Chapter 14

"Val, what's wrong?" Beth asked.

"That was the police. It's Brad. He was in an accident. They took him to the emergency room by ambulance!"

Beth grabbed me. "Let's go," she said as she took Val's arm and led the stunned girl out of the city office and down the stairs to the parking lot.

"Tommy, let me have your keys!"

"Why? I can drive."

"NOW!"

I dug in my pocket. When my lady uses that tone there's no argument.

How we made it to the hospital without needing an ambulance ourselves I don't know. There were probably a couple of the Laws of Relativity broken, along with every speed limit.

Once in the hospital we ran into the usual officious bureaucratic sort, in this case the rent-a-cop guarding the double doors into the Emergency Room.

"May I ask who you are here for?"

"Brad Hutchins," Val responded in a shaky voice. "We're here for Brad Hutchins."

"And are you a relative?"

"I'm his sister," fast-thinking Beth responded. "And this is his wife and her brother." There was no way to untangle that mess ... even if it had been true.

The guard handed us each a badge with "17" printed on it.

"You'll find him in Treatment Room Seventeen," he said, as if we couldn't read.

"Thank you," Beth said as the doors to the inner sanctum opened.

We found Seventeen and opened the door to an empty room. Just as we were going to back out a nurse walked in from the station. "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for Brad Hutchins. He was brought in by ambulance," Beth responded.

"He's down in X-ray right now. Are you family?"

Beth repeated her bit of creative fiction and the nurse seemed to accept us as family. "He's in X-ray to check his left leg. He came in with a compound fracture of his left femur. As serious as that is, his left ankle was also crushed during the accident."

"W-will he be okay?" Val asked as she chewed her bottom lip.

"It's too early to tell. They'll be monitoring him for any signs of internal injuries, too. One of the orthopeds was seeing some patients and came down to check on him. He'll know more when the X-rays are done. That may take a while. Why don't I get you a beeper and you can wait in the cafeteria, if you want to."

She went back out to the nursing station and brought back a small pager. "When this goes off he'll be back here. Make sure you hang on to your passes so the guard will let you back in."

We thanked her and left the room. Once in the hallway Val lost it.

"Oh, my God, What's going to happen if they can't fix his leg? And what's an orthoped?"

Beth wrapped the shaking girl in her arms. "Val, don't worry about it. It's amazing what they can do these days. An orthoped is probably just hospital-speak for an orthopedic surgeon. Val, he's in good hands. This is one of the top hospitals in the country, as both Tommy and I can attest."

"Y-you've both been in here?"

"Beth was brought here with a case of exposure after some guys forced her car off the road a couple of years ago, and I was in here to have my appendix removed."

None of us were hungry, so we just grabbed Cokes and waited. We sat in the cafeteria for almost an hour before the beeper went off.

When we got back to the room, Brad was lying in the bed looking like he was half out of it from sedation. His left leg was in a cast and his foot was all wrapped up.

"Brad? Are you okay?" Val asked her fiancé.

"Huh? Oh, hi. I feel like I was hit by a truck," he laughed as if he'd said something funny.

"Don't do that! Dammit, I could have lost you today!" Val cried.

About then a doctor walked in, chart in hand.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Jameson. Well, Mr. Hutchins, it looks like we've got some broken bones we're going to have to fix for you." Why do doctors always use "we" when talking to patients?

"We're going to move you up to a room soon and tomorrow we'll start rebuilding your ankle. It's pretty badly busted up, but I don't think we'll run into anything we can't handle. As far as your femur is concerned, that will have to stay in a cast for a few weeks and we'll be monitoring your leg for any signs of infection. I don't expect any complications, but with any open wound, infection is something to watch for."

After the doctor left Brad filled us in. "I don't remember anything. I was driving to city hall and the next thing I knew I was here. They told me a truck had run a red light and hit the driver's side right next to me.

"I'm sorry, Val, but it looks like I screwed things up."

Valery gazed evenly at her fiancé. "Don't worry about it. The doctors will fix you up and we'll try again."

