Post by CarpentersFan2003 on Jan 15, 2004 20:22:31 GMT -5
Chapter Eighteen
As it would happen Karen would not be able to finish out the tour of England, Scotland and Wales. A week after first hearing about Chris’s illness, Karen’s stepson slipped into a coma and had to be put on life support.
After holding a hastily put together press conference Karen and Lynda returned home to Downey. In the airport terminal Nathan was waiting for their plane to touch down.
Looking at Karen he said bitterly.
“ So this is what it takes for you to cancel a tour. My son has to fall into a coma!”
Karen didn’t even try to answer her husband. She was already in a foul mood and didn’t want to risk saying anything that she’d regret later.
After retrieving the women’s luggage the three made their way to the parking lot and out to Nathan’s BMW.
After Karen was in the passenger seat and buckled in she said to Nathan.
“ Once I go home and freshen up. I want to go to the hospital.”
Nathan smirked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the turnpike for the highway. Glancing at his wife he said in a sarcastic tone.
“ Now she wants to play the concerned mother. Karen, we ought to be going directly to the hospital, not taking a detour so you can freshen your make-up.”
Karen felt her own anger flushing her cheeks.
“ Listen to me. I told you on the phone when I was in England. Postponing a planned concert is a monumental undertaking. Richard and I signed contacts that are very hard to break. Your lucky I’m here at all. Now take me to the hospital.”
Lynda who was in the backseat leaned forwards and said in a gentle voice.
“ I think that we ought to try and focus on the fact that Chris is fighting for his life. We don’t have the energy to spend on petty bickering.”
“ Amen to that.” Karen said while she applied a fresh coat of lipstick. She looked at Lynda through the mirror that was on her sun visor and then said. “ I take it that you want to come up to the hospital with us?”
Lynda nodded her agreement.
“ Fine.” Nathan said.
*** *** ***
When the three adults walked into the pediatric ICU of the Downey Methodist Hospital a nurse recognized Nathan and came up to him. The look her eyes said it all.
“ Dr. Yates and Mrs. Yates. I need you to follow me.”
Nathan asked in a shaky voice.
“ Has there been a change in my son’s condition since this afternoon?”
The nurse led them into a private waiting room and then once everyone was seated she looked back and forth between Karen and Nathan. She cleared her throat and then delivered the news she’d known since early that afternoon.
“ There is not easy way for me to say this. Your son arrested this afternoon at 4:39 this afternoon. A code blue was called. Doctors tried to resuscitate Christopher. However he did not respond. He was pronounced dead at 5:01. I’m so terribly sorry.”
Karen sat in stunned silence shaking her head; two tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
It was Nathan that broke the silence in the small room. He let out a cry that was so full of pain and anguish that all three women in the room where taken aback. Karen put her arm around her husband to comfort him.
It was Karen that said.
“ I will have to make arrangements to have a funeral home transport the body out of your morgue. Thank you for all your help.”
The nurse nodded and then left the room.
Karen felt a strange feeling come over her. For some awful reason she felt glad that it was Christopher and not Jocelyn that was taken. It was a feeling and thought that she’d never voice to her husband. However a very small part of her was glad to have that last reminder of Jennifer out her life.
Both Lynda and Karen had to help Nathan out of the chair he was in and then into the waiting elevator. The man was totally despondent and had to be led everywhere. Karen turned to her sister-in-law and said.
“ I want you to drive us home and then head back to your mother’s place and tell her the news. I will call you both in the morning.
Lynda nodded.
*** *** ***
The next days where both emotional and draining for Karen. She’d called Richard following morning and told him the news. He reacted the way that Karen thought he would he said that he’d be home as soon as possible. He asked his sister to pass on his condolences to Nathan and his family.
She then called Martha and Lynda was not surprised to hear that both women where grief stricken. Karen told both of them that she would see to all the arrangements for the visitation and the burial.
“ Thank you Karen. We are very grateful for all your support.” Martha said and then hung up.
It was then that Karen got up off the couch and went in screach of Nathan. She found him in Christopher’s bedroom, sitting on his son’s bed holding one of the many stuffed animals.
Sitting down beside her husband Karen looked into his eyes that where red and puffy from crying.
“ I spoke to your mother and sister. I told them that I would take care of all the arrangements for the funeral. I think that it ought to be a private visitation. Just close family and friends. That way we can keep the press out of this. It’s that okay with you Nathan?”
Nathan didn’t respond to his wife’s question. He just stared blankly ahead.
Karen knew that Nathan was hurting inside, but she knew that there was nothing she could say or do to bring him out of his depression.
“ Rosie will be fixing lunch soon. I will have her make you a sandwich and bring it in here. I love you Nathan.” Karen bent forward and kissed her husband’s cheek, then stood and left the room.
*** *** ***
Two days later the Yates and Carpenters gathered to say their final goodbye’s to Christopher Jacob Yates. At the service the minister that married Karen and Nathan preformed the service. After he led the family in prayers for the boy he motioned for Karen and Richard to come forward.
Richard sat at the piano and Karen picked up a waiting microphone.
After a short piano introduction Karen began to sing.
“ Bless the beasts and the children,
For in this world they have no voice,
They have no choice,
Bless the beasts and the children,
For the world can never be,
The world they see,
Light their way,
When the darkness surrounds them,
Give them love,
Let it shine all around them,
Bless the beasts and the children,
Give them shelter from a storm,
Keep them safe,
Keep them warm,
Light their way,
When the darkness surrounds them,
Give them love,
Let it shine all around them,
Bless the beasts and the children,
Give them shelter from a storm,
Keep them safe,
Keep them warm.”
