The squad car came tearing into the ER parking lot with lights flashing and siren screaming. The terrified Dan still held the unconscious Andy and quietly wept. David jumped out of the squad car, gently took Andy out of Dan's arms and ran into the ER yelling, "I got a hurt boy here!"

A Few minutes later Carolyn pulled into parking lot and was shocked to see the forgotten Dan still sitting in the back seat of the police car crying his eyes out. Carolyn coaxed Dan out of the car and the two of them went into the emergency room waiting room.

"Doctor we have a pulse, it's not very strong but his hearts beating again!" The Doctor looked down at Odell and said "Hang on old timer, we are gonna get you the help you need."

David came into the waiting room and sat down beside Carolyn and Dan. He turned to Dan and said, "Hello son, I grew up with your momma. How are you holding up?"

Dan looked up at the big Deputy and asked "Is Papa gonna die?"

"I don't know son, I hope not. I've known Odell for a long time and he is a good man. To tell you the truth I was about your age when I first met him. He would take your momma and me to the wrestling matches in Dallas. Speaking of your Momma & Daddy, where are they? We really need to talk to them."

"They are in Houston visiting Momma's special Doctor. Momma has been sick, real sick. Daddy says she has the Big C. Do you know what that is?"

All the color drained from Deputy LaPrade's face and he looked at Carolyn. Slowly he said, " I think that's something you really need to ask your parents about. I am sure they will explain it all when the time is right. I tell you what Dan, lets you and me go hit the candy and coke machines. I don't know about you, but waiting in this little room drives me crazy."

In another room down the hall, two doctors studied the x-rays of Andy. "The skull is fractured in three places and there appears to be a great deal of swelling. If we don't relieve the pressure soon the boy isn't going to make it thru the night."

The second Doctor frowned and asked, "Have we been able to contact any of his people yet? I really don't want to do this operation without consulting them first. He can't survive without it, but the odds are in his present condition the operation could be fatal."

The first Doctor replied, "No, the Deputy is trying to find out where the boys parents are but so far no luck. Jim we might have to do this operation without contacting them. If we don't relieve the pressure in his head in the next 12 hours------"

Deputy LaPrade walked out to his squad car and radioed Police headquarters "Dispatch I'm at Cozby Germany Hospital over in Grand Saline. I need yall to call down to Anderson Cancer clinic in Houston and see if you can locate this boy's parents. The Doctor's need permission from his parents to operate, the longer we delay the worse the odds are."

Within moments a frantic search began for Andy's parents. The clinic in Houston told them that Andy's parents had checked out two days earlier and gave them a description of the car. The dispatcher in Canton contacted the Houston Police, the Galveston Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety explaining the need to find them and passed on the deadline the Doctors had set down. Radio stations and television stations all over Texas began to break into their programs with a description of the parents and their car, with the message that they needed to contact the local police as soon as possible. The Texas Highway Patrol issued an all-points bulletin on the car. The time was 6:35 PM and Andy's deadline was down to 10 hours.

7:45 PM --- Like everyone else in the waiting room, Dan rushed to the window to watch the helicopter land. As the Medivac Paramedics rushed into the emergency room, a doctor called Carolyn and Deputy LaPrade aside and explained to them that Odell was being medivaced to Dallas now that he had stabilized. The doctor explained that Odell needed immediate heart surgery and Baylor Medical Center in Dallas was the closest hospital that was equipped to handle the surgery. They could not risk transporting Andy until after the pressure on his brain had been relieved.

10:15PM --- At a small roadside diner near Waco, Andy's parents were catching a late supper and trying not to discuss the obvious fact that she was feeling terrible. Jake was staring out the window of the diner when the Highway Patrol car pulled in beside his van. The Patrolman got car and checked the van's license plate number and then returned to his car to call it in. After a few minutes he hit his lights and walked into the diner.

10:35PM --- Jake watched as the Patrolman came in and questioned the waitress. She turned and pointed directly at them and said, "It's their van." The trooper walked over to the table and asked "Folks, is that your van?" Jake nodded his head. The Trooper asked, "Are you Mr. & Mrs. Jake Abrahamson of Nomocotton, Texas?" Again Jake nodded his head. The Trooper said, "Thank God we found you. Folks, I got some real bad news and we don't have a lot of time." The trooper sat down and explained about the accident and the need to contact the hospital.

