26 comments/ 62496 views/ 51 favorites I Can't Believe It's You By: MoogPlayer Thank you for all the praise and compliments I've received from so many nice people. I have received some rather ugly comments, as I'm sure everyone who submits their stories here has. However, I've received more good comments than bad, and that is why I'm going to continue sharing with all of you kind people, the fruits of my feeble mind...lol... Thank you and I pray that God richly blesses you all. MoogPlayer ~~~~~~ VIETNAM LATE SPRING 1972 "Doc, Doc! Help me," rang out through the smoke and gun-fire, making me realize that one of my friends had been hit. We'd been on patrol for a little over twenty days, and we'd not seen any kind of enemy activity the whole time we had been out. Then, as we headed home and were within a few miles from the fire base we'd been assigned to, the Viet Cong hit us in full force. One minute everything was calm and clear, and then all of a sudden; it felt like the whole world was on fire and caving in around us. I was a U.S. Navy Corpsman, assigned to the Marine Corps, stationed in Da Nang. This was to be 2nd Platoon's last patrol because so many of us were short. (Short, the term meaning that the standard tour of one year in Vietnam for American military personnel was nearing its end.) "You can't get to them, Doc," said LT, amid the screams of my friends, "I've been given orders to pull back, now." "I gotta try, LT," I replied angrily, "We can't just leave them there." LT grabbed me by the collar and yelled, "THAT JUNGLE IS CRAWLING WITH V.C., GOD DAMMIT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET ANY MORE OF MY MEN DIE. DO YOU UNDSTAND ME, PETTY OFFICER? " "You can court martial me if I make it back, sir," I replied, making a mad dash into the jungle toward the direction that my friends' screams were coming from. All at once, three things happened. An explosion knocked me off of my feet and I felt like something had ripped into my right leg. Then the morning light suddenly grew very bright and then turned very dark. That was all I remembered until I woke up in a U.S Naval hospital in Yokosuka, Japan with my right leg missing just below the knee. ~~~~~~ Chapter One Hi, my name is Mike Winslow; I stand 6'3" and weigh 225 lbs. I'm twenty one years old, I have dark brown hair and eyes, and after many, many hours of rehabilitative therapy, I am now the not-so-proud owner of a prosthetic right leg. I'm a disabled veteran, but I'm not bitter about, at least not anymore. I was in the hospital in Japan for a long time, and the only decent part of going through re-hab was a beautiful blonde physical therapist there named, Petty Officer Heidi Blake. She was one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest girl I've ever seen, and even though I was a total bastard who bitched and whined about it at first, she taught me how to walk again. After a while, I began to look forward to going and seeing her, coming almost completely unglued every time I looked into her green eyes. From then on I always tried my best, and I could tell that she was pleased with my progress, as she always gave me a very tight hug after our sessions, whispering in my ear how proud of me she was, and then always ending with a kiss on the cheek. I knew that we were both feeling something because I could see it in her eyes right after she would hug me and then kiss my cheek. And although I could distinguish the longing therein, it was still shadowed by what I now know was sadness. God, she was so beautiful, and it bothered me for a long while after I left Japan, knowing that I would never see her again. Still though, she still left such an impression on me that she haunted my dreams for many weeks afterward. Some things just aren't meant to be, and sometimes it really sucks. Oh well, that's enough about her. After I was released from the hospital in Japan and the government discharged me from the Navy, I went home to see my family. My mother was killed in a freak skiing accident when I was fourteen so, now it was just my father, my sister and I. My sister, Katie, was so sweet to me and seemingly wanted to make fuss over me the minute I arrived home. She is, and always has been, such a sweet girl, and it made her feel good about wanting to take care of me at first. However, after the end of my third week home, Dad came to my bedroom one afternoon where I was relaxing on my bed with my prosthetic leg sitting in the corner of the room. He took a seat in the chair at my desk, and with a hopeful voice, asked, "So, have you thought about what you want to do now that you're out of the Navy, son?" "I really haven't given it much thought, Dad," I replied, massaging the soreness from the stump of what was left of my leg. "Ya know, they're looking for teachers at your old high school," Dad said, "And the pay is pretty good, from what I hear." "And just how the hell do you expect me to teach, Dad?" I hatefully replied, "I dropped out of college to join the fucking Navy because I thought I could make a difference in that God damn country. But no, all that happened was that I got to see my friends being blown to hell and back, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it either. Now, I'm a useless cripple because of it so, excuse me if I don't give a shit about doing anything right now." I could tell, by the look in his eyes, that what I had said had hurt my father. But to his credit, he simply smiled, and while standing up, he leaned over and patted me on the shoulder and said, "Go ahead and get some rest, son. We'll talk about it some more later," and then he turned and left my room, closing the door behind him. ~~~~~~ Two weeks later, I still hadn't left my room other than to eat, use the head and/or send my sister to the liquor store to get more Jim Beam. Although she strongly disapproved, she did it anyway, God love her. As opposed to actually being able to sleep, well, because of the nightmares, my actual sleep time was down to about two hours a night, if I was lucky. And after about another month of this kind of behavior on my part, Dad had all but given up on trying to talk to me about my future. I raised hell with him every time he tried; telling him there was no future for a cripple like me. However, my sister Katie proved that she had an even stronger will than I ever did. She came into my room early one morning, jerking the sheets off of my body and saying, "Get your lazy ass out of bed, Michael." Suddenly jerking the sheets out of her hand and covering up again, I glared at her and hissed, "Unless you're going to the liquor store for me, get the hell out of here and leave me alone, God dammit." She simply smiled that sweet smile of hers and said, "Alright, Michael, have your own way then," and then she left my room, closing the door behind her. "Damn right I will," I growled, rolling over to try and go back to sleep. My eyes were just beginning to close and I was about to doze off when, suddenly; my bedroom door flew open and bounced off the wall. Then before I could say or do anything, I felt a blast of something wet and ice cold, drenching me from head to foot. And once she set into me, I knew there would be no stopping her till she was finished what she was saying as I heard my sister's voice yell, "GET YOUR STINKY FUCKING ASS OUT OF THAT BED AND GET IN THE GOD DAMN SHOWER, MICHAEL, NOW." "FUCK OFF," I yelled back. "FUCK OFF YOURSELF, MICHAEL, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE" she screamed, tears raining down her face, "I'M SICK AND TIRED OF LISTENING TO YOU BITCH, WHINE AND COMPLAIN. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ABOUT GOING TO LIQUOR STORE FOR YOU ANYMORE. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER WITH. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, MOTHER FUCKER?" I'd never before heard Katie talk like she just had, and to be honest; it shocked me to no end, hearing such language coming out of my sweet twenty year old baby sister's mouth. She was now sitting on the bed next to me with her face in her hands, bitterly weeping. The sight of her like that broke my heart, and soon I was holding her in my arms, crying right along with her. We held one another, crying together for a long time; me because my heart was breaking wide open, and Katie, because her heart was breaking for me. I hadn't cried like that since my mother died, and to be honest; once we were done, I felt better than I had since I'd been home. Wiping the long dark locks of hair off of her face, I looked into the sweetest eyes I've ever seen, and said, "I love you Katie-Bug, and I'm so sorry, baby girl." After hearing me call her Katie-Bug, my special nickname that I had given to her when we were little children, she softened and threw her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. "I love you, too, Mikey," she smiled, and then held her nose and smirked, "I'd love you a lot more if you took a shower, though." ~~~~~~ "What am I supposed to do in college, Katie?" I asked my sister, once I was showered and dressed. "Were you, or were you not wanting to teach before you got caught up in all that bull shit and then dropped out of school to go to that slaughterhouse in Vietnam, Mikey?" "Yeah, well, that's different and I don't want to talk about it," I angrily spat. "Look Mikey, I can't even begin to imagine what you went through over there, and I don't want to, either," Katie soothed, "But you're my big