Is your mother working today?”
“Yes, she’s already left for work. She took yesterday off to stay with me while we waited through the surgery.”
“Thank you. I was calling to see whether he had a good night. Since he did, I’m going on to work. His mother is going to keep me posted. Mom has my number also. Thank you for the information.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll let you know of any changes.”
***
When Carrie walked into the station, Mrs. Tompkins said, “We didn’t expect to see you today. How’s he doing?”
“He’s doing really well. I talked to the CICU earlier and they said he had a restful night and the vital signs are good. He had the da Vinci robotic surgery. I think that would make a good story. They took the bullet out with what they call a robosnake attached to one of the robot’s arms. He should be dismissed in four days unless there’s an unexpected setback. It’s pretty amazing.”
“Write me a synopsis and we’ll run it by the producer. Good thinking, Carrie. We might be able to do a segment.”
“Thank you.”
Carrie and her cameraman pulled two assignments, both of which made the evening news. She had a call from her mother, who told her all was well at the hospital and Chip was moving into a private room on the cardiac floor.
When she was through for the day, she went to the hospital without changing clothes. She obtained his room number from the nurse and went in. She found a really tired Mrs. Reynolds asleep in a chair and Mr. Reynolds in the recliner, with his head tilted back and mouth wide open.
She walked to the bed and found Chip asleep also. She stood there for a minute and decided to get a sandwich and salad from the cafeteria. When she returned, Mrs. Reynolds was awake. “Mrs. R, you look worn out. I’ll be here for the rest of the evening. Why don’t you and Mr. R go home and get some sleep? You’ll never get any rest in that chair. I’ll call you if there are any changes.”
“Thank you, Carrie. I’ll take you up on that. We’ve been here since six. He seems to be doing well. I’m so pleased. It feels as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”
She woke her husband, and said, “Come on, Tom. Carrie’s here and she’ll call us if there are any changes.”
Carrie walked over and gave her future father-in-law a kiss on the cheek. The bristles from the beard stubble had a stiff feeling to her skin. “You two go on home and be sure to get a hot meal. Hospitals are infamous for their unappetizing food.”
“Where did you get what you’re having, dear?”
“I’m going to take the 5 on that one Mrs. R.”
Chip’s mother kissed him on the cheek and said “We’ll see you later son.” He stirred but did not awaken. Carrie was alone with her fiancé…and the nurses that popped in on a regular basis.
Chapter 18
On Thursday, Carrie had another session with Dr. Levy. Sitting in the same chair, she saw the papers from the last session and the pad and pen ready for today.
“Have you figured me out yet, Doctor?”
“I don’t know about that, but I do have some insights. A part of your problem lies in the fact you feel responsible for involving him in your problem. To top it off, he was hurt worse than you. In fact he was clinically dead and you sailed through the whole thing and went back to work and he is still in the hospital. Your guilt feelings have magnified to the point you feel you don’t deserve his love, so you won’t let yourself accept it and return.
Despite the way you feel, you didn’t ask for him to come to your apartment, he was doing his job. From what you told me, you did ask him to the restaurant, but you didn’t ask Nathan to be there. When he shoved you aside, he was protecting you. In the broad scheme of things, at the risk of being called names, it is inbred in the genes of man to be the provider and the protector. Like it or not, that’s nature. You need to understand, he was acting on instinct. It wasn’t your fault.
You can love if you want. You can withhold it if you want. That is entirely up to you. You have to do as your heart dictates. You have the right. What do you want?”
Softly she said, “I want to love him and be his wife, if he’ll have me.”
“Then the answer is simple. Tell him.”
* * *
About 7:30 Laurie walked in. She saw Chip was asleep, came over and sat with Carrie. “How’s he doing?” she said in a low voice.
“He seems to be doing great. Let’s ask the next nurse. How’s your baby doing?”
“He’s doing well. He gained back the initial weight he lost. He still wakes up during the night and my husband gets him and brings him back to me to nurse.”
“That’s really sweet.”
“He’s a nice guy and proud as a peacock we have a son. All he had was sisters and claims he was always outnumbered the way I was with two brothers.”
“What did you name him?”
“Joshua and I think we’ll call him Josh.”
“That’s a nice name. I like it.”
“What are you going to call yours?”
“I’m not… We haven’t done… You got me didn’t you? Your mother told me you guys tease each other.” Laurie’s laugh was musical.
“So you guys haven’t gotten it on yet? You can tell your sis-in-law to be.”
“You won’t regret it. Listen to us. You’d think we had known each other since grade school. You’re easy to talk with Carrie.”
“You make me feel really comfortable. I think we could be good friends. Hey, look who’s awake.”
“You guys talking about me?”
“Listen to him, every conversation is about him. He thinks. Yeah babe. Laurie is telling me all about your warts and blemishes.”
“She’d know about warts. She had a big one on her nose until she had it burned off.”
“I love you too bro.” She walked over and kissed him. “Ugh! You need a shave. And a bath.”
“Yeah, this really cute nurse is going to give me a sponge bath later.”
Carrie piped up and said, “You keep talking like that and you’ll need more surgery.”
“Hi, honey, I didn’t know you were here.”
