What words that did manage to filter through Alice’s exhausted brain, frightened her to her very core. “Oh, Jesus, I’m so scare.”
“Alice, try not to worry. We’ll be ready at a moment’s notice, to take him back to surgery, and get him fixed up. Here, let me right down my personal cell phone number, in case you just want to talk some more, later on.” Joyce wrote her number down on a napkin that was lying on the table. “Don’t hesitate to call me, all right?”
“All right, doctor, and thank you.” Alice took the napkin, and held it to her heart, as if she were willing it to make everything better.
Joyce took Ellen’s hand, and together they left the room, and headed down the hallway. But Ruth caught up with them.
“Doctor, I’m Vicky’s aunt, Ruth, can I speak with you a moment?”
“Of course, and you can call me Joyce, if you’d like.”
“Thanks, I will. I was wondering if you had heard from Vicky? We’ve been trying to reach her, but haven’t heard back from her yet, from all the messages we left on her cell phone.”
“I’ve tried calling and texting her myself, and haven’t heard anything either. She’s probably just out of cell range.”
“She’s going to freak when she sees all those messages.”
The floor charge nurse walked up to them, and spoke to Joyce. “Doctor, your room is ready for you.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s at the end of this hallway, and the nurses’ station, is just to your left.”
“Sounds good, thank you very much.”
Joyce turned back to Ruth, and said, “I’m staying in the solarium suite, just down the hall, if you, or anyone needs anything.”
“Thanks so much. I really appreciate that.”
Joyce and Ellen retired to the other solarium suite, where Joyce would be spending the night. Though Ellen insisted on staying with her, Joyce wouldn’t hear of it. Ellen hadn’t slept in days, as is her way, when she has a large wedding to run. Also, Joyce knew that Ellen didn’t like hospitals, especially sleeping in one. Besides, Joyce explained to her, that she would be up and down most of the night, checking in on Leonard, as is her way, when a patient is critical, and she sleeps at the hospital. Ellen relented, and kissed Joyce lovingly. Joyce reciprocated with a pop on Ellen’s butt, producing a laugh from Ellen.
***
Joyce had just drifted off, when a noise from the hallway, woke her up again. She checked her watch, to find that it was around eleven. Restless, she dressed and went in to check on Leonard. When she entered, she left the lights off, and didn’t see Alice sitting in the chair beside his bed.
“Where do you suppose they’re at, right now?”
“Oh, Alice, you’re awake.” Joyce turned on the night light, and saw the fatigue on Alice’s face. The poor woman. She touched the computer screen, which brightened the room more, and read Leonard’s electronic patient records, as she answered Alice. “Well we know they made it to Baghdad yesterday.” Joyce looked at the wall, where the photo print outs of Vicky in the t-shirt from the hotel, had been taped up. “So they probably spent the night there, and are just now waking up. It’s tomorrow there, now.”
“Do you think she’s all right, Joyce?” Alice needed a different kind of reassurance right then, even from an acquaintance.
“I do, actually.” Joyce sat down beside Alice, “Vicky is cunning, smart and street savvy. If she can fall in love with someone rough and tough, like Aidan, and tame her into a likeable person, she can certainly take care of herself over there. And don’t forget, your daughter just went through six weeks of intense training. She’s ready for whatever comes.”
“From your lips, to God’s ears, Joyce.”
Chapter 15
There was a hazy dust settling over the city of Baghdad, as the sun crested the horizon, washing the sand colored buildings in an amber hue. A cool breeze rustled the palm trees, making a welcomed sound, over the terror of recent militant attacks. The city began to wake up, with the sound of morning prayers going up, and store vendors yelling down the street, that they’re open for business. The smell of bread baking, and eggs cooking, wafted up through the balcony doors, and encircled the two lovers, sleeping arm-in-arm, on the hotel room floor.
