His mother moved her chair so she could sit and face him. “Yes, I have faith in you. I believe you are a superhero, my sweet son. Don the mask, or the cape, or however your superhero hides himself away from the world, and go out and do what needs to be done.”
“What’s going on in here?” his father said as he walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. “You both look so serious.”
“Gehring was just telling me that he’s leaving for Boston later this morning.”
His father poured a cup of coffee. “Good. That’s what he needs to do.”
Mantis went upstairs and took a shower, all the while thinking about the words his mother said. Should he go to Boston? Both his parents seemed to think he should.
He wondered if Doc would mind if he flew the fancy plane there, or if he should make the four-hour trip by car.
“When are you leaving?” his father asked when he came back downstairs.
“Later. I’d like to see Jonas and his family before I go.”
“Who knows when they might get here. Go ahead and leave. You can see them when you get back.
“Hey, Dad, you wanna tell me why you and mom are so anxious to get me out of here?”
“It isn’t that, Son. We want you to be happy, and we both believe the key to that lies in a hospital bed in Boston, where she needs you as much as you need her.”
“I’ve left messages. She hasn’t picked up or returned my call.”
“All the more reason to go. Find out why.”
“I need to rent a car.”
His dad tossed him a set of keys. “It’s in the driveway.”
Mantis looked at the fob and saw the name of a well-known car rental company. He smiled and shook his head. “You have all the answers, don’t you?”
His dad winked. “Always have, Gehring.”
—:—
Alegria wondered what time her parents might show up today.
“The doctor is making rounds now,” said the nurse who came in to take her blood pressure.
If she were still in the hospital in Stamford, Mantis would be here in time to hear what the doctor had to say. Given how insistent her parents had been that she be moved to this hospital, she was surprised it didn’t seem to be a priority for them. Didn’t everyone know doctors made rounds early in the morning?
Alegria moved the blanket and sheet from her legs and willed her toes to wiggle. “Did you see that?” she asked the nurse.
“What?”
“I think my toes just moved.”
The nurse stopped fiddling with the monitors. “Do it again,” she said, watching Alegria’s feet.
“Did you see it that time?”
“I sure did. The doctor will be so pleased with your progress.”
Alegria nodded, finding it ironic that her progress had nothing to do with this particular doctor, or with the hospital her parents had had her moved to. The feeling in her legs was coming back just like the doctor in Stamford had predicted.
“Good morning, Manon. How was your night?” The doctor was studying something on his computer and didn’t seem to notice she hadn’t responded to his question. “I see you believe you’ve had movement.”
That was an interesting way to put it. “I wasn’t alone in that belief.”