PROLOGUE
The bright yellow taxi nearly took the curve on two wheels. She had told the driver that getting there fast was a matter of life or death. She just didn’t want to lose her own life in the process. She thought longingly of her car, up on blocks at the mechanics where it had been stationed for nearly a week. Glancing out the window to see another curve coming, she cursed herself for not maintaining her vehicle properly. Bracing herself for the turn, she held back tears as the phone call re-played itself in her mind.
“Mrs. James?”
“Yes.”
“This is Memorial Hospital. Your husband had a heart attack. He just arrived a few moments ago…his condition is critical.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“We just don’t know at this point.”
Her eyes clenched shut as she remembered how her own heart nearly stopped beating as she heard those words….heart attack…critical condition…don’t know.
The taxi had to get her there. She had to tell him before it was too late. Even if he didn’t live, he had to know before he died. Even if he couldn’t hear her, she had to try.
As she thought about the exact words she would use, the taxi jolted to a stop across from the towering emergency building. She glanced at its massive presence with a sense of dread.
She threw bills at the driver, not waiting for change. After the fancy curve work, the driver deserved every extra penny. In her rush, she didn’t bother to look both ways. In her terror, she didn’t hear the siren.
* * * *
It was his first day on the job. He had studied the maps for days at a time and he knew the city streets better than the back of his hand. He knew the fastest routes at every time of day. His first passenger would not die on his clock. Not a chance. With the siren blaring, he drove swiftly, but gently, so the emergency medical technician in the back could work without disruption.
“She’s losing a lot of blood, Jay,” the EMT shouted. “We gotta get there fast, man!”
“Not a problem,” Jay replied. “I called ahead. They have her blood type ready. Plus we’re already there.”
Jay only glanced back for a moment. He just wanted to see the look on the seasoned EMT’s face as he realized he’d just taken the quickest ambulance ride of his career right through the city during rush hour.
The woman darted out of nowhere. In his glory, Jay never saw her.
The second he looked away had been one second too long. As his eyes fastened back on the road ahead, the ambulance pulled under the emergency room over hang, and he caught the worry in her eyes an instant before the impact. The sickening sound jolted him backward into his seat.
CHAPTER ONE
It had been two weeks. It was supposed to be the best two weeks in his life…a fresh beginning for him. A new job, a bright future. Jay let his head fall into his hands as he leaned on the rail of the hospital bed. He had let his ego get the best of him. He was the best ambulance driver this city had ever seen. So good, in fact, that he had run a lady over on his very first day.
Since the accident, Jay hadn’t been behind the wheel, and he didn’t know if he would ever drive again. His own car was beginning to gather dust, and it was heart wrenching for Jay to see an ambulance pass by during his daily walk to the hospital from his apartment just a few blocks away.
Jay’s life had become pretty routine in the past couple of weeks. He ate little, slept little, and kept a nearly constant vigil at her side. Whenever the staff would allow, and sometimes even when they did not, he was at her bedside.
He didn’t know anything about her. He didn’t know if she had children. He didn’t know if she had a job. He didn’t know how many people missed her. And yet he felt close to this woman. During the brief eye contact the moment before the accident, Jay felt that he saw a glimpse of her personality. He pictured the strands of hair that clung to her damp face and continuously re-created her emotional appearance in his mind.
Jay had rarely spoken since the day he placed the woman, Jordan James, in this fragile state, but his other senses were on full alert. He heard the whispers throughout the hospital as employees ducked into corners to talk amongst themselves. He had gleaned plenty of information about Jordan without asking. His unknowing sources informed him
that she had been rushing to her ailing husband’s side. Jay also picked up the severe implications of her spouse’s condition. Pulling himself away from the memory of her terror stricken face, Jay stared at the pale line on her ring finger. The color and indention on her skin indicated years of a band’s presence.
Jay lifted his head and sniffed, gazing out the window across the room. Such a beautiful day. The sky was blue, and the birds were singing. He could see the trees sway in the slight breeze. She was missing this perfect day because of him. His rumbling stomach finally interrupted the tormenting thoughts to remind Jay that it had been a full day since he’d eaten. Placing a finger on Jordan’s wrist, Jay quickly moved his hand up to her elbow and then back down again to signal his departure. He stood to sulk to the cafeteria where the staff had grown used to his sullen face.
Jay stumbled backwards as the room door swung open in front of him and a nurse backed in, pulling a wheelchair behind her. She spun around to reveal a man in his fifties, the ample curls on his head having given way to gray. The lines on his face showed worry as he fixed his eyes on the bed across the room.
“Here she is Mr. James, just as pretty as when I saw her this morning,” the sturdy nurse said cheerily.
It was apparent, however, that this was not a cheerful moment for Mr. James. Jay’s eyes clouded with tears as he watched the older man tenderly reach out to stroke his wife’s face with the back of his hand.