brother that I've always loved and looked up to, and I'm just trying to help you put your life back together, that's all." "I know you are, sweet girl," I said, putting my arms around her, "I guess I'd better quit feeling sorry for myself and count my blessings, or you'll tear me a new one, huh?" With her arms still around me, Katie giggled, and then after smacking me on the butt, said, "You bet your ass I will." The following week days were spent with Katie, God love her, helping me while I went back and forth to the V.A. Hospital, (What a Shit House it was back then) to get the paperwork for by disability benefits filled out and filed. At night, I was still a prisoner to my nightmares, though. But, because of the fact that I had stopped drinking and returned from the self-destructive path that I was on when I first came home, Dad and Katie were always right there, trying to console me in any way they could. ~~~~~~ A year had gone by, and after waking up from a particular nightmare one night, I realized that both Dad and Katie had basically put there lives on hold to take care of me. "Jeez, that's not fair to them at all. I'm such an asshole," I said, to no one in particular after they'd left my room that night. I promised myself that I was going to something about it, starting the next day. ~~~~~~ The next morning, I was in the kitchen, standing at the stove making breakfast when Dad, who was usually the first one awake, came strolling in. "Mornin Dad," I smiled, "The coffee is ready, hot, and waiting. Sit down and have a cup while I finish making breakfast for us." Being pleasantly surprised at what he was witnessing, Dad came over to where I stood. And then raising his nose over what I was cooking as if he were sniffing it, he smiled and said, "I don't know, son. Is it edible?" and then he began to laugh the same hearty laugh I always heard as a child whenever I'd done something that had pleased him. "Yeah," I laughed, "And if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it, old man." "Old man, huh," laughed Dad, "I'm still young enough to whip your ass, boy." "Oh, I don't think so," I chuckled, "Not this time." About that time, Katie came into the kitchen to find Dad and me laughing like fools. And walking up to where we stood at the stove, she smiled and asked, "What is so funny, you two?" Suddenly, I released the binding on my prosthetic leg, and before she could react, I handed it to Katie and said, "Here, kick Dad's ass while I finish making us something to eat." Needless to say, Katie was horrified, and dropping my leg onto the floor like it was a hot coal, she glared at me and Dad, the both of us in hysterics by this time, and screeched, "Michael! That's not funny!" However, she saw that we were laughing like fools and it soon began to rub off on her, making her join right in, laughing along with us. After he'd regained his breath, Dad smiled and said, "That was damn funny, Mikey!" "It was rather brilliant of me, wasn't it?" "I arrogantly laughed, while I reattached my leg. "You two are awful," giggled Katie, causing the three of us to start laughing again. ~~~~~~ Later that morning, Dad took me to the Registrar's office at the university that was not only near my home town, but was the same one I'd dropped out of to volunteer for duty in Vietnam. I don't really feel that what I did over there was for nothing, because when it boiled right down to it, I was there for the guys I served with, and they were there for me, or at least that's how we felt. "Mister Winslow, your grades will all transfer, but you might have to repeat couple of classes," said the lady at the Registrar's desk. I studied very hard that first year, while Katie graduated a whole two years early, with honors, too. I was very proud of her, because if anyone deserved it, she most certainly did. Also around that time, she started dating a guy named Phillip Ross, and they were married two years later. He's a nice guy that loves Katie and is good to her, which is all I ever wanted for her. Chapter Two 10 YEARS LATER I had gone on to get my PhD in history, because once I really thought about it, I discovered that I wanted to teach at the collegiate level. The year was now 1983 and the war in Vietnam had ended with the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy on the 30th of April in 1975. I sadly watched footage of it on the television, wondering what just what in the hell we were doing there to start with if, in the end, our government was going to just surrender to the North. I'd lost my leg over there and that was an absolute, but it made me wonder about the men and women, some of them my friends, who'd made the ultimate sacrifice, and would this country ever grant them the honor they so deserved. Yeah, I know that The Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated in 1982, but it just doesn't do them enough justice as far as I'm concerned. Nothing will. However, through the years of my studies, most of them being in-depth where the war in Vietnam was concerned, I began to realize that it was all about money. Hell, everyone knows that the C.I.A. has started and financed almost every war this country has ever seen, the war in Iraq being no exception. War! What a fucking waste of young lives. I'm not against the troops mind you, I'm against the war. Shit, I'm against anything that kills young and/or innocent lives, but back to the story. After I received my Doctorate of History, I moved from my home town down to the Gulf coast near Houston. Right before I graduated, I had received a letter from the head of the history department at the University of Houston, and he wanted to interview me as soon as possible. His name was Dr. Jack Thomas, and the moment we first met, I could tell that we were going to be very good friends. Needless to say, he hired me on the spot and thus began my career as a college professor. ~~~~~~ That following fall, I became a member of the faculty at the University of Houston. And because of that, as well as my disability, I was given a reduction on price for the house near the campus that I ended up buying. It was a nice place that had three bedrooms, a den, and a dining room that connected to a very nicely sized kitchen. That was good, too, because, thanks to my sweet little sister, Katie, I'd taken up cooking as a hobby and had become quite good at it, even if I do say so myself. I found out early on that semester that I could always find a college student that was willing to do my yard work to earn extra money. Once I'd gone through a couple of them though, I settled on this one little gal, Trisha Hawkins was her name, that was a botany major, and she was damn good at it. She told me that if I allowed her to build a small green house in my back yard, for all of her experiments, then she wouldn't charge me a thing to keep my yard for me. Those arrangements worked out well, and she was such a sweet kid that kind of reminded me of Katie, when we were both teenagers. I was still having a bit of difficulty adjusting to being called Doctor Winslow so; I insisted that my students call me just plain old Mike. At first the rest of the faculty frowned on me allowing my students such a familiarity, but when the first grading period was over with; every single one of my students, bar none, scored no less than a B plus. From then on, my boss, Dr. Thomas, allowed me the privilege of using pretty much any teaching method I chose to use. He's a great guy and I really like him. ~~~~~~ That next semester, I'd been so busy with my work that I hadn't really thought about my love life, or should I say the lack thereof, until a week before spring break when my sister called. "Hi, Mikey, how are you big brother?" she asked when I answered the phone. "I'm doing good baby girl," I smiled, pleased that she had called, "How are you, and to what do I owe the privilege of this call?" "You're so silly, Mikey," she giggled, "Phillip and I wanted to come and see you during spring break, if that's alright with you." "Of course it is," I replied, overjoyed at the thought of seeing them, "So, when are you coming?" ~~~~~~ Katie and Phillip arrived at Houston International Airport, which was fairly new then, right on time. And it only took a few moments before Katie came screaming down the terminal to almost jump into my arms, assaulting me with a barrage of hugs and kisses, "I sure missed you, Mikey," she cried, tears of joy raining down her face. "I missed you, too, Katie-Bug," I replied, holding her tightly to me. Phillip arrived right shortly behind her, and as soon as I saw him, I smiled, then pulled him into a hug and said, "Hey Phil, how are you, man?" "Hey Mike," he replied, returning the hug, "It's good to see you, buddy." Phillip was a medical student when he and Katie met, and now he's graduated and had just finished his residency, back home. They were taking a vacation and wanted to come see me, and needless to say, I was thrilled. ~~~~~~ That night I made Chicken Marsala, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. "So, when are you going to settle down and find yourself a good woman, Mikey?" Katie asked, after we'd eaten. I had to hand it to her, Katie always had been one who never really gave a damn about proper decorum when it came to speaking her mind, God lover her. "Why do you all of a sudden care about my love life, little sister?" I laughed, Phil joining right behind me. "I don't want to see you alone is