Rev Me Twice

by Adele Dubois

Crystal didn’t know what she expected to see when she entered Tomas’ room, but the sight of him sleeping beneath a respirator and saline drip nearly undid her. A large computer monitor at his bedside beeped while his blood pressure rose and fell. His heart rate made jagged horizontal lines across a dark blue screen. Bandages surrounded his scalp and portions of his arms. One leg had been cast.

  Crystal stood on one side of Tomas’ bed while Antonio took the other. She laid her hand on Tomas’ chest and whispered, “Come back to me, mi amor.”

  A pretty nurse with auburn hair entered the room. She offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but you have to go.”

  Crystal nodded. “Just let me leave something with him, okay?” She rummaged through her purse for her Pleasing Plum lipstick, ran it over her mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of Tomas’ hand, leaving an imprint on his pale skin. She found a piece a paper and repeated the process. Using a bit of cloth tape from a roll on the bedside table, she attached the paper kiss to Tomas’ bed rail. “When he wakes up, he’ll know I was here,” she explained.

  Antonio whispered in Tomas’ ear and then stood by the edge of his bed, tears welling. “Así conseguir pronto, hermano,” he said. He repeated the words in English. “Get well soon, brother.”

  Crystal walked through the doors of the hospital and out into the early morning air as if her world had come to an end. Without Tomas by her side, it probably had.

  * * * * *

  She caught a two-hour nap at her apartment and headed to work in her convertible. The rain had abated, but cloudy skies draped the top of each building, making the city look as gloomy as Crystal felt.

  A local radio station played her favorite country music song, but she barely heard the lyrics as she maneuvered across town. When the newscast followed, she was unprepared for the lead story. The announcer said, “Washington DC’s cable television stripping weathergirl, Crystal Diamond, spent the night visiting an area hospital. Naval officer Tomas Alvarez is listed in critical condition…”

  Crystal pulled over to the side of the road and double-parked while her heart slammed blood to her ears. Her pulse soared while the story continued. “Sources confirm that Ms. Diamond, whose real name is Crystal Miller, has accepted the post of lead meteorologist at news station WPZX. Since our radio station is an affiliate of WPZX, we wish Tomas Alvarez a speedy recovery and welcome Crystal aboard.”

  Crystal pulled her cell phone from her purse and called Marv. When he answered, she hollered, “Did you leak the story of Tomas’ accident to the media? Did you use his coma as an excuse to tell them about my new job? Jesus, Marv, you’re ruthless!”

  Marv chuckled. “We are the media, honeybunch. Sometimes I think you forget that.” Marv began to cough and muffled the sound away from the phone. “Fucking rain. I think I’m getting a cold.”

  “How the hell did you get the story already? I hadn’t even told you yet.”

  “We have a rookie reporter who covers that kind of stuff. She’s at the hospital after every major accident. She saw you at Metropolitan.”

  She should have known some stringer would cover the hospital beat. “I guess my ratings will go through the roof again, huh, Marv?”

  She could hear his smile beaming through the phone. “Goddamn right.” He promptly cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for your troubles, though. Come to my office when you get to work. We’ll talk.”

  “On my way.”

  * * * * *

  Inside Marv’s office, he pulled out a chair and motioned for Crystal to sit. His expression turned solemn. “Will your boyfriend make it okay?”

  Crystal bowed her head and then shrugged a shoulder. “The doctor sounded hopeful, but I really don’t know.”

  Marv rubbed his thick hands together and folded them in his lap. “I feel bad, hon. Tomas is a good guy. I like him. I like you too. Despite everything that’s happened, I want you to know I intend to do right by you.”

  “Thanks.” The irony of the situation was that Crystal understood Marv. He had a job to do. When he did his job well, the entire staff reaped the benefits. His methods sometimes sucked, but the man wasn’t a demon. At least, not quite.

  He leaned forward and slid a desk drawer open. “Here are the documents I promised. Our legal department took care of this first thing this morning. That, in itself, is a miracle.” He gave her a hopeful smile. “A good omen, maybe.” He pulled out a sheaf of legal papers attached by a paper clip and handed them to Crystal. She looked them over and noted his signature on her new contract with WPZX.

