Twice in a Lifetime: A love story you'll never forget! (Cedar Creek Saga Book 1)

by A. K. Galindo

  Sam had visited Cedar Creek with Alex on many occasions during the time they worked together. When Sam decided he was ready for a change of lifestyle, Sr. Chavez invited him to stay at the ranch until he decided what he wanted to do. Cedar Creek needed new blood in the local law enforcement department; Sam jumped at the chance and had served Cedar Creek as Chief of Police since.

  Manny and Peter took turns between sitting in the room with Alex and Max, and standing sentry just outside the door of the room for what seemed like an eternity. Alex wanted a cigarette and got up to go find one. He hadn’t smoked in years, but suddenly he had to have one. Manny found a pack for him, and Alex began to smoke them one after another as he drank coffee, paced the floor, and prayed for some news from John. Throughout it all, Max sat in a chair with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands, staring at the floor. He appeared to be totally devastated and remorseful. The news that they might lose Mary Kate and a baby made him physically ill. She risked her life to save his.

  Finally, John entered the room and Alex stopped in his tracks as he stared at John’s grim face. He moved closer to the doctor for whatever news he had to share, he just had to know something.

  “What is it?” Alex demanded. “How are they, John?”

  “Mary Kate’s holding her own,” John stated solemnly.

  “What about the baby?” Alex inquired, barely above a whisper.

  “The baby’s heartbeat is weak, but still constant. She’s wearing a fetal monitor to track the baby’s heart rate along with one to track her’s,” John stated.

  Alex dropped his head for just a moment then raised his head and spoke, “I want to see her now!”

  “She is being moved to ICU, and will be there indefinitely until we see improvement. Alex, she could snap back within a few hours or it could be up to forty-eight hours before we have much of a response. If I let you go in, I want your word that at the first sign of stress in Mary Kate or the baby, you will get out of the way and let us do our job,” John commanded as he glared at Alex.

  “I’ll do whatever, but I’ve got to see her now. Manny and Peter will see to the security and I’ll get out of the way when and if I need to, but I’ve got to be with her. We’ve been through too much lately and I can’t bear not being near her,” Alex’s voice broke as he turned away from them as he said the last few words.

  Max stood and walked up to Alex and put his arm around him. “I’m sorry Dad; it’s my fault that they’re in this shape. If she hadn’t been trying to protect me, she wouldn’t be here. Why did she do that?” and Max began to sob as he continued, “I’ve treated her so badly, and she risked her life and the baby’s, trying to protect me.”

  Alex took Max in his arms and held him tight, letting him cry out his frustration for a minute before he spoke. It gave Alex an opportunity to focus on something else for a minute. “Max that’s who she is; a loving, self-sacrificing, beautiful person. She would do anything for anybody if it was for their own good. She and the baby will be alright. You’ll have an opportunity to get to know each other,” Max calmed down and Alex looked at him as he spoke, “I want to see her alone for a few minutes, then you can join me and we’ll wait together. Go with Peter and Manny and I’ll send for you soon. John, let’s go.”

  John took Alex to ICU to be with Mary Kate. The rest of the group followed, but waited in the designated area set up by the hospital just for the security team. When they reached the entry to where Mary Kate was recovering, the security team was already in place. John stopped and tried to prepare Alex for what he was about to see.

  **********

  “Alex, Mary Kate is holding her own right now, but she’s still hooked up to several monitors that are tied to the nurse’s station, so she and the baby can be monitored continuously. She’s breathing on her own and her heart is stable and getting stronger, but the sight of all the tubes and monitors can be staggering even when you are prepared for it.” When he finished talking to Alex he stepped through the doorway to the room where Mary Kate’s colorless, unresponsive body was lying connected to various monitors and tubes.

  Alex’s sudden gasp was audible as he paused and gazed at Mary Kate, but kept his composure in check as best he could. He moved to the side of the bed that had the least number of monitors, and leaned over and kissed her cool motionless lips before he sat down and took her hands in his. He leaned over resting his weight on his elbows on the side of her bed and held her hand in his. He kissed her tenderly as he spoke to her in a peaceful adoring tone of voice. Tears threatened to spill down his cheeks as he closed his eyes and began to pray harder than he had in many years. He put her hand in one of his large calloused ones and rested his other hand on their child that lay beneath her heart, as if to protect it.

  Throughout his career in medicine John had been through a lot and seen many moving sights, but none was as moving as this one. He turned and left the three of them alone, or as alone as they could be in the fish bowl they existed in at the time. He went to talk to the other three men in the waiting area to prepare them for the condition they would find Mary Kate in, especially Max.

  Peter called the ranch and talked to Santos to give him an update to be shared with the others. He also checked with the security team at the ranch and the one at the hospital to be sure all was in place. Once both teams confirmed secured, he returned to the waiting room to be with Max, so Manny could check on Alex.

  Manny looked in the door and was taken aback by the sight of Mary Kate. The iron-willed fiery redhead lying there so motionless and deathlike caused him to pause. He moved to the foot of the bed and reached down to touch it as if to make some type of connection with his employer, co-worker, and most importantly, his friend. Alex was in the same position he was in when John left him, but he looked up at Manny when he heard him step into the room.

