in the face.” Marcus knew what that meant. Skip had lost his face.
Marcus said, “What happened to Frank? He was fine.”
Rocky said, “No one saw it, but the tourniquet came loose and he bled out.”
This really upset Marcus. Frank did not have to die. It was human error on the Seals’ part.
The rafts had been brought on-board, and the boat began the long ride back to Kuwait.
Lynda saw the chopper lift off but had no idea where it was going. It headed out to sea.
The chopper hovered over the back of the boat. A basket was lowered and two men were winched up to the chopper. It took off quickly and headed back to Kuwait. It landed at the hospital and the two men were taken to the infirmary. Lynda watched the men being taken off. She had no idea that one of the men was her husband. It was a common occurrence to see men taken off at the hospital.
Hours later the boat full of Seals came to the dock. Lynda was out, and watched two body bags being removed. Then ambulances arrived and men were loaded up. It must have been bloody, she thought.
Seals began to walk down the ramp. She was at the ramp, shaking all their hands. Some she knew by name.
Quickly she realized that she had not seen Marcus, nor Frank. She yelled at the last Seal, “Where’s Marcus and Frank?”
He just heard ‘Frank.’ He said, “Didn’t make it,” and moved on.
Lynda began looking in the ambulances; she did not recognize any of the men.
Rocky walked down the ramp. He saw Lynda and recognized her. She was bawling. He took her by the arm and said, “Ma’am, he is going to be okay; he is fine.”
She looked up, and said, “Who?”
Rocky smiled. “Marcus. He was flown to the hospital. He was shot in the head.” Then he realized what he had said, but it was too late. Lynda was running to the hospital.
It was several blocks to the hospital. Lynda made it in record time. She could not lose another husband.
The hospital emergency room door was open. She ran through the open doors and ran right into a nurse, nearly knocking them both down.
Lynda was breathless. “Marcus Handley—how is he?”
The nurse pointed to an office. Lynda ran in and an American soldier was typing on a computer. She said, “Excuse me, sir—Marcus Handley, how is he?”
The soldier was not used to blue-eyed blondes coming in. He examined Lynda closely, then said, “What was the name again?”
She controlled her breathing. “Marcus Handley, he was brought in about three hours ago.”
The soldier said, “Yes, he is out of surgery. This way!” He got up and led her to the recovery area.”
Marcus was in the middle of telling a joke to a nurse when Lynda walked in. She thought he was flirting, but no matter. “And I thought you were hurt! What is the matter with you, scaring me so badly?”
Marcus grinned. “I am fine, if anybody cares.”
Lynda became stone-faced, “Nobody that I know of!”
Marcus lost his grin; he held out his hand to her. “Come here, beautiful.”
She took his hand and shook it like they had just met. “I saw you flirting with the nurse. Don’t try it with me.”
He looked at the nurse. “I told you she was beautiful. Was I wrong?”
The nurse smiled and shook her head.
“See,” Marcus said, “I wasn’t flirting. I was telling them about you.”
Lynda breathed a long breath. “I know what they say about sailors.”
He looked stunned. “What is that?”
Loud enough for the nurse to hear: “They have a girl in every port.”
“Not this sailor.”
She squeezed her lips together, then said, “Uh-huh.”
An American doctor walked up. He wasn’t used to seeing blue-eyed blondes either. He wanted to get her attention. He wasn’t familiar with this patient, but wanted to talk to the woman. He picked up the chart on the end of the bed. He read it in silence with everyone watching him. He said, “Son, looks like you will be with us for a day or two. Don’t get too used to the scenery.” He had no idea that he was looking at the man’s wife.
Lynda stuck her hand out to the doctor. She said, “Thank you, doctor. Thanks for saving my husband’s life.” She batted her eyes at the older man.
The doctor smiled at the beautiful young woman, “All in a day’s work, ma’am.” He went to where there was a one-way mirror used to watch patients. He wasn’t the only man in the room watching Lynda.
The nurse came out and whispered to Lynda, “You have an audience. Come with me.” She took Lynda to the one-way mirror room, and she watched the men scatter like mice.
Lynda stood in the room and watched her husband. She also watched as Nick was brought out. He had been shot in the hip, and the bullet had gone into his pelvis. The doctors had finally got everything repaired and he was brought into recovery. He was unconscious.
