Learning to Stand

by Claudia Hall Christian

  Under the warmth of his gray eyes, she felt the ice thaw from her heart.

  “I don’t know how to do it.” The words burst from her. “I don’t know how to be the Fey and a leader and me and a friend and a soldier and … I sit in my stupid office longing for Charlie or for some sign from Charlie. I’m supposed to have all this near-psychic ability… or that Fey guy is supposed to be eerie psychic… and… Charlie’s not talking.”

  “Everyone expects a lot from you,” Raz said. “When we were in Paris? Dominic told me you were more fragile than you looked. I know he’s right but in the day to day knowing and working with you, I forget.”

  Alex nodded.

  “Forgive me?”

  “Why are you here?” She didn’t want to give in too easily.

  “To make up with you,” he said.

  “Oh...”

  She yawned.

  “Really? ‘Cuz I don’t feel very good and...”

  Pressing the call button for a nurse, Raz held out a bowl. Alex threw up. Taking away the bowl, he gave her a clean hand towel. A nurse fluttered in the room, saw Raz, blushed, batted her eyes at him, and then finally took the vomit from the room.

  “Every time,” she said.

  “Every time,” he said. “It’s my pleasure to ass-ist you.”

  Alex laughed.

  FFFFFF

  Half hour later

  Wednesday evening

  March 26 – 4:00 P.M. MDT

  Denver Health, Denver, CO

  John and Troy ran ten miles along the Platte River. After showering at home, they stopped for sandwiches at the Spicy Pickle. They were paying when John received the call they had been waiting for – Alex was out of surgery. She had been moved to recovery. Raz was guarding her through the transition to ICU. Matthew had already settled in the ICU. While their status remained critical, they expect to downgrade their status by nightfall.

  Driving down Eighth Avenue, they saw a hoard of press surrounding the building. The viral video of Alex fighting the Boy Scout brought out the most aggressive paparazzi. In response, Fort Carson dispatched a battalion to guard Alex and Matthew. The soldiers and paparazzi held an uneasy standoff around the hospital.

  John and Troy avoided the photographers and soldiers by parking in the doctors parking. Using John’s badge, they made their way through the employee entrances to ICU where they were directed to a private waiting room. Standing in the doorway, John groaned when Rebecca Hargreaves flew at him. Her hazel eyes shot bullets of anger.

  “I’m told you are the reason I am not allowed to see my daughter.”

  “That’s correct,” John said.

  “Who do you think you are? She is MY daughter.”

  “I wanted to have a word with you first.”

  “About what?”

  “If you mention even one word about Alex not being able to have children, so help me God, I will make certain you never see her again.”

  John and Rebecca stared at each other in angry silence.

  “What are you talking about?” Rebecca spit out.

  “When you told my wife of twelve hours that moving in with her twin guaranteed she would die alone, I stayed out of it.” John’s voice became dangerous, low and rage-filled. “When you insisted that my gorgeous wife would never find love as a Green Beret, I stayed out of it. When you harangued her over being too old to have children, I stayed out if it. When you created this hideous blonde headed blue eyed fakery, I stayed out of it.

  “Not this time.”

  Rebecca’s hazel eyes blinked at his angry, staccato words.

  “Why… why are you saying this?”

  “Because my wonderful, beautiful, amazing wife is convinced I will divorce her now that we cannot have our own children.”

  Stunned, Rebecca took a step backward. She stared at John. Slowly, her head moved up and down.

  “If you decide to ignore this warning, you do not know who you are dealing with. I will not allow my wife to be scolded about provincial bullshit. No more. Not ever again. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, I do.” Rebecca was silent for a moment while they locked eyes. “I deserve it. And… I am sorry. You are right. I have been provincial. I…”

  “What?” Unable to understand her words, John shook his head.

  “I’m sorry. That’s all. I’ve never really known how to apologize to you… for everything. I have a lot of reasons… excuses, really.” Rebecca made a slight smile. “Alex hates excuses. The truth is, I have grown… a lot in the last year. I hope you will allow me the chance to prove myself to you… to Alex.”

