Military Daddy (17 page)

 

Shane stepped out of the way as Annie answered questions and signed the necessary papers. Another woman came in, pushing a cart loaded with lab tubes and needles, and announced that she had come to draw blood. She gave Shane a pointed look and asked him to step outside. As he pulled open the door, another nurse came in pushing an IV pump and carrying a tray. Knowing he was only in the way, he stepped out into the hallway.

He checked his watch as he waited, and when it hit five o'clock straight up, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Captain Watson's number. When his captain picked up, Shane took a deep breath and said, “Sir, this is Corporal Ross. I'd like to report myself AWOL.”

For a long second there was dead silence on the line. “I see. This is a very serious matter, Corporal.”

“I understand that, but Annie and the baby need emergency care that is only available to them here in Houston. I want you to know I did attempt to contact you last night, but I was told you were unavailable.”

“Yes, I spent a very boring evening with General Adams and his wife. However, that's no excuse, soldier.”

“I wouldn't have done it if I felt there was any other choice. The baby will die unless they can do surgery on her tonight. She might die anyway, but we had to try.”

“Of course. You'll have to report back by tomorrow at the latest, but I can't do anything for you if you're gone more than forty-eight hours. You do realize this is going on your record. I'll try to see that you get ten days emergency leave, but I'm not going to promise you anything.”

“I understand, sir.”

“All right. Let me know how the surgery turns out and when to expect you back.”

The door to Annie's room opened and she was wheeled out into the hall.

“I will, sir. I have to go now.”

“I'll be keeping you in my prayers, son.”

“Thank you, sir. We need all we can get.”

Shane snapped his phone shut and stepped up to the cart. One of the nurses had placed a blue surgical cap on Annie's head. She looked like a very frightened young woman trying to look brave for his benefit. It almost broke his heart.

Bending down, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, then whispered, “See you soon.”

She laid a hand on his cheek. “I love you, Corporal Shane Ross.”

How he could love someone so much was a mystery to him. That she loved him in return was a blessing he would give thanks for all his life. “I love you, too.”

One of the nurses said, “We have to go now. You can wait here in the room. Dr. Wong will find you when the surgery is over. If you leave, just let someone at the nurses' station know where you'll be. Try not to worry. We'll take good care of her.”

As they pushed the cart down the hall, Shane watched until they rounded the corner and were lost from sight. Suddenly the energy drained out of his body, leaving him weak and vulnerable.

Pushing open the door to Annie's room, he walked in and sat down in the chair by her now-empty bed. A lump pushed up in his throat, making it hard to breathe. He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees, but he couldn't draw a full breath. He pressed his fingers against his stinging eyes, but it was no use.

A single sob escaped his tightly clenched lips, followed by another and then another. Defeated, he dropped his head into his hands and wept.

Many long hours later there was a knock at the door and Dr. Wong walked in.

A
nnie tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't cooperate. She could hear voices near her, but she chose to ignore them. Sleep was a wonderful invention.

“Annie, open your eyes,” someone insisted once more.

On the second try, Annie's lids fluttered up for a brief second before dropping closed again. Wasn't that good enough? Couldn't they just go away and let her sleep?

“Annie, wake up!” Recognizing the insistence in Shane's tone, she gave up the idea of ignoring him and opened her eyes. This time they stayed open and his face swam into view.

Annie smiled. He was so handsome and she loved him to pieces.

“That's a girl.”

Little by little, the events of the past days fell into place. She had to try twice before she managed to croak out, “How is she?”

“She came though the surgery okay. They removed the tumor without complications.”

Thank God. Joy filled her heart.

“Things look good,” Shane said. The tension in his voice caused her to frown.

“But?”

“But I have to leave now. I have to catch the first flight back to Kansas City and get back to the base by tonight.”

“Already? But we just got here.” She wanted to make him smile. He looked so tired and worn.

“Yes, but I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“When?” Annie cleared her throat and wished she could get a sip of water. It seemed like too much trouble to ask for it.

“I'm not sure.”

“Do you get to make phone calls from the brig?” Her eyes drifted closed.

“I don't think so.”

“Okay,” she managed to say. “I'm going to go back to sleep now.”

“That's a good thing. Sleep and get well—both of you.”

She felt the butterfly-soft kiss he placed on her cheek and she drifted back to sleep, knowing she had made the right decision after all. Her baby was okay and Shane loved her. She managed to pry her eyes open one more time. Her strong man stood by her bed with tears running down his face.

