by JL Curtis
A few minutes later, Jesse walked back in and gingerly sat on the side of the bed. “You wanted to talk?”
“Jesse, I don’t know how to say this, but I don’t want to leave like this. I’d hoped we’d have a few days to figure out where we’re going or if we’re going… I know you’re not going to leave here for any length of time, and I’m going to be all the way out in California and maybe other places west of there. And I love you and want you in my life… “
Jesse put her fingers on Aaron’s lips. “Aaron, I love you too, but I don’t know what’s going to happen now or in the next few days. I wanted to spend time with you too, but between the party, us getting shot and now me possibly being charged with murder, I think we just need to wait and see. I don’t think the Marines would like you hooking up with a murderer, much less getting caught up any more than you probably will in this investigation that’s coming down.”
Lying down next to Aaron she wrapped her arms around him. “Just hold me please, just hold me.” She kissed him softly.
Aaron reached cautiously over and held Jesse, feeling her tears on his shoulder. “I’ll do whatever you want Jesse. I just don’t want to lose you.”
At 5:00 AM, Matt knocked on the door and found Aaron sitting on the side of the bed fully dressed with one suitcase and one small bag. Pushing the smaller bag to Matt he said, “If you can take this one with you, I’ll haul the suitcase with me. I’ve got my orders and two uniforms in here, I’ll figure out how to check in when I get there. Do you want me to contact the JAG when I get on base?”
Matt handed Aaron the crutches and picked up the two bags. “Yeah, you better, and give him copies of all the paperwork we got from the Sheriff including our statements and the investigation report from the Rangers. I’d rather they be forewarned in case the shit hits the fan. Everybody is waiting for you and Juanita has fixed you a couple of sandwiches to go.”
As Matt walked out, Jesse walked in and put her arms around Aaron. “I love you, Aaron, and I’ll come see you when I can.” Then she stood on tiptoes and kissed him hard.
Aaron almost lost his balance, but kissed her back, trying not to squeeze her ribs. By mutual consent, they broke the embrace and Aaron hobbled out the door with Jesse’s hand on his back.
The old man had the F-150 parked right outside the door; and Francisco, Juanita, Toby, Matt and one other man were standing there. Francisco stepped forward. “Aaron, this is Felix, he will be driving your truck to Pendleton for you.”
Felix stuck out his hand and Aaron shook it. “Felix the truck’s running good, and it’s full of gas. I’ve got XM radio so you can listen to whatever you want. In the center console is a little handheld radio, just plug that in and set it on channel five and you and Matt can talk as needed. Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it.”
Felix replied, “Senor, I will take good care of it, and treat it as if it was mine.”
After a round of handshakes, Matt and Felix got in the two pickups and headed out.
20 Planes and Trucks
Aaron, Jesse and the old man got in the Suburban and pulled out of the driveway. Fifteen minutes later they were at the airport. As the old man pulled the Suburban onto the ramp, Aaron whistled softly as he looked at the sleek little Lear jet sitting in front of him. “I’ve never been in something this nice.”
The old man glanced over. “Aaron, this is a one-time good deal, only because we’ve got no other options. In other words, ain’t gonna happen again!”
Aaron smiled ruefully. “Oh, I get it sir, I get it; and I appreciate it. But I know Doc’s going to hit me with something and I probably won’t remember a damn thing… That’ll piss me off! I just hope… Oh my God, who is that?” Aaron asked as a huge black man in scrubs came off the airplane.
Jesse jumped out of the back seat and ran to the man yelling, “Baby Cakes!” and jumped into his arms.
Doc Truesdale opened Aaron’s door. “Son, that’s your nurse for this flight.”
“My nurse? My God he looks like a defensive lineman for the Red…err… Cowboys!”
Jesse led the big man over to the Suburban. “Aaron, meet Trey; he’s going to take care of you! Now Trey, don’t you be lying to Aaron about me, remember I know where you live and where you work!”
The big man stuck out a hand the size of a small ham saying in a rolling bass voice. “Pleased to meet you, my real name is Jonathan Jerome Jefferson, and I go by Trey. And if you call me Baby Cakes, I’ll break you in two. Hi, Mr. Cronin. Good to see you again!”
