The Christmas Bells
By Carol aka Catfish
*Author’s
note: This story contains a bit of literary license. Please, no snowballs.
It was the night before Christmas, and Admiral Nelson,
weary from his connecting flights from Los Angeles to Boston, finally emerged from the taxi onto the snow covered
drive. He wasn’t really surprised that the ageing house looked a bit out of place in
the dim street lights. No holiday decorations graced its’ windows, roof, or
entryway, as the neighboring mansions did. It was almost as if it wanted to be ignored.
Nelson paid the taxi driver, wished him a happy holiday and gave him a hefty
tip. No doubt the driver would rather be at home with his family and friends
especially on such a miserable night. It was the least he could do.
‘Some holiday’, Nelson muttered to himself after the cab drove off, depressed even after his
act of kindness. As he struggled to unlock the heavy carved door, he couldn’t
help but to remember that in days past, long past, that was, welcoming lights would
have been waiting for him, a butler would have opened the door, a
valet would have taken his coat, and an under butler would have presented him
with an appropriate hot toddy, or whatever his mother had ordered be made ready
for her sailor son’s return from the sea.
Pine and poinsettia garlands would have graced the vast curved
staircase, and a huge, gaily lit and decorated Christmas tree would be waiting for him to place that all important topper
on it, star , angel or whatever, depending on his mother’s mood that year.
He would have been embraced and kissed by her, squashed
in a bear hug by his father, fetted, wined and dined
alongside a few remaining and aging relatives that had managed to survive the
ravages of time, before he could finally escape and creep upstairs to his
bedroom, not forgetting to
peek in on his little sister, who was hopefully fast asleep and
waiting for Santa.
Yes, those were the good days, Nelson mused as he turned
on the lights and shook off the snowflakes, hanging up his coat on the antique
coatrack. While the housekeeping agency
had done its bit with a monthly dust and vac, the
house smelled of must and disuse, not to mention the fact that the heater had
been set to an extreme economical low. Too low, he shivered, for a house this size and against the Arctic
blast outside.
He really had no idea why he’d decided to come here
for Christmas. With no family now save his sister Edith, it was a lonely
homecoming as she was spending the holidays with her fiancé’s family, and
attending various charitable events demanding the rest of her time. As for his friends, he could count on one hand
the number he’d really had in his lifetime, and they had their own lives,
didn’t they? Oh, he had a lot of colleagues. But it wasn’t the same as having a
good friend, a best
friend, maybe even something more, but now, he, the great Harriman Horatio Nelson, four star
admiral in the US Naval Reserve, recipient of numerous medals and even two Nobel Prizes, was sure he’d lost forever Lee
Crane, and doubted he could ever get back the almost father / son friendship
which had formed between the two. And for something so damn trivial!
Arguments between Harriman Nelson and Lee Crane weren’t
uncommon, and sometimes the stuff of legend aboard Seaview and at NIMR. Though,
unless they involved the safety of the submarine Seaview and her crew, Nelson, as
Commander Crane’s Boss, usually won.
Nelson had almost expected a letter of
resignation to appear in the next morning’s interoffice mail as he picked up
Lee’s returned ticket for the flight they had been going to share to New
England. Of course, the errant letter might be waiting for him in his ‘in’
box when he and most of the staff returned from their holiday leave. No, Harriman tried to convince himself, Lee might be angry
with him, but he wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t, couldn’t leave NIMR or rather his first love Seaview, out of
spite. No doubt, as in the past, eventually
Crane would put
Nelson’s ‘suggestion’ behind him. But he doubted that things would never be
normal between them again.
All day, all night, and even on the long flight here,
he remembered their battle of wills...
“Why
are you being so inconsiderate?” Nelson shouted angrily, incongruous with the
holiday music being piped in through the entire Administration Building. In
fact he’d already been after Angie to lower the volume.
“Inconsiderate?”
Lee hopped off the edge of Nelson’s office desk, “you can’t be serious!”
“Damn
it Lee! How can you be so pigheaded and insubordinate!”
“Insubordinate? This is a personal matter. You can’t order me to cooperate!”
“I
thought you were my friend!”
“I
am, and as your friend, I have to
tell you that this is the most hair-brained addlepated idea you’ve ever come up
with. What’s wrong with you? You want
me to change a girl’s mind about her fiancé? Your own sister?
Using me as the bait to get her mind off Pierre?”
“It’s
urgent, Lee! They’re going to set the date soon. Why won’t you help me stop the
engagement?”
“You
can’t tell someone who not to love!”
“We
have to do something! She’ll ruin her
life!”
“There’s
no ‘we’ in this. She’s a grown woman.
It’s her choice. ”
“A damned bad one! He’s no good
for her!”
“You
don’t know that!”
“Why
are you defending him? Perhaps Jiggs was right.”
“Admiral
Starke? About what?”
“Well,
if you find it so hard to help me out, maybe you’re just using me to advance
your career instead of being a real friend.”
“Using you?”
“Well,
being Seaview’s Captain certainly hasn’t hurt your image. Hardly a day goes by
that I don’t hear something from somebody, even in Washington circles, about
the gallant Captain Crane. It’s as if I don’t exist anymore! Even with my name on the Institute!”
“You drafted me, remember?”
“I’m
beginning to remember a lot of
things. For example, Jiggs is certainly right about how you’ve been getting
away with behavior no subordinate in the Navy ever could! And to think I defended it. Treating you like
a brother, even a...”
“Now,
wait a minute. I know you’re upset about Edie, but…”
“Misplaced
loyalty on my part, no doubt,” Nelson pouted, interrupting.
“If
that’s all you think about what we
had,” Lee glared, deathly quiet, then raising his voice, “then damn Admiral
Starke, damn the
Navy, and damn you!” he stomped out and slammed the door behind him.
***
“You’ve
been awfully quiet, Lee,” Lt. Cmdr. Joe Jackson, plunked down in a chair, in
front of a wall of highly technical monitors. Joe had opted for some Reserve
time at the Cape Cod Coast Guard Station in exchange for a blessed two weeks
away from Admiral Starke, who had not approved his leave request to join Crane Massachusetts
for the holidays with his mother. And Lee, being Lee, especially after his rift
with Nelson, decided a couple of weeks as a weekend warrior nearby to his
mother in the town of Barnstable, wouldn’t hurt, and arranged his own Reserve
time (as was his unique privilege as Captain of the Seaview) securing Christmas
Day off for the both of them. “Want to
talk about it?” Joe continued.