11:07 PM --- A Nurse came running into the Surgery area yelling "We made contact with the parents, they gave their permission for you to start the surgery. They are going to fax the forms from Waco in the next few minutes." The two very grim Surgeons turned to the boy and began to work.

12:17AM --- As they sped towards Grand Saline the time seemed to slow to a crawl. The highway patrol escorted them at speeds in excess of 90 MPH but the strain was showing on Andy's mother. Jake was beginning to worry that the extra pressure would be more than she could handle.

12:43AM --- As the paramedics unloaded Odell from the Helicopter his heart stopped beating again. The Doctor in charge of the emergency room yelled "We have lost him, we need a shock bag NOW! Tell the people down in surgery he is on his way but he is coming in DOA."

01:16AM --- As they passed thru Canton the State Trooper called Cozby Germany hospital for an update on Odell and Andy. He also passed on that the mother was doing very badly and that they would need a doctor at the emergency room entrance in 10 minutes.

01:29AM --- The trooper and Andy's parents pulled into the emergency room. The doctors ran out to bring in Andy's mother. Jake ran into the waiting room and saw Dan asleep on one of the couches beside a Canton Deputy Sheriff. He asked, "Is there any word yet on Andy or Odell?" Deputy LaPrade shook his head and introduced himself. He asked "Is your wife ok? I grew up with her and was shocked when Dan told me she had The Big C?" Jake frowned and said, "I don't know, she passed out about 35 minutes ago, near Athens. The Docs are checking her out right now. Is Andy still in surgery? Where is Odell?" Deputy LaPrade brought him up to date on everything they knew and Jake sat down to wait.

02:15AM --- Jake almost leaped to his feet when the Doctor came through the doors of the waiting room. He escorted Jake back into the room where his wife was. She smiled and said "Jake you overreacted with me, again. I didn't pass out; I was just so tired I fell asleep. I talked to a couple of the Doctors and Nurses in here, they said Dad is up at Baylor and Andy should be out of surgery soon." In spite of what she said Jake couldn't help but think she looked very pale and weak. He asked the Doctor if he could show him where the Hospital's chapel was. As they walked down the corridors to the chapel the Doctor explained that his wife was at the end of her rope. The strain of the accident and not knowing the condition of Andy or Odell had taken their toll. Finally he said, "Mr. Abrahamson, she is putting on a winning smile, but to be honest with you I don't think she will live through the night. I tried to give her medication for the pain, but she refused. She said no one was gonna dull her senses until she knew her Daddy and her baby were ok. Sir if I was you, I would let your other son see her, while he still can."

02:57AM --- The Surgeons walked out of the hospital room and asked where Andy's parents were. One of the nurses escorted them down to the room they were staying in. Dr. Dixon, the Chief Surgeon, explained to Mr. & Mrs. Abrahamson that Andy was going to be ok but he would have to spend some time in the hospital recovering and after he got out he would have to take it easy for a long time. With tears of joy running down her face Mrs. Abrahamson asked if she could see her son. Dr. Dixon said "Give me a few minutes and we will take you down to his recovery room." He stepped out in the hall and talked to the Doctor that was treating her. Jake could see the doctor shake his head and could hear him say "Let her see the boy, she wont ever get another chance."

03:15AM --- As the nurses wheeled Odell out of surgery one of them asked, "Is he going to make it." The Surgeon shrugged and said "It's out of our hands, it's up to him and God now."

03:37AM --- The nurses rolled Mrs. Abrahamson into Andy's room. She reached out and held his sleeping body. Andy slowly opened his eyes and smiled. He said, "Mommy, I love you." Then fell back to sleep. Jake walked into the room and said "Baby I just got off the phone with Baylor. Your dad is out of surgery and they say his chances are pretty good. Summer Abrahamson smiled and said "Thank you Lord." She closed her eyes and passed into a dark hallway. In the distance she could see a light. As she walked towards the light she heard a voice. She said "Momma?" A big smile spread across her face as her Mother stepped out of the light. "Come on Sugar Pie, its time for you to rest. I talked to your Daddy and he is going back to help take care of Jake and the boys."

03:45AM ---- Dr Dixon pronounced Mrs. Summer Abrahamson dead, but the Spirit of Summer would continue to live.