Many
thanks to Helen for all her hard work keeping me in line and her helpful
suggests.
Our Minds and
Hearts to Heal
by
Mary Elliott
Chapter 1
The
first clue Chip Morton had that Seaview’s
Skipper was on the boat was the thump of a bag dropping on the deck from the
spiral staircase. He looked up, startled. He hadn’t been informed of anyone coming
aboard. Thus he was surprised, to say
the least when he recognized the battered grey duffle. Lee wasn’t due back on board for several
hours yet.
Chip
took one look at the face of his captain and friend and knew something had gone
terribly wrong on the ONI mission. Seaview had not been needed this time to
come to the rescue, much to the relief of the crew. The XO had taken this as a sign they would be
getting back their Skipper in good shape; now he wasn't so sure. Lee was pale but it was the look of torment
in his eyes that worried Chip.
“Status
of the boat, Mister Morton?” queried the captain in a taut but steady voice.
“Supplies
are loaded and all crew members have reported for duty. We were just waiting for your arrival from
Washington, Captain. You’re early, sir.”
“Yeah,
got lucky, somebody didn’t show up for the first flight.” Lee swept his eyes across the control room
and said, “Very well, prepare to get underway, increase speed to 30 knots after
clearing the breakwater. Set our initial
course bearing 258 degrees and keep her at 90 feet.”
Lee
turned and started to leave. Looking up
from the charts, the XO did a double take.
There were stitches on Lee’s hairline, and as the captain bent up to
pick up his duffle bag, Chip could see several healing scabs on his hands. He lightly placed a hand on Lee’s sleeve. “Are you all right?”
At first,
Lee acted like he hadn’t heard him. Then,
he sighed and said, “Come to my cabin after you’ve set the watch, Chip.”
An
hour later Chip was knocking on the captain's door. Entering the darkened room he unconsciously
flipped the wall light switch and was surprised to see his friend not at the
desk. Chip noticed the unusual sight of
the compulsively neat Lee's uniform jacket tossed half on a chair and half on
the floor. Turning his head slightly he
found Lee laying on the bunk, his right arm hanging straight next to his side
and his left arm draped over his eyes. Chip
pushed the Skipper's legs aside and sat down.
“Okay,
spill it, buddy. How bad are you hurt?”
It
was a well-known fact that his executive officer could be tenacious regarding
his captain's well-being, so Lee reluctantly removed the arm from his eyes, squinting
against the glare of the ceiling lights.
“I
have a pounding headache, the result of a concussion. The doctor didn't approve of my leaving the
hospital but I promised to stay off duty for 48 hours. You and O'Brien can handle the boat for the
next two days. It’s only a standard
supply run to Sea Lab 2.”
Chip
looked at him in disbelief.
“You’re
staying in bed for two days without Jamie or the admiral threatening you? It must be one hell of a headache. Why don't I believe there isn't more to the story? By the way, have you checked in with Jamie?” Lee started to get out of bed but Chip pushed
him back. “I thought you said 48 hours.”
“Doesn’t
mean I have to stay in bed. Besides, the
headache is starting to go away. It was
the rushing to make the plane and then the actual flying that aggravated the
concussion. No, I haven't talked to
Jamie; don't worry, the doctor said he was contacting him. Guess he didn't trust me. I'm surprised Jamieson hasn't tracked me down
already.”
As
if on cue, there was a knock on the cabin door.
They smiled at each other, and then Chip got up and opened the door to
let in Seaview's doctor. He grinned as he motioned to the bed.
“Lee's
being a good little Skipper, relaxing in his bunk just like the doctor ordered. He’s already informed me I'm in command for
the next two days. So you can save the
lectures, Jamie. He’s fine, except for a
headache.”
Seaview’s medical
officer mimed a double take. “Who are
you and what have you done with the real Captain Crane?”
Lee
weakly smiled at the lame old joke.
“My
head hurts and I'm too tired to fight you this time, Jamie. I’m going to rest without an argument.”
Dr. Jamieson crossed over to the bunk and looked
down at the young man.
“If
you are really going to stay in your cabin without a fight you must be in worse
shape than Doctor Kimber reported. I
want to examine you. Chip, why don’t you
come back in half an hour?”
Before
Chip had a chance to answer, Lee exploded in anger. “NO! Just
leave me alone, Jamie! I told you I'm
tired and have a headache; there’s nothing else wrong with me,” he cried out in
an agitated tone, abruptly rising up to a sitting position, pressing his hand against the bulkhead wall as a wave of dizziness hit him.
The
sudden and violent outburst startled everybody.
Dr. Jamieson raised his hands in
surrender. “Okay, can I just do a quick
neuro exam? Two minutes tops and I’ll
stop pestering you.”
“GET
OUT! Leave me alone!” Lee burst out again, grabbing his head with
both hands. He groaned and fell back on
the bunk in pain, turning his back on both officers. “Please, just leave!” he implored.
Jamieson
tossed his bag onto the bed and opened it as he directed Chip to pull up Lee's
sleeve. