When The Runway Went South

by Lois Kasznia

  "She pushed me!" yelled Ally as she pointed to Monique.

  "I did not." Monique appeared bored and studied her nails.

  "Yes, you did," said one of the other models. "I saw you."

  "Monique, I want you out of here now. Pack your things and leave." Henri turned to the head of security. "Give Monique an escort."

  "But I didn't do anything," whined Monique as the security man carted her off the stage.

  "Did someone call an ambulance?" asked Enrique as he joined them onstage. He and Caleb eyed each other warily.

  "No, I don't need an ambulance," said Ally as she tried to get up and winced. She glanced down at her four-inch heel shoes which were broken. She sat back down and took off her shoes and handed them to Henri. Ally felt uncomfortable as all three men stared at her and then at each other. "What? Why is everyone staring at me? Just help me get up."

  "You need to have it x-rayed to make sure it isn't broken," suggested Caleb.

  "I can wait until we get to Dallas," said Ally.

  "No, you can't. You have to have it taken care of right here because you are not paying a dime for this," insisted Caleb.

  "He's right, Ally." Henri looked accusingly at Caleb. "You're not the one who drove Ally from New York, are you?"

  "No, he's not," said Ally crossly. "May Caleb and I have some privacy?" Both Henri and Enrique stepped aside while Ally struggled to stand up. She couldn't put any pressure on her left ankle, so Caleb had to hold her steady. "What about our flight home?"

  "Before this happened, I wanted to tell you I got a call from Gracie. Jeb's in the hospital and he's unconscious. I promised I'd get there as soon as I can because no one is running the ranch."

  "Jeb? Oh no. Caleb, you get on that plane right now. I'll try and catch the earliest flight I can. You don't have to wait around for me."

  "But if I do that, I'm breaking my promise to Jeb and your family. I promised I wouldn't come back without you." Caleb looked torn and miserable.

  "You tell them that I'll be down there as soon as I get this thing x-rayed." Ally turned to Henri impatiently. "Henri? When is my flight home?"

  "Uh, I didn't schedule one because I didn't know how long you were going to be here."

  "Today, Henri. I want to go home today."

  "But what about our dinner tonight?" asked Enrique, pointedly. "You promised."

  "I did nothing of the sort," replied Ally smoothly.

  "Easy there, partner," warned Caleb as he stepped between Ally and Enrique. "Ally is my fiancé and I don't appreciate y'all trying to move in on her."

  Fiancé? Oh Caleb, not again. "I don't remember…" She watched numbly as Caleb pulled the Tiffany box from his pocket and got down on one knee.

  "Ally Duncan, will you marry me?" He opened the box and smiled broadly.

  "Caleb?" gasped Ally as she looked at the ring and then at him. "Yes, yes, yes!" squealed Ally. Caleb slipped the ring over her finger and kissed her soundly while the other two men watched, taken aback.

  "Yes, my fiancé," said Caleb with a smile as he held onto Ally.

  "What a rock," said Henri.

  "Who are you?" asked Enrique, somewhat impressed.

  "I'm Caleb Strait from Texas and all that implies, sir." Caleb glared at Enrique who backed down.

  "I'll call a cab to get to the hospital so you can get home, Caleb."

  "No, I'll drop you off on my way to the airport." He turned to Henri. "Make sure her flight is scheduled or do I have to call your secretary?"

  "I'll do it," said Henri stiffly, somewhat miffed at Caleb's attitude. "Ally, let me know when you're done at the hospital, so we can get this squared away.”

  In one fell swoop, Caleb picked up Ally and carried her to his rented car.

  "Ally, the dress, you need to return the dress!" screamed Henri as he ran after them.

  "She'll send it in the mail," replied Caleb as he strode away furthering the distance between Henri.

  "My hero," sighed Ally and she tucked her head underneath Caleb's chin. Caleb just smiled and held Ally closer.

  "It's not broken," said the doctor as he looked at Ally's x-ray. "Looks like you have a high ankle strain, which will take a couple of weeks to heal. Keep it wrapped up and try not to walk on it. We’ll issue you some crutches and you're good to go."

  "Can I fly with this? I have to catch a flight to Dallas." Ally gingerly explored the bandage on her ankle.

  "I don't see why not. There are plenty of wheelchairs at the airport you can use." The doctor filled out a prescription for some pain pills and handed it to Ally. "Here you go.” Suddenly, he appeared shy. “Now, just one last request, may I please have your autograph?"

  "Sure," said Ally as she happily signed a blank prescription form. "This won't get me into trouble signing fake prescriptions, will it?"

  "Thanks." He smiled broadly. "You're good to go."

  "No problem." Ally stood up tentatively, not quite sure how to work the crutches. Thank goodness, Caleb had enough foresight to pull out some clothes and shoes from her suitcase. They had stuffed the designer dress into her suitcase and then Caleb had taken it with him. Now she had to get to the airport, so Ally hobbled to the hospital exit and surprised to see Henri's limo waiting for her.

  "Ally, I came as soon as I could," responded Henri as he helped Ally with her crutches to get into the limo. "Where are your bags?"

  "Caleb took it with him," explained Ally. "He thought it would be difficult to handle with crutches.”

  Henri waved his hand, her answer already forgotten. "Well, Monique has been fired and banned from our agency. Enrique is still besotted with you and his heart is broken since you accepted what's-his-name's proposal."

  "As if I would go out with someone like him," replied Ally with a sneer. "The name is Caleb Strait. I will be Mrs. Strait."

  "No, Ally. You'll always be Ally Duncan. Looks like you will be out of commission for a while." Henri sighed dramatically.

  "I'll be fine," said Ally as she patted Henri's knee as they took off for the airport. Ally called her parents to find them at her house.

  "We heard from Caleb. Are you okay? What happened?" asked Robert.

  "Dad, just a little jealous competition, I have a high ankle strain so I'm on crutches. Did he say anything about Jeb?"

  "He told me about him and he's on his way there now. Do you want to go straight to the hospital or would you like to go home first?"

  "I want to go to the hospital. Did Caleb say which one?"

  "Baylor. I'll have to find it. What time is your flight expected to arrive?"

  "Boarding begins in about twenty minutes. It's scheduled to land around three-thirty. You can pick me up at the same place you dropped me off."

  “I'll be waiting for you." Robert ended the call.

  "What did she say?" asked Tara. "I swear it's always something with that girl."

  "That's our Ally." smiled Robert fondly.

  "Ally, what happened?" asked Kat as Ally answered the phone while she waited to board the plane. "Mom and Dad told me you broke your ankle?"

  "No, it's not broken. See how things get balled up? Monique, an asshole, intentionally shoved me and I fell down," explained Ally.

  "Now, I see why you gave up modeling," agreed Kat. "Will you be able to help me?"

  "I'll do the best I can, Kat. I have to stay off of it as much as I can, but it should only be for a couple of weeks. I mean, I can do the business end of Ally Kats, but as far as serving, I can't."

  "We will get through this," said Kat. "So, that's all that happened in New York?" she asked.

  "No," smiled Ally. "Guess who came to see me?"

  "Wouldn't by chance be Caleb?"

  "You knew," accused Ally. "How did you know?"

  "Ally, the man felt miserable when you left without telling him."

  "Honestly?" Ally felt badly for putting Caleb through this.

  "Pitiful," confirmed Kat. "He talked to Dad and then he talked to me."

  "He did? W
hat did he say?"

  "He had us a little worried you might not come back."

  "He didn't like New York at all." Ally shook her head.

  "I don't see Caleb meshing with New York." Kat became quiet for a minute. "Well? Is there anything else you're going to tell me?"

  "Caleb proposed."

  "I knew it. Ally, what did you say?"

  "I said yes. Don't tell Mom or Dad just yet. I want to tell them myself."

  "When's the wedding? Am I going to be the Matron of Honor? Can it wait until Tom gets home? I'm not catering it. Who are you going to invite?" Kat wouldn't stop.

  "Slow down, Kat," laughed Ally. "I'm still trying to get my mind wrapped around the fact that I'm marrying the bachelor of Texas, all six-foot-five of a hunk of a man. The wedding is the least of my concerns."

  "Did he give you a ring or are you going to pick one out here?"

  "He gave me a ring from Tiffany's in New York," confirmed Ally. "It's beautiful. I'm a little afraid to wear it."

  "I can't wait to see it. Ally, I'm so excited."

  "Dad's picking me up at the airport, but since Jeb's in the hospital, I'm going directly there. You wouldn't happen to know if he's okay or not?"

  "Dad told me about Jeb, but that's all I know. Call me when you land."

  Ally ended the call and began worrying about Caleb and Jeb.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  "Dad? Dad, over here," cried Ally as she sat in the motorized cart at the airport.

  "Ally, look at you. Are you okay?" Robert helped Ally stand up and gave her the crutches. "Where are your bags?"

  "The bags are with Caleb," explained Ally as she struggled to stand up and walk. "They did give me a prescription for pain pills, but I have to get it filled." Ally involuntary winced as she tried putting pressure on her ankle.

  "I'll walk slowly," said Robert as he took Ally's elbow. "You stay here while I get the car. He hurried off and left Ally sitting on a bench talking on her phone.

  "Kat? I've landed and Dad's getting the car, any news? I've tried calling Caleb, but there's no answer."

  "You can't use your cell phone in a hospital," explained Kat. "But, I haven't heard anything. Did you tell Dad yet?"