Aidan woke first, to find Vicky snuggled in close beside her, sound asleep. That’s my girl, she thought, as she pulled the blanket up over Vicky’s soft, nude shoulders. This is just what I needed this morning, thank you, baby. Vicky unconsciously draped her arm over Aidan’s stomach, and began to snore softly, bringing a smile to Aidan’s heart. She didn’t move for the next fifteen minutes. She just wanted to lay there next to her lover, and enjoy the moment. She memorized her closeness, her warmth, her beauty, until finally, Vicky woke up on her own.
“Good morning, baby.”
Stretching away her left-over slumber, Vicky looked up at Aidan, and smiled, “Good morning, sweetheart.”
“Are you ready to get this over with?”
It dawned on Vicky, what this day signified, “Oh, God yes! Let’s get ready and go!” Suddenly wide awake and motivated, Vicky jumped up, grabbed her clothes, and ran into the bathroom to shower.
Grinning at her lover’s renewed motivation, Aidan began packing up their supplies. She reached for her cell phone, that was charging on the dresser, and checked her email. There was one from Yvonne that read, ‘I printed them out, and hung them in his CVICU room. Will continue to pray for him, and both of you, love Yvonne.’.
Aidan exclaimed out loud, “CVICU, that’s for heart surgery. Oh shit! Pop must have had surgery. That’s why Vicky—” She threw the phone down on the bed, and rushed into the bathroom. “Vicky?” She pulled the curtain back, startling Vicky.
“What’s wrong, Aidan?”
Aidan looked at her with a mixture of anger and apprehension, “What’s happening with your dad?” When Vicky didn’t answer, Aidan explained about the email from Yvonne, “He’s had another heart attack, hasn’t he?”
Vicky’s eyes filled up. No longer able to hide the truth, she nodded her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me? We have to go back.”
As Aidan turned to go, Vicky grabbed her arm, “No, we can’t leave.”
Aidan didn’t understand what she meant, but she did understand the tears streaming down her lover’s face. She stepped into the shower, and pulled Vicky into her arms.
“No, Aidan. You’ll get your pajamas all wet.”
“I don’t care about them, I care about you.” Aidan held her tighter. “Please, tell me what’s going on. Please, don’t shut me out anymore, Vicky.”
Vicky finally swallowed back her tears, and explained about her father’s critical heart condition. She expounded on why she had to see this mission through, because of a promise she had made to him. What she didn’t say was that not being with her dad was almost too much to bear, but she didn’t have to say a word. Aidan knew what this had to be doing to her, because she loved the old man too.
“Oh, kid, are you sure about this?”
“Yes, it might be his last wish, and I can’t deny him that, Aidan, I have to do this for him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, baby?”
“I…, I was afraid you’d insist on going back, and I need your help to make my father’s last wish happen.”
Now Aidan’s eyes welled up. She tucked her finger under Vicky’s chin, and lifted it toward her. “First of all, Pop is not going to die, you’ll see, he’ll dance at our wedding. And secondly, we will do this together, and make him proud.” She could feel Vicky’s tension ebb slightly, and knew she was getting through to her. “I do need a favor from you, though.”
“Anything darling.”
“I need you to lock this pain in a box, and hide the key, because in order for us to go into a war zone, we have to be focused only on the mission, like we were taught in training. You and I have both been compromised with this…, no, that’s not the way I want to say that. I’m trying to say that I�
��m upset too. We’re both upset, and we have to put that aside, if humanly possible, and get this fucking mission over with, so we can get home to Pop.”
Though it probably shouldn’t have, it gave Vicky some comfort that Aidan was upset also.
“Anyway, can you do that for me, baby? Can you put it to the side until afterwards?”
She looked up at Aidan, and nodded her head, “Whatever it takes, Aidan. I’m locking that box, right now.” She mustered a smile on her face, and joked, “I hope you’re not going into Syria, dressed in your wet pj’s? ”
Aidan held out her hand, and looked up at the showerhead, “Oh, damn, I didn’t even notice it was raining.” She winked at Vicky, then grabbed a towel, “Listen, call and check on Pop one more time, before we leave, and then lock that box away, okay?”