  Alex’s eyes were daunted and his staunch face was streaked from tears. He asked Manny to bring Max in so that he could see Mary Kate, and sit with him for a while. It would be hard on Max with his guilt, but he needed to face this with Alex so that he could find peace with the situation. Manny looked at Alex with compassion and concern. Alex shook his head as if to understand the look that couldn’t be expressed in words.

  Max entered the room and immediately turned as white as the sheet on the bed. Alex moved and guided him to Mary Kate’s side. As they stood there, he spoke softly, reassuring Max that all would be well in time.

  “She looks much worse than she really is Max. Her color has improved in just the short time that I’ve been in here, which means her heart is getting stronger and I’m sure the baby’s is too.” He took a deep breath to give Max a chance to internalize what he was saying and to give him a chance to steady his composure before continuing. “We have to be strong for each other and for Mary Kate and,” trying to swallow the knot in his throat as he thought about the baby, “your brother or sister.”

  The thought of a little brother or sister caused Max to stop and think, because he quickly looked at him and attempted to smile.

  “I can’t imagine having a sibling at twenty, but it does sound nice.” Looking down at the floor before continuing, “It’s tearing me up to think that I might not ever get to see it or get to know it.” He was very still and couldn’t speak anymore as he moved to sit in a chair on the other side of the room to wait and see what the next several hours would bring.

  Alex returned to his chair at Mary Kate’s side, and began a vigil he vowed wouldn’t end until she was awake and ready to go back to the ranch. Who knew how long that would be? He picked up Mary Kate’s hand and held it as he talked to her in that endearing tone of voice he always used when he was in one of his charming moods, and trying to persuade her to do something. He brushed back her disheveled curls from her face and continued to talk about various escapades they had been on over the years. After several hours of continual talking, Alex laid his head down on the side of the bed, never letting go of Mary Kate’s hand, and fell aslee
p.

  Alex heard Peter when he stepped in the room to check on them, but never raised his head and drifted back to sleep with his head on the edge of Mary Kate’s bed. He knew Max was asleep in a chair in the corner of the room with is head leaning back against the wall. Peter found some blankets on a table and laid one over Max and another one over Alex and left them both to sleep.

  Nurses and doctors came in and out all night checking vital signs, monitors, and intravenous tubes. The family gathered to show support of each other. John came in periodically to check on Mary Kate and the baby, as well as Alex and Max. He never left the hospital throughout the night. Manny and Peter kept their security teams on their toes so as not to have another breach.

  Alex woke up around three thirty and found Max awake and watching him still holding Mary Kate’s hand and his other hand over the baby. He could tell by Max’s quizzical look on his face that he was probably searching for the right words to say something he wasn’t sure he should.

  He finally spoke, asking a very direct question. “It’s clear you love her very much. I am sorry that it has taken something like this to see how you really feel about Mary Kate.” Max took a deep breath and exhaled before continuing. “Tell me about her and about what happened to you and Mother.”

  Chapter 10

  Alex hesitated before he responded to Max’s request. “Your mother and I have known each other all our lives, because our families were longtime friends. They expected us to marry someday and merge the family ranches. I came home between assignments to visit Papi, and your mother came over as soon as she heard I was home.” Alex chuckled and shook his head as he reviewed fond memories. “She was eighteen and I was twenty-two that summer. Your mother and I went out one evening with AJ and his latest interest. She was crazy about me and it had been awhile since I had been with a woman and before long things got out of hand. I compromised your mother and before either one of us knew it, we were getting married.” Alex looked at Max and saw the face of a man and not a little boy, so he continued. “Neither of us could stop the chain of events, though I am not sure either one of us wanted the marriage to happen,” Alex stared off in to space with a serious reminiscent look on his face. “I accepted my responsibility that there could be a child, so we married. Before the year was over you were born and I was never more excited in my life than to have a son of my own to love and care for, but neither of us was mature enough to truly accept the responsibility of a child and a family.”

  “If you were so happy, why did you divorce Mother so soon after I was born?” Max asked with sad questioning eyes. You could tell by the expression on the face of this young man that he was trying desperately to understand all of this, but it was certainly not easy.

  “We were both very young, especially your mother. The day to day ware of a husband and a child on a nineteen-year-old was very strenuous. As time went by, and with me away so often on assignments, your mother got lonely and found companionship and substitutes for me, outside our marriage.” Alex hesitated, wondering if this was too much for Max to deal with, but continued anyway. “I found out, we quarreled terribly, I felt responsible, left government work, and went to work for a private security company. Things didn’t improve; they just got worse. Alex shrugged and shook his head as he continued. “Eventually, we decided it was best for both parties to end the marriage. We shared custody of you, but most of the time you were with your mother and grandparents because I was on assignment and traveling all over the world. An annulment was granted by the Bishop, due to your mother’s infidelity and she agreed.”

  “What did you do then? You never remarried until you met Mary Kate,” Max inquired as he looked over at her pale motionless body.

