Chapter Eleven
“Emery, we have to go visit her,” said Philip excitedly. Philip had gone straight to Emery with the whole story.
“Visit her in the hospital?” said Emery uncertainly.
“Yes, in the hospital. She’ll probably be there a while.”
“But you can catch things in the hospital.”
“What!”
“In the hospital you can catch things.”
“You cannot. Doctors and nurses don’t catch anything.”
“I’ll prove you can catch things there.”
“Go ahead.”
“Suppose we went to hospital.”
“Yeah?”
“And we got off the elevator.”
“So?”
“And you started running down the hall.”
“And?”
“Well, if I ran faster than you then I’d catch you.”
Philip stared at Emery. After a moment Emery gave a shy smile and said, “You looked so worried I thought you might like to hear a joke.”
“A joke! That’s a joke? You could catch me?”
“Just a little joke.”
“A little joke!”
“I thought you didn’t like it when your mother repeated things you said. Now you’re repeating everything I say.”
“I did not repeat everything.”
“You didn’t repeat everything?”
“No. Everything I said was different.”
“Everything you said was different?”
“Emery,” said Philip slowly. “Now you’re repeating everything.”
“I’m repeating everything?”
“Emery, stop it!”
“Okay, okay. Just trying to relax you.”
“Relax me?”
“You’re repeating again.”
Philip took a deep breath. “Emery, I’m relaxed. Okay? Let’s go check on the cats and then see if we can visit the hospital.”
The cats were fine. Ling Ling nursed her two children and meowed softly when the two boys entered. Before they left, Philip filled the water bowl, and Emery poured some dry food into Ling Ling’s dish.
“Dad,” Philip shouted as he and Emery burst into his house. “Dad!”
“In the kitchen, Flipper.”
Philip led Emery into the kitchen. “Dad, we want to go and visit Angel in the hospital.”
Philip’s father held a cup of coffee as he looked over the morning newspaper. He folded the newspaper and laid it on the table.
“Can we, Dad?”
“Well, I don’t know. I can find out for you, but it’s not likely Angel will be having any visitors for at least a couple of days. She’ll probably have to recover from her operation a little until she feels well enough to see friends.”
“Can you find out?” Philip asked.
“Yes, yes. I will, but until I do, you and Emery might as well put your minds to something else. The moment I hear something, I’ll let you know.”
Philip and Emery left the house, not quite knowing what to do with their time.
They walked past Angel’s house, not surprised the family car wasn’t in the driveway. The house looked very, very empty.
They returned to the shed behind Angel’s house and played with the kittens until lunch time. After lunch Philip’s father offered to take them to the movies and the mall for the rest of the afternoon.
Philip stayed up in his room after dinner until his father called him downstairs.
“Angel’s mom is home. I called and we can go see her, the mom I mean, if you want.”
“I want.”
As he and his father walked down the street to Angel’s house, he could feel his heart thumping. What would Angel’s mother say? Good news. Let it be good news, Philip hoped.
Angel’s mother welcomed them in.
“Thank you for calling. Angel seems to be doing fine. Sit, please sit.”
Mr. Felton refused the soda Angel’s mom offered and said, “Philip and all of us are hopeful your daughter gets well and comes home soon. Philip told me she was scheduled for an operation before she went to the hospital last night."
“She was. The doctor said last night’s incident simply hurried things along. What they would have done in a week or so, they did last night. Oh, Mr. Felton.” Angel’s mom sniffed loudly. “She was such a tiny baby and has had so many problems, but this should be her final operation. The doctor promised.” Angel’s mom wiped her eyes and laughed and looked at Philip. “And all she said in the ambulance and after the operation was to tell Philip to take care of Angel, Frisky and Ling Ling.”
“They’re the cats I told you about, Dad.”
Philip’s father nodded.
“I told her we couldn’t have those cats. I thought even they would make her sick. Allergies. I don’t know. All of this makes me crazy.” She took a deep breath. “Oh, if she only comes home healthy . . . I’d let her have a hundred cats.”
Philip had looked down after speaking to his father, but now his head snapped up.
“What did you say?” he asked.
“About what?”
“About Angel having the cats.”
“Oh, if she would only come home and be well, she can take care of them. They seem to make her happy. I wondered why she was so perky lately.”
“Do you mean it? Can I tell her? Do you really mean it?”
Angel’s mom gave Philip a puzzled look.
“Let me tell her she can keep the cats. Please. Can I?”
Angel’s mother smiled. “Yes, of course, if you’d like.”
“When can I visit her? Tomorrow? Will you take me, Dad?”
“Well, I don’t . . .”
Angel’s mother interrupted. “The doctor said no visitors until Tuesday. She needs rest. But I can take you Tuesday after school, Philip, if you’d like. I’m sure your father will be at work. I can let Angel know you’re coming. She’ll be happy to see you.”
“But don’t tell her about the cats. Promise?”
Angel’s mother smiled. “No, Philip, I won’t tell her. Not a word. Not a single word. I’ll let you be the bearer of the good news.”
“Thanks. Thanks a lot.”
Angel’s mother and Philip’s father chatted a few more minutes, but Philip didn’t pay attention. He was busy composing the sentences he would use to tell Angel she could keep the cats. He wanted to do it right.