Healing Holt

by Shannon Nemechek

  Glaring back at the doctor, almost boring a hole through him, Holt replied, “Can I get the restraints removed?” The irritation in his voice was profoundly evident.

  “Yes, of course. Sorry about that. We couldn’t have you accidentally pulling out your IV,” the doctor responded. He turned to the nurse who had snuck in behind him.

  “Nurse Johnson, can you please remove Sergeant Lawson’s restraints? I think he will be fine without them now.”

  She made quick work of the restraints, releasing them before the doctor finished his request. Holt smiled at the pair who seemed to read each other's thoughts. As each limb was set free, he shook the stiffness away. When he got to his right arm, an overwhelming panic began to take root. His stomach tied itself in knots as acid started to build. He thought he might vomit as fear took hold.

  “All right, let’s take a look at that arm. Can you move your right arm?” Dr. Hardy requested.

  Holt watched his hand; all he could do was move his pinky and ring finger. “Why can’t I move my arm?” His voice cracked as he attempted to hold back his fear.

  “The good news is we were able to save your arm. You’ve sustained an extensive amount of damage to the nerves and ligaments, so I am not surprised at your limited motion. With time and hard work, you will regain some mobility.”

  “Only some?” Holt asked, hoping the doctor’s answer was what he wanted to hear, not what he expected to hear.

  “Possibly more, but you will have months of rehabilitation. It will be rigorous and painful but, in the end, I have confidence you will make a full recovery,” Dr. Hardy replied, glancing down at Holt’s chart.

  “You should also be made aware you sustained some nerve damage to your lower back. The L4, L5, L6 and S1 vertebrae are causing some mobility issues in your legs. So, I want you to know that if you need anything for pain, the button there in your hand goes to your IV and will give you a dose of Demerol when needed. We will have you here for a few more days, and later you will transfer to Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg. They will take over with your recovery and a therapy plan.”

  “Wait, what about Gunner?”

  “Oh, Sergeant, no need to worry. Sergeant Gunner will be accompanying you. Womack has an amazing staff, and they will do the additional surgeries you will need.”

  “Additional surgeries? How many are we talkin’ here, Doc?” His head spun as he continued to listen, unaware that he was balling his left fist and pounding it on the mattress.

  “I won’t be able to advise you on the number of additional surgeries, Sergeant, but I do recall that once you arrive at Womack, the surgical staff will sit down with you and discuss your plan. I have already forwarded much of your paperwork to them, and they are ready for you.”

  Holt peered back as the doctor watched him intently. The doc smiled then said, “Well you have one good arm, it appears.”

  Holt wanted to punch him, but he held back, figuring Why waste my energy? “At least I am still breathing. I didn’t expect to wake up, and I never thought I would see Gunner again. Now here he is, right next to me. So, for that I am thankful. That’s at least one bright side of this whole shitty situation.”

  The doctor paused. “Well, this is not a normal situation. Gunner was under stress after his surgery and would not settle down until he was near you.” He grinned. “Your partner is very bossy, and when the nurses come in to check on you, they have to ask him for permission to touch you.”

  Gunner, who seemed to recognize they were talking about him, peeked up from his slumber with a look that said, Please, I am trying to get some shuteye here. His bandages covered his torso and one hind leg.

  “Is he going to be all right?”

  “I can answer that. Hey Gunner, how are you doing today?” A younger doctor appeared around the corner and Gunner, who seemed to recognize the new visitor, frantically wagged his tail again.

  “Gunner will be medically retired. He has a partial amputation and will no longer be able to perform his duties. Once you both have gone through all your rehab, you will reunite at home. For Gunner, there is a prosthetic that he will be eligible for before he retires, and there are organizations set up to assist with the cost of aftercare. Womack will have the list of those organizations. Also, you need to ensure they give him a clean bill of health and you have the paperwork before they retire him.”

