on the floor by your desk!' Carl barked. 'And let's not overlook the fact that I was being kind and thoughtful enough to drop off your clean laundry at the time!'
'Yes, I've got a whole bag of them in the desk drawer,' said Kevin. 'These ones must have fallen on the floor when I was rooting around in there for my PKE meter. I'd forgotten I even had them.'
'You tell me what they are,' Carl snarled, 'right now!'
'Put them in water, Dad.'
'What?'
'Put them in water,' Kevin repeated, 'and see what happens.'
Frowning suspiciously, Carl led the way to the kitchen and ran a little water into the sink. He threw the four pellets in, then watched in wide-eyed astonishment as the outer shells dissolved and the coloured masses within began to change shape.
'They're... they're dinosaur sponges,' said Carl. 'Little miniature dinosaur sponges that expand in water!'
'Yes, they are,' said Kevin. 'I bought them ages ago, completely on impulse – I thought James might like them.'
'I... I... I'm really sorry, son,' said Carl. 'I should have known you wouldn't take drugs... and I shouldn't have called you a sissy.'
'That's not all you called me, at least implicitly,' said Kevin. 'You have a real problem with me and Oscar, don't you?'
'No, I don't,' Carl said pleadingly. 'I didn't mean what I said, Kevin – I didn't mean any of it! Please, you can't imagine how sorry I am!'
'It's okay, Dad,' said Kevin. 'And you're right about one thing – it was careless of me to leave those things on the floor, just in case James did manage to get hold of them. They're one hundred percent non-toxic so I guess they wouldn't have done him any harm if he'd swallowed them, but they could've been a choke hazard, although I know for a fact that my bedroom door was closed anyway, but... well, why take the chance?'
At that moment the back door opened, admitting Beth and James to the kitchen. Beth immediately sensed the lingering atmosphere, and started to talk in an unnaturally perky manner.
'Well, it's nice to see that we're all back home,' she said. 'Is everything okay?'
'Everything's just fine, Mom,' said Kevin.
'What have you got in the sink?' said Beth, peering over to look. 'Oh, those expanding dinosaur sponge things! Kevin, can I take some with me tomorrow? They might amuse the kids for a while.'
'Sure, Mom,' said Kevin. 'I'll give you the whole bag.'
'Now Carl, you will get yourself out of bed early enough to drop me and James off before eight o'clock, won't you?' said Beth. 'Kylie has to be at work by nine, and she wants to show me where Conchita keeps all her stuff before she leaves.'
'No problem, honey,' said Carl. 'You can rely on me.'
'Where the hell have you been?' Carl demanded.
'At the hospital, Dad,' said Kevin.
'You're late!'
'I stayed to finish the book I was reading to a ten-year-old boy who's just had a bone marrow transplant.'
'Don't give me that Florence Nightingale crap!' Carl snarled. 'I've tolerated a lot from you, Kevin – your sissy views about war and violence, your relationship with Oscar, your insistence that I turn a blind eye to our tenant smoking pot to ease his arthritis – but I absolutely will not tolerate this!'
'I'm ten minutes late, Dad,' said Kevin. 'It's hardly the crime of the century.'
'I'm not talking about that!' Carl yelled. 'I will not tolerate illegal substances in my house, Kevin!'
'Except for the pot,' Kevin pointed out.
'Don't get smart with me! What you've got up there is obviously the hard stuff! Do you think I'm stupid? Did you think I wouldn't find out?'
'Dad, I don't know what the hell you're talking about.'
'It's no good playing the innocent with me,' said Carl. 'You tell me what it is, right now! Heroin? Ecstasy? LSD?'
'You're crazy,' Kevin told him.
'Crazy, am I?' Carl yelled. 'You'd just better pray I don't show you how crazy I can be!'
Carl took a step towards his son; Kevin could tell that he was trying to intimidate him physically. He thought back to what Eduardo had once told him: 'There's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself. Yes, even physically if you have to.' Kevin squared up to his father, and looked him in the eye.
'Dad, I've never touched drugs in my life,' Kevin said. 'Whatever you think you know, you've made a mistake.'
'Oh, have I?' Carl sneered. 'You can explain it to me, then, if I'm so stupid! You can come upstairs with me right now and try to talk your way out of it!'
Carl grabbed Kevin by the wrist and attempted to pull him towards the staircase. Kevin planted his feet firmly, and wrenched his arm free.
'You don't have to touch me,' he said.
'Just come upstairs!'
'No!'
'Kevin, you will come upstairs right now!' said Carl.
'You think you can make me?' said Kevin.
'You think I can't?' said Carl.
'Why don't you try it and find out?' said Kevin.
Carl took a step forward. Kevin was itching to take a swing at his father with all the power in his right arm, but he forced himself to hold back. Carl did not attempt to touch Kevin again.
'Are we just gonna stand here like this all night?' said Kevin.
'Okay,' said Carl. 'Okay, we'll play it your way. I'll go upstairs and get them, then we'll see what you have to say for yourself. Stay right where you are!'
Kevin watched his father disappearing up the stairs, a dark expression on his face. He visualised himself rejecting the entire situation simply by walking away, then he visualised himself pursuing Carl and attacking him physically with all his strength. But he stayed at the bottom of the stairs.
'Here!' Carl declared, as he bulldozed back down a few moments later. 'Evil, foul, disgusting pills! I really thought you knew better than this, Kevin – I thought you were a smart and sensible boy, whatever else you might be! What if James had gotten hold of them, huh? You're not fit to be a brother!'
Forcing himself not to yell a tirade of abuse at his father in return, Kevin peered at the four capsules in Carl's upheld palm. They certainly looked like pills; one was yellow, one was blue, one was red and one was green. A spark of recognition ignited in Kevin's brain, and he smiled in amusement.
'I found these on the floor by your desk!' Carl barked. 'And let's not overlook the fact that I was being kind and thoughtful enough to drop off your clean laundry at the time!'
