“I want to see Joey,” six-year-old Frank Hardy stated for the twenty-seventh time in the last hour. Well, his mother wasn’t sure of the exact number of times, but figured that was close enough…

“I know you do, honey,” Laura said with a sigh as she sat by the little boy’s hospital bed and waited for the doctor to discharge him. Although he was still a bit chilled and nauseous, the child was insisting he was fine and in dire need of seeing his brother. His mother didn’t understand his urgency and he had yet to give her a better answer than ‘cause I just have to.’   “But as I’ve explained – more than once now, sweetie – there are rules that we have to follow and one of them, in this hospital, is that little boys can’t visit anyone unless they are twelve.”

“But it’s not anyone I want to visit,” the child insisted petulantly, “he’s my brother. My little brother—”  he turned dark brown eyes on her in his best pleading look, “that’s got to count for something!”

Laura turned to her father-in-law as he came into the room, relieved for backup. The last hour had been very…very…very long. As happy as she was that Frank was relatively all right and showing no ill effects of his traumatic morning, she was exhausted and slowly losing patience as he just refused to take no for an answer!

“And it does,” Francis assured his grandson, catching the tail end of his plea and having already been witness to this battle of wills a little earlier. He had only left briefly to get an update from Agnes on Joey. Agnes and Fenton were waiting for the child to be moved from recovery and into a room so they could finally see him. “It counts for some pretty big things. But right now your brother is still sleeping and wouldn’t even know you were there.”

“But—”  Frank started to protest; his grandfather cut him off gently.

“So we’ll wait until he wakes up so we don’t waste a visit.”

“Francis,” Laura said softly as she looked at the man in surprise, “you know the rules as well as I do. Frankie is too young to visit Joey in here.”

“Yes I do,” the ex-cop said as he gave his grandson a wink and then sat down on the edge of the bed, “can’t say I care for them much myself. But I do know ‘em. Heck, at one time I used to enforce the rules…. Well, maybe not this one—” he teased, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Frank.  “I don’t enforce silly ones!”  Still smiling at the youngster, Francis addressed Laura this time: “Why don’t you go grab a coffee or something – I’ll stay with the little blighter for a bit.”

“Would you?” Laura asked, slowly getting up and only now realizing just how stiff she was from her past couple hours’ vigil at her son’s bedside. As much as she didn’t want to go, she realized she did need to take a break. Turning back to her son, she asked him, “Do you mind if Mommy leaves for a little while – I won’t be gone long.”

“Probably going to go see Joey just ‘cause I can’t,” the little boy grumbled as he folded his arms across his chest and scowled.

“Francis Fenton Hardy is that anyway to talk to your mother?” Francis reprimanded quietly, and the child winced at the use of his full name. He shook his head slightly, his face flushed as he answered contritely:

“Sorry, Mommy.”

Laura leaned over the bed and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I do understand how badly you want to see your brother, baby, I do,” she whispered. “I won’t be long.”

“Mommy?” he asked as she started to pull away. His mother hesitated and waited for him to continue. “Tell Joey hi for me?”

“Frankie – he’s not awake ye—”

“I know,” the little boy interrupted, “but tell him anyway?”

Laura’s heart just about broke and she smiled through blurring vision. “Sure, baby,” she promised, “anything for you.”

Francis watched his daughter-in-law leave and then sat down in the chair she had just vacated. “Okay, Sport,” he said seriously, “now that the woman folk has been taken care of, you want to tell me why you’re so hell-bent on seeing your brother right this instant?”

The child chewed his lip and for a moment the retiree didn’t think he was going to answer him, but then Frank sighed and just said, “’Cause I broke my big-brother promise to him and I got to tell him I’m sorry…”

* * *

Fenton Hardy smiled when he saw his wife walking down the corridor towards him. His mother was waiting with him and moved away to give him the young couple some privacy.

As he hugged his wife tightly, the detective sighed wearily, just wanting to take his whole family home – although he knew that right now, that was impossible.

“Where’s Gertrude and Cecil?” Laura asked after they had reluctantly pulled away. Fenton kept his arm wrapped around her slender frame, needing the continued contact as much she did. They sat down.

