I'd been trying to study the publisher's contract for only a few minutes when I spotted my mother-in-law's Honda pulling up the driveway. I quickly stuffed the manuscript and envelope into a desk drawer, while folding the contract and letter, jamming them into my back pocket.

I went outside to greet them. As soon as she saw me, Becky tried to wiggle out of her car seat, eager to be free. I strode across the back yard to the parking area just in time to untangle her and help her out of the car. As always, I was amazed at Becky's striking resemblance to Shirley Temple, except that her bouncy curls were strawberry blonde, a lighter version of her mother's beautiful auburn hair.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Becky shrieked, reaching up to hug me. "We went to de zoo! An' I saw lotsa animules! An' I rode a olefunk! Oooh, it was lumpy! An' we had runch in a wishywan an' everyting . . ."

"Whoa, sweetheart! Slow down a little bit. It sounds like you had a wonderful time and I want to hear all about it," I said, smiling at Irene McKinley as I hoisted Becky up in my arms.

As the three of us headed toward the house, Becky continued to rattle on and, with a little help from Mom, I was able to discern that my daughter had taken a ride on an elephant and had lunch in the zoo's restaurant. She was also fascinated with the "alligrators" she'd seen.

After Becky wound down a bit, Mom reminded her that we were having dinner in another "wishywan" tonight and it might be a good idea if she had a nap first. Amazingly, Becky agreed with no fuss.

Mom said, "Joe, why don't we let her nap in my bed so we don't have to disturb her when it's time for you to pick up Joshua from school. Why don't you come on up too. I'll make us some coffee and we can chew the fat."

I was game for that. I always admired my mother-in-law's serene beauty and thoughtful ways, so unlike the meddling mothers-in-law I'd heard a few of my friends grumble about. Maggie looked so much like her mother, and I secretly hope she will age as gracefully. They both have the same wide hazel eyes and slightly turned-up noses that enhance their youthful appearance. Although Mom's hair is now snowy white, Maggie inherited her mother's once gorgeous auburn locks.

After we all walked up the flight of stairs to the upstairs apartment, Mom got the coffee pot going, then scooped Becky in her arms and carried her off to bed for her nap. When Mom returned, she said with a big smile, "So, Birthday Boy, how's your day going so far?"

"It's been a doozy," I replied, deciding I wasn't going to share the "mirror vision" with anyone . . . maybe, ever! Instead, I told Mom about the phone call from the school nurse, lunch with my buddies, and that I was taking Josh to see Ozzie after school. I didn't want to alarm Mom, so I tried to conceal my concern and repeated what the nurse and Ozzie had both said, "It's probably nothing to worry about." Oh, how I wanted to believe that! I also suggested she not mention anything to Maggie and that I'd fill my wife in on the details after the kids were in bed later that evening.

Mom concurred, saying it probably wasn't anything serious. But, knowing me as well as she did, she undoubtedly was able to read my troubled thoughts.

"You know, Joe, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. They say confession is good for the soul, right?"

"So they say," I rejoined.

Mom continued, "I've never told you this, but when you and Maggie first announced you were getting married, Dad and I were pretty concerned. Not that you aren't a nice guy, but you are ten years older than Maggie, and we worried the age difference might cause problems. Of course now that you're both older, it's no big deal, but when you were thirty and she was only twenty, well . . . you know. Anyway, I just want you to know we both feel very blessed to have you as our son-in-law. You've been a wonderful husband to Maggie, and the children couldn't possibly have a better father. Also, Dad and I admire your dedication to the rescue squad, and we're so proud that they elected you captain. You're quite a guy, Joe!"

"Aw, gee, Mom," I said, blushing. "Thanks for your kind words, but I can't take all the credit. Look at the good example you and Dad have set. As for the squad, well, heck-- you should talk. I've only been a member for twenty years, while you joined what . . . thirty years ago? And Dad! One of the founders, with over fifty years of service! Watching you two, how could I not join? Anyway, after I took that emergency childbirth class when Maggie got pregnant, it was kind of a no-brainer. Besides it's all for a good cause. It's been very rewarding and I've enjoyed it a lot."

"We always loved it too, Joe. There is nothing more incredible than saving a life." We really hated to retire from active service, but with my mother here now and all, well . . . I guess we've done our share. We do miss it though, and we're glad you keep us posted as to what's going on."

