by Kahn, Denise
“It’s okay,” Sam whispered. “I escaped from the guards, I’ve come to set you free.”
“You are a woman,” she said as she heard Sam’s voice and saw her face under the keffiyeh. La! La! No! No! They will catch us and kill us, and before that they will torture and rape us.”
“What is your name?”
“Aliyah. Why?”
“Listen, Aliyah, my name is Sam…”
“You’re an American!”
“Yes, I’m with the hospital near Baghdad.”
“You’re a nurse?”
“Yes, and I need your help.”
“My help?”
“Yes. You’ve been here a while, haven’t you.”
“Five miserable, long years.”
“Well, not another day, we’re leaving together and right now.”
“They will catch us.”
“Not if you show me how to get out of here.” Aliyah wasn’t sure, she was scared out of her mind. “Listen, when I reach the hospital I will have the soldiers come back here and free all the women prisoners, I promise.”
“The bastards will pay?”
“Yes, Aliyah, I promise, the bastards will pay.”
“Let’s go, and if we don’t make it at least I will have made the effort to bring justice to my sisters.”
Was it the promise of freedom for her and the other women, or that their captors would pay? Sam wasn’t sure, but what she did know was that the older woman’s eyes had changed—there was a ray of light and hope where before there had only been a dull despair.
♫
LANDSTUHL, GERMANY
CHAPTER 45
Colin Haferty had been confined to a bed pretty much the entire time since he and Max had been flown in from Iraq. Today was the first time he was allowed to go see his friend, and Max told him that just the day before he had still been in a coma.
“Hello, Colossus,” Davina said to the big man, as she walked into Max’s room.
“Oh, I can’t believe this! Twice in a lifetime! Ms. Walters, it is an honor and a privilege seeing you again.” Colin, always the southern gentlemen, tried to stand up to greet the international star.
“No, no, stay where you are. I’ll come to you. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Max sneered. “Nothing can hurt that guy, not even an explosion.”
“Hello, Music Man.”
“You remembered our names,” Colin said, impressed.
“Of course! How could I not remember such great musicians, and maybe even more impressive Marines?”
“Thank you, Ma’am. Are you here for a concert?” Colin asked. Max laughed. “Dude! What is wrong with you? I know you didn’t get hit in the head. Mind your manners and say hello to Ms. Walters.”
“Hello, Ms. Walters.”
“No, I came to see my son.”
“Is he a doctor here?”
“No, he’s a Marine. He was wounded in Iraq and then transported here.”
“Is he okay?”
“Well, he’s grouchy as hell and he’ll tell you that it’s no more than a scratch, but in truth he’s lucky to have his leg, and eventually he’ll be okay.”
“Oh, I’m really glad, Ms. Walters. I didn’t know you had a son in the Corps.”
“I do, and his father and I are very proud of him.”
“Alright, enough already!” Max blurted out.
“That’s it! You’re getting your head injury!” Colin said.
“Didn’t I tell you he was a grouch?”
“Ma’am? Music Man?” Colin looked at Davina and then at Max who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“Haf, I’d like you to meet my Mom.” The colossus just stared at mother and son, closed his eyes tight and let his head drop. “Mom, you know what that means?”
“Uh, I don’t think so.”
“That means I’m too big to hide under the bed,” Max said, laughing hard.
“How do you mean?”
“Colossus here is going to make mincemeat out of me.” Max said, still laughing.
“That’s enough, Max, leave the poor guy alone.”
“Aw, and I was just starting to have fun.”
“I am going to make a shish kebab out of you, Music Man,” Colin whispered.
“Yeah, yeah. Hey Mom, can you do us a favor? We’re trying to reach two nurses. Sam, the one I told you about, and Haf’s special lady, Chantal Devereaux. They should both be at the CSH back in Iraq.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, Mom. Oh, and CSH stands for…”
“Combat Support Hospital. Yes, I know. And Devereaux is spelled the French way?”