  “So, can I assume since you are saying we will be reunited at home, that is your way of telling me I will also be discharged?” Dr. Hardy took a moment to form his answer. “We are going to do what we can to get you using your arm, hand, and legs to the fullest. However, after the surgeries and rehab, you will be medically discharged.”

  Holt’s head was spinning as he tried to process the information, but the only positive of the entire situation was that he was still alive. All he uttered in response was, “Well, I guess like I said before, at least I’m still breathing.”

  6

  Aspen

  * * *

  Pinehurst, NC

  “Hello… What’s going on, Julia?” Aspen grabbed her cell phone while attempting to keep her voice down. “Wait, hold that thought, let me get this shot first.”

  Aspen lifted up her camera with a high zoom lens so she could get some shots of some guy’s backyard. It was littered with garbage and junk, and it was almost too hard to even get good shots of the puppies, let alone the yard. She needed a better angle and moving around was the only answer. Settling into a better position, she finally saw a familiar hunk of junk alongside the drive.

  “What the hell is Helen’s car doin’ here?” She continued snapping away, almost forgetting she had Jules on the phone. Aspen clicked on the speaker so she could continue taking pictures.

  “Aspen, what are you up to? Never mind, I need your help to get things ready for Holt to come home.”

  Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, Aspen responded, “Be there in a bit. I wanna get a few more pictures. Besides, I will be fine. It’s the puppies I worry about. If I can document them with some pictures of the mistreatment and conditions, then the cops can come down on the owners.”

  Aspen could mentally picture Jules tapping the phone screen with her perfectly manicured nails.

  “Aspen, you know how much this scares me. You gotta stop going out to these places alone. You need a partner. Someone that can watch your back.”

  “Jules, seriously? You wanna start this now?”

  Julia, even more annoyed, asked, “What if those people have a problem with you being there, or what if they call the cops?”

  “Jules, really? They are not goin’ to call the cops. I want one more picture and I promise I will be on my way. Oh…wait…” Her focus was turned completely to what was happening at the trailer. Jules’ voice now sounds more like Charlie Brown’s teacher—Wha Wha Wha Wha Wha.

  “What? What is going on, Aspen?” Jules replied. “Aspen, answer me.”

  The door of the run-down trailer opened and a large hulk of a man covered in tattoos stepped onto the stairs. He stretched for a moment, and Aspen snapped another picture. “There it is. I got you now.”

  “Aspen, what is going on?” Jules screamed through the speaker, and the man turned toward Aspen. Her heart began to pound, hoping he didn’t catch a glimpse of her as she ducked into the bushes.

  “Okay, I’m on my way.” Without another word, she clicked the end button. “She can kill me later,” she whispered. “Sorry, Jules.”

  Grabbing her gear, she slung the camera over her shoulder, but the motion pushed at the leaves around her. The noise was louder than she liked, and the gargantuan of a man turned around and seemingly eyeballed her.

  “Oh, crap!” She froze, and slowly lifted her camera for one last shot, hopefully of the man’s face. She snapped the picture as he unzipped his jeans and started to take a piss off the stairs. As quickly as she could get her little feet to move, Aspen made her way out of the woods and back to her truck, parked about half a mile away. Sliding int
o the cab, a nagging at her gut kept saying, I have seen those tats before.

  Tork

  Tork had a sense someone had been watching him, and he had finally caught a glimpse of the little nosy stalker. He had been extra cautious lately, making sure he checked outside often. It was one of the reasons he had chosen to piss outside. Zipping up his jeans, he turned and moved back inside, leaning back toward the wood line to scan it once more. She was a female, that was for sure, but there’s something about her. Have I met her? Naw, if I’d have met her, I woulda fucked her, and I haven’t fucked anyone that fine in a while. Moving back to the door, he noticed his woman in the window watching him.

  “Do you really have to do that off the porch?” she screeched.

  Tork plopped into his recliner. “Yes. Yes, I fucking do. Keep your fucking mouth shut, you whore.”