all, Mikey," she pouted, "You can't blame me for that can you?" Hell, I never could say no when it came to Katie, and she damn well knew it, too. So, I simply laughed and said, "Well, we'll see." To her credit, she said nothing else about it that night. ~~~~~~ The next morning over breakfast, Katie hit me with some unexpected, but pleasant news. "Mikey, Phillip is going to be attending the U of H for his specialty," she told me over coffee. "Which is?" I curiously asked. "Neurosurgery, Mike, I want to be a neurosurgeon," Phil proudly replied. I got up and walked over to my liquor cabinet and retrieved an unopened bottle of some nice brandy I'd found. Then I walked back to the table, and handing the bottle to Phil, I smiled and said, "Well, it looks like a small celebration is in order then. Congratulations, Doctor!" Taking the bottle from me, Phillip laughed and replied, "Why, thank you, Doctor!" "Aw Man," I whined, much to giggles of Katie, who was hugging us both. ~~~~~~ That's how things came to pass. Phillip went to school while Katie worked as a book keeper for quite a few of the many five star restaurants in the city of Houston. They only lived about five blocks from me, and that allowed them to come over once a week, Saturday, for dinner. I Can't Believe It's You Over the years of cooking, I had discovered that I had an affinity for cooking anything Italian. And while having dinner at my house one night, Katie looked at me thoughtfully and said, "You know, Mikey, have you ever thought about opening up a restaurant?" "What, are you nuts, Katie," I incredulously asked, "I barely have enough time as it is, what with all the classes I teach, grading papers, etc." "I think you'd be real good at it," she replied. "Katie, honey," I said, holding her hands, "Besides what I've already mentioned, I don't know the first thing about running a restaurant." "Well, I do" she replied, non-plussed, "Oh come on, Mikey, it'll fun...pleeeeease big brooother." "Aw man, shit," I cursed, much to the squeals of my little sister, knowing that I'd given in to her....again. That summer, we found the perfect place, as Katie called it, near the U of H campus. And as soon as the bank had approved our loan, which I knew they would, we began making all the necessary preparations it took to open up 'Doc's Pasta House'. ~~~~~~ Opening night took place two weeks after classes had started. And because of the fact that we gave a discount to college students, as well as faculty, it was a big success. All of the faculty, as well as every single one of my students were in attendance. I oversaw the kitchen while Katie handled everything up front, and according to Phillip, my sister and I made a great team. Near the end of the night, Katie informed me that we were beginning to run out of food, making me smile and reply, "I guess that means we won't have any left-overs then," making her giggle and kiss me on the cheek. Because we were only open during the evening hours, Katie was able to work her day job, as was I able to work mine. However, in the first three months of operation, the restaurant had been so successful that Katie was able to quit her job and work at the restaurant full time. As far as the profits went, Katie took just enough to pay her bills and the rest of it was invested back into the business. Katie was great with numbers, and after only eight months, she came to my office one afternoon excitedly holding the title to the building in her hands, indicating that our bank loan had been paid off. Leaning across my desk and kissing me on the cheek, she smiled and said, "See Mikey, I knew this restaurant would be a success." ~~~~~~ I was at home and had just finished grading the last of the papers for the end of the week, when the phone on my desk rang one Friday evening. It was my sister, Katie, and she sounded frantic. "Mikey, Mikey, I need you down at the restaurant, please hurry." "What is it?" I asked alarmed. "I can't explain it now," she pleaded, "Just come, quickly," and the line went dead. It definitely sounded like trouble so, I went to my closet and strapped on my Colt .45 and threw on my coat and then headed out the door. ~~~~~~ I parked my car a little less than half a block from the restaurant so as not to be seen, in order to provide some small element of surprise to whomever was trying to rob the store, or at least that's what I thought was happening. As I approached the front door of the restaurant, I saw through the windows that there no lights on inside the place, making it totally dark inside, almost as if there was a blackout. Withdrawing my weapon, I slowly turned the doorknob and stepped inside. The moment I was indoors, all the lights suddenly came on and I heard a loud, "SURPRISE!!!!" As soon as my eyes became adjusted to the light, Katie came squealing toward me wearing a naughty grin. Then throwing her arms around my neck, she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek and cooed, "Happy Birthday Big Brother!" Then looking in my hand at my drawn weapon, Katie laughed and said, "Jesus, Mikey, put that thing away before you hurt somebody." "Well, shit, Sis,' I said aggravated, "I thought we were being robbed," causing Katie to break out in uproariously wild fit of laughter. "Now what's so funny?" I crossly asked. "Nothing," she squeaked, still laughing, "You forgot your own birthday," and the she almost fell over laughing. "Aw, hell," I said, resigned to the fact the she'd gotten on over on me, and then I began laughing right along with her. All of my friends that I worked with, as well as many of my students were there to celebrate with us, and a very good time was had by all. Even the head of my department, Dr. Jack Thomas, was there partying like he was a college student himself. It was a great night, and as it began to wear down and the guests began to leave, Jack came and sat down beside me at my table. Patting me on the shoulder, he leaned in and said, "Mike, my friend, you're thirty-five now. Don't you think it's time you find yourself a beautiful girl to marry and raise kids with?" Tapping my prosthetic leg with a butter knife, I shook my head and sadly replied, "I don't know of any woman that would want a cripple for a husband, and I just don't see it happening, old buddy." "That's the biggest crock of shit that I've ever heard come out of your mouth, Michael Winslow," Katie replied smiling, as she sat down next to me. "Maybe so," I said adamantly, "But it's the truth!" "You'd be surprised," Katie cryptically replied. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" I asked. "Oh, nothing really," she smiled, "But you would really be surprised. ~~~~~~ Chapter Three The next day, Phil and Katie had come over to my house for breakfast. "So, did we surprise you last night, or what, Mikey?" Katie laughed. "Yeah," I chuckled, "You sure did, baby sister." "Well, somebody has to look out for you,' she teased, "Because I know you won't." "What're you, my mother?" I laughed. "Uh-Oh, I'd watch what I said to her if I were you," warned Phil, "I said the same thing the other day, and she tore me new ass for it." "Oh, shut up, Phillip," Katie snapped, then she turned to me with the beginnings of tears in her eyes, and said, "Years ago when we were little, you used to always look out for me. I can still remember the storms that always came every spring. And when it would rain at night and the thunder would scare me, I could always come into your room. You would shine the flashlight onto the ceiling and tell me bedtime stories that always put me right to sleep." Standing up from the table, Katie now had tears falling down her pretty cheeks like, and no longer being able to hold it all in, she cried, "I can't help it that I worry about you, Michael. You were my protector when I was a little girl and I looked up to you. You were, and still are my hero. I love you and I just want you to be happy, and not all alone." I stood up, then leaned over and wrapped my arms around her and said, "I love you, too, Katie and I'm not all alone. I've got you and Phil, and let's not forget about Dad." "Dammit, Michael," snapped Katie, pushing away from me, "You know damned good and well what I'm talking about." I know it was accidental, but when Katie pushed away from me; I suddenly lost my balance and began falling and stumbling backwards. The last thing I remembered seeing was the look of horror on her face as she screamed, "MICHAEL! OH MY GOD! NOOOO!!!" Then everything went black ~~~~~~ When I opened my eyes again, I was in a concentrated care unit of University Hospital on the U of H campus. The first thing I saw was a very pretty nurse with beautiful caramel colored skin. Smiling, and with a thick Caribbean accent, she said, "Well, hello there, handsome. How are you feeling?" "Thirsty," I croaked, my lips dry and my throat parched. She filled a plastic cup from a water pitcher on the table beside my bed, and then as she held my head while I drank from the cup, she smiled and said, "My name is Teela, and as soon as you finish getting this water down your throat; I need to call your doctor and let him know that you're awake, okay sweetie?" I simply nodded as she walked away. ~~~~~~ My doctor had already informed me of my situation. I had lost my balance and fallen backwards, getting my left leg tangled and wedged into the legs of my chair on the way down. In the process, not only did I knock myself unconscious, but my left leg was broken, a compound