  “There were women in my life. I certainly wasn’t a hermit or celibate, but none of them meant anything to me.” Pausing to gather the right words before continuing and glancing down at his clasped hands. “I spent all my spare time at the ranch with you and Papi. Between my times here with you and my assignments with whatever security company I was working for, there was very little time for a private life.”

  Alex continued his explanation to Max as he turned back to gaze down at Mary Kate. “I met Mary Kate nine years ago while working for her father’s security business. It had offices all over the world, but was headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. Your mother and I’d been divorced eleven years and there hadn’t been anyone that I was serious about since the divorce.” He laughed as he shared the memory with Max. “She was a ball of fire from the first day we met, and Manny still laughs when we talk about what a challenge she was when she joined her father’s company. Mary Kate was twenty-four and had been working for the CIA since college. Her father wanted her to come to work for him and be one of his operatives. I was thirty-six and had no time for a new recruit, especially a know-it-all female.” They both laughed. “After several assignments together, I realized that she was no raw recruit and I was falling in love with her,” Alex leaned down and kissed Mary Kate tenderly and put his forehead to hers. He paused his story for a few minutes until he could gain his composure. “I had a feeling she was beginning to feel the same way about me, but I wasn’t sure. Since I had been down that road before unsuccessfully, I wasn’t exposing my feelings again unless I was sure how she felt. While on an assignment, there was a mix up in communication, and Mary Kate was taken hostage. I almost lost my mind until we got her back safe and sound,” he looked at her and just shook his head. “At that point, I didn’t care about the risk. As soon as I could get her alone I showed her how I felt, and we have been together ever since.” He looked down at Mary Kate’s unresponsive body and took a deep breath. “At least we were until the Cartel incident. It almost killed me to put her through that, and you too. I couldn’t risk exposing either of you being used as collateral between the Cartel and me.” Alex stood and walked over to the window, gazing out at nothing in particular. He turned toward Max.

  He looked up into his father’s eyes before speaking. “Did you ever love my mother and want to go back to her, so we could be a family?”

  “In our own way, your mother and I cared a lot for each other, but not an undying love that evolves into what Mary Kate and I have. We tried to resolve our differences, but we were not in love with each other. We love you more than anything and always will, but that isn’t a reason to stay married and unhappy.” Alex turned back to the window. “Before Mary Kate would marry me, she tried to get me to reconcile with your mother for your sake. She didn’t want to be the person to keep us apart. I assured her that there was nothing left for Christina and me except you, so we were finally married. Mary Kate was never responsible for keeping us apart.”

  Alex walked over to Max and hugged him tightly. Returning the hug, he looked up at his father, “I am so sorry Dad, for all the trouble I have caused you and Mary Kate. If I’d known, it could have been different. She must be a very special person for you to love her so much.” Max laid his head against his father’s chest and held him closely.

  “I wanted you to learn this on your own when you were mature enough to comprehend its vast importance. I felt if I told you before you were ready, you would resent me and Mary Kate even more than you do now, and blame us for trying to turn you against your mother. Perhaps I was wrong and should have told you sooner, but that’s water under the bridge. We have to focus on the new family we’re going to have,” Alex told him.

  “Dad, will they be alright?” Max looked down at Mary Kate with tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

  “I don’t know Max, I pray they will.” That was the last thing Alex said before John entered the small ICU recovery room.

  John was there to give them an update on Mary Kate and the baby’s progress toward recovery. He informed them that the baby’s heartbeat was strengthening, and so was Mary Kate’s. His concern was that she was not regaining consciousness even with the improvement in all vitals and in the baby’s, as well. All they could do was wait and pray.

&n
bsp; Max went out to the security room and allowed Manny and Peter to go in and check on Alex and Mary Kate. Alex returned to his place at Mary Kate’s side, holding her hands in one of his large calloused one and placing his other hand on the baby. He continued talking to her and telling her stories of his childhood and adventures he had on assignments before they met. Manny and Peter would join in when they were in the room. They were laughing on occasion as the night turned into morning.

  Alex refused to leave Mary Kate’s side for any reason. He ate there, what little he ate, and did doze off at times but not for very long.

  Late the next afternoon, Alex was napping and was awakened by what he thought was movement in Mary Kate’s hands. He sat very still and waited for it to happen again. He held her hand very tight and began talking to her and kissing her as she barely opened her eyes and tried to focus on his face that was so very close to hers.

  John came flying in the room about that time with a nurse right on his heels. “The monitors went off in the nurses’ station reflecting a change in the status of her consciousness, so we knew something was happening in here.” John addressed Mary Kate as he began to examine her and check her vitals. “It’s about time you woke up young lady. You’ve kept us very worried!” He tilted his head in Alex’s direction as he continued, “Your over protective husband hasn’t gotten very much sleep.”

  Mary Kate tried to smile as she tried to speak to Alex, but it was just too difficult, “What is going on, what happened?”

  Alex kissed her and looked into those emerald eyes as tears pooled in his, “We have plenty of time to talk about it; you need to save your strength and get better.”

  “Obviously, I’ve been resting and saving my strength. I want to know what’s going on.” Her speech was slurred due to the pain medication and from being unconscious for so long, but there was no misunderstanding what she was saying.