Dark as Daylight Ch. 18

"I hope those stores are very profitable. That package alone is over $18,000 a year."

"It's almost $20,000 a year now mother. The dental part of the package went up considerably."

"Everyone has to have good teeth, especially now that we want them to eat ice cream."

"In a few years, we are going to advertise a contest against Ben & Jerry's in Central Park. Anytime they want using any flavors they want. It should be fun, and think of all the free advertising that will come from it."

"Zabo industries needs more advertising like ants need a higher hill."

"Mother, what is the old saying about advertising?"

"The only bad advertising is 'No Advertising.' I wasn't the one who invented that statement."

"I know mother, but it surely sounds like you, doesn't it?"

"If we were having a few consecutive down quarters, I could have screamed something like that at a meeting."

"Let's go get something to eat. Your arms are getting scrawny."

"Gwen, please!"

"Smack, Smack, Smack."

"Thank you dear, I feel much better now."

"How does your hand feel dear?"

Gwen replied, "You have a hard head. My hand tingles."

"Give it to me, let me kiss it, and make it better."

William took Gwen's hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it lovingly. He at her eyes and asked, "How does it feel now?"

"It still tingles, but it feels much better, thank you."

He pulled her to him, and she put her head on his chest.

Wrong move!

With her head out of the way, it cleared the path for retribution. His right hand moved with stealth, and speed, and found her left cheek.

Smack, Smack, Smack, Smack, Smack, Smack!

"Ouch, Ouch, Ouch! That wasn't fair you bastard."

"All is fair in Love and War, isn't it, my love?"

Jemma started to yell, "Don..." but she was cut off.

"My Love, My Ass!"

Jemma yelled, "You bit."

"And a beautiful ass it is."

Gwen had nothing to say, as Jemma pulled her into her arms.

"I tried to warn you, but it came too late. I'm sorry. They always get the last word in when it comes to our asses."

"Why is it, mom, we are all sensation, and they are all as dull as water?"

"Are you lying to yourself, Gwen?"

"You know what I mean, mom. They touch us and we light up like a Christmas tree. We touch them, and they go, 'duh.' Why is that?"

"God made man in his image. Then he took a side of man and made woman; this is according to the Bible, accorded to St. Peter, written in archaic Greek. We are the better half."

Gwen smiled. "Okay, I'll make him pay for that later. William, we are hungry. If you take us to a hot dog stand, you were going to look like a woman tonight, without the benefit of anesthesia. Make reservations for everyone, remember it is Saturday morning, and they are going to be busy."

"Since I am the man of our family, and I was given one minute to think about the situation, it is already taken care of, my dear. And I did not know what to do with the other 50 seconds, so I made another call, and finished a deal we had in the works with the Japanese. I had another few seconds to go, but I couldn't finish another phone call in that time, so I just waited for you to holler at me. Everything is waiting for you two to start moving. As usual, all the men are waiting."

"Mom, if I go near him he will hit me again. Would you hit him from me?"

"Of course, my dear."

She walked over towards William, and told him to bend down.

He bent at the waist, halfway down, and grabbed her hips for balance, she thought.

Jemma smacked his head twice.

Smack, Smack.

Before she realized what was happening, William spun her around, and smacked his mother once on each cheek. She shrieked!

William yelled, "Breakfast, now," and began walking towards the exit.

Gwen went to Jemma and asked, "When do we kill him?"

"We can't kill him, but we can make his life miserable."

"That sounds like a plan, mom. We're not going to take sex away from him, are we?"

"Of course, we are. That's the one thing a man craves, and can't do without."

"Mom, neither can I."

"Shit, we must think of something else, just as evil as that. How about leaving him with the kids for a week?"

"He loves staying with the kids."

"William does too."

Young William stuck his head back inside the emergency room doors and yelled once again, "Breakfast, now or we will leave without you."

Jemma said, "You wouldn't dare."

"You are right mom, but I have a backup plan all prepared for you."

Their agents poured into the emergency room carrying two black bags. Gwen knew what they were immediately, and started running away. Jemma followed in her footsteps.

They were not fast enough.

Jemma yelled as they started putting her into the body bag, "William, I will go peacefully. Please don't put me in this thing. I will be in one of these soon enough."