Jay quietly slipped through the door behind the nurse, leaving the couple in peace. He had no idea Mr. James had recovered so quickly. His ears had been open to every piece of gossip within the hospital walls, except, apparently, the miraculous recovery of Jordan’s husband. He had been trapped in his own little world revolving around the woman and the accident. What he heard about her husband two weeks ago had not sounded good. Mr. James had a massive heart attack at his office and it had been several minutes before anyone found him and called for help. By the time the ambulance attendants arrived, they were worried that there was little hope for the man. But Mr. James had endured the quick trip to the hospital and a quadruple bypass performed by a talented cardiologist. Jay overheard only a week earlier that Mr. James’ life was hanging by a thread. His sudden recovery made Jay realize that Mr. James must have been strongly compelled to fight. Jay hoped that Mr. James’ will to live had something to do with his wife Jordan. He wanted only the best for her after his careless actions had thrown her life into turmoil.
As he rounded the corner toward the cafeteria, Jay promised himself he’d do whatever it took to make it up to Mr. James. Not that anything could undo the fateful incident. Jay had put Mr. James’ wife in her current state. He knew the only way he could continue to trudge through each long day was by attempting to alleviate the pain he had caused. He’d do anything and everything Mr. James asked. He would let him yell, scream, throw things, call him names, whatever he needed.
* * * *
Her face looked paler than normal against her long black hair which sprawled around her on the pillow. Her unmoving lips were dry and slightly parted. The bruises on her face had lightened, but they looked new to him. Cory leaned over, taking his hand from his own scratchy gown and placing it atop her delicate fingers.
“Darling, I’m here now,” he heard himself say shakily. He didn’t know much about comas, but if there was any chance she could understand him, he wanted her to hear confidence in his voice, not pity or fe
ar.
“You were right about my big trial. It was too much for me to handle on my own,” Cory began, looking at her eyelids, waiting for her ocean blue eyes to look back at him. “In fact,” he continued, “everyone seemed to know that but me. Even my own body knew.”
Squeezing her limp hand, he moved his thumb back and forth over the finger that normally housed her ring. It pained him to see the space empty. Cory figured the hospital must have removed her wedding band when they admitted her because she had never taken it off willingly.
Had it really been almost thirty years? Time certainly had passed quickly since they married. Cory remembered the way she had looked on that day, her straight black hair falling nearly to her waist, her lips curving into a coy smile as they saw each other down the aisle. All eyes had been on her in the stunning, but simple white gown that she had created and sewn. She was the center of attention, not just because she was the bride, but because she was radiating happiness.
Cory realized that the front of his gown was soaked with tears. So much for keeping it together.
“Oh, Jordan, just come back to me. Come back to me, and I’ll retire. We’ll have the life we always wanted,” he swore. “We’ll spend every day and every night together,
just you and me. No more trials, no more long business trips, just you and me, I promise.”
Cory’s body silently heaved with sobs, and he didn’t notice the nurse re-entering the room until her large hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “We better get you back, Mr. James. You need your rest, and so does your wife.”
He shook his head in protest as he clenched Jordan’s hand. He never wanted to leave her side. She needed him, and he was finally going to be there for her. The nurse began wheeling him away from the bed, but he held Jordan’s hand until he could no longer reach her.
“I’ll be back soon, Darling. I promise,” Cory whispered as the nurse guided his chair through the door and down the corridor.
* * * *
The chill fled from her body. The light was so bright and so warm. Jordan had never felt this warm and peaceful. The light came and went in a perfect pulsing sequence, keeping her at the ideal temperature. She felt safe, but she was curious. What would happen if the light disappeared for good? Or what would happen if it stayed?
CHAPTER TWO
As the warmth drowned Jordan in its glow, memories took over. But Jordan didn’t realize they were memories. The events seemed to be happening for the first time behind her closed eyes. Like a dream, she became wrapped up in the stories unfolding in her mind.
* * * *
Her face as a little girl formed as vivid as a picture in her photo album. She was a carefree child, laughing and skipping beside her parents as they strolled around the block. Her parents were holding hands, as they often did when walking, swinging their arms in sync with their pace.
Jordan twirled and skipped, sometimes in step with her parents, other times running back to them when they fell behind. Her hair spun around her in large circles and swung behind her as she laughed and played in the lighthearted manner of a little girl.
From nowhere, her father released her mother’s hand abruptly and began a dead run towards Jordan. “Snake!” he cried, startling her as she turned his direction.
Upon reaching her, he shoved Jordan out of the way, diving toward the yard they had just reached. He tackled the big black yard hose and wrestled with it, as if the hose were giving him quite a fight. Jordan’s mom caught up to her, her hand on her chest as smiles spread across both of their faces.
“My hero!” Jordan exclaimed, giggling and pointing as neighbors peaked out of their garage, wondering why there was a man wrestling a garden hose.
Triumphant and winded, her father stood, with sweat beading on his brow. “It’s a good thing you brought me on your walk today,” he said modestly. “Why, if I hadn’t been along that big snake would have eaten you both alive!”
“Oh Daddy,” Jordan teased, “I think I’m old enough to know that it’s just a garden hose!”
Smiling at Jordan, he rejoined her mother and took her hand again as they continued their adventurous walk around the block.