“I’m
sorry, ” Lee ran a hand through his hair as he sat on
the edge of the counter, “I thought I could get it out of my mind. Harry’s
never been this thoughtless. I know he’s concerned about Edie, but…”
“Yeah,
I know. I don’t know how you put up with it. First he claims to be your friend,
then he throws it in your face…he can’t have it both ways, if I may be so bold.”
“How
could he even think that I’ve abused
our friendship?” Lee began to pace, “ I’ve always been
professional aboard Seaview, at the institute….but…Joe…what if…what if he’s
right? What if
I have gotten too full of myself?
Maybe I did use my influence as his friend sometimes without realizing it…what
if I’ve enjoyed hobnobbing with the
brass…what if…”
“Well,
why the hell not?” Joe rose and put a comforting arm around his
shoulder, “if you’d stayed in the Navy, bro, you’d be one of the brass yourself now. Your
abilities and the respect you have in the Navy have nothing to do with him or
Seaview. And don’t you think otherwise. ”
“You
should have seen his eyes,” Lee poured himself a cup of coffee, “probably
already took my name plate off my cabin door already…oh God, Joe…what am I
going to do without Seaview…”
“Relax
bro, he’s smarter than that. Not only can’t
he order you to do something
personal, even he knows
you’re the best damn submarine commander out there. He wouldn’t dare fire you.”
“After what I said to him? After I told him to
go to hell?”
“You
said ‘damn you’, not quite the same thing, bro. Okay, maybe it is, I guess. You
were justified to refuse him, and he knows it. He’s just covering for his own
mistake, making you think you were in the wrong. Let me tell you about Admirals,
Lee. I’ve been with Admiral Starke long enough to know how they think. They’re God, that’s what they think they
are. And come hell or high water, they won’t admit when they’re wrong or ever apologize.”
“No,
Nelson’s not like that. Stubborn, yes, but….”
“Lee,
Lee, Lee. I know you’ve liked him all this time, loved him like a father even,
but he sure didn’t treat you like a son, did he? Nobody would blame you if you
call the friendship quits. Don’t you think it’s time you cut the cord?”
“I…don’t
know…I…”
Whatever
Lee was going to say was interrupted by the ear shattering sound, light, and
force of an explosion.
***
As long as the ‘use by ‘ date
hadn’t expired on the can of SPAM, no one could complain that Harriman Nelson
ever wasted his money. Lee had joked, complained actually, that Nelson
purchased Army Surplus. Lee, Lee, Lee, Nelson frowned. That joke
had been getting old. And now…well, he doubted he’d ever hear Lee joking with
him again. Damnation! Had he really ordered Lee to help him out? Even to go
against Crane’s deep seated and honorable principles? Would Lee even consider returning to NIMR and
Seaview?
It wasn’t
just this thing with Edith and Lee that had put Nelson into his sour mood; it was Christmas
itself. While most people invited festivities, Christmas reminded him of his
parent’s death. The train accident all
those years ago had made headlines. The Naval officer had been granted sole guardianship of
the little heiress as the then 8 year old Edith, his only remaining relative at
the time.
And it was he, who’d had to tell the little girl
that their mother and father, even the plethora of relatives that had also died, weren’t coming home
for Christmas ever again.
In the end it was the child herself who decided
Christmas could wait till next year, and Harriman dutifully had the staff
remove all the decorations. In fact, in the years following, while there were
Christmas trees, none of them had ever been graced with the generations of
family baubles again. Simple white or silver snowflakes only adorned it. A kind
of memorial, Edith had insisted, and it had become a tradition. The boxes of
family ornaments handed down from one generation to another, had never again seen the light of day. They
were around someplace, he knew. Where, though, was anyone’s guess.
In his loneliness, he had a sudden, overwhelming need to find them. Turning off
the stove, and leaving the SPAM behind, he decided the attic was as good a
place as any to search.
The attic was on the
third floor, a storehouse of not quite discarded or ‘once upon a whim’ kinds of
things. He hadn’t been up here since he didn’t know when…certainly not since
Edith had been a child.
One thing was certain, no
housekeeping staff ever included the attic on their appointed rounds.
Dust bunnies and cobwebs seemed to encase the
various pieces of old fashioned or broken furniture, dolls, toys, and even a
wooden Celtic harp he’d never seen before. It was a sorry sight, unstrung and
rotting with woodworm. It might even
have been brought over on the boat from the ‘old sod’. It half hid a wooden box behind it. Thinking
it might be the Christmas decorations, he blew off the
dust and also used his sleeve to wipe it off before opening it.
Yes, there they were. Probably worth something, if
you were into that sort of antique. The Nelson’s and O’Hara’s hadn’t decorated with Christmas trees until
they came to America. More a German tradition, Christmas trees hadn’t really
been popularized until England’s Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria made it a
royal tradition. Of course, once a picture of the happy family, sans crown, appeared
in a popular lady’s book, it caught on like wildfire in America too.
One by one, Nelson picked through the ornaments,
some broken, most rotted away. Setting aside the few that were still useable he
noticed a cloth at the bottom of the box and pulled it out. He remembered the cross
stich table runner that his mother had been stitching all those years ago.
She’d wanted to finish the joyful bells before he came home on leave, but told
him it would have to wait until next Christmas before it was finished and ready
for the dining room table.
The threaded needle, still tucked into the fabric,
was still waiting for nimble fingers to continue move it up and down in the x
pattern. He remembered her sitting in her favorite ‘morning room’, so named for
the early morning sunshine, the fireplace aglow with warmth, as she stitched.
He remembered the mantle covered with greenery and Christmas Cards, young Edith
playing with a doll at her feet, and their smiles he greeted them before
breakfast.
Fingering the cloth, deluged with memories, for the
first time since the trauma of all those years past, he began to sob.
“Oh God, I’m so alone! Why did you let all
this happen to me? Why punish me like this? First, my mother and father. Now Edith’s going to
ruin her life and Lee’s probably going to leave Seaview. He’s a good friend…my only friend, if you don’t count Jiggs, but
he’s never been as close as Lee is…was…and
now…now… what have I done…”
The ringing of the phone interrupted.
