Story Over the River and Through the Woods

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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#40

It was the longest, roughest night Mark, Wayne and Toby had ever had the privilege to live through. Toby had come to the hospital after the kids went down for sleep, to join his voice in prayer for the woman who wasn't so very much older than he was.

They were scared, bone deep terrorized with the thought of loosing Clora. She was but one woman on God's beautiful earth, but to each of them she was the glue that held them together. Her faith protected them all and the three men kept quiet about the secrets that made them so unclean and unworthy to ask for God's mercy and healing. They each told God, repented, confessed and asked anyway; asking God to spare her life.

There had been two, ten minute peeks at her through the window into her room. Clora hadn't moved, and if her blood pressure hadn't been displayed, they couldn't have told if she was alive. In her coma, Clora smiled. She could feel the prayers and was so overjoyed to bring more believers to the Lord.

Clora didn't think about the many times she had already brought the three men to the cross, now, was what was important.

The nurse had told them each hour was a plus, bringing Clora up closer to the end of her coma. The three of them nodded, not sure if they believed her or not, but they accepted her reasoning because of her experience.

The night quiet of the hospital was beginning to yield to morning busyness, when a roaring voice disturbed the floor. All kinds of nurses were hushing him to no avail.

"Do you suppose we could pretend we don't know him," Mark asked and the other two chuckled. Dr. Bruce was advancing to the family room, pushed in his wheelchair by Tricia who was wishing she had a paper bag over her head so she wouldn't be recognized. The glare from nurses with disturbed patients were sharp barbs.

She pushed him in the room and backed out to stand with her back against the wall and her hand over her eyes. Tricia wasn't stupid or dense, but Bruce was her personal nemesis and weakness. Exhausted, she wasn't dealing well with the man's aristocratic demands and total insensitivity.

There was a moment of total clarity when she understood Bruce, was what he was. There would be no softening of his acid dripped personality, no hope he would ever care enough not to scar her with his words. Then, there was that devil thing. Tricia turned around and took the stairs down to the break room. She laid her head on her arms and cried for what she hoped, might have been.That which, would never be. Tricia gathered up her belongings and went back to the dorm room and laid face down on the bed. Heart sick as real as any illness.

Bruce, by the time he discovered Tricia had left, had security up in ICU looking for her. Finally a room mate of Tricia's that was in ICU gave the group of men the information that Tricia was back in the dorm, looking sick.

Bruce was mad that she would be so inconsiderate as to leave him, and carried on for twenty minutes.

Mark had enough. He told Bruce with flat out deadly intent he was going to take the wheelchair bound man up to the top deck and help the doctor commit suicide by pushing him over the edge. That finally got Bruce's attention.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#40b

When Bruce was still yammering about Tricia and her dereliction to duty, Mark stood up and the three men went for breakfast. It was a silent walk down the steps to the cafeteria, the absence of Bruce's constant whining a blessing.

"I've seen him bad before," Toby said with a mouthful of toast, "but never to this extent. In fact, Grandpa and I have been calling him nasty Bruce, it seemed to fit so well."

"Speaking of afore said Grandfather, what's he doing?" Mark asked, not looking at Toby and noticing as the man rolled his eyes and said something very crude.

Mark choked on the hash scramble he had just forked in his mouth. Looking at Toby, Mark frowned and then laughed. "Runs in the family," he clarified.

It was Toby's turn to choke as Mark gave him a very pointed stare. Toby lifted his hands in well feigned innocence and pretended to be totally absorbed in his food.

"I can't keep up with you guys," Wayne complained, "ya'll make my head hurt." Wayne poked around in his food. "This stuff is awful, I gotta go home and get ready for work. Give Clora my best, see ya guys." and he ambled out the door.

It took Toby one and one half seconds to grab Wayne's plate and put his fork in as ownership, just as Mark was reaching for it.

"Ungrateful brat," Mark said and then looked up in terror. There was one very angry ICU nurse headed their way, snorting smoke and breathing fire.

"I took that man back to his room, and if you two ever want to get in to see Clora again.....you will keep him there." she said in no uncertain terms. "Who the heck does that man think he is anyway?"

