To Love & To Protect Page 4

  “Dammit,” Ethan mumbled under his breath.

  He responded to Townsend to have copies of the surveillance videos copied and forwarded on to Michelle for further analysis. If something is there, she will find it.

  Lastly, Marisol had responded that she, Kimberly, and Trenton would be at the hospital within the hour with the “packages”. Renee was staying behind to get some sleep, she was visibly exhausted. Alena should arrive a few minutes before them to set up their picnic lunches. Michael will give them access to the service elevator so that the girls can stay out of the media spot light as much as possible.

  Donna walked in as if on cue. She handed Ethan and Nicole each a cup of coffee, then removed her clipboard from under her arm. I am going to wake Representative Anderson up, allow her to freshen up and change her bandages before her girls arrive. Donna checked all of her vitals and recorded them. She gently woke Jasmine up. She spoke in a gentle calming voice.

  Jasmine attempted to move, but stopped wincing in pain.

  “Be easy,” Donna reminded her.

  Tears sprang to Jasmine’s eyes. She was still in pain. Her body had stiffened in pain.

  Donna continued to unhook the tubes from her body.

  Ethan hated seeing her in pain like this.

  Nicole looked on with what Jasmine read as pity in her eyes. That she hated most, people pitying her.

  Ethan walked over to the bed and said to Donna that he would help get Jasmine up out of bed.

  “Be gentle,” Donna responded.

  “I will be,” Ethan said softly.

  He slid one hand behind her back and the other under her knees. She settled into his arms as if she had always belonged there. There was some kind of energy between the two of them. She could feel his warmth through his shirt.

  She couldn’t conceal the shiver that ran through her body.

  “You are okay, I got you,” Ethan mumbled.

  Jasmine nodded her head then said, “I trust you.”

  He placed her, in the bathroom near the sink, so she would have something to help her keep her balance.

  “Thank you,” Jasmine said not making eye contact.

  Ethan walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

  “Did you ever say whether you had a brother?” Nicole asked teasingly.

  “My only brothers are my Marine brothers,” Ethan responded. Why do you ask?”

  “You are well mannered, you have a way of putting people at ease without really trying, and I think it is just your way. You are handsome, and quite frankly a knight in shining armor. Ladies dig that,” Nicole said chuckling.

  “Thank you, Nicole,” Ethan said, realizing that teasing and having fun was kind of Nicole’s thing.

  “No thank you,” Nicole responded in turn. Nicole started to change the sheets and pillowcases for Donna.

  Alena walked into the room followed by a little toddler; a handsome little boy who reminded Ethan of someone.

  Nicole looked up, from making the bed. “Trevor,” she called out to the little boy. “Oh my, he has gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw him.” Nicole was now hugging the little boy tight. She kept talking in happy tones, but asked of Alena who was busy setting a small table, “You know that you are playing with fire don’t you?”

  “Yes. But I am going to set this table and Trevor and I will be out of here. Now is not the time, I know he doesn’t need any distractions. So I won’t distract him. Please finish with that and help me get the table set and the food displayed on the plates please. Then I will leave and be back a little later,” Alena said.

  Ethan looked hard at the little boy, who reminded him of his friend and brother Trenton Jamal Blake-Moore.

  He looked from each lady then back to the little boy. Then he asked, “How old is your son?”

  “He is three years old,” Alena answered.

  This was Trenton’s son. He had been conceived, the night before they had left for Afghanistan, when they had had too much wine. Oh my goodness. Ethan’s mind was racing, there is no way that Trenton knows he has a son and wasn’t taking care of him.

  “When are you planning on telling him that he has a son?” Ethan asked accusingly.

  “Change your tone, Ethan,” Alena said curtly. “I wrote Trenton, I tried to call, but he didn’t respond. He wasn’t interested in me or our child apparently. This is the first time that he has returned here since you all were deployed. He barely calls his own mother and father or his siblings. I was stupid enough to be his good time girl before he left, and we made a beautiful child. I stepped up to the plate and did what I had to for myself and my child since Trenton Jamal Blake-Moore was clearly uninterested in doing so. So I do not give you permission to look down your nose at me,” Alena said clearly irritated.