fracture just below my knee. Also, my leg was to remain immobile for eight weeks to ensure that the bones mended properly, hence the reason it was in traction. Plus, I had to attend four weeks of physical therapy before I could return to work. "I've got classes to teach and papers to grade, Doctor," I said. Dr. Marcus Johns laughed and said, "You want that left leg to be strong enough to support your body, don't you? Furthermore, you're already missing your right leg, Mister Winslow, I think that...." "Uh, excuse me," I flatly interrupted, "But its Doctor Winslow, if you don't mind." Unmoved, Dr. Johns laughed again and replied, "Yeah, I know." "I don't find any of this the least bit funny," I spat, "What the hell are you laughing about?" "Because I told him what an asshole you are when you're hurt," laughed Katie, suddenly appearing in my hospital room. She walked up to my bed and gently placed her arms around my neck. After tenderly kissing me on the cheek, I heard her choking back tears as she softly cried, "I'm so sorry, Michael. This is all my fault." "Yeah it is," I laughed putting my arms around her, "But I still love you anyway, my Katie-Bug." Besides, I knew that my sister would never intentionally hurt me. Katie hugged me tighter, knowing that I held no malice toward her for what had happened to me, and then softly replied, "I love you, too, Mikey." ~~~~~~ Dr. Jack Thomas took care of my graduate students while Kenny Brown taught my undergrad classes and graded all the papers. He was a smart kid that I had chosen to be my teaching assistant, and I really admired his work ethic. As I was reminding myself to do something really nice for both him and Dr. Thomas before I got out of the hospital; a really cool thought came to mind. Of course I would have to talk to Katie first, but I was absolutely positive that she was going to agree. ~~~~~~ "The restaurant is doing extremely well," Katie proudly said, that night when she came to visit me, "And we've been showing a profit margin of one-hundred, twenty-two percent for the last six months, Mikey." "I want you to do me a favor, Katie-Bug," I smiled, "I need you to......" ~~~~~~ "This is too much, Mike," said Jack Thomas that afternoon, visiting me after work. "Why? You've already eaten my cooking once and you're still alive to tell about it," I laughed, "Besides, I know you've taken a lot time out of your extremely busy schedule to take care of my graduate students so, it's the least I can do, Jack." "Well, I will say that my wife, Jane is absolutely thrilled," Jack replied, shaking my hand, "She was really pissed that she wasn't able to make it to the opening so, thanks, buddy." Suddenly I heard a knock on my door, and after I said, "Come in," it opened and Kenny Brown, followed by a pretty young lady whom I assumed was his girlfriend, came walking into the room with smiles on both of their faces. "Hey, Kenny, it's good to see you." I smiled. "I wanted to come by and say thank you for the free passes to Doc's Pasta House that you gave me," said Kenny. "No thank you's are necessary, Kenny," I smiled, "It's my way of thanking you for all the help you've been giving me while I'm laid up." "Well, thank you, again, Mike," Kenny grinned. Then putting the young lady who'd come with him in between us, he proudly added, "This is my fiancée. Her name is Amanda Peterson and we're getting married after we both graduate next year." As I took the girl's hand, I gently shook it and smiled, then said, "It's very nice to meet you, Amanda. You're awfully pretty. What are you doing hanging around with the likes of Kenny?" Everyone laughed as she took Kenny's hand and then laughingly replied, "I often wonder that myself sometimes." ~~~~~~ The following day, Jack Thomas showed up with a video crew. "Something's come up, Mike," he informed me, "And I need to go out of town. But there's no need to worry, man. The head of the media department, Kyle Lang, is my brother, and he got the approval to put in a closed circuit television camera." "What in the world is going on here, Jack?" I asked uncertainly. "That way, you can still give your lectures and you won't have to move a muscle," he laughed, excitedly, "Other than the one under your nose...you know, your jawbone...get it?" "Yeah, I get it," I replied shaking my head and grinning. ~~~~~~ So, that's how it went for the remainder of my stay in the hospital. Kenny would be in the classroom each morning, attending to the undergraduates as they watched my lecture on the television that had been brought in and set up there. Then in the afternoons, and because there were only four of them, my graduate students came to my hospital room for their classes. The arrangements Jack had set up with the media people on campus turned out to be a good plan that worked well. One or two students from each class would stop by the hospital to see me every week-end, which made me feel proud. ~~~~~~ Ten days before I was to be moved from the concentrated care unit in the hospital, Doctor Johns disengaged the traction and removed the braces from my leg. Once this was done, I was wheeled to another room, on a different wing of the hospital. Katie and Phil had moved all of my things to my new room, and once I was comfortably situated, the two of them appeared in the door standing side-by-side, grinning conspicuously. "What?" I asked smiling. Then Katie smiled and said, "We brought you a special visitor, Mikey." Before I could respond, Phil and Katie separated, and in between the two of them stood Dad smiling." "Hey son, how are you feeling?" he asked, as he walked to the bedside table and poured me a cup of water. Katie, as she has always done since we were children, immediately took the cup from Dad, placing the cup into my hands so that I could drink. I took a couple of long swallows of water to appease her, then smiled at Dad and said, "Well, I've felt better, Dad, but I think this will pass pretty quickly." ~~~~~~ Chapter Four "You'd better rest up, because we're going to get you on your feet first thing tomorrow morning," said an unfamiliar female voice, coming from the door to my room. I looked up to see a young woman wearing blue hospital scrubs walk into my room and stand near my bed. She stood about 5'7" and looked to be no older than 18, or 19 at the very most. She was athletically built, and I guessed her to weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 125 pounds. Her long dark brown hair was tied up into a ponytail that flowed gracefully down her back. Her pretty face was accented by two bright blue eyes, enhancing her Greco-Roman features and bright smile. "Hi, Doctor Winslow, my name is Abigail Whitley, and I'm going to be your Physical Therapist until you leave here." I didn't know why, but there was something about her that seemed strangely familiar. Nevertheless, I simply smiled and politely replied, "It's nice to meet you Miss Whitley." "Please," she giggled delightfully, "Just call me Abbey like everyone else does around here." "Alright then," I smiled, "You can call me Mike." "I just wanted to stop by and meet you today, Mike," she smiled, shaking my hand, "We've got a lot of work ahead of us and I wanted to make sure you were ready for it?" "I'm ready for anything you throw at me," I teased, "Batter up!" "I sure hope so," she laughed, turning to leave, "I was serious when I told you that we start bright and early tomorrow so, you better rest up." "Yes, Ma'am," I replied saluting her, making her giggle as she left my room. Once he was certain that Abbey was gone, Dad smiled at me and said, "She seemed like a nice young lady." Then winking conspiratorially at Katie and Phil, he looked back at me and added, "Hey, Mike. What do you think about maybe asking her out after you get..." "Don't even think about it," I said flatly, "Come on, Dad, you're starting to sound just like Katie." Dad and Phil began to laugh, but I knew I had thoroughly pissed my sister off when she looked at me softly, and then angrily growled, "Excuse me for loving you and for giving a shit about what happens to you. Oh, and one more thing, excuse me for not telling you to kiss my ass right now, Michael. When they heard what she said, Dad and Phil were laughing hysterically, and with a triumphant smirk on her face, Katie grinned at me and said, "Now, what do you think about that, Smart Ass?" Aw, hell," I laughed. ~~~~~~ Abbey was true to her word that next morning. Shortly after breakfast, she appeared in my doorway pushing a wheel chair in front of her as she came into my room. I was in the process of putting my prosthetic leg on when Abbey smiled and asked, "Good morning, Mike, how do you feel this morning?" I was still a little unsure about all of this, but still, I kept a positive attitude and replied smiling, "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be." "Here," she said, wheeling the chair to my bed, "Let me help you." "No, that's okay," I smiled, locking the nearest wheel in place, "Just lock that other wheel for me, and I can get there myself." "I like the way you think," she laughed, as I used my prosthetic leg as a swivel, maneuvering myself to be able to sit in the wheel chair. "Damn, that was pretty cool, Mike," Abbey laughed, "It looks like you've done that a time or two." "Well," I smiled, "Maybe just a couple." ~~~~~~ Abbey took me to a big room down the hall that had a lot of padded tables along the walls and mats on the floors, not to mention two sets of walkways that had parallel bars spanning each one. There were a couple of desks also, and wheeling me up to one of them, Abbey took the seat at the desk. Reaching into a filing cabinet, she pulled out a manila folder that looked like it might be my medical records and placed them on the table. Then, leaning back in her chair, Abbey smiled and said, "Before we get started this morning, and because we're going to be spending the next four weeks together, I'd like to take a few minutes for us to get to know one another." "Sure," I smiled, "What do you want to know?" "Well, I know that you're a college professor with a PhD in history," she replied smiling, "But, if you don't mind talking about it, I'd like to know how you lost your right leg." "I lost it in Vietnam," I replied with no emotion. "I'm so very sorry, Mike," she said, seemingly upset, "I didn't mean to pry." No, hey," I smiled, "It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong." 