by Angela Rush
“You can if I say it ok.” I interject. “I know all about HIPPA. I give you permission to discuss my medical treatment in front of these men. I would not be here if not for them.” The doctor looks taken aback but proceeds to lay it out for me.
“Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Jacobson. Ms. Williams, you have a several broken ribs on both sides. You also have a partial collapse of the right lung which will require a chest tube to inflate the lung. We need to get that put in as soon as possible. That is why you are unable to maintain your O2 levels without oxygen. You also have a small subacute subdural hematoma. It appears to be resolving, but we need to keep an eye on it. You will need to remain here for the next several days. Do you have any questions?”
“No, let’s get this over with. I know it going to hurt like a bitch, so I hope you are generous with the good drugs.” I try to smile, but it’s most likely a grimace. Hawk squeezes my hand gently. The doctor looks around the room and smiles.
“You have quite the entourage Ms. Williams. I’m afraid however that I can’t work with this many people in here. I will have to insist they leave while we get the chest tube in.” The doctor motions for the men to leave the room. One by one they come to my bedside and whisper encouraging words before they depart. At last, Hawk is the only one left. I try to put on a brave face for him. I’m scared because I know this is going to suck big time, but I don’t really want him to see me wimp out either.
“I’m not leaving Wildcat. I know this is going to hurt and I need to be here for you.” Hawk states matter of fact. He moves to the left side of the bed and takes my hand. I want him to be with me more than anything right now. Somehow, I am not as afraid with him here. The doctor looks at us questioningly, once they have everything ready to begin.
“Please, I want him to stay.” I tell the doctor. “I promise I will be a much better patient if he is in here than if you make him leave.”
“If you insist Ms. Williams. I will warn your boyfriend this is not a pretty procedure.” His eyes meet Hawk’s. “If you pass out, we won’t be taking care of you until we are done with her.” Dr Jacobson turns to me and says, “I will make sure you are comfortable. We will give you some pain medication before we start, and I will numb the site.”
Dr. Jacobson was true to his word. The nurse brought in a nice little shot of Morphine. Which helped to make me a little loopy, but once he popped the tube through my chest wall, I was wide awake. It was a searing pain in my side. However, it was amazing how quickly my breathing eased off after the tube was in. I hadn’t realized how hard it had been to get a good breath. Once they are done and I am taped up nine ways to Sunday I finally relax enough to drift off to sleep.
Chapter 10
Hawk
A few hours later once Charlotte is settled into an ICU room. Commander Hurt, leader of Wolf’s SEAL team comes by her room.
“Ms. Williams, I realize you have been through a lot in the last couple of months. I hate to spring this on you right now, but it has to be dealt with sooner rather than later.” Commander Hurt says. “I have a couple of favors to ask. Our missions are top secret for the most part. We would like to keep your rescue out the news for the time being. At least until we can finish what we had started there. Also, once this is over, please don’t mention the names of the men that helped to bring you home.”
“I understand, but what about my family? I need to let my kids know that I am alive. I know they have to be worried.” Charlotte replies Commander Hurt.
“We have already sent some soldiers from Fort Campbell to notify your children. We are flying them out here as soon as possible. We have asked them to sign confidentiality agreements to not disclose your return.” Commander Hurt informs her. “I would like for you to remain under our care and protection while we complete our mission. Once that is settled, we will make a press release.”
“Thank you so much.” She answers him. He gives her a long look before continuing.
“The other favor is my SEAL team would like to come by and visit you while you are here. If you are comfortable with that. They would like to be able to tell their wives about you and allow them to visit as well. Wolf tells me he thinks you actually met some of them at a bar here in Riverton, before you left the country on your ill-fated trip.” Commander Hurt relays.
“I would be honored for them to visit. I would like to thank them for the sacrifice they make when their husbands are deployed on missions.” Charlotte is always thinking of others before herself. Commander Hurt turns his gaze on me. I have been parked in a chair at her bedside all day.
