Where would Marilee go? She had no family, no friends other than the few she’d made in town. The sweet young lady with the appealing southern drawl would be at the mercy of others. The very thought of it was hard to bear. Well, he decided just before finally drifting off to sleep, when he got home he was going to do something about Marilee Martin, and if Lilly didn’t like it she could just pound salt, as his Ma would say.
It was barelylight out when his room became a beehive of activity. Nurses came and went. His leg was scrubbed from his groin to his foot with special soap that made his skin look orange. They drew more blood and hung several bags of fluid to a hook attached to a pipe on wheels, and then started what they called an IV tube. Another poke in the back of his hand and he was off, transferred to a gurney and being wheeled from the room.
Witt and Cara were there, and she surprised him by leaning down to kiss his cheek as she wished him good luck.
In a cold room with very bright lights, he was transferred again to a steel table and covered with a warm blanket. A doctor he hadn’t seen before identified himself as the anesthesiologist and informed him that he was the one who would be putting him to sleep in a few minutes and monitoring his vital signs.
Lying there, Mead nodded at the doctor he’d met yesterday and waited for the mask to be put over his face. He recalled the smell of ether and dreaded it, but it never happened. Instead, he felt a cold feeling enter his hand and travel up his arm. That was his last thought before blessed oblivion overtook him.
Cara and Wittsat at a round table in the cafeteria holding hands across the small space.
“Do you think it will go well?” she asked worriedly before taking a sip of her coffee and grimacing. “Heavens, you’d think hospitals could at least come up with a decent coffee machine.”
“It serves its purpose,” Witt replied, “which is to keep people awake. And yes, I think he’ll be fine. My only concern is the period when the anesthesia is wearing off. People say the strangest things.”
“Yes, but the staff has probably heard worse than some man saying he’s a time traveler,” she offered hopefully, giving his hand a squeeze.
“Let’s hope so.”
Mead wasin fact rambling as he struggled to wake up in recovery. Leaning over his bed was a beautiful woman with thick dark hair. There was a white aura around her, and her soft southern drawl was both comforting and alarming. One of her hands held his; the other was placed on his forehead, cool and soft.
“Shh, don’t worry, y’all are doing fine,” she said reassuringly. “Soon you’ll be back in your room.”
“Marilee,” he breathed. “It’s you. I’ve been so worried.”
The vision smiled and squeezed his hand.
“Now how do you know my name, sugar?” she asked with a smile. “And you almost got it right. I’m Mary Lee, but Marilee is close enough. How are you feelin’?”
“Wonderful, now that you’re here, sweetheart,” he replied groggily, “and you should know that I’ve decided not to marry Lilly.”
“Really?” she teased kindly as she moved her hand and took his pulse.
“Yes,” he weakly whispered, his eyes closing. “I’m going to marry you. Just as soon as I can straighten this out and get the preacher.”
“Aw, that’s mighty sweet of you, John,” she responded with a grin. “But I won’t hold you to it. I know you’re talkin’ nonsense, but it’s flattering just the same. Now you try to rest. I’m goin’ to stay right here with you until you’re ready to go back to your room. Then another nurse will take care of you and maybe you’ll want to marry her instead.”
“No,” he yelled, panic stricken. “Don’t leave me, honey. I need you so.”
“I won’t leave you, darlin’” she promised. “I’ll be right here watching over you until you’re feelin’ better.”
“Good,” he sighed, his hand relaxing and dropping back to the gurney.
“You got a good one?” Joanie called from across the room.
“Yes ma’am, but he’s sweet,” Mary Lee answered. “Gosh, the things people say when they are coming out of it!”
“Don’t I know it,” Joanie agreed with a laugh. “Last week a man promised to buy me a jaguar,” she continued with a sigh. “Too bad he didn’t remember it when he woke up.”
When Mead woke againhe was back in his room and Marilee was nowhere to be found.
“What happened to my nurse?” he croaked out before Witt picked up a glass of iced water and held the straw for him.
“Which one? You’ve had several?”
“The dark haired one, Marilee?” Mead said looking around the room.
“I have no idea. That must have been in surgery, or perhaps recovery. The nurse you have now is Mark, and he’ll be back shortly. Rest easy.”