"He's a Doctor and he's coming to work here in the hospital," Mark managed to keep a straight face.

"Well that certainly explains a lot," the nurse huffed, "they are second only to God. Here?" she squeaked, "God save us all."

Mark had to duck his face, he was teasing the nurse but didn't want her to know.



Back in his room, Bruce was a very dissatisfied patient. He looked at one wall, then the other, then out the narrow little window, then at the door like he expected Tricia to come knocking at any second. Except, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He had seen the light go out in her eyes. Bruce had won. She was moving on. It wasn't much of a victory, he decided.

Clora had her eyes open when they got back to ICU, watching and waiting with eager heart to see Mark. Both Toby and Mark went in the room when it was time, and there was a touching of hands and prayers. Clora was to weak to talk, so Mark did his best to reassure her that all was fine.

"We are going to leave for a while; we're going over to Toby's to get his clothes, he want's to stay at the house and be close to TJ." Mark told of their plans. Clora barely nodded, tears in her eyes. That was what she wanted.

On the way over to Toby's, Mark was thinking. "I'm not sure it's smart to have so much love and dependency tied up in one woman. That's a terrible responsibility for one woman to shoulder." he was tired, but aware of the burden they had placed on Clora.

"Ma's got broad shoulders and she wouldn't have it any other way." Toby was practical. "Some day, maybe I'll find a woman like Ma, but she's pretty unique."

"That she is," Mark affirmed with conviction. "That she is."

Toby's town house looked the same as the other hundred or so units, clustered together behind a wrought iron fence. Mark shuddered, city living at it's worst, he was thinking, grateful that Clora didn't care for cookie cutter conformity.

They were going in as Warren appeared to be going out. Warren stopped, and went back in to get the latest news. "I was planning on visiting Bruce, I do have some good news for him." Warren looked at his watch. "I can catch him this afternoon just as easily. So, how is Clora?"

Mark and Warren visited as Toby collected his clothes and did manly things to get ready for work. Mark was rubbing his chest, until Warren noticed and commented.

"I wonder if there isn't a electrical problem here, I seem to feel charges." Mark rubbed higher, until he realized that was a locator, buzzing in his shirt pocket.
 
Dosadi

Dosadi

Brown Coat
Thank you

Locator, like the hospital ones or the sheriff / spy type, or some other?
OH maybe a bug locator? Hum.

Ol' cliff working on me. lol F5 ^infinity power

Dosadi
 
K

kua

Veteran Member
Might that not be a buzzer like you are given at the hospital when they want to inform you of the condition of your patient? Most I have had my hands on are too large for a shirt pocket but each hospital might be different.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#40c

So there was a really big problem in the town home. With so many cameras, Mark held off notifying the owners of the bugs that they had been outed, preferring to deal with Warren and Toby away from the premises. He gave each of the men the strange instructions, to call the house when they reached the outer gate so it could be unlocked for them.

Warren took the instructions with out batting an eyelash, and Mark had to whistle a couple bars of 'danger' before Toby caught on. Once they were in the Carryall headed for the hospital, Mark got out his locator and went over Toby, finding two of the bugs in the junior lawyer's briefcase.

Mark held up two fingers and pointed to exactly where the locators were hidden in the lining of the one hundred percent, imitation leather covered satchel. Toby was shaking his head in disgust; when Mark held out a paper that read, 'camera in every room plus bugs.'

Toby mouthed the 'agency?'

Mark shook his head no, and pointed to low in his groin, indicating something to do with Meg's problem people as the pentagram was proof.

"You know Bruce will want to come to the farm," Toby said aloud; "he likes being waited on."

"I suppose," Mark said with a yawn; "one thing about it, it's gonna be a while before the doctor turns him loose. I don't know how many stitches he has, but they still had him on happy pills this morning."

"Grandpa said he sure cut loose in court yesterday, ripped his shirt open to prove to the Judge he was incapable of working. Warren said there were ladies gasping all over the place and the Judge had to bang her gavel for five minutes to restore order." Toby chuckled, "he's a fine doctor and surgeon, what in the hell makes him act like he does?"