“They took the dog back to the house. They’re going to pick up some clothes for Frankie and then come back.”

“Sam!” Laura’s hand flew over her mouth; she had completely forgotten that the dog had gone with the men, as their departure seemed so long ago now.  “Poor dog!”

“Poor dog?”  Fenton snorted softly as he leaned back in the chair. Laura immediately moved to snuggle up against him, letting out a little sigh as she did so. “Poor me! I’m covered in dog fur as it is – and now it’s going to be even worse! He’s done nothing except sit in the truck and shed for the past couple of hours!!”

“My poor baby,” Laura patronized him, as she patted his chest consolingly, “the things you do for us—”

Fenton grabbed her hand and held it as he leaned down to kiss her upturned face gently. “I’d gladly do them a million times again,” his words caressed her cheek and she shivered against him—

“Ahem,” Agnes said loudly as she approached the pair. The couple looked questioningly at her and she indicated down the hall where they saw Dr. Beckman hurrying towards them – a smile on her face.

“How’s Joey?” Laura asked, swiftly rising to her feet, her husband a heart beat behind her.

“He’s doing just fine,” the doctor assured them, “and is being moved into a room as we speak. If you’d care to follow me, I’ll take you to see him.”

“Oh thank goodness!”  Who said it didn’t matter, as it expressed the feelings of them all.

“He’s still unconscious but I’m sure he’d appreciate the comfort of having one of you with him anyway,” the doctor talked as she walked; the three Hardys right behind her. “We’re going to keep him pretty heavily sedated, just to give his body a head start on healing…so don’t expect much from him right now. In the morning – if all goes well – we’ll reduce the medication and let him start to wake up.”

“Can one of us stay here with him anyway?” Agnes asked. “He won’t know we’re here…but we’ll know.” Her softly aged face was creased in concern over the mere idea that the child might be expected to stay by himself – sedated or not.

Dr. Beckman flashed the older woman a compassionate look.  “Of course. He’s in a private room, as per your insurance, so as long as you don’t disturb any of the other patients, you’re more than welcome to stay.”

“Drat,” Fenton said in mock horror, his mood lightened in anticipation of finally seeing Joe, “there goes my plans for a rip-roaring party.”

Laura elbowed him to be quiet and the doctor just chuckled and then stopped at the elevator and pressed the button to go up.

“How’s little Frankie?” she asked, “Has Dr. Percell discharged him yet?”

“Not yet,” Laura admitted, “Soon I hope, though. He’s very anxious to get out of here—”

“And up to see his brother, no doubt,” the young doctor grinned and then explained, “My sister is a nurse on his floor and apparently their star patient is making no bones about letting everyone know how he feels about the age restriction on visitors!”

“Oh my,” Agnes said as both Laura and Fenton flushed, but Dr. Beckman just laughed as the elevator door opened and she beckoned them to go in.

“It’s okay. The staff thinks it’s adorable how concerned he is about Joey – and he’s so cute anyway….Apparently he’s got a pout that could melt a glacier.”

“Good thing too,” Fenton muttered under his breath, making everyone else chuckle, “he’s going to need it the next time I get a chance to talk to him!”

 

Minutes later, the trio was led into a small room. And as Dr. Beckman discreetly excused herself, they hurried towards the deathly pale figure lying so still in the hospital bed.

“Joey,” Laura whispered, leaning over to kiss his cheek, “oh b-baby.” Her voice quivered as she took in his unnatural stillness and she never bothered to brush away the lone tear that streaked down her cheek. “Oh baby…” she repeated, “Mommy is here…”

Agnes’ face was soft with affection as she watched her son and daughter-in-law with their unconscious child. Her throat constricted at the emotion that hung over the reunion and she felt like an intruder – Fenton and Laura needed some time alone with the child.  So with one more look at the motionless little figure, she turned and left the room.  Satisfied that all the members of her family were indeed safe, the old woman let out a heavy sigh and went to find her husband and older grandson.

She had no idea what Francis might be plotting – yet – but there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that one way or another, Frank was going to get to see his brother…hospital rules be damned.

Shaking her head at the thought, Agnes pushed open the hospital room door in time to hear her husband’s hushed words: “Don’t worry Frankie…I have a plan…”

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.