Wasting no time, Vicky immediately sloshed out of the shower, and over to the table in the other room. She snatched up her phone, unaware of the trail of water she had dripped behind her.
Grinning at her lover, Aidan walked over to the bed, and pulled the blanket off, wrapping it around Vicky. Then she grabbed her clothes, and went back into the bathroom. It didn’t take Aidan long to shower, and when she was done, she found Vicky dressed, and ready to go.
“How was your dad?”
“I couldn’t get through to the states. I tried several times, but it just kept dropping the damn call. I had to give up, before I smashed the phone into a million pieces.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I doubt there will be satellite service out in the desert, but we can try again, just as soon as we get back, okay? And I promise, we’ll do this just as quickly as we can, and get back, as soon as possible.” Aidan knew it was small consolation, but it was the best she could do, under the circumstances.
***
When the sun peeked through a jagged hole, in what was left of a brick wall, it glinted off the only thing left untouched by the bomb’s destructive blast, a crucifix. It had only been a few months ago, that the blast had killed so many at St. Frances, and when they heard about that crucifix, the employees instantly saw it as a sign from God. They asked if they could use the cross for their prayer vigils, and Vicky had a special case made for it, then gave it to Linda Cavanaugh, Nurse Manager, on the CVICU unit, though any nurse on any floor, could borrow it. An impromptu prayer vigil, can be a powerful thing, not only for the patient, but the patient’s family, as well. And the employees who participate, consider it the best medicine of all.
Linda had worked at St. Frances for over ten years, and was about to take another job at a different hospital, when Vicky took over as CEO. The hospital’s attitude changed almost overnight, as Vicky acknowledge the importance of the bedside nurse. No administrator before her, had even seem to know what a nurse did, let alone their importance to the hospital. But Vicky was not only the CEO, she was also a Registered Nurse, and she would always be one.
It was Linda who arranged the prayer vigil, for Vicky’s father. Linda ask permission for some of the employees to pray for him, and Alice gratefully agreed. The call went out, and in a matter of minutes, twenty employees had gathered in the hallway. Alice wept openly, as employee after employee, gathered outside of CVICU, and prayed for Leonard.
Ruth joined the gathering congregation, as did Kate, Maddie, and Yvonne. Kate stood next to Ruth, and held her hand. Ruth was grateful, and also impressed with how restrained she was being. Yvonne put her arm across Alice’s shoulder, and braced her up, as they all said a prayer together. After the prayer, several of them gathered back in the solarium suite, reserved for Leonard and Alice.
Ruth was unusually subdued, and sat down on the couch. Alice stared out the window, fighting back her tears, and Yvonne made coffee, and put out some pastries. Kate passed tissues around, as Maddie sat beside Ruth. No one was talking, which made Alice’s sniffles that much louder. Maddie slipped her hand into Ruth’s, and the warmth of her connection, eased the stress of waiting.
There was a tap on the door, and everyone drew a breath, as Yvonne opened it. It was the hospital priest.
“Oh, no!”
***
Operation Pink Knight, led by team leader Aidan Cassidy, now known as Josephine Harper, left Baghdad behind, driving north on the expressway, until they crossed the Euphrates river. They veered off of the thruway, and took a northwesterly route, using the older jarring roads of Iraq, towards the Syrian border. Aidan and Jerry sat in the front seat of the specially made truck, and Vicky stretched out in the back. The mid-size, sport utility, four by four truck, had no roof, no windows, or side doors. It did have a windshield, wide grove tires, and a roll bar, with a mounted light bar, for off road illumination. It was a short bed truck, with a front and back seat, but did not have shock absorbers, much to Vicky’s chagrin.
To while away her time, Vicky watched the dry landscape passing by. She was amazed at how desolate the tepid desert looked. She had been to Arizona once, and it looked nothing like what she saw now. She recalled that desert landscape had more life to it, with its Giant Saguaro, and the Teddy Bear Cholla cactus, mixed in with other shrubs. All she saw here, was the occasional abandoned vehicle strewed about, and large crater holes, that she imagine were caused by IED's. Still, there was a quiet beauty about the land that she appreciated. Like the way the sun refracted off the sand, making it look like it sparkled. Vicky had never seen that before, and loved all the different colors, the desert was displaying for her.
