Kimberly just stood there with her mouth open. “My cousins were at the Coffee shop over the weekend. I was working and couldn’t go. I heard you sang for the first time since your wife died. They said you were awesome as usual. And they said Karen sang too. They found a song she sang out on the web and are planning to use it in church next week.”

She hugged Darin and then Karen. She pulled back quickly after she hugged Karen. “I hope you aren’t going to be here long. It is tough on the person who is here and their families. I guess I see that more here than some do.”

“I think you will make an awesome nurse.” It was Patti.

“I hope.”

Karen reached out with her left hand. “I’m sorry. I know you felt my arm. Sorry if it scared you.” She raised her right hand and extended the hook to the girl. Her name tag said, “Joan.” “Joan, shake my hand. Please. I need that.”

Joan tentatively took the hook and shook it very gingerly. “I was afraid I would hurt you.”

“If you treat me differently other than to make sure you don’t physically do something you will hurt me. It’s probably a good lesson for a nurse to learn.”

“Jan and Laura didn’t say anything, about your arm. They said it was in a sling.”

“It was. I had surgery Monday. I got this today.”

“I am sure it is going to be difficult but you will be fine. We watch you show. You are really great. And Patti, she is so smart. My mom says some of the younger hosts on shows are afraid of the older ones who have more experience. She says you are smart enough to use Patti’s experience to make the show better. I know sometimes you ask Patti questions I would if I were there.”

Karen reached over with her right arm and hugged Patti without thinking of what she was doing. “She is fantastic. I am still surprised that they didn’t give her a show of her own. There are days I am not sure why I am there.”

Patti laughed. “You bring me down to the level of the younger audience. You ask questions of guests that I wouldn’t because I know the answer. Each of us would get about sixty or seventy percent of the audience we get. That is cancellation. Together we get top ratings. That is why we are together.”

They gave Joan autographs. She looked at Kimberly. Could I have the autograph of Karen’s mom? I bet nobody else has it.”

She wrote, “To Joan, a wonderful young woman who will make an awesome nurse.”

They got their meal and ate, then started back to the floor. As the elevator doors opened to the floor a flash went off. A photographer was waiting for them. Karen was in the back of the elevator, the view of her partially blocked by the others. Her right arm was behind her mother in the shot. Darin helped them off the elevator with them shielding Karen from another photographer who shot at least thirty more shots till they got to the room.

Several of the shots from the elevator appeared on TV the next morning. Karen watched them carefully. None of them showed her right side. Although she knew the day would come that she would have to reveal her amputation she wanted to do that on her own terms. There could be a picture of her arm that the photographer either hadn’t sold either because he didn’t recognize the arm or because he knew and was negotiating for a higher price.

She made a trip to therapy, was given some more instruction, some minor adjustments were made to her arm and she headed back to the room. As a hedge against photographers the transport persons put a sheet over her like a cape. They encountered two photographers on the way to therapy. This alerted the hospital security. An officer was dispatched to prevent her being bothered in therapy or on the way back. An officer was placed at her room until some other arrangements could be made.

Karen: Chapter One – The Attack

Karen 21: Karen Tells Her Mom

Karen Chapter 23: Going Home