Lynda went back into the recovery room.
The next to come out was Charlie. He had been shot in the leg. He had his leg up in some kind of a harness. This brought a somber moment to Marcus. He finally said, “Frank and Skip didn’t make it.”
Lynda made a face. “Oh no, that is terrible.” She already knew about Frank. She also knew that this was a terrible loss for the Seals. She looked at Marcus. He had his eyes squeezed closed.
She let him suffer in peace. Then she took Marcus’s hand and squeezed it. He opened his eyes, and the old Marcus was back with her. He was cutting up, acting like nothing was wrong.
Lynda went back to her room, and slept until noon. Then she was back at the hospital with Gil. They both sat with Marcus. She went around to the other rooms, and chatted with every wounded Seal. More than one of the Seals tried to flirt with her. She took it in stride and did not hold it against the young men.
The day that Marcus got out of the hospital, they went to the air field. Frank and Skip were going home; they were on board a C-130, Angel Flight. Lynda knew that was the name of flights when they took heros home. Every Seal stood at attention and saluted the plane.
When you could no longer see the plane, they completed the salute. Lynda could see that Marcus was crying. All that she could do was hold his hand. She helped Nick get back into his wheelchair. Charlie whistled when she bent over. Marcus cut his eyes at Charlie, then smiled.
Two days after that, they were on their own C-130, on their way back to the United States. They landed the next day in Pensacola. Lynda wound up being the stewardess to everyone on the flight. Even the pilot hit on her. He invited her into the cockpit. Lynda took especially good care of the wounded. Everyone was appreciative.
When the plane landed, the wounded got off first. Families were at the fence, cheering the men. Parents, brothers and sisters, there were several hundred people. Lynda was last to leave the plane. The Seals turned and applauded her. She was weary, but amazed at their compassion.
She spent the night with Marcus at his parents’ house. He asked her to stay a day; he had to go see Frank’s family. He wanted her to go with him. How could she say no?
The next day, they left and flew to Atlanta; not a long trip, but long enough. Lynda had bought dress clothes to wear. Black and white. She knew that she looked good in these colors.
Marcus was in full military dress uniform. He had a small bandage on his head. He knocked on their door. A small woman answered it. She smiled. “Hi, Marcus!”
Marcus turned to Lynda. “Mrs. Rawls, this is my wife Lynda. She was a good friend to Frank too.”
Lynda shook hands with the old-looking woman. The old woman invited them in. Frank’s father sat in a rocking chair, staring at the wall. The old woman said, “Honey, it’s Marcus Handley and his wife. They came to pay their respects.”
The old man looked up at Lynda, then at Marcus. He said, “We have to bury our son tomorrow.”
Marcus said, “Sir, I
will be there!”
Lynda did not know what to do; she was wringing her hands with grief.
The old woman brought in hot tea, and Marcus began to tell the story of the raid, and how Frank had died. It was the first time that Lynda had heard the story in such detail. They sat with Mr. and Mrs. Rawls for two hours, and cried with them.
After leaving Frank’s family, they went to a motel and got a room. Lynda called the airlines and changed their return flight. She also called her mother and checked on the kids. Tasha had got her report card and had made straight ‘A’s.
That night they lay in bed a long time, talking about their future. Lynda did not want to be hard-headed, so was quiet most of the talk.
Marcus said, “Honey, we still have not resolved where we are going to live.”
Lynda was silent for moment, then she asked, “Marcus, if you could have your way, what would you have me do?”
Marcus stunned Lynda. He said, “I just want to make you happy, that is all.”
They went to sleep having settled nothing but that they loved each other.
The next morning the Seals began to show up. By noon, they were all there, some still in bandages.
The two o’clock service began with full military honors. The only thing missing was Navy planes flying over. Lynda sat by herself with the family. She watched Marcus and the other Seals fold the American flag and then give it to Mrs. Rawls. It was as touching a service as she had ever been to.
At seven, Lynda was on her way back to Dallas. Marcus stayed another day with the other Seals. Then he flew to Pensacola.
When Lynda got home, it looked like Ted had
CIA - The Slave Traders Page 40