  “I am sorry Alena, but you got to believe me when I say that Trent doesn’t know,” Ethan pleaded.

  “I wrote him letters, they weren’t returned. I tried to call but it’s not the kind of thing you leave on a voicemail message. How can he not know?” Alena asked.

  “We didn’t open mail over there. It just made us home sick and sometimes if we were too homesick we weren’t focused. Some of us never received mail over there because we didn’t have anyone back home that was waiting for us. So we just didn’t open them. It was a team decision. When all were pretty messed up when we got back home, physically, emotionally and even a little mentally if I am to be completely honest. Trenton is a good, honorable man. He wouldn’t want his son to be raised without him. You need to tell him,” Ethan said matter of factly.

  “I will,” said Alena, “When the time is right.”

  “No, today or tomorrow, or I will,” Ethan said.

  Alena knew that he would by the look in his eyes, she nodded.

  Jasmine, walked out of the bathroom. She had heard the latter part of the conversation. She walked over to where Nicole was holding Trevor. She used her good hand to run her fingers through his curly hair. She smiled lovingly up at the little boy. She had changed into a black night gown. Her color had returned.

  “Do you need help getting back onto the bed,” Ethan asked.

  “No thank you, Donna will assist me,” Jasmine answered a little frosty. Donna placed a small pad on the bed, Jasmine sat down gently onto the pad. Donna pulled both ends of the pad which dragged Jasmine across the bed. Then Donna walked to the other side of the bed. She carefully placed one leg on the bed then the other one. Donna checked her bandages to make sure everything had stayed in place then covered her up with a light comforter. The last thing she did was move the portable tray in front of her so that she could eat her lunch.

  Jasmine was in pain but was too proud to admit it besides she wanted to be completely lucid when the girls got there.

  Ethan knew she was in pain, but didn’t say a word. His phone beeped indicating that he had a message. He moved to get the phone, when there was a quick knock on the door, and Trenton allowed himself in.

  Alena let out a deep breath, reached for Trevor, and made a hasty exit.

  Trenton said, “The girls are on the way up. Will you all excuse me?” he said then retreated in hot pursuit to catch up with Alena.

  “This mess is better than my soap’s,” Nicole said.

  “What do you mean?” Jasmine asked feeling a little salty.

  “You mad at Ethan because he was being loyal to his friend as a display of loyalty to your friend,” Nicole answered. “Donna probably would have appreciated some help from Ethan getting your heavy behind into the bed. Your wound is aggravated needlessly, for what?” Nicole asked before she continued. “Trenton caught Alena here with his son anyways. Now he will be receiving the news that he has fathered a child that he has failed to take care of or support in any way shape of form, in his three years of life. So, he will be distracted while trying to figure out who is responsible for shooting you. Renee is noticeably exhausted, but it’s probably from finally taking a tumble between the sheets with that tall da
rk Italian, Antonio. She is also glowing like a woman who has been made love to good and properly. Soap Opera?” Nicole finished.

  Jasmine stared straight ahead, not responding, partly because she knew Nicole was right. Yet she refused to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she was. “Where are my girls?” Jasmine asked.

  Soon as the question was asked, there was a light knock on the door before Kimberly escorted two beautiful little ladies into the room. They ran over to their mother’s bed.

  Alyson began to cry.

  “No Alyson don’t cry, please be strong for me, okay,” Jasmine encouraged.

  Amber sniffed, but didn’t allow a tear to fall.

  “I want to go home mommy,” Amber said, trying to get up into the bed. Jasmine patted a place beside her and encouraged her to do just that.

  “I know honey, me too,” Jasmine said as she hugged Amber to herself. I am so happy to see you both. Amber moved to give Alyson a turn. Jasmine kissed her forehead, and hugged her as tight as she could.

  “I am glad you didn’t die mommy,” Alyson said.

