by Sable Hunter
“You’re right about that. Anyway, why I called was to give you another Herculean task – since you did so well on the last one.”
“Hey, I leap tall buildings in a single bound, just lay it on me.”
“We need for you to begin checking on the possibility and procedure for us to adopt Juanita.”
“Oh. Wow. Okay.”
Benjen could almost hear the wheels turning in Zane’s head. “What do you think?”
“It’s going to be…impossible.”
Benjen was just about to protest when Zane finished his thought. “But the impossible is my very favorite thing to do.”
Hearing a buzz in his ear, he set out to wind down the call with Zane. “I was hoping you’d say that. Let me know what you come up with. Apple’s calling me, so I’ll say goodbye. I appreciate all you do, buddy.”
“My practice is never boring with the Blackhawk brothers around, that’s for sure.”
Benjen grinned as he hit the button to accept Apple’s call. “Hey, love of my life, what’s up?”
“Hey, handsome. I have a doctor’s appointment. Tomorrow. Is that soon enough for you?”
“It is. What time?”
“Ten.”
“I’ll go with you. How did Dr. Cleveland take the news of your resignation?”
“She was so sweet. She understood completely. I get paid for vacation and my two-week’s notice – and I don’t even have to put the time in. I can stay home with Nita and take care of you!”
“Wonderful!”
“How about you?”
“Well, I talked to Zane and he’s going to start looking into the situation with Nita’s adoption.”
“Great!”
“Now, I’m on the way to Hutto to talk to Alivia.”
“Oh, I hope she can point us in the right direction.”
“She will. I think the woman’s pretty smart.”
“Oh, yea? I know another smart woman.”
“Oh, really?” Benjen grinned, loving to banter with her. “I’m drawing a blank.”
“Me! I picked you, didn’t I?”
Benjen laughed. “Huh. All this time, I thought I picked you.”
“Okay. Let’s just say we picked each other – how’s that?”
“Just about perfect I’d say.” Benjen felt his heart swell with happiness. “Just about perfect.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Before I get this guy on Skype, I want to warn you about something,” Alivia tapped the key to turn on the monitor of the huge computer screen hanging on the wall in front of them. “He’s eccentric, but he’s smart as a whip.”
“He also saved Alivia’s life,” Saxon said evenly. When Benjen cut his eyes over in surprise, Saxon elaborated, “When Alivia was shot, she needed blood. The crazy psycho who was killing all the beauty queens worked at the blood bank. Knowing we were on his trail, he destroyed all of Alivia’s blood supply she’d put back for herself. The only other blood we could find was in the British Isles. A friend of ours went after it, but we needed a miracle to keep her alive and…”
“Miracle worker, that’s a new title for me. I’ve brought refreshments, Alivia. Who’s the hunk?”
Upon hearing the somewhat mechanical voice behind him, Benjen jumped and turned. “Uh, hello.” He was a bit shocked to see this very life-like robot coming toward them with a tray of wine and cheese.
“Hello, honey. Are you married?”
Alivia and Saxon laughed indulgently. “Benjen Blackhawk. Meet Savvy.”
“That’s Savvy Hart Abbot at your service, eye candy.”
Benjen almost turned his chair over when she gave him a slow wink.
“All right, Sav. Quit flirting. Mr. Blackhawk is taken. He has a lovely girlfriend named Apple.”
“Huh. A piece of fruit. I think I’d be a good upgrade.” She set the tray on the table next to Benjen.
“I’m sure you’re a lovely…lady, but I am in love with Apple.” Benjen felt odd explaining himself to a robot. “So, this is one of those house helpers?”
When Savvy laughed, Benjen knew he might be in trouble.
“Actually, miracle worker is a better job description than house helper. I do things around the house, for sure. But I’m also capable of doing much more. To quote Alivia, I am a very pleasing package, a droid with Artificial Intelligence. My brain is so powerful, it is surpassed only by the TaihuLight supercomputer in China. I can do anything you could imagine a computer doing, only better and faster. Plus, I’m learning and adapting every day, showing the characteristics of a human who is adjusting to a new culture. In other words, Mr. Blackhawk, you are looking at the future. I’m going to go where computers have never gone before. I’ve already told Alivia that I want to get married and have a baby.”