A shadow passed across Brad's face. He didn't say anything, but it was obvious something was bothering him,

"Why don't we leave you two alone for a while?" Beth said, reaching for my hand. We walked back down to the cafeteria, grabbed an open table, and just stared at each other. I was thinking about the curves life can throw at a person and how lucky we'd been.

"Did you see the expression on Brad's face?" Beth didn't look any too happy herself.

"Yeah, I wonder what he's not telling us."

We sat there for an hour or so when Val joined us. "Dammit, I just can't get a break!" she moaned.

I had to choke back a chuckle over her choice of words and got a nudge under the table.

"Are they moving him now?" Beth asked.

"Yeah. He's going to be in 575 West. We can go up in a few minutes.

"First I get hung up over a guy who's out of his mind in love with you and now this." She put her face in her hands and started crying. Beth slid around the table to comfort our friend while I sat there trying to think of something reassuring to say. There's something about a crying woman that just leaves me tongue-tied.

We sat there until Val got her tears under control.

"I'm NOT going to let Brad see me like this! I'll be back," she said as she got up. Beth rose and went with her. When they returned a few minutes later she looked much better. Amazing what a little makeup and a helping hand can do.

We took the elevator to the fifth floor and followed the signs until we got to Brad's room. They had his left foot elevated with a pulley and rope gizmo, probably to keep him from doing any more damage during the night.

We'd pulled up chairs and talked for a few minutes when Brad reached out to take Val's hand. "I'm sorry for all this," he said. "Maybe it's better if you find someone who's not going to be a cripple."

Val almost laughed, then she saw the expression on his face. "What are you talking about? So it'll take some time to get back to normal, I can wait."

"Val, it's not fair for you to tie yourself to somebody like me. I'm going to be a cripple. I know what the doctor said, but I don't believe him. Just find a whole guy to love, not someone you're going to have to babysit for the rest of your life."

I stood up -- obviously this was a conversation best held in private. I turned around to catch Beth's eye only to see that she'd already walked out. I mumbled something about waiting down the hall and cravenly beat feet.

Beth was in the waiting area at the end of the hall. After sitting there for a short, uncomfortable time, she got up. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she said.

Her "few minutes" turned into almost half an hour before she came back down the hall. With her was a gentleman in a clerical collar.

"Tommy, this is Rev. Adams, he's the hospital chaplain."

I shook hands and gave my lady a questioning look. She just took my hand and the three of us walked back down to Brad's room where it was obvious he and Val weren't having much luck agreeing on their future together.

"Brad, Val, this is the Rev. Adams, he's the hospital chaplain. I thought maybe he could help." With that, she grabbed my hand and pulled me back down to the waiting area.

"Beth, what made you do that?" Neither of us were religious people and knew Val and Brad weren't either.

"I just thought an impartial third party might be able to help them work things out. It was pretty obvious the two of them weren't going to get anywhere by themselves and it would be easier taking to an outsider."

We were sitting back in the waiting area an hour later when Rev. Adams walked up.

"Tommy, Beth, can you come back in the room?" he asked, a funny little satisfied grin on his face.

"Sure," we replied in unison.

"You know, there're a lot of people who could use friends like the two of you," he said just before we got back to Brad's room. I wondered just what he meant by that.

Once in the room it was pretty obvious that Brad and Val had come to some sort of agreement. Val was sitting on the edge of the bed with her arm around Brad's shoulder while his was around her waist.

"Are the two of you still willing to stand up for us ... even if one of us can't, stand up, that is?" Val asked.

Beth and I looked at each other with the same surprised looks and immediately agreed.

"I realize this is a bit unusual," Rev. Adams said, "but after talking to both Brad and Val I can't see any reason not to complete what they had planned for today."

"Yeah," Brad said with a sheepish grin. "Val convinced me that she would take good care of me."

Looking at Val's face, I could see her determined look.

"I was able to get the orthopedic surgeon on the phone and he assured Brad that the damage wasn't permanent," Rev. Adams said. "Oh, he'll be in a cast for quite a while after they re-build his ankle and therapy will be tough. He said having someone with him will actually be a good thing and I agree."