“Laurie, do you think he deserves a kiss after that?”
“You can kiss him if you want to. I’m not.”
“Well, I want to.”
She went to the bedside and enjoyed the long, lingering and all over warming kiss. “I’d like to try another. I liked that.” She leaned over and mashed her soft, warm on his medicine tasting lips. His tongue slipped between her opened lips, gently checking, ensuring everything was as he left it. A low moan escaped her throat. Your sister’s sitting over there.”
“I don’t care. She’s seen me kiss a girl before. She used to spy on me all of the time and then go running to Mom.”
“I did not. I never ran to Mom.”
Carrie took his hand. “I told Mrs. Tompkins about the da Vinci robot and your surgery. She told me to write it up and she’d talk about it to the producer. We might do a segment on it.”
“That’s great, honey.”
* * *
Sitting on the side of the bed, Carrie understood what Doctor Levy had been talking about. She had been afraid to face the future and her love for Chip. Whatever the future held, they could face it together. Her emotions crashed. She was totally ashamed of what she had become. In the blink of an eye she went from a happy, and teasing persona to one that was sobbing uncontrollably. One that completely mystified Chip and his sister.
“What’s wrong honey?” He was still holding here hand, unable to move closer because of the paralysis that scared Carrie.
She was sobbing so hard, she could scarcely catch her breath, much less answer him. Laurie came over and wrapped her arms around Carrie and pulled her head to her shoulder. Patting and rubbing Carrie on the back, she was saying, “There, there, it’s going to be all right.” She hugged Carrie tightly as the sobs slowed and stopped.
“Honey, what’s wrong?”
“I haven’t been fair to you. I love you so much it hurts. I haven’t told you how I feel even after you told me. I am so ashamed. I’ve been a real coward while you have been a hero in everything you do without regard for your own safety. When I found you were paralyzed and would be immobile from the waist down, I let it affect me. I saw you in a wheel chair for the rest of your life, it scared me away. It scared me so badly, I needed help coping with it. Well, I got help and my mind is clear. I want to be part of your life, warts and all. A tentative smile crept onto her face. If you’ll have me, I want to be your wife.”
She waited, apprehensive, afraid and hopeful.
“Carrie, I knew you loved me. You didn’t have to say it. Your actions showed it. You were here for me at every turn. I’ve seen you cry enough, but I haven’t heard you laugh enough. Carrie, will you marry me? Even though I can’t get to my knees to ask?”
“More tears came coursing down her cheeks. These were tears of joy. I will marry you. If we had a license and I could find the chaplain, I’d be ready right now.”
Laurie was crying now too. “I can’t believe I just heard my big brother propose and be accepted. I love both you guys so much.”
Chip’s mother and dad picked that time to walk in. “What’s going on in here? Why is everyone crying?”
“I just asked Carrie to be my wife and she accepted. I don’t know why Laurie’s crying.”
And then there were three. “Dad, can you get me away from all these crying women?”
“Be quiet son, I’m trying not to cry myself.”
“Aw, jeez.”
* * *
“You guys really had a great childhood, and I’m looking forward to ours being raised in the same kind of environment.”
“Except ours will have a TV star for a mother and a fire chief for a Dad.”
“I don’t know about star, but the Dad part I am pretty sure about. I heard from my brother. He’s in Louisville now and hoping for a call up. He’s having a good year, hitting .327 with 42 RBIs.”
“I’d say that’s a good year. Speaking of, when we go to the Rangers’ game, what are our chances of getting on the Kissing Cam?”
“I’d say they’re pretty good. I’ll talk to the sports director and ask him.”
Carrie leaned over and whispered a question in Chip’s ear. He said, “I don’t know. Ask her.”
“Laurie, will you be my matron of honor?”
“Are you sure?” asked Laurie.
“I’m sure,” Carrie answered.
“I would be honored. Thank you, Carrie.”
“You guys attend church don’t you?”
“Nearly every Sunday,” answered Laurie. –
“Chip, what do you think about having our wedding at your church?”
“That would be great. I’m sure Mom would be pleased. What would you think about riding on a fire truck to the reception?”
“Now that is a great idea. Every kid dreams of riding on a fire truck and now I’ll get to do it. Guys, I think we have just taken the first baby steps toward our wedding.
Chip, two things I want to be sure of.”
“What are they?”
“You’ll be there and number two, don’t let me take over and do all of this. I want you to be a part of the entire shindig.”
“I’ll definitely be there and you can run it if you want to.”
“That’s just it. I don’t want to run the entire thing. I want my mom, yours, and Laurie to be a part of it. The question on the table is when do we do it?”
Chip asked, “When will Jonathan’s season be over?”
“The Cardinals have a good chance of going to the World Series. It is likely he will be called up on September 1, when the roster can be expanded. The playoffs begin on October 5, so baseball will still be playing until November. Looking at the calendar, November 16 is a Saturday…” She looked at Chip. “Honey, if it’s okay with you, I don’t want to wait that long. I want to be your wife before something else jumps in the way. I’m ready to elope right now.” Her expression indicated just how serious she really was.