"No more trouble mom?"

She knew she was beaten, so she replied, "No more trouble, I swear it."

"Jim, you can let my mother go."

"Very good sir, but what about your wife?"

"She looks very good in black, leave her in there."

Gwen yelled at the top of her lungs, "You are going to wake up in the morning with one eye staring down at the other. Your lips are going to be sewn closed and your left leg is going to be attached to your stomach. Your right leg is going to be pointed towards the ceiling, with your right arm attached to it. In your right hand, will be your pride and joy, which will no longer be of any use to any female, mammal or otherwise. You will wish I had killed you."

Tom said, "Boss, I would reconsider leaving her in this bag."

"No, she's just getting warmed up. Wait until she really gets angry, then we will let her out."

The scream Gwen released made the agents back off and look at William again.

"Okay, it sounds like she's angry enough now. You can let her out."

Gwen pushed the agents, who try to help her up, out of the way. She adjusted her dress and then sighted in her husband. Everyone in the ER moved out of her way. Even Jemma stayed away from her. She wondered why William wasn't running, because Gwen had blood in her eyes.

She started slowly at him, but as she closed the distance she sped up, until she was running full speed. When she was 8 feet away from him, she left the ground, and with teeth bared, she flew at him. When she hit William he barely moved. He had her arms trapped under his. Her legs were useless, because he held her up, in the air.

He moved them to a pillar and pressed her against it. He put his mouth over hers, to stop her yelling, and began kissing her, almost violently.

The arms that were trying to pull free, now were trying to grab at the back of his jacket, and hold on to him for dear life. Her legs were no longer extended, they were locked around the middle of his waist.

After a minute of this, it became apparent to everyone in the ER that the fighting was over, and something completely different was happening.

Jemma walked over to Jim.

"Why don't you grab him, and lead them out to the limousine. I'll ride with one of you guys, while they continue fighting. Oh, try to get his cell phone, so we know where we are going for breakfast."

"Yes ma'am. I bless the day Doctor Luck put me in charge of Mr. Williams' protection detail. It is always so much fun."

"That man was so far ahead of his time. That's why he and my husband were such good friends."

************************************

A short time after the limousine stopped jerking around, Jemma began pounding on the door and yelling, "Your time is up! Everyone is hungry. Get dressed, and get out here now."

William's head was resting on Gwen's breasts, when he heard his mother's voice, and the pounding on the limousine's window. At first, he did not realize where he was, but when he did, his reaction was that of a teenager being caught for the first time by his parent in his bedroom fooling around.

"Oh Shit! Gwen, baby, we have to get dressed."

"Why?"

"We are naked, in the limousine, and my mother is yelling at us to hurry up, because they're hungry."

"We are where?"

As the realization of where they were sunk in to her brain, she went to scream, but William put his mouth over hers to stop her.

Gwen shook her head to stop the kiss.

"Stop that you pervert, that's how we got into this mess."

"...and a wonderful mess it is! Relax and get dressed, while I calm my mother down. I'll call her and tell her we are awake and dressing."

He checked his suit jacket several times for his phone, but it wasn't there. He checked the floor, and seat of the limousine, and it wasn't there either.

"Gwen, do you have your cell with you?"

"Of course, I do. It's in my purse."

"The purse that you left in the hospital, as you attacked me."

"Don't start with me, William. You were wrong and you know it."

"We will discuss that at a different time, but let me help you dress, and I will dress, so we can go out to breakfast."

"Your mother is going to be all over us."

"I have more stories about my mother, and father, and their antics when they were young then you can possibly believe. If she starts in on us, I will start in on her. She will hush up quickly, I promise."

"Look at my dress, it doesn't have a wrinkle anywhere."

"When you buy quality, that's what you can expect. Are you ready to go?"

"You are as bad as your father, because you know something is missing."

"And what might that be dear?"

"You know what it is, and don't expect me to beg for it."

"It's been a very exciting day, so far, and you never know what might pop up during the rest of it?"

"You are so bad, William."

"I am, aren't I?"

"Yes dear, you am."

"I am hungry, let's join everyone for breakfast."

He opened the limousine door to find his mother, and all the agents standing in front of the restaurant, waiting for their arrival. When they made their exit from the limousine, everyone started applauding.