I replied, "What I'm especially happy about is that Joshua decided to join, too. I'm only sorry he has to be on probation until he's eighteen. There are so many restrictions, like he can't even touch an oxygen tank. Still, he's already proving himself an excellent member of our team and we're very proud of him."

Just then, Mary Elizabeth came in to tell Mom she was leaving and that Jeanne was taking a nap". Mom's mother, Jeanne Merrill, had been staying with them since her stroke two years earlier. After intensive rehabilitation, her progress had ground to a halt and the doctors said there was nothing more they could do. Although Jeanne's speech had improved tremendously, she was still paralyzed on her right side. Mary Elizabeth was a nurse's aide who came in three days a week to help Mom care for her and she was a godsend.

"Thanks so much, Mary. Becky and I wouldn't have been able to have our lovely outing at the zoo if it weren't for you. I really appreciate you switching your Friday to Thursday. See you next week."

Mary Elizabeth always told Mom that Jeanne was her favorite patient. "It's amazing," she'd say, "but whenever I'm having an off day, Jeanne always cheers me up. And I'm supposed to be the one cheering her up! She's quite a gal, and a great example when it comes to having a positive attitude. Have you noticed how she's taught herself to write with her left hand? It's amazing! I could never do it myself."

I had to agree. Jeanne really was special. She was only about five feet tall and weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet, but there was plenty of feistiness left in her. Perpetually in a good mood, she never once complained. Her one vanity was having her hairdresser come once a week to keep her snow-white hair looking its best. Of the whole family, Jeanne was the one who was the most up-to-date on everything that was going on in the world, especially when it came to her beloved New York Mets. She'd been an avid baseball fan ever since the Dodgers were in Brooklyn. And she'd never forgiven them for moving to California.

After Mary Elizabeth left, I continued our conversation. "While we're in a 'confessing' state, I've got a confession, too."

"What's that," Mom asked.

"Well, when you and Dad first suggested we go in together to buy this two-family house, I was kind of nervous that maybe you'd both be kind of butting in on us newlyweds, telling us how to do things and so forth. Boy, was I wrong! You've both been wonderful. My own parents couldn't have treated me with any more love and moral support than you two have. And I know it would've taken us a while to afford our own home otherwise. This house is perfect! Also we really appreciate your watching Becky while Maggie and I are at work.

"Now that Joshua's learning to drive, I appreciate the way the driveway's set up, so that it loops all the way around the house and we can go in and out from either street. That big parking area in the back is a boon for Josh to practice driving. And having the house sitting in the middle of two lots, with two dead end streets on either side is great. The best part is being surrounded on three sides by such a beautiful county park! I love this place . . . can you tell?"

Mom smiled. "We couldn't be happier with this arrangement either. When Dad and I got married, as you know, we had six children in just five years. Later on, the two oldest, John Jr. and Frederick, got married, and when the twins, Gail and Wayne, decided to join the Navy, Laura entered the convent, and Maggie announced her engagement, we starting feeling the pangs of empty nest syndrome. Being in the same house and getting to share a bit of your lives has brought us a lot of happiness and, may I add, made us feel a bit younger too."

I replied, "Mom, you and Dad will never get old! You still have a lot of living left to do. Say, there's something I've always wondered. Would you mind if I ask why you and Dad were so insistent on wanting the upstairs half of the house instead of the downstairs?"

Mom laughed. "Think about it, Joe. You and Maggie were young and God only knew how many children you'd have. If you lived upstairs, do you think we'd ever get any peace and quiet? The 'patter of little feet' can sound like a herd of stampeding buffalo for a downstairs neighbor! We had twelve of those little feet running around, so we knew!"

"Ah . . . I see. That does make a lot of sense."

As we were finishing our coffee, I glanced at my watch. "Uh oh, guess I'd better shake a leg, or I'll be late picking up Josh. I'll let you know what happens with Ozzie, Mom," I said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Please do, Joe. Oh, just so you know, dear, our dinner reservations at Giuseppe's are for six o'clock. That should give us all enough time to get ready. Let me know when you get back, okay? Good luck!"

"Will do," I said, heading for the van.

Only minutes after I parked along the curb in front of the school, I heard the clang of the dismissal bell. I honked and waved as I spotted Joshua bounding out the front door.

Joshua Paul Madison, now a high school junior, was a handsome sixteen-year-old with a slender five-eleven frame, sporting my blue eyes and light brown hair. Only he wore his hair in a long ponytail, which I wasn't too happy about. Smiling, he opened the door to the passenger side of the van.

"Hi, Dad! How's the birthday going?"