  “I’ll look over the documents and return them before I leave for the night.”

  Marv leaned back in his chair. “Fine with me.” He scratched his chin. “Look, considering the circumstances, how about you take two weeks off to be with your boyfriend and then start your new job? You’ve got vacation time coming. There couldn’t be a better time to use it.”

  Crystal couldn’t agree more. She was glad Marv made the offer before she had to ask. “Who will fill in for me?”

  The conniving expression on Marv’s face almost disappeared before she caught it. Damn. She should have known he had something up his sleeve. “I’ve offered the part to Sandra. Provisionally. We’ll be taking auditions until we hire someone. Sandra is welcome to apply.”

  Crystal tried not to bare her teeth. “Got it all figured out, huh, Marv?”

  He had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I owe her. You’re not the only one I caused grief.”

  A light bulb went off in Crystal’s head. “You’re fucking her. You’re doing Sandra. That’s why you settled with me without much of a fight. An investigation might have blown the whole affair into the open. Your wife would have found out.”

  Marv looked out a window and spoke to the damp panes. “We’ve been married thirty years. She’d be devastated.”

  Crystal chuffed. “You mean she’d clean you out. Drag your ass through the mud. Empty your fat bank accounts.” She shook her head in disgust. “Christ, Marv, Sandra is young enough to be your granddaughter.” She tried not to form a mental picture of the pair. Her stomach felt queasy enough.

  “I take care of Sandra and she takes care of me. It’s an arrangement.”

  She’d given Marv undeserved credit for maintaining a strictly professional relationship with employees. How could she have been so blind?

  Crystal stood, but didn’t offer her hand for a handshake. Marv and his entire office seemed too dirty to touch all of a sudden. Some might think that odd, coming from her. Crystal had done worse—lots more often and usually in public.

  “I’ll finish out the day and come back over the weekend to pack my stuff. Otherwise, I’ll be at Metropolitan Hospital.” She fished inside her purse until she found her Slut Red lipstick. On her way out Marv’s office door, she tossed the tube into the trashcan.

  * * * * *

  Crystal sneaked past the nurse’s station to Tomas’ room and closed his curtain, hoping to catch a few minutes with him before she got caught. The raving bitch charge nurse who was a stickler for the family only rule was on duty again.

  When Crystal arrived the day before, the nurse had stopped her in the hallway and insisted she leave. When Crystal refused, the nurse had threatened to call security. Crystal spent the rest of the shift hiding in a tiny meditation room on the first floor. When the nurse went home, Crystal returned to ICU. The mid-shift nurses were much more lenient and turned a blind eye to her visits. She’d only stayed fifteen minutes, but at least her time alone with Tomas had been peaceful.

  She stroked his cheek and noted with a thrill that his respirator was gone. Tomas was breathing on his own. “How are you, my darling?” Crystal whispered near Tomas’ ear. “I miss you so much. Please come back to me.”

  “What are you doing in here? Didn’t I tell you the ICU is closed to outsiders?” The stern charge nurse threw open the privacy curtain, her face flushed with annoyance. “You have to leave. Now.” She pointed to the door.

  “W
ho are you calling an outsider?” A soft, but determined voice spoke from the doorway. Crystal and the nurse turned toward the newcomer. The woman had long, dark untamed hair and creamy skin. Her no-nonsense demeanor left no doubt she was in charge as she entered the room. Her slim form was dressed in expensive casual wear befitting a queen.

  “Pilar.” Crystal rushed to Tomas’ mother and hugged her tight. She pressed a kiss to the older woman’s cheek. “I’m so sorry about Tomas.”

  Pilar Alvarez-Flores MacFarland hugged her back and then wrapped a protective arm around Crystal’s shoulders. “Crystal stays. Do you understand?” Pilar’s tone left no doubt that arguments wouldn’t be tolerated.

  The nurse set her jaw. Hatred flashed from her icy blue eyes and Crystal realized, all at once, that the nurse recognized her. The power she wielded over Crystal had nothing to do with hospital rules. The nurse used the excuse to punish her for her stripping job. Crystal had been on the receiving end of animosity many times from jealous wives and girlfriends whose lovers watched her performances, but none as hostile as this.

