Bookmaker, The by Chris Fraser Page B

horrible instruments they planned on using, I kicked and screamed and told them I changed my mind—I screamed I don’t want to do this. The man just told me to relax and put a foul smelling cloth over my mouth and nose, and the next thing I remember was waking up bleeding on our front lawn.’
    “Two orderlies came into the room rolling a gurney , followed by Dr. Shapiro. ‘We have to move now! Audrey, you’ll see your parents when we’re finished.’ The orderlies lifted her almost lifeless body onto the gurney and started down the hall.
    “‘Don’t leave me , Mommy, I’m scared!’ Audrey screamed.
    “‘Honey, everything will be all right, we’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back, everything’s going to be okay ,’ my mother reassured her. Audrey grabbed Father’s hand, she wouldn’t let go and he had to walk along with the rolling gurney.
    “‘Daddy , I’m so sorry.’
    “‘It’s all right , baby, you didn’t do anything wrong.’
    “Audrey then screamed to both of them . ‘I didn’t mean what I said before, I don’t want to die! I’m so scared, Daddy! I don’t want to die!’
    “One of the orderlies had to pull Audrey’s hand from my father’s , and as they headed into the operating room, Audrey’s screams of ‘I don’t want to die!’ echoed through the halls. Mother and Father collapsed into each other’s arms.
    “The wait was agonizing—minutes seemed like days since they took her away. The only sound was the ticking clock and our pounding hearts booming in our heads.
    “Dr. Shapiro finally came out, followed by two more doctors. All three of them had the same dreaded look on their face. ‘I’m so sorry, she’s gone. We did all we could, she just lost too much blood,’ was all he said, and they walked away shaking their heads. Everything went black. I don’t remember what happened after that, and I’ve never heard anyone else’s account of what occurred after she bled to death that day. Everything just went black.”
    * * * * *
    Preston had to stop; tears were trickling down his cheeks, and Matador was clenching his hand tightly, red-eyed as well. I’m sure he’d heard this story before, but it still go to him.
    “That’s enough,” Matador said.
    “Sorry you had to see me like this, Trent. Seems I get worse every year on this day.”
    “No problem, it’s a sad story. I’m so sorry about your sister, what a horrible way to go.”
    “Yes, it was, and I made sure it didn’t go unanswered,” Preston said as a pall cast over his wet eyes.
    “Okay, with that out of the way, is everything set , Preston?” Matador asked, trying to pick up the room. “Are we ready to celebrate? I could use a party.”
    It was a celebration of Audrey’s life. An Irish wake—with the requisite booze, fond memories , and stories of her life. A large, gazebo-like structure was tucked away under some mighty oaks in the left-hand corner of the back lawn. It was more of an old-fashioned bandstand than a gazebo—quite large, sparkling white, and very southern. They called it the grandstand. Delotta, well aware of the day’s significance, had it decked out with a spread of cold cuts, fresh bread and fruit, and more important, a fully stocked bar complete with hard alcohol and ice cold beer. Matador and I helped Preston across the lawn; we were the first one’s there. Delotta was preparing the food while watching Tucker; Corynne was still at Ole Miss. Matador poured us some drinks and we sat in quiet reflection in the waning hours of the hot Mississippi afternoon.
    Preston began to regale us with Audrey stories, eventually perking up. And when Delotta, Tucker , and finally Corynne arrived, it really did have the atmosphere of a celebration. Preston told yarns of the clever ways Audrey fought off suitors; how she was the only one who could talk back to their father, put him in his place, Preston said. I learned she entertained the idea of becoming a nun, but had settled on