"Clora says Bruce was raised by an alcoholic father, and pretty much fended for himself as soon as he could walk. In one way you have to admire the guy for wanting to become a doctor and then making it happen; but all the rest of it is garbage. Ma says Bruce has a terrible inferiority problem, so he goes on the attack before others attack him. How she gets all that, I don't know. I think the guy is a first class jerk." Mark sighed.

"You might guess that she thinks of him as a project to finish, I wish he'd just go away." Mark rubbed his chin, feeling the whiskers. "He seeks out Tricia to make her life one long, miserable time. Me, I'd just knife him in some dark alley and be done with it." Mark was so matter of fact, that Toby looked over to see if Dad was kidding. Evidently not, by the look on his face.

"Did you really do stuff like that?" Toby questioned, looking at the thin set of Mark's lips.

"I'll tell you what; you explain how you happened to have children with TJ's mother while married to Christy and I'll tell you about knifing irritating people." Mark thought somewhere along the line, Toby still owed them an explanation of his extra curricular activities.

It was as Mark suspected, Toby clammed right up. "That part of my life is past me," Mark looked at Toby's profile as he drove into the hospital lot. "With the exception of TJ, that episode in your life is also closed. Some how, the people associated with Meg's devil worship are getting into your house and conducting their activities. I believed Bruce yesterday when he said he didn't have any tattoo's, but he has one exactly like yours."

"You're kidding, he didn't have one not to long ago. I had to help him dress his wound and that was about two weeks ago that he was clean. I wonder how they are fooling with people without our knowing."

"They have to be drugging you guys, are you eating or drinking anything that tastes different than it should?"

"The water," Toby said, looking straight at Mark, "the bottles of water make you crave more. It has to be that."
 
sssarawolf

sssarawolf

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you and hopefully Toby gets his wound recleaned and that stuff cleaned out from him in the wound. Maybe turning back to the Lord has made it null and void :).
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I want to shout MORE, but I know that would be rude, more please! Pac, you have got one heck of an entertaining imagination, thank you for sharing with us.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#40d

"I never gave it a second notice, I thought Warren had brought the water in, but maybe not." Toby looked straight ahead. "I know I really did sleep at night; better than I have for years. Dad...." Toby stopped and then started again. "Brenda was in my class at school and I loved that woman with the same passion I see you and Ma share.
She took me higher than the stars and deeper than infinity, and I lost a part of my soul when I found out she had died. The baby that froze to death was mine also. When Christy found out, well... that's why Claire was Willie's baby." It was as painful as Toby knew it would be, the hurt cutting like a knife plunged deep.

"And I've only knifed one guy for annoying me like Bruce has done. He intended to try and kill me also and was having a little fun at my expense. As long as TJ was created in love, that is the most important thing for him. He will want to know that someday, that you loved his mother. It's the same with Warren. He honestly loved Happy, and that makes me feel better about accepting him."

Mark went to get out of the Carry all. "Don't drink or eat anything there; I suspect the food service delivery is probably compromised also. We need to get all of you out of there and I'd like to do it yet today. Go find out what your schedule is like and then be in touch. And......thanks son." Mark was ramrod straight as he walked into the hospital and went to find Bruce.

"Yer shittin me," was Bruce's first reaction. "How do you know all this stuff with chips in people and devils and all this other unbelievable.........stuff." he finished lamely. "I'm so astonished, I don't know what to say." But he kept on nervously talking anyway.

"Shut up Bruce, all your useless chatter makes it hard to think." Mark growled and Bruce shut up. When Mark was silent for a while, Bruce said quietly, "how do we protect Tricia? You'll have to do it, she won't take it from me."

Mark stopped his thinking and leveled a long, slow stare at Bruce. "That woman loves you so much she'd walk across the Artic barefoot if you asked her to, isn't it about time you figured that out for yourself. That's the worth of a man. He loves his God and loves and protects his lady. If you don't love her Bruce, for God's sake cut her loose, she's only human and you are destroying her from the inside out."

