Auntie in Limbo

"Who was that?" Johnny asked when Sarah McGee left the Tavern.

"Oh I’m sorry Johnny, I forget you haven’t met everybody." Amanda touched his hand. That was Sarah McGee, she’s Travis McGee’s mother you know the one that offered you a job.

"Oh that’s right, she seemed to know me."

"Everybody knows who you are they just don’t know you, at least not like I do. Are you ready to go?"

"Yep I think so, nice lunch." Johnny picked up his crutches from the floor and stood up. "I don’t think I’m going to be needing these for much longer." He said as Amanda’s phone rang.

"Hello Auntie," Amanda said cheerfully, "someone was just looking for you, Mrs. McGee."

"Amanda, um I have something to tell you and first of all I’m all right, I think."

"Auntie what is it?" Amanda was immediately concerned from her Auntie’s tone of voice.

"There was an um incident this morning and I’m afraid I’m to be arrested for um manslaughter."

"What! Oh Auntie this can’t be true, where are you?"

"I’m about t leave the scene of the crime with Sheriff Biebe, he’s taking me to Coffs Hospital, now there’s nothing wrong with me dear, it’s the Roberts, I should like to be with them for a while."

"What’s going on?" Johnny asked coming to Amanda’s side.

Amanda waved him off, "I’m coming, we’re coming to hospital, oh Auntie are you sure you’re all right?"

"Yes dear, I look forward to seeing you. Now I must hang up this is the Sheriff’s phone. We’ll get it all sorted Amanda."

"But Auntie, we’re leaving now."

Amanda turned to Johnny, "This is beyond belief my Auntie is being arrested for manslaughter?"

"Auntie Win? What happened?"

"I don’t know any details but it involves Mr. Roberts. We must leave now." Amanda pulled out some money and left it on the table, more than enough to cover their bill.

Amanda and Johnny had gone over several scenarios by the time they pulled into the parking lot near the ER entrance of the hospital in Coffs.

Inquiring at the reception they were pointed down the hall and through some doors to a line of curtained off cubicles. Miss Peeg was just coming out of one.

"Auntie," Amanda rushed to her.

"Hello Amanda," Winnie Peeg hugged her niece and also Johnny. "We must go somewhere where we can talk not here in everyone’s way," she moved as a technician entered the cubicle behind her.

"The waiting room," Johnny said and they walked back out.

Miss Peeg told her story to Amanda and Johnny and sat back on the plastic seat, "I’m very sorry." She said wiping a tear.

"Auntie you’ve nothing to be sorry for, they can’t possibly put you in jail I won’t let them!"

Johnny chimed in, "it sounds to me like you saved the bloke’s life, nothing to be sorry for there."

"No, well it’s what’s to come, dears that will be unpleasant for you. I shouldn’t want to cause any embarrassment."

"Nonsense, oh there is blood on your skirt."

"Yes well it’s Mr. Roberts, not mine. I wonder if there is a place where one might get a cup of tea. I can’t leave here you see until the Sheriff comes for me."

"I’ll find you one," Amanda got up and went to the desk and then down a short hallway.

"You’ll be all right Auntie Win, " Johnny said, "you had to do it, there was no time to do anything else. They can’t hold you for that." He patted her hand.

"Thank you Johnny, I’ll get through this. I’m glad you came."

"OF course I came you’re like my own family well anyway it seems like it," he dipped his head in embarrassment.

"Yes, and you’ve become part of ours, though you might have second thoughts now." She smiles slightly liking the young man.

"Here’s Amanda with your tea." Johnny said

"Thank you love, I do so need this."

"Its tea bags but I didn’t think you’d mind." Amanda sat back down.

"No tea bags are a treat right now."

"How long do you have to stay here, can’t you come home with us?" Amanda asked.

"I have no idea, there’s something called a post mortem to be done, I have to wait for Sheriff Biebe. He has really been so kind."

"Will Mrs. Roberts be all right?" Amanda asked

"Oh yes, she’s in shock and they are giving her fluids, Mr. Roberts is with her and was having his hand taken care of when I stepped out."

"You look very tired Auntie," Amanda observed, "couldn’t they give you a bed for awhile?"

"Oh no Amanda, I am a little tired but I wouldn’t take up a bed, oh no someone else might need it, someone injured or sick. It’s just been a very stressful morning but this tea is reviving me, what a spot of luck to find a cup of tea."

Amanda smiled at her Auntie and took her hand caressing the back of it. She would take care of her auntie whatever she needed, solicitors, barristers, she would have the best.