“Okay! Okay!” he yelled, wiping his face with his sleeve
as he headed downstairs. “Give me a frigging chance to get downstairs already! I’ve
been eating far too many of Chip’s cookies,” he was puffing
to himself by the time he picked up the
phone in the den, just off the stairway. Formerly his father’s private domain,
boasted a library, fireplace, TV, and of course, the phone. It was an old
fashioned rotary phone, but
still worked.
“If
you’re selling anything, I gave at the office.”
“Harriman, finally. Turn on the
news.”
“Jiggs? What...”
“There’s
been an explosion at the Cape Cod Coast Guard Station…my man Jackson’s
there…yours too, I think if the water cooler gossip is correct. ”
“Crane?” Nelson felt a
knot form in his stomach.
“Harry…it
looks bad. Now turn on your TV to CNN. Keep me on the line….”
***
“Apparently the
Communications building, ” the TV reporter
said from in front of the Coast Guard Station’s main gate, “ suffered an explosion of unknown origin. While it’s still ablaze, it’s
80 percent contained and all base personnel and staff have been accounted for,
except for two men, one on loan from the Navy, the other from the Nelson
Institute of Marine Research. They were on duty in the building when the
explosion happened, possibly smack in the epicenter. Search dogs have been
requested to assist in the search and rescue of the rubble once the fire is out
and it’s deemed safe to proceed.”
“Oh God, oh God, oh God…”
“Harry?
Harry?”
“Sorry,
Jiggs…I…don’t understand…Lee wasn’t scheduled for any reserve duty…” Nelson managed,
confused and trembling.
“Beats me. I’m trying to
get more details…I thought you were going to spring for Crane’ flight back east with you?
Something about you wanting him to be able to stretch out those long legs of
his in something other than coach.”
“We…we had words. Next morning, the ticket I’d
given him was on my desk. That’s all I know…Jiggs, I..I
need to find a car rental that’s open Christmas Eve…”
“You
stay put. You’re in no condition to drive. I’ll call in a few favors and have a
Navy car come get you. We’ll call it part of our official investigation. Better
put on your uniform…and keep me posted. Harry? I hope your boy’s okay. I know I
hope mine is.”
****
“That’s
all I know, Mom,” Chip pulled on his coat as his father kept switching channels
to find more coverage of the explosion. “I’m sorry to wreck your
Christmas but… I don’t know why
he decided on some reserve time...if it had been me I…”
“Could
it be some other Reservist from NIMR? You do have a few… ” one of Chip’s
brothers interrupted, “here’s your bag. Good thing you didn’t have time to
unpack much.“
“What
if it is Lee? Oh God, what if
he dies?” Chip wailed.
“We’ll be praying for him, Chip,” Mrs. Morton
kissed her son goodbye, “it’s all we can do.”
In
minutes Mr. Morton Sr. was driving his son to O’Hare Airport.
***
“What
is it?” Stan Kowalski approached
his brother, standing in front of the wide screen TV’s the large mega store had
turned on for customers to compare. Ski and Stan were doing a little last minute
shopping for their parents, visiting Ski for the holidays. The crewman was
enjoying his parent’s visit but now they were the last thing on his mind.
“The
Skipper…. Stan, I…I gotta go.”
“The
head’s over there I think.”
“No…look!
They just scrolled his name on the bottom of that TV report again. He’s…trapped…in
that Coast Guard explosion….why’s he there anyway….oh God…what if…if….look Stan,
I’ll make it up to you all, but I gotta get to.. where’s that place….”
As
if in answer, the scroll bar listed the Cape Cod Coast Guard Station as being located
near a town
called Mashpee,
and Barnstable. Yeah, the Skipper’s mom lived there now. He’d been planning on
visiting her…
“I
gotta’ so see if I can help…”
The
scroll bar had given way to the news team’s live helicopter view of the building’s
devastation. The fire
was out, but the fire
rescue vehicles and flashing lights cast an erie glow
to the rubble as men with four search dogs, covered in soot were sadly shaking
their heads.
“Sorry,
kid, there’s nothing you can do.”
***
It
wasn’t a long drive, but it sure felt like it as the snowplows were limited at
this time of night. Finally, the car was waved through the base’ main gate and
in minutes was at the scene of the tragedy.
As
the driver opened Nelson’s door, he could see one of the victims was being loaded
into the EVAC unit. He was on oxygen, and he managed to recognize Nelson and
waved briefly. It wasn’t Crane.
Nelson
braced himself for the next to be loaded. Crane too was on oxygen, but
unconscious, and as his head rolled toward Nelson, it revealed ugly black and blistering
burns to half of his face and his hair, what was left of it on that side, was
singed.
The
next thing Nelson knew his driver was summoning a paramedic to help revive the
Admiral from his faint, the EVAC units already gone the short distance to the
base’s ER, sirens wailing.
“I’m…I’m
okay...low blood sugar I guess…”
“Admiral
Nelson?” a four striper approached, “I’m Captain Firth, the commander here. I
understand you’ll be part of the Navy’s investigating team?”
“Er…yes…” Damn it, he was here to check on Lee, not to
supervise Starke’s trumped up ‘job’.
“Perhaps
you’d like to come to my office while we’re waiting for some of the preliminary
reports. I have some juice in the fridge…”
“Thank
you, but I really need to get to the ER… I have to tell you Captain, that I
know both men. One of them especially….he’s my Captain.”
“Yes
sir, we’re aware of Commander Crane’s affiliation with Seaview. I was a bit
surprised when he volunteered some reserve time with us, Commander Jackson too.
But no way was I about to question it. My men have worked very hard this past
year and deserve some down time for the holidays. It was a godsend that the
commanders volunteered, as long as they got a couple of hours on Christmas
Afternoon off. I hope your men will be okay sir, but I have to tell you,
Commander Crane’s unresponsive.”
***
Kaehler Memorial
Medical Clinic on base was not used to too many emergencies but it was prepared
for the worst of them. Due to his status as part of the initial incident team, Nelson was allowed
to wait just outside the ER while Captain Firth went to get him some juice. It would not do to have the investigating Admiral
faint again.