“Yes, Ms. Walters. Chantal was transferred, but I don’t know where.”
“Now, Colin, as far as I’m concerned you are family. Anyone who’s as close as you are to Max, and not to mention what you’ve been through together can only be considered a member of our little clan. So, my name is Davina.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Colin, not Ma’am either.”
“Yes, M… I mean Ms. Davina.”
“We’ll work on it. So, I hear that you both will be getting discharged from Landstuhl, and then they’re putting you up at Walter Reed for a while.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, that’s very convenient since we live in Washington. I know you’ll be getting out a little earlier than Max. Do you have plans, Colin?”
“I really don’t. They’re letting me go on a medical discharge so I thought I’d go back home to New Orleans. Then maybe try to find a gig.”
“That’s sounds good, however, I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh, oh, look out, Haf,” Max said.
“Hush, boy, your Mama’s talking.”
Both Davina and Max laughed. The big man was endearing.
“What were you thinking, uh, Ms. Davina?”
“When you come back from New Orleans I think we should get you into a recording studio and let those gems flow out of you. What do you say, Colin?”
“Seriously?”
“My mother is always serious when it comes to music.”
“That would be a dream come true.”
“Excellent. Now let me see what I can do about finding your girls.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Davina threw him a dirty look. “I mean, Ms. Davina,” Colin said quickly and smiled.
“And you have a million dollar smile. Always an asset in this business.”
“You should know,” Max said. He really loved his Mom.
“Why thank you, Max,” Davina said and kissed her son on her way out of the room. She turned to Colin and kissed him too.
When Davina had exited the room Colin looked at his best friend, an angry scowl on his face.
“What are you up to Haf?” Max asked, a little worried.
“I forgive you, Music Man,” the big man said grinning with his million dollar smile.
“I love you too, Haf.”
The two men shook hands and laughed for quite a while.
♫
COMBAT SUPPORT HOSPITAL
CHAPTER 46
Chantal was sitting on the edge of her cot in the tent, her face smeared with tears, tears she was sure would never stop. She thought about her best friend, the one who had been by her side since Harvard, through boot camp and in a war zone. The one she laughed with in Boston, New Orleans and even Iraq. The one she also cried with when the ones they loved had perished. She pondered on Sam’s life. It wasn’t fair, she fretted. First she lost her parents, then she lost Robert and Max, and now she lost her life too. Senseless, totally senseless, she kept repeating angrily.
Chantal couldn’t imagine a world without Sam in it. She had been brilliant in her medicine, and just as amazing with her music. Why couldn’t they have stayed in Boston? Why didn’t they just finish their studies and become doctors like they had originally planned? But Chantal believed in destiny. Sam’s path had been a short one and now, as they say, she was in a
better place. But that wasn’t much help for her own grief.
Chantal reminisced and suddenly thought of Maureen Nagel. Oh, Ms. Nagel! She’s going to be devastated, Chantal knew. And Ms. Nagel was the only semblance of family Sam had. Chantal picked up a pen and a piece of paper and started composing a letter to the woman she knew would be completely heart broken.
Once she finished the letter she left the room and went to mail it, and then went to see her Commanding Officer.
“Sir, do you have a moment?”
“Of course, Lieutenant Devereaux, please sit down.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“What can I do for you?”
After two weeks Chantal’s transfer came through. She didn’t want to be in Iraq without Sam, Colin, Max or even Robert. She had loved them all, and they had all perished. It was time for her to move on. She knew this in the depths of her soul. Was it the pain of the loss? Or did she know that if she stayed she wouldn’t survive and would join the ones she had loved in whatever universe they found themselves in?
Chantal took the transport, a C130 converted into a patient carrier, to Landstuhl. While she was on the Hercules she cared for the men on board. She would continue her service at the hospital in Germany. But who would help her heal her broken heart?