'Yes, I've got a whole bag of them in the desk drawer,' said Kevin. 'These ones must have fallen on the floor when I was rooting around in there for my PKE meter. I'd forgotten I even had them.'
'You tell me what they are,' Carl snarled, 'right now!'
'Put them in water, Dad.'
'What?'
'Put them in water,' Kevin repeated, 'and see what happens.'
Frowning suspiciously, Carl led the way to the kitchen and ran a little water into the sink. He threw the four pellets in, then watched in wide-eyed astonishment as the outer shells dissolved and the coloured masses within began to change shape.
'They're... they're dinosaur sponges,' said Carl. 'Little miniature dinosaur sponges that expand in water!'
'Yes, they are,' said Kevin. 'I bought them ages ago, completely on impulse – I thought James might like them.'
'I... I... I'm really sorry, son,' said Carl. 'I should have known you wouldn't take drugs... and I shouldn't have called you a sissy.'
'That's not all you called me, at least implicitly,' said Kevin. 'You have a real problem with me and Oscar, don't you?'
'No, I don't,' Carl said pleadingly. 'I didn't mean what I said, Kevin – I didn't mean any of it! Please, you can't imagine how sorry I am!'
'It's okay, Dad,' said Kevin. 'And you're right about one thing – it was careless of me to leave those things on the floor, just in case James did manage to get hold of them. They're one hundred percent non-toxic so I guess they wouldn't have done him any harm if he'd swallowed them, but they could've been a choke hazard, although I know for a fact that my bedroom door was closed anyway, but... well, why take the chance?'
At that moment the back door opened, admitting Beth and James to the kitchen. Beth immediately sensed the lingering atmosphere, and started to talk in an unnaturally perky manner.
'Well, it's nice to see that we're all back home,' she said. 'Is everything okay?'
'Everything's just fine, Mom,' said Kevin.
'What have you got in the sink?' said Beth, peering over to look. 'Oh, those expanding dinosaur sponge things! Kevin, can I take some with me tomorrow? They might amuse the kids for a while.'
'Sure, Mom,' said Kevin. 'I'll give you the whole bag.'
'Now Carl, you will get yourself out of bed early enough to drop me and James off before eight o'clock, won't you?' said Beth. 'Kylie has to be at work by nine, and she wants to show me where Conchita keeps all her stuff before she leaves.'
'No problem, honey,' said Carl. 'You can rely on me.'
In Kylie and Eduardo's house the next morning, Kylie and Beth were walking down the stairs, each carrying a fairly large baby.
'I think that's everything,' said Kylie, as they entered the kitchen. 'Oh, I'll just show you the fridge arrangement. You can eat anything you want out of it yourself. All Chita's baby food is on this shelf – I'm sure you won't want to eat any of that, but maybe James will – and here's a whole load of milk I've expressed.'
'Should I heat the milk in the microwave or in a pan?' Beth asked.
'Neither,' said Kylie. 'Chita has it cold.'
'Cold?' Beth exclaimed, as if she had just been informed that Conchita subsisted on a diet of human blood.
'Yes, cold,' said Kylie. 'The latest research shows there's really no benefit to heating it up.'
'The world's gone crazy,' Beth said with a laugh. 'You'd better get going now, hadn't you? You'll be late.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Kylie, glancing at the clock. 'I'll put Chita in the playpen. Maybe you can put James in there with her and we'll see if they approve of the situation.'
'Okay,' said Beth.
They went into the living room, which was strewn with discarded toys. Kylie placed Conchita into her playpen, and then stood there looking down at her for several seconds.
'It's hard to let go, isn't it?' said Beth.
'It sure is,' said Kylie. 'I never imagined it would be this difficult to be away from her, even for a few hours. But I have to go back to work today – I want to go back to work today – and it'll be great for our two little cousins to spend some quality time together, so...'
Kylie walked away from the playpen, but looked back before she had reached the door to the main hallway.
'I actually physically feel like I'm leaving a part of myself behind,' said Kylie.
'Well, you are,' said Beth.
'Yes,' said Kylie. 'I guess wherever she is from now on, a part of me will always be there. Jeez, I really have to go.'
Casting one more glance at her daughter, Kylie grabbed her purse and dashed from the house. Beth went over to the playpen and placed James next to Conchita. James gave Conchita a prod, so she smacked him in the face. James started to cry. Beth sighed.
'I think that's everything,' said Kylie, as they entered the kitchen. 'Oh, I'll just show you the fridge arrangement. You can eat anything you want out of it yourself. All Chita's baby food is on this shelf – I'm sure you won't want to eat any of that, but maybe James will – and here's a whole load of milk I've expressed.'
'Should I heat the milk in the microwave or in a pan?' Beth asked.
'Neither,' said Kylie. 'Chita has it cold.'
'Cold?' Beth exclaimed, as if she had just been informed that Conchita subsisted on a diet of human blood.
'Yes, cold,' said Kylie. 'The latest research shows there's really no benefit to heating it up.'
'The world's gone crazy,' Beth said with a laugh. 'You'd better get going now, hadn't you? You'll be late.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Kylie, glancing at the clock. 'I'll put Chita in the playpen. Maybe you can put James in there with her and we'll see if they approve of the situation.'
'Okay,' said Beth.
They went into the living room, which was strewn with discarded toys. Kylie placed Conchita into her playpen, and then stood there looking down at her for several seconds.
'It's hard to let go, isn't it?' said Beth.
'It sure is,' said Kylie. 'I never imagined it would be this difficult to be away from her, even for a few hours. But I have to go back to work today – I want to go back to work today – and it'll be great for our two little cousins to spend some quality time together, so...'
Kylie walked away from the playpen, but looked back before she had reached the door to the main hallway.
'I actually physically feel like I'm leaving a part of myself behind,' said Kylie.
'Well, you are,' said Beth.
'Yes,' said Kylie. 'I guess wherever she is from now on, a part of me will always be there. Jeez, I really have to go.'
Casting one more glance at her daughter, Kylie grabbed her purse and dashed from the house. Beth went over to the playpen and placed James next to Conchita. James gave Conchita a prod, so she smacked him in the face. James started to cry. Beth sighed.
