The Nurse's Bodyguard

by Melanie Mitchell

  Luke chuckled. “That should give them something to think about.”

  Claire swallowed and nodded. She hoped so; it certainly intimidated her.

  The helicopter seemed to follow them for the next five minutes, still doing occasional low forays behind the small group. Its presence, and the assurance that the rendezvous site was near, seemed to bolster Luke’s strength. Finally, just as the corporal had predicted, they arrived at a wide clearing. The helicopter flew past them, did a quick circle and sat gracefully down. The roar of the aircraft was deafening as the rotors continued to move.

  Luke sank to his knees much as he had before. This time he leaned to one side and eased Tony to the ground. While he was accomplishing that maneuver, two men in olive drab coveralls carrying a collapsible stretcher hopped out of the aircraft, leaving the side doors open wide.

  “We’ve got him, sir,” one of the men said, as Luke struggled to move Tony into a more natural position. In quick, practiced moves, the men placed Tony on his back on the stretcher then carried him to the Huey.

  Even though he’d been relieved of considerable weight, Luke suddenly seemed weak. Claire and Jessica helped him to his feet and steadied him as he staggered toward the waiting copter.

  It took only three minutes to load all four Americans, and shortly thereafter they were airborne.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  THE FLIGHT BACK to Yongsan took less than forty minutes. During that time, Claire learned that the helicopter was routinely used for medical evacuations. One of the men who’d carried the stretcher was a medic—Corpsman Sandy Jefferson. Corpsman Jefferson knelt by Tony and quickly and efficiently stabilized his cervical spine by placing a collar around his neck and taping his forehead to the stretcher. When that was accomplished, he took Tony’s pulse and blood pressure and completed a check of his neurological system. While Jefferson was conducting his assessment, Claire started an IV.

  Jessica watched their ministrations with concern. “Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Worry etched her expressive face.

  Jefferson responded matter-of-factly. “Don’t know if the spinal cord stabilization measures will do any good at this point. But it could help... Not sure about the head injury, but I don’t see a lot of the really concerning signs.”

  Claire tried to be more encouraging. She gave Jessica a smile and said, “Hopefully, he’s just concussed and will be coming out of it shortly.” She glanced down at the unconscious man and added, “We should know more soon.”

  After doing as much as possible for Tony, Claire turned her attention to Luke. She was surprised and alarmed when she discovered him slumped in his seat with his eyes closed. He was still sweating heavily and his breathing seemed to be labored. Leaving Tony with the corpsman and Jessica, she edged across the confined space to where he was resting.

  She put her hand lightly on his forehead and quietly asked, “Luke, are you all right?” He jerked slightly as if startled and opened his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were asleep. I wanted to check on you, too.”

  Luke appeared to be puzzled by her comment and he stared at her a minute. “How’s Tony?” he asked. His voice was low and he sounded hoarse.

  She took his hand; her lips thinned in a slight frown. “He hasn’t shown any signs of waking and he hasn’t moved yet. But the corpsman said he doesn’t see signs of either spinal cord injury or a severe head injury.”

  He nodded and continued to stare at her. “Where are your glasses?” He sounded tired.

  She automatically touched her face and found that sometime during the past hour she’d lost her glasses. Her lips turned up at the corners and she gently clasped his hand. “I’ve no idea... Are you all right?” she repeated.

  “Yeah. Pretty much.” He gave her a weak smile and moved slightly, as if adjusting his weight to get more comfortable. “I probably need to be checked out when we get to the hospital.” He closed his eyes and whispered, “I like you without the glasses... Of course, I also like you with glasses...”

  “Luke, talk to me.” Claire rose to her feet, hovering over him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Ribs.” He didn’t open his eyes. “I hope they’re not broken. I hate broken ribs.” His voice was even weaker.

  “Which side? Luke, where are you hurt?” She tugged at his shirt, exposing his abdomen and chest. She stifled a gasp when she saw the ugly bruise on his right side. She turned to the medic who was taking Tony’s blood pressure for the second time. “Corpsman, when you finish there, can you come check the lieutenant?” She tried not to sound panicked.