"I think I already have," Bruce said in a low voice. "This morning the light went out in her eyes and that's what I thought I wanted. Now, thinking she might be in danger drives me crazy to be stuck in here."

"You don't get an infinite number of do-overs, you can't belittle a woman like you have and then expect her to fall at your feet when you decide otherwise."

"I know," Bruce looked up at the ceiling and the water stain on the perforated celotex. "I don't know how to love a woman. My Dad ran my Mother off when I was about four, and all of his one night stands were gone by the time I got up in the morning. You and Clora are the only couple I've been around that even like each other." Bruce confessed in a defeated tone.

"If you'd shut up and observe, you might learn," Mark suggested with a pointed look.

"Yeah, I think I took care of that this morning. Trish looked as empty as a person could get."

"Well then, maybe you just screwed up the rest of your life." Mark said without sympathy, "There are consequences for being less than what God demands of you."

"Yeah, I get that." the large doctor acknowledged slowly.



When Toby opened his office door, the esteemable Ms. Cooper was crying, and she turned her chair around to look out the window so Toby couldn't see her. She was scrabbling through her pockets looking for a tissue when Toby handed her his handkerchief and went to sit down at his desk.

"Thank you," she said when she could talk, the first words they had between them.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Toby didn't know what to do. Crying females scared him to death. A man never knew if it was some big, huge mountain of a tragedy, or some small, blown up out of proportion silly molehill.

"Today is the date of my birthday, my anniversary and the day my husband and child died in an auto accident." Rennie Cooper said dully, "I've never been so lonely." and she sniffed.

"Good Lord," Toby said forcefully, "your life is as much a soap opera as mine." He got up, spun Rennie around and gathered her up in a hug. That's what he would have done at home, so it seemed like a natural thing to do.

She cried harder.



Clora looked out the window. It was starting to rain tiny drops that trickled down the glass. There was so much to be thankful for. She was alive, they had shelter and food and Mark was coming to visit. She could feel him coming to her. Clora closed her eyes to rest a minute before he got there.

Mark got up to ICU and since there was only him, he was allowed to go in Clora's room and sit in the chair by her bed. In her sleep she cried out for him and Mark reached over to hold her hand. He went to sleep, touching his Clora.
 
Dosadi

Dosadi

Brown Coat
Thank you Mrs. PAC

Sometimes, even in grubby times, some happy can come from the mess everything seems to be in.

Dosadi
 
ted

ted

Veteran Member
Well well, looks like Toby may have another go at love. Now that Bruce is slowed up maybe there is a gost of a chance for him. Thank you Mrs P, it is amazing how my surroundings can disappear for a few moments.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#40e

When Clora woke, Mark was there holding her hand and just watching her sleep. A quiet, private time between the two of them that was made more precious by the rarity it represented. Clora looked at his face, his fantastic blue eyes that crinkled at the edges, the hard lines worn in his cheeks, his wonderful droopy moustache and the love she could see in his eyes.

"Very handsome cowboy," she whispered with her sore throat, and smiled at him.

Clora gave him the world and the sunshine that illuminated it, the rain that nourished the parched lands and her love. Mark felt the blessing and soaked it in. For the moment all their cares and worries set aside as they gathered the solace from one another to love and be strong in that love.

The warrior opened his heart and let his guard down to feel the healing of her touch and smile. No words were spoken, just the clasp of work roughened hands needing to touch the other. For a long time, they sat quietly enjoying the others company until Clora's eyes grew heavy and she drifted into sleep.

The nurses that were watching, thought that was the most romantic thing they had ever seen, even if the dark and dangerous cowboy gave them the shivers with his stern and foreboding expressions.



It took Bruce three hours to find Tricia. He went everywhere he could go in his wheel chair, searching for her. He found her in the chapel, praying with the most heart wrenching pain in her eyes and on her face. Bruce had no idea what to do with the amount of hurt and anguish he had caused, other than to say, "Trish, I'm sorry."

She had looked at him, nodded and then turned her head so he couldn't make fun of her.

Bruce was stunned to realize she loved him so much that she would forgive him the transgressions he had heaped on her. The power he had over Trish was greater than Bruce knew love to be, and he was scared. She was so tiny and wonderful and he was such a big, clumsy lout.

