The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish Page 3

  “Of course I can walk,” Grandma said. “I didn’t break my legs.”

  Isa raised her eyebrows, but she led the way to the hospital. It was a quiet walk, since Grandma was short-tempered. Whenever someone asked if she was okay, she would snap, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  When they arrived at Harlem Hospital, Laney refused to go through the doors. When Jessie tried to make her go inside, Laney began to cry.

  “I don’t want to go in there!” Laney said.

  Grandma looked disapprovingly at Laney.

  “It’s fine,” Isa said. “I can stay out here with her. Jessie, can you bring Grandma in?”

  “Can I stay outside too?” Hyacinth asked.

  “Me too?” Oliver said.

  Grandma huffed. “I’m going inside!” She walked toward the door, not looking back to see if anyone was following her.

  “I’ll go!” Jessie said. “Grandma! Wait!” She jogged to catch up, followed by Grandpa and Aunt Penny. Grandma had already disappeared through the automatic glass doors.

  Isa took out her phone. “I’m going to call Mama.” Her siblings leaned in to listen.

  “Hi, Mama,” Isa said.

  “Hi, Mama!” Laney and Hyacinth said.

  “Hey, kiddos. Wow, I can’t believe they’re here,” Mama said.

  “Yeah. They brought a mountain of luggage,” Isa said.

  “How did I not know they were coming today? Grandma said they were coming next weekend for Papa’s birthday.”

  “Also, Grandma hurt her head,” Isa added.

  Laney leaned toward the phone and yelled into the microphone. “She slipped on lettuce that Franz spit out!”

  Isa nudged Laney away from the phone.

  “What?” Mama said. “Who spit on her? And what happened with her head?”

  “She fell and hit it on the bottom stair. We’re at Harlem Hospital now,” Isa said. “Jessie, Aunt Penny, and Grandpa went in with Grandma, and now we’re just waiting outside. She’s probably fine, but we thought we should have a doctor look at it just in case.”

  “Good thinking. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Hang tight.”

  Isa put her phone back into her pocket and looked at her siblings, then at the hospital. “Here we are again.”

  Hyacinth looked at Isa with worried eyes. “Grandma and Grandpa aren’t going to stay for longer than just today, are they?”

  “Please, no,” Oliver said. “That would be awful.”

  “Maybe they can leave Aunt Penny,” Laney said hopefully. “She’s fun.”

  “Be nice,” Isa said, even though she secretly agreed with her little sister.

  “But Grandma is so mean!” Oliver protested. “It’s like she can’t say anything nice to us. Remember when Mama showed her that video of you playing at Carnegie Hall, and all Grandma said was the dress you wore didn’t look good on you and you should have practiced more?”

  “That didn’t bother me that much,” Isa said. But it had bothered her. She had practiced her violin day and night for months in preparation for that concert. She had felt good in her dress and had actually been pretty happy with her performance, which was a rare occurrence. And then Grandma had said those things, and the memory of that performance had soured in Isa’s mind.

  “I think she means well,” Isa said, trying to be objective.

  “Yeah, if meaning well involves making us feel bad about ourselves,” Oliver muttered. “Do you think they’re going to stay all week?”

  “I’m sure they just got Papa’s birthday confused and they’ll come back next weekend,” Isa said, silently praying that it would be true.

  Four

  Jessie was ready to pull her hair out. Grandma was driving her nuts.

  “When will that doctor come?” Grandma asked for the sixteenth time in four minutes. “Go ask someone when the doctor will come,” she told Jessie.

  “I already asked someone five minutes ago,” Jessie told her.

  “I’ll see what’s going on,” Aunt Penny interjected, and headed off in the direction of the coffee shop.

  Grandpa stood there, squinting at the warning label of an IV drip machine that had been abandoned nearby.

  Grandma sat on a narrow hospital bed in a corner of the emergency room. Because the hospital was particularly busy, she had to share the tiny curtained-off area with another patient. And that patient really liked talking about the various ailments she had.

