by J. L. Drake
I laughed at that. Savannah did have balls, and so, it seemed, did Mia.
“He ate my shepherd’s pie, so we’re even.” She winked at me.
“So, Mia, what’s your story?” Keith asked as he tucked his phone away.
“Don’t have much of one.” She stood as a page came over her radio.
“Mia, patient in room 334 is asking for you…we need your help,” the woman on the radio said in a panic.
Her face fell, worry spreading across her features. “Tell Kenny I’m on my way. Don’t touch his arm.” She looked at us. “I gotta go.”
“See you around,” Keith called as she raced out the door. He took his time to turn his head back to me. “You let her eat your fry.”
“Screw off.”
He laughed while he reached for the remote.
“Oh, you’re staying?” Sarcasm was there, but he knew I wanted him to.
***
Mia
“Noooo! Don’t touch me!” Kenny screamed as Nurse Taylor tried to stick him with another needle. “I want to die!”
“Kenny! You need to calm down. We are here to make you better—”
“I will not be your guinea pig.”
I pushed through the sea of nurses and made sure he could see I was there. I took his right hand and gave it a tight squeeze. His wild eyes found mine, and I could see they’d pushed him too far before they called me.
“I am here now. Look at me.” I lowered my voice and cautiously moved to sit on the side of the bed I knew he would accept. “No one else but you and me.”
His grip was tight as he brought himself off his ledge.
“Where were you? I lost you.” I pushed back the tears that always threatened when he said that.
“Always here, Kenny, always here.” I kissed the back of his hand.
“I’m scared,” he confessed, then his lip started to quiver. “I just want to go home.”
“I know,” my throat contracted, “but we need to give you your meds. Okay?” He gave a jerky nod as I took the needle from Vikki Taylor.
Kenny’s muscles soon went lax, and his eyes grew heavy. I fought the emotions clawing to the surface. Fate had a screwed up way of showing it was in control.
“Wow, okay, good job, everyone.” Dr. Evans appeared at the door. “Let’s get back to our rounds.”
A few of the nurses patted my shoulder as they left. I tucked Kenny’s blankets around his arms to keep him warm.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Evans asked as he came into the room.
“Yes.” I kept my back to him as I stood.
“Mia, you can’t get attached.”
“I’m not,” I shot back.
“I’m happy you have a bond with Kenny, but his time is almost up.”
“Don’t.” I whirled around on my toes. “Don’t you dare talk about someone as if they weren’t here.”
Evans leaned back against the wall with a confused expression. He would never understand how much my job meant to me.
“Kenny’s brain is shutting down. He thinks you’re his mother.”
“He’s fifteen years old. Is it so bad that I can bring him some degree of comfort?”
“No,” he shrugged, “I’m just nervous you won’t be able to come back after this. It can be any day now.”
“I have to go.” I brushed by him.
Ever since I came to this hospital, Kenny began to think I was his mother. He had no one who cared for him. Yes, I was attached, but for a good reason. Besides, he was a child.
I reached out for the counter as I took some deep breaths. All I wanted to do was kick and scream at the world.
Dr. Evans appeared and moved toward me, so I turned the opposite direction and hurried down a quiet hallway.
I let myself sink down onto the cool floor, leaning my head back. I couldn’t hold back a few tears that slid down my cheeks.
My cell phone rang and I pulled it free. I hit ignore when I saw the caller ID.
With my eyes squeezed shut, I let some pain release from my chest. It ripped through me and my body jerked with a sob. Life was so unfair sometimes. I exhaled a controlled sigh so I wouldn’t lose myself completely, a tool I’d used time and time again. No one wanted to see a nurse upset. It made people lose hope.
“Is this hallway taken?” Mark stood in front of me, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I quickly dried my cheeks, but it was no use, as more tears fell.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” My voice was off.
“Oh, you know, just wanted to get some of that fresh hospital air.” He waved his hands over his face as if he took a deep breath. I chuckled. He was funny. “You look beat.”
“Beat doesn’t describe how I am feeling.”
He moved carefully to sit next to me.
“Yikes, Mark, please be careful.”
“Oh, please, I’m okay.” He blew off my concern. “I only fake the pain so the ladies will visit me.” He flashed me a playful look.
“You’re terrible.” With a sigh, I tried to push the ache away. “So you leave tomorrow?”
“Looks that way.” He stretched out the leg closest to me.
“When is your next assignment?”
He glanced over at me as if to read my face. “Few days.”
“A few days?” I shook my head at him. “Wow, do you think you’re ready for that?”
He grinned, and I could see he was…mentally.
“Is it pretty dangerous?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He gave a shrug; I guessed he got asked that a lot. “It always is.”
“Doesn’t it scare you?”
“Nah, it’s more of a rush.”
“Yeah, bullets flying by sounds like a rush.” I raised my eyebrow, but I knew I was out of my element with this topic. Kenny’s condition was really preying on me today.
He chuckled. “Not to mention the stabbings, hostages, drug lords, bombs, and land mines.”