  Jefferson glanced at Luke’s sweaty, pale face. “Sure.” He was at her side in a breath. “Whoa, man!...er, sir,” he exclaimed. A huge, darkened area covered much of Luke’s chest. Jefferson gave Claire a wry look. “They’re at least cracked, maybe broken. Probably caused by the steering wheel or the airbag.” He took out his stethoscope and listened to the sound of air moving in Luke’s right lung. “Sound’s okay. A little diminished perhaps, but that may be because his breathing is shallow; most likely he’s avoiding deep breaths due to pain.” He frowned and shook his head as he wound up the stethoscope and thrust it into his pocket. “Not a lot we can do here—actually there’s not much they can do at the hospital, either.” He gave Luke a look of admiration. “Don’t know how he carried the sergeant that far with those ribs.”

  Luke opened his eyes and frowned. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” He rolled his eyes—and groaned, “I hate broken ribs.”

  Claire took his hand and managed a smile. “Have you had much experience with them?”

  He nodded and squeezed her hand. His lips thinned as he answered, “Yeah. Football injury. One season I had to play every game with my chest wrapped with this big brace—kind of like Kevlar...” He fell asleep with Claire still holding his hand.

  The next several hours were a blur. The Huey landed on the roof of Yongsan Base’s hospital. A crew was waiting to rush Tony into the Emergency Department.

  Luke’s short nap revived him a bit, and he balked when the hospital’s medic insisted on putting him in a wheelchair to transport him from the helipad to the E.D.

  “I can walk,” Luke growled at the young private who held the wheelchair in place, waiting for him to comply.

  Despite his pale face and obvious pain, Luke was still an imposing figure. To the private’s credit, however, he didn’t flinch. “Hospital policy, sir. You need to sit down and let me push you before I have to call for some help and we strap you in.” Only a little anxiety appeared in the young man’s expression, but he swallowed hard with relief as Luke obligingly, but with bad grace, took a seat.

  Claire and Jessica initially argued when the medical personnel insisted on checking them out, but within a few minutes of landing, all four were in separate cubicles in the well-equipped and well-staffed E.D. Claire was in the best shape, and the nurse practitioner quickly deemed her “good to go,” after a thorough assessment.

  Because of Jessica’s recent hospitalization, the doctor insisted on another X-ray of her fractured arm, and he did a detailed examination of her still bruised face. They found nothing new and nothing of concern so she, too, was discharged within an hour. She joined Claire, who was pacing in the waiting room, eager for details on the condition of Luke and Tony.

  Even though hospital personnel were friendly, considerate and professional, they wouldn’t let the women see Luke or Tony. Both men, they were told, had been taken for X-rays. The staff were unwilling to discuss the patients, and shared nothing about their status.

  Unfortunately, Bridgette was not on duty when they arrived, and Claire asked the admitting clerk to call her friend to tell her about the accident. In less than fifteen minutes, Bridgette barged into the waiting area seeking Claire, eager to provide moral support and act as an information source.

  Cl
aire introduced Jessica and Bridgette. Bridgette took one look at the two now exhausted and almost frantic women and said, “Why don’t you go to my apartment and rest? I can call you as soon as Tony and Luke are situated somewhere where you can see them.”

  Claire shook her head adamantly. “No. I’m not leaving. I can’t leave them!” The events of the day suddenly crashed down on her and she collapsed into a chair. Tears stained her face. “This is my fault,” she cried. She looked plaintively at Jessica and said, “First it was you—you were hurt.” She turned her attention to Bridgette and continued, “And then you could have been...” She bit her lip. “And now Tony and Luke are hurt.” She tried in vain to stifle her sobs. “I know Luke’s going to be okay, but Tony? Please, God, let Tony be okay!” She doubled over and buried her face in her hands.

