Love On Call

Mari stared unblinking, searching each view for some hidden enemy, reluctant to be convinced. The calculating, cool part of her mind scanned and correlated, while the emotional part she usually kept contained and shut away while she worked kept screaming, This is Glenn—Glenn!—and she’s in danger. Mari took a shaky breath. “With the size of that laceration, she must have taken a serious hit. She’s going to have a hell of a headache.”

“For sure.” Harper grinned. “She’ll never admit to it. She’ll just want to rub dirt on the sore spots and get back in the game.”

“I know. God, she could have—”

Harper draped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “She could have, but she didn’t. She’s going to be all right. Could-haves don’t matter in this game. Only what is.”

“Only what is,” Mari whispered. Only now. This now, and as she was beginning to understand, the next one. Relief so potent she was briefly light-headed washed over her. “I’m so glad you’re here. You and Flann and Abby—everyone.”

“Where else would we be, huh? Glenn’s family.”

Tears pricked her eyes. “Yes, I know.”

Harper made a few notes on Glenn’s chart and dropped it on the small desk facing the glass-enclosed room where the big scanner revolved around Glenn’s head. “We’ll run her chest and abdomen too, but there’s no sign of anything worse than a cracked rib or two. She’ll need to stay in at least overnight.”

“Can’t you keep her longer? You know she’ll want to go right back to work.”

“Abby can probably hold her off awhile, but you know what Glenn’s going to say. If she’d been at the front, she’d be back with her unit in the morning.”

“This isn’t the damn front,” Mari said, her fear giving way to rage. Some careless, irresponsible driver had nearly killed the best person she knew, the woman who had already given so much for so many. The woman she loved.

“It is to her,” Harper said gently.

Mari closed her eyes, let the targetless fury drain away. “I know. You’re right.”

“I’m going to call and get a room for her upstairs. As soon as we get that laceration closed, we’ll get her settled.”

Mari waited until the scans were done and helped the ICU nurse transport Glenn back to the ER. Abby came in a few minutes later.

“Flann called down. She’s going to be a few hours. Ruptured spleen, fractured liver, avulsed duodenum. The guy’s a mess. I’ll do this.”

“Can I help?” Mari asked.

Abby cocked her head, surveyed her. “Sure. That will free up one of the nurses, and we’re slammed out there.”

Mari cut sutures and dabbed blood from the field as Abby anesthetized and closed the eight-inch laceration on Glenn’s forehead. Somehow, Glenn slept through most of the procedure, or maybe her body just kept her submerged so the healing could begin.

“It looks great,” Mari said softly as Abby finished the last suture.

Abby’s eyes above her paper mask smiled at her. “Thanks. Nice assist. She’ll have a little bit of a scar, but the orientation’s good so it won’t be too noticeable in six months or so.”

“It won’t bother her.” Mari doubted Glenn even realized how unbelievably attractive she was. And a scar? Nothing could mar her incredible beauty.

“Her room is ready,” Abby said, “so we can get her upstairs. Coming up?”

“Yes.” Mari appreciated that everyone just assumed she was staying with Glenn for as long as it took to be sure she was out of danger. Did everyone know what she had barely begun to recognize? That Glenn was the most important thing, everything that mattered to her?

“Carrie’s outside in the family waiting area if you want to give her an update while the staff get Glenn ready to transport. I’ll call you when they’re ready.”

“Thanks. I’ll go find her right now.” Still Mari hesitated, unable to leave. Glenn’s vital signs were stable, everything checked out fine, but what if she wasn’t there and something happened? What if while she was gone Glenn—

“She’s going to be all right. Sore as hell for a few weeks, and she’ll need some tending that she won’t want, but I’m sure you’ll figure out how to get around her.” Abby’s tone was gentle, knowing.

Knowing Abby knew what Mari feared, and why, gave her comfort and strength. “I might need a little help in that department. She’s one of the quietest people I know, inside, but staying quiet? Not so much.”

Abby laughed. “Don’t worry, we’ll gang up on her.”

Glenn softly muttered, “I can hear you, you know.”

Mari stroked her cheek. Glenn’s eyes opened, momentarily clear and oh so reassuringly strong. “Good. Then you know you’re outnumbered.”

Glenn’s smile flickered, and she sighed deeply. Asleep again, safe.

“I’ll be right down the hall.” Mari finally backed away, watching Glenn’s chest rise and fall, slowly and evenly, checked the EKG and blood pressure tracings moving steadily across the monitors one more time. Glenn was going to be all right. They were both going to be all right.

The instant Mari reached the waiting area, Carrie jumped up.