Benjen’s eyes were bugged. “Okay. Good luck.”
“As for the miracle…” Savvy wasn’t through. “You’re about to talk to Dr. Dolman, but I found him. While Alivia lay dying, I filtered through all my connections and found an answer to her problem. She needed a certain type of blood to save her life and no one could get to it fast enough. I found this man, this Dr. Dolman, who invented and perfected a viable blood substitute. He sent enough of his creation to save Alivia’s life. Right Saxon?”
“That’s right.” He winked at Savvy. “No brag, just facts.”
Alivia sighed and muttered dryly, “We have got to work on her lack of self-confidence.”
Benjen laughed. “Well, I’m glad to meet you, Savvy. You have managed to make me feel even more hopeful than I did before I got here. With you on her side, Nita will be just fine.”
“With that sterling introduction, let’s bring Dr. Dolman into the conversation. To sum it up, he’s not only an A grade doctor, he’s also a researcher at Rice in Houston, and an expert on anything to do with blood. I’ve briefed him on Nita’s background and condition.”
After tapping a few keys, the monitor came to life and Benjen found himself face to face with a man who looked like he’d just come in from a hard day on the range. He sat down on the chair in front of his computer and pulled off his dusty boots. “Pardon me, people. I’m all tuckered out. My tractor broke down in the north forty and I had to walk home.” Once his feet were free, he wiggled his toes and propped them up on the table, fairly close to the camera. “You must be Benjen Blackhawk, good to meet you.”
“Good to meet you too, Dr. Dolman.”
“Call me Allan.”
Benjen had to bite his lip. The name Allan left a bad taste in his mouth – but this man might be the one to save Nita’s life. “All right, Allan. I take it you’ve been briefed on Nita. Do you think you can help her?”
“I don’t know why not. What I need is to examine her myself, map her DNA, and start a search for a donor. So, you’re not aware of any family other than the missing grandmother in Honduras?”
“No, we have no information on any other relatives. Her father, an American soldier, has no family left either that we’re aware of.”
“We’ll just have to shake the bushes, won’t we?” He looked at Alivia. “Do you think your bucket of bolts can help on the project?”
“I heard that,” Savvy said from outside the door.
“Quit eavesdropping, Savvy,” Saxon called to her. “If you want to listen, just come on in.”
“I didn’t want to intrude.”
Benjen pressed his lips together. The robot was a hoot and a half.
“Yes, of course she can help, Allan. If needed, we have access to 75 registries in 52 countries. If there’s a good match out there, we’ll find it.”
Allan Dolman nodded. “All right, Mr. Blackhawk, I’ll call Baylor, Scott, and White to make sure I still have my privileges. Get her to the nearest branch of that hospital tomorrow and get them to look up my orders on the main computer. We’ll take a blood sample and start identifying the child’s HLA markers. After that, we’ll start our search.” Seeing the quizzical look on Benjen’s face, Dr. Dolman answered
the question before he could ask it. “I can’t tell you what the timeline is. We’ll push forward – full speed ahead. I will come down day after tomorrow and examine her myself. Once we find a donor, she’ll have to go through a bit of chemo and radiation therapy. We have to get rid of some of her bone marrow to make room for the new. One good thing, the way I do it, we’ll have much lower doses than most people use. For a child her age, that’s going to be key.”
“I’m grateful you’re willing to help us, Doctor,” Benjen voiced with sincerity.
The tough looking man waved a callused hand. “I have to get my jollies where I can. I get tired of herding cattle from pillar to post.”
“Been there. Done that,” Benjen sympathized.
“Good deal. I’ll talk to you sidewinders manana.”
The screen went blank.
Benjen met Alivia’s eyes and Alivia laughed. “I warned you, he’s quite a character.”
“Yea, but he sounds confident. I like that.”
Alivia punched him. “So, let me see the ring.”