The old man nodded. “Trey, you’re looking good, and good to see you too.”
Aaron shook his hand and shook his head at the same time. “Okay, time to get this show on the road,” Doc Truesdale broke in.. “Aaron, can you hobble over to the steps with your crutches? Do you think you can you make it to the top of the steps?”
Aaron swung his legs out of the SUV and took his crutches from Jesse. After a couple of seconds, he got his balance and slowly hobbled over to the airplane. After a couple of tries to figure out how to mount the steps, Trey said something in a soft voice and put his hand behind Aaron’s back. With the help, Aaron was able to get up the stairs successfully, and picked up the cane that Trey had left sitting at the forward bulkhead on the Lear. Using that, Aaron was able to hobble back to the first seat which was configured in a semi-reclined position, with the table removed and a sling configured in the facing chair.
After Aaron sat down and adjusted the sling to a comfortable position, Trey backed out of the way. Doc came in and did a quick, professional examination then turned to Aaron and Trey, “I’d prefer not to give him any major pain pills to start with, but I’ll leave what’s needed with you Trey. If he is really hurting you can give him one pill every two hours.” After shaking Aaron’s hand, Doc went up to talk to the pilots and the old man slipped into the chair across from Aaron.
Slipping a card into Aaron’s shirt pocket he said, “Aaron, I’m truly sad you got caught up in the middle of this, but know that we’ll do everything we can to keep you clear of the fallout. If you need him, just call Billy on the number that’s on that card. He’ll take care of you, and it won’t cost you anything.”
Sticking out his hand, the old man told Aaron, “You’re welcome back anytime, and if you need anything just call.”
Aaron returned the handshake. “Sir, I can’t thank you enough for everything, and I don’t blame y’all for what happened, it’s just life. I’m just hoping this all blows over or doesn’t happen at all.”
The old man nodded and moved so Jesse could kneel by Aaron. “I love you, and you call me when you get there, you hear me!” Hugging him tightly, she let go and got up with Trey’s help.
Aaron just nodded as he heard the engines starting. “Love you, Jesse. I’ll be back.”
Jesse turned and, shoulders slumped, walked off the airplane. As she walked, she thought I’m a big girl and I’m not going to cry. She looked back, wondering why the bad stuff always happened to her. She loved Aaron, but now they were both in serious trouble, all because of her rotten luck. Sitting in the truck she put her head in her hands. I love this man, and now he has to run away, and I’m probably going to be arrested for murder? Where do we go from here? Even if we’re not arrested, he’s a Marine, and he’s going to be going all over the world. I’m here and I’m not sure I can leave. And what happens if I end up going to jail? I don’t think the Marines would look fondly on that. Damn you Aaron, you sneaky little shit, you got past my defenses and now…
Jesse sighed. I better pull up the big girl panties and get on with this. Get well baby, and know I’ll be here or there or where ever you want me to be. Banging her hands on the steering wheel, she glared around to see if anyone had seen her. Everybody was watching the airplane, so she ran her fingers quickly through her hair, and got back out to watch too. The old man reached out and put his arm around her, pulling her close without saying anything.
Trey closed the doors and Aaron heard
the other engine starting. Trey sat on the couch across from Aaron and buckled in as a ding sounded and the airplane started rolling. Takeoff and climb to altitude was quick and effortless in the Lear, and Aaron had to clear his ears a couple of times. Trey kept an eye on him and they chatted about inconsequential things until Aaron could stand it no longer. “Trey, I gotta ask, man to man, Baby Cakes? WTF man?”
Trey shook his head, and a rumble came from his chest that Aaron hoped was a chuckle, “Oh man, see Jesse and I were both at UT, and she was tutoring me in English and Math, and I was tutoring her in Biology. She was also my lab partner in Bio and we were in the lab doing an experiment one day when my phone rang. I asked her to get it and she did and made some smart ass comment.”
Aaron laughed. “Yeah, she is capable of that isn’t she. Biology?”
Trey leaned forward. “Yeah, as smart as that girl is she just didn’t get biology, she was over-thinking it. I dumbed it down for her, like she did math for me and it worked. Anyway, she makes this smart ass answer, and the girl on the other end, who I was dating at the time said something to the effect of yo’ bitch, you better not be effing my baby cakes, I’ll cut you. So Jesse just put the phone to my ear, and I get an earful from this girl, and I’m trying to calm her ass down, finally just told Jesse to hang up, which she did. Then she looks at me and goes Baby Cakes, really?”
