by Jamie Davis
“You’re ok,” He said, reassuring her. “I’m Dean, a paramedic. We found you next to the trees and think you were injured by a pesticide spray last night.” Her eyes fluttered open. He leaned over so she could see him and smiled down at her. “It’s going to be alright.”
“I-I feel so tired,” She said in a weak voice.
“That’s normal,” Dean reassured her. “What’s your name? Do you remember anything from last night or early this morning?”
“I’m Daphne,” She said. “I remember hearing the trucks, but I didn’t pay any attention to them. I hear traffic going by my tree all the time. You think it was spraying the trees with something and that’s what did this to me?”
“They sprayed for bugs overnight,” He said. “The effects of the spray they probably used matches your symptoms. That’s our best guess, and you seem to be responding to our treatments for that problem, too.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. Dean checked the monitor. Her heart rate was faster and her breathing was approaching normal. He checked his watch and got two more Atropine syringes ready to give her at the ten minute mark. That would be right before they arrived at the hospital. They could treat the symptoms for now, until her body processed the poison out of her system naturally.
———
They were moving the girl from the stretcher to a hospital gurney when Ashley came into the ER room.
“Hi, Dean. Hi, Brynne,” She said cheerfully. “What do we have today?” She logged into the computer workstation on the wall while she talked.
“This is Daphne,” Dean said. “She’s a Dryad. She was in her tree when a municipal pesticide spraying program blasted her tree with a suspected organophosphate insecticide. She’s responded well to two doses of Atropine two milligrams IV. The last dose was just about five minutes ago.”
The ER nurse typed in the information into the workstation’s health record program. When she was done she looked up at Dean. “We still on for dinner tonight?” Ashley asked.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Dean said. “I’ve got an invite to Sabatani’s from Kristof after he was in our CERT class so I think I’ll take him up on it.”
“Sounds good to me,” Ashley said. “Ok, let me get Daphne here squared away and I’ll see you tonight.” She winked at him, smiled and turned her attention to her patient while the paramedics rolled the stretcher from the room.
Brynne muttered under her breath just loud enough for him to hear, “If you two get any sweeter when you’re together, you’re going to give everyone around you diabetes.”
Dean chuckled to himself. He didn’t care. He was happy when Ashley was around. She made him forget everything that was going wrong in his life. She made him forget the Cause, and Mike and Zach. He just hoped it stayed that way.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Dean went right home after work, showered and changed. He looked in the mirror and thought he had done a pretty good job of cleaning up. He had shaved, put on his best jeans, and ironed a long-sleeved gray and white checked button-down shirt. He slipped on his white sneakers, grabbed his keys and headed out to pick up Ashely at her apartment downtown. This was their first real night out in a restaurant that wasn’t a diner or a hospital cafeteria. It was a real date, and he wanted everything to be perfect. All of their meetings up to this point had been grabbing a meal before or after work at Hank’s Diner or the coffee shop at the hospital. This date had to be memorable he decided.
He also hoped their relationship moved forward in other ways. The question was, how did you approach an angel about something physical like sex. She was an excellent kisser but Dean was about kissed out. He respected her too much to push anything, so he had resolved to be patient. But it had been eight weeks since they started seeing each other officially. He just couldn’t figure out how to approach the subject with her. Ashley didn’t seem the one to be all proper, and she had a mischievous streak and a wicked funny sense of humor.
Mrs. Baxter, his landlady, was watering the garden in front of her house when he came down the stairs from his apartment above their garage. She looked over at him and smiled.
“Big date tonight, Dean?” She asked.
“I’m taking my girlfriend Ashley out to Sabatani’s downtown,” He replied.
“I’ve seen you two together the few times she’s come over,” Mrs. Baxter said. “You treat that girl nice, Dean. She’s a keeper.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Dean said with a laugh. The Baxters had taken him under their wing and often treated him the way he imagined his own parents might treat him, if had been around, and if they actually cared. He decided he liked the attention.
He got in his pickup truck in front of the house, returned Mrs. Baxter’s wave of encouragement, and headed downtown from his residential neighborhood on the outskirts of town. His landlady had nothing to worry about from him. He fully intended to treat Ashley nice. He thought she was a keeper, too.
The drive to Ashley’s apartment took only about 15 minutes, and he pulled up in front of the building where she lived. He was looking for a spot to park when she stepped out the front door, waved and walked over to his truck. He thought he cleaned up nice, but that was nothing compared to Ashley. She wore tight-fitting blue jeans that clung to the curve of her hips, accentuated by the way she walked in the tan heels she wore. Her burgundy top hung loosely down to just above her hips, and she wore a collection of necklaces made of different sized wooden beads that nestled down into the hint of cleavage he could see above her blouse. Damn, she looked nice. Yep, he thought with pride, looking around to see if anyone he knew was nearby to see his amazingly hot date. She was going out with him tonight, and everything felt nearly perfect.
He jumped out and ran around the pickup to open the passenger door for her. She quirked an eyebrow at the gesture, smiled and climbed into the truck. He crossed back around to the driver’s side and got in. He checked his mirror and pulled out into traffic.
