Authors: Mona Ingram
Then Came Love (16 page)
Amanda’s hand covered her stomach. “How did you know?”
Agnes smiled. “Jackson was so proud he couldn’t wait to tell everyone.”
“You mean all these people know?” She looked around at her family and friends. Even Traynor was here although he wasn’t Jackson’s direct supervisor any more, now that Jackson wasn’t working undercover. He was deep in conversation with Tiffany. Now that was an interesting combination.
Jackson’s mother pulled up a chair. She and Agnes had fallen into an easy friendship that pleased Amanda. “Mike’s going to have some catching up to do.” Her grandson started to fuss and she picked him up. “Jackson tells me you’re expecting again.”
Amanda laughed. “Good thing we both want lots of children.”
Maureen Galloway gave her a sly look. “I’ve seen the way my son looks at you. I think you’ll both get your wish.”
“I hope so.” She watched her husband walk toward them. He kissed his son and extended a hand to Amanda. “Come walk with me.” He led her to the deserted dock.
“Hi ‘Manda.” Logan waved at her from the other dock.
“Hi Logan.” She squeezed Jackson’s hand. “Remember that day he fell in?”
“How could I forget?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“I was such a different person back then” she said thoughtfully. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but before I met you I was empty.”
“Then what happened?” he pulled her close.
“Simple” She looked into his eyes. “Then came love.”
The End
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Promise Me
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Here’s that excerpt from
Promise Me
Role 3 Medical Treatment Hospital, Kandahar Air Field. April 2009.
A pair of F18s thundered down the runway, shredding the air with sound. Part way across the compound, Karen stopped and raised her head as they lifted off into the purple night sky. Even without looking, she knew they had their afterburners lit. The distinctive crackling sound thrilled her every time she heard it. She watched as they banked sharply to the north, and then disappeared from sight. It was ironic how much she enjoyed that level of sound when she normally revelled in peace and quiet. Like right now. Tonight she was working an evening shift in the Intensive Care Ward of the hospital, but she wasn’t due for an hour, so she was headed for the mess tent instead of the more popular commercial outlets on “the boardwalk”. In the mess tent she could usually find a quiet spot to read a few chapters of one of her precious books.
She made her way to the hot drinks area, poured herself a mug of hot water, grabbed a teabag, and headed toward an unoccupied table in the far corner.
Engrossed in the book, she didn’t even notice the tall man approach the table. “Hi, Karen,” he said tentatively. “Do you mind if I join you?”
She recognized his voice and looked up with what she hoped was a welcoming smile. “Hi, Maartie, I don’t mind at all.” The Dutch orthopaedic surgeon had arrived the previous week, and was still adjusting to the new environment. “How are you settling in?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” He sat down, seemingly all arms and legs, and Karen smiled to herself. He may look gangly and un-coordinated now, but she’d seen him operate yesterday, and in the OR his movements were sure and precise. “Those men yesterday...” He paused. “We just don’t see that sort of trauma in my hospital at home. In spite of my best efforts I think that one fellow will lose his leg.” He cradled the coffee mug in both hands and to Karen’s trained eye it looked as though he was trying to hold on to his emotions. He stared into the steaming liquid for a moment, then lifted his head. “So why did you come here? I mean to Afghanistan. He raised both eyebrows. “If that isn’t being too nosy.”
Karen shrugged. “I don’t mind.” She smiled at him. “Actually, it’s a question we all ask each other eventually.” She set her book aside, unconsciously squaring it up with the edge of the table. “I worked at a hospital at home, on Vancouver Island. Thanks to a doctor there, I realized that I should expand my horizons, as it were.” The memories were still raw, but thanks to the frantic pace of life here and a certain helicopter pilot, they had become less so.
“Ah, so he encouraged you to come here?”
Karen gave a strangled laugh. “I suppose he did, but not in the way you think.” She took a deep breath. “I was romantically involved with him. He’s an amazing plastic surgeon, and when I heard about the Canadian Forces needing people to work over here at the Trauma Hospital, I told him I was interested, and asked him if he’d consider coming as well.”
She looked across the table. “I can still see the expression on his face; hear the disdain in his voice when he told me not to be so naive, that I was kidding myself if I thought I could make a difference.” She grimaced at the thought. “‘Get with the program Babe,’ he said, ‘This is where the real money is. Why would I go over there when my practice is starting to take off?’”
Maartie nodded. “So it was about the money.” His tone was non-judgmental, but his eyes had turned flinty.
“You’ve got that right.” She took a quick sip from her mug, surprised to find that it had cooled. “Of course by then I’d done a fair amount of research. I knew he wouldn’t be working on our guys, or any of the coalition soldiers for that matter, but I explained how someone with his skills could make a world of difference to the Afghan nationals.” She leaned forward. “I mean you’ve seen the condition of some of them when they come in. The local doctors do their best, but they just don’t have the equipment or the training to deal with the horrific injuries these people are sustaining.” Her face softened. “And the kids. For example that one last week, the one who went home the day after you got here. He probably wouldn’t have made it if his grandfather hadn’t brought him in.”