  Helen stood hovering over the chair, staring down at Tork. He stood back up and faced her.

  “What was that little bitch doing here? Are you seeing her behind my back?” she demanded. Tork held his temper. He kept himself from decking the bitch. He’d had enough of her lip but was curious. Helen seemed to recognize who the hot little stalker chick was that had been spying on him.

  “Do you know her?” he asked.

  She glared at him with bloodshot eyes. “That little bitch. That’s my ex’s brat. What, are you screwing her now?”

  “You high, ya fucking whore. What did I tell you about usin’ my merchandise? Didn’t I tell you to stay the fuck out of the supply?” he spat.

  “Well...ya...but…”

  “No fucking buts. Stay the fuck out of my supply.” He reared his hand back and swung, smacking her in the face, causing her to fall backward to the floor. “Keep your mouth shut unless you have my cock in it.”

  Helen cupped her cheek as the tears began to fall. Wiping them away, she felt a small stream of blood dribble down her chin, and at the same time she spit out a tooth.

  “What was that for?” she yelled as Tork quickly grabbed her by the neck, squeezing as he slammed her against the wall, almost knocking her out.

  “You need to learn to keep your mouth shut. If you can’t keep it zipped, you will find yourself in a pen with Zeus.”

  Tork stepped out the back door and lit up a cigarette. He stared past the wood line where he had seen the young woman bolt toward the county road and jump into a waiting red truck.

  Hmmm… Maybe I should drop by for a little visit, give my little stalker a taste of what she is missing out on. And to make sure she gets the message, I can give her a little of what I gave that whore inside. Yeah, I might have to give her a lesson all right.

  7

  Aspen

  * * *

  Pulling up to the farm, Aspen parked in her normal spot. Still a little shaky from the near miss, she checked around as she tried to get her wits about herself again before Jules showed up and reads her the riot act for going out alone on another one of her “missions”. I appreciate Jules is protecting me, but for me nothing is more important than the animals. She jumped out of the truck and headed toward the barn. “The pastures are getting so green,” she muttered as she walked toward the fence to watch the new colts out frolicking. Sass, the mare she learned to ride on, wandered toward the fence and whinnied a greeting.

  Sass stretched her head over the fence, and Aspen reached out to scratch her forelock. With her other hand, she rummaged around for the bag of cut up apples she always kept in the cargo pocket of her pants. She found a chunk of apple and showed it to the horse, and Sass eagerly scooped it out of her hand. Patting the animal’s head, she remembered the day she discovered Sass. She was one of Aspen’s first rescues, after Fudge, the pup she and her daddy kept. Aspen had found Sass at an abandoned farm, tied up with no water or food and on the brink of starvation. She called Holt, and he came and helped her to get the horse to his house.

  When they got there, they were met by an upset Maggie, her hands on her hips, asking them, “What do you think you are doing?”

  With tears running down her cheeks, Aspen answered, “But Maggie, she’s hungry and all alone. She would have died if I’d have left her.”

  Holt chimed in, “Yeah, Mom, we couldn’t let her starve,” as he wrapped his arms around Aspen’s waist and laid his head on her shoulder. From that day on, Holt became her go-to guy for all rescues. He always knew how to talk his mom around. She relented and let Aspen set up an area in the barn for all her animals since Helen couldn’t be trusted around them.

  * * *

  I fondly remember my childhood at this farm. It was the only place I found joy after my mom died. I can still sense the love I soaked up during those days at the Lawson farm. After my mom died, Maggie became a surrogate mom. The only other female figure in my life was my stepmother, Helen, and that was a definite “Hell naw.”

  The happiest day in my life was the day daddy kicked her out on her ass, and now it appears she is shacked up with Tork. Well, they deserve each other. After the fallout from the divorce, Helen hated me even more, and I was completely okay with that. If I saw her on the street, she would give me a nasty stare, but I never gave her the satisfaction of giving her any attention.