“You know, Mr. Bliss, these schedules are
getting more and more complicated,” one of two white tuxedo clad men was saying,
checking his clipboard. Not normally used to seeing men in tuxedos on a
military base, nor a clipboard that was of a strange, almost bizarre design,
perhaps one of those new digital voice gadgets…Nelson had to chalk up the
outfits to some kind of Christmas party. Until an ER nurse walked right through
one of the men on her errand.
Nelson
shook his head. Perhaps he was more upset than he’d thought. Perhaps? he
mused, well, of course he was upset.
“Yes,
especially this time of year, Mr. Glad,” the other man was saying, “ but you can’t argue with HQ.”
“That’s
for sure,” the other said as Nelson observed a tad belatedly that the man had almost translucent like skin, snow white
hair and diamond cufflinks. The other had burnished mahogany skin, midnight
black hair like Lee’s and gold cufflinks. As worried as he was about Lee, he
found himself totally mesmerized by the sheer glow of the two. Then doctors in
green scrubs ran through them into the ER.
As a man of science, Nelson chalked this up to
his faint, though he couldn’t figure out why fainting had brought on subsequent
hallucinations. He’d have to get checked out. Later. Right now Lee as at the forefront of his concerns.
“Well,
we’d better get going,” the snow haired man said, looking at his watch. It too,
was almost translucent but glittering with all the colors of the rainbow, and
some colors Nelson couldn’t put names to.
“Here’s
your juice, Sir,” Firth approached Nelson.
“Captain, who are those men?”
“What
men, sir?”
“Those
two, over there,” he pointed.
“I
don’t see any men…”
“Oh,
yes, of course, they must have just left,” Nelson lied as the white haired man
raised an eyebrow toward him.
“He
can see us, Mr. Bliss?” the other man asked, “he’s not supposed to be able to
do that.”
“Well,
there’ve been a
few cases, Mr. Glad, but it’s usually temporary.”
“Admiral,
are you all right?” Firth asked.
“Fine,
just fine,” Nelson lied, causing both men to ‘tsk tsk tsk’ and shake their
heads, “just upset about the explosion,”
the Admiral continued, “…any idea of the cause?” he asked, but not taking his
eyes off of the men that Firth couldn’t see.
“It
will take awhile….”
“Look,
Captain, why don’t you go ahead on home to your family…I’ll take any reports
that come in…and can call you if I need you.”
“I’d
like that but it’s already almost midnight. The kids have probably already gone
to bed…”
“Then
go be with your wife for now, enjoy the morning with your children…I can handle
any info as it comes in, and call you if warranted. I …need some time to
assimilate all of this on my own anyway….for the investigation.”
“Very
well, sir. Good night. I’ll let Security know you can call me at any time. They
have my command number.”
***
“And in other news,” the late night
news reporter said on the Flying Sub’s monitor, “ there are unconfirmed reports that while both officers were pulled
from the debris alive and have massive injuries and burns, it’s rumored that
one of them is on life support.”
“Turn
it off kid,” Stan whispered as his brother tried to over- ride the vehicle’s
security code. “I know you’re concerned, but are you sure you want to go
through with this? I mean, you don’t exactly have clearance…”
“My
Skipper needs me.”
“Kid,
kid, kid, you really think you can
help him? You heard it. It might even be him that’s on life support.”
“You
think I don’t know that? I just know I gotta’ be there for him…”
“Man,
you got that hero worship bad.”
“It’s
not hero worship. He’s…he’s the Skipper. And the best damn Skipper I’ve ever
had. And…”Ski hesitated.
“And?”
“I
like him, okay! Now, you don’t get
airsick do you?”
“How
the hell should I know? I’m a deep diver, not a joystick jockey.”
“The
Skipper fell in love with her the first time he saw the Admiral’s little pencil
drawings,” Ski mused, “man, I nearly pee’d in my
pants when the Skip took her out on one of the first trial flights after she
was built. Nelson was fit to be tied. He hadn’t exactly cleared the Skip as a
test pilot. Not to mention that the Skip had only just finished flight school.
Well, that’s not exactly true. Had his civi wings,
propeller craft, you know, single or double engine, but not jet training. Had to get those wings when Seaview was getting refitted for this
little baby. Aced it, but I overheard him telling Mr. Morton that he was
sure glad to get back to the boat, something about being sick as a dog during
the last phase of his training on some flattop.”
“Occupational
hazard for bubbleheads I figure, surface craft.”
Suddenly
the klaxton began to echo throughout the sub.
“Damn…busted!”
Ski said and tried to shut things down, “let’s get the hell out of here!”
In
minutes the deck watch had descended into the flying sub, followed by NIMR
security.
***
“I’m
sorry, son. I guess it’s just not meant to be,” Mr. Morton Sr., told his son, all flights to
Boston have been cancelled due to that Nor’easter.”
“Well,
this is just great!” Morton hissed. “Lee needs me!”
“Son…what
can you do?”
“I…just
need to be there…”
“C’mon,
let’s go home. Why don’t we stop at that old church we used to go to before it
got too small for the congregation. It’s a shelter
now…you said you wanted to volunteer tomorrow. We can begin tonight. It’ll be
something to help you take your mind off Crane. They even kept part of the
chapel intact. Might not be sanctified anymore but maybe you’d like someplace
nice and quiet to pray.”
“I’ve
been praying since this happened. I don’t see what difference a church would
make.”
“I’m
sure the Good Lord doesn’t care where you pray, but I’d feel better if you
could just have a little place to get away between you and Him.”
“Thanks,
Dad…you’re right. I might not be able to get to Boston, but…wait…maybe a
commercial flight can’t get to Boston, but I
know a way there!”
***
“All
right, what are you two doing here?” Nelson hissed at the two men when he was
alone, sort of, trying not to be noticed by the few medical staff not in the ER.
“I
think you know, Harriman,” Mr. Bliss said as Jackson was rolled out.
“Well,”
one of the nurses said to another as she walked through the men rolling the
patient down the hall, “at least this one will make it. Too
bad about the other. I’d sure hate to be in Captain Firth’s shoes when
he has to tell the mother her son’s brain dead. ”
After
a moment Nelson spoke, “Yes I know what you
are. Now more than ever. You’re Angels of Death, and you can’t have Lee
Crane!”
“It’s
always about you, isn’t it,
Harriman?” Mr. Glad asked.