  "No, he's too worried about my crutches to even notice," said Ally as she scanned for his car. "Here he comes, Kat. Call me if you hear anything." Ally ended the call and waited for Robert to pull up.

  "I hate this traffic," said Robert as he tried to negotiate his way out of the airport. "It's the same thing with Bush in Houston. Where are all of these people going? I thought we were in a recession."

  "Calm down, Dad. I don't need two people in the hospital."

  Robert glanced down at Ally's hand. "What's that?"

  "This?" Ally held up her left hand to show her father.

  "What a rock," whistled Robert. "It's not Greg?" His face turned white.

  "No, it's Caleb." Ally shook her head in disbelief. "Greg? Why?" She stared at her father intently. "He hasn't been bothering you lately?"

  "He's been calling your house. You have at least ten messages from him from today." Robert smiled at Ally. "Caleb asked you? Your mother is going to be thrilled. Are you happy, Ally? That's more important."

  "Of course I'm happy or I wouldn't have said yes." Ally paled, thinking of how Tara would try to run the entire wedding. "Uh, Dad? I'm paying for the wedding. You and Mom don't have to worry about it."

  "Nonsense, Ally. We've saved up for this occasion."

  "Dad, please. Kat has already started in on me and when Mom finds out, it will be me against the two of them. It's my wedding."

  "So, by paying for it yourself, you have the final say." Robert shook his head. "Your mother is not going to like it." He paled at the thought of how to handle Tara.

  "This must be the exit," commented Ally as she noted the 'H' sign on the exit. "Dad, you really do need to get a GPS device. I know you're challenged by it, but it works wonders."

  "I can do this on my own," countered Robert. "I'll pull out here to drop you off. Is it okay if I don't come in?"

  "I know you and Mom are anxious to get back home. I'll be fine."

  "I don't know, now that you're engaged, I think your Mother is going to want to see this ring of yours."

  "Let me know," said Ally anxious to see Caleb and Jeb. She climbed out of the car and got situated with her crutches without falling. Ally waved goodbye to her father and before she even took two steps, an orderly stood there with a wheelchair.

  "Ma'am, the ER is over there," she explained.

  "I'm here to see Jeb, um Jeb." Ally didn't know their last name. How's that for starters as a Strait? Not good. "Jeb is with Caleb Strait. Has he been here?"

  "So that's his name, a big guy with a body to die for? Sandy colored hair?"

  "The one and only," laughed Ally at her description.

  "Are you family?"

  "Soon to be so," smiled Ally as she held up her hand.

  "Aren't you a lucky one?" She stopped and really looked at Ally. "Say, aren't you from Hollywood?"

  "No, not by a long shot," laughed Ally.

  "I know I know you. Don't tell me, let me guess." She wheeled Ally onto an elevator. "Jessica Simpson?"

  "No," laughed Ally and cocked her head. "You really think I look like her?"

  "No you don't. My name is Crystal by the way."

  "I'm pleased to meet you, Crystal."

  "I give up. Who are you?" The elevator doors opened up and Crystal wheeled Ally to the waiting room and went to the nurse's station.

  "She's here to see patient in room five-oh-six."

  "That's Ally Duncan, the super model," whispered the nurse. "What is she doing here?"

  "Ally Duncan?" Crystal stared at Ally. "I know who you are now. Where did I ever come up with Jessica Simpson?"

  "I don't know," said Ally laughing, but quickly sobered. "Is Jeb going to be okay?"

  "Let me take Ally down there," insisted the head nurse taking over Crystal's keep. "The room is small, so you'll be a little crowded." She wheeled Ally down the corridor and stopped to knock on the door. "Excuse me, Ally Duncan is here?"

  "Ally, you're here." Caleb rushed to get her but stopped short when he saw Ally in a wheelchair. "Babe, what's up?" His eyes traveled to her ankle.

  "It's just a strain. I should be good in a couple of weeks. But more important, how is Jeb?"

  "Ally, you didn't have to come here, especially in your condition," said Gracie smiling through her tears. "But I'm glad y'all did." She turned to Jeb. "Look Jeb. Ally is here."

  "Where?" asked Jeb faintly, as he tried to sit up in the bed.

  "Now, don't you go straining yourself." Gracie tried to still Jeb.

  "Woman, I can handle this. Don't go fussin' over me." Jeb sat up and looked pointedly at Ally. "What happened to you?"

  "It's not her fault," explained Caleb. "A disgruntled coworker intentionally pushed her down." He walked over and put his hands on her shoulder and squeezed affectionately.

  "Hmph." Jeb lowered his head back onto the pillow. "When do I get out of here?"

  "Jeb had a reaction to his new high blood pressure medication," explained Gracie. "One of the symptoms is dizziness, so now the doctor has to change the prescription. He scared the living daylights out of me."