Kevin felt the picnic bench buckle and sway, and looked up to see Oscar sitting opposite him.
'I've been looking for you,' Oscar grinned. 'The internet's really come through for us this time!'
'Oh yeah?' said Kevin.
'Yeah,' said Oscar. 'I bet you don't know what that children's hospital of yours was before nineteen eighty-three.'
'No,' said Kevin, 'I don't.'
'I do,' said Oscar.
'Go on, then,' said Kevin. 'Enlighten me.'
'It was a maternity hospital,' said Oscar. 'And I bet you don't know what happened in that particular bathroom on June second, nineteen sixty-five!'
'No, I don't,' said Kevin, 'and if you don't get on and tell me whatever it is you're obviously dying to tell me, I'm really gonna have to tickle you right here in the Mr Fearnhead Memorial Garden until you beg for mercy!'
'Ooh, don't make promises you don't intend to keep,' Oscar giggled. 'Okay, well apparently there was this twenty-one-year-old girl – woman, I suppose – who was having a baby and she wasn't married, which was a big deal back then so it was mentioned over and over in all the old articles I read, and she was in the hospital because she was almost due and she'd started bleeding... you know, out her vagina?'
'Yeah, I didn't need the graphic clarification, man.'
'So this poor woman – Deborah Munn was her name – went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and her water broke right there in the toilet stall!'
'Lucky she was in the right place,' said Kevin. 'Er, or was she?'
'You'd have thought she was, but apparently not,' said Oscar. 'She must have called for help – she must have yelled her lungs out – but nobody came. There was some kind of complication with the birth... well, that's what they figured afterward...'
'Afterward?'
'A cleaner found her on the floor the next morning. She was dead – she'd bled out. But the baby survived. It was just lying there in all the mess, with no idea that its dead mother was on the floor next to it.'
'Jesus, what a horrible story,' said Kevin. 'And they managed to save the baby? I'm very surprised to hear that.'
'The papers called it a miracle,' said Oscar. 'Obviously the baby had to be in one of those fish tanks for a while, and they weren't sure it was gonna survive, but it did. The grandparents took the baby home and raised it just like it was their own child – there's a newspaper report from nineteen seventy-four checking in with the grandparents, where they say that their “daughter” is a perfectly normal and happy child living a perfectly normal and happy life, and that they do intend to tell her the whole truth when they think she's ready to hear it.'
'Daughter... so the baby could be Susan!' said Kevin. 'And the ghost must be Deborah.'
'She's probably been wondering all these years what happened to her baby – that's why she's hanging around!' said Oscar. 'It makes perfect sense that when she died on the bathroom floor, she actually physically left a part of herself behind, because her baby was still there!'
'Maybe we could bring Deborah some peace,' said Kevin. 'Maybe we could find this Susan Munn and... and...'
'Bring her to the bathroom with the otters on the door and ask her to show herself to her dead mother so she can finally have closure?'
'Well... yeah.'
'I love that plan!' Oscar declared. 'I'm excited to be a part of it! How are we gonna do it?'
'There might be some useful clues in those newspaper articles of yours,' said Kevin.
'I've saved them all on this USB stick for you,' said Oscar, reaching into his back pocket. 'There's also a bunch of reports about what changes were made at the hospital afterward – no unmanned night shifts, alarm buttons in the toilet stalls, that kind of thing. It's a shame none of that could be any help to Deborah and Susan Munn.'
'A USB stick?' Kevin said uncertainly. 'I don't think my computer has a USB hole.'
'Check around the back – I bet there's a couple there,' said Oscar. 'If not, you can come over to my place and stick it in my hole – I know we'd both enjoy that.'
'You're terrible!' Kevin giggled, slapping him on the arm. 'Don't make me horny at school!'
'Sorry,' Oscar grinned sheepishly. 'Do you think there's anything useful we could find out at the hospital – you know, maybe sneak a look at the patient records?'
'That won't be easy,' said Kevin, 'but if you come with me again tonight, maybe we can work something out.'
'It's a date,' said Oscar.
'I've been looking for you,' Oscar grinned. 'The internet's really come through for us this time!'
'Oh yeah?' said Kevin.
'Yeah,' said Oscar. 'I bet you don't know what that children's hospital of yours was before nineteen eighty-three.'
'No,' said Kevin, 'I don't.'
'I do,' said Oscar.
'Go on, then,' said Kevin. 'Enlighten me.'
'It was a maternity hospital,' said Oscar. 'And I bet you don't know what happened in that particular bathroom on June second, nineteen sixty-five!'
'No, I don't,' said Kevin, 'and if you don't get on and tell me whatever it is you're obviously dying to tell me, I'm really gonna have to tickle you right here in the Mr Fearnhead Memorial Garden until you beg for mercy!'
'Ooh, don't make promises you don't intend to keep,' Oscar giggled. 'Okay, well apparently there was this twenty-one-year-old girl – woman, I suppose – who was having a baby and she wasn't married, which was a big deal back then so it was mentioned over and over in all the old articles I read, and she was in the hospital because she was almost due and she'd started bleeding... you know, out her vagina?'
'Yeah, I didn't need the graphic clarification, man.'
'So this poor woman – Deborah Munn was her name – went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and her water broke right there in the toilet stall!'
'Lucky she was in the right place,' said Kevin. 'Er, or was she?'
'You'd have thought she was, but apparently not,' said Oscar. 'She must have called for help – she must have yelled her lungs out – but nobody came. There was some kind of complication with the birth... well, that's what they figured afterward...'
'Afterward?'
'A cleaner found her on the floor the next morning. She was dead – she'd bled out. But the baby survived. It was just lying there in all the mess, with no idea that its dead mother was on the floor next to it.'
'Jesus, what a horrible story,' said Kevin. 'And they managed to save the baby? I'm very surprised to hear that.'