“Please…don’t
let him die!”
“We
don’t have the authority to change anyone’s appointment,” Mr. Bliss checked his
clipboard, “it’s
a tapestry of life thing…pull one thread out and the whole plan is
compromised.”
“If
we can mere mortals can patch up a tapestry of cloth, you angels can patch Lee
up, too!”
“I’m
sorry, Harriman,” Mr. Glad said, “ we can no more
reschedule his arrival date than we could bring back your dog Lucky when you
were 7, remember? Besides, why should
you care? You didn’t exactly part on good terms with the boy in Santa Barbara.”
“I
didn’t mean what I said! I was angry, that’s all! Lee’s my friend. My best friend!”
“Oh
yes,” Mr. Bliss said,
‘friend, enemy, partner, rival, big brother, blood brother, and
sometimes you’d like to bash his head in’, your own words some years ago, but that wasn’t quite true was it. After all,
your friendship with Lee Crane is just your ‘misplaced loyalty’ or am I mistaken about what you told him?”
“No!
I didn’t mean it!”
“Whether
you meant it or not…we have a schedule to keep,” Mr. Glad said. “If it makes you feel better, it
won’t hurt.”
“If
he’s brain dead, why haven’t you already taken him!
There’s still hope…”
“Our schedule, Mr. Bliss,” Mr. Glad gave Mr.
Bliss a slight shove toward the ER.
“Wait!
Wait…there has to be a way around this….take…take me instead.”
“But
it doesn’t work that way!” the Mr. Glad said. “You should know that! You went
to Sunday School, didn’t you! When your number’s up,
your number’s up!”
“Calm
yourself, Mr. Glad, ” Mr. Bliss ordered, then, “so, Harriman, just why are you’re willing to
sacrifice your life for his? He’s just a colleague, easily replaced.”
“No!”
“It’s
exactly what you were thinking before
you came to Boston.”
“God
help me, I know, but I was wrong…so wrong…”
“Mr.
Bliss!” Mr. Glad pushed him closer to the door.
“Please!”
Nelson knelt, pulling on both their pant legs, “take me!” Lee’s…more than a
friend, he’s…like a son to me! I love him!”
“You’ve
never told him that,” Mr. Bliss said quietly but firmly.
“It’s
not something a guy says to another guy.”
“That’s
not quite true,” Mr. Glad said. “Just because your father couldn’t bring
himself to speak the word love, at least he showed you that he loved
you. Unconditionally. Is that the case between you and
Lee Crane? No. You were ready to fire him! ”
“I
was angry. Not thinking clearly. I was concerned for Edith.”
“No,”
Mr. Bliss said, “you were concerned for yourself. You objected to her choice of
companion. He was too much a snob to your liking.”
“Okay,
okay! I get the point. Now, will you both stop badgering me and let me exchange
my life for Lee’s? Please!” he pleaded, tears running down his face.
“But
it’s just not done!” Mr. Glad said. “Come on Mr. Bliss, it’s time.”
“NO!
I beg you!” Nelson yelled.
“You
know, Harriman,” Mr. Bliss said, “for an educated man,
surely you realize Angels of Death are still only Angels. HQ makes the
decisions. We can do nothing on our own. The buck doesn’t stop with us, but with
God.”
“Of course! I should have
been talking to Him all along! Dear God, take me! Let Lee Crane live! Please!
He’s got his whole life ahead of him! He’s more valuable to mankind than me! You
know that! I know I’ve done wrong! I know I shouldn’t have talked to him like
that. I didn’t mean it, well, maybe, but just because I was stupid and selfish!
Don’t punish him because of what I did or didn’t do!”
“Why
would you think that the death of Lee Crane is a punishment?” Mr. Glad asked, confused.
“His
appointment was set the moment he was conceived,” Mr. Bliss explained.
“Shut
up and let me pray, will you! Sorry for the interruption, Lord. As I was
saying, please take me instead of Lee. Surely you can patch up the damn tapestry…er…sorry.
I’m upset, if that’s any excuse. I won’t use profanity in Heaven, if that’s
where I’m going. Please dear Lord in Heaven, if you’re willing…please God…let
Lee live….”
“You
realize, don’t you,” Mr. Bliss said, “that even if your prayer is answered,
Crane may be disfigured for life. Possibly handicapped…paralyzed, even. ”
“Shit,
I didn’t realize… Lord, Lord, fix him up too! You can do it. You can do
anything! Oh God, please, please, take me instead!”
“Two
seconds to go, Mr. Bliss.”
“Wait,”
Mr. Bliss checked his clipboard as the sound of bells tinkled, “apparently HQ
has changed Crane’s appointment and replaced his name with Harriman’s.”
“But
it just isn’t done!”
“HQ
can do whatever the Boss approves, you know that. Very well, Harriman, shall we
go?”
“Wait…can…can
I see him…one last time?”
“But the schedule!” Mr. Glad said.
“It
will be okay,” Mr. Bliss said, showing Mr. Glad the clipboard, “took a bit of
doing at HQ they say, but Crane and Nelson’s lives are so intertwined the
tapestry would only suffer minor damage which is already being remedied as we
speak. They’ve already allowed a few extra minutes for it. Very well, Harriman, shall we go in?” Mr.
Bliss indicated the door.
***
“I’m
sorry, sir,” NIMR Security responded to Cmdr. Morton’s call, “but the Flying
Sub’s…er…unavailable.”
“What
do you mean unavailable?”
“Sorry
sir, but Ski’s in flight to Boston…you heard about the Skipper?”
“Yes.
Tell Ski I want to hitch a ride.”
***
Lee
was hooked up to a plethora of monitors. The respirator hissed. That was
nothing new to Nelson. He couldn’t count how often Lee had been injured in the
line of duty. The doctors and nurses saw the Admiral at the door and shook their heads sadly as
they exited, leaving Nelson alone with the man who was only awaiting the arrival
of his mother, on the way from Barnstable, to authorize the removal of the life
support as it breathed and pumped blood for him.
Gently
Nelson took Lee’s unburnt hand in his own, and ran
his other through what was left of Lee’s hair on the other side of his burnt
and blistered face.
“I
know you can’t hear me, but I have to tell you before I go…I love you, son.