  “When I was twenty,” the other patient said, “I was minding my own business, just walking to the bodega to buy some cornflakes, when wham! A bike came barreling down the sidewalk and knocked me clean over! I was too stunned to see who it was, but Stuart Simon, you know, that nice fellow from the barbershop? He just happened to be walking by at that exact moment, and not only did he get a good look at the biker, but he ran after him—Stuart ran track in college, you know—and ended up catching up to him! And do you know who had run me over? Mr. Butterfield! Everyone said, ‘No, Mr. Butterfield couldn’t have done it! He’s such a nice man! He works at the Seafood Palace!’ But it was indeed Mr. Butterfield. He was charged with reckless biking.”

  “I didn’t know reckless biking was a thing,” Jessie said.

  “Mr. Butterfield’s bike was the cause of this bump on my heel, from the bone that got knocked out of place. Do you want to see it?”

  “No, thank you,” Jessie said. Grandma and Grandpa remained silent.

  “My cousin Nestor tried to fix it, but I think he made it worse.”

  “That’s nice you have a doctor in the family,” Jessie said.

  “Nester’s not a doctor, but he watches a lot of medical shows. But that bump on my heel in no way compares to the bunions on my feet. Those hurt like the dickens, I tell you. I cannot find a shoe that doesn’t hurt my bunions—”

  The metal sliders of the curtain screeched, and a nurse appeared with a clipboard.

  “Took you long enough,” Grandma snapped at the sight of the nurse.

  “Nurse Higgins!” the other patient exclaimed as her eyes lit up.

  Nurse Higgins smiled at Grandma. “I’m here for my friend Ms. Peters here. She is a frequent visitor, am I right?”

  “That’s right!” Ms. Peters said with a big smile.

  “What can I help you with today? Earache? A mysterious bump on your stomach? Bunions?” Nurse Higgins asked with a wink at Jessie, reaching behind her to close the curtain with an efficient snap.

  “I’ve got this strange tickle,” Ms. Peters said, pointing at her throat. “I think a fish bone got stuck.”

  While Ms. Peters explained her condition in vivid terms to Nurse Higgins, Jessie turned back to Grandma. She caught her wincing as she tried to rearrange herself to a more comfortable position on the bed.

  “I’ll check on the doctor again,” Jessie said, stepping toward the curtain and running right into a doctor who was entering.

  “Oops!” the doctor said, adjusting her glasses, which had gone askew in the collision. “It’s such tight quarters around here!”

  Jessie inspected the doctor. The lanyard around her neck had a card dangling at the end of it that said DR. CALLIE. She looked about the same age as some of the kids in Jessie’s high school. Her long brown hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her nails had purple polish on them.

  “What can I do for you today?” Dr. Callie asked as she rolled in a computer on a narrow black table, wedging it between the two hospital beds and effectively trapping poor Nurse Higgins next to a very animated Ms. Peters. Grandpa peered over Dr. Callie’s shoulder at the computer, his thick glasses slipping down his nose.

  Grandma sighed heavily. “I explained it four times already.”

  Dr. Callie looked at the computer screen. “Just one more time for me.”

  “I fell and bumped my head,” Grandma said. “And I’m fine. My granddaughter dragged me here.” She glared at Jessie.

  “She went unconscious for seventeen seconds,” Jessie said.

  “What caused the fall?
” Dr. Callie asked as she typed furiously on the computer.

  Grandma didn’t say anything.

  “She slipped on mushy lettuce,” Jessie said.

  “Romaine calm, everyone,” Dr. Callie said, holding up her hands as if she were a police officer directing traffic. “We’ll get this fixed up right away.”

  Jessie, Grandma, and Grandpa stared at her.

  “You know, romaine, like the lettuce?” Dr. Callie said, grinning. “Can you point to the part of your head that was hit?”

  Grandma gestured, and Dr. Callie parted Grandma’s hair to take a look. “There’s definitely a bump.” She pulled a cold pack out of her medical coat, twisted it, and shook it. “Hold this there for now.”

  “I think she should get checked for concussion,” Jessie said. “She told me she has a headache, but she doesn’t have any ringing in her ears, nausea, vomiting, or blurry vision.”

  Dr. Callie looked at Jessie with appreciation. “Have you ever thought of being a doctor?”

  Jessie shook her head. “I want to be a rocket engineer.”

