by Lund, S. E.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly, with all our plans in place, and then all our plans ended up amounting to nothing when Candace took a turn for the worse. She contracted a drug-resistant bacterium while in hospital and was quite sick. Sick enough that Alexa didn't feel she could leave.
Alexa had to cancel her trip and stay with Candace's mother until she was out of the woods. For a while, it was touch and go and Candace was very sick, on multiple very powerful antibiotics, the infection having got into her bones. Namely, the bone of her thigh, which had broken during her fall and required surgery. If they weren't able to stop the infection, she might lose her leg -- or worse.
"You'll have to continue on the trip up the coast without me. I'll see how she does. If she survives, I may be able to fly somewhere in the Caribbean but not until I know she's completely okay to go home."
"I understand," I said while sitting in our slip at the yacht club near Sao Paolo. "Tell her that I'm praying for her."
"I will," she said, her voice choking up.
"Do you want me to come to Manhattan?" I asked, thinking that perhaps she was worse than I thought. "I can rent a slip, leave the cat here and be with you until things improve."
There was a pause and I knew she was debating with herself whether to say yes.
"It's really okay with me if you want me to," I said firmly. "John and I can fly out tomorrow and I can be there in twenty-four hours. Give me the word and I'll be there."
"I'll speak with her internist and see what she thinks. I'll let you know."
"Okay. Don't hesitate. If things look bad, I'd rather be with you than out here, unable to do anything."
"I'll talk to you later."
I ended the call and turned to John.
"It doesn't sound good," I said, shaking my head. "Candace is really sick. The infection's in her bone and her leg could be amputated. That's serious."
"God," John said. "That's rough. It's pretty bad when it's more dangerous to be in the hospital than out of it because of the antibiotic resistant bugs. We've really screwed up as a species."
"We have," I said. I went right to my desk in the cat and opened a browser in my laptop, searching for flights out of Sao Paulo to Manhattan, deciding to book the first flight I could find just because I was certain that I would need it. I knew Alexa was fighting having to ask me to come and be with her.
"Do you want me to book a flight for us back to New York?"
"Might as well.”
So, I did.
By the time Alexa got back to me with a tearful call, saying that Candace's physician said she was very sick and could die, I had booked tickets for the two of us. We'd fly together and return once Candace was in the clear.
I was able to tell Alexa that I would see her in less than twenty-four hours and would be with her to watch over Candace. As I packed up The Phoenix, paid the yacht club to let her stay in a slip while I was back in the US with Alexa, I prayed that Candace didn't die while I was in transit. If she did, at least I'd be there for Alexa when she had to face her best friend's passing.
Having lost both my parents, I knew what losing a loved one meant.
So, it was with regret and a general sense of doom that I watched The Phoenix disappear as our taxi drove away from the yacht club on that Wednesday morning on our way to the airport. John was busy reading texts on his cell while I watched the passing scenery, rubbing my chin and realizing that I had better shave when I arrived in Atlanta, so I wasn't too unpresentable.
That was the least of my worries, of course, but still, I tried to be positive, hoping that doctors would be able to successfully treat Candace's infection and we would all spend some quality time together before flying back to Sao Paolo to continue our trip. While I had spent time with Candace before we left New York and at Christmas, we hadn't spent any time with her since then. Candace had been itching to come and spend time on the yacht with us, but now I doubted if she would be able, even if she recovered from this current setback.
If she survived, at least Alexa would get to spend time with her even if it wasn't on The Phoenix. Since there was nothing that I could do one way or the other, I decided to just focus on the now. Soon, I'd be with Alexa and together, we would face whatever life threw at us.
Chapter Three
Alexa
I took time away from the hospital to meet Luke at the airport. I'd been there all night with Candace's mom, sleeping on one of the recliners in the family room off the ICU where they moved Candace. She was in isolation because of the infection, and each time we visited, we had to put on gowns and masks so that we didn't become infected or introduce any new pathogen that would make matters worse. When I arrived at the airport, I stopped in at the washroom and checked out my reflection in the mirror. I looked terrible, with bags and dark circles under my eyes. My nose was red from crying, and my clothes were wrinkled.
If Luke still loved me when he got a look at me in my current state, I knew that he was truly 'the one'.
I sighed and went out to the baggage carousel and waited for him to arrive. I checked my watch and saw that it was past time for their plane to have landed. They had to go through customs first, so that would take time. I heard a ding and saw that he'd sent me a text.
LUKE: Just going through customs now. See you as soon as they're finished with me.
ALEXA: Okay. I'm waiting with open arms.
LUKE: XOXO
ALEXA: OXOX
Finally, in about fifteen minutes, I saw him come through the doors into the baggage return area. He scanned the crowd of people waiting outside the restricted zone and finally saw me. He smiled and came right over, putting down his carry-on bag and wrapping his arms around me.
We kissed warmly, then hugged for at least five minutes. It was a hug I needed terribly badly and the warmth and compassion I felt from him made my eyes tear up.