Aaron snickered. “Well, you’re not really what I imagine when I hear that phrase, know what I mean? And since I’m asking, two questions: Did you play ball? And what are you doing here as a nurse?”
Trey leaned back again. “Yeah, I played ball, started three years at UT, second team All-American twice as a guard. Knee let go the last game of my senior year. They did reconstructive and told me to lose 100 pounds and forget ever playing pro ball. Since I was carrying a 3.6 in pre-med, I finished therapy then came back a semester later and graduated. I was looking at med school, and realized I didn’t really know if I wanted to be a doctor or not. With my degree and course work, I was basically one semester from an RN degree, so I did that, and found out I actually like being a nurse and working with people directly. Plus in all honesty, I really don’t want another four years of classes and the residency and all that other BS. My specialization is geriatric care; since I’m as big as I am, it’s easy to actually help people move and change positions, which is hard for most nurses. Also, if people get argumentative, I can, I can subdue them— I guess that is the best way to put it— until some help can get there.”
Trey grabbed a couple of cokes out of the little fridge on the starboard side of the airplane. “Coke?”
Aaron nodded and Trey popped the can and handed it to Aaron. Sitting back down and strapping back in Trey continued, “I also do this on the side, as I can pick somebody up and carry them on and off the airplane if I have to. My wife now, not the bitch girlfriend, was a friend of Jesse’s and she and Jesse got me through Math and English. She’s an accountant at the hospital, so we’re doing alright. If I decide later to go back to med school, I know I can get in at UT with no problems.”
Leaning forward he looked at Aaron. “Now, it’s my turn. You serious about Jesse?”
Aaron shifted a little and thought for a minute. “Yeah, I am. Probably for the first time in my life I’m serious about somebody… She’s something special. She’s like, I dunno, the real girl next door, but not.”
Trey just cocked his head, and Aaron continued, “I mean I first saw her shoot, so that kinda colored my whole view of her. She’s pretty, but doesn’t care. It’s like she’s, ah… Comfortable with who she is. Hell, she told me she lived on a little farm in Texas, and I didn’t give a rat’s ass. She made a couple of trips back east while I was still at Quantico, and we got together there. I was only a sergeant, so it was a cheap date. Know what I mean?”
Trey rumbled again, and Aaron realized that was a laugh. “In other words, she fooled yo’ ass, right Aaron?”
Ruefully Aaron answered, “She sure the hell did. I talked to Matt and we almost left for Pendleton the next day. The old man scares the hell outta me, too. He’s just one cold sumbitch. I didn’t see it at the shoot, but Matt picked up on it right off. Hell, I was too wrapped up in trying to figure out how to snake Jesse to really pay attention!
“Then we get out here, and it’s like walking into a museum. I mean, that house is what, 130 years old? Logs? And the guns? Shit… “
Trey smiled. “Yeah, first time I visited was when I’d just started to date my wife, and it was a long weekend. Jesse had invited us down just to get away from Austin. I thought the old man was gonna string me up to a tree, he was that cold; but then I realized that’s just him. I mean he tricked my ass good. Jesse wanted to go riding one day, but I knew there wasn’t a damn horse on that place that could haul my three-hundred-plus pounds around. When the old man told me he had a horse for me to ride, I didn’t believe him.”
Shaking his head, he leaned forward in his seat. “Until I walked outside with Jesse and Trish, and there stood a Gahdamn Clydesdale! With a damn saddle on it no less!”
Aaron burst out laughing at that mental picture, and Trey rumbled right along with him. Trey picked up Aaron’s empty coke can and his and crushed one in each hand almost absently before flipping them in the trash can on the bulkhead. “Now you’ve got to realize I’d never been on a horse before, had no damn way to get in that saddle, so they lead the horse over to the picnic table and I climb up on it to get on the horse.”