Please don’t hate me for the things I said to you…”
Suddenly
the monitor beeped erratically causing beeps to summon the medical staff as
Lee’s eyes opened, surprised at the sight of Nelson by his side, surprised by
the sight of medical staff hurrying to his side right through the two men in
white tuxedos.
“Easy…easy,”
one of the nurses said, “he’s agitated about the tube…”
“He’s
supposed to be brain dead,” one of the doctors said.
“He’s
trying to breathe on his own…”another said.
“Pull
out the damn tube out already!” Nelson ordered.
“Go
ahead. Admiral please get out of the way,” the head doctor said, then to Crane, “it’ll feel like
you have to gag…”
Mr.
Bliss took Nelson’s arm.
“No,
wait…I want to tell him I love him, so he can hear it…” Nelson wailed.
Lee
gagged and coughed as the tube was removed, and turned toward Nelson, “Admiral?” he managed, hoarsely.
“Right
here, son…”he tried to get back closer to Lee but was stopped by the staff.
“This
is impossible,” the head doctor said of the machine readings as a nurse tried
to take Crane’s pulse.
“I…I
know you!” Lee pointed to the angels.
“Of
course you do, Commander,” the nurse said, “the Admiral’s been at your side a
few minutes.”
“I
know that! I mean them!”
“Hallucination
due to the head trauma,” the doctor explained to the confused nurse.
“Oh God, Harry,” Lee cried out, “ what have you done?”
“Come
along, Harriman,” Mr. Glad said dragging him away.
“No!”
Lee croaked, “no! You can’t have him!”
“You
know Mr. Bliss?” Nelson edged his way back to Lee. This time the staff let him,
conferring in whispers about their patient’s mental state (as well as Nelson’s),
deciding to call the base commander with this
update.
Nelson
wanted to put
his arms around Lee but to do so would cause more pain. Instead he cradled the
side of Lee’s head that wasn’t burnt.
“Yeah,”
Lee responded, “met him a couple of times…the one with the diamonds.”
“Is
Lee one of the
exceptions you spoke of?” Mr. Glad asked Mr. Bliss as they looked on.
“He
was always a bright boy. Very sensitive to things of a holy nature…”
“Please…don’t
take him,” Crane pleaded.
“But
it was Harriman’s idea in the first place!” Mr. Bliss said. “HQ went to a lot
of trouble to reweave the tapestry…”
“Tapestry?”
“It’s
the tapestry of life thing, Lee,” Nelson explained. “Please son, I love you
more than life itself. Let me do this.”
“NO!”
“Young
man,” Mr. Glad said. “You don’t seem to understand. All the threads of life….”
“Then
undo the damn tapestry! Start it over if you have
to. You’re Angels! Do something!”
“Any good reason why we should?” Mr. Bliss asked
calmly.
“Because I love him!” Lee shouted, “and he doesn’t deserve to die! Especially not for me…”
“Death
is not a punishment, my boy, ” Mr. Glad said. “I do
wish you humans would realize that…”
“I’m
sure most of them do, Mr. Glad. It’s just that they have this compulsion to
hang on to what they’re familiar with…”
“Lee,
believe me,” Nelson said, “ I’m happy to exchange myself for you…”
“No!
You can’t! You…you’re like a father to
me. I’ll always love Edward Crane, but…I love you too…just as much…maybe more…should
have told you a long time ago…”
Nelson
kissed Lee on the patch of unburnt skin on his
forehead, “me
too, son. Very well, Mr. Bliss, I’m ready to go.”
“No!”
Lee yelled.
“And
just how are you going to stop us?” Mr. Bliss asked, as he took Nelson’s arm.
“I
stopped you before,” Lee pouted, defiant.
“No.
You stopped an evil persona from destroying your shipmates, but even he wouldn’t have been
powerful enough to change anyone’s actual appointment with us. You did show
your courage and self -sacrifice, though. Very impressive.
”
“That’s
true, Mr. Bliss,” Mr. Glad mused, “I remember another time when Lee…”the
clipboard began to beep. “We’re overdue!”
“Not
only that, there’s a new message coming through…”
“Oh
boy, Gabe is
really going to like that…” Mr. Glad said sarcastically as he looked over Mr.
Bliss’s shoulder, “ I knew I should have stayed in the
Tear Labeling Dept. ”
“Very well. Harriman,” Mr.
Bliss said, “ your appointment’s been rescheduled.”
“No!”
Nelson wailed, “I won’t let you take it back! I won’t let you make Lee die!”
“Oh,
his appointment’s been
changed too.”
By
now the medical staff had had enough of Nelson and Crane arguing with thin air
and were about to sedate both when Mr. Bliss waved his hand. “A little parting Christmas present from upstairs.
For the other young man too.”
“What?”
Lee asked as everyone stared at him, mouths agape, “what is it?”
Nelson
ran a hand over Lee’s smooth unblistered face, then ran his hand through Lee’s fully restored curls.
“I
can’t believe it,” the doctor said,” what happened to the burns?”
“Not
a sign of the crushed ribs,” the nurse had pulled the sheet over his chest down
and was poking and prodding, “not a bruise in sight either. His skin’s as
smooth as a baby’s bottom…I can’t believe it either…”
“I
do,” Nelson said, pulling the sheet back up to cover Lee, “thank you Mr. Bliss,
Mr. Glad.”
“Us? We had nothing
to do with it. The Boss must think you’re both worth all the time and trouble
for the Tapestry Dept. Oh, by the way, Harriman. You really will have to work
on that profanity problem. Not exactly the kind of language one wants to hear
wafting up toward the pearly gates. Your mother is appalled.”
“Uh…of
course…I’ll work on it.”
“Me
too,” Lee said.
“You
do that,” Mr. Bliss said, and walked out with Mr. Glad just as Captain Firth brushed
past them, accompanied by Mrs. Crane, turning to look at them.
“Who
were they?” he asked, as Lee’s mother ran to Lee’s side and embraced him.
“You saw them this time?” Nelson asked
Firth. “Well, at least now you can tell your staff that neither
Lee and I need a shrink.”
“He…he…”Firth
pointed to Crane.
“He’s
fine Captain Firth. Just fine…and Commander Jackson is too, I believe you’ll
find…”
“Oh, my baby, my baby,” Mrs. Crane was sobbing
in sheer joy as she held on to Lee as if he could break, “I thought…I thought…all the news reports…”
“I’m
fine, Mom. God’s honest truth.”