“Hawk your commanding officer will be by later. He asked that I let you know you are on sick leave for the next month while your shoulder wound heals.” Commander Hurt says and winks at us. Charlotte looks at me questioningly. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about. You better try to get some sleep. Once those women find out you are here. You will be swarmed with company and sleep will be hard to come by.” I stand up and fluff her pillow and tuck her into bed. “Now close your eyes and sleep, woman. I’ll be right here.” I settle into the chair next to her bed.
“You sure are bossy. You need to lay down and sleep, too.” She grumbles at me. “I’ll be alright. This is a military hospital for Heaven’s sake. It’s not like someone will carry me off in here.”
“I’m not leaving so stop arguing and sleep.” I demand.
“No. You are dead on your feet. If you won’t leave for your own quarters, then you will lay down here with me. You were shot for God’s sake and lost a lot of blood. You need to rest. I’m worried about you.” She whines in an attempt to get me to comply. Not wanting to disappoint her and knowing it’s the only way to get her to sleep, I get up and climb in next to her.
“Move over woman. If it’s the only way to get you to sleep, then I will lay down.” I snuggle her to my chest being careful not to dislodge any of her lines from her body. I know the nurse will have a fit when she comes in, but for the moment I don’t care. I am in Heaven as I listen to the rhythmic beating of her heart and realize how close I came to never be able to hear it again.
I am awoken sometime later by the nurse coming in to check on Charlotte’s tubing’s, dressings, and vital signs. I keep my eyes closed. My head is on her pillow and my right arm is wrapped around her shoulders. Charlotte’s head is resting on my chest and her arm is across my waist. Charlotte whispers to the nurse to please let me stay. She promises we won’t disturb any of the monitoring or lifesaving equipment. The nurse whispers back, “I have already heard about you. If I want any cooperation from you, I need to let him stay. I guess as long as it gets you to behave yourself, I can let it slide.” Charlotte lays head back down on my chest. Soon she is sleeping again.
The next morning the room is in chaos. It is full of Marines, SEALs, and their wives. The men each come near the bed and introduce their wives to Charlotte and I. Wolf comes in first and we meet his wife Caroline. She is warm and sweet. She hugs Charlotte and fawns all over her.
“Charlotte, do you remember meeting me in Riverton a few months ago?” Charlotte nods in agreement. “I’m happy to see you again, but I’m so sorry you were taken and treated so terribly.” She has tears in her eyes as she talks with Charlotte. Next is Mozart and Summer come near the bed.
“It’s good to see you again, Charlotte.” Summer begins. “I’m just so sorry it was like this.” Charlotte agrees and returns Summer’s hug.
“You are looking much better than the last time I saw you.” Mozart smiles down at us.
The other members of the team come in Dude and Cheyenne, Abe and Alabama, and Benny and Jess. Last is Cookie and Fiona.
“Charlotte, I’m so very sorry.” Fiona is struggling to hold back her tears. “If you need someone to talk to, please call me. I understand what you are going through better than most.” She leans down to put her arms around Charlotte, and I hear her whisper. “Call me anytime, day or nigh
t. You will need someone in the days and weeks to come.” She pulls back then and joins the others standing around the room.
“Thank you all for coming to visit me.” Charlotte tells the room. “I want to thank you ladies for supporting these men in what they do. I have always admired those that serve but did not fully understand the gravity of what they do until I was under their care and protection. They may be the ones to be in service to our country, but you ladies serve in a different manor. You are the glue that keeps everything together while these men are out saving the world. I will never be able to thank you all enough for giving me another chance at life. I surely thought it was over when I was taken, but then my guardian angles came to my rescue when I was in desperate need.” Charlotte’s voice breaks and tears are welling up in her eyes. So many emotions flash across her face.
Needing to be near her, I get up out of my chair and stand next to the bed. She scoots over so I can sit with her. I am grateful for the visitors, but Charlotte is getting awfully tired. The nurse brings in another dose of pain medication and that’s the signal for the room to clear. “I think it’s time for Charlotte to get some rest.” I inform the room.