“Thank you for getting my door, Dean,” Ashley said. “I like a man who hasn’t forgotten the little things of manners like that.”
“Well, it is our first real date night out on the town,” Dean said. He glanced over at her as he drove. “You look really nice tonight.”
“Thank you,” she replied with a demure smile. She rested her hand on his thigh, and he dropped his right hand down to hold it as he drove, steering with his left. It was nice riding with her; it felt right somehow. They continued crossing town to the restaurant district while chatting about their day. Ashley told him that Daphne, the Dryad they brought in to the ER, was going to be fine. The docs were keeping her overnight as a precaution to monitor her, but they expected a full recovery. He was glad to hear it. It had been a little touch and go until they had figured out what was going on. He remarked on it.
“It’s funny how much we end up being detectives on the job,” Dean said. “We don’t always know what’s going on, and then you throw in the Unusual side of things. It becomes a huge challenge. I like it, but it leaves me worried about what could happen if I make the wrong decision.”
“It’s like that for us in the hospital, too,” Ashley agreed. “The patients who can talk to us don’t always tell us the truth, only what they think we need to know. Sometimes they outright lie to us, even though we are just trying to help them. The unconscious patients are just as much a mystery to us in the beginning as they are for you.” She gave his hand a squeeze.
Dean glanced over at her as he was driving. She always offered him a perspective that sured up his concerns in a positive, non-confrontational way. He liked that about her. She genuinely liked helping people. It was one of the things he found so attractive about her. He checked his driving and realized they were getting close, so he started looking for a spot to park, eventually opting to use a parking lot across the street from the restaurant. He paid the attendant as they pulled in and then selected a parking space near the back of the lot. Dean jumped out to help Ashley down out of the passenger s
ide, but she had already gotten herself out by the time he got there. He shut the door behind her as she walked towards the sidewalk.
They crossed over to Sabatani’s and entered the restaurant. It was bustling and busy, but he had made a reservation directly with Kristof, and he walked up to the hostess station to check in. She looked up and smiled as he approached. It was Anuja, the Fairy girl from the roadside accident and the fire scene.
“Well, hello, Anuja,” Dean said. “I didn’t know you worked here?”
“I have only been here a short time,” She said. “Just a few months. It is good to see you under better circumstances, though.” She turned to Ashley as she followed him up and nodded her head and shoulders in a quick bow. “Eldara, it is good to see you as well. If you both will follow me, I will take you to your table.” Anuja picked up two menus and a wine list and headed into the restaurant, gesturing for them to follow her. She led them to corner booth near the back and pulled out the table a bit so the two of them could more easily slip into the booth. The fairy hostess slid the table back into place, and set the menus down in front of each of them in turn.
“Your server will be with you shortly,” Anuja said. “Enjoy your meal.” She bowed slightly to Ashley again before she turned and walked back to her podium at the entrance.
“It’s nice dining with royalty,” Dean said with a chuckle as he picked up his menu. “I wonder if I treat you in a manner that befits your exalted station.”
“Oh, stop it,” Ashley said chastising him. “You treat me just fine. The other Unusuals just treat the Eldara that way because there aren’t many of us roaming the earth at any given time. Plus, it’s rare to have us living among them. They treat us with respect because our arrival often signals some significant event is on the way.”
“But you’ve been living here for what, four or five years?” Dean asked. “That’s what Brynne told me anyway.”
“I’ve been here just over five years,” She said. “I came at the beginning of the Station U program as soon as I heard about it. I’m a healer, Dean. That is my purpose in the world. I travel around and help human healers navigate through significant events they find themselves facing. Eventually, I will move on to another pending event, to lend help where it is needed.”
“Oh,” Dean said sadly. He had hoped she would be around for a while.
“Hey,” Ashley said. She leaned over and bumped him with her shoulder. “None of that. I’m here now and plan to be for some time to come.”
“But, eventually, you’ll leave,” Dean said.
“Yes, Dean, I’ll leave,” She said. “But ‘eventually’ to an Eldara can be a long time.”
Dean looked at her, trying to figure out how long she had been on the earth. She must be so old. “Do Eldara, uh, live forever?” He asked.
“Are you asking a lady how old she is, Dean?” Ashley asked with a chuckle. “You should know better than that. Time doesn’t hold the same meaning to us as it does to humans and most of the Unusuals. We appear, do our jobs and then transition back to a period of waiting. But the waiting does not pass for us as normal time does, so it as if an instant passes between our assignments.”
“Do you talk to God to get your assignments?” Dean asked, curious. He had never been a religious person, but he had been to church on occasion, and his interaction with the patients of Station U had created a curiosity about things bigger than he was.
“No, Dean,” She said. “Talking to God is a privilege reserved for humans and mortal Unusuals. It is something special you have. You can have a relationship with the divine that we cannot. We are their servants, their messengers. Instead of talking to God, we get a feeling, a direction to go somewhere or do something. You would call it a nudge. Once there, we must follow our instincts to solve the problems we face there, in support of the humans who asked for divine assistance.”