* * * *
Here he comes again, the stout nurse thought, watching the man with the knot of black curls sitting disheveled atop his head. A haircut would surely cheer him up, she mused as she studied his deep blue eyes as they transformed to a steel gray, fraught with the stress of recent events.
“Morning, Ester,” Jay greeted.
“Good morning. No change Jay,” Ester stated, anticipating his next question as to the condition of the woman he had been visiting daily.
Jay nodded, the small edge of hope on his face diminishing. “Can you tell me where I can find Mr. James?”
Ester shuffled some papers. My, how fast rumors do spread in this hospital. She had not wanted Jay to know about Mr. James. Surely the men did not need to meet, at least not yet. Finding what she needed, she ran her finger down the print out and then over to the room number when she found Cory James. “He’s on the fifth floor, Jay, but do you really think…”
“Thanks, Ester. You’re the best,” Jay interrupted, gently clipping her on the chin as he spun away.
The elevator filled with nurses and orderlies as well as early morning visitors. Jay stared at the lights indicating the floor as they moved to level three. Ding! The doors opened, and Jay fought his way to the front of the crowd to exit.
Room 305--a number that would be etched into his mind. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he sauntered down the hall, stalling the inevitable sight.
Gently pushing on the door, he peered around the corner. There she was, unmoved, peaceful, more like a fairy tale than a reality. He eased into the room and took his station by her side. Placing one finger on her arm, Jay moved it from her wrist to her elbow and back, his signature touch.
“Good morning, Jordan,” he spoke at long last. “I hope you had a good evening. I just wanted to stop by to see how you’re doing.” Lowering his head, he took a deep breath. “It sure would be great to have a real conversation with you, but you just rest. For now this will do.”
Studying her face, he couldn’t believe how young she looked for her age. According to Nurse Ester, Jordan was just over fifty, and her husband was a year older. The jet black hair falling softly around her face was speckled with only a few strands of silver.
Quickly rubbing her arm from elbow to wrist as a good-bye, Jay stood and went back to the elevator. There was another matter he needed to attend this morning. There was someone he needed to see on the fifth floor.
* * * *
She was about ten years old as she sat in the school nurse’s office, her lip trembling. Jordan could see the vision clearly behind her closed eyes, as if it were happening for the first time. Blood had soaked all the way through her thin shoe, and she was afraid to see what lay beneath the scarlet tinged canvas. The nurse entered the room, surveying the little girl with two thick braids hanging down her back. Trying to be brave, Jordan bit her lip to hold back the tears as the nurse bent to gently remove her shoe. Because it was an elementary school, the nurse was used to freak accidents. As she tenderly removed Jordan’s sock, the nurse asked what happened.
“Well,” Jordan started slowly, still trying to be brave, “I was in the bathroom and pulled the door open to leave, and just as I was pulling, someone else pushed it to come in.” She paused. “That’s when my toes went under the door, and I felt the pinch.”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, Dear,” the nurse said as she swabbed the toe with a wet cotton ball to assess the situation. “We’ll take care of you, not a problem.”
Jordan ventured a peak at her foot and then drew her eyes away. The toenail on her biggest toe was bent completely backwards. Jordan had seen gross things before, but never anything quite like this.
Just then the nurse’s door burst open to reveal Jordan’s mom.
The surprised nurse looked at her ques
tioningly. She had not yet been called. Jordan was going to be just fine and was really in no danger.
“Oh, Sweetie, are you okay?” Jordan’s mom asked as she rushed into the room. Kneeling by Jordan’s side, she looked at the nurse, “I was at home, and I just had the strangest feeling that Jordan needed me, so I rushed right over.”
Jordan clung to her mom as the nurse reveled at the thought. She’d heard great things about this particular mother who volunteered at the school programs constantly and tutored struggling students. The nurse understood “mother’s intuition”, but she had never seen such a clear example.
With a pair of tweezers and a swift hand, the nurse deftly flipped the toenail back over onto the toe and bandaged it with gauze and tape. Jordan would probably lose the toenail eventually, but the nurse thought it would be better to let that happen on its own. “All set,” she said, patting the little girl on the knee.
“Thank you so much,” said Jordan’s mom, taking her daughter by the hand and leading her to the hall. Peering down at the frightened child, she continued, “You only have one lesson left today, Sweetie. What do you say you and I head to Chucky’s for that ice cream you love so much.”
Jordan’s eyes brightened as she nodded vigorously. Not only was Chucky’s her favorite place in the whole world, but her last lesson was in math, her absolute least favorite subject.
* * * *
The images faded as the warm light receded and Jordan heard the telltale splash of water close to her head. An orderly gently rolled Jordan to her side and took a warm sponge to her body. All Jordan could feel was the cooler temperature coming over her in the absence of the glowing luminary.
CHAPTER THREE
Jay peered through the opening in the door, softly knocking so he wouldn’t wake Mr. James if he was resting.
“Come in,” a gruff voice answered from inside. “I told you. It’s your hospital. You don’t have to knock, Doc,” Cory reprimanded as he swung his head around to view the young man before him.
Someone Always Loved You Page 1