'Well, it's just that...." and then she stopped, tears now threatening to spill down her face, "I can't talk about it." "That's not very fair of you," I smiled, trying to soothe her and put her at ease, "I had to tell you about me, and if we're going to be friends; you're going to have to trust me." "I'm sorry," she smiled, wiping her eyes, "My mother's sister, My Aunt Leigh, was a nurse in Vietnam, well, there and Japan, and she told me all about some of the horrible things you guys had to endure over there. I'm sorry, Mike, but this is the very first time that I've seen the results of what my Aunt Leigh was talking about up close," and then she began to cry openly, "It just breaks my heart that our guys had to go through all of that." By this time I had wheeled my chair over to her side of the desk and simply put my arms around her while she cried. When she was done, I handed her some tissue from a box sitting on the far corner of the desk, and said, "I appreciate your compassion, Abbey, but that war is over with now. So, from now on, I want you to smile when you think of us guys that were over there, okay?" I Can't Believe It's You "Thanks, Mike," she smiled, sniffling; "You're a very kind man." "Nah," I laughed, making her giggle. Okay, then," she said smiling, completely changing the subject, "Let's get your physical therapy started." Abbey began by wheeling me to one of the padded tables, and then having me take off my sweatpants, leaving me in the shorts she'd previously instructed me to wear. With my prosthetic leg still in place, I sat back on the table while she gently massaged my leg, now with the cast no longer on it, slowly waking it up. I could literally feel the heat from the fresh blood flow bring life back into my leg from the wonderful massage that Abbey was giving me. Damn, this girl was good, I thought to myself. Still though, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something oddly familiar about Abbey as I watched her doing her job. "What did you do before you went to Vietnam, Mike?" she asked, breaking me out of my reverie. "I was in my junior year of college," I said, "Then I dropped out, joined the Navy, and volunteered for Hospitalman "A" School. Once I graduated, I was a Navy Corpsman so; I volunteered to go with the Marine Corps, front line duty, Vietnam." "What were you studying in college?" "I was studying to be an English teacher," I grinned, "I wanted to teach high school." Jeez, having to deal with high school students all day," Abbey teased, "No wonder you volunteered for Vietnam," as I fell into a fit of laughter. "You know," I laughed, "You don't look old enough to be out of high school yourself." "Now wait a minute," she teased, "I'll have you know that I graduated high school when I was sixteen, and I just graduated and became a Registered Physical Therapist last semester. Oh, and I'll be twenty in four months, thank you." "So,' I asked laughing, "What made you want to be a Physical Therapist?" "I like helping people, but I didn't want to be a doctor, all those years of medical school and such" Abbey replied grinning, "Then, my Aunt Leigh came back from Vietnam. She helped me to decide what I wanted to do." "That's pretty neat," I smiled, "It sounds like you and her are really close." "Yeah, we are," Abbey smiled, as if she were looking off into an imaginary distance, "Aunt Leigh is my favorite relative of all. I mean, I love the rest of them, but..." "I understand, sweetie," I laughed, "I have relatives like that, too." "Yes, you do," she replied, "I met your sister, Kate, and I think she's one of the nicest people I've ever met." After Abbey finished messaging my leg, it was time to stand up on it. I wheeled myself over to the parallel bars and locked my chair in place. "Okay, Mike, you can do this," I silently told myself. After making sure that my prosthetic leg was secure and in place, I grabbed the bars in front of me and began to stand. I've developed very good upper body strength over the years, and I was thankful that my arms were strong enough to hold me. Although I could stand on my leg, there was still a fair amount of pain that radiated from it. But, I was quite sure that I could handle it, provided it didn't get too bad. However, when I went to put my weight on it, I was of an altogether different opinion, as the pain shot from the middle of my shin, all the way up to my knee. "Oh shit, that hurts," I swore, immediately shifting my weight onto my prosthetic leg. "Aw come on, Mike," Abbey laughed, "You gotta try harder than that. Besides, you know what they say, no pain; no gain." She knew how to motivate me, that much was certain. However, when I tried again, the pain was much worse than it was before, and this time it was unbearable, turning my entire body into aching mass. I looked down and noticed that, although it wasn't swollen, my leg felt as if it were about to burst open, it hurt so badly. I sat back down, and almost exhausted, replied, "That's it for today, Abbey. I'm through." "You're funny," Abbey laughed, pointing at me, "You're real funny," and continued laughing till she was sitting on the floor beside me, in near hysterics with her hands holding her stomach. "You wanna let me in on it," I angrily snapped, "I sure as fuck don't see anything funny." The moment she heard me say the word 'fuck', she stopped laughing, her face now holding an angry glare as she looked at me and frostily said, "I'll tell you what I do see. I see a strong young guy that has the pain tolerance of a two year old, and cries at the first little ache." "Who the hell do you think you are?" I growled, "You don't know shit about my pain, little girl." "Oh yeah, well, I'll tell you what," she heatedly said, "There was an eighty-two year old woman that came in here with almost the same exact injury as yours. On her very first attempt, she walked half-way down the bars and back. So, don't go cussing me because you're scared, you big baby." "Who're you calling a baby," I angrily bellowed, "I'll show you baby, you snot-nosed little shit." With that, I stood back up. I knew it was going to hurt like hell, but I was not about to give in to some kid, nor was I about to give her the satisfaction of knowing she got the best of me. Slowly, I put one foot in front of the other, intense knife-like pain slicing through my leg with every step I took. I pushed myself to keep going until I could go no more, and when the pain became too intense, I looked up and realized that I'd walked the entire length of the parallel bars. Abbey was standing there grinning and holding my wheel chair for me. As I sat down, she handed me a towel to wipe off the sweat that been pouring down my face by the bucketfuls since before I was even halfway down the bars. "I'm so proud of you, Mike," she smiled, "I knew you could do it." "Oh yeah?" I laughed, "Well, you knew more than I did." "No, I knew you could do it, Mike, "she giggled, "Besides, Katie was right about you." "She was," I grinned, "And what was that?" "She said that the best way to get you motivated," she paused for effect, "Was to get you really pissed off," and then Abbey began laughing all over again. "Silly ass girl," I laughed, shaking my head. And that's how it went for the next three weeks between Abbey and I. When I told her that I wanted to stop, she would do or say something that would piss me off to the point that I would do whatever exercise she had planned for the day, just to keep her from getting the better of me. ~~~~~~ The last week of therapy consisted of getting me ready to return to work. I was walking, unassisted, all over the place and I felt on top of the world. Then on the last day, I walked into the therapy room that morning to find Abbey waiting for me. However, she was not her jovial and jocular self that day. Something was bothering her, and it was clearly written all over her face. I noticed it the moment I sat down. "What's wrong, Abbey?" I asked, concerned. "It's my Aunt Leigh," she replied, tears threatening to spill down her face at any moment. "What's wrong?" I asked, beginning to really worry, "She's not hurt or anything like that, is she?" "No, it's nothing that bad," she giggled, wiping her eyes and sniffling slightly, "It's just that...oh, hell, you don't need to hear this stuff, because...." "No," I quickly interrupted, "I'm here to listen if you want to talk. Besides, you made me get up off of my stubborn ass and help myself so, I owe you." "Okay, I'll tell you," Abbey smiled, "When