Everyone comes to the bed to tell us goodbye and wish Charlotte well. When it’s Caroline’s turn, she hugs her and leans in to whisper in her ear. “Wolf has already talked to Hawk about this, but when you are discharged you are both welcome to come stay at our house until you figure things out, ok?”
Charlotte looks up at her in surprise, but then a huge smile comes across her face. She nods in agreement. Wolf and Caroline are on our side of making a go of this attraction between us. It’s nice to know that others can see what we feel. I’m not sure what will happen over the next few days, but I know we will have the support of some good friends. Charlotte lays back on the bed and smiles at me. I take her hand and hold it until she falls into a deep drug induced slumber.
Chapter 11
Charlotte
I wake later in the day to find my kids sitting at the foot of my bed. I struggle to sit up and Hawk is right there helping me. They are looking at me with concern, but also confusion. Suddenly I am nervous. What will they think about Hawk? I haven’t even mentioned trying to date since their dad passed. Will they be ok with this? Sara is the first to react to my being awake. She comes to the opposite side of the bed from where Hawk is standing guard.
“Mom, you had us so worried. I thought you were never coming home,” Sara cries as she wraps her arms around me. “You’ve lost so much weight. I just can’t believe this has happened to you. I hate that your first attempt at adventure turned out so badly.”
Justin is next up. He stands there stoically waiting for his sister to finish her babbling and crying. When she backs up. He rushes in and hugs me tightly. “Mom! I knew you would make it back someday. I knew you weren’t dead even when JoAnn told us we should give up believing you would ever come home. I knew I would feel it in my heart if you were gone, just like with Dad, but I never did.” I am sobbing at this point. I hate so much what they have suffered through while I was missing. Hawk gets some tissues and a wet washcloth for me to wash my face. Once he’s satisfied that I am not going to fall completely apart, he leans in to whisper in my ear.
“I’m going to take a walk and give you all some time alone. If you need me, the nurse will be able to find me, Ok?” I nod as I am still too choked up to speak. With a kiss to my forehead, he leaves the room. I stare after him for a little too long. I am brought out of my daydream about the wonderful man that has just left the room when Sara shrieks.
“Mom! What is going on here? Who is that man? Why does he seem like he’s a little too friendly with my mother who doesn’t date? Where did you meet him? How long have you been seeing him? Spill, spill!” Sara is firing off questions faster than I can think of an answer to the one before.
Justin decides to intervene. “What Sara is trying to say is Lucy, you got some splaining to do.”
Well it seems they are taking this better than I thought they would. I get them to sit down as I try to catch them up to date on what has happened since I left our little hometown so long ago. I tell them about meeting the soldiers in the airport, then working clinic in the villages, and about the night I was taken. I spare them as many details as I can about my time in captivity. I tell them that under no circumstances are they to talk to the press about my rescue. Lastly, I tell them about Hawk and how he risked his life to get me to the helicopter so I could come home to them.
“Mom, I don’t quite understand. If he was shot, why is he up roaming around and you are the patient in the hospital. Were you shot too, and you just didn’t want to tell us?” Justin asks. He has taken Hawk’s chair beside my bed, while Sara sits on the bed next to me. They are both looking at me with confusion and concern on their faces.
“No, I wasn’t shot. I suffered some broken ribs that resulted in a partial collapsed lung, but I am going to be fine. The chest tube has caused my lung to inflate and I am sure they will be removing the chest tube later today or first thing tomorrow. I just needed some fluids and antibiotics. It was not the most sanitary of conditions down there." I tell them in an effort to reassure them.
“So, what gives with Mr. Hottie?” Sara demands with a smirk.