Had Chantal left one day earlier she might have found out that the love of her life and his best friend were still alive.
Less than twenty-four hours earlier Max and Colin were transferred to the United States.
♫
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY
MEDICAL CENTER
CHAPTER 47
Max was peacefully reading on his bed. He was finished with his physical therapy for the day and was relaxing with a good book. Davina walked into his room.
“Hi Max, how’s your leg?”
“It’s sore, it hurts, but it’s getting better.”
“I’m glad.”
“Any news on Sam.”
“Yes.”
“Great!”
“Max, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“What’s up, Mom?”
“You know how you told me about Sam? How you wanted to contact her.”
“Yeah, so what’s the news?” Max asked, his eyes glowing with anticipation.
Davina knew how much she would now hurt her son, and she didn’t know of any way of delivering the devastating news without pain.
“I’ll be honest with you, Max. The news isn’t good. There’s been a… an incident.”
Max’s hair stood on end at the back of his neck. “What does that mean?”
Davina took a slow, deep breath. “There was an explosion.”
Max’s throat was starting to swell. He knew his mother was trying to alleviate the blow, but this time he was in a straight line of fire. He had been lucky, dodged many bullets, but this one was going to hit its target. “And? He whispered.
“The jeep she was in…” Davina didn’t want to continue. She knew Max had figured it out
“IED?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“She’s dead, isn’t she?”
Davina nodded, the tears from her eyes making rivulets down her cheeks. “I’m so very, very sorry,” she sobbed. She was going toward Max when he put his hand up.
“Could I be alone now, please?”
“Of course.” Davina left the room and sat on a chair in the hallway. The pain in her heart scorching, for Max, for Sam, and for the challenges the young man would have to face in the upcoming months. She would stay right there, waiting patiently in case her son needed her. She knew there wasn’t much she could do, but if Max called her she would be right outside. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and called a number. The extension picked up.
“Hello?”
“It’s Davina.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Max is in a bad way. Could you come to his room?”
“I’ll be right there.”
True to his word Colin Haferty materialized in minutes.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“It’s really bad news.”
“Max?” Colin said, cringing.
“In a way. It’s Sam.”
“Samantha?”
“She was killed, the jeep… oh, IED, Colin.”
The big man hugged Davina, and that was exactly what she needed. “Poor Max, oh God, not that wonderful girl.”
“I’m sorry I never met her.”
“You would have loved her. She was smart, beautiful, a big heart, and one hell of a musician.”
“Goddamn it!” Davina blurted out.
“Yes, Ma’am, my thoughts exactly.”
Davina squeezed out of the big man’s embrace. “Thank you, Colin.”
“Anything you need, Davina.”
Davina sat down and patted the seat next to her. “Tell me about her.”
Colin did as she asked and sat down beside the grieving woman. He also thought of Chantal who must be going through hell herself. He wished he could reach her.
Max looked at the ceiling and all he could see was Sam’s beautiful, smiling face. He started crying and let the tears smear his cheeks and wet the pillow. He kept looking up, as if watching a film playing on the paint of the ceiling above him that was projecting the glorious moments they had lived together—Sam playing the guitar for the wounded, the ride out to Fatima to bring back Hamid, the kisses and caresses they shared, and a new picture—Sam exploding in a jeep.
And then the rage set in. He got himself out of bed, picked up a crutch and starting swinging. Whatever happened to be in the way such as vases, lamps, the telephone, or the food on the small moveable table crashed into walls and on the floor. Every time he hit something he accompanied the motion with an outburst. “You killed her! You mother-fuckers killed her!” Max hit a table. “I’m coming, you goddamn sons-of-bitches. I’m getting out of here and I’m going to get you! I’m going to kill each and every one of you bastards!” When his crutch connected to the bars on the bed he lost his footing and fell hard. Colin and Davina heard the screams, the swearing and the raucous, and ran into the room. They saw Max trying to get up, trying to do more damage with the crutch he managed to pick up.