my Aunt Leigh came back from Vietnam, she wasn't herself. She seemed real sad for a long time." "If anyone can understand that," I said, tapping my prosthetic leg, "I surely can." "That's right," she smiled, "You were there, too. Anyway, she told me that right before she left Japan, where she had been temporarily assigned at the hospital there before she came home; she met this guy that had come through there with a leg injury similar to yours. She said he was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen, and that she flipped over him the first time she laid eyes on him. But, they had a strict rule about fraternization between the staff and the patients. It was a definite No-No. I went to her house last night for dinner, and she told me that she has been searching for him ever since she came home. Then she showed me a letter that said all searches for him had been exhausted, and that nothing else could be done. She looked like she'd given up, and it was so sad." By this time, tears were pouring down her cheeks like rain, and it bothered me to see her upset like this. So, patting her on the shoulder, I smiled and said, "Why don't you and her come down to Doc's Pasta House tonight, and I'll treat you both to a feast that's fit for a King." "I can't let you do that, Mike," Abbey protested, "Besides; I hear that, while the food is excellent, the prices are a bit too steep for my finances right now, and I'm not real sure that Aunt Leigh will want to get out." "What if I told you to tell your Aunt that my feelings are going to be hurt if you and her are not at the restaurant at eight o'clock, sharp, this evening?" "No, Mike," she protested, "It's too expensive, and I know for a fact that on a professor's salary, you can't..." "Wait a minute," I interrupted her laughing, "I own the place, or did you not know that?" No, I didn't, "giggled Abbey, shaking her head and hugging me, "What am I going to do with you, ya big goof?" Before I left the training room that morning, I made sure that Abbey had my name, address and telephone number in case she ever needed me for anything. I felt that I owed it to her for all the shit she had to put with from me while I was under her care. Let me tell you, she was a tough girl when she had to be, but she was also very encouraging and caring. However, what mattered more to me than anything, was the fact that I had made a very good friend in her, and I felt she done the same with me. ~~~~~~ Chapter Five When I was released from the hospital that afternoon, Phil was there to pick me up, telling me that everyone was waiting for me at my house to give me a big 'Welcome Home'. As we pulled into my driveway, Katie came running out the front door, waving her arms in the air and giggling like she used to do when we were younger. "Mikey," she squealed, as she threw her arms around my neck while I got out of the car, "It's so good to have you home, big brother." "Hi, Katie-Bug," I replied, hugging her, "It's good to be home." "We're having a party tonight, Mikey," grinned Katie, "And you're the guest of honor, sweetie." The moment I walked into my house, I was greeted by several of my students, as well as a few colleagues. The girl that took care of my yard, Trisha Hawkins, was there as well. "Hey Doctor Mike," she smiled at her special name for me, and giving me a hug, "I'm glad you're home. I really hated seeing you all laid-up in the hospital." "I hated seeing me there, too," I devilishly grinned, "They gave me some good drugs, though." "Doctor Mike," Trisha gasped, blushing, "I don't know what you're talking about." Then I leaned in so that only she could hear me, and quietly said, "Look young lady, you and I both know that you've got three nice sized marijuana plants in that hot house...err...I mean laboratory hidden neatly behind my house. However, I want one third of the yield when it comes harvest time." "You got it," she quietly replied, "I knew you were cool like that, Doctor Mike." "I don't need to tell you that you and I are the only people who are to know about this," I warned, "Do I?" "Jeez, Mike," she giggled, "Are you nuts or something?" Then she leaned up and kissed me on the cheek grinning, and said, "Welcome home, Doctor Mike, ya big doofus." Jack Thomas and his wife, Jane, were there wearing giant grins on both of their faces. "Mike, it does my heart wonders to see you up and walking about," said Jane, in her genteel southern Texas accent while hugging my neck at the same time. "Thank you, Jane," I playfully teased, "It does my heart wonders to see you looking so young theses days. Jack must be doing something right, hmmm?" "Oh Michael," she giggled, while I winked at Jack, "No wonder you and Jack are such good friends. You two are both scoundrels." All three of us laughed. In a few moments, Katie got everyone's attention and said, "I'm glad all you guys are here. We're going to continue this party at the restaurant at seven o'clock this evening. Doctor Winslow needs to get some rest before tonight so, please everyone; we'll hopefully see you all tonight." Doctor Winslow...jeez, it definitely made me sound like I was ancient when Katie said my name like that. Katie has a way of letting people know what she wants without having to come right out and say it, and this time it was no different. On their way out the door, everyone made sure to make their way around to where I was now seated, all bidding me nice farewells as they left. "Whew," smiled Katie, right after the last guest was gone, "That wore me out." Then she started looking at me funny, wearing a knowing smile that told me she was up to something. "What is it, Katie, what're you up to now?" I warily asked. "She won't tell me either," said Phil, after I shot a questioning glance in his direction. Before I could say anything else, Katie came over and sat right next to me on the couch. Then she took right hand in both of her hands, and laid her head on my shoulder like she used to do when we were little. Knowing that I have never been able to say 'No' to her, she looked up at me, and said, "Mikey, I want you to do something for me tonight, and I don't want you to ask me any questions, okay?" "Alright, Katie," I sighed, relenting "I'll bite, what is it you want me to do?" "Well, it's a surprise of sorts," she replied hopefully, "And I want you wear your best suit tonight. Okay?" "Okay, little sister," I smiled, "Besides, I have guests that are coming to the restaurant tonight." Oh, really," Katie replied, smiling cryptically, "Who are your guests, big brother?" "Do you remember my therapist, Abbey Whitley?" I asked, Katie nodding her acknowledgement, "Well, I invited her and her Aunt to have dinner with us tonight." "That's great, Mikey," Katie knowingly grinned, "It sounds like we're all going to have a very good time tonight." ~~~~~~ As soon as I woke from the nap I took after everyone left the house earlier, I took a nice hot bath, something I'd missed when I was in the hospital, and let the water soothe my aching muscles. Afterward, I shaved and cleaned up, then went to get dressed. When I took my doctorate's degree, I splurged and brought in a tailor and had her measure me and make a suit that fit me extremely well. It was dark blue and I wore a white shirt with a blue tie and Stacy Adams loafers on my feet. As I looked at myself in the full length mirror in my bedroom, I had to admit that I looked damn good that night, or at least I thought so. When I walked into the living room where Katie and Phil were waiting for me, Katie whistled, and gently throwing her arms around my neck, kissed me on the cheek and teasing me, said, "Holy shit, Michael, you sure clean up good." "Oh hush, silly girl," I laughed, "Are we ready to go?" ~~~~~~ The moment I stepped into the restaurant, everyone there rose from their tables and began to applaud me, welcoming me back home from the hospital. I was very grateful for such a thing, and as I looked around, with the exception of one or two tables, I noticed that at one time or another, everyone who was there had all come to the hospital to visit me during my stay. "Thank you all for coming tonight. It means a great deal to me that you're here," I said, as Katie led me to the back banquet room where our party was going to be held. As soon as I sat down, Kimmy Davis, the girl I trained to run the kitchen in my absence, brought out a bottle of Château Lafitte Rothschild, vintage 1960, and set it on the table in front of me. "What's this?" I asked after seeing the label on the bottle, "This is some very expensive stuff so, I know you didn't just run down to the corner market and pick up a bottle." "It's like this, Mike," Kimmy said smiling, taking the seat beside me, "We all love you very much, and when you were in the hospital; we were all very worried about you. So, when we decided what we were going to get you as a welcome home gift, we all pitched in on the price, and Katie got it through our liquor distributor. We hope you like it." By this time, the entire restaurant staff was gathered around the table so, I stood, and fighting the tears that were threatening to spill down my face at any moment, I smiled and said, "Thank you all for this very thoughtful gift. I know now that Katie and I made the right decisions when it came to hiring each and every one of you. I love you all like you're family, and I'm grateful to be able to call you my friends. Once again, thank you!" All of the female staff