Benjen pulled it out of his pocket. “What do you think?”
“Gorgeous!” she exclaimed. “You did good, Blackhawk.”
“Thanks.” Benjen patted his pocket. “I have the marriage license right here and a big box of surprises to shower her with when the time is right.”
“She’s going to love it,” Alivia assured him with a big grin.
“Let me see the ring.” Savvy came closer and sighed. “Oh, I want one of those so bad. The alarm on my biological clock is going off as we speak.”
Benjen looked at Alivia who shook her head. “She doesn’t really have a biological clock.”
Savvy snorted. “No one really has a biological clock, Ally.” She sighed and put her hands on her hip. “But I have urges.”
Benjen laughed and stood up. “On that note, I think I’ll head home.” He doffed his hat at Savvy. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am. I hope to see you again.”
“I hope to see you too, handsome.”
“Savvy…” Saxon warned her.
The robot held up her hands. “Hey, I’m just looking. I may be metal, but I’m not blind.”
* * *
The next day…
“Look! Buscar!”
“What?” Benjen jumped when Nita hollered. “What do you see?” They were headed to their first doctor appointment of the day. Apple’s gynecological appointment. After they finished up there, Nita would go for her lab work.
“Helado! Ice Cream!”
“Oh, Nita,” Apple worried, “It’s so early. You haven’t even had lunch.”
“Pul-lease!” she begged with her little hands together.
“Oh, let’s get her some.” Benjen helped Nita who was pinning him with a stare in the rearview mirror. “I’m just glad she’s hungry enough to want it.”
Apple sighed. “You’re right. What flavor, Nita?”
“Choclate!”
“She’s got that word down pat,” Benjen murmured, turning into the ice cream parlor. “I think I’ll get a malt. How about you,” he asked Apple.
Apple frowned. “I’m about to gain so much weight. I shouldn’t indulge.”
“Ah, indulge, honey. You don’t have an extra bit of sugar on you except in the places I like it most.”
“Sugar? Apple got sugar on her? Wet me see.”
They laughed as Benjen drove through the drive-thru, getting them all something good. Apple chose a dip cone and Nita declared she wanted to try that next.
When they arrived for the gynecological appointment, Apple declared her nervous state, “I don’t like doctors.”
“Me e-ver,” Nita agreed as she toddled along beside Benjen, holding his hand. Apple reached down to pat her head. She felt like walking – and that was good. Seeing her on her feet and knowing how old she was, it was painfully obvious she was much smaller and weaker than she should be at that age.
“Neither of you need to be afraid. You know why?”
They both looked at the most important man in their life.
Benjen shrugged his massive shoulders. “Because I’m here, that’s why. I won’t let anything happen to either one of you.”
Apple felt the truth of his statement sink in to her very bones. “That’s right, Nita. Nothing bad can happen to us when Benjen is around.”
Apple kept reminding herself of that fact as she went through a barrage of tests. After the doctor confirmed her pregnancy and learned about her previous problems, he ordered everything from X-rays to a pap smear to lab work.
When time came to hear the results, he called both Benjen and Apple into his office.
“Well, you’re pregnant!” he announced with a sly smile.
Apple wanted to roll her eyes so bad she could taste it. “Thank you, Dr. Mallory.”
He waved his hand, slapped the desk, then a mask of seriousness dropped over his face. “I’m surprised. This baby must really want to be born. You still have scar tissue and you still have Asherman’s.” He looked at the calendar. “You’re already past the first hurdle. Most women with Asherman’s miscarry quickly.”
Benjen tensed.
“We’re going to have to take some extra precautions, really monitor the baby to make sure those bands don’t strangle him or cause birth defects. Now, all of this is going to be complicated by the fact that you have one kidney. You’ll undoubtedly have to have at least one surgery when the baby gets big enough to be in danger from being wrapped up in the bands.”
“Bands? I don’t understand,” Benjen asked, his chest tightening by the second.