  Bridgette and Jessica looked at each other, unsure how to appease Claire’s grief and guilt. Finally, Jessica put her arm around her friend. “Claire, that’s enough. You heard what Mrs. Sun said about your uncle.” She shook her head with vehemence. “You didn’t cause any of it. You had no control over his actions! You can’t blame yourself for what some greedy, maladjusted egomaniac—who you didn’t even know existed—does.”

  Bridgette glanced around the waiting area and located a box of tissues. She handed it to Claire, who gratefully took a couple and whispered, “Thanks.” She sighed as she wiped her eyes. “I know, but I’m still responsible. Tony, Luke...” She waved her hand in a gesture of inclusion and continued, “both of you—you all were only bystanders; only trying to help me.”

  Bridgette followed Jessica’s lead and hugged her friend. Finally, the support of both women helped calm Claire’s emotional battle. When her tears had subsided, she looked at her friends and muttered, “I need to call the police.” She picked up her purse but then gave a rueful laugh and threw up her hands. Shaking her head, she said, “I don’t have a cell phone...”

  In the end, Jessica contacted Detective Kang. She was told that he and Captain Choi would be at the hospital within the hour to interview them.

  While they were waiting for the police, Bridgette disappeared for a few minutes and returned with two cups of coffee. “You two stay here for a minute. I’m going to see what I can find out about Luke and Tony; I’ll be right back.”

  She was smiling when she returned a short time later. “Okay, Claire, you can come with me. Luke’s back from X-ray. He’s fine—just cracked ribs. They’ve admitted him overnight for observation, though, so he’s grumpy as all get out and scaring the snot out of the aides and nurses. Maybe you can help calm him.”

  “What about Tony?” Claire asked.

  Bridgette smiled again. “He’s coming around. He’s not yet completely conscious, but he is moving—and importantly, he’s moving all four limbs. There doesn’t seem to be any spinal cord damage—which is great news. They stitched up the big cut on his forehead and did some other work on his face.” She frowned. “I think they’re worried about his right eye, though. There may be a retina issue, but they need him alert to evaluate that better.”

  Both women were ecstatic with Bridgette’s report. Jessica squeezed Claire’s hand. “Go check on Luke. I’ll stay here and wait on the police. We’ll come find you.”

  Claire followed Bridgette to the third floor. They walked down a couple of corridors and Bridgette knocked loudly at a door before barging in without waiting for a response.

  Suddenly hesitant, Claire stayed behind, hovering at the entrance. Luke was sitting up in a hospital bed, covered to above his waist with a sheet. He was bare-chested, with a wide, bulky dressing wound around his ribcage. He was connected to a heart monitor and an intravenous line was dripping clear fluid into his left hand.

  “Hey there,” Bridgette said cheerfully as she approached the bed. “Heard you’re going to get to stay with us overnight,”

  Luke glared at her. “This is stupid. I’m fine. I need to go check on Tony.” He raised his arm and growled, “I hate IVs almost as much as I hate cracked ribs.” He pushed at the sheet and looked as if he was about to get up. “Where are my clothes?”

  Bridgette stopped him. “Luke, stay down, boy!” she said, grinning. “I told you Tony’s coming around and should be okay in a couple of days. The IV is necessary because you were severely dehydrated from the exertion of carrying Tony. That’s the second liter. I’m sure they’ll discontinue the IV as soon as it’s finished infusing.” She glanced behind her to where Claire was still standing in the doorway. Looking back at Luke she said, “The staff is avoiding coming in here, because of your lovely demeanor, so I brought someone to improve your mood.”

  As she was talking, Luke’s eyes cut to the door and pinned Claire. His face colored, changing from pale to red, and he glanced down to where he’d pushed back the sheet and quickly re-covered his legs.

  “Hey there.” He smiled at her and held out his hand. “How’re you doing? I’d get up, but...um...they’ve taken my clothes.” He gave her a funny, slightly embarrassed look.

  With a sob, she ran to the bed. Carefully avoiding his injured right side and working around the IV line and EKG leads, she knelt beside him. Claire threw her arms around his neck and whispered, “Luke...I’m sorry...I’m so sorry... I love you.” She kissed his cheek and held him tightly.