Reaching over, Trey took Aaron’s blood pressure and temp again and noted it in his log. “As we start out, I realize Jesse’s got a pistol on; and the old man tells her, ‘if he falls off, just shoot him, because we’ll never get him back up there, and I’m not driving the front end loader that far unless I have to,” he said, shaking his head again in wonder. “It wasn’t till Jesse told him to stop it, that I realized he was kidding me. But I’m gonna tell you, I didn’t dare fall off that damn horse! Jesse told me later it took him a day to find that horse and a couple of hours each way to go get it. And I had to sign a picture for the owner of me quote riding him unquote.”
Trey and Aaron heard the engines spool back and the airplane started descending into Carlsbad. The copilot announced over the speakers, “Okay, guys, we’re on the way down. Prep for landing and Trey, please confirm when the patient is ready. We should be on the ground in fifteen, and the Marines are waiting to meet us at the fixed base operator’s facility.”
Aaron tightened his seat belt and gave Trey a thumb’s up sign. Trey crouched, stuck his head in the cockpit, and gave them a thumb’s up, returned and strapped himself in. Twelve minutes later, they were taxiing up to the FBO at Carlsbad. Trey opened the door and was met by four Marines, one obviously a doctor, two Captains, and a First Sergeant casually leaning against a dirty green Hummer. A Marine ambulance was backing toward the door, waved on by a Navy Corpsman on the ground. Trey looked at the doctor. “You want to come aboard, or you want him in the ambulance first?”
“Is he mobile enough to get there?” the doc asked.
“With a little help, yeah.”
“Okay, bring him off.” The doc turned and stopped the ambulance where it was.
Trey looked at Aaron. “Okay, up and at em, they want you in the ambulance, use the canes to get here, and we’ll help you down the airstairs and I’ll get your bags in a minute.”
Aaron got up, maneuvered himself around and with the cane hobbled forward to the door. Leaning into the cockpit, he thanked the pilots and grabbed his crutches and hobbled down the airstairs. The two corpsmen had pulled the stretcher out of the back of the ambulance and when Aaron got on the ground guided it to Aaron and had him sit on it. Strapping him in, they wheeled him back to the ambulance and lifted him into the rear and secured the stretcher in its locks. While the doc was dealing with Trey for the medical files, the first sergeant came over and grabbed Aaron’s bag from Trey and carried it to the Hummer. The first captain got in the rescue followed closely by
the second one. The first turned to the corpsmen. “Gents, give us a minute of privacy will ya?”
The two corpsmen left immediately and closed the side door behind them; after they were gone, the first captain said to Aaron. “Staff Sergeant Miller, I’m Captain Hurst from the JAG office. You will be taken from here to the hospital for an inprocess, and admittance. Then, when that is finished, you will be placed in a private room with restricted access. At that point, I will come interview you on the events that took place on Sunday.”
Aaron started to respond, but the captain held up his hand. “Say nothing now. Hold it until I interview you. I have the incident reports and witness statements you’ve already given in Texas.”
“Yes, sir,” Aaron answered.
The captains switched places and the second captain said, “I’m Captain Jones. I’m your company commander at first MSOB[18]. I know this is a strange situation, so until your interview with Captain Hurst, we’ll hold off on the official welcome and all that crap. First has your bag, I’m assuming your records are there right?”
“Yes, sir, right on top. That and a couple of uniforms are all I brought with me.”
The captain nodded, as the side door opened. The doctor stuck his head in and said, “Alright guys, out. I need to get him to the hospital and get him admitted. Y’all know where we’re going to be and he’s in room 120.”
Stepping back, the doctor motioned to the two corpsmen to load up, and the two captains climbed out of the ambulance to be replaced by the doc. As the ambulance left, the two captains climbed into the Hummer and followed.
Trey and the two pilots watched the little procession leave and headed for the FBO office to hit the restroom, grab a snack and gas the Lear for the return trip to Texas.
Trey’s last thought on Aaron was that maybe, just maybe, Jesse had met her match with this one. He vowed to check up on her more regularly.
***
Arriving at the Camp Pendleton hospital, Aaron was taken directly into an examination room by the doc, who quickly cut the scrubs bottoms off, then removed the cast and bandages. Poking and prying at Aaron’s leg, he asked all the normal questions, stopping occasionally to refer to the treatment record Doc Truesdale had sent along.