“Don't cry.”

“I'm sorry. I just don't want to leave you like this.”

“We'll be here when you come back. Have faith. I do.”

If he heard her barely whispered words, she didn't know it because sleep had claimed her once more.

 

Sitting up in her hospital bed, Annie surfed through the TV channels for the fifth time, and there still wasn't anything she wanted to watch. Soap operas, talk shows and action movies couldn't hold her interest the way the sound of her daughter's heartbeat did as it emanated softly from the monitor overhead. A tiny, fast, repetitive bleep proved all was well. It was a blessed sound.

Another contraction tightened Annie's stomach, and she winced at the pain, then took deep breaths to ride through the discomfort. She glanced at the nurse adjusting the IV drug on the pump beside her. “I don't think that one was quite as strong.”

“Good, then the terbutaline is doing its job. I'll keep an eye on your strip from the desk. Let me know if they become more frequent or intense. Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thanks. You have all been so wonderful.”

“We're just doing our job. But I have to admit it's exciting to be taking part in such a rare medical procedure. Your case has been discussed at length in our staff meetings. Everyone is praying that we can get your baby close to term.”

“I'll be forty weeks the first of October. You will all be tired of me by then.” Today was only the twenty-third of June.

“Once we get these contractions to stop and stay stopped, you'll be able to move off the floor into something more homey.”

“Yes, the social worker has made arrangement with the Ronald McDonald House for me to stay there.”

“I've heard it's really nice.” The beeper in the nurse's pocket went off, and she excused herself as she walked out of the room.

Annie glanced out the window. Her room had a wonderful view of the brick wall of the building next door. The only amusement it afforded was the pigeons that strutted across the window ledges. Sighing, she picked up the remote again, but before she could turn it on, her door opened again.

“May I come in?”

“Shane!” she shrieked. Joy rocketed through her body. She sat up quick enough to make her incision hurt and had to grab her tummy with both hands.

“She sounds glad to see you.” Olivia pushed past him and came bouncing into the room. “Surprise.”

Wrapping her arms around the child, Annie gave her a heartfelt hug. “Olivia, oh, it's so good to see you. Where is your mother?”

“I'm right here,” Marge said, smiling from the doorway beside Shane. She came forward, holding a large bouquet of yellow roses, and hugged Annie as Olivia plopped into the chair beside the bed.

With tears of happiness blurring her vision, Annie held out her hands to Shane. It was all the invitation he needed. He strode in and sat on the opposite side of her bed. For a long second he simply held her hands, then he leaned in and kissed her with fierce longing.

Blushing, but happier than she could imagine, Annie pulled away and cupped his face in her hands to drink in the sight of her beloved. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. So much. How is our soccer player doing?” He laid his hand carefully on Annie's stomach.

“She's kicking one goal after another.”

“Good for her.”

“Can't you give the poor thing a name?” Olivia asked.

Annie and Shane exchanged sheepish looks. “We haven't discussed names,” Annie said, squeezing his hands. Just touching him made her feel safe and loved. What a gift he was.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Whatever you do, don't name her after me.”

“What's wrong with your name?” Marge asked with a frown.

“She'll hate it when they call her Ollie for short. I do.”

“We'll take that under advisement,” Shane said.

Annie smiled at him. “I can't believe you brought them all this way. Thank you.”

“Not!” Olivia said quickly. “We brought him. I didn't think Mom's clunker would make it this far, but it did.”

Giving Shane a quizzical look, Annie said, “Why didn't you drive your own car?”

“I don't actually own a car anymore.”

“What happened to your Mustang?”

“I sold it.”

“Why? You love that car. Hey,
I
even love that car.”

Shrugging, he said, “It was time for something different.”

“I thought you sold it to pay for the air ambulance,” Olivia interjected.

“Olivia Renee Lilly!” Marge said sternly.

“What did I do?”

Annie looked at Shane in disbelief. “You sold your car to get me here? Are you nuts? That car is going to be worth a fortune someday.”

“What does a man need with a fortune someday when he has a pearl of great price sitting beside him?”

“Ooh, that was smooth, Shane.” Olivia clapped her hands.

Marge stepped forward and laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder. “Excuse us, we're going to step out into the hall and give you two some privacy.”

“But why?”

Glaring down at Olivia, Marge said, “Do you remember what used to happen when I had to take you out of church when you were little and misbehaving?”