“So you’re the answer to a prayer?” Dean asked. “I certainly believe it. You’re an answer to mine.”
“It can be a single prayer, or it can be a collective request for assistance,” She said. “I think my presence here is more of the latter. The relationship with you is a nice perk of this particular assignment, though.” Ashley slid closer to him in the booth as she went back to perusing her menu.
Dean went back to looking at his menu as well. He was distracted from reading it with her leaning against him. He thought about everything he had just learned about Ashley and the Eldara. He was still thinking about it when the server showed up to check on their readiness to order. Dean hated to make people wait, so he deferred to Ashley while he quickly made a choice of the chicken parmesan over spaghetti noodles with red sauce. He relayed his choice to the server after Ashley ordered the fresh fish of the day in a garlic butter sauce, with capers.
Kristof, the owner, came over as the server left. Dean had gotten to know him very well over the course of the last seven weeks in the CERT class. It was Kristof’s invitation to Dean and Brynne that made the paramedic bring Ashley to the restaurant tonight to take advantage of the Firefighter/Paramedic/Police discount he offered.
“Dean,” Kristof said as he came over. “How are you? And you bring such exalted company with you? You are truly a lucky man.”
“I’m fine, Kristof,” Dean replied. “Have you met Ashley Moore, from the hospital?”
“I have not had the pleasure, although I had heard there was an Eldara Sister living in Elk City,” The restauranteur said. “My lady, it is a pleasure to serve you and have you grace my humble establishment.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Ashley said. “It is a lovely place, and I can’t wait to taste the excellent food you must serve here.”
“I will check back with you later, Eldara, to make sure you were satisfied with your choice,” Kristof said with a bow. Some of the patrons, humans obviously, looked in their direction, wondering who Dean and Ashley were to get such treatment.
“Thank you, Kristof,” Dean said. “I know the food here is excellent. I’m sure we’ll be pleased with our choices.”
The owner of the eatery left them to themselves as the waitress returned with their drinks. Dean had ordered a Sprite since he was driving that evening. Ashley had ordered a cosmopolitan.
Ashley raised her glass to Dean as she picked it up. “To a wonderful evening and good company!” She said.
Dean raised his glass and touched it to hers with a clinking crystal. He approved of her words but wondered what the angel meant by ‘good company.’ What that all he was?” He took a sip of his soda while he pondered the question.
Their conversation turned to mundane dinner conversation about their days, and then to challenging Dean to see if he could pick out the Unusuals clustered among the restaurant’s staff and patrons. He was surprised how his skills were developing. He spotted the vampire and date because she wasn’t eating anything, just drinking what looked like a particularly dark red wine. The gentleman with her seemed a little nervous but ate a regular pasta meal. Others he couldn’t quite place. He didn’t know what variety of Unusual they were, but was pretty sure they were of a mythical nature. Ashley confirmed his suspicions, or told him when he was off track. Overall, he did quite well with that particular game.
Their dinner came, and Ashley raved about her fresh fish, the Branzino, a Mediterranean variety Dean had never heard of. His chicken parmesan was excellent, as well, and the two of them fell silent as they devoured their dinners. He offered her a bite of his chicken, and she slid her plate over so he could try the fish. He wasn’t a fan of fish, but the Branzino in garlic butter sauce was pretty good. He might even be tempted to order that the next time he was here.
The two of them passed on dessert as their dinners had filled them nicely. When the waitress brought the check by, Dean reached for it out of reflex, but Ashley quickly leaned across the table and snatched the folder containing the check from in front of him.
“Hey,” Dean protested. “I’ve got that. I planned for this.”
“I know what paramedics make,” Ashley countered. “Besides, I have resources I’ve set aside over the years. I’m not poor.”
“I thought you appreciated an old fashioned kind of guy?” Dean asked. “You complimented me on opening your door.”
“There’s a difference between good manners on a date and outmoded systems of patriarchal control that makes the man think he always needs to pay the check,” she responded. “I have little need for the money I make at the hospital. Let me spend a little on you.” She looked over the check, took a credit card out of her purse and placed it in the folder. The waitress came over and took it from her when she held it up. Dean caught a look at the color of the card as Ashley slipped it into the folder with the check.
“Was that an Amex Black Card?” Dean asked incredulously. He had heard of, but had never actually seen the mythical credit card issued by invitation only to the wealthiest of the American Express card-holders.
“I told you, Dean,” Ashley said. “I don’t have much need of money. I have lived a very long time and accumulated substantial assets. It enables me to do what I do without encumbrances, like needless worrying about finances.”
“I feel like I hardly know you, Ashley Moore,” Dean said. “Every time I think I have you figured out, you drop another curiosity bomb on me.”
“Women like to be mysterious, Dean,” She purred as she leaned in close to him. “It is what keeps the men coming back. If you’re interested in digging a little deeper, let’s head back to my apartment. I have a thing or two to teach you about me.”
Dean blushed, which made Ashley giggle and give him a hug. He found himself waiting impatiently for the waitress to return with the check. He wanted to find out what else his angel had in store for him that evening.