As it would happen Karen would not be able to finish out the tour of England, Scotland and Wales. A week after first hearing about Chris’s illness, Karen’s stepson slipped into a coma and had to be put on life support.
After holding a hastily put together press conference Karen and Lynda returned home to Downey. In the airport terminal Nathan was waiting for their plane to touch down.
Looking at Karen he said bitterly.
“ So this is what it takes for you to cancel a tour. My son has to fall into a coma!”
Karen didn’t even try to answer her husband. She was already in a foul mood and didn’t want to risk saying anything that she’d regret later.
After retrieving the women’s luggage the three made their way to the parking lot and out to Nathan’s BMW.
After Karen was in the passenger seat and buckled in she said to Nathan.
“ Once I go home and freshen up. I want to go to the hospital.”
Nathan smirked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the turnpike for the highway. Glancing at his wife he said in a sarcastic tone.
“ Now she wants to play the concerned mother. Karen, we ought to be going directly to the hospital, not taking a detour so you can freshen your make-up.”
Karen felt her own anger flushing her cheeks.
“ Listen to me. I told you on the phone when I was in England. Postponing a planned concert is a monumental undertaking. Richard and I signed contacts that are very hard to break. Your lucky I’m here at all. Now take me to the hospital.”
Lynda who was in the backseat leaned forwards and said in a gentle voice.
“ I think that we ought to try and focus on the fact that Chris is fighting for his life. We don’t have the energy to spend on petty bickering.”
“ Amen to that.” Karen said while she applied a fresh coat of lipstick. She looked at Lynda through the mirror that was on her sun visor and then said. “ I take it that you want to come up to the hospital with us?”
Lynda nodded her agreement.
“ Fine.” Nathan said.
*** *** ***
When the three adults walked into the pediatric ICU of the Downey Methodist Hospital a nurse recognized Nathan and came up to him. The look her eyes said it all.
“ Dr. Yates and Mrs. Yates. I need you to follow me.”
Nathan asked in a shaky voice.
“ Has there been a change in my son’s condition since this afternoon?”
The nurse led them into a private waiting room and then once everyone was seated she looked back and forth between Karen and Nathan. She cleared her throat and then delivered the news she’d known since early that afternoon.
“ There is not easy way for me to say this. Your son arrested this afternoon at 4:39 this afternoon. A code blue was called. Doctors tried to resuscitate Christopher. However he did not respond. He was pronounced dead at 5:01. I’m so terribly sorry.”
Karen sat in stunned silence shaking her head; two tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
It was Nathan that broke the silence in the small room. He let out a cry that was so full of pain and anguish that all three women in the room where taken aback. Karen put her arm around her husband to comfort him.
It was Karen that said.
“ I will have to make arrangements to have a funeral home transport the body out of your morgue. Thank you for all your help.”
The nurse nodded and then left the room.
Karen felt a strange feeling come over her. For some awful reason she felt glad that it was Christopher and not Jocelyn that was taken. It was a feeling and thought that she’d never voice to her husband. However a very small part of her was glad to have that last reminder of Jennifer out her life.
Both Lynda and Karen had to help Nathan out of the chair he was in and then into the waiting elevator. The man was totally despondent and had to be led everywhere. Karen turned to her sister-in-law and said.
“ I want you to drive us home and then head back to your mother’s place and tell her the news. I will call you both in the morning.
Lynda nodded.
*** *** ***
The next days where both emotional and draining for Karen. She’d called Richard following morning and told him the news. He reacted the way that Karen thought he would he said that he’d be home as soon as possible. He asked his sister to pass on his condolences to Nathan and his family.
She then called Martha and Lynda was not surprised to hear that both women where grief stricken. Karen told both of them that she would see to all the arrangements for the visitation and the burial.
“ Thank you Karen. We are very grateful for all your support.” Martha said and then hung up.
It was then that Karen got up off the couch and went in screach of Nathan. She found him in Christopher’s bedroom, sitting on his son’s bed holding one of the many stuffed animals.
Sitting down beside her husband Karen looked into his eyes that where red and puffy from crying.
“ I spoke to your mother and sister. I told them that I would take care of all the arrangements for the funeral. I think that it ought to be a private visitation. Just close family and friends. That way we can keep the press out of this. It’s that okay with you Nathan?”
Nathan didn’t respond to his wife’s question. He just stared blankly ahead.
Karen knew that Nathan was hurting inside, but she knew that there was nothing she could say or do to bring him out of his depression.
“ Rosie will be fixing lunch soon. I will have her make you a sandwich and bring it in here. I love you Nathan.” Karen bent forward and kissed her husband’s cheek, then stood and left the room.
*** *** ***
Two days later the Yates and Carpenters gathered to say their final goodbye’s to Christopher Jacob Yates. At the service the minister that married Karen and Nathan preformed the service. After he led the family in prayers for the boy he motioned for Karen and Richard to come forward.
Richard sat at the piano and Karen picked up a waiting microphone.
After a short piano introduction Karen began to sing.
“ Bless the beasts and the children,
For in this world they have no voice,
They have no choice,
Bless the beasts and the children,
For the world can never be,
The world they see,
Light their way,
When the darkness surrounds them,
Give them love,
Let it shine all around them,
Bless the beasts and the children,
Give them shelter from a storm,
Keep them safe,
Keep them warm,
Light their way,
When the darkness surrounds them,
Give them love,
Let it shine all around them,
Bless the beasts and the children,
Give them shelter from a storm,
Keep them safe,
Keep them warm.”
