Page 76 of The Women of Oak Ridge
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:LAUREL
I STOOD IN SILENT HORROR,watching as the doctor and young nurse worked to restrain Aunt Mae. A second nurse arrived to administer a sedative. Moments later, Aunt Mae’s distress ended abruptly. Once she quieted, the doctor checked her pupils and heart rate before meeting my gaze. I’m certain my own distress was obvious.
“A person with a concussion can become agitated and confused,” he said, his calm voice reassuring. “Rest is vital for the brain to heal from the trauma it suffered. We’ll keep her sedated overnight, then evaluate her in the morning. You should go home and get some rest yourself. She won’t wake until tomorrow.”
He and the nurses exited the room. Velvet moved to stand beside me.
“He’s right, Laurel. Mae will need your strength to get through this.”
I suddenly felt drained. “I hate to leave her, but I suppose there’s nothing I can do until she wakes up.” I remembered thenthat I didn’t have my car. “Would it be possible for you to give me a ride to the library? My car is there.”
“Of course.”
I kissed Aunt Mae’s forehead, tears springing to my eyes. “I’ll be back in the morning, Aunt Mae. I love you.” There was no indication she heard me.
We left the hospital and walked to Velvet’s car. Once we were seated, I turned to her. “Do you know what Aunt Mae was talking about? It was as though she thought the nurse was her roommate Sissy, and that the doctor was going to hurt her in some way.”
Velvet gave a slow nod. “I wondered about that too.” She looked thoughtful. “I never met Sissy. She worked at Y-12, while Mae and I worked at K-25. Roonie and I rarely ventured into Townsite where Mae lived in one of the dormitories. The restaurants and activities in town were for white folks, so there wasn’t much need for us to take the bus there often.”
“Do you know what happened to Sissy?”
“I don’t. The only reason I knew something strange was goin’ on was Roonie saw a notice in the newspaper, asking for information about Sissy. He recognized Mae’s name and showed it to me.”
“I read that notice in an old copy of theOak Ridge Journalat the library. Aunt Mae never mentioned if Sissy returned?”
Velvet shook her head. “We weren’t close friends yet, but we’d chat when we saw each other at the bus stop or at the plant. She came to my house once for coffee. I noticed a difference in her not long after that. She’d been pleasant and easy to talk to before, but she grew distant. Guarded, I guess you’d say. Roonie didn’t think it was a good idea for me to continue a friendship with Mae.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
“In those days, the whole town of Oak Ridge was one big secret from the world. There were people watchin’ to make sure it stayed that way. If anyone thought you were telling things you shouldn’ttell or knew things you shouldn’t know, you could lose your job. One had to be careful with whom they associated.”
“When did the two of you reconnect?”
She smiled. “After Oak Ridge opened to the public, I’d see Mae from time to time, usually volunteering here or there in the community. We gradually became friends again.”
Velvet dropped me off at my car, waiting until I was inside with the engine running and the doors locked before she drove away. Aunt Mae’s house was dark when I pulled into the driveway. A wave of sadness washed over me, and I wiped a tear that rolled down my cheek.
“Lord, please help Aunt Mae get better,” I whispered. “We love her.”
Barking met my ears when I opened the front door. I’d forgotten all about Peggy. The little dog came forward when I knelt to pet her.
“Hi, girl. I’m sorry, but Aunt Mae isn’t coming home. You’re stuck with me.”
I turned on the porch light and escorted Peggy outside, where she ran to the far end of the yard to do her business. While I waited, Georgeanne’s light came on. The older woman appeared a moment later, wearing a bathrobe and slippers.
“Laurel,” she called, motioning for me to come her direction. We met at the fence. “I’ve been waiting for you to get home. How is Mae? I was so shocked to hear about the accident.”
I didn’t ask how she knew. Roonie’s words about news traveling in a small town explained it. “She has a concussion and a broken wrist. They’re keeping her in the hospital for observation.”
“Bless her heart. I told her just the other day I’d be happy to take her wherever she needed to go, but you know Mae. Obstinate and independent. I probably shouldn’t tell tales, but this isn’t her first accident.”
My mouth gaped. “It isn’t?”
Georgeanne shook her head. “She hit a mailbox a few weeks ago. The only reason I know about it is because the homeowner is a friend. Mae volunteered to pay for the damage, so my friend didn’t alert the police.”
My shoulders slumped at this discouraging revelation. “Thank you for letting me know. My dad should arrive sometime tomorrow, and I’m sure he’ll want all the facts before making any decisions regarding Aunt Mae.”
“I’d hate to lose Mae as a neighbor, but it may be best if she went to live in Boston near your family.”