“Doctor?” Firth asked.
“Er…well, give us a few minutes to verify things, sir. But…I
saw the transformation myself! I guess you could call it a…a….”
“It’s
called a miracle,” Nelson said calmly. “They do happen now and then, you know.”
***
It
was still dark when Morton pulled himself up to his full height as he tried to
enter the waterside gate, Stan Kowalski having volunteered to babysit the
flying sub at the dock.
“Look,
I’m Lt. Cmdr. Morton of the Seaview! I demand to see Captain Crane.”
“Sorry, sir. We got orders.
Nobody in or out of the place…we gotta’ check you out with Captain Firth, what
with that situation at the clinic.”
“Oh
God…the Skipper’s dead….”Ski said.
“Dead? Hardly. Thought he was, everyone
did. Till he wakes up, and starts ordering the staff to let him go…and you know
what’s really weird, neither he or the other Commander was as bad off as the
paramedics and medical staff first thought. I think all the sawbones are
going to have to get in some more training ….okay,” he took the printout, “
here’s the message from Captain Firth. Says you’re welcome on deck, but that
Commanders Crane and Jackson have been released. Both of ‘em
also released from Reserve duty; Captain Firth was adamant.
“Do
you know where they went?” Morton asked.
“To the Admiral’s. He has a place
in Boston. If you wait a minute, I’ll get you the address. Captain Firth
demanded some contact info…and seeing how Nelson’s your Boss…look, why don’t
you let our SP’s guard your flying sub…I promise we won’t touch it.”
“Sounds good to me, Mr. Morton. And after all, he
did help out.”
***
Lee
whistled as the Nelson mansion loomed above the car as he stepped out, helping
his mother, while the driver and Joe picked up their gear.
“I
don’t remember keeping the lights on,” Nelson mused as he unlocked the door,
“what the…”
A
small table top, and rather pathetic Christmas tree was in the corner by the
stairs and an open box of half eaten pizza on the entry table, accompanied by a
set of pink luggage at it’s
feet.
“Harry?
That you?” a woman’s voice called out.
“Well
of course it is, who else would it be…”
“Oh
Harry,” she ran from the den into his arms, “I was so worried about you…poor
Lee…is…is it over?”
“Oh,
I’d say it’s just beginning,” he turned to show Joe and Lee just now at the
doorway along with Mrs. Crane on his arm.
“You…you’re
not all burnt up and dead?”
“We’re
fine. Joe Jackson, ”he extended his hand.
“Careful,
Edie, he known to be a wolf,” Lee gave her a friendly embrace. “This is my
Mom.”
“Mrs.
Crane…I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Good
I hope.”
“Um,
where’s Pierre?” Lee asked.
“Oh…uh…”
“Yes,
sweetie,” Nelson said, “I want to apologize to both of you and welcome him into
the family…”
“We…um…we
broke up. That is. I did…when I heard that Lee was at death’s door, well, I
realized that what I felt for Lee as a friend was far more than what I felt for
Pierre. It would have been a mistake…”
“I’m
sorry it didn’t turn out, but whatever you decide for your life, sweetie, it’ll
be okay with me.”
“Are
you sure you didn’t hit your head on something? Now come on into the den. I
have a nice roaring fire and want you to tell me everything. And then if the
rest of you don’t mind, perhaps Harry can read us all the Christmas story from
the family bible like Daddy used to do when I was young…I know it’s late, but
no way I can sleep. Oh, I hope you don’t mind the tree, Harry. It’s all I could
find at the last minute…thought you’d need some cheering up, but now…I guess
I’ll throw it away.”
“Don’t
you dare, sweetie..come
along boys, Mrs. Crane…”
***
“Early this
morning the Cape Cod Coast Guard Station issued an update on Commanders Jackson
and Crane, the two officers at the epicenter of an explosion. Apparently their
injuries were not as bad as initially believed and both men have been
released. No further word is available.”
“You
can turn the radio off now,” Morton told the taxi driver.
“Well,
I still don’t believe it, sir,” Ski said as he and Stan exited and his superior
paid the tab. “That was a pretty big tip, sir,” the crewman piped up as they
trudged through the snow to the door.
“I
always like to tip well. Just like Lee…Captain Crane. Even the Admiral tips pretty good now…somebody’s still up, judging from the
lights.”
***
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men,” Nelson ended his rendition of the ancient gospel from the
tattered bible, letting Lee take it after an inquiring nod.
“It has
beautiful engravings,” Lee said perusing through the leaves.
“When I was small, my mother would tell me bible stories about
some of the pictures…what is it Lad?” he asked as Lee suddenly stared at a page
in the back.
“Your family register…”
“My grandmother began the list…hard to decipher the calligraphy
of the times…”
“But…”
“About time Harry,” Edith looked over Lee’s shoulder and the
newly inked entry.
There underneath Harriman Horatio’s birthdate was Nelson’s
scrawl…Lee Beauregard Crane.
“Beauregard?” Edith
asked.
“Long story,” Mrs. Crane said. “Remind me to tell you about
it…chose it himself when the adoption was final…”
“Admiral…you didn’t have to do this…”
“And why the hell not?
For all intents and purposes, Lee Crane, you are my son.”
“Could be a bit awkward, but…thanks Harry…er…father.”
Just then the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be at his hour?” Nelson said, and headed to the
door, shouting loudly, “if
you want a donation, I gave at the off…er…wait a
moment. Changed my mind,” he muttered, “ Damn, I’d better give them
something…especially after what’s happened….here you go,” opened the door with a handful of wadded up bills, “…oh…Chip! Ski! Seaman Kowalski. What are you
doing here! Never mind! “
“The Skipper?” Ski asked. Radio
or not, he wouldn’t believe he was okay, unless he saw him himself.
“Is
he really okay?” Chip asked, “ I mean…first he was dying then we hear that he’s been released….”
“Oh,
he was at death’s door. Literally,
but he’s okay now. In fact. He’s fine! Truly. Well, don’t just stand there letting all that
cold air in.. I don’t suppose you want to tell me how you got here when just
about all the flights in and out of Boston were cancelled last night or need I
ask?”