William bowed. Gwen blushed and hit her husband, as he grabbed her ass.

Jemma pulled her along into the restaurant.

"First time in a car, Gwen?"

"Yes, it was."

"Your father-in-law got me in the back of a Fiat. Let me tell you that it was a lot less roomy than that limo."

"I can believe it. When was that, mom?"

"I don't remember exactly, but, it was after we were married."

"That Fiat must've been very small."

"It was; and my ass hurt me for a week."

*******************

As they sorted out the seating arrangements, Gwen smacked Jemma's bottom, and she yipped like a startled dog.

"Snap out of it mom; dad is going to be fine. I'm more worried about you, at this moment, then I am about him. You are going to stroke out on me over breakfast, if you keep this up."

"I am not; I am just fine."

"You are not. I'm going to call off breakfast and bring you home if you don't calm down. I don't like seeing you like this. I don't recall ever seeing you like this. Dad would be having a field day with you, if they could see the way your face looks now. I don't know why I left my satchel at home. The one time I need it, I don't have it with me."

As if a prayer was answered, a group of physicians, with nametags attached to their jackets, walked into the restaurant. Each of them was carrying their medical satchels in their hands. She believed that they were in town for a medical convention, but she didn't care. She wanted a blood pressure cuff, and a stethoscope, and she would buy it from one of them if she had to.

"Mom, I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get peace of mind."

"I'm in trouble, right?"

"No mom, I'm keeping you out of trouble."

Gwen walked over to the elongated table.

"Good morning, doctors. My name is Doctor Gwendolyn Zabo, and I need your help. My father-in-law, William Zabo, is in NYU Medical Center for testing, and now my mother-in-law is not looking well. I would look upon it as a personal favor if I could borrow a stethoscope, and a Sphygmanometer to check her vital signs."

The 31 doctors moved at the speed of light. They opened their satchels, removed their stethoscopes from around their necks, and held the items out towards Gwen. Each member asked her to take his/her personal equipment.

Gwen couldn't suppress her giggle.

"Would one of you fine doctors care to assist me?"

31 chairs moved back in unison, as they stood up.

As if they were part of a choir, she was asked, "Lead the way, Doctor Zabo."

Gwen giggled again.

"May I ask where you doctors are from, and what hospitals you represent?"

"We represent many charitable hospitals across this nation, and Canada, including the three hospitals in the United States run by Mrs. Jemma Zabo."

Gwen laughed outright this time.

"What a remarkable coincidence. Come with me, I'll introduce you to my mother-in-law, while I get her to calm down."

As she approached the table, with the doctors behind her, Jemma shouted, "What the hell are you up to Gwen?"

"Mom, if you don't calm down, I will have these doctors restrain you, while I examine you. These men and women represent your hospitals, and other charitable hospitals in the northern hemisphere. Now are you going to let me do this the easy way, or do I have to have you strapped to the table, and spread eagle?"

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"No, but I think dad would laugh his ass off over it. Give me your arm, and keep quiet."

Miraculously, Jemma complied.

Gwen pumped up the appliance, placed the stethoscope in her ears, placed the end of it at the elbow joint, and pumped up the pressure until Jemma's arm turned white, and then began releasing the pressure to hear when the blood resumed flowing through her arteries. She repeated this procedure three times to be certain of her members.

She looked up at the gathered doctors, and picked one at random.

"Doctor Jefferson would you please repeat this procedure for me, and tell me your results privately please?"

"Surely, Mrs. Zabo."

The youngish Doctor repeated Jemma's procedure exactly as Gwen had done it, and whispered the numbers in her ear.

"Thank you Doctor Jefferson, I just wanted to be sure I was not hearing things. Do you have an aspirin?"

"Certainly."

As the doctor was searching his bag for an 81-mg aspirin, Gwen said, "Jim, Tom, breakfast has to wait. Round up the cars, we are going back to NYU now. Get us an escort; this can't wait."

Jemma looked at her daughter-in-law with concern in her eyes.

She took her mother-in-law's hand in hers, and said both angrily, and with fear, "Dammit, mom, why couldn't you ever listen to me, when I begged you to calm down."