“This is something we’ll remember forever. Let’s not be hasty. I have an idea. Let’s ask our parents what is a realistic date as far as they are concerned for planning and so on.”
“You’re right. I guess I’m being pessimistic and I shouldn’t be. We’ve actually been blessed so far.”
Laurie said, “I hate to agree with my brother but in this case, I think he’s right. It’s been two years since my wedding and the album is still on my coffee table. I doubt a week goes by without my looking at it. This is the only wedding you two will ever have so do it right. Be together if you want to or need to but do this right.”
“Laurie, I’m going to love being your sister. We can drop the in-law. I’m extremely happy to be a part of your family. You’re wonderful.” She hugged Laurie and both were on the verge of tears of happiness.
Laurie said, “As much as I’ve enjoyed this, I have a husband I have to rescue and a baby to feed or vice versa. I’ll see you guys later. Good night both of you.”
“Good night, Laurie. I have to work tomorrow and I need my beauty rest for the camera.”
“Carrie, you don’t need more beauty. They don’t get any better looking than you are right now. She moved to the bed and into his arms.
“Your eyes are blinded by love, darling, but I thank you for the compliment. I need a kiss and a hug.” With no reluctance at all, Chip attended to the task.
Pulling her close he could feel the softness that was her breast pressing against his pajamas, he bent his head and his lips met the yielding softness that hers presented. This was a kiss of love and not passion. Their lips came together and moved against each other in light caresses.
Her lips parted as he inclined his head more, his teeth tugging at her lips. He chewed first one lip then the other. He pulled back. “Carrie, I love you and I won’t let anything or anyone come between us. The best day of my life was the first time I met you. That someone like you could even look at someone like me still amazes me.”
“That was beautiful darling. About me, you will never have to worry. I’m yours and only yours.” A quick kiss on the cheeks and “I have to go, darling;” She stood, gathered her things, waved and walked out the door, waving her hand over her head as a last goodbye.
Chapter 19
Carrie and a cameraman were assigned an accident on Preston Road where a Ford pickup had run a stop sign and T-boned a white van northbound on Preston. The van had belonged to a coyote and was filled with 16 illegals he was smuggling to a safe house in North Dallas.
When the TV crew arrived, there were bodies strewn all over the outside lane on the north bound side. An accident was caused by looky-loos on the south bound lanes. Dallas policemen were trying to manage the chaos. Carrie was trying to get a brief statement from Officer Weyland of the Dallas Police Department. Two ambulances and their EMT’s were on the scene. The Medical Examiner had not arrived.
Carrie was holding a Channel 8 microphone out in front as the camera red light came on. “This is Carrie Evans, WFAA TV8 reporting live from the scene of a major accident on North Preston Road and Hughes Lane. Officer Weyland, what can you tell us about the accident?”
“The pickup westbound on Hughes ran the light and T-boned the van in the sliding door. The driver of the pickup was killed, and we have six dead and seven injured in the van.”
“Was alcohol involved?”
“We don’t know that, but there was a cellphone on the floor of the pickup. He may have been texting, but we just don’t know. “
“Do you have any identification of the pickup driver?”
“Not at this time. That’s all I know at this time.”
Standing back where the officer directed her, she surveyed the carnage. There were bodies on the ground, and debris all over. Her cameraman panned as she talked into the mike. She was saying, “I can see the driver of the pickup still in
his cab. I don’t see the driver of the van but was told he crawled from the driver’s side window and ran across the freeway, and hopped the barrier and disappeared. Looking at the rear of the van, the double doors were forced open by the impact and bodies are back here also. This so horrific, it is hard for me to describe. I would guess this is how a war zone might look. Jim, can you get a shot of the traffic backup on the other side?
I can hear the sound of a helicopter. It’s probably Life Flight. I’m told Channel 8’s helicopter is enroute and we should have some aerial shots for you shortly. We will remain on the scene and report any developments. Carrie Evans WFAA TV8 back to the studio.” The red light blinked off.
“I have never seen anything like this in my life. I thought I was going to lose it for a while,” she said to the cameraman.
“It’s pretty bad all right. You did great, Carrie.
Two hours later, cleanup crews from the street department were still sweeping up the debris.
It required three vans from the Medical Examiner’s Office to remove the deceased from the roadway.
The red light came on. “This is Carrie Evans reporting to you from the accident scene we we reported on earlier. As you can see behind me, the cleanup crews are still at work. All of the injured have been transported to local hospitals and we can now report there are ten dead and seven injuries. The carnage is indescribable. The engine of the pickup was inside the van. It appears the driver did not brake. There are no skid marks on the roadway. It is unknown when North Preston will be open to traffic at this time. Carrie Evans, WFAA, TV8.”
The red light went off. The Bluetooth speaker in her ear told her and the crew to return to the station for a followup story.
Back at the studio, they worked with the producer to divide the portions of the report for the five and six o’clock news. Carrie asked, “Do we want to say anything about other incidents involving coyotes and smuggling. There was one outside Houston where a driver abandoned a trailer and 18 died?”
“Let me think about that. We might want to do a special segment on that later. Can you gather the salient points on that and any others you can find.”
Loving A Firefighter (Loving Series) Page 10