  The fiasco of their marriage did do something to Daddy, though. He became more protective as a parent, sometimes to the point I felt like I couldn’t breathe. But I didn't blame him, and he never once blamed me for what happened with Helen. Honestly, I think he was happy the truth had come out. When he booted her out the door, he was a different person. For the first time since momma died, he had more pep in his step and he smiled a lot more. Daddy depended on Miss Maggie more and more, and he trusted her more than any other person to help tame his young hellion.

  This farm became my safe haven, the one place I was always safe and could get a hug if Daddy was too busy at work. My only regret was they weren’t blood, but they were the next best thing—they were my chosen family. And for me, that was huge.

  * * *

  The ringing of Aspen’s phone pulled her out of her far-away thoughts. The number on the phone wasn’t familiar, but she answered anyway.

  “Aspen speaking.” The phone was silent at first, and she almost hung up, thinking it was a telemarketer. She did not want to deal with them today. As she prepared to push the end button, an unfamiliar voice replied.

  “You didn’t sound this formal at the Healing Heroes seminar last spring. It’s Tori. Girl, how are you doing?”

  Aspen giggled uncontrollably. She met Tori in Michigan when they attended a seminar on how to recognize good service animal candidates. After that, she started to train a number of rescues to be service and emotional support dogs. The seminar was helpful, since veterans’ requirements varied widely.

  “Oh my gosh! Tori, how are you doing? How are things with Mitch and Tyler?”

  Tori snickered. “Everything is absolutely wonderful. I am a lucky woman, but that is for another time. I am calling you for some assistance. I have six canines arriving at Fort Bragg next Friday. They are due to retire, and since they do not have a living handler to adopt them, they were offered to me. We are going to give them additional training and match them up with veterans through Healing Heroes. So, with that said, I wanted to see if you had some time to help me out?”

  “Of course I will. Anything you need, I’m there. Just say the word.”

  “I knew I could count on you. Would you pick them up for me? I can’t get Russell and Jasmine there until next week, so I would need you to keep the dogs until then. Of course, we will reimburse you for the cost,” Tori explained.

  Aspen’s was already figuring out kennel space and how she could make it work. “Tori, don’t worry about reimbursing me. I will do everything I can to help the veterans. Which reminds me, I best head on into the house before Jules has my hide. On that note, I gotta go. We are getting things ready for Holt—he’s coming home tomorrow with Gunner.”

  Tori giggled. “Well, you go, girl, and take good care of Holt. I’ll ta
lk to you soon and I expect full details when I call back.”

  “Hahaha… I will talk to you soon so I can get details on the transfer. As for anything else, we both know there is nothing to tell, and the chances are slim to none there ever will be. Besides, he can have anyone he wants. I’m not even on Holt’s radar.”

  “Aspen, if he is anything like my Dom, you won’t be able to sit, but you can keep telling yourself different. I’m telling you again that he doesn’t think of you any other way than how you will look in his bed. I’ll talk to you later, girl, but listen to me—I’m telling ya. I promise I’m not wrong. Till later chick! Bye!”

  “We’ll see! Talk later... Byeeeee Tori.”

  8

  Aspen

  * * *

  Stuffing the cell back into her pocket, Aspen gave Sass another good scratch then headed toward the back door of the house. “Jules, I’m here!” she announced as she walked through the kitchen. A shout in response came from above. “I’m upstairs. Come on up. I’m in Holt’s room.”

  “Where’s Maggie?” Aspen asked as she stepped into Holt’s room. It was strangely weird entering his space; no one had gone in there since he left. Aspen stood watching as Jules emptied out the dresser.

  “No way in hell these would fit Holt now!” she said, tossing the old clothing to the floor. “Momma said he’s twice the size he was when he was in high school, and twice the size he was when he left.”

  “And twice as hot!” Aspen mumbled under her breath. Of course, I shouldn’t be thinking of him that way, since he considers me as a kid sister.