In Wilde Country Read Free Page B

wasn’t easy, either. His ribs hurt hard enough to make him stagger.
    TJ grabbed his arm.
    “I’m all right,” Johnny said, shaking him off.
    By the time he was ready, he was in a cold sweat. He winced when he caught a glimpse
     of himself in the mirror. Both his eyes were amazing shades of purple and black. His
     hair was too long. And the suit…
    TJ and he were about the same height, but TJ was a linebacker. The suit was at least
     two sizes too big. The tie was a wide blob of red polka dots on a teal background.
     To top it off, both he and TJ had forgotten about shoes. The sneakers he’d been wearing
     the night of the accident would have to do.
    He looked like something out of a bad movie.
    So what?
    He was going to be there for Alden no matter how he looked.
    He took a breath. Started to hobble toward the door and swayed; TJ caught him by the
     arm.
    “You’re not gonna make it, man.”
    “I’m fine,” Johnny said through his teeth.
    “No,” the nurse said, “you’re not.”
    She came into the room fast, held out two tablets and a paper cup of water.
    “I don’t need that,” Johnny said.
    “Would you prefer I ring for an orderly to stop you from leaving?”
    Johnny’s eyes met hers. She’d do it, he knew.
    He reached for the tablets, gulped them down, grabbed the cup and drank.
    The nurse took back the cup.
    “There’s a wheelchair outside the door. “
    “I don’t need a chair.”
    “What are you going to do, John? Fly to the church? Of course you need a chair.”
    “Crutches,” Johnny said. “I’ll use crutches.”
    The nurse glared at him. Then she marched to the closet, wrenched open the door and
     took out the crutches the physical therapist had brought in two days ago.
    “If you fall and break your fool neck, John Wilde, don’t look to me to take care of
     you. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”
    She sounded stern, looked stern, but Johnny could see compassion in her eyes.
    “Thanks,” he said gruffly.
    Her lips curved in a smile.
    “Give it a little time and you’ll realize this was an accident.”
    “Sure,” Johnny said, and they both knew that he was lying.
    * * * *
    The parking lot of the Wilde’s Crossing Community Church was packed with cars and
     trucks.
    TJ started to turn his wheezing black Chevy pickup into the lot, but Johnny stopped
     him.
    “Let me out at the front door.”
    “Wilde. You’re not gonna make it up those steps.”
    Johnny opened his door.
    “Watch me.”
    TJ got out and came around to the passenger side of the truck, but Johnny had already
     hauled himself out.
    “I’m fine,” he said.
    TJ went to the bed of the pickup for the crutches.
    “Thanks.”
    “OK. Let me park and I’ll come back and help you get up those—”
    “Forget it.”
    “Man, are you nuts? No way can you—”
    Wrong. Johnny was already halfway up the four wide steps that led to the double doors
     of the church.
    By the time he reached the top step, he was exhausted.
    He paused. Drew a deep breath. Then he opened the right hand door. Music reached out
     to him. The choir, singing “Amazing Grace.”
    The service had already started.
    He stepped through the door.
    He tried his best to make no noise, but that was difficult when you were shuffling
     forward on crutches, especially when the choir had just reached the end of the hymn
     and the tap-drag-tap of the crutches filled the resounding silence.
    “Friends,” the minister said solemnly, “we gather here today to—”
    Someone gasped. Heads turned, and a murmur swept through the church. Johnny felt every
     eye lock on him.
    For a moment, nothing happened.
    Then, Amos Wilde, seated in a front pew, shot to his feet.
    “Get out.”
    Johnny stood still.
    “GET OUT!” Amos’s voice roared through the high-ceilinged room. “Did you hear me,
     boy? I said—”
    “John.” The minister gestured to him. “Please. Come forward and take a seat.”
    Amos swung toward the minister. “This boy is not