Chapter 8: Sad Goodbyes

I had set my phone alarm to wake me at 9:00pm so that I could tell Sylvia good-bye. I expected her to be back around that time, and I wasn't disappointed since she showed up shortly after I woke up.

"Henry, you are looking much better, and I hear good things about you. You have been walking a lot, and tomorrow you leave. I must say that I'm going to miss you terribly, but life must go on, right?"

"Sylvia, you have no idea how much I am going to miss seeing you each evening. This past weekend was almost too much to bear with both you and Carin gone. I had no one I could really talk to. The weekend nurses were friendly, but not really talkative, so I mostly walked and tried to exercise in my room. Did you call my friend Susan?"

"Yes I did. Thomas and I have appointments next week, several I think she said. There a couple of museums up there in Dallas and the one I am really interested in is the Sixth Floor Museum. That is the one that is about the assassination and legacy of President Kennedy. It shows all the Dealey Plaza and its part in all that mess. After that of course there is the Old Red Museum that has all the early Dallas County history, which is really kind of a history of Texas and how this part of the country grew up. Then maybe I'll take Thomas to the Frontiers of Flight Museum. That one is out by Love Field. I hear they have some really strange exhibits there of some of the weirder planes and devices people tried to fly in. And of course, there is the Museum of the American Railroad with all their old steam engines and early pioneer transportation things to see. So we can keep busy and be close to Plano, yet be entertained too."

"Yeah, I know there is not much to see in Plano, except the hospitals, but you might want to check with Susan if you are still looking for work."

"Oh I'm still looking but Susan said to bring my resume with me, and if I have them, my last three performance reports. Plus I need to bring all my state training certificates and nursing license. I think, but she wouldn't say, she will have several interviews lined up for me. She also asked me to be sure that Thomas brought a few resumes as well. Henry, you are doing too much for us. There was no need to go this far."

"First let me say, I didn't ask Susan to do that. If all of that is going to happen, then she is initiating it not me. And secondly, friends help other friends. One of the major things we, meaning our team, learned is that you never miss an opportunity to help friends when they need help. You or they might not be around for the next time. It's something we learned the hard way losing some of our friends like we did. I think Susan was just sending the message that you have become a part of our adopted family. Our team became a family, and we watched out for each of us. That is why we only lost one person from our team, but he did what he had to do to save the rest of the team and his family. That is why when I took over the team; I made sure the everyone on the team was always safe even at the expense of my own life if it came to that. I didn't have to pay the price your son did, but I'll bet he was not alone out there, and his 'family' took care of him and vice versa. It is just who we are and what we do as a military man or woman. We take care of our own. You and Thomas are now one of us, so get used to it."

Sylvia was in tears, and slammed into me and hugged me like no tomorrow. I could hear through the tears, "Thank you Henry; you have helped us more than you can ever imagine."

"I think we need to walk a bit; I may be getting stiff joints with all this sitting around and lying in bed. Nurse Wrachett, I do believe that you have a duty to perform, something about making sure I walk some before I leave here."

I got a look that told me I'd better be serious. Then my arm was grabbed, and I was pulled from the bed and told, "March mister, and that's an order. You need to march in double time until I call a halt. Do you understand Mister Morgan?"

"Yes Drill Sergeant, double time around the parade ground until I drop, or you call for a halt." And I smartly stepped off in a double time march, swinging my arms and almost goose stepping like I saw in an old British military movie. I got as far as the door when I heard laughter. Just what I wanted and needed to let Sylvia come down from her emotional high. I did a proper left turn and started stepping off in the hall. I almost got to the corner when I hear a subdued "Halt!"

I did the double step halt and stood at attention. Sylvia finally made it to me and leaned against the wall in front of me with tears running down her beautiful ebony face. She was also holding her stomach with both hands while sporadic giggles accenting her panting breath.

"Henry, I understand now how you have never married again; no woman would know what you would do next, and that would drive most women round the bend. Most women want someone they can figure out and to an extent control, but with you, I'm not even sure you know what you are going to do next. However, I will say this; you really know how to defuse an emotional situation."

"Sylvia, I know that we had a very emotional situation back there, and if it went on we would both be maudlin and crying all night. I felt that I had to do something to bring your good mood back into being. It seems that I did just that, right?"

"Yes Henry, you did and you were right about what would or could have happened if we went too far there. Thank you again for being who you are. I hope that we can remain friends after all this mess is over."

"Sylvia, I had planned to give you one of my business cards with my cell number and home address. That way, you can always call me or even come see me whenever you need me. I will try always to make time to see you if you need me. Now do I continue to march or can we stroll around the block a few times in the moonlight, and you can see if I'm getting much better due to your excellent care."

"Oh hush now you sweet talking devil. I think I can really understand why Carin is so taken with you. You swept her off her feet with all this sweet talk. I should warn her if you are going to be staying with her. You are something Mr. Henry Morgan. I can see where the piracy comes from; it's in your genes along with the gift of the silver tongue that all you pirates have, isn't that right Mr. Pirate?"

"Argh, I's be a pirate of the main, and I take thee wench fer me own and nary a soul says different. Now let's be off to my lair and me treasure. But no ye tell t'others o' me secrets nor me booty. Now lass we be off fer ravshcin, drinkin, and more."

"Oh please mister pirate sir, I am but a fair maiden and nere had a draught to drink, nor lain with a man. Please be gentle with me Sir, I beg of thee?"

"Now who's playing their role to the hilt, fair maiden? Good, I'm so glad I could bring some laughter into your life, Sylvia. There are too many depressing times in our lives as it is; we need more laughter and joy. This is a joyous occasion, so let us enjoy the time we have left together and not be morose for parting, for it is only temporary. My Lady?" I held my arm out for her to take, and we strolled down the corridor. Silent, except for the echoing of our squeaking shoes on the tile floor.

We were on our next sweep of the block when Sylvia spoke again.

"You know it really is a beautiful night. A slight breeze wafting the scent of junipers and magnolias in the air and a full moon shining upon us. One can almost imagine a stream trickling over yonder, flowing into a lake with swans swimming gracefully across the surface making moonlit waves upon the still waters. I also know that Carin is a very lucky woman to get to know the man I have come to know as Henry Morgan. He is educated, gentle, kind to lost children, and yet, is a warrior most fierce in battle. I could think of no other to be the paramour of our precious angel Carin Winslow."

"And I think I should have worn my hip waders; it seems to be getting a little deep in here for me. All kidding aside though, it has been a real honor and privilege to get to know you Sylvia; and please let us keep in touch with each other."

"Please Henry believe me when I say that the pleasure has been all mine. For me to meet a really honest-to-goodness hero and to have him help me and my husband to cope with our loss. That is just too much."

"Sylvia, don't count yourself short. Real honest-to-goodness heroes are all around you, the doctors who save a life, the nurses who in their own way help a person in need or pain to get better and treat them like a human being and not some number, they are heroes too. I bow to your care Sylvia. Without you and your warm heart; I don't think I would have recovered as fast as I have. Your visits were something I waited for with bated breath because I knew you cared. That in itself made me want to get better to prove to you that you were helping me get well again. You and your bubbly nature made me want to get better so that I could spend more time with you. Circumstances with the slow demise of this hospital have allowed us more time to get to know each of us more than we normally would. To become more than just patient and nurse, but to become friends. I shall always cherish our friendship and our time together, short though it was."