"I'm so sorry this happened," he whispered in my ear, kissing my cheek. He pulled back and wiped tears off my cheek. "How is she this morning?"
"Same. She's holding on."
Luke nodded. He craned his neck to see the baggage carousel. Luggage was finally starting to arrive, so he pointed to the restricted area. "I'll go grab my bag and we can get out of here."
"Okay," I said and nodded. I watched while he went back inside and watched for his suitcase. In a few moments, it appeared, and he grabbed it. "John will be through any minute."
Sure enough, soon after we got Luke's bag, John came through the door from the Customs area and came right over to us.
"Hey, Alexa," he said and gave me a quick hug. "Sorry to hear about Candace."
"Thanks," I said and gave him a smile, appreciating his willingness to end the trip for a while so Luke could come and stay with me. Together, we walked to the exit and out to where our Ubers waited. It was raining lightly, of course, as was usual for that time of year.
"Welcome to sunny Manhattan," I said and gave Luke a faint smile.
"Back to civilization," he said and glanced around. "Funnily enough, I didn't miss it."
Luke and John loaded up their bags in the two separate vehicles. John said goodbye and he drove off. Then, our driver took us to the hotel we were staying at -- the Ritz-Carlton at Central Park West. They were notorious for providing excellent service and given Mrs. Carter’s disability, we needed that extra touch that the staff provided.
The driver dropped us off at the hotel and we got out and waited while he removed Luke's bags from the trunk. After that, we went inside the hotel and up to the suite of rooms Luke had booked for me and Mrs. Carter a while back.
I was glad he did book the suite of rooms considering what happened with Candace, but it was costing a fortune, even at the long-stay rate. I tried not to think about it. Luke was wealthy enough to afford it, but even Mrs. Carter was starting to get worried.
He loved Candace and hoped that one of his friends could be matched with her, but so far, she hadn't met anyone who did it for her and remained single.
"Well, this wasn't the way I hoped our trip would go, but I'm glad you could stay with Mrs. Carter while Candace is so sick. How's her mother holding out?" Luke asked as we dropped off his bags in the hotel.
"She's as good as can be expected," I said. "I'm glad I was here."
Luke came to me and pulled me into his arms. "I'm glad you were here, too. And I'm glad I came. I was feeling anxious being so far away when she's so sick."
We kissed and then I sighed. "Let's go."
So, we did.
We arrived at the hospital just as Candace was being seen by her physician and the team of students he was training. They were all gowned up and standing in a semi-circle around her bed. I introduced Luke to Mrs. Carter and then we turned and watched the room while the doctor checked Candace over.
"Any change?" I asked, because I'd been away for over an hour and that was a long time when someone was critically ill.
Her mother shook her head and didn't speak. She covered her mouth with a hand, so I reached out and took her other hand, squeezing it.
"She opened her eyes," she said finally. "The nurse says that's a good sign. It means she's more conscious. I hope that means she's fighting the infection."
"Thank God," I said and hugged her. "She was unconscious for a while. I was afraid it was the end."
"Me, too," she said finally. "She's still not out of the woods, yet. The doctor said it would be another twenty-four to forty-eight hours to see if this new drug they've added to the cocktail will do the trick. It has severe side effects in some people, so I hope she tolerates it."
"I hope so," I said and turned to Luke. "I'm glad you're here."
He took my hand and squeezed it. "Me, too. I wouldn't be able to enjoy the trip if I knew you were facing this alone."
Finally, the doctor and his entourage left Candace's room, removing their gowns and masks and the doctor came right over to us.
"She's doing much better," he said. "She's still got a fight ahead of her, but this new antibiotic appears to be having an effect. As long as she tolerates it well, I think we can be cautiously optimistic."
"Thanks, Doctor," Candace's mother said. He bowed his head briefly and then left us standing in the hallway.
As for Candace, she was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. All our eyes were trained on her, wondering if she was able to speak. Her mother went into the anteroom and gowned up, and I followed, doing the same. We were limited to two visitors at once, so we went in first and left Luke outside.
We went to the side of Candace's bed and of course, she opened her eyes and looked at me. "There you are," she said in a quiet voice. "I heard your voice, but I just couldn't seem to open my eyes yet."
"Hi, Candy," I said and felt tears well up. "I'm so glad you're feeling better. Luke just arrived from Sao Paulo. He'll come in and see you later to say hello."
"All the way from Sao Paulo? I must be sick," she said with a soft chuckle.
"He wanted to come and make sure you were okay, help out when you left the hospital."
"That's nice. Maybe I'll have a little sleep now. You tell him I'll talk to him later."
"I will," I said and felt tears drip down my cheeks.
"I love you," Candace's mother said to her.
"Love you back," she said. Then she closed her eyes. I stood there, listening to the sound of the monitors, the steady beep beep of the ECG monitor comforting.
She was breathing on her own and her heart rate was steady. She was conscious.
I hoped the worst was over.
We left the room and removed our protective gowns and masks, discarding them in the trash, and then went to speak with Luke.
He was standing at the window watching Candace.