Olivia's eye widened. “You wouldn't.”

“Don't tempt me.”

Olivia rose quickly and headed for the door. Marge looked at Annie. “We'll be back in a little while.”

Olivia leaned back in from the door frame. “Yeah, he has something he wants to ask you.”

Shane tilted his head to the side and glared at her. She waved and then popped out of sight.

Marge glanced toward the ceiling. “I'm trying, Lord. I know she is a test of patience, as well as a joy for my soul, but can You do something about her attitude before I decide to do a major readjustment?”

Annie had to laugh. “Marge, you know that kid is just like you.”

Clutching her chest with one hand, Marge grimaced. “You wound me to the quick. But it's true. We'll be back in half an hour.” Setting the vase of roses on the nightstand, she followed her daughter out of the room.

Happy to be alone with Shane, Annie reached up to stroke his cheek, then laced her fingers together at the nape of his neck. “I'm so glad you're here. I'm so glad we made this choice—no matter how it turns out.”

“I am, too.”

“What did you want to ask me?”

He looked down for a second and she sensed his unease. His eyes, when he looked at her again, were serious. A small frown creased his brow. “I have some news. My transfer has been bumped up. I'm leaving for Germany a week from today.”

She bit her lip. “I thought we would have more time together.”

“We'll have five whole days—and we'll make the most of them.”

Don't cry. Be strong for him.
“Okay. I can deal with that. Five days.”

“I'm pretty sure I can get more leave once the baby is born. The paternity test proved that she is mine, and as my dependent, all her care will be covered by my military insurance.”

“That's good. One less worry, right?”

“Right.” He looked down again.

“Is there something else?”

“Yes. I was wondering if—if we could name her Clara, after my mother.”

“Clara. Clara. That's a nice name. I like it.”

“Thanks.” He relaxed, but something in his attitude puzzled her.

“Dear, what's wrong?”

 

Shane drew a deep breath and pulled the small black box from his pants pocket. He held it tightly in his palm.

Please, God, I know that I've put this woman though immeasurable pain and suffering, but I love her. Please let her say yes.

Meeting Annie's gaze, he found the courage to offer it to her. “This isn't the time or the place I would have chosen, but I can't leave the country without knowing that we have a future together that is based on more than our child.”

She opened the box. A silver band with a small diamond lay in the rich folds of satin. She pressed a hand to her lips. “Oh, Shane.”

“I want you to be my wife. Annie Delmar, I love you with all my heart and soul. Will you marry me?”

For the longest moment she didn't say or do anything. Her eyes were wide with shock as she stared at him. Slowly her stunned expression gave way to the most beautiful smile he had ever beheld.

“Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, yes!” She threw her arms around his neck, then moaned and drew back and gripped her stomach in pain. “Oh, I forget I can't move that fast yet.”

“Are you all right?”

She nodded as she grimaced. “I've never been happier in my life.”

“Oh, Annie. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”

“Good.” She tried to laugh but couldn't. “I'll hold you to that.”

Now that she had said yes, happiness fizzed through his mind, making him giddy with relief and joy. “When can we get married? I want to do it before I have to leave you.”

“You want me to plan a wedding in less than five days?”

“You can't do it?”

She leaned back in the bed. “You're talking to Super Annie. Of course I can do it. How soon can you get Pastor Hill here?”

“My friend Avery has this great souped-up Mustang Mach One. I think he can have the pastor here in about eight hours.”

“Saturday will be soon enough. You'll need to get a marriage license. Find Marge and send her in. She's going to have to find me a wedding dress. I refuse to get married in a hospital gown.”

She pressed both hands to her cheeks. “Oh, my stars. Is this real?”

“As real as this.” He leaned in and kissed her soundly.

 

On Saturday afternoon Annie, dressed in a simple white taffeta dress with a rounded neck and capped sleeves, sat in a wheelchair at the back of the hospital's small chapel and smoothed the pink sash that rested just above her bulging tummy. She couldn't tell if it was just nervous butterflies or if her little soccer player had taken up gymnastics. She looked down at her feet. The rhinestone-covered sandals had been borrowed from Olivia at the girl's insistence. After all, no one could get married in hospital slippers.

Shane and Avery, in their dress uniforms, stood beside Pastor Hill at the front of the chapel. The few rows of pews were filled with OB nurses, surgical staff and even Dr. Wilmeth and Dr. Wong.