  Shocked, John’s eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. Controlling, dismissive, judgmental Rebecca apologized to him. Recovering quickly, John wondered if Rebecca was trying to manipulate him.

  “You’re probably wondering if this is some kind of ploy,” Rebecca said. She smiled. “It’s not. Patrick and I have spent a lot of time talking about everything that’s happened in the last year. He’s helped me understand some things… about myself mostly.”

  Rebecca looked up at John.

  “I never imagined my daughter, or son for that matter, would find a friend like you. You have been a good friend to Max and a wonderful husband to Alexandra.” Rebecca nodded her head.

  “Patrick’s words?” John asked.

  “How did you know?” Rebecca wrinkled her nose.

  “Sounds like him.” Using his breath, John worked to let go of his rage. Calmer, he said, “Thank you for your apology. It means quite a bit to me. Shall we visit her together?”

  Rebecca nodded. Turning to catch Patrick’s eye, Rebecca followed John to the ICU. Trece stood guard at Alex’s bed. When they drew close, Trece rolled his eyes and pulled the curtain back.

  Alex and Max where lying together in the bed whispering to each other. When Alex saw John and her mother, her eyes widened and she started laughing. Max looked up to see what she was laughing at. He whispered something to her. They laughed their identical laughs.

  John could only smile at the identical laughs from identical smiling faces. Rebecca was smiling as well. Who wouldn’t?

  “When do...”

  Alex started but Max whispered something to her. She whispered something back to him. They laughed again.

  Shaking his head, John walked forward to the bed. He bent over and kissed Alex’s lips. She smiled then stroked his face. John dropped to his knees so his face was right next to hers.

  “For the record,” he said. “I’m never divorcing you.”

  Alex’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears.

  Max punched her shoulder.

  “I told you so.”

  Alex glanced at Max then her mother. Rebecca nodded to Alex.

  “What about babies?” Alex whispered.

  “I loved you the moment I saw you.” John leaned closer to her then whispered, “If I get you? I don’t give a crap about babies.”

  Alex nodded.

  “And, we are taking you home as soon as we can set up transportation. Your team is sorting the details.”

  “My what?” Alex asked.

  “Amazing things have happened while you were getting your beauty rest,” John said. “Nice cast.”

  Alex held up the bright blue fiberglass cast which now adorned her left forearm. She wiggled her fingers showing the cast thread around her thumb

  “Blue like my eyes.” She bat her brown eyes.

  Max and Alex laughed in delight of her joke.

  “Blue like the fairy tattooed on your arm,” John said. “I need to…”

  “Control everything,” Alex, Max and John said in unison. The twins laughed.

  “Yes, well, it’s a challenging job but I’m up for it,” John said. “Actually, I need to check with your doctors. I will leave you with your family. Shall I get Patrick?”

  Alex nodded.

  She caught his hand when he turned to leave. For a moment their eyes held in silent communication. With a nod of his h
ead, John left her.

  FFFFFF

  A half hour later

  Wednesday evening

  March 26 – 5:10 P.M. MDT

  Denver Health, Denver, CO

  “Hi.”

  Erin Hargreaves leaned over the bed to kiss Matthew when he opened his eyes.

  His brown eyes took in her sparkling green eyes. He touched a red curl hanging in her face. Even though he woke to her face every morning for most of the last year, he still felt a little disbelief that she was his girlfriend, his love, his life. His thumb ran along her lips. Erin smiled.

  “You had us very worried, Mr. Mac Clenaghan,” Erin said. “We’re thinking you might be safer in rural Afghanistan. But you insist on playing with your friend Alex. You’ll have to learn to be more careful.”

  Matthew attempted a laugh and groaned instead. He tried to say something.

  “What?” Erin leaned her ear close to his mouth to catch his words.

  “Captain,” Matthew said. “Captain Mac Clenaghan, US Army.”