  “Me too baby, me too,” Jasmine said. “The doctors and staff have taken great care of me. Our friends and family have come by to offer support and take care of us. We have some highly trained people who are going to help us stay safe. It’s going to be okay,” Jasmine said to encourage the girls.

  “Now let’s eat the delicious food Alena prepared for us,” Jasmine said.

  The girls hopped over to the table that had been set, eager to please their mother. Ethan held out the chairs for all of them. “Enjoy ladies,” he said as he prepared to leave the room.

  “Ethan, aren’t you going to join us?” Jasmine asked.

  “No, thank you, I need to take care of a few pressing matters,” Ethan offered.

  “Oh, well please take your plate. I don’t recall seeing you eat anything today,” Jasmine said.

  “No,” Nicole confirmed, “He has just been drinking cup after cup of coffee.”

  Ethan grabbed the plate from the table, “Thank everyone again,” and exited the room.

  Kimberly asked, “Did I miss something?”

  Nicole responded, “Nothing and everything.”

  Jasmine kept up light conversation with the girls throughout their lunch, but an hour into lunch she was in desperate need of some pain management.

  Trenton still hadn’t come back and neither had Ethan.

  “Girls,” Jasmine called. “I have to take some medicine to help to get better so I can come home, but the medicine will make me very sleepy. So it’s probably time that you guys get ready to go back to Blake-Moore Estates.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Amber said.

  “I know, but we will be together soon, come give me a hug and a kiss.”

  Both girls came quickly.

  Marisol messaged, Ethan to let him know that they would be on the move soon.

  Ethan knocked briefly on the door then entered. “We are ready to move out, ladies,” he said standing by the door.

  Amber started to cry. Ethan looked at the small framed ten year old girl and his heart just melted. He reached for her and picked her up then reached for her sister’s hand. Marisol followed behind them.

  Jasmine began to cry. Nicole grabbed up some tissue, and told her not to cry.

  Donna came in and began to hook up all of the machinery. In a soothing voice, she reminded Jasmine that crying would elevate her blood pressure. Having an evaluated blood pressure was cause to keep her hospitalized. Donna then encouraged Jasmine that the hardest part was almost over.

  The tears still rolled down her cheeks, unchecked. The medicine kicked in and she began to dose off. It was the second day that she had cried herself to sleep.

  Chapter 10

  Later on that evening, Jasmine came awake on her own. Her mouth was dry. She looked around the room; Trenton was standing by the window looking out into the night. Kimberly was drinking coffee. Alexis was walking toward her bed with a cup of ice water.

  “I am glad you are awake. I thought that you were going to sleep through my whole visit,” Alexis said good naturedly.

  Jasmine smiled. She attempted to adjust her body but found that she was just as stiff as she had been before. Kimberly eased beside her and lifted her a little so that she could drink some water.

  Jasmine said thank you, and began to drink. Donna walked in and began to check her vitals. “Do you want to go freshen up and use the restroom,” Donna asked.

  “Yes,” Jasmine said, “But give me a few minutes, okay?”

  “Okay,” Donna said sweetly. “Can I go ahead and start unplugging you from the equipment?”

  “Yes,” Jasmine answered.

  Jasmine took a few deep breaths, and slid one leg to the side of the bed, then the other. She used her good arm to continue to push herself up off the bed.

  Donna helped her to the restroom. They completed what had become a routine. She undressed slowly. Her bandages were removed. She stood under the spray of the shower. Donna helped her to soap up and sponge cleaned her wounds. She helped her to towel dry then put a thin layer of antibiotic cream on both sides of her arm, and on her upper thoracic area, and lower lumber area. Then Donna would re-dress the wounds, and help her to get dressed. Lastly she helped settle her into the bed.

  “Donna, how long will it take for the wounds to heal?” Jasmine asked.

  “It’s important to remember that no two patients are the same, so recovery times are different. Yet on average it should take anywhere from 10-14 days to heal,” Donna answered.