My head flopped back and I closed my eyes. “Jesus. Why do you do it?”
He didn’t answer, and I opened my eyes and saw him staring at the wall.
“I’m sorry, I stepped over the line there.”
“No, not really. It’s all I know. It’s been my life since I was seventeen.”
“Do you have a family?” The words slipped off my tongue.
“I do.” My stomach sank. What on earth was that?
Mark turned to look at me. “I have my brothers and my adopted mother. My life is different than most, and women soon find they don’t like when I disappear without any explanation. It’s a battle all of us guys fight. Pretty hard to have a relationship.”
“That must be difficult.” I stared into his eyes; they seemed to have a crazy hold on me. His features were strong and well-defined with a soft undertone. He exuded confidence.
“It can get lonely,” he admitted. “When the girlfriend starts to ask too many questions, well, let’s just say when we hit that point, you usually have to end it.” Once in a while it can work, though, I told myself, thinking of Cole and Savi.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Mm,” he grunted, his eyes searched for something, but I wasn’t sure what.
“I should get you to your room.”
“Are you working tomorrow?” His question threw me.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He hobbled to his feet in one swift move and offered me a hand. I took it, and he nearly lifted me right off the floor. His brown eyes latched on to mine, and he caught a tear with the back of his finger. I had to fight the temptation not to turn into his touch.
“It hurts to see such a pretty girl cry,” he whispered near my ear. His breath smelled like a red Starburst, and my mouth nearly watered with want.
His gaze held mine before his face slipped back into a playful mood. He offered to link arms with me. I gave him a smile.
“What?” he teased. “I might fall, Mia. You want me to fall?”
“Oh, right.” I batted his hand b
ut did link arms with him. Holy hell, his arms were huge and as hard as concrete. “Hey, you’re pretty warm, Mark.” I stopped him and moved my hand to feel his forehead.
“Really, here, Mia?” he joked. “You’re openly flirting with me at your work?”
“Oh, stop.” I rolled my eyes, but he did feel very warm. I noticed his eyes fought not to close at my touch.
“Nurse Taylor is not going to like this.” His eyes lit up with a dramatic sigh. “Do what you must.” His arms spread open as if to let me feel all around his body.
I had to laugh. “How do you feel? Really?”
“When I am around you? Or in general?”
My cheeks went warm. “Do you flirt with all the women in your life?”
“Most of the women in my life are my aunts or my sister-in–law, so no, not overly.”
I tried not to smile, but something about being around Mark was infectious.
He started us toward his room. “However, there is Livy. That beauty has me wrapped around her little pinky. She’s my baby niece who runs the ship back home.”
“Livy is a sweet name.” I loved that he spoke about her that way. It showed a lot about his character.
His arm muscle flexed when he stepped wrong, but he ignored it and started right back up again.
“Don’t let her sweetness trick you. She has her mother’s feistiness and her father’s stubbornness. The three of them are a deadly combo.”
“Sounds like you’re all close.” I helped him back into his bed.
“Well, we’re family, so you know.”
I gave a little nod and pushed away yet another painful feeling.
“What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” He smiled as I tucked the covers around him.
“Both of my parents are together, and no siblings.”
“You close?”
“Close as I want to be,” I answered truthfully. I took his temperature, but it was fine.
“Just naturally run hot when I’m near you, I guess.”
“I wish I did. I’m always cold.” I placed my hand on his arm. “See?”
His hand fell on mine. “And I’m always warm. See, we’re a great match.”
I turned to leave, but he caught my hand like last time. “Will you say goodbye to me tomorrow?”
“Yes.” I waited for the unexpected lump to slide down my windpipe before I finished answering. “Of course.”
***
Home didn’t feel so great until I hit my bed fully clothed and was soon out cold.
“I just don’t understand why you only want to be a nurse, Mia,” Mom complained from my doorway.
“I love what I do. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“No, not when you’re wasting your talent.” The sound of my father coming in had me reaching for the handle.
“My life, my way.” I closed the door in her face, gently so as to not be disrespectful, but to make my point. It was my life, and the last thing I needed was my father bringing his opinion too.
Hot, stinky breath filled my nose and woke me from my usual nightly loop. Two ice blue eyes stared back at me, then his tongue licked the entire length of my face. This seemed to be his new thing.
Gross.
“Morning, boy.” I rubbed right behind his ear. “You must be hungry.”
He barked and jumped off the bed, taking some of the blankets with him. I groaned and flipped over to see the time. Oh shit!
Thirty minutes later I ran through the front door of the hospital with a bagel stuck in my mouth. My Chucks were untied, and my jeans and a sweater were barely dry since I snagged them directly from the dryer.
“I know, I know.” I waved at Dr. Evans, who pointed to his watch. My locker was by the door, and after two tries I freed the lock. I tossed my stuff inside and struggled into a pair of dark blue scrubs.
I checked in on Kenny first, but he seemed to be stable at the moment, though today he looked paler than normal. I wondered what kind of God would bring such a lovely boy to this planet, only to strip him of everything he loved then offer him a slow death.