“Max, Dude, stop! This isn’t going to help,” Colin said, picking up his friend with one arm. The other was still in a sling.
“I’m going to kill every mother-fucker in Iraq! You hear me!” Max screamed as he got away from Colin. Since he lost the crutch again he started swinging his arms. He tried to break the bed, hit the walls, anything he could connect with.
“Max, please, stop!” His mother pleaded. She had never seen her son like this, and it scared her, not just for herself, but even more for him.
Max was still shrieking, still trying to break everything in sight when two male nurses rushed in. They subdued Max, lifted him onto the bed and gave him a shot to calm him down. Then they helped Colin who was struggling with his one good arm to get up from the floor. They also cleaned the room of all the shattered pieces.
Davina and Colin stayed next to Max even after he had fallen asleep.
♫
IRAQ
CHAPTER 48
The night was pitch black with only a few stars and no moon. Aliyah showed Sam where the main gate was.
“There is a guard. How are we going to get out?”
“Stay behind me and don’t make a sound,” Sam said. Aliyah nodded and followed. Sam came up behind the man who was sitting on a chair half asleep and swiftly hit him with the butt of the gun. It knocked him out instantly. She caught him as he was fell. She didn’t want any sounds to warn the others. She silently thanked her trainers and the medical professionals who had shown her the intricacies of the human brain and knew the best place to hit the guard’s skull. Aliyah took her shoe off and smacked him in the face. It wasn’t so much that she wanted to hit him, rather it was the worse insult to a Middle Easterner o
ne could do.
The two women hurried out of the compound and Aliyah took the lead. What little energy she had seemed to miraculously multiply. “Come, this way.”
“Right behind you.”
They walked for about an hour. They were cold and shivering. Sam was having a tough time, as her injuries were tearing a little more with every step she took.
“I will leave you here,” Aliyah said.
“What? You can’t leave now. How much farther is it?” Sam asked.
“My village in on the other side of that hill, and you only have a few kilometers to get to your hospital at the airport. You will make it, my friend, Allah the Merciful will help you.” Aliyah gave Sam good directions and then hugged the American woman. “I will never forget you. I thank you for giving me my life back, and I thank America for giving me my country back.”
“Thank you, Aliyah. I promise I will get the other women out of that hell hole.” They embraced one more time and Aliyah made her way up the hill toward her village.
After a couple of excruciating kilometers in the desert Sam managed to make it to the highway. She could see some of the lights coming from the airport where the CSH was installed and she thought she had never seen a more beautiful sight. I’m going to make it!
Sam saw the gate of the CSH compound. It was maybe half a mile away. Come on, Sam, you’ve come this far. You have to make it! She coaxed herself on, but she wasn’t sure she would get to that damned fence. Her clothes were no more than rags, including the ones on her feet that were now almost nonexistent. Someone, at some point, had stolen her boots and socks. She had torn the sleeves from her t-shirt and wrapped them around her feet. It was the only protection they had. She was freezing, the desert cold piercing her skin and burrowing deep into her bones. The blood from her wounds was soaking what was left of her shirt and drying it to her skin. She also couldn’t feel her feet or legs anymore. And then her knees buckled and gave out. She fell hard to the ground and groaned in agony. She tried getting up but her body wasn’t cooperating. She looked at the gate. It was closer than the last time she saw it, but to Sam Boston seemed closer. She tried to get up again but collapsed. She couldn’t, her body was refusing her instructions. She started crawling. She covered a few inches, and then a few more. How far could she get doing this? She tried calling the guard in the shack next to the fence, but her voice failed her as well. She couldn’t make a sound. Suddenly there was a light in her face and fear stroked her heart and mind. Had they found her again? Would they kill her this time? She was sure they would, of that she had no doubt. She tried to get the weapon in the back of her pants but failed miserably as her hand could not reach it. She tried again and blacked out.