  Pilar continued. “Crystal is part of our family. You will treat her accordingly.”

  Crystal fought back a smile of triumph as the nurse marched from the room.

  A moment later, a bulky middle-aged man with graying hair, whom Crystal could only assume was Pilar’s new husband, James MacFarland, leaned against the doorway. He pointed to the small waiting room halfway down the hall. “I got us coffee.” He smiled at Crystal and nodded hello.

  Pilar squeezed Crystal’s shoulder. “I’ll give you a few minutes with Tomas. Meet us in the waiting room. I’ll ask James to get you a coffee too.”

  Crystal went to Tomas’ bedside. She noted with a stab of appreciation that the nurses had left her kiss print on the back of his free hand and on the note taped to his bed. Hopefully, he’d see both before long. The thought of Tomas lying unconscious for a month or more made her dizzy with fear.

  She kissed his cheek and brushed her mouth over his eyelids. “Wake up, Tomas. Please. I have something important to tell you.” Her fingertips caressed his cheek. “You were right that anyone can have sex. That stability and connection are more important than reckless freedom.” Tomas’ accident had dropped the earth from under her feet and severed the only lifeline she’d ever trusted. “Love is special. I know that now.”

  “I had it all wrong before. Come back, Tomas. I need you.” She laid kisses on the hand free from intravenous lines and thick tape. Tears flowed while she sat quietly beside him and watched him sleep.

  When she had composed herself Crystal met Pilar and James in the ICU waiting room. Coffee waited for her on a table in an insulated paper cup. She sipped the hot, aromatic liquid, but barely registered the taste.

  “I appreciate you taking that nurse on for me,” she said to Pilar. “I’m usually able to fight my own battles, but Tomas’ accident has taken the fight out of me.” She glanced toward his room. “I’ve never felt so helpless.”

  Pilar blinked her agreement. “Tomas has told me a great deal about you. I’m glad he’s found someone who appreciates him. He might be my son, but I know a good man when I see one.”

  “I’ll be with him every day until he awakens.” Crystal had to believe he would.

  She wondered what Tomas had told Pilar about her, but didn’t press the point. Everyone’s nerves were frazzled, and what did it matter? The future was all that counted now. Tomas would wake up and be healthy, Crystal would start a respectable job and forge a new life with him. She would move beyond selfishness to selflessness. From taking to giving. She’d learn how to make him happy.

  If only he’d survive.

  Crystal took another sip of coffee and realized her fingers were crossed on the hand resting on her lap. A future with Tomas with all the trimmings was all she could think about. Her fingers tightened the X lying against the fabric of her skirt. I wish, I wish.

  Hope took flight.

  * * * * *

  “The five-day forecast brings sunny skies with temperatures in the eighties and low humidity. Picture perfect.” Crystal smiled into the camera at WPZX and returned from her weather chart to stand at the desk beside the seasoned news team and sportscaster. She smoothed her navy blue suit jacket and quipped, “Summer has never looked better in DC.”

  “Thanks for that bright outlook, Crystal,” the distinguished Ken doll look-alike replied with an equally brilliant smile. “I’m sure our viewers will enjoy the sunshine at the beaches this weekend. That was a promising forecast on your first day with the station. Welcome aboard.”

  Since the meteorologist Crystal replaced had been promoted to a larger station in Atlanta, she hoped the newsman wouldn’t resent her for taking the other woman’s job. From what she’d heard from the rumor mill, he was banging the former lead meteorologist. Crystal hoped he didn’t expect her to fill that slot too. Her reputation preceded her and it would take time for impressions of her to change.

  The sportscaster began to read baseball scores from the monitor while Crystal exited the set. In the wings, she unhooked her microphone and handed it to a production assistant. She had two days off and planned to spend them at the hospital. Though she was exhausted and stressed to the breaking point, there was no place else in the world she’d rather be than with Tomas.

  She hurried to her dressing room down the long carpeted hall in her sensible black pumps and unlocked the door. Inside her private quarters, she undressed, hung her suit in the closet and removed her stage makeup. After washing her face and changing into a blouse and slacks, she headed to her convertible.

