Love On Call

“Sometimes I hate not being one of you clinical types,” Carrie exclaimed. “I had to stay out here and all of you were running in and out and oh God is she okay?”

“She’s going to be. Banged up, but nothing time won’t fix.” Mari opened her arms as Carrie flew at her.

“Are you okay?”

“No. Yes. Just give me a year or two…” Mari buried her face in the curve of Carrie’s shoulder, and the tears she’d been holding back for hours flooded free.

Carrie rocked her, crooned wordlessly, and held on.

“Sorry, sorry,” Mari gasped when the worst of the burning in her chest had passed. “She’s fine, really.”

“Harper told me.” Carrie led Mari to a sofa against one wall, drew her down, and enclosed her in the circle of her arms. “Doesn’t mean it’s not terrifying all the same.”

“God, you’re so right.” Mari wiped her face with her palms and took a deep breath. “You heard what happened?”

Carrie nodded. “You know Glenn pulled the other driver out of the car right before it caught on fire, right? She saved the idiot that ran into her and could have killed her.”

“Of course she did. That’s Glenn.”

“She’s a hero,” Carrie said.

“She always has been.”

Carrie leaned back, read her eyes. “And I’m guessing she’s yours now.”

Mine now. Mari smiled. “Oh yes, she is.”

“I thoroughly approve.”

Mari laughed, a bubbling sensation she barely recognized at first as joy coursing through her. “I feel so lucky to have found her.”

“Oh hell, she’s the lucky one.” Grinning, Carrie gave her another hug. “After all, she’s got you.”

“Yes. She does.” Mari gave in to the comfort of Carrie’s embrace another minute longer. “I should get back. They’re going to take her upstairs soon.”

“All right. I’ll let everyone else know how she’s doing. You just concentrate on taking care of yourself.”

“Me?”

“Glenn will be rightly pissed if you don’t take care of yourself while she’s recuperating. That means eating right, sleeping right, and not worrying.”

“I don’t know how I’m not going to worry.” She trembled, seeing the stretcher zooming past her, glimpsing Glenn’s still form, remembering the blood and the terror.

“By reminding yourself she’s all right and thinking about all the amazing things the two of you will share.”

“Yes,” Mari whispered. “I can do that. Now.”

*

Every single person in the hospital, in the entire community, maybe in the entire county came by Glenn’s room into the late hours of the night. Mari, curled up in the chair by the side of Glenn’s bed, was aware of them, sometimes just shadows, pausing in the doorway for a few seconds, then moving on. Just checking to be sure Glenn was taken care of, leaving a little positive energy behind. Around midnight Antonelli came in, reviewed Glenn’s vital signs on the computer printout by her bed, listened to her heart and lungs. When he was done he bent down by Mari’s side and whispered, “You should go home. Get some sleep. She’s had a little sedation and is going to be out all night.”

“She might wake up.”

“Not for four or five hours.”

“You’re still here.”

He shrugged. “I’ll watch her for both of us.”

“Yeah, well…I’m so glad you were here tonight.”

“Me too. Mostly I’m really glad I have such a good teacher.”

The tears came again and Mari was too tired to even be embarrassed. Antonelli silently handed her a tissue and she wiped her eyes. “We were all lucky.”

“Damn scary night, just the same.”

Mari nodded.

“If you don’t want to go home, at least crash in the on-call room for a few hours.”

“He’s right,” a woman said from the doorway.

Mari looked over and something brought her instantly to her feet as Antonelli slipped out. “I know. It’s just really hard to leave her.”

“Mm-hmm.” Ida Rivers walked to the foot of Glenn’s bed and studied her for long, silent moments. With a brisk nod, she put her arm around Mari and drew her to the door. “She’s not in pain and she’s strong as an ox. She’ll mend quickly. I’m Ida Rivers, by the way.”

“I know. All your children look like you.”

Ida smiled. “When you see them next to their father, you’ll say the same thing.”

“I’m Mari Mateo. Carrie’s cousin.”

“Glenn’s girl too, if I understand right.”

Mari caught her breath. “Yes. You do. I am.”

“The first thing she’s going to worry about when she opens her eyes is you.”

Mari surrendered. “I’ll run home, shower, change my clothes. I don’t know how I can sleep.”

“Good enough.” Ida squeezed Mari’s hand. “She’s not going to want to stay in here, either. She’ll come to the homestead for a day or two so we can make sure she doesn’t overdo.”

Mari hadn’t thought beyond the morning. Of course Glenn would need time to recover, and she’d need to be with family. The family who had chosen her, whom she had chosen. “That’s perfect. I have a feeling she’ll listen to you.”

“For as long as the lot of them do, which in this case will be about a day.” Ida laughed. “You’re welcome to come by and stay as long as you want. We’ve got more than enough rooms.”