  Erin laughed and mock hit him. He smiled at his joke.

  “Before you ask, Alex is all right. She’s out of surgery. They are getting ready to move her home. They want to move you to their house. I... I said it was all right. I stayed there when...”

  “It’s fine,” Matthew said. “Better than the hospital and too much for you alone at the loft. Will you... You’ll be there with me. Right?”

  “Of course.”

  Erin gave a relieved smile. This was the first time she’d been asked to make decisions for him. She didn’t want to do the wrong thing.

  Matthew tried to speak but his dry mouth only manage a croak.

  “Ice chip?” Erin reached the side table for a cup of ice chips then sat on the edge of his bed. “Just a few.”

  She placed two ice chips in his mouth.

  “You’re getting revenge for your surgeries,” Matthew said.

  Erin beamed at him.

  “Not too much ice.” She imitated his voice. “You don’t want to choke.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him for a kiss.

  “Be careful, Matt. You don’t want to tear your stitches.”

  Even though she gave her warning, petite Erin made no effort to move off his chest. She was tiny against his broad shoulders.

  Matthew thought she was perfect.

  “I have something to say to you,” Matthew said. “…before anything else happens.”

  Erin squinted her eyes. Since the beginning of the year, he had been on and on about getting married. She loved him. She wanted to spend her life with him. She just didn’t want to get married. Stiffening, she sat up in preparation for another onslaught.

  “Wait,” Matthew said. “Come back.”

  He held his arms out to her. With a sigh, she tucked her head against his shoulder.

  “I had a conversation with...”

  He was going to say Jesse, but he realized Erin might think he was weird.

  “I had a conversation with a friend and I realized by trying to make you marry me, I was acting like Marcos.”

  Erin gasped and her eyes filled with tears. Sitting up on her elbows, she looked into his face.

  “I don’t really care if we get married. I want to spend every single day of my life with you. If you don’t want to get married… that’s all right with me.”

  “What about…” Erin started then stopped when Matthew put his fingers over her mouth.

  “I want it all – children, a real home, careers, a life we build together. I want that with you, Erin… always… only with you.”

  Matthew strength waned.

  “Me too,” Erin said. “I’ve wanted that since I was sixteen years old.”

  Matthew smiled.

  “I have to get this out before I run out of steam.” Matthew looked up to see Jesse encouraging him to get on with it.

  “I’m very sorry for being disrespectful… impatient… not listening to what you needed.”

  He sucked in air.

  “I promise I won’t try to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. That’s my…” he gasped. “My vow of commitment to… to you. To love you all my life… to support you… trust you...”

  Through her tears, Erin watched him slip into unconsciousness again. She kissed his forehead then wiped her face. Sitting with her feet dangling on the edge of the bed, she reviewed everything in her mind. She nodded her head.

  “Thanks Jesse,” Erin whispered.

  F

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  An hour later

  Wednesday evening

  March 26 – 6:20 P.M. MDT

  Lobby of Denver Health, Denver, CO

  Against doctors’ orders, and any kind of reason, Alex agreed to walk the two hundred yards between the ICU and the exit. Of course she was laying down when she made that agreement. Raz rolled her out in a wheelchair to the edge of the hospital atrium. They argued back and forth about her walking until, frustrated, she stood up ready to walk.

  And passed out from the pain.

  When she woke up, Max was there. He had dressed her in her digital fatigues. With Max’s help, she was able to stand, get ready and walk a little bit. Only her twin knew that, for Alex, the pain of letting anyone down was much worse than any amount of physical pain.

  Everyone expected her to be fine. She would be fine.

  Coming in, Troy popped her beret on her head and they were off across the atrium. Dressed in identical digital fatigues and a beret, Max led the way, Raz walked behind her and White Boy held the rear position. They walked casually, trying to look like a group of soldiers leaving a shift.

  They were near the front of the hospital when they were joined by the Jakker and four US Air Force soldiers. Without saying a word, the soldiers joined the group. Zack came to walk beside Alex.