But where Vicky saw beauty, Jerry saw danger. He was busy watching the road, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious, and that’s when he spotted a vehicle coming their way, that was acting different from the others. He was concerned because it was acting more aggressive, and didn’t seem to care about the rules of the road. Jerry insisted that Aidan go off the road, until they got past that car. It was a good thing that Aidan trusted him, and veered off the road, because that vehicle turned around, and pursued them. But Aidan floored it, and out distanced them, in short order. Unfortunately for Vicky, traveling at high speeds on the desert floor, had its challenges. She could barely hold on, the ride was so rough. Every time they hit a bump or a rock, she was thrown into the air, holding onto the roll bar for dear life, because this four by four didn’t have seatbelts. It was built for wartime and speed, not for comfort.
“Can we…,” *bump* “get back…,” *bump* “on the road now?”
Aidan swerved back onto the road, and then swerved again to miss a pothole.
Vicky yelled from the back seat, “Keep it up, and I’m going to puke all over you!”
Aidan smiled, glad to have the feisty Vicky back.
They snacked in the truck, and stopped only long enough to relieve themselves. Always on alert, always on guard. It was early afternoon when they arrived at the border checkpoint, where three cars waited in line, ahead of them. The large sign stretching across the road read, Syrian Arab Republic Welcomes You. On the other side of that sign were three or four buildings, forming a makeshift border town.
“Okay, you guys, keep sharp, don’t volunteer anything, and for God’s sake, remember what your name is.” Aidan was getting anxious, her knee was noticeably bouncing up and down.
“Jo, control your leg, or we’ll have to leave it behind.” Vicky joked, hoping some levity would calm her lover down. She was right, Aidan stopped twitching, and winked at her, through the rear view mirror.
It was finally their turn at the checkpoint. They were met by two guards carrying sub machine guns. The three handed over their passports to one of the guards, who disappeared into the guard shack. The other guard checked their permits, then rifled through their gear. Finally, the first guard returned with their passports, and asked in Arabic, where they were headed. Aidan responded back in Arabic, “Mt. Hermon, hiking.”
The two guards stepped to the side, out of ear shot, and compared notes. Nervously, Aidan watched them in the mirror, and for a split second, considered gunning the engine and driving away, as fast as possible. Ins
tead, she held her breath, and waited for them to return. As the guards walked back to the truck, one of them noticed the camera around Vicky’s neck, and motioned for her to give it to him. She cautiously took it off, and handed it over, terrified that he would discover her engagement ring inside. He motioned excitedly, for her to get out of the vehicle, and she did as she was told. Aidan started to get out with her, but they waved her off, so she moved her hand slowly, over to her hunting knife, and waited. Jerry followed her example, ready to jump, at a moment’s notice. There were only the two guards, he was confident they could take them out, if needed.
The guard motioned for Vicky to come over to him, so she swallowed back her fear, glanced at Aidan, and cautiously walked around the truck, and over to the guard. He looked at her, and then said something to the other guard, and they both grinned. The man holding Vicky’s camera, motioned for her to take her baseball cap off.
“Jo?” she looked over at Aidan with fear in her eyes. Aidan nodded to her, and unsnapped the sheath on her hip, edging the knife up just a little.
As Vicky removed her cap, she unconsciously combed her hair back. The guard’s eyes grew large with excitement, at the sight of her silky, blonde hair. He smiled at her, obviously appreciating her beauty, and motioned for his buddy to take the camera. Then he put his arm around Vicky, and smiled. When Vicky realized all he wanted was a photograph with her, she played along, posing and smiling nervously, for the picture. Then he pulled out his own camera, handed it to Aidan, and both guards posed with Vicky for a group shot. Finally satisfied, the guards gave the camera and passports back, and waved them on.
Remember, It’s You I Love: Operation Pink Knight Page 18