Dr. Mallory looked from one to the other, then dug in his drawer for a chart or two. “I’m talking about band-like adhesions from the scar tissue. You never know how those bands are going to interact with the baby, how it might restrict its movement or tangle it up, cause a limb not to grow properly.”
Benjen swallowed nervously. “Is this dangerous for Apple?” As much as he wanted the baby, he wanted her far more. “Should we consider an abortion?”
“No!” Apple stated loudly, firmly, an unequivocally.
Dr. Mallory held up his hand. “No, none of this is particularly dangerous to the mother at all. We’ll just have to be careful with Apple, considering all of the complications as a whole.” When he saw their worried expressions, he did his best to reassure them. “I know, I have a poor way of putting things sometimes. I just don’t believe in beating around the bush. None of this means we can’t have a healthy baby – but what it does mean is that we’re going to have to take some extra measures.”
Extra measures.
Benjen felt weak from everything he’d heard. Apple stayed calm, asking questions. He heard what they were saying – the due date, the plans for a birthing room, prenatal vitamins – but he was too deep in a daze of worry to process all of the details. He sat there holding a sleeping Nita and wondered how he’d survive another eight months of agonizing stress, praying his wife and his child would survive the ordeal of pregnancy and childbirth.
“What can I do?” he asked weakly.
Realizing Benjen’s distress, the doctor turned to him. “Just what you’re doing. Love her. Be supportive. Rub her back. Rub her feet. Buy her the crazy things she’ll crave.”
“Okay, I can do that,” Benjen agreed weakly.
“And your wife and I will do the rest.” He spread his hands and smiled.
“How about sex?”
Apple’s question caught Benjen off guard. “Maybe we shouldn’t…”
He jumped when Apple whacked him on the knee. “Shhhh.”
The doctor laughed and laughed. “You two are a perfect pair.” He laughed some more. “Have as much sex as you can now. I promise you when that baby comes, you won’t have as much time.”
After making Apple’s next appointment, they made their way to have Nita’s blood drawn. Thankfully, the locations weren’t very far apart. When they arrived, Benjen removed the child from her car seat and carried her in
. “I wish she could sleep through this. I’m afraid it’s going to hurt.”
Apple frowned and put a finger to her lips and shook her head.
Too late.
“Wat’s gonna hut?”
“Beegee’s gonna hurt after Apple spanks his bottom,” Apple said, which made Nita dissolve into a fit of giggles.
She pointed her finger at Benjen. “Beegee’s gonna get a spanking!”
Benjen gave Apple a wicked wink. “I don’t think Beegee’s bottom is the one that’s gonna get spanked.”
Nita’s mouth opened and formed a perfect little O while one of her hands went behind her back. “Not me!”
“No.” Benjen laughed. “Not you.”
By that time, they were inside the lab and headed to the room to meet the technician. When Nita finally figured what was going on, her little face crumpled and so did Benjen’s heart. While Apple held her arm and the tech took her blood, Benjen knelt on the floor and let her cling to him as hard as she could. His heart constricted so hard, he thought it might be the big one. Closing his eyes, he wondered how he would get through watching Apple and Nita suffer. If there was a way under the sun, he’d endure every pain, and take every risk from them. “It’s okay, lamb. It’s okay.”
When it was finally over, Nita buried her face in his neck and sobbed.
“I’m sorry, darling. I’m so sorry,” he told her softly while Apple filled out the form for the medical records. “It had to be done so we can make you all better. The doctor needed the blood to see how he could help you.”
“It’s all wight, Beegee.” She touched his hair. “It’s all wight.”
Apple walked up about that time. “Hey, who’s comforting who?”
Benjen looked sheepish. “I got upset too.”
“Awww. Come on you two. Let’s go home.”
Once they were on the road, Benjen brightened. Checking his watch, he grinned knowing the hour was fast approaching when she would be his completely.
* * *
When they arrived home, Apple was surprised to see Sara’s car. “Oh, great! I didn’t know she was coming, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. That’s good. I wonder what’s up?” White lie. White lie. He did know. He’d arranged the whole thing. Sneaky, sneaky, Benjen.