  Across the atrium, Alex saw the backs of the Fort Carson battalion and a sea of photographers and videographers. Her stomach gripped with anxiety. She stumbled then stopped walking.

  Glancing to the side, she saw Vince Hutchins with five fellow Navy SEALs waiting for them. She smiled at Vince and he winked at her. The SEALs mixed in with the Air Force and Army soldiers.

  “Ready?” Max asked.

  He turned to look at the group behind him.

  “I’ll go first. If anyone notices my face, they will follow me to Noodles and Company on Sixth Avenue. Colin’s waiting for me there. You’ll move to the Expeditions. Check your drivers. They should be someone we know. If not, do not get in the vehicle.”

  Max looked through the group to his twin. Even after all these years, she was still the mirror opposite to him. Even more so now that Troy shaved her head in a military buzz cut. Her Green Beret hid the remaining blonde. She gave Max a weak smile.

  “You have to fight it,” Max said at the same moment Raz said, “She’s going down.”

  Reaching to lift her into his arms, Raz’s back cramped. They fell to the ground together. Raz scooped her onto his lap while the men moved to block her view from the press.

  Alex stirred.

  “Shh…” Raz said. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. You’re still bleeding.”

  “I need to… get out of… here. Not… safe.” Alex moved to get up. With legs too unstable to stand, she nestled back into Raz’s lap. “Are you ass-isting me?”

  “I’m ass-isting you,” Raz said. “Gentlemen, this is not going to work. No matter what she says, the Fey is too ill to walk out of here.”

  Alex leaned into Raz and his strong hands stroked her back. In the warmth and safety of Raz’s arms, her eyes sagged.

  She could be sick.

  She could be small.

  She drifted off. She opened her eyes when he shifted.

  “Trece’s going to help you into a wheelchair. The Marines arrived with the Denver Police. They’ve closed down two blocks around the hospital. The press is gone. We’re getting you and Matthew out of here right now.”

  Alex mouth moved to
the word, “Marines?”

  “Maybe your bad Marine luck is changing,” Raz said. “Careful Trece, her IVs are tucked into her waistband.”

  Alex felt herself float through the air to rest in Trece’s arms. She heard Larry help Raz to his feet.

  “I thought I’d carry you. You know the whitey survives on the shoulders of the Hispanic worker. Now that the press is gone, the statement is less powerful,” Trece said.

  “You’re a regular César Chávez,” Alex mumbled.

  “Hey! Don’t be mocking César,” Trece said. “He was a heroic figure of the twentieth century. Any person would be proud to know about someone like that, let alone…”

  Troy put his hand on Trece’s arm.

  “She passed out again. Probably lulled to sleep at the sound of your voice,” Troy said. He kneeled down to fold out the feet stops on the wheelchair.

  “You better watch it, Olivas,” Trece growled.

  Troy startled at Trece’s voice. Looking up at his face, he saw Trece’s bright smile.

  “Gotcha,” Trece said.

  Troy laughed. Trece gently set Alex in the wheelchair. He pushed the chair through the Fort Carson Army battalion holding the hospital. Marines, in full dress uniform, lined either side of the door creating a tunnel to an armored Expedition. As she passed, they saluted the Fey. When they reached the Expedition, Trece and White Boy lifted her into the SUV. Raz stepped into the other side of the SUV and they took off. They were followed by an ambulance carrying Erin and Matthew.

  John met them at the basement entrance to the house. As promised, the basement was warm and accommodating. Once Alex and Matthew were settled into their rooms, the men returned to base.

  After all, the President was looking for his friend.

  FFFFF

  Four hours later

  Wednesday night

  March 26 – 10:40 P.M. MDT

  Denver, CO

  Puzzled, Alex opened and closed her eyes.

  Where was she? The bed was soft, the lights dim, and it was quiet. Definitely not the hospital.

  She sniffed. A smile grew across her lips. John is here. Shifting a little to see if she could see him, she grunted with pain.