  Luke cautiously pulled her into an embrace. He actually chuckled. “I’m guessing you didn’t mean you’re sorry that you love me.”

  “Uh...I’m going to check on Tony,” Bridgette mumbled and departed, closing the door behind her.

  Claire giggled as she buried her face in his neck. “No. I’m sorry that you’re hurt and Tony’s hurt, and that it was all because of me.” She pulled away and studied his smiling eyes, which were now more green than brown. Her voice quieted to a whisper. “The other, though— You’re wonderful. I love you.”

  “I know,” he whispered back. He pulled her toward him again and kissed her temple. “I love you, too.” She ran her hands across his face and stroked his hair. He stopped her hands with his free one and lightly kissed her knuckles. “Hey, I’ve been lying here thinking, and I have a question. It’s kind of important.” He studied her expression carefully. “Well, uh, how would you feel about a destination wedding?”

  Claire sat back so abruptly she almost fell off the bed. “Destination wedding?” She went from pale to pink to pale again in only a few seconds.

  “Yeah. How about Hawaii? I was thinking that Hawaii would be a great place to get married. What do you think?”

  Claire searched his face and saw humor but also something else—something deep, something serious, something bordering on desperate. Longing and need were interspersed with love.

  Claire blinked. She bit her lower lip and stared at him. “Um... Is that a proposal?”

  “Yes.” He gave her a small smile and kissed her hand again. “I know it’s a poor effort. I don’t have a ring and can’t get on my knees.” His words softened and his smile faded. “But I promise no one will ever love you more than I do.” He gently cradled her face in his hands. “I want to be with you, make a life with you, have children with you...”

  Tears clouded her eyes, but her lips turned up at the corners. “I’ve never been to Hawaii. I think it must be the perfect place for a wedding.” She leaned forward and touched his mouth with hers, once, twice and then sank into a deep kiss.

  When she pulled back, his smile was sweet. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes,’ then.”

  “Yes,” she laughed. “Yes. Yes.”

  Luke held her a while, stroking her back as they relished the quiet contentment after their grueling day. After a few minutes he pushed her away a little so he could see her face. “This is kind of fast and we still need to talk about some important things.” He took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers.

  She sat back and replied, “What things?”

&nb
sp; “The nightmares or night terrors or whatever you want to call them... I don’t know... I hope I can control...”

  “Luke, I told you, we’ll work it out. I trust you. I trust you not to hurt me. I’ve done some research and in most cases the nightmares decrease with time. I promise, I’m not concerned...”

  He looked relieved, but the worry still clouded his eyes. He swallowed. “I’ll talk to the counselor next week, and we’ll see what he says...”

  She rewarded him with a smile and a kiss. “That’s a very good idea. I’m sure he’ll reassure you that nightmares are pretty common and will resolve. Is there anything else? You said ‘things’.”

  He studied her face, seemingly lost in her eyes. “Well, yes. Another big one...”

  She frowned. “What?”

  “Texas.” His lips thinned a little and the worry was back. “How do you feel about living in Texas?”

  Claire sat back and crossed her legs, getting more comfortable on the bed. She smiled brightly. “Well, I guess I’ll need to get used to the idea, won’t I? Especially since that’s where my husband-to-be lives and where I assume he’ll be working...What are you smiling at?

  “What you said. I liked it.”

  “What did I say?”

  “My husband.” He caressed her face, stroking her cheek gently. He looked enormously relieved. “Are you sure? It’s okay to leave your parents? Your work? Your doctorate?”

  “My parents will understand. And about my work and school—I can finish my degree from anywhere—I’m in Korea now for goodness’ sake. And I’m sure I can find a position in Texas.” She blinked and her smile faded. “Unfortunately, they have sick children there, too.”

  Luke’s eyes filled suddenly. “Thank you. I promise I’ll make you happy.”

  She smiled and kissed him again. Sitting back up, she said, “There is one other very significant problem we’ll have to address, though.”