'The papers called it a miracle,' said Oscar. 'Obviously the baby had to be in one of those fish tanks for a while, and they weren't sure it was gonna survive, but it did. The grandparents took the baby home and raised it just like it was their own child – there's a newspaper report from nineteen seventy-four checking in with the grandparents, where they say that their “daughter” is a perfectly normal and happy child living a perfectly normal and happy life, and that they do intend to tell her the whole truth when they think she's ready to hear it.'
'Daughter... so the baby could be Susan!' said Kevin. 'And the ghost must be Deborah.'
'She's probably been wondering all these years what happened to her baby – that's why she's hanging around!' said Oscar. 'It makes perfect sense that when she died on the bathroom floor, she actually physically left a part of herself behind, because her baby was still there!'
'Maybe we could bring Deborah some peace,' said Kevin. 'Maybe we could find this Susan Munn and... and...'
'Bring her to the bathroom with the otters on the door and ask her to show herself to her dead mother so she can finally have closure?'
'Well... yeah.'
'I love that plan!' Oscar declared. 'I'm excited to be a part of it! How are we gonna do it?'
'There might be some useful clues in those newspaper articles of yours,' said Kevin.
'I've saved them all on this USB stick for you,' said Oscar, reaching into his back pocket. 'There's also a bunch of reports about what changes were made at the hospital afterward – no unmanned night shifts, alarm buttons in the toilet stalls, that kind of thing. It's a shame none of that could be any help to Deborah and Susan Munn.'
'A USB stick?' Kevin said uncertainly. 'I don't think my computer has a USB hole.'
'Check around the back – I bet there's a couple there,' said Oscar. 'If not, you can come over to my place and stick it in my hole – I know we'd both enjoy that.'
'You're terrible!' Kevin giggled, slapping him on the arm. 'Don't make me horny at school!'
'Sorry,' Oscar grinned sheepishly. 'Do you think there's anything useful we could find out at the hospital – you know, maybe sneak a look at the patient records?'
'That won't be easy,' said Kevin, 'but if you come with me again tonight, maybe we can work something out.'
'It's a date,' said Oscar.
'I don't think this plan is gonna work,' Kevin said to Oscar, as they walked along the hospital corridor.
'No?' said Oscar.
'No,' said Kevin. 'Why should the patient records include anything from before nineteen eighty-three? I bet the maternity records were archived or something when the place became a children's hospital.'
'Oh yeah, I guess so,' said Oscar. 'We might do better to check the phone book or the electoral register or something.'
'That's if Susan Munn is still called Susan Munn,' said Kevin. 'Maybe she got married and changed her surname, or maybe she had an identity crisis and changed her whole name when her grandparents told her the truth about everything, or maybe she moved to the other side of the country and is now totally untraceable!'
'Plus it could take weeks to wade through all the possible candidates,' said Oscar. 'There could be hundreds of Susan Munns in this city – maybe thousands!'
'That's my mom's name.'
Kevin and Oscar turned to look through the door they were just about to walk past. Josh was sitting up in bed, looking at them with obvious curiosity. Kevin and Oscar entered the ward.
'Susan Munn is your mom?' Kevin asked Josh.
'Yeah,' said Josh. 'That's not her name right now – it's Susan Kennedy. But she was Susan Munn before she married my dad.'
'This is beginning to make some kind of sense,' said Oscar. 'If the ghost is Josh's grandmother, that could explain why she appeared to him and called him Susan.'
'You didn't connect the name Susan with your mom before?' said Kevin.
'No,' said Josh. 'My dad calls her Susie, and other grown-ups call her Sue, but when I heard the name Susan Munn, I remembered it's written in ballpoint pen on an old wooden ruler in my mom's desk – she says she's had it since elementary school.'
'In that case,' said Oscar, 'the ghost is your grandma.'
'Wow, that's neat,' said Josh. 'Hey, maybe I could lure her out again, like I did when I was on the gurney. Can one of you find me a wheelchair? I'm not supposed to walk too far yet.'
'Good idea,' said Oscar. 'Maybe if you tell her who you are, and that you and your mom and your brother are doing okay, she'll find some closure and be able to cross over to Heaven or wherever.'
'That'd be really cool,' said Josh.
'I'll go find a wheelchair... and check with a doctor that it's okay to take you to the toilet,' said Kevin.
'And I'll fill you in on the details while he's gone,' said Oscar.
'No?' said Oscar.
'No,' said Kevin. 'Why should the patient records include anything from before nineteen eighty-three? I bet the maternity records were archived or something when the place became a children's hospital.'
'Oh yeah, I guess so,' said Oscar. 'We might do better to check the phone book or the electoral register or something.'
'That's if Susan Munn is still called Susan Munn,' said Kevin. 'Maybe she got married and changed her surname, or maybe she had an identity crisis and changed her whole name when her grandparents told her the truth about everything, or maybe she moved to the other side of the country and is now totally untraceable!'
'Plus it could take weeks to wade through all the possible candidates,' said Oscar. 'There could be hundreds of Susan Munns in this city – maybe thousands!'
'That's my mom's name.'
Kevin and Oscar turned to look through the door they were just about to walk past. Josh was sitting up in bed, looking at them with obvious curiosity. Kevin and Oscar entered the ward.
'Susan Munn is your mom?' Kevin asked Josh.
'Yeah,' said Josh. 'That's not her name right now – it's Susan Kennedy. But she was Susan Munn before she married my dad.'
'This is beginning to make some kind of sense,' said Oscar. 'If the ghost is Josh's grandmother, that could explain why she appeared to him and called him Susan.'
'You didn't connect the name Susan with your mom before?' said Kevin.
'No,' said Josh. 'My dad calls her Susie, and other grown-ups call her Sue, but when I heard the name Susan Munn, I remembered it's written in ballpoint pen on an old wooden ruler in my mom's desk – she says she's had it since elementary school.'
'In that case,' said Oscar, 'the ghost is your grandma.'
'Wow, that's neat,' said Josh. 'Hey, maybe I could lure her out again, like I did when I was on the gurney. Can one of you find me a wheelchair? I'm not supposed to walk too far yet.'