"I still think it's unfair to expect Val to be my nurse," Brad interjected. "I don't want anyone thinking that's why I married her."

"Anyone who thinks that can go to Hell!" Val growled. "Oops! Sorry!" she said with an abashed look at Rev. Adams.

"That's okay," he replied. "That feisty attitude is one of the reasons I think this marriage is going to work."

"Besides," Val chuckled, "it's not everyone who can say they celebrated their honeymoon in the hospital!"

Driving home that afternoon Beth was wearing her self-satisfied grin that told me she'd done something sneaky.

"Did you have any idea that was going to happen?" I asked her.

"Who? Me?"

"Yes. You. You sneaky, underhanded, best friend anyone could ask for."

"Did I expect them to get married right there? No, but I figured a hospital chaplain would have some experience with situations like that and might be able to talk some sense into Brad."

"So strange ... three weddings and none of them alike," I said. "I wonder if they'll all stick."

"I hope so. With half the marriages failing these days the odds are against at least one of them, but I hope they all make it."

That night Beth wriggled up next to me, took my hand and put it in its usual place and I thought back to our first night together.

"Good night, my princess," I whispered just as I was drifting off. "And may flights of angels guard thy slumber."

"Mmmm..." was her only reply as she snuggled closer and joined me in dreamland.

The next morning I was finishing up Jim's proofs, all the while looking at the logo he'd done for me. I'd hung it right over my monitor and still couldn't believe it had been cut by nothing but water. When I was done I emailed the proofs to him and wondered what to do with my afternoon. I realized it had been a while since I'd seen Joe so I got in my Jeep and drove down to the photo shop.

"Hey, Tommy! How's it going?"

"Pretty good. I see it's about time to order some more adapters. I'll do that tonight. You got anything new and exciting?"

"Well, Nikon's got their new D4 if you've got six grand floating around."

"Yeah, I read about that, but that's a lot of money for just the body."

"One of these days, Tommy. One of these days."

"Hey, at least give me a chance to get through with school first," I kidded him.

That night Cheryl called. I'd emailed her the proofs from our day at the farm and I assumed she was calling to order some prints.

"Tommy, can I come over? I'd like to get a collage like you did for Gracie, but I'm not sure which pictures will go together best."

"Sure, Cheryl. We'll be here until just before seven. Beth has a rehearsal and I've got some set pieces to start on tonight."

"I can be there in ten minutes!" she said with a click.

True to her word, Cheryl knocked on our door ten minutes later. We spent a half hour or so debating which images to use—the only real question was which of the semi-nudes would look best as the centerpiece.

Once those decisions were made and she had chosen which image to use for the front, I made a note of the layout and promised the final prints, framed and ready for the big presentation, in a week.

"You going to show the final results to your sister?" I asked as I saved the layout and closed Photoshop.

Cheryl chewed her lower lip. "I don't know. I suppose it would only be fair, since she showed me hers, but she still thinks I'm just a little kid."

"Seeing these will change her mind about that," Beth quipped, which had Cheryl turning a delicious shade of pink.

Two days later her older sister called. She and Joey were back from their honeymoon and she wanted to see her pictures.

"Tommy, are you going to be around this afternoon and can I come over and get my proofs? Please, please?"

"I'll be here. Any time before six or so."

"Gimme half an hour!" And suddenly I was holding a dead phone to my ear. Twenty minutes later there was a knock on our door.

"Oh, Tommy, these are beautiful! But how am I going to choose which ones I want in the book?"

"Gracie, just take your time. Remember, I told you my fee includes a DVD with all of the pictures, so you can have me print them, or you can do it yourself. All you'd have to do is pick up a pack of inkjet photo paper if you want to do them yourself, or I can give you the name of a good lab."

"I can't believe you're going to give me everything. You sure that's fair for you? I don't know of any other wedding photographer that does that."

"Gracie, remember, I'm not a wedding photographer and I'd feel better if you have everything."

"Okay. I still feel like I'm taking advantage of you, but if you insist."