"No offense intended, Pietra, but Beth's teeth are chattering. Find a warm blanket for Dr. Hahn," Steven asked the nurse, his eyes rolling.
When a corpulent woman wearing a lab coat walked into the tension-filled waiting room, the anxious family stood. "I'm nurse administrator Henrietta Krump. Sergeant Bailey is still in surgery. Dr. Reed and Dr. Keys placed him on a machine to support his lungs. The extent of Austin's injuries has Dr. Reed requesting blood donations. Austin is type AB positive."
"How much longer will the surgery be?" Janey wrapped the blanket around her tighter.
"I wish I could tell you more. I promise I’ll be back with any information as soon as it becomes available. Is there anything you need?"
"No. Thank you," Fay Bailey spoke for her daughter-in-law.
Shaun and Ford followed Henrietta into the corridor. The door to the room was slow to close, letting those inside hear both offer assistance setting up the blood donations. Henrietta also mentioned needing to rush handwarmers to the OR.
Waiting was killing him. "Excuse me, I'm Austin's brother, Martin. I overheard your request for handwarmers."
"Austin's surgeon is a petite woman, and her fingers are losing sensation. Your brother is chilled down to preserve organ function. I need to have some delivered to the OR."
The name of one of the surgeons had disturbed him. "One more question: what are the surgeon's names again?"
"Dr. Steven Keys is assisting Dr. Elizabeth Reed. She's a gifted critical care surgeon with extensive trauma experience, including Johns Hopkins and war service with Doctors Abroad." A fake smile followed a well-practiced political speech. Martin stood statue-stiff. "Mr. Bailey, I can assure you, Dr. Reed is quite capable."
Martin snapped out of his trance. “I'm sorry, Ms. Krump; I’m not against a female physician operating on my brother."
Elizabeth Reed.His heart pounded against his ribs. The last time he saw her was the night before he left for boot camp, twenty years earlier. She shattered him by breaking promises of forever love.
His sisters, Amanda and Olivia, met him in the corridor. "Um, Marty." Any chance of it being a different Elizabeth Reed dissipated with Amanda's alarmed expression. She showed him her phone, open to Horizon's website. The violet-blue eyes that still haunted his dreams stared up from the screen. Shiny red hair was tied behind her, and a demure strand of pearls circled her neck. "Marty?"
"I'm fine. She better save Austin.” He stomped over to the elevator. Outside the emergency room, Martin sat on a bench as painful memories pelted him like a barrage of bullets.
Saturday, September 5, 1998
The Iowa cornfields spread all around them from the peak of the Ferris wheel. The annual Labor Day fair below brought the noise, laughter, and smells of apple pie, funnel cakes and corndogs wafting to the teenagers in the carriage. Martin stretched his arm to bring Elizabeth closer to his lanky, seventeen-year-old body.
"Are you going to miss this?" she asked, the sprawl of the fair beneath them.
"I'm going to miss you." Wisps of her long red hair tickled his nose while he kissed her head.
She curled into him. Her blue eyes were so dark, they appeared violet. "Do you promise to write?"
"Of course. The recruiter said we can send a letter home with our address the first week. I have no idea what will be allowed during basic." Strong fingers swiped at a tear. "Sunshine, please don't cry, I’m not leaving until morning."
Elizabeth gave him a brave nod. "I'm sorry. I'm proud of you. I sound so selfish, but I don't want you to go." She entwined her fingers with his as the wheel spun toward the ground. Martin jumped from the car and reached to get her down, her body fitting against his.
The two of them strolled together, listening to politicians hawk themselves like carnival barkers. "Hi, Daddy." Elizabeth embraced Talbot Reed, who was running for governor. A member of the state senate, he was campaigning to move up in the political arena.
"Hi, baby girl." His expression turned to steel when he spotted him. "Marty, when do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning, sir. My father plans to drive me to Naval Base Great Lakes to start training."
"Keep safe," he said, more out of propriety than caring. His disapproval of Elizabeth's choice for a boyfriend was obvious.
"Thank you, sir."
"Will you be home for dinner, Elizabeth?"
"Daddy, Marty and I are having a picnic for his last night home." She gave her dad's arm a squeeze and grabbed Martin's hand. "C'mon," she dragged Martin into the crowd. "Sorry about Daddy. He's...."
Martin stopped near a booth and took both her hands in his. "Elizabeth, my parents are farmers. My sisters and brother are still in high school. I'm not going to college; I'm joining the Navy. He doesn't think I'm good enough for you."
"I'm not like that." Her face glowed with adoration.