'Good idea,' said Oscar. 'Maybe if you tell her who you are, and that you and your mom and your brother are doing okay, she'll find some closure and be able to cross over to Heaven or wherever.'
'That'd be really cool,' said Josh.
'I'll go find a wheelchair... and check with a doctor that it's okay to take you to the toilet,' said Kevin.
'And I'll fill you in on the details while he's gone,' said Oscar.
Kevin wheeled Josh past the toilet stalls and parked him by the fire exit next to the urinal, while Oscar followed closely behind with an intravenous infusion on a wheeled stand. They waited in silence for almost five minutes.
'Kevin, could you fetch that Batman comic book so I can read it while we wait?' said Josh. 'It's in the open compartment of the nightstand by my bed.'
'Sure thing, buddy,' said Kevin.
He made his way back to Josh's cubicle, where he found Jordan scouring the ward in a state of confusion and anxiety.
'Kevin,' Jordan said, 'do you know where Josh is?'
'Yeah,' said Kevin. 'He's, er... in the toilet.'
'Oh, good,' said Jordan, sounding very relieved. 'Jesus, I hope he's really gonna be okay now – it's absolutely killed me to see how much he's suffered with this damn leukemia!'
'Yeah, of course it has,' said Kevin.
'Josh says you have a younger brother too.'
'Yes – James. He's only nine months old.'
'Can you imagine how devastating it would be to find out he was seriously ill?' said Jordan.
'Oh my God, I can't even think about that,' said Kevin.
'I'll tell you something about the day Josh was diagnosed,' said Jordan. 'I got beaten up at school – three bigger boys absolutely kicked the crap out of me and took my wallet. When I came home and my mom saw me with my black eyes and my puffy lips, she screamed... I've never heard a sound like it. She started hugging me and kissing me and crying all over me, and then my dad told me that Josh had been diagnosed with leukemia. I knew he'd been sick... I knew he'd had an appointment at the hospital that afternoon... but nothing could've prepared me for the punch in the gut I felt when my dad said that to me. I couldn't help thinking about those three bullies, jeering and laughing and smacking me around... I know it was an evil thing to think, but I wished with all my heart that one of them had cancer instead... or even better, that all of them had it! Why should they be allowed to carry on doing what they were doing while my little brother, who never hurt anyone in his life... while my little brother... my little brother...'
Jordan was now struggling to speak through his tears. Kevin gave him a slightly awkward hug.
'It's okay to have those thoughts, Jordan,' Kevin said soothingly. 'We can't help what we think when our brains are an emotional mess. You saved your little brother – you should be really proud of yourself.'
'That's if the surgery went well,' said Jordan.
'It did,' said Kevin. 'No one can make any promises at this stage, of course, but... well, you've given Josh the best chance to beat this thing.'
'He's been in the toilet a long time,' said Jordan.
'Yeah... yeah, I guess he has,' said Kevin. 'Maybe we should go find him... and I'll tell you a little story on the way.'
'Kevin, could you fetch that Batman comic book so I can read it while we wait?' said Josh. 'It's in the open compartment of the nightstand by my bed.'
'Sure thing, buddy,' said Kevin.
He made his way back to Josh's cubicle, where he found Jordan scouring the ward in a state of confusion and anxiety.
'Kevin,' Jordan said, 'do you know where Josh is?'
'Yeah,' said Kevin. 'He's, er... in the toilet.'
'Oh, good,' said Jordan, sounding very relieved. 'Jesus, I hope he's really gonna be okay now – it's absolutely killed me to see how much he's suffered with this damn leukemia!'
'Yeah, of course it has,' said Kevin.
'Josh says you have a younger brother too.'
'Yes – James. He's only nine months old.'
'Can you imagine how devastating it would be to find out he was seriously ill?' said Jordan.
'Oh my God, I can't even think about that,' said Kevin.
'I'll tell you something about the day Josh was diagnosed,' said Jordan. 'I got beaten up at school – three bigger boys absolutely kicked the crap out of me and took my wallet. When I came home and my mom saw me with my black eyes and my puffy lips, she screamed... I've never heard a sound like it. She started hugging me and kissing me and crying all over me, and then my dad told me that Josh had been diagnosed with leukemia. I knew he'd been sick... I knew he'd had an appointment at the hospital that afternoon... but nothing could've prepared me for the punch in the gut I felt when my dad said that to me. I couldn't help thinking about those three bullies, jeering and laughing and smacking me around... I know it was an evil thing to think, but I wished with all my heart that one of them had cancer instead... or even better, that all of them had it! Why should they be allowed to carry on doing what they were doing while my little brother, who never hurt anyone in his life... while my little brother... my little brother...'
Jordan was now struggling to speak through his tears. Kevin gave him a slightly awkward hug.
'It's okay to have those thoughts, Jordan,' Kevin said soothingly. 'We can't help what we think when our brains are an emotional mess. You saved your little brother – you should be really proud of yourself.'
'That's if the surgery went well,' said Jordan.
'It did,' said Kevin. 'No one can make any promises at this stage, of course, but... well, you've given Josh the best chance to beat this thing.'
'He's been in the toilet a long time,' said Jordan.
'Yeah... yeah, I guess he has,' said Kevin. 'Maybe we should go find him... and I'll tell you a little story on the way.'
Jordan ran the length of the toilet stalls and threw his arms around his brother.
'Oh, Joshy,' he exhaled heavily.
'Hi, Jordy,' Josh said perkily. 'Did you come to see Grandma?'
'You really believe that stuff, huh?' said Jordan.
'Sure I do – I saw her, Jordy!' Josh said with conviction. 'Plus there was the weird presence and the faucet turning on – don't you think the goings-on in this hospital are a little suspicious?'
'I guess they are,' said Jordan, 'but I don't really believe in ghosts.'
'You mustn't say that – she won't come,' said Josh. 'Ghosts are definitely real – Kevin and Oscar have both been possessed by them, haven't you, guys?'
'Yes,' said Oscar.
'Mine was more of a demon than a ghost,' said Kevin.