“Sara LeeAnn Williams! I’m not sure I know what you are talking about young lady, but I don’t appreciate your tone.” I joke. I know exactly what she is talking about. I have not so much as looked at a single man in the last five years. They have just witnessed what I am sure they perceive as very intimate contact between their mother and a complete stranger. I know I need to discuss it with them, but I’m not even sure what is going on at this point myself.
“Alright Mom, if you want to keep whatever you are doing with Mr. Secret Hottie Pants a secret that’s fine, but don’t expect me to spill on my love life either then. That goes for you too right Justin?” Sara declares with finality.
“Oh, I’m with Sara on this one Mom. There is positively something going on between you and what did you call him, Mr. Secret Hot Pants?” Justin looks at Sara. “But if you insist on keeping secrets from your own children, then we are forced to keep ours, too.” Justin nods in agreement with his sister. I huff out a laugh, that makes my sides scream in pain.
“Ok, ok stop. You two are ganging up on me. I am not sure what if anything is going on,” I answer as honestly as I can. “I need some moral support. I will introduce you to him.”
The nurse comes in about that time to change my IV fluid bag. I ask her if she can find Hawk for me. She just smiles sheepishly and says of course she can. It is barely a minute after she has left the room that he is back. He looks from me to the kids and back again with concern in his eyes. I guess he is looking for signs that they are upset with us. I reach for him and he immediately comes to my side, stepping over Justin in the process. I suppress a giggle. It just hurts too much to laugh.
“Hawk, I would like you to meet my children. Sara, she’s the oldest and this is Justin my son. Guys this is Staff Sargant Jordon Jackson aka Hawk. He is a Marine and one of the men who helped to save my life and bring me home to you.” I take a deep breath, squeeze his hand, and look him in the eyes as I continue. “They want to know what is going on between us.” Before either of us can say anything else, Justin speaks up.
“What are your intentions toward our mother? She hasn’t dated anyone since Dad died. We would like to see her happy and not be alone, but I won’t tolerate anyone, badass Marine or not, using her,” Justin declares with venom as he glares at Hawk.
“Michael Justin Williams! Don’t you use that tone, young man! I can still turn you over my knee and teach you some manors,” I admonish.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Mom.” Justin replies as he glances at me then turns his eyes back to Hawk. Before I can say anything else. Hawk reaches over and squeezes my hand in reassurance.
“It’s ok, love. He is looking out for you and I admire that he is determined to look out fo
r your best interest, just as I intend to do.” Hawk says to me as he stares Justin down. “I admire and have strong feelings for your mother. I will do all I can to protect her and keep her safe. I would never intentionally hurt her. I know you don’t know me, but I hope you will keep an open mind and let me prove myself to you and your mother.”
“Good answer.” Justin says as he reaches out to shake Hawk’s hand.
The kids only stay for a couple of hours since they had a long flight out and came straight to the hospital. Captain Mark Olson, the man in charge of Hawk’s team, comes by to meet me and make arrangements for my family to be put up in a hotel while they are visiting. He informs Hawk, he will need to come in for debriefing tomorrow. By the time everyone has cleared out I am exhausted and just want to sleep.
Hawk takes up guard duty at my bedside. The nightshift nurse was kind enough to let him sleep with me, but before the dayshift arrived, she brought in a recliner chair, pillow, and blanket. She informed us that not all the staff would be understanding. She didn’t want Hawk to get kicked out, because she knew he was helping to keep me sane. I had awoken several times in the night with nightmares despite the pain medication. The nurse, Beth, had come running into the room several times to check on me. She told us that my vital signs at spiked suddenly and she was concerned something was wrong internally. I assured her I had only had a bad dream.
“You need anything, love.” Hawk asks as I snuggle down to sleep.
“No. I’m fine.” I reply. I’m so tired. I am praying that I can sleep well tonight. I watch as Hawk settles into the recliner and closes his eyes. I know he must be worn out as well. I was able to get the day nurse to change the dressing on his shoulder today. She assured me that it was healing fine without signs of infection. I close my eyes and sleep over comes me.