I tucked the lollipop I picked up for him yesterday in his pocket like his mother used to, and gave him a quick kiss on the head.
“Mia.” Nurse Taylor called out my name, but I held up a finger as I opened Mark’s door. I stopped when I saw his room was completely cleared out.
What?
“I wanted to tell you he got cleared today and had to leave.”
“How long ago?” I felt a heavy belt cinch around my chest.
“An hour and a half. Guess they got called out to work or something.”
I sank onto the bed that had already been changed.
“I’m sorry. I know he was a friend of yours.”
“Yeah, he was.” I sighed as Vikki handed me an envelope. “He left this for you.”
I waited for her to leave before I opened it. My finger ran along the seal and broke it open.
I wanted to say goodbye in person. So, we’ll just have to put it on hold. For now, I’ll say,
See you later, Mia.
Mark.
My stomach twisted. I’d known this man for two weeks. Did I really care that he left me a note? I tucked it inside my pocket and headed out to work the rest of my shift.
CHAPTER THREE
Location: Mexico
Coordinates: Classified
Mark
“Here.” Cole handed me a coffee as he took a seat next to me. We were set to hit a house in ten, but I needed a moment to get my head on straight.
It had been three weeks since I left the hospital in North Dakota. I hated that I left without saying goodbye.
“What’s going on with you? Are you sure you are up to this? I was afraid it might be too soon,” he asked as he checked his gun clip.
“I’m good, it’s nothing,” I huffed, only to get a pointed look from him. “Just thinking about things.”
“Like?”
“Like personal things.”
“Yeah, and…” Cole popped a piece of his nasty-ass gum in his mouth. “It’s the girl from the hospital, isn’t it? Magg—”
“Mia,” I corrected, but stopped when I realized he’d trapped me.
“Did you get her number?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Why? What’s the point?” I finished my coffee while a wave of misery swept over me. “Always ends the same way.”
“Well, she’s hot, I’ll give her that.”
“She’s more than that, though.”
Cole took a moment to twist his absent wedding band around his finger before he answered. We weren’t supposed to wear anything personal in case we were captured. “One thing I’ve learned from Savi is that our job isn’t everything.” He looked up. “You’ve been through enough shit in your life, Mark. If you really like this girl, then go for it. If it’s just a physical thing, then get her out of your system. No one would fault you for falling in love. They’d fault you for not.”
“Love is a strong word to use for only knowing the girl just over a month.”
“Maybe, but look at Savi. I fell for a picture and was lucky enough to get the girl.”
“Yeah,” I laughed, “someone to keep you in line.”
“Fuck off. Let’s go get these assholes.”
We all had a bad feeling when we entered the house. Something was off. The door creaked and shook as it opened. Sunlight shone through the black bars on the windows. Cigarette smoke was pungent, and I forced back the memory that raced up my spine.
We moved inside with caution, one behind the other. A leaky faucet and a sink full of half-washed dishes proved we were not alone. A moment later, we figured out why.
“Move!” Cole screamed when a grenade bounced then rolled at our feet. All I could hear was my heartbeat as we both ran around the corner and dove behind a couch.
There was a moment between when you actually registered the threat and
felt the danger. It was a moment in time when you saw all the chips laid out in front of you, and you wondered if this would be the last time you would take a breath. Will I live to see another day with all my limbs intact?
The sound traveled through the air, hitting my ears right before I was lifted and slammed into a wall. I landed on my side hard, but was on my feet a moment later. Stumbling around like a disoriented drunk, I blinked to clear my vison. The house was filled with dust and debris, and the wooden mantel was blown to shit. With my gun raised, I retraced my steps to where I had last seen Cole.
I found him under a collapsed table, out cold. Shit.
With a shaky hand, I pressed the button on my neck. “Raven Two to Fox One.”
“Fox One to Raven Two, what the hell is happening in there?” Paul barked over the radio.
“Raven One is down. Repeat, Raven One is down.” Just as I heard someone behind me, a rifle butt was swung, going for my windpipe. Slamming my body weight forward, I managed to buck the fucker away from me. I pulled back fast and popped two into his chest. I was about to turn when something crashed into my head, and my body dropped like a rock, my brain seeing stars. I heard a shot.
Keith’s face appeared as my attacker fell to the ground next to me. His wide-open eyes still carried a shocked expression.
“Good?” Keith helped me to my feet, holding me firmly. My head felt light and I had vertigo, but I nodded for him to let go. We both grabbed Cole and carried him out of the house. His feet left a trail in the dirt, so we had to take the long way around through the shrubs. No need to advertise our direction.
Paul and John raced to help us to the Rover. My vision was blurry and my head pounded, but nothing mattered with Cole lying unconscious on the seat.
The helicopter ride was painful, but Cole, strapped tight to a back brace, was starting to stir, and that was a good sign.
Like many times before, we were met with an EMT squad on the tarmac and raced to the hospital elevators. Keith and I stayed by his side the whole way, and John and Paul did damage control back at the house. Someone was going to need to tame Savannah to keep her from charging over here.