A jet flew over, and Karen barely noticed it. “Anyway, and this is the worst part, Phil’s response was that if he wouldn’t do it for our guys, why would he do it for them?” Her gaze darted around the mess tent, not really seeing anything. “Anyway, that conversation convinced me that coming to Afghanistan was the right thing to do.” She took another sip of cold tea. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”
“Because I asked, I guess.” Two Americans in combat gear came in and he lowered his voice. “I’m sorry for what happened with your doctor friend, and for what it’s worth, I admire you for making the commitment.”
“Thanks.” She toyed with her mug. “Your turn. What about you? Why are you here, and was your wife supportive?” He’d shown pictures of his kids almost the first day he arrived.
“My wife is amazing. She encouraged me when we talked it over. I had two reasons for wanting to come. One was for the experience with trauma surgery, and the other was to support our troops.” His gaze flickered over to the two men. “Especially when I learned that the Canadians were running the hospital. Don’t get me wrong. Americans are some of the most likeable people on earth, but we Dutch have always had a close connection with Canada.”
“Well, we run the hospital for a few more months, anyway. The Americans will be taking it over in November.” She looked around, taking in her surroundings this time. “And there will be some brand new buildings before long. Bricks instead of plywood and canvas. It’s even going to be reinforced to withstand mortar attack. Much safer, thank goodness.”
“I’ll be back home by then. I agreed to come for six months.” Maartie absently brushed some of the ever-present dust from the table. “How much longer do you have?”
“Three weeks.” Karen paused, tilted her head to one side. “You know, I didn’t think it would go by so quickly. Speaking of which, I’d better get over to Intensive Care. My shift is about to start.”
“It was nice talking to you.” He stood and she smiled at the old-fashioned gesture.
“You too, Maartie, and I apologize for unloading on you.”
“Not at all. And for what it’s worth, I think you could have the pick of any of the single guys around here.” He nodded toward the two Americans. “Those two have been glancing over here ever since they sat down.”
Karen laughed. “No thanks. It’ll be a while before I get involved again.”
“Not even with that good looking Canadian helicopter pilot?”
“Brian?” Just saying his name made her feel safe. “He’s just a friend. He comes from the same area on Vancouver Island where I grew up. Imagine, coming all the way to Afghanistan to meet someone from the other side of town.”
The grin on Maartie’s face said he’d heard the rumours, but there was nothing she could do about that. “That’s quite a coincidence. Listen, I think I’ll walk back with you if you don’t mind. I’d like to check on that British soldier who came in this morning.”
“I heard that was pretty ugly.” She headed for the door. “I’d imagine he’ll be evac’d in the morning.”
“Yeah.” They walked out into the compound and the Dutch surgeon paused and looked around. “This is just about the only time of day when the dust isn’t swirling around, isn’t it?” He continued walking. “That’s the one thing I really don’t like about this place. It gets into everything.”
“Tell me about it.” She reached for the door of the hospital but he’d already pulled it open. “Thanks, Doctor,” she said, looking up at him.
“I hear there’s a big hockey game tomorrow.” Maartie frowned. “What’s up with that?”
Karen grinned. “We’re Canadian. What can I say?”
He laughed and turned toward the surgery ward.
* * *
The next morning, after her shift, Karen flopped down onto her bed, fully clothed. It had been quiet last night. Unusual, but sometimes the lack of action could be more tiring than a busy shift. The temperature was already approaching 40 degrees, with no chance of relief. She closed her eyes and imagined herself walking along the sandy spit that jutted into the ocean back home near Courtenay. She could smell the tang of the ocean, could feel the cool spray on her face.
It was dangerous to think of home when she was tired. A tear formed in the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek, settling in her ear. She flung an arm across her eyes and let the tears fall. It was eight months since her grandmother had died, but sometimes it felt like yesterday. She’d been working and living in Nanaimo when her grandmother suffered a massive heart attack. She’d died immediately, but that didn’t make it any easier. Karen still wished she could have been there. Her grandmother had raised her after both of her parents died. It was bad enough when her father died in a fishing boat accident off the west coast of the island, but soon after that her mother had died of ovarian cancer, and Gran became her guardian, as well as her friend.
She’d taken a month off to settle her grandmother’s estate which included a condo in an assisted living facility. Phil had offered very little in the way of support, either emotionally or with the physical work involved in clearing out her grandmother’s belongings. Looking back now, she realized that those difficult weeks had been the beginning of the end for their relationship. Was it any wonder she’d been so interested in the notice on the bulletin board in the hospital about the need for nurses in Afghanistan.
