“Dad. You are the greatest. As much as I wanted to see the pictures I’m glad you did that.”

“Don’t worry. I think you will get some pictures. She asked me to give her fiancée my address and your name. I told her you were a fan.”

“Oh, mom. You are the greatest.”

“You may get two sets of pictures. She asked me to give her sister my address and your name. I told her you were a fan.”

“Dad. I didn’t think you knew. So tell me. How bad is she hurt?”

Jim looked over his glasses at her the way he did when she said something he didn’t like. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

“Well. Just a little hint?”

“No. You saw the news.”

“Mom.”

Joan glared at her. “You know I can’t tell you that. You want to be a nurse? Here is where you learn what it means. It’s like being a priest. You know but you can’t tell.”

“Can I ask one thing?”

“Yes. But I can’t guarantee an answer.” Jim glared at Joan when she said it.

“Will she live.”

“What did the newscast say?”

“They expect her to have a short stay in the hospital and a month of recuperation at home.”

“Then that is what you know.”

She got up and started up the stairs to bed. Halfway up the steps she turned. “You two are impossible. Totally impossible. And you are the greatest. Can’t you just please tell me how she is?”

“No.” came the answer from them in unison.

“I have never been so frustrated with you, or so proud.” She went up the steps and closed her door.

Joan slid next to Jim and put her head on his shoulder. “Is the confessional open?”

“Yes.” As husband and wife they shared confidences.

“She is hurt so bad. The lawyers are deciding her treatment. They could kill her”

“Let me guess. Her legs are in really bad shape. The press release is studio fodder not medical information. Remember. I checked them before we put on the air casts. The ankle pulses were nearly non-existent. With crushed lower legs, ankles and knees and broken femurs she should have had lots of pain. I suspect nerve damage at the knees since she had pain above and not below. And there were a couple of spots on her knees that were dead skin.”

“You didn’t miss anything. The surgical plan was to try to restore the circulation to the lower legs. Failing that they were going to amputate five inches above the knees. If that succeeded they would try to restore circulation to the feet. Failing that they would amputate above the crushed area of the lower leg and try to reconstruct or replace the knees.”

“Not far from what I expected.”

“They are going to take her back to LA, try to save her legs and maybe kill her in the process.”

If Jim and Joan had known the contract and the information on the legal issues, they would have been even more concerned.