"Great, son. It's been quite a day so far, and I'll tell you about it later. But are you aware that I got a phone call from the school nurse today?"

"Yes, she told me she was going to call you. She also said you were taking me to see Dr. Martin after school. Do you think it's anything serious?"

"No, Josh," I replied, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. But it's always better to check these things out just to be safe. I had lunch with Dr. Martin earlier, and he said he'd be happy to squeeze us in. So let's head on over there and get it over with, okay? Hey, don't forget Grandma and Grandpa are taking us to Giuseppe's for dinner tonight. That oughta be fun, huh?"

"You bet, Dad. How could I forget? I can't wait to see you open your presents. You're gonna be surprised when you see what we all decided to get you this year."

"Hmm, sounds intriguing," I said. Then, still trying to keep Joshua distracted, I added, "How about a little hint, huh?"

Josh laughed. "Nope, not a chance, Dad. Mom would kill me for sure! All I'll tell you is we all got in on this and it's something you'll never guess in a million years."

"Now you really have me curious," I told him as we pulled into Ozzie's parking lot.

"Hi, Joe, Joshua," greeted Mrs. Fenstermacher, Dr. Martin's pleasantly plump, gray-haired fifty-something receptionist. "The doctor is expecting you. I'll let him know you're here. Have a seat in the waiting room and I'm sure he'll be with you shortly."

In the waiting room, we leafed through the magazines, trying to find something of interest to pass the time. Before we could choose, Ozzie came through the other door. Grinning, he invited us to follow him.

"So, Joshua, tell me," Ozzie said when we were seated, "how was the junior prom last week? I hear you went with Amy Johnson from church. You've got good taste, young man. Anything serious going on there?"

Joshua's face turned slightly crimson. "The prom was great, Doc. Amy's a terrific girl, but I don't have the time or inclination to get romantically involved at this stage of my life. We're just good friends."

"Hmmm," Ozzie said, wrapping the blood pressure cuff around Joshua's left arm. "My professional medical opinion indicates an extreme case of seriousness for a boy so young. Maybe you need to lighten up a little, huh?"

Cocking his head to one side after he checked the reading, he asked, "Have you been doing a lot of exercising or running around today, Josh?"

"No, sir. It was just a routine day. I didn't even have gym class. Right after school, I just went from class to my locker, got my stuff, then walked to Dad's van. That's it."

"Okay, no problem. It does seem a tad high though. Tell you what, let me try the other arm. You know, it can be pretty amazing sometimes, the difference in readings between one arm and the other."

After he finished, the doctor clapped Josh lightly on the back. "Okay, let's go in my office and talk about this."

I peered over Ozzie's shoulder and saw that the b.p. readings were both 220 over 140! My stomach churned as panicky thoughts spun wildly through my mind, but for Josh's sake, I tried my best not to let it show. Fortunately, neither Ozzie nor Joshua had noticed me looking at the chart.

On the way to his office, Ozzie stopped by a closet to get a large container which he set down on the floor beside his chair. He motioned us to sit down across the desk from him. As he leaned forward on his elbows, he clasped his hands in front of him. He was smiling, but the expression in his eyes was dead serious.

"Joshua, you're not into drugs or drinking lately, are you?"

Josh's eyes bugged out for a second. "Of course not, Doc. Loving sports as much as I do, I'd never consider drugs, drinking or even smoking."

Ozzie continued, "I thought so, son. But I needed to ask . . . just procedure. But I won't kid you. Your blood pressure is high on both arms. Often it's difficult to determine the cause of high blood pressure, especially when there are no other symptoms. So, the smartest thing for us to do is conduct further tests, monitor your readings regularly and take it from there. Hopefully it's just a temporary problem."

As we both nodded solemnly, Ozzie took the jug he'd gotten from the closet and put it up on the desk.

"This won't be much fun, Josh," he said, "but it's painless. The easiest place to start is with a twenty-four hour urine test. We can tell a whole lot from that, and it will probably rule out all sorts of things."

Joshua agreed and Ozzie explained the procedure in specific detail. We all decided Sunday would be the first day Josh would be able to collect all his urine for a full twenty-four hour period. Along with school tomorrow, there was the school play that evening followed by a baseball game Saturday afternoon, then the second performance of the play at night.

Shaking his hand, I thanked Ozzie for taking the time to squeeze us in on such short notice, and told him I'd drop the container off on my way to work Monday morning.








Continue to Chapter 4


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