“The
flying sub’s berthed at the Coast Guard Station under guard.”
“Good,
I wouldn’t want the Captain to head out there to check on her. Of course, he might just want to pat her bulkhead
and kiss her.”
“I
heard that!” Lee approached. “Merry Christmas Chip, Ski. Hello Stan. And yes, I
really am okay. As if it never happened. They still can’t figure out the cause
of the explosion…”he yawned sheepishly.
“I
think it’s time you went to bed, Lee,” Mrs. Crane said. “It was really nice of
the Admiral to invite us to stay with him for Christmas.”
“You’ll
spend some time with us too, won’t you Chip?” Edith asked, “and you two, er…”
“Kowalski,
Ma’am,” Ski spoke, “we’re brothers. This is Stan. I just go by Ski. But er…”
“You’re
both welcome,” Nelson said, “though I still can’t promise you much more
than Spam for Christmas dinner.”
“That’s
okay, sir,” Chip said. “It’s the company, not the food that means Christmas to
me. But we didn’t exactly bring any changes of clothing…”
“No
problem. I’m sure we have some more than enough items of clothing from my
father’s closet that will fit just fine…”
“And
I’ll be happy to go home and bring over some of the goodies I was planning,”
Mrs. Crane said.
“But
I like Spam, Mom,” Lee teased,
yawning, “sorry.”
“I’ll put
him to bed,” Joe said, “c’mon bro,” Joe grabbed their gear by the entry… “any room except the one with the pink canopy bed, wasn’t
that right Admiral?”
“That’s
right,” Edith said before her brother could respond, “but I really wouldn’t
mind in a pinch. Haven’t used it in ages…still, I think we’ll put you in Granny’s suite, Lee. Mrs. Crane, you’ll be
right next door, Chip,
you’ll take the room adjacent. I hope you won’t sharing with Joe or the décor. Belonged to a couple of our great aunts. Ski, Stan…you’ll take the rooms adjacent. A
bit Spartan, belonged to a sea captain and he always
had a servant at hand next door, but lots of room. Harry, are you still in your old room?”
“Yes,
sweetie…”
“Good,
good…I didn’t want to pull out the rollaway. The cleaning company only does the
‘family’ rooms,” she explained as she led the group upstairs. I’m afraid the
others have been locked up for I don’t know how long…you need a few winks, too
Mrs. Crane…I’ll help you go get your Christmas fixings tomorrow. I’ll loan you
some of my night things…”
***
The
sun was shining on the snow when Edith’s squeal woke her brother as well as
their houseguests.
“What?” he quickly opened his door, “what is it?”
“Look!”
she yelled from downstairs in her robe and slippers, clapping her hands.
“What
the hell?” Nelson said as he hurried down the stairs.
“You
mean you didn’t order it?” she asked of the massive and gaily decorated
Christmas tree which had taken the small pathetic one’s spot. Even the old
family ornaments on it looked new and shiny.
“No…”
“Well,
there wasn’t any intruder,” she checked the auto alarm. “There’s something here
too,” she unfolded the piece of cloth. “Oh, it’s beautiful!”
“But…it
wasn’t finished,” Nelson mused… “Edie, it’s mother’s
table runner. I saw it in the attic. Unfinished, as if she’d just left it
there…waiting for when she’d return from her trip…”
“You
mean before the accident?”
“Yes…there
was a lot left to do on it…”
“Well,
after everything that’s happened, I guess I’ll just have to accept it.”
“There’s
a card in the tree,” Joe said as he and Lee joined them, Mrs. Crane and the
Kowalski’s following in various states of night attire.
“It’s
for you,” she handed it to Nelson. “Read it to us…”
Dear Harriman
Just a little
something from HQ.
PS. You really
must work harder on your language.
Bliss, Glad, & Gabe
“Gabe?”
Lee asked quietly. “I don’t remember a Gabe.”
“Er...they mentioned
him, ” Nelson
mused.
“You
know,” Lee mused, “Gabe’s a nickname for…er…you
know…”
“The
Archangel Gabriel was involved with
you too?” Chip asked, awed, while Stan had already vacated the group to find a
weather report on the den’s TV, but ended up with an old movie.
“No,
but Chip, an
Angel is after all, just an Angel. It’s we humans that Christ came for after
all.
“God
bless us, every one,”little Tiny Tim was saying from
the TV as the movie ended.
“Oh,
He has indeed,” Nelson said, “very very much…”
Suddenly
a church choir was singing ‘Angels We
Have Heard on High’. And Nelson joined in, soon followed by everyone as
they enjoyed the glory of the new day.
***
“Well,
it looks as if we’re finished here,” Mr. Glad checked off an item on his
clipboard and handed it back to Mr. Bliss, as they walked through the snow, leaving
not so much as a footprint. “Any idea when we’re due back?”
“HQ
hasn’t released that information yet. But I’m sure it won’t be any time soon.”
“You
know, I wouldn’t be surprised if HQ knew all the time about what those two
would be willing to do, sacrificing themselves for the
other. It’s just not done, rescheduling appointments, unless perhaps the Boss
had decided on it already? When they were conceived. And they and,
well, we beings too, were just being tested?”
“Nothing
like a little fire to remind us where God’s heart lies, Mr. Glad. Mankind is
what our duties are all about you know.”
“So true, so true. Merry Christmas, Mr. Bliss.”
“Merry
Christmas, Mr. Glad.”
The
sound of the carolers inside the Nelson mansion wafted outside, the Angels
began to hum, then sing along, both remembering that
very first night, so long ago, when they, along with a host of angels from
various departments, sang praises to God and announced to the world the great
joy that had come.
The
End
*Spam is a processed meat product.
*Angels We Have Heard on High; beloved
Christmas hymn with the Gloria in Excelsis Deo *Glory to God
in the Highest chorus.
* Timothy Cratchit,
aka Tiny Tim, character from Charles
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, turned
into several film versions.
*Cape
Cod Coast Guard Station. For real. As
it houses helicopters, jet aircraft, and sea going cutters, a ‘back gate’ was
appropriate as I had to ‘park’ the Flying Sub someplace.
*Theological
notes…I’m not a theologian, but I am a Christian, and I realize some may take
offense at how I handled the Heavenly in this story. Please don’t toss the
snowballs at me.