'Well... if she is here, how can we lure her out?' Jordan asked.
'We're hoping she'll be attracted by your presence,' said Oscar, 'like she was with Josh just before his operation.'
'You could try talking to her,' Kevin suggested. 'Let her know who you are and why you're here – that might get her attention.'
'Er... hello? Grandma?' said Josh. 'We're your grandsons, Jordan and Josh. Susan is our mom. We're all okay... pretty much.'
'If you're there, Grandma... jeez, I feel really stupid doing this!' said Jordan.
'Go on, Jordy,' Josh encouraged him. 'Talk to her.'
'If you're there, Grandma, make your presence known to us,' said Jordan. 'Can you touch one of us, or move something in the room? Preferably Josh, out of it!'
'No,' Josh giggled, 'touch Jordan on the winkie!'
'Guys, she won't come if you don't take it seriously,' said Kevin.
All of a sudden, all the washbasin taps turned themselves on full blast. Kevin, Oscar, Jordan and Josh all screamed at an uncomfortably high pitch. Ever so slowly, a figure began to materialise in the washbasin area. At exactly the same moment, the door to the corridor outside swung open and Jordan and Josh's mother entered the room.
'Jordan? Josh?' she called. 'Are you in here?'
'Mom!' Josh called back. 'Come here, quickly! We're just about to meet Grandma!'
'Joshy, what the heck are you talking about?' Susan asked warily, as she approached her sons. 'I really think we should all... oh my God!'
Susan had seen the figure too. As the translucent form took shape, it smiled warmly and held its arms out to its daughter.
'Susan,' it said.
'Mom?' Susan gawped back at the figure.
'You see, Grandma?' said Josh. 'We're all here, and we're all okay. Everything's gonna be okay.'
The ghost looked at Josh. It nodded, and its smile widened. It turned back to face Susan.
'He'll be all right now, Susan,' the apparition said. 'You'll all be all right.'
A blinding white light began to envelop the ghost. The smiling face of Deborah Munn nodded once each to Josh, Jordan and Susan before the inevitable burst of brilliance consumed it, and the once restless spirit finally passed from the land of the living.
'Oh, Joshy,' he exhaled heavily.
'Hi, Jordy,' Josh said perkily. 'Did you come to see Grandma?'
'You really believe that stuff, huh?' said Jordan.
'Sure I do – I saw her, Jordy!' Josh said with conviction. 'Plus there was the weird presence and the faucet turning on – don't you think the goings-on in this hospital are a little suspicious?'
'I guess they are,' said Jordan, 'but I don't really believe in ghosts.'
'You mustn't say that – she won't come,' said Josh. 'Ghosts are definitely real – Kevin and Oscar have both been possessed by them, haven't you, guys?'
'Yes,' said Oscar.
'Mine was more of a demon than a ghost,' said Kevin.
'Well... if she is here, how can we lure her out?' Jordan asked.
'We're hoping she'll be attracted by your presence,' said Oscar, 'like she was with Josh just before his operation.'
'You could try talking to her,' Kevin suggested. 'Let her know who you are and why you're here – that might get her attention.'
'Er... hello? Grandma?' said Josh. 'We're your grandsons, Jordan and Josh. Susan is our mom. We're all okay... pretty much.'
'If you're there, Grandma... jeez, I feel really stupid doing this!' said Jordan.
'Go on, Jordy,' Josh encouraged him. 'Talk to her.'
'If you're there, Grandma, make your presence known to us,' said Jordan. 'Can you touch one of us, or move something in the room? Preferably Josh, out of it!'
'No,' Josh giggled, 'touch Jordan on the winkie!'
'Guys, she won't come if you don't take it seriously,' said Kevin.
All of a sudden, all the washbasin taps turned themselves on full blast. Kevin, Oscar, Jordan and Josh all screamed at an uncomfortably high pitch. Ever so slowly, a figure began to materialise in the washbasin area. At exactly the same moment, the door to the corridor outside swung open and Jordan and Josh's mother entered the room.
'Jordan? Josh?' she called. 'Are you in here?'
'Mom!' Josh called back. 'Come here, quickly! We're just about to meet Grandma!'
'Joshy, what the heck are you talking about?' Susan asked warily, as she approached her sons. 'I really think we should all... oh my God!'
Susan had seen the figure too. As the translucent form took shape, it smiled warmly and held its arms out to its daughter.
'Susan,' it said.
'Mom?' Susan gawped back at the figure.
'You see, Grandma?' said Josh. 'We're all here, and we're all okay. Everything's gonna be okay.'
The ghost looked at Josh. It nodded, and its smile widened. It turned back to face Susan.
'He'll be all right now, Susan,' the apparition said. 'You'll all be all right.'
A blinding white light began to envelop the ghost. The smiling face of Deborah Munn nodded once each to Josh, Jordan and Susan before the inevitable burst of brilliance consumed it, and the once restless spirit finally passed from the land of the living.
Jordan helped Josh to climb back into bed and settle himself down.
'So... so where is she now?' asked Susan.
'Heaven,' said Kevin.
'Or wherever,' said Oscar. 'She's crossed over, because her unfinished business is complete.'
'I want to thank you both for what you did,' said Susan. 'My family has a lot to thank you for. It's strange, but I always knew I'd have to set foot inside that bathroom again someday, no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. I guess my mother was always there waiting for me, and I guess a part of me always knew that, ever since my parents... my grandparents... told me the truth.'
'“He'll be all right”,' said Jordan. 'That's what Grandma said. Do you think she really meant it, Kevin? Do you think she could tell that Josh is gonna be okay now?'
'Well, I can't really endorse it from a medical point of view,' said Kevin, 'but speaking as a true believer and not representing the hospital in any way, I think we can trust what she said.'
'Oh, that is a relief,' said Susan. 'Perhaps this was all meant to be, then – perhaps me and my two sons were always supposed to be in that bathroom this afternoon, to help my mother's spirit cross over at the right time for all of us.'
'I think you're exactly right, Mom,' said Josh. 'This is how it was always meant to happen.'