"She's doing much better," her mother said. "She wants to have a sleep now, but she'd like to see you later when she wakes up."
"That's good," Luke replied. "I'll be happy to wait. She needs the rest."
"I'm going to go sit in her room and wait," she said, glancing between us. "I'll be flying out in a few days if things look good enough. I want to spend every moment with her that I can."
"Of course," I said. "We'll be in the cafeteria if you want a break."
We left her and went to the cafeteria for a light supper. I hadn't eaten since early morning and was finally feeling hungry, now that the doctors were cautiously optimistic that the new antibiotic was working out.
We got trays and stood in line at the hot food display and my appetite had returned enough that I had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.
"You must be hungry," Luke said when he saw my plate.
"Meatloaf is Candace's favorite," I said. "And one of the only meals she can prepare herself," I added. "She used to make it when we lived together in the apartment. She always added hot sauce to hers."
I smiled at the memory of Candace standing over the kitchen counter, mixing hamburger and onions and her 'secret ingredients' as she called the spice mixture.
Luke helped himself to the same and we sat down at a table. I reached over and took Luke's hand, so glad that he was here with me to face this challenge. He gave me a soft smile and squeezed my hand.
He was definitely a keeper.
Chapter Four
Luke
We stayed at the hotel for the next few days while Candace recovered. Alexa wanted to help Candace’s mom since she was in a wheelchair and had a hard time getting around in a big city like Manhattan. She needed someone to assist her getting to and from the hospital. Plus, it had to be lonely for her being in a big city she didn't know.
After spending some time at the hospital seeing Candace, we returned to the hotel and said good night to each other. Then, Alexa and I made up for lost time.
Once we were alone, with Candace’s mom tucked securely away in her suite, I pulled Alexa against my body. "I've been deprived of you for almost three weeks. It's been hell. John is great company, but nothing compares with you."
We kissed and I felt my body warm from the press of her breasts against my chest.
"Hmm," I murmured against the skin of her neck. "I don't know if I can be quiet long enough not to wake Candace's mother. Maybe we should get a separate hotel room..."
"Luke," she said and pulled back. "We can be quiet if we need to."
"I was kidding," I said and tickled her under her arms. "I can be as quiet as a mouse if I need to. I may have to bite the pillow, but that'll do."
Over the next few days, Candace improved steadily and when she was well-enough, and was cleared of the infection, Candace was discharged home. I bought a recliner for Candace to use, and it was delivered the day before she got out of the hospital. Alexa and I brought Mrs. Carter up, and got her situated in the apartment, and then we brought Candace up in the elevator. When she got inside, hobbling in on crutches, she laughed when she saw the recliner.
"Oh, my God, I'll become an old lady if I sit in that."
"You can sit in it and watch reruns of Game of Thrones all day," Alexa said, helping her over to the chair.
Candace sat in it and used the lever to recline the chair. She exhaled happily, and I knew it was the right decision.
Over the next few days, Alexa and Jan got into a routine of getting Mrs. Carter up to Candace’s apartment and then Candace out of bed and into the recliner where she spent the rest of the day, watching television.
I had a nice chance to speak with her about her experiences after Alexa left on the trip with me, and I felt a great deal closer to her. Something about nearly losing her life made her even more open and talkative. She relished seeing our videos of the trip and while she had done some traveling, she spent most of it in the air and on land.
"I envy you the ability to travel around the world on a sailboat. Alexa said it's the best time she's had in her life, so I'm really glad you two went."
"Me, too," I said. "It has been the best time of my life as well. I'm glad that I used the wrong email. It goes to show you how
the smallest thing can change the course of your life forever."
"That it does," she said, patting the cast on her leg, giving me a rueful laugh. "I'll be out of commission for another few months. Luckily, my advisor is really flexible. He said I could work from home and he'd give me extensions on my papers. I'll be able to catch up over the summer."
"How long before you finish?" I asked, wondering how much longer she had to finish her MA.
"Two more semesters, and then I write my thesis."
We sat watching television for a while. Finally, she turned to me.
"So, what's happening with your plans for Martian conquest? Once you and Alexa return to Manhattan, Alexa said you're going to get into the space business."
"I am," I said, taking a sip of my beer. "I'd like to create something that will outlast me. Chatter was fun, but it's just a social media company for teenagers. I want a lasting legacy. I want my name on something that will live on after I die and that may help humanity save themselves, in case some disaster happens on Earth."
"That's noble," she said. "What will that involve? Are you talking Cape Canaveral or the Space Center in California?"
"I don't know yet. Depends on which of two space-race billionaires I partner with. They both operate out of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg in California. But also, there are test facilities in Texas and other locations. That's all up in the air still."
"Alexa's starting her PhD in the fall, though," she said. "Will you be staying in Manhattan or moving to Florida or California?"
I shook my head. "I don't plan on moving away any time soon. Alexa and I will get married and decide where to live based on what's happening with her PhD and my business interests. Once her course work is over, she can go anywhere to write her dissertation."