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My beloved’s face was pale. She looked so fragile! I took her left hand gently, whispering words of love. I attempted a weak chuckle as I added, “Oh, and French kisses from your number one guy Mr. Tony Stark.”
I promised her, as she slept and rested, to be there for her every day. I tucked a long strand of her beautiful auburn hair behind her uninjured ear.
Davie and Jerry took turns seeing her with their own eyes. Davie came out crying and still furious. Jerry took him in his arms and Davie cried till … well, till he was done.
I knew the feeling. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
Samantha
Iknew something had happened to me. I knew that I’d had some kind of accident.
I even figured that I was in the hospital because I would move just the slightest bit and feel the pain. Then the pain would suddenly evaporate. Like magic.
I floated around behind my closed eyes. Vaguely aware of being in a dimly-lit place if I blinked. Not aware enough to identify it.
I heard voices. But not clearly enough to understand the words they were probably speaking or know if they were male or female voices.
Vague pictures of blowing a kiss to my baby.
For what seemed like an eternity, I watched myself floating into and out of pain, into and out of awareness, into and away from sound.
Flying.
Never a clear, complete thought. Never a sharp picture of anything around me. No clear words.
Leighton
By noon, Genevieve had figured out that I had not only not been in my workshop today but was also not at home. My cell phone rang.
She didn’t interrupt once as I explained what happened and where I was. “I don't even know if I've missed any appointments.”
Genevieve said, “None. You do have one later this afternoon. I’ll take care of it with McManus or one of his other technicians. Don't worry.”
I started to say, “Genevieve, I'm so ...” and my voice cracked. I got all choked up.
She didn't miss a beat, “Listen. Where are you exactly in the hospital? Hold on, Roberta just came in.”
But Genevieve didn’t cover the speaker when she said to my little sis, “Leighton’s OTL is in the hospital. ER. Another attack at her shop but on her this time, too … Uh-huh … Okay.”
Then big sis got back with me, “Roberta's gonna come over right now. She's gonna keep you company and bring you somefood. Are Samantha’s brothers still there? … Good. She’s met Davie. Roberta will bring some kind of meal for all three of you.”
I told her how to find me. Apologized for not calling earlier. Too preoccupied. Too worried. Too anxious.
Davie went out a couple of times that first day. When he got back, Jerry went out for a couple of hours. I didn’t even ask why. I’d find out later if I needed to know. Davie had staff and a business to run. Jerry had a job.
The following several days at the hospital blurred into a routine of worry, waiting, and occasional moments of relief.
Samantha remained in the ICU till the third morning and was then moved to a two-bed room. The other bed was vacant.
A private investigator from a firm Davie had worked with before, and whom Jerry had nicknamed Magnum P.I., was on the job. The firm had Genevieve’s work number; she had agreed to do research the firm wasn’t equipped to do.
The early reports were that the stalker was made quickly aware that he was being followed. On day two, the stalker-vandal was looking a tiny bit worried! By the end of day three, the tactic was working. He was looking panicky any time he saw Magnum P.I. (and probably, we guessed, also feeling panicky when he couldn’t see him). The firm had chosen a burly, strongly built P.I. with a gruff face. That didn’t hurt in the ‘scaring him’ department!
Jerry found a gleeful but bittersweet sort of comfort from having put Magnum P.I. on the stalker’s tail.
The Baker’s Dozen and More remained closed. The damages were more extensive than even I’d noticed. It was the insurance adjuster and Davie who saw it. Lard and oil had been smeared on or poured over, into, and behind every single piece ofequipment in the place! In other words, turning on any of the machines almost guaranteed a fire. Or electrocution. Or an explosion.
Even the professionals faced an overwhelming cleaning job.