members made it a point to either kiss me on the cheek, hug me, or both, while the only three men that worked there shook my hand and gave me a quick smile. ~~~~~~ It was nearing eight o'clock when Katie came into the back room looking like a little girl who had a secret and was about to burst wide-open before she could tell someone. "What's up, Katie-Bug?" I asked. "Your guests have arrived, Mikey, she excitedly replied, "And they're looking for you." "Where are they?" I asked impatiently. "Carla, (our hostess), sat them at table four," she smiled, "Why don't you go say hello?" As I walked into the main dining room, I grabbed a tray, put two empty water glasses on it, with some rolled silverware, and made my way to their table. I was looking forward to meeting Abbey's Aunt, Leigh. She was in 'The Nam' too, and I thought it would be nice to talk to a fellow Vet. Little did I realize what lay in wait for me when I reached their table? Table four was close to the front of the restaurant, near the front window. As I neared the table, I saw Abbey, who sat with her back to the window, facing the back of the restaurant. Sitting with her was a woman whose face I hadn't seen yet, but she apparently had long blonde hair that fell softly down her shoulders. When I reached the table, Abbey rose and said, "Doctor Mike Winslow, allow me to introduce to you, my aunt, Miss Heidi Leigh Blake. "Hello, Petty Officer Winslow," she said, as she rose and faced me with a single tear falling down her beautiful cheek, "I've been looking for you for a very long time." When threw our arms around one another and time stood still. I looked into her eyes, desperately trying to hold my composure, but my whole body was trembling, and all I could say was, "Heidi, I can't believe it's you." Suddenly I heard applause all around us, and Katie and Abbey were both crying while hugging one another. "How...what's going on...h how did," I stuttered, tears now streaming down both mine and Heidi's faces. "Is there somewhere we can go to sit down and talk, Michael," Heidi smiled, "There's so much I need to tell you." Needless to say, I immediately took her to the back room to our private table. ~~~~~~ Once we were seated and alone, Heidi smiled, and wiping her eyes with the handkerchief I'd given her, said, "I don't know where to begin, Michael." "Why don't you start at the beginning," I replied smiling, "And take all the time you need." She took a deep breath, then began, "This may sound childish to you, but when we were in Japan and they assigned you to me, I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you, Michael." Even though I was being an insufferable bastard to everyone," I asked grinning. "I knew it was all a front," she replied, placing the palm of her hand against the side of my face, "You were afraid and I understood that, but I still loved you anyway." I Can't Believe It's You It doesn't sound as childish as you might think," I explained, my face now turning a bright shade of crimson, "I had dreams about you for a long time after I left Japan and came home." "Really?" she wistfully asked, "I tried to hide it....how I felt about you, I mean." "Why?" I sadly asked, "I wouldn't have told anyone, in case you were worried about getting in trouble. I only wished I'd have known how you felt." "I guess I was just as afraid as you were, but it was a pretty scary time back then," she replied, looking into my eyes, "But I'm not afraid anymore." "You're so beautiful and can have any man you want," I said, my insecurity now blatantly showing itself, "I'm just a crippled, broken down college professor. What could you possibly want with me?" As opposed to getting onto my ass for such a shitty comment, which is what I deserved, Heidi placed her arms around my neck. Then she slowly leaned in and gave me the softest, most tender and sweetest of kisses. After our lips parted, she grinned and sweetly said, "I'll tell what I want with you. I want to be with you, live in your life and you in mine. I want to have a family with you and grow old with you. And if I ever hear the word 'cripple' come out of your mouth again, I'm going to take your prosthetic leg off of you and kick your ass with it. Do I make myself clear, my darling?" "Yes Ma'am," I laughed, "Crystal clear." Then, all of a sudden I remembered how Katie and Abbey had been acting a few moments ago, and said, "Wait a minute." "What," she cooed, "What is it?" "Well,' I said with a knowing grin, "You don't seem as surprised to see me as I am to see you." Heidi smiled then leaned slightly back and away from me. Then taking my hand into hers, she looked off into an imaginary distance, and going backward in time, said, "In 1970, when I did my first tour of duty in 'The Nam', I was with The U.S. Naval Support Activity and worked at the hospital in Da Nang. I made some really good friends there, and that made all the horrible things I saw going on around me on a daily basis, a little more bearable. One night we were attacked by the V.C., and our hooch got hit by a B-40 rocket barrage. I was on duty and in the hospital when it happened, but my two best friends in the whole world were both asleep when the rockets hit. The only thing that gives me any semblance of peace is, knowing that they didn't know what hit them before they died. One minute they were asleep, and then the next minute they were gone." "I know how you feel," I said, tapping on my prosthetic leg, "The day I lost my leg, I was trying to get to a couple of my buddies that had been wounded. My LT ordered me to stay put, but I couldn't just leave them there, it wouldn't have been right." "I know," she agreed, "I refused to let anyone get close to me after that, because I didn't want to have to go through the pain of losing someone that I cared about again. I did my second tour aboard the hospital ship 'Repose', and then I ended my enlistment in Japan, where I met you." I remembered back to the first day I saw her. I felt like shit that morning, because I'd been in a bed for eight weeks, waiting for the wound to heal. Of course I was still messed up the head, I'd been out of touch with reality due to all the pain medications I'd been given. So, now that my head was fairly clear, the reality of what had happened began to set in, making me dark and dismal. I was distraught and felt like a failure for not having been able to get to my friends before they died. But because of the fact that I'd lost my leg, I began to experience the feeling that I was some sort of outcast now, doomed to live a desolate and lonely existence. All at once I thought that I had died and gone to heaven, as before me, stood the most beautiful, angelic face I'd ever seen. Her blonde hair was pulled back on her head, and her beautifully smooth skin was enhanced by the soft sparkle of her bright green eyes, gazing upon me as she smiled. "Good morning, Petty Officer Winslow. I'm Petty Officer Heidi Blake," she chirped, "I'll be helping you get adjusted to the prosthetic leg that's going to be fitted just for you....." "Michael," Heidi softly called, snapping me out of the past, "Are you still with me, handsome?" "Yes," I smiled, "I was just remembering back when I first met you." "I remember that day," she sighed, "I almost melted the first time I looked into those big, deep, dark brown eyes of yours." We were still holding hands, and as I raised her hand to my lips, I softly kissed it and said, "You still haven't answered my question." "No" she playfully replied, "I haven't, have I?" I simply shook my head and laughed. Heidi smiled then softly kissed me and said, "As I'm sure you can tell by now, my niece and I are extremely close, yes" I nodded my head smiling, "I never told Abbey your name, but she knows that I've been searching for you for a very long time. Then I found out earlier this afternoon that you were her patient, and so, I told her the whole story. After she finished crying her eyes out, Abbey got on the phone to your sister and..." "And the rest is history," I interrupted laughing. "Oh Michael," she replied, hugging me tightly, "I know it's been a long time since we've each other, but I thought......Oh, Michael." "Hey, I don't plan on going anywhere," I said smiling, "But you're right, it has been a long time. If you're willing, why don't we take the time to really get to know one another and see what happens, alright?" "You've got a deal, hot stuff," Heidi said, kissing my lips, "I dare you not to fall in love with me, Michael. "Why take a dare I know I'm going to end up losing, "I laughed, "I may be crazy but I'm not dumb." "No," she replied smiling, taking my arm as we made our way back to the front of the restaurant, "You're not, my love." ~~~~~~ Chapter Six Heidi and I were only two months apart in age, her being older. She had been born and raised in and around Houston, and although I met her as Heidi, the rest of her family called her by her middle name, Leigh. I asked her about it once, and she told me, "No, baby, you're the only person that calls me that, and I want to keep it that way." In the short month that had passed since we'd been reunited, I'd met her mother, Joan, and her sister, Claire, Abbey's mother. Their father had been killed in the Korean War when Heidi and Claire were little. Abbey didn't know who her father was since he took off as soon as Claire told him she was pregnant. But still, all four women were happy and had a great outlook on life that soon began to