| Subject: Chapter 15--End |
Author:
Jaron
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Date Posted: 20:16:04 12/21/01 Fri
In reply to:
Jaron
's message, "The Green-Eyed Monster" on 09:13:01 12/21/01 Fri
The Green-Eyed Monster
Chapter 15 (The End)
I awoke again in Carson’s arms and was amazed at how lucky I was. I used to be so
envious of women who strolled confidently down the street with an arm tucked through
the arm of a man. I had begun to think that I would be alone for all of my life.
Then that momentous day had arrived when I watched Michael and his family come
through the doors of my library. It seemed so long ago, and so much had happened since
then. I had a son, great friends and a man who loved me. What more could I ask of life?
I thought about that question. There were a lot of answers, world peace? an end to
political scandals?
So, I looked closer to home: a father who would stay alive for his son, someone to grow
old with. One I had and the other I would fight for. I hoped that Michael would live to
see Rene grow up, but the hard, cold truth was that he might not be allowed to do that,
so I vowed to make the two of them as happy as they could be for as long as I could.
Today would be the first Christmas they had spent together since Rene was three. I
wanted to make it a memorable one. It began badly, with a frightened Rene banging on
my bedroom door. I wrapped my robe around myself and opened the door to find Rene
launching himself at me and crying, “Something’s wrong with Daddy. Come help him
Mom!!” He turned and ran back across the house to Michael’s room while I asked Carson
to call Joe Lassiter, the staff doctor at the rehab center, and then I ran after Rene.
The sight that greeted me when I ran into Michael’s room was one of chaos. Sam was
standing at the end of the bed, barking furiously and Walter was trying to hold down a
panicky Michael, who was shouting something about Rene. “Don’t leave me. Stay Rene.
Please!! NO Nikita, Simone, please don’t do that!!” In his thrashing about, he had
somehow pulled the bandage from his head and the wound had reopened and was bleeding
profusely. Carson soon arrived and called out to me that the doctor was on his way. Dr.
Lassiter came flying into the room from the center where he lived a short distance away.
He pulled open his medical bag and quickly drew fluid from a small bottle.
“This will relax him and then we can take a look at that wound.” He injected Michael and
slowly, Michael’s frantic movements slowed down.
“Joe, what’s wrong!” I said, trying to staunch the flow of blood from Michael’s head
wound. Joe Lassiter was checking Michael’s vital signs and didn’t seem worried by what
he saw. “Does he often have nightmares? All his vital signs are okay. There’s no sign of
fever. I think this was only a nightmare or a panic attack. Has he been under a great
deal of stress lately.”
“Yes, he is subject to nightmares. And he is always under a lot of stress. You think this
was a nightmare?” I said incredulously.
“Yes, I think so. Now, let me take a look at that wound.” In a few minutes, he had
managed to stop the bleeding and had redressed the wound. Dr. Lassiter gave me two
bottles of pills. “One is antibiotics and the others are for pain. The directions are on the
bottle. Make sure he takes all of the antibiotics. The pain pills can be taken as indicated
for any discomfort or headache that he has. I’ll check on him later this afternoon. Just
get him cleaned up and keep him warm, and I think he will be okay.
Carson and Walter helped me clean up Michael and change the bloody sheets on his bed
while Birkoff had pulled Rene away and asked him about the computer in his room. Rene
sensed that the grownups needed to take care of his father, so he allowed himself to be
drawn away from Michael. But as soon as we had Michael resettled in a clean bed, Rene
was back anxiously holding his father’s hand.
When Michael finally opened his eyes, they grew wide as he looked around at all of us
standing there in the room with him.
“What’s going on? Why are you all looking at me that way?” He squeezed Rene’s hand.
“Rene, will you tell me what happened?”
“Daddy, you had a nightmare and scared everyone. You hurt your head again and you were
bleeding all over everything. I ..... I thought you were dying, or something!” Rene buried
his face in Michael’s shoulder and sobbed his relief that his father was all right.
Michael rubbed Rene’s back and murmured to him, “I’m okay, Rene, don’t be upset. I’m
okay.” I could see the tears threatening in Michael’s eyes, so I began issuing orders to
clear everyone from the room.
“Carson, you and Walter, go start breakfast. Birkoff, I think Sam needs to go for a walk.
Hurry up!! It’s Christmas morning, and no presents get opened until after breakfast.
Now get moving!” I looked over at Michael and his son.
Michael’s eyes were smiling through the tears glistening there. “Is she always this
bossy?” he asked Rene.
“Yeah, but you should see her when she really gets mad. Carson and I have learned to
keep her happy.....the hard way.” Rene giggled and the three of us had a good laugh, as the
tension in the room dissipated.
Later that sunny, snowy Christmas morning, after breakfast had been eaten and the
dishes washed and put away, the six of us sat in the living room opening presents.
Michael had attempted to walk from his bedroom but his knees had buckled after two
steps. Again, Carson had been there to scoop him up and carry him into the living room
to deposit him on the sofa. Rene had spread a blanket over his legs and now sat on the
floor beside him looking at a black case that he had just unwrapped. “What is it Daddy?
It was in the package from Operations and Madeline.” Rene opened the case and
discovered a hand held computer.
“Hey, I put that together. I thought Operations was going to use it. I’ll show you how to
use is this afternoon, Rene. Cool! You can communicate with someone from anywhere in
the world with that baby.” He looked at Michael and then at Rene and grinned. “Cool!” he
said again.
Michael was opening his last package when Rene stood to watch him. “That one’s from
me, Daddy. I hope you like it.” He watched as Michael lifted a leathter-bound book from
the red and green tissue paper. He smiled as he ran his hands over the smooth soft
leather. “It’s wonderful, Rene. I will treasure it always.” He pulled Rene into a hug as if
he never wanted to let go.
“Daddy,” he said, “Would you read to us from it. I’ve marked the place. Please?”
Michael glanced down at the book and then back to Rene. “Rene......I don’t know that I
have the right to read from this book, after all the things I have done.” He bowed his
head, as if ashamed to look at Rene.
“Daddy, you have just as much right as anyone. That’s why I got it for you. Please??”
“All right, Rene. Here, sit with me.” Michael pulled his son up into his lap, opened the
book to where Rene had placed a bookmark, and started to read, “And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem... to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.
“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should
be delivered.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night.
“And, lo, he angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them: and they were sore afraid.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which Christ the Lord.
“And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God,
and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Michael closed the Bible, so lovingly chosen for him by his son, and closed his eyes. He
felt renewed, his soul cleansed, and he had love in his heart for those around him,
especially for the bundle of life and joy that he held in his arms. This was truly the best
Christmas of his life.
“Daddy,” his son whispered, “Daddy, look who is here. Look!”
Michael opened his tear-filled eyes and smiled. His Christmas just got better and better.
For there before him, leaning in the doorway, listening to him read, was his light, Nikita.
The End
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