Bruce couldn't reach her, the wheel chair wouldn't go in the narrow pew opening and she was beyond the reach of his arms. He strained to touch her, causing the drawn together lines of his incisions to split and tear against the strain of the stitches holding them together.

When the pain got to be too much, Bruce passed out, almost falling out of the wheel chair. Tricia kissed him, needing to feel the touch of him before he could come to and blister her raw emotions once again.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#41

Bruce went back to his room and then back to the operating room to repair what he had torn loose. Tricia conferred with her advisor, simply asking to be transferred to another hospital so she could experience a different type of work ethic and care.

The advisor had looked at the woman who was on track to graduate Magna *** Laude, and saw a clear eyed, patient driven woman with a big heart and the burning desire to be the best doctor possible. She granted the request and when Bruce woke up from the second surgery, Tricia was simply gone.

To Tricia, it was a choice of dealing with Bruce and loosing sight of her goal, or retaking the goal and loosing Bruce. Neither was appealing, but being a doctor won out over the gut wrenching emotional turmoil he continually kept boiling in her life. She had to stay focused, and protect herself.

Tricia stopped by the room and spoke to Mark and Clora, reinforcing her desire to stay on track and keeping her adoptive parents in the loop. Both of them heartily endorsed what she had done, so close to the end goal.

When Bruce came out from under the operation, it was like Tricia had never happened, never been a part of the scene he remembered so vividly, she simply wasn't there. And there was no information about where she had gone.

Those that loved and admired Tricia closed ranks and Bruce was shut out.



A week and a half later, Clora was allowed to go home, as long as Dr. Hoffman was satisfied that she had help and would have to do no work other than recuperate. Toby was there and so was Dr. Bruce. The town home had been abandoned. Toby had severe withdrawals from the drug laced powder the old witch had sprinkled daily on his healing wound. But Clora prayed that dark influence was overcome by God's mighty power and light.

Warren had moved into a tower apartment close to down town, being an suave gentleman did not include having younger roommates, and Warren conducted his life in understated elegance.

It was such a happy, carefree time for the clan. There were no shootings, no constant search for food and fuel, for the first time in a long while, they lived without uncertainties of any kind.

Clora healed slowly as the days progressed into spring. Sitting in the sunshine in a protected corner daily, gave her a kiss of sun and freckles. She looked and felt better than she had for several years. When Ma prospered and bloomed, the whole family followed suit.

In this idyllic healing time, Bruce was like a hunting dog sniffing for traces of Tricia. Her name was never mentioned and she was well protected against the moody and flash tempered Bruce.

Warren came to visit, usually on Sunday when Hank and Lemmie had the afternoon off and were gone. With Giselle being the current lady friend interest, Warren acted like Happy never existed.

It was such a healing time after the tumultuous years leading up to this point, that it was easy to forget the stress and strain.

Into the calm and normal hours of their lives, dropped the Prince one lazy sunshine dappled day. It had taken Mark five months to get in touch with the man to tell him about the new urns, and they had received four more.
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Still the mystery of the urns. I think we can all say ahh for awhile, along with the clan. I miss Milo and Robert though. Love this saga. Thank you Pac.
 
Mr Bill

Mr Bill

Veteran Member
Lookie there. They still need to get set up in the new place so sell the metal and get rid of it.

Thanks PAC
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#41b

The wap wap of the approaching copters announced the Prince. Mark whirled around and fixed a cold, hard eye on Bruce. "You may stay if you keep your mouth shut. One word and Toby will take you out of here, understand?"

Bruce nodded. This might be interesting, not to many people had visitors come in by helicopter. Mandy, Teresa and Tess were sent upstairs and the two Wilson boys were told to sit tight and keep their mouth's shut.

"Make no sudden moves or you'll get a belly full of Uzi fuel," Mark cautioned. "These men play for keeps."

Now Bruce was getting interested and when he saw the advance guards come in to sweep the house, he understood why. Not to many people were chummy with the Prince of Saudi Arabia.