rub off on me. Heidi was the Head of the Physical Therapy Department at Saint Joseph's Hospital for Children, also in Houston, and it fit her demeanor perfectly. To this day, she is the most affectionate woman I know, well, besides my sister Katie, that is. Our schedules fit together perfectly. In the afternoons we would get together and either have dinner at the restaurant, or Heidi would cook for me at her home. The end of each of those nights would end with us holding one another, and as time progressed, kissing, each becoming more passionate than the last. I knew, with every fibre of my being that I loved her more than anything else in the world. The bad part was that I couldn't seem to muster up the courage to tell her. She told me all the time how much she loved me, and I knew that I loved her so, why was I afraid and what was I afraid of? ~~~~~~ I was in my office grading papers one afternoon when, around three o'clock, I heard a knock on my door. "Come in," I said, still looking down, working, "It's open." "Uh, excuse me, handsome," said a very familiar female voice, "But we're standing right in front of you." I looked up to see to Heidi and Claire standing in front of my desk, smiling. "What can I do for you two beauties?" I said, looking up and grinning. "We're here to take you to a late lunch," said Claire, "Besides, my sister says that you're a very charming man, and I'm here to see for myself." I smiled and stood, then winking at Heidi, I came around from behind my desk, took Claire by the hand, then gently kissed it and said, "Where would you care to dine m'lady?" Claire quickly snatched her hand out of mine, and then giggling to her sister, said, "Ooo, girl, you were right. Let's get out of here...whew...I need some fresh air." "Don't pay any attention to her, Michael," laughed Heidi, "All it takes to get her worked up is a gentle breeze blowing in the right place." "Heidi Leigh," screeched Claire, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red, "What a terrible thing to say in front of him. Besides, that's not true, and you know it." "Come on, you guys," I laughed, "I could stand something to eat, now that you've mentioned it." ~~~~~~ That afternoon found us at Captain Rick's, on the beach and away from the city, northward toward Galveston. "Because I'm not driving and you are, dear Claire," I chuckled, "I think I'll have some Jim Beam on the rocks." "Well, booey for you," giggled Claire. She looked just like her daughter except for her hair. It was blonde like Heidi's. "I'm glad that you came out with us this afternoon, Michael," Claire said. "I'd have to be crazy to not want to be seen in public with two beautiful women," I suggestively teased, "Hell; I've never been with two sisters before." "Michael," Heidi playfully scolded, "You're awful." "Leave him alone, Lee-Lee," laughed Claire, "I knew I was going to like him." "Don't laugh at him, Sis," Heidi giggled, "It only makes him worse." I spent rest of the afternoon and part of the evening talking to Heidi and Claire. I'd been seeing Heidi regularly and had been getting to know her better over the weeks. I also knew that things between us had been getting more serious as of late, because when Heidi excused herself to go to the ladies' room the last time, Claire looked at me and said, "You know that my sister loves you very much, don't you, Michael?" "Yeah," I sighed, "I do." "Then, what do you propose to do about it, mister?" she candidly asked. "Surely she doesn't want me," I said, "I'm not even a whole man. What could she possibly see in me?" "You think I can't see what she sees in you, dammit," Claire said, slightly angered, "I think you're just afraid to tell how you feel, Michael." By now, tears were running down her cheeks, and as I reached to hand her a napkin, she looked back at me with torment in her eyes and cried, "Can't you two see that you're perfect for one another? When she came back from Vietnam, she was nothing but a ghost, Michael. You're all she thought about, and those thoughts of you are what got her through all the sleepless nights, the nightmares, and the depression. Please, Michael.....give her a chance. I promise you that you'll never regret it." What Claire had said to me struck a chord deep within me, and it was then that I realized that Heidi was the one and only thing that would ever make me feel whole again, and now I knew what it was I had to do. I looked at Claire and said, "I'm gonna need yours and Abbey's help." Then I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, and cryptically teased, "Ya know what I mean, Sis?" "Oh my God," she delightfully squealed, "Whatever it is, consider it done." ~~~~~~ Three days later, it was Friday, and as luck would have it, Heidi had to work late. That gave all of us more time to get my plan ready, and yes, there was no way my sister, Katie, was going to be left out of anything, especially once she got wind of what was about to go down. I'll have to remember to thank Abbey for that, because she was the one who told her. Katie, Abbey, and Claire, were all gathered at my house, waiting with baited breath to hear what I was going to tell Heidi. "I love her and I'm going to ask her to marry me," I told them smiling, "Now, do the three of you think you can keep quiet about this until tomorrow? "You need to make this really romantic, Mikey," Katie excitedly said. "Yeah, Uncle Mikey," giggled Abbey, hugging me, "It's going to be so cool having an Uncle." "Well, sweetheart, it looks like you're the only niece I'm gonna have, I replied, playfully smacking Katie on the butt. "Hey, watch it, Mister," Katie teased, "Jeez, you sound like Dad and Phil," followed by her giggling. "Speaking of Dad," I said to Katie, and handing her my credit card, "Get him here as soon as you can get a flight booked, but don't tell him why." "What am I supposed to tell him then," Katie asked. "Tell him it's a surprise," giggled Claire, "Our Dad always loved surprises." "Good idea," smiled Katie, "I guess Dads are all the same everywhere, because our Dad loves them, too." Then I turned to Abbey, and smiling, said, "Okay, my princess, I want you to...." "Am I, really....your princess, I mean," Abbey interrupted. When I saw the look of a frightened child in the face of the beautiful young woman standing before me, my heart began to break for her and tears stung my eyes as I threw my arms around her, and holding Abbey closely to me, I said, "Of course you are, sweet girl, and you always will be." I heard sniffles emanating from behind me, and with my arms still around Abbey, I turned my head as Claire came around to the side of me with tears raining down her face as well. Nodding at her daughter she patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're the first man she's ever trusted, Michael. I can see why my sister loves you so much." Then she leaned in, and kissing me lightly on the cheek said, "Abbey and I love you, too." ~~~~~~ The next day, I picked Heidi up at her house at one o'clock, as we were on our way to an air show at what was once Ellington Air Force Base. Now it's just another one of the many municipal airports all over Houston. "Hi, Gorgeous," I said, when Heidi met me at her door, "You look great, as always." "Hi, sweetheart," she replied, kissing me, "You know just what to say to make a girl feel beautiful." Pulling her closely to me, I wrapped both of my arms around her waist, and then gave her a toe-curling kiss that produced a deep moan from her, and said, "You'll always be beautiful to me, Heidi." ~~~~~~ We enjoyed the air show and saw a Marine chopper pilot, Ben Mars, whom I knew from Vietnam, there. The high-light of the day came when an A-1 Skyraider (Known as "Sandy" in Vietnam") came flying in at low speed with a banner trailing behind him that read : HEIDI, WILL YOU MARRY ME? MIKE. I had her ring in my hand before she even turned her head to look at me, and when she did, all eyes were upon us as she threw her arms around me and cried, "Yes, and it's about time, ya bum." "I love you, Heidi," I smiled, placing the ring on her finger, "And I'm sorry it took me so long to do this." "Oh, my precious, precious love," she cried, her arms still around me, "You'll never have to tell me you're sorry about anything, ever again. I love you so much, Michael." ~~~~~~ Heidi and I were married that following spring. Nine months to the day from our wedding night, God blessed us with a little girl that we named Evelyn. We call her Evie for short, and now that she's eleven, she thinks she's old enough to hang out with her cousin Abbey. Of course, Abbey spoils her rotten and indulges Evie's every whim, but that's what family does. Claire met the man of her dreams when Ben Mars came into the restaurant to dine, a week after the air show. They were married one year to the day they met, with the wedding ceremony, per Claire's orders, held right there in Doc's Pasta House. Abbey was her maid of honor and I was Ben's best man. It was a really beautiful ceremony that only reaffirmed my belief in love. Dad died two years later and it was sad for all of us, but we know that he would've wanted us to be strong and celebrate his life as opposed to mourning his death. Besides; he always said that Heidi and I would have another baby, but we both told him that the doctor told us after Evie was born; we probably couldn't have anymore children. But this morning, I awoke to the sound of Heidi throwing up.....again. THE END