  “Ah, well,” Dr. Callie said. “You don’t have to make a decision at this exact moment.”

  “Can I leave yet?” Grandma called from her bed.

  Dr. Callie looked back at her computer. “I need to do some neurological and cognitive testing first. Lettuce head to an examination room!”

  Grandma groaned.

  “Don’t worry, it won’t kale you!” Dr. Callie said.

  “Bye!” called Ms. Peters from the other bed. “I hope it’s not a tumor!”

  Dr. Callie unlocked the wheels of the hospital bed and rolled Grandma down the hallway, and Jessie was surprised that the walk was slow and calm versus the medical shows where the patient was wheeled on a gurney at top speed with dozens of medical professionals racing beside it shouting, “Code blue!” Dr. Callie meandered through the halls, stopping to fist-bump various people in scrubs and saying, “Lettuce through!” then chuckling to herself.

  After many winding corridors, they arrived at a hallway with rooms on each side.

  Only one person was allowed inside the examination room with Grandma, and since Grandpa had already followed them in, Jessie waited outside. She was about to text Isa to ask how things were going when she heard her mom’s voice.

  Jessie swiveled to find Mama speed-walking toward her. She still had her work apron on, complete with chocolate stains. Flour dusted her nose and hair.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Jessie said.

  “How’s Grandma?” Mama asked.

  “I think she’s fine. I mean, she’s super grouchy, but that’s nothing new.”

  Mama rubbed her temples. “What a mess. Papa’s out of town, Grandma might have a concussion, Oliver’s trip was ruined, and most of my employees are on vacation.”

  Jessie put an arm around her mom. “Grandma is fine; I’m certain of it. I mean, she was still giving everyone a hard time when she was waiting for the doctor. I would be more worried if she had been quiet.”

  Mama laughed, then put a hand over her mouth. “I shouldn’t be laughing, but it’s so true. One time I got her so mad that she stopped talking to me for—” Mama stopped abruptly. Jessie let a moment go by before she prodded. “What?”

  Mama sighed. “Well, I know what you mean. We had—have—a . . . complicated relationship.”

  Jessie waited.

  Mama tried again. “Let’s just say that in all the ways Pop-Pop was warm and loving and accepting, my parents were the opposite. You probably see that in how she treats you.”

  Jessie nodded. “Has she always been like that?”

  “Yes,” Mama said. “My parents sacrificed a lot for me and your uncle Arthur. In return, they wanted us to be successful: doctors and lawyers and accountants.”

  “But you have the best jobs.” Her mom ran her own bakery and Uncle Arthur owned a construction business.

  Mama smiled. “I do have the best job, and I have you and your siblings to thank for it.”

  “How long do you think Grandma and Grandpa will be here?” Jessie asked.

  “They don’t like taking time off from work, so they’ll probably leave tomorrow.”

  “I don’t even remember the last time they visited us,” Jessie said. “I wish Papa were here.”

  “Me too.”

  They stood there, watching the hospital bustle around them. Jessie thought about her grandparents and then, in that weird way that brains have of meandering to various thoughts, about Papa’s parents. “Hey!”

  Jessie and Mama turned to find Aunt Penny walking toward them, balancing two cups of coffee.

  “Penny!” Mama said. They hugged awkwardly, given the coffee; then Penny handed Mama the extra cup. “What are you doing here? And how did you know I needed coffee right now?”

  “I thought I’d tag along on your parents’ trip,” Aunt Penny said. “As for the coffee, I bought two cups of coffee for myself, but I’m happy to share.”

  “You’ve got to kick that coffee habit,” Mama told her as she took a sip.

  “Hey, I’m on California time!” Aunt Penny said. “My mom told me that your parents were visiting, and I thought I would tag along as a surprise. And of course, I had to be here for Derek’s big birthday. I had no idea your parents didn’t tell you they were coming.”

  “It’s so strange,” Mama said. “They never said a word about coming this week.”

  “Drink up,” Aunt Penny said, gesturing to the coffee. “It looks like you could use it.”

  The door to the examination room opened, and Dr. Callie reappeared, rolling Grandma on the stretcher. Grandpa followed.

  “Why do I need this stretcher? My legs work just fine,” Grandma grumbled. Then she spotted Mama. “Oh, it’s you.”