'Kevin, do you want to write your email address on the back of that Batman comic?' said Jordan. 'I'll let you know how things are going, after Josh gets out of here.'
'Sure,' said Kevin, 'that'd be really great.'
'So... so where is she now?' asked Susan.
'Heaven,' said Kevin.
'Or wherever,' said Oscar. 'She's crossed over, because her unfinished business is complete.'
'I want to thank you both for what you did,' said Susan. 'My family has a lot to thank you for. It's strange, but I always knew I'd have to set foot inside that bathroom again someday, no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. I guess my mother was always there waiting for me, and I guess a part of me always knew that, ever since my parents... my grandparents... told me the truth.'
'“He'll be all right”,' said Jordan. 'That's what Grandma said. Do you think she really meant it, Kevin? Do you think she could tell that Josh is gonna be okay now?'
'Well, I can't really endorse it from a medical point of view,' said Kevin, 'but speaking as a true believer and not representing the hospital in any way, I think we can trust what she said.'
'Oh, that is a relief,' said Susan. 'Perhaps this was all meant to be, then – perhaps me and my two sons were always supposed to be in that bathroom this afternoon, to help my mother's spirit cross over at the right time for all of us.'
'I think you're exactly right, Mom,' said Josh. 'This is how it was always meant to happen.'
'Kevin, do you want to write your email address on the back of that Batman comic?' said Jordan. 'I'll let you know how things are going, after Josh gets out of here.'
'Sure,' said Kevin, 'that'd be really great.'
Kevin and Oscar were sitting on the sofa in the darkening living room of the Rivera house, pressed close against each other and almost falling asleep.
'I should go home,' said Oscar.
'I guess so,' said Kevin. 'We did a good thing today, didn't we?'
'We sure did,' said Oscar. 'It just goes to show that there's more than one way to be a Ghostbuster.'
'I guess what we did was more like ghost therapy,' said Kevin. 'Maybe I'll suggest to Eduardo that he should set up some kind of programme for cases like this.'
'You mean with you as the ghost psychologist, to help troubled spirits cross over?'
'Yeah, kind of. Don't you think it would work?'
'I think it would work perfectly,' said Oscar. 'You know I'm the number-one exponent of your therapy skills.'
They exchanged a tender look.
'Maybe you should be a children's nurse,' said Oscar, 'instead of a paramedic.'
'Yeah, maybe,' said Kevin. 'I'd have to qualify as a regular nurse first, of course... and I could become an emergency nurse practitioner if I wanted, so I could still make good use of my first aid.'
'Ooh, good idea,' said Oscar.
'You don't really have to leave yet, do you?' said Kevin. 'We have at least an hour until my mom and James are due back, and my dad's working 'til ten.'
'Well, I guess I could stay a little longer,' said Oscar. 'Did you have any special plans in mind?'
'I should go home,' said Oscar.
'I guess so,' said Kevin. 'We did a good thing today, didn't we?'
'We sure did,' said Oscar. 'It just goes to show that there's more than one way to be a Ghostbuster.'
'I guess what we did was more like ghost therapy,' said Kevin. 'Maybe I'll suggest to Eduardo that he should set up some kind of programme for cases like this.'
'You mean with you as the ghost psychologist, to help troubled spirits cross over?'
'Yeah, kind of. Don't you think it would work?'
'I think it would work perfectly,' said Oscar. 'You know I'm the number-one exponent of your therapy skills.'
They exchanged a tender look.
'Maybe you should be a children's nurse,' said Oscar, 'instead of a paramedic.'
'Yeah, maybe,' said Kevin. 'I'd have to qualify as a regular nurse first, of course... and I could become an emergency nurse practitioner if I wanted, so I could still make good use of my first aid.'
'Ooh, good idea,' said Oscar.
'You don't really have to leave yet, do you?' said Kevin. 'We have at least an hour until my mom and James are due back, and my dad's working 'til ten.'
'Well, I guess I could stay a little longer,' said Oscar. 'Did you have any special plans in mind?'
Carl burst through the front door, stomped into the living room and turned on the main light. The writhing mass on the sofa immediately stopped writhing, and Kevin's horrified face peered backwards over his own naked shoulder. Carl's mouth dropped open and he stood there gaping for several seconds, then he turned tail and ran off to the kitchen.
'Oh, jeez,' Kevin sighed, rolling off Oscar and onto the floor. 'That was awkward.'
'Probably another unexpected IAB investigation,' said Oscar, flipping over onto his back and then pulling up his trousers. 'We'll have to pick this up another time.'
'I guess I'd better go talk to him,' said Kevin.
'Good luck,' said Oscar, scrabbling to retrieve his shirt from the floor. 'I'd really better go home now. Come over and see me tomorrow afternoon if you want. My mom's taking Jessica clothes shopping, so it'll only be my dad around and he won't disturb us if we want to... do anything.'
'I'll be there,' said Kevin. 'Ciao for now... and thanks for all your help with the ghost stuff.'
They embraced closely for a few seconds, then Oscar found his shoes, went into the hallway and left the house. Kevin shut the front door behind him and then went to the kitchen, where he found his father making a cup of coffee.
'Jesus, Kevin,' said Carl, 'you might at least have put your shirt back on.'
'I couldn't find it – I think it must've gone behind the TV,' said Kevin. 'It's important that we talk about this, Dad.'
Carl turned his attention back to his coffee. He finished making the beverage and then seated himself at the breakfast bar, sighing heavily as he did so.
'You were right, son,' he said. 'I do have a real problem with you and Oscar. I really wish I didn't, and I know it's my problem, not yours, but... well, there it is.'
'Dad, I'd prefer you to always be honest about your feelings,' Kevin assured him, 'whatever they might be.'
'Sometimes I almost forget...' said Carl. 'You seem so... so normal, if you'll excuse the expression... and then I see you doing something like that to another boy...'
