mechanical voice. One metal arm reached out as if to snatch Renieâs big black handbag.
âWatch it, Robbie, or Iâll FedEx you to the scrap heap,â Renie threatened.
âMy name is Robbie,â the robot repeated. The steel creature kept moving, giving and asking no quarter.
âI hope heâs not one of the surgeons,â Judith said.
âWe should ask if heâs covered for malpractice,â Joe said as they approached the admitting desk.
A nurse in traditional uniform and white cap sat next to a nun in a modified habit that consisted of a navy blue suit, white blouse, and navy and white veil and coif. The Sisters of Good Cheer were relatively conservative in their attitude toward apparel. As long as they wore habits, the nurses who worked for them would wear uniforms. âMay we help you?â the nurse inquired with a strained smile.
âLetâs hope so,â Joe replied. âWeâre checking our wives in.â He gestured at Judith and Renie.
âJones,â said Bill. âSerena. Rotator cuff surgery.â He pointed to the carefully lettered yellow Post-it note on Renieâs sweater. Overcautious as ever, Bill had written, âSerena Jones, right shoulder, allergic to nuts, peanuts, and morphine, inclined to complain.â
âFlynn,â said Joe. âJudith. Right-hip replacement.â He cast a worried look at Judithâs side. Maybe, she thought, he was wishing heâd stuck a note on her, too.
Renie nudged Judith. âI guess we checked our voices at the door.â
The nun looked at a computer screen. âTheyâre right,â she said to the nurse. âJones and Flynn, Drs. Ming and Alfonso.â
âWhew,â Renie said facetiously. âIâm sure glad weâre the right people.â
Bill poked her in the ribs. âDonât say anything. Let them do their jobs.â
Renie scowled at Bill. âI was only trying to lighten theââ
Bill poked her again, and Renie shut up.
The nurse handed several forms to Joe and Bill. âHave your wives fill these out over in the reception area. Weâll call their names when the doctors are ready.â
âWhat are these?â Renie asked, despite the glower from Bill.
âMedical information,â the nurse responded. âConsent forms. Releases.â
âRelease from what?â Renie inquired, resisting Billâs efforts to propel her away from the desk.
âConsent to the procedure,â the nurse said, looking impatient. âReleasing the hospital from responsibility in case you expire.â
âExpire?â Renie blanched. âAs inâ¦croak?â
âLetâs go,â Bill muttered, his jaw set.
Joe had already wheeled Judith into the waiting area. âDid Renie say âcroakâ?â she asked her husband.
âIt sounded like âcroak,ââ Joe answered in his breeziest manner. âOf course, it might have been âjokeâ or âCokeâ or âcloak.ââ
Judith looked down at the forms that Joe had put in her lap. âShe said âcroak.â If I croak, itâs not their fault.I wonder how Joaquin Somosa and Joan Fremont feel about that? I mean, I wonder how their families feel?â
âGlum,â Joe replied. âJust fill the damned things out and letâs get on with it.â
âArenât you and Bill being a bit callous?â Judith demanded.
âNo,â Joe asserted. âThose were flukes. Didnât the newspaper hint that Joan Fremont had been doing some drugs? She was an actress, Somosa was an athlete. I once worked in Vice. I know how that goes. Itâs all show biz, and a lot of those people get involved in drugs, both legal and otherwise.â
Judith wasnât reassured, but she stopped arguing. Renie had also gone silent, laboriously trying to sign the forms with her crippled right arm. The cousins had just finished