She accepted the aspirin tablet from the doctor and gave it to Jemma.

"Crush this between your teeth, then swallow it with some water. Don't argue with me, I don't want to lose you on the way to the hospital."

Jemma's eyes were as big as saucers now, and followed Gwen's instructions.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Two things that I know of at this moment. Your blood pressure is 210/95, and you have a heart murmur I could drive a truck through. You always worried about dad, and never about yourself. I'm not going to tell him about you, until after he finishes his tests. You are going to be in a separate room, because you have the flu. Now let's get going."

Jemma stood up on shaky legs. Gwen and Stacy grabbed her arms to steady her as they left the restaurant.

They left without paying the bill, but the manager didn't care. He didn't want his restaurant known as the place where Jemma Zabo died. Her husband could buy the street, put grass over it, and name a park after her if he wanted to, and he would be out of business. The waitresses would recover also.

On the way to the hospital, Jim put a call in to Doctor Braverman to advise him of his next patient, her vital signs, and their ETA.

His response was, "No Shit."

He had the hospital put calls out to its finest surgeons, and to get them into the hospital as quickly as possible.

Doctor Harvey Reynolds, a vascular surgeon, Matti Williams, a general heart surgeon, and Joanna Chikwe, an aortic surgeon. These three were considered the finest surgeons NYU Medical Center's Langone Heart Institute had to offer, and they had many of the finest heart surgeons in the world on staff.

As a just in case, he had Jemma's records searched and a type and cross match was sent out just in case she needed a new heart. She was placed on the transplantation list, with everyone else in need. Her name and position in life meant nothing, only her need did.

If William were told, he would stop the world from spinning to help his beloved, but he was not going to be told, at least not yet. Not until Monday at the earliest, and maybe not even then. That was going to be William Junior's decision.

As the caravan raced back to the hospital, William called Patrick.

"Hello Will, are the kids driving you crazy, yet?"

"My three don't know how to spell crazy yet little brother. What are you up to on a Sunday morning, and I know you're not having sex."

"Please don't remind me. I'm getting ready to make a phone call but I don't want to make if I don't get some relief soon."

"Do I hear wedding bells in the background? I'm going to collect that $10 million check from you if you're not 30 years old."

"I didn't say anything about getting married. I just said I wanted to get laid."

"I heard you, it's just that I don't believe you. We will continue this conversation when you get here."

"Why am I coming to New York?"

"Because you have a big expensive airplane, and it's sitting on the ground doing nothing. Also, your father is in the hospital having tests done, and your mother is very ill. Get your ass up here now."

"I'll be there by 6 PM."

"I'll see you tonight little brother."

"Pat's on his way up, mom."

"I'm not going to die, William."

"I didn't say you were, but you've never been sick before; I mean never. I don't remember you ever having a cold. Now you are going to listen to Gwen, Manolo, and whoever they put in charge of you. Isn't that right mother?"

"I am not..."

"Isn't that right mother?"

"Is this the way I am with your father?"

"Not even close, but I will get there if I have to and you will obey the rules that you quoted to my father. Do you remember them?"

"I have so many rules for your father, which one do you want me to quote?"

"I'll do this one for you. 'You promised me you wouldn't die until you were 130 years old, and we would die in bed together.' Does that sound familiar?"

"I may have said that to him once or a few thousand times."

"Well, Gwen is your primary physician. She must sign off on everything that happens to you. The only thing she's not allowed to do is sign your death certificate, because both she and I are going to be dead before you and dad. Teddy told us so. Live up to your part of the bargain mom, I don't want to be around dad if you pass away."

"I think I will be angry with me."

"Angry! No, he will have enough rage in him to power the Good Luck 2 into the next star system if you leave him. How many times and to how many people has he said that 'You are his life? Since you've been married, and all the ugliness has finally ended, has he ever gone anywhere without you?"

"No, I wanted him to, but he wouldn't go without me."

"I wonder why?"

"We are here folks. Let's get ready to move."

Doctor Braverman was standing outside as the cars came to a halt. As soon as they had Jemma seated in a wheelchair his stethoscope was pressed against her carotid artery. He listened for a few seconds and then said to the orderly,

"Take her straight to radiology, we will have her blood drawn there."