  “What could set me back with healing?” Jasmine asked.

  “I don’t foresee you having any setbacks with healing at this time. Michael was very thorough with the debridement of the wounds. He removed all the bullet fragments, cleaned and sutured you up beautifully. You will have very small scars. You were given blood because you lost a tremendous amount of blood before you arrived here. He started you on fluids and antibiotic via the IV as soon as you were set up in recovery. You haven’t run a fever since yesterday, you are eating, and you have an incredible authentic support system.”

  “When can I start physical therapy for my arm?” Jasmine asked.

  “When Michael signs off on it,” Donna said. “Look, I know that this has probably gotten old really fast,” using her hands to indicate the whole hospital scene. “But the worst thing that you could do is push yourself before your body has done the healing that it needs to do, and have a major setback.”

  Jasmine let out a long sigh, and relaxed into the pillows.

  “May I have a newspaper please?” Jasmine asked.

  “Sure,” Donna said.

  Alexis walked over to the bed. “Nicole went to get you some dinner. I am really sorry that you got shot, but so happy that you have survived this.”

  “Me too,” Jasmine replied, accepting her friends hand.

  “I miss my girls, I miss working, I don’t know how to sit still,” Jasmine said.

  She looked over at the window where Trenton was still staring out the window.

  “Trent,” she said softly, “I am so sorry that you are hurting. I can’t say that I am not glad you and your staff are here to help us. I guess you do still love us,” Jasmine said, her voice getting shaky with emotion. “I can’t imagine what you all went through over there. Even through you came back in one piece like we prayed for, it’s like we still lost you. It’s like you died over there because you didn’t come back home to us. Please, fix everything with Alena.”

  “I tried to talk to her, I just can’t reach her,” Trent responded. “I would have never let her go through any of this alone if I could have helped it.”

  Alexis answered, “Trent she wrote you. She called and left you messages. She got nothing back. She soldiered on for the three of you. Her pregnancy was a high risk pregnancy. Even though we all tried to be there for her, she always felt alone. She has worked very hard to earn her degree, be a great single mom, and man
age a multi-million dollar business that grosses a forty percent profit year after year. Trent, I love you and always will, but don’t start the, oh I want to be a part of my sons life campaign if you aren’t going to stay the course,” Alexis finished.

  Trent let what Alexis said sink in.

  “I want to get to know my son,” Trent said humbled by her words. “I promise if I am given the chance I will stay the course.”

  “I will talk to her for you then,” Alexis said. “Thank you for coming home now, we love you and have missed you greatly,” Alexis said walking over to hug him.

  “Alexis you have really grown up,” Trent said. “Where is the shy quiet girl I use to know?” Trent teased.

  “She had to grow up,” Alexis said with a smile.

  Nicole came in with bags of food and was saying turn on the news.

  “Turn on the news,” Nicole said excitedly.

  Trent turned on the news. The anchorwoman was recapping the details of the shooting of South Carolina State Representative Jasmine Anderson. Then a picture of Ethan walking to the car outside of the hospital, carrying a weeping Amber with one arm and holding Alyson’s hand with the other one popped on the television. Alyson was holding on to a small brown teddy bear by one foot with her other hand. He radiated power and strength. He looked focused and determined while being warm and caring all at the same time. The anchorwoman said the picture had been uploaded to YouTube and had gone viral. It was the first glimpse into Representatives Anderson’s life during this tragic ordeal. She touched on the press release that Jasmine had authorized earlier that morning.

  “Who is this mystery man, is the question that is on everyone’s mind?” anchorwoman, Sonya said.

  Claire who was in the opposite anchor chair responded. “That is the question that is on your mind. Seriously this picture will go down in history books for years to come. For a little while, an act of pure violence, rocked our world and made us feel unsafe. This picture shows both sides of this ordeal. These girls world was rocked harder than anyone of ours yesterday during that tragic moment and their spirits are a little bit broken. He, whomever he is, is strength in the eye of the storm. It is beautiful,” Claire declared.