Mark and Clora were seated at the table, and when the Prince walked in, he took in at a glance, the diverse amount of people. Bruce was still in his wheel chair, and the Wilson cousins were lined up next to the stairwell. The twins were way down the hall playing the piano and TJ was right next to Clora.

"Your Highness, welcome." Mark spoke in Farsi, leading the conversation in the direction he wanted. The Prince looked terrible. It was obvious he had been ill, and he seemed to be in a sour mood.

"American, you still have only one wife?" The Prince made a small joke.

"I'm getting old your Highness, that's all I can handle," Mark said so mournfully he made the potentate laugh.

"The urns, how many have you received?"

"Nine total. I spent five months trying to contact you about the first five, and then when we arranged this meeting date, it was three days and four more were delivered. There is a curious problem associated with this last set of urns. They have been sent before, we make a tiny scratch on the bottom to keep track. So some item is being regularly being shipped here to the states."

"Your woman, she cannot tell?"

"Not what is inside the metal unless she touches it. They are always empty, when they come to us."
Mark waited, letting the prince think of his options.

"Your woman, does she know what is happening?"

"No, she has been very ill, she almost died." Mark was keeping the conversation in Farsi, as much as possible.

The Prince looked at Clora, and it was easy to see the American spoke the truth. The man nodded, "she appears to still be ill, the big one, is he a relative?"

"No your highness, he is a doctor who is recovering from a gunshot wound. He is too full of himself to be a good doctor, and he has no manners. I told him not to speak."

The prince laughed. "The two boys, are they proof of your indiscretions?" and once again he grinned, he enjoyed teasing the American.

"Yes."

"Perhaps there is hope for you yet," the caliphate replied. "Do you ever sire any girl children?"

"I have four."

"Well done," the man looked at Mark and grinned. "You are a sly dog, no wonder you need a large place."

Mark inquired after the Prince's children, saying Clora was interested in the young girl who's scarf she had touched.

"She is as bossy and evil tempered as your woman," The Prince indulgently replied. "It is and has been as your woman predicted. Does she have any further words for me?"

Mark looked at Clora, and for some reason she was frowning. Clora got up and walked past the two men flanking the door and then went closer to the two men standing close to the Prince. Slowly she reached out to touch a corner of his head scarf.

The two guards were new and they sucked in their breath. No woman touched the prince and they moved to strike her.

The Prince stopped them with a slash of his hand, all the while watching Clora out of the corner of his eye. Clora walked back to Mark and whispered in his ear. He drew away and looked at her and then he was frowning as much as she was. He got up to follow her around toward the Prince, and Clora quickly twirled around him and Mark had his Glock up under the nearest guards ear.

"Your Highness," Mark said in English, "you have a traitor that intended to kill you here, and blame it on us."

The Prince snapped out an order and the door guards came forward and took control of the now sweating man.

"I am in your debt," the swarthy man intoned. "Now I must take the urns and go. Do you have any of the metal you wish to sell?" he added the last sentence in Arabic.

In Farsi, Mark replied. "Yes but not today. This is a very big transaction and I need to clear the house before I would do so."

The Prince nodded, "I will be back soon." he got up to leave and Clora held up her hand to stop him. Looking at Mark she motioned Mark to come closer.

"His doctor is poisoning him with the brown medicine," Clora told her husband. "The Prince has a cancer on his right kidney, not the colon as they are treating."

"Please take TJ and go out of here," Mark looked stern. He turned around to look at the Prince. "She does not have good news your Highness. She tells me your doctor is poisoning you and the brown medicine is what he is using. Also, there is cancer on your right kidney, not in your colon as you have been told. You have much danger from your ninth brother; he and the doctor are together."

The Prince inclined his head, "thank you, may Allah bless your tents." and he turned around, motioned toward the urns and they headed for the warming up choppers.

Nobody said a word in the house, as the machines took off.

Bruce was finally learning to keep his mouth shut.



T
 
ted

ted

Veteran Member
Bruce can learn, that is new! One of the many reasons I am happy to be born a peasant, friends don't always try to kill me. Thank you Mrs. Pac.
 