'I wasn't doing it to him, Dad,' said Kevin. 'We were doing it together. And what you're saying is that if I absolutely have to have sex with another boy, you'd prefer it if I put on a pink shirt and an effeminate voice and minced around when I'm in public, so I'd fit in with your outdated, bigoted world view, is that right?'
'No, I'm not saying that!'
'Good,' said Kevin, 'because I've always done what comes naturally to me, Dad, and I always will... and to be totally honest with you, I don't think I can excuse your use of the word “normal” just now... and for your information, it's dangerous to believe that we live in a world of stereotypes, because we don't.'
'I know, Kevin – just don't worry about what I'm thinking, okay?' said Carl. 'I'm wrong about so much – I know I am – but I still can't help thinking it.'
'What do you think about my Mexico trip?'
'I think... I think the idea of you and your boyfriend going on a six-month tour of Mexico is not the kind of future I'd ever have imagined for you,' said Carl. 'But like I said before, I know that's not your problem and what I think really has no relevance to your life.'
'I'd like to think I have your respect, Dad,' said Kevin, 'if not your blessing.'
'You do have my respect, son,' Carl assured him. 'You also have my admiration in so many ways, and my love, but...'
'But not your understanding, huh?'
'Isn't it better that I understand what I don't understand, instead of pretending that I do understand what I can't understand?'
Kevin laughed and said, 'Yeah, I guess it is.'
'I'm sorry, son,' said Carl. 'I know you love Oscar and all I really want is for you to be happy and successful, but I know I'll always feel... well, that I'll never be able to pretend... I mean, when I'm presented with a situation like that...'
'It's okay, Dad,' said Kevin. 'We shouldn't have been having sex on the couch anyway – it's an inconsiderate thing for anyone to do.'
'I should have called to say I'd be home from work early,' said Carl. 'It just never occurred to me that... well, that you might be... that I might be interrupting...'
'Yeah, well, I guess we've both learned a little something, haven't we?' said Kevin.
'Yeah, I guess so,' said Carl. 'Kevin, did you really get that scar on your shoulder from falling off your skateboard? I've never taken a good look at it before; it looks more like a bite mark than anything else.'
'I fell off my skateboard, Dad,' Kevin said firmly. 'I'd better go find my shirt now, before Mom and James get home.'
'Oh, jeez,' Kevin sighed, rolling off Oscar and onto the floor. 'That was awkward.'
'Probably another unexpected IAB investigation,' said Oscar, flipping over onto his back and then pulling up his trousers. 'We'll have to pick this up another time.'
'I guess I'd better go talk to him,' said Kevin.
'Good luck,' said Oscar, scrabbling to retrieve his shirt from the floor. 'I'd really better go home now. Come over and see me tomorrow afternoon if you want. My mom's taking Jessica clothes shopping, so it'll only be my dad around and he won't disturb us if we want to... do anything.'
'I'll be there,' said Kevin. 'Ciao for now... and thanks for all your help with the ghost stuff.'
They embraced closely for a few seconds, then Oscar found his shoes, went into the hallway and left the house. Kevin shut the front door behind him and then went to the kitchen, where he found his father making a cup of coffee.
'Jesus, Kevin,' said Carl, 'you might at least have put your shirt back on.'
'I couldn't find it – I think it must've gone behind the TV,' said Kevin. 'It's important that we talk about this, Dad.'
Carl turned his attention back to his coffee. He finished making the beverage and then seated himself at the breakfast bar, sighing heavily as he did so.
'You were right, son,' he said. 'I do have a real problem with you and Oscar. I really wish I didn't, and I know it's my problem, not yours, but... well, there it is.'
'Dad, I'd prefer you to always be honest about your feelings,' Kevin assured him, 'whatever they might be.'
'Sometimes I almost forget...' said Carl. 'You seem so... so normal, if you'll excuse the expression... and then I see you doing something like that to another boy...'
'I wasn't doing it to him, Dad,' said Kevin. 'We were doing it together. And what you're saying is that if I absolutely have to have sex with another boy, you'd prefer it if I put on a pink shirt and an effeminate voice and minced around when I'm in public, so I'd fit in with your outdated, bigoted world view, is that right?'
'No, I'm not saying that!'
'Good,' said Kevin, 'because I've always done what comes naturally to me, Dad, and I always will... and to be totally honest with you, I don't think I can excuse your use of the word “normal” just now... and for your information, it's dangerous to believe that we live in a world of stereotypes, because we don't.'
'I know, Kevin – just don't worry about what I'm thinking, okay?' said Carl. 'I'm wrong about so much – I know I am – but I still can't help thinking it.'
'What do you think about my Mexico trip?'
'I think... I think the idea of you and your boyfriend going on a six-month tour of Mexico is not the kind of future I'd ever have imagined for you,' said Carl. 'But like I said before, I know that's not your problem and what I think really has no relevance to your life.'
'I'd like to think I have your respect, Dad,' said Kevin, 'if not your blessing.'
'You do have my respect, son,' Carl assured him. 'You also have my admiration in so many ways, and my love, but...'
'But not your understanding, huh?'
'Isn't it better that I understand what I don't understand, instead of pretending that I do understand what I can't understand?'
Kevin laughed and said, 'Yeah, I guess it is.'
'I'm sorry, son,' said Carl. 'I know you love Oscar and all I really want is for you to be happy and successful, but I know I'll always feel... well, that I'll never be able to pretend... I mean, when I'm presented with a situation like that...'
'It's okay, Dad,' said Kevin. 'We shouldn't have been having sex on the couch anyway – it's an inconsiderate thing for anyone to do.'
'I should have called to say I'd be home from work early,' said Carl. 'It just never occurred to me that... well, that you might be... that I might be interrupting...'
'Yeah, well, I guess we've both learned a little something, haven't we?' said Kevin.
'Yeah, I guess so,' said Carl. 'Kevin, did you really get that scar on your shoulder from falling off your skateboard? I've never taken a good look at it before; it looks more like a bite mark than anything else.'
'I fell off my skateboard, Dad,' Kevin said firmly. 'I'd better go find my shirt now, before Mom and James get home.'