  By the time the top rolled down, her cell phone rang. Caller ID announced Pilar MacFarland. Crystal answered.

  “Congratulations on your new show! You were wonderful,” Pilar said. “I’m glad I finally got to see you on television.”

  Crystal would be eternally grateful Pilar couldn’t access her former TV show in New Mexico. Crystal suspected Pilar knew she’d been a stripper when she met Tomas, but she’d never asked for details.

  “I’m glad you were here to see it.” That much was true. Crystal didn’t know how she would have survived the past two weeks without Pilar. She suspected Tomas’ mother felt the same about her. James had returned to work, but Pilar had stayed behind to be with her son. The women had forged a powerful friendship during Tomas’ confinement.

  “Are you on your way?” Pilar asked.

  “I’m in the car and should arrive in forty minutes.”

  Pilar giggled into the phone like a schoolgirl. “There’s a wonderful surprise waiting for you. See you soon!”

  Before Crystal could ask another question, Pilar disconnected the call.

  She hurried all the way to Tomas’ room. When she reached his doorway, she stopped to collect herself and smooth her hair. She adjusted her blouse and entered composed, ready for anything.

  What she hadn’t prepared for was the sight of Tomas sitting upright in his bed, talking with Pilar. Crystal dropped her purse on the floor and hurried to his bedside, burbling like an idiot as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You came back,” she murmured against his cheek. He smelled like antiseptic, shampoo and bar soap. “I’ve missed you so much.” She kissed his temple and took a step backward to inspect him from head to toe.

  Tomas appeared alert. He’d been bathed and his hair freshly washed. The bandages had been replaced with sheer strips or removed all together. Only the cast on his leg remained. He beamed up at her. “Mi amor. I watched you on television. You were magnificent. I’m so proud.”

  That was it. Crystal burst into joyous tears and covered her face with her hands as her body heaved with relief. Pilar wrapped her in a motherly hug while she fought off helpless hysteria.

  Pilar let her cry it out. “I know,” the older woman whispered. “It’s a shock.” Crystal nodded against Pilar’s shoulder. “He has to stay another few days for observation. Then take physical therapy while his leg heals. But the doctors thi
nk he’ll make a full recovery.”

  Crystal calmed herself at last and cleaned up in the bathroom. When she returned to Tomas’ side, she kissed him full on the mouth. Though his lips were dry, his breath was fresh, and she had never enjoyed his kiss as much.

  Tomas had awakened. She had him back and would never disappoint him again.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” Pilar said with a knowing smile. She pulled the privacy curtain around them and disappeared from the room.

  Crystal caressed Tomas’ face, dragged her hand down his neck and traced his shoulder. Then she met his eyes and searched their depths for hints of the anger and hurt he’d shown her before his accident. “Tomas, I’m so sorry for what I did…”

  “Shhh.” He lifted his fingers to silence her. “None of that matters anymore.”

  She closed her eyes with gratitude and then pressed another kiss to his mouth. “Is there room for me on that bed?”

  Tomas smiled a little for her. “We can try.”

  Crystal removed her shoes and climbed onto the bed, lying on her side against him, careful not to bump his broken leg. His body felt warm and comforting, though he’d lost weight and was clearly weakened by his ordeal. She pulled down the blanket and sheets covering his body to inspect his other limbs. Thank God, his arms and healthy leg only looked bruised.

  Out of consideration for his condition, she didn’t peek under his gown, though she wanted to. Tomas must have read her mind, because he offered a sexy grin. “You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

  “Just curious. I’m counting on that full recovery the doctors promised.”

  His smile widened. “You’ll be the first to know.” As if on cue, a tent formed between Tomas’ legs under his gown. They both laughed with obvious relief.

  Crystal pulled the covers back up and laid her head on Tomas’ shoulder while she wrapped an arm around his waist. Before they exchanged another word, she yawned and her eyes drifted closed.

  * * * * *

  The guy on the motorcycle had been hot-dogging her since she hit the highway in her convertible with Tomas at her side. Her dark hair flew in the wind and the soft summer breezes licked the exposed skin around her shorts and tank top. For the first time in weeks, Crystal’s mood was airy too. Her nipples tightened with the thrill.