  “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad,” Mama said, leaning down to kiss Grandma’s cheek. She gave Grandpa a hug.

  “You must be her daughter,” Dr. Callie said to Mama. “Wow, three generations right before my eyes! How special!”

  “Took you long enough to get here,” Grandma said, narrowing her eyes at Mama. “I have a teenage doctor diagnosing me.”

  Jessie wasn’t sure if Grandma was referring to her or Dr. Callie.

  “What’s the news?” Aunt Penny asked.

  “Well,” Dr. Callie said as she pushed the hospital bed back down the hallway, “my tests show that she’s fine, but I would like all of you to keep an eye on her for twenty-four hours. Here’s an information sheet for what to look out for. Bring her back if you see anything.”

  “I told you I was fine,” Grandma snapped. “All this fuss for nothing.”

  “Jessie did the right thing,” Mama said. “It’s always good to have things checked out.”

  “It’s that dog’s fault,” Grandma said. “Hyacinth’s disgusting dog.”

  “Franz is a great dog,” Mama said sharply to Grandma, then looked at Dr. Callie. “Thank you.”

  “She should have a follow-up with her general doctor in the next few days,” Dr. Callie said.

  “They go back home to Ottenville tomorrow,” Mama said. “I’ll watch her tonight, and we’ll make sure she sees her primary care doctor when she goes home.”

  “Who said I’ll be gone by tomorrow?” Grandma demanded.

  Mama looked at Grandma in surprise. “You’ve never stayed more than one night before. I actually had no idea you were even coming today.”

  “I said we were coming to Derek’s birthday party,” Grandma told her.

  Mama’s eyebrows furrowed. “Derek’s birthday isn’t for five days. Anyway, don’t you have to get back to work?”

  “We took the week off,” Grandma said with a shrug.

  “A week?” Mama said. “I don’t remember you taking that much time off . . . ever. Not for a vacation, not when Dad broke his leg, not for my college graduation.”

  “We wanted to see you,” Grandma said simply.

  “Does that mean you’re staying at our place all week?” Jessie blurted
out.

  Grandma looked at her as if that were the most ludicrous question in the world. “Of course we are. What did you expect?”

  Five

  Laney was sitting with Hyacinth on the sidewalk outside the hospital, people-watching. The hospital was right by the subway, and they were making up stories about the people coming up the stairs.

  “That person,” Laney said, pointing to a woman holding a potted plant with huge jungle leaves, “and her plant, Ambrosia, are going to their favorite park to feed the pigeons. They’ve done that every Monday for the past five years.”

  “And the woman carrying the duffel bag with the Hamilton logo,” Hyacinth said, not pointing because she knew that was rude, “is in charge of all of the costumes at the musical. She was up all night sewing a new pair of pants for the guy who plays Thomas Jefferson because he got holes in the knees. Again.”

  “She gets so annoyed with Thomas Jefferson,” Laney agreed. “He can’t keep his clothes clean.”

  Laney was just about to comment on a man riding a bike with a huge stereo tied to the back rack when Jessie came out through the hospital doors with their grandparents, Aunt Penny, and Mama.

  “Grandma’s fine,” Jessie announced. “We have to watch her today, though.”

  “No, you do not,” Grandma said, glaring at her.

  “Yes, we do,” Jessie said, glaring back.

  Mama cleared her throat and checked her watch. “It’s noon. I’ve got to get back to the bakery, but why don’t you go home and get your grandparents some lunch?” Then Mama looked at Jessie. “Thank you for keeping an eye on Grandma today. Aunt Penny and Grandpa can help. You can put all their luggage upstairs in my bedroom, since they’ll be here all week.”

  Hyacinth and Laney gasped.

  Oliver exclaimed, “All week!” When he saw Grandma’s face he added, “That’s . . . great news.”

  “I want to go home with you,” Mama said to the kids, “but I’m too short-staffed at the bakery. We’ve gotten so many big orders for wedding receptions.”

  “We’ll take good care of her,” Isa said.

  Laney saw her big sisters exchange a look. Suddenly, that feeling when something was about to go very, very wrong filled her stomach.