H

hummer

Veteran Member
Dear PAC. I have been gone for a few months...illness and internet problems. During that time what I missed the most of the internet was your story just before this one. Once reconnected with internet and story I have finally caught up. May I say to you that you have a God given gift in your story writing...I have laughed, cried, become angry. I have caught myself thinking about Clora and Mark and family when I was recuperating as though they were my own family! :) And that is how real your characters and ideas are. I feel strong in my faith; however, you give me much to think about and study. I believe that everything I take in can always teach me something. Everything I observe or hear or feel can teach me something. Whatever God would like me to learn from your stories I will. I not only appreciate the spiritual background to your stories....but also read them for the awesome entertainment value. I hope you understand my ramblings...strokes are a real pain in the butt! :) Thank you again for sharing your wonderful gift.
 
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PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#41c

Unfortunately, Bruce's mouth shutting caper didn't have a long life span. He had ten thousand questions in the short span of two minutes.

"I thought I made it clear by not answering the first question, I wouldn't answer any of the others;" Mark looked at Bruce. "And I'm not going to answer. You run your mouth when you should be listening."

Bruce sighed hard. He was almost three months into his reeducation by the Linderman clan, and he preferred his old way better. As soon as they got the infection totally under control, he was anxious to find a job and his own place. All that goofy stuff with the witches and such, had him wearing a meter and pic line straight into his heart that delivered antibiotic.

He had finally been able to stand up and look at himself in a full length mirror, and he really did have a tattoo. He also had no recall or recollection of how or when it might have been done. Toby explained the significance, and Bruce thought he was sad he hadn't got to try.

"The thing is, you don't remember any of it," Toby had dashed his hopes, "You only feel like something nasty has happened." So, Bruce took his hopes and looked for other interests.

It was the middle of May when Warren was there for a Sunday afternoon and was talking about a commencement address he was going to deliver in two weeks. Bruce was interested in hearing about the speech, until he looked off to the blue sky, that was close to the color of Tricia's eyes and went to daydreaming.

He missed her. The great self contained and never admit any weakness, Bruce, was slowly coming to the conclusion he had been a pretty big fool. Bruce had tried every trick in the book to get someone to tell him where Trish was. Evidently Mark was the only one that knew, and Bruce figured he'd have more luck robbing Fort Knox, than getting information out of Mark.

Bruce was up and walking, the pic line had been removed and the great Bruce Ammons had a job in the surgery department under Dr.Shipman. It kind of rankled that he was relegated to the same schedules as new doctors, but Warren had told him he was lucky to get what he got. He'd have to prove himself.

Warren had asked Bruce if he wanted to go to the commencement ceremony; and it sounded like a good way to get some different scenery. Bruce had to bum enough money from Warren to buy another white shirt, but other than that, he thought he was ready to go.

But oh no; fussy Warren demanded he get a haircut, provided the stubbly doctor with a new razor and demanded he get his shoes polished. Bruce figured he was going to be a freakin dandy, by the time Warren was through with him. This was no big deal they were going to, Bruce had come from the hospital in scrubs when he graduated, and they still gave him his diploma.

Being that Warren was a lawyer, that's where Bruce figured supposed Warren was going to speak. The University provided a driver and car to pick up Warren and Bruce, whisking them into the underground tunnel to discharge the speaker and his big sidekick, Dr. Bruce in his suit.

Bruce had ten thousand complaints that he wisely kept to himself. His necktie was too tight, Warren wouldn't hear of Bruce wearing a clip on. His shoes were still new and hurt his feet, it was hot in the building, they had little bitty chairs for a man to sit on. It went on and on, until Bruce found a very comfortable spot against the back wall under an air conditioning vent. There was a chair that seemed bigger and sturdier than most and he asked an usher to drag it under the vent for him.

Warren was on the stage, all dressed in a black robe with lots of cords and sashes around his neck. Warren might be a higher up mucky muck that Bruce suspected. Bruce took a nap during Warren's speech, the hall was getting warmer by the minute and it was hard to stay awake. The applause woke Bruce up, Warren had finished. Good, he needed to get something to drink.

Warren was saying something else, so Bruce figured it wasn't over.

Warren was talking about some person graduating Magna *** Laude, and then he called out Patricia Christina D'Amatto please come forward. Warren put a sash around her neck, handed Tricia her diploma and switched her green tassel over to the other side and delighted the audience by giving the woman a hug.

There was a lot of clapping and Bruce just sat there sort of stupidified. A Doctor of Medicine degree with high honors. Huh. That didn't come easy, so maybe Tricia was smart. Now that he could see where she sat, Bruce kept looking at her. Tricia was a damn fine looking woman. She even looked good in those silly gowns they had to wear with those dumb hats.

Bruce sat as the rest of the ceremony was concluded. Warren knew where he was, so Bruce resigned himself to the time it would take the old duffer to say his howdy's to every other old duffer, and there were plenty of them.

An usher came to get Bruce and escort the fuming Doctor down to where Warren was standing in a sea of graduation caps.

When he was close, Warren touched Tricia's hand and told her to turn around. Tricia's blue eyes locked in on Bruce's and the most wondrous burst of love and adoration radiated from her face. All 1.1 seconds of it, before she got a grip on her emotions and shut down her response. Tricia turned around like she didn't know Bruce.

Bruce wasn't aware he had a black and forbidding look on his face, like he was highly annoyed and inconvenienced by the gathering. He was getting ready to walk up to her, when Trish walked away, into the throng of people.

Tricia walked over to Luce and hugged her mother. "Mama, did you know he was coming?" she softly asked, but Luce was busy. She was looking at Warren, and for a brief second, Luce had the same look on her face that Tricia had blazoned at Bruce.

"Oh Mama, no." Tricia had whispered. Mother and daughter hugged again, and that gave them time to get their social masks firmly in place. Together, they went back to where Warren and Bruce were standing.

"It is of no consequence," Luce told her daughter, "it's only the silly thoughts of an old lady that's lonesome."

"Heart's aren't very smart, are they?" Trish said softly. "Not smart at all."

Luce agreed and smiled politely as they were greeted by the two men.

Bruce felt like a fourteen year old boy at his first dance. He was awkward, bumbling, and now that Tricia was close, he couldn't think of a thing to say. "Ahh, congratulations on your graduation." he managed to stammer out, and then just stood there looking at her.

Tricia thanked him and then stood looking at Bruce.

Two of the most socially awkward people on earth, Warren decided, he was too tired to try and fix what ever in the hell was wrong with Bruce. Warren thought the man was hopeless.

Warren invited the two ladies out for a meal and both declined. Their church was expecting them for a post graduation party, but Warren and Bruce were invited. Bruce didn't even hear any of that, he was dumbstruck by how beautiful Tricia was.

It was so warm in the hall that Tricia turned to unzip her gown and take off her hat. All was going well, until Bruce happened to look at the coral pink suit Trish was wearing under her graduation gown. Viki had bought one just like it, and Bruce knew it cost over a thousand dollars. Another doctor's wife in the making, he told himself disgustedly and turned and walked toward the exit.

Tricia didn't know what he was thinking, but she could see the disgust on his face, and that was a telling emotion for her.

"I need to leave," Tricia told Luce in Italian, "I'll wait for you outside."

Luce happened to have a temper, that simply being around Bruce and the way he treated Tricia, was ignited by the fact Bruce was breathing. Swearing at Bruce under her breath, Luce accurately catalogued most of his sins in a short hurry. Ending with the estimation he wasn't good enough to be a door mat under Tricia's feet.

Warren was amused by the fiery little Italian lady, and said goodby and shook Luce's hand. Quickly he walked down the aisle to catch up with Bruce. The dumb jerk was going the wrong way to head for the car.

Two invisible women watched the men they would have loved to love, pass them over. Both Warren and Bruce would have been astonished to know what they had lost, without ever knowing how real and deep it was.
 
ted

ted

Veteran Member
Thank you Mrs Pac. I am not sure but I may have lost something like that once but I will never know. Lucky me I got another chance in life so all is good.
 
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