Lonesome Christmas - 2

Written for Steemit: ©Jeff Kubitz 2016 - All Rights Reserved.

Lonesome Christmas -1

Paul sat at his computer thinking, working. He was a manager at a huge web design company and he was in the middle of a project for a big customer, Winston Automotive.

He just could not think. It was December 23rd and his niece was in the hospital, Renee under surgery to remove the second benign tumor in only six months. It worried him. Paul was worried.

Usually, work would take his mind off problems and so he was up late, past eleven pm. He concentrated but it was no good. He waited to hear the news from his sister.

He called his sister, Karla, who waited in the hospital while the surgery was performed.

“Nothing yet Paul,” Karla replied. “It will be another hour or two.”

“So, then everything is fine?” Paul asked.

“Yes, it is just the removal of a routine growth children sometimes have. Why don’t you get some rest?” Karla said.

“Will she be in the hospital tomorrow? I would like to come and see her.”

“She should be released after the surgery is finished and she comes round, but that won’t be until morning. She will most likely be tired. But, we will be leaving as soon as she wakes up.”

“Come over to your house then?” Paul asked.

“That will be fine, say noon or after?” Karla offered.

“Around one then, I have to stop by the office first.” Paul answered.

“See you then.” Karla said, “And Paul,”

“Yes Karla?”

“Thank you for caring. It helps.” Karla hung up the phone.

Paul decided it was time to hit the sack. It was after midnight. He was an early riser. He ran two miles when he woke. He said a short prayer for Renee and then he fell asleep.

In the morning, after his run, Paul ate breakfast and headed to the office. He had a meeting scheduled with the website designers. That lasted until 11 am and then there was the annual Christmas party in the offices.

Single, there were plenty of attractive women where Paul worked and he talked with many women he did not know all that well, those he had never really had a chance to talk to before the party. Everyone was in a festive mood but Paul could not catch the feeling. Or it might be better to say, thoughts of Renee returned to his mind.

Sasha, a tall, very pretty brunette maybe twenty-five suggested after a few minutes of conversation, “We are heading over to the café across the street for coffee, would you like to join us?”

“I’ll have to take a rain check on that Sasha. I have another commitment this afternoon, but Merry Christmas.”

“It’s Christmas Eve, not working late are you?” Sasha asked.

“I have a niece who just got out of surgery so I am about to see her.”

“Not serious is it?” Sasha asked concerned.

“Shouldn’t be but I just want to see that she is okay.” Paul answered, “It is time for me to head over to her apartment.” Paul said, and then wished everyone a Merry Christmas as he made his way out of the office. It was not as easy to leave as he thought it would be.

Several times he was invited out for coffee, or given the location of a Christmas party he was asked to attend that night. “I am spending Christmas with my family,” Paul said over and over again.

Finally, he was out and to his car. In fifteen minutes, he was at the apartment building. Up two flights of stairs, down the hall to the right and he knocked on the door. He waited. There was no answer so he knocked again.

He listened at the door after he called out but there was silence from inside. He decided to call, “Karla, this is Paul are you at home?”

“I am so sorry Paul. We are still at the hospital. The surgery took longer than expected and they want to run some more tests on Renee.”

“Is there something wrong?” Paul asked.

“I hope not but a cancer specialist is now examining Renee.” Karla answered.

“A cancer specialist, can I come down there to the hospital? Is there anything you need?” Paul was shocked.

“Yes, it’s Mercy General Hospital, room 443. We could use some juice, some cookies?” Paul heard Karla ask Renee who said, “Paul is bringing cookies? Yay!”

“Hear that?” Karla asked

“Yes, I know where the hospital is at but is there a store around here?” Paul asked.

“Yes, just turn the corner as you go past the front and go down three blocks.”

“Good, I’ll be there in just a few minutes then.” Paul hung up as he heard his sister say, “Bye.”

In a few minutes, he was out of the grocery store with a coloring book, crayons, the boxed juices that came with their own straw, and cookies. Mercy General was down a bit further from the turn off and to the left. It was hard to miss, a very tall building of twenty-five stories. Paul was there in five minutes and up to the room.

“Hi kitten.” Paul said to Renee as he entered the room. “How are you feeling?”

“It’s Paul!” Renee said excitedly. Karla had to calm her down and keep her in bed.

Renee said she was sore but that was to be expected. She really enjoyed the coloring books and after two hours, Renee fell asleep. Karla and Paul had a chance to talk. Karla told Paul this time there were eleven tumors removed and a cancer specialist had examined Renee just a few minutes before Paul had arrived.
“Did he say anything?” Paul asked, “Does Renee have cancer?”

“Doctor Fredricks was his name and he said he was waiting the results of the tests and then he would know more. He will come again tomorrow at 9:00 am. Renee’s surgeon will be here as well.” Karla said.

“So we just pray?” Paul asked.

“What else can we do? Oh Paul I am so glad I have you here with us now.” Karla hugged him.

“Can we stay the night here?” Paul asked.

“Oh, no, you go home tonight and come back tomorrow. Come back in the morning if you want.” Karla said.

“Oh, I will be here at nine.” Paul said. “I think I will hit a church for tonight. I think it is time I had a talk for us.”

“Good. That will help me and Renee.” Karla said as she gave him another hug.

“When will Renee wake up?”

“She will probably sleep another hour.”

“How about I bring back some burgers, a happy meal?” Paul asked.

“I sure she will love that.”

“Is there anything you want, special?”

“No, anything will do.” Karla said as Paul left. He waved as he walked out the hallway.

After eating, after praying in the church, he lit a candle, Paul returned home.

He decided to go for a run, a long run. It was cold, the sun had already set. There was almost no traffic as he ran past house after house where people were Merry inside, families gathered together. He was thirty-four. He had no one but Karla and Renee and soon, maybe not Renee.

As he ran, he prayed for Renee. Stride after stride, ever do that? Have something so complicated on your mind, you ran and prayed.

Paul lost track of where he was at, there was no traffic on the roads at all to watch out for or hinder his stride. He churned out mile after mile.

“Where am I?” He asked himself, once he halted. “Where am I at?” It took him another half hour to run home once he got his bearings.

His little tiny Christmas tree greeted him. He looked at it, lights on. He asked the tree, “Why?”

He must have run 15 miles. He was exhausted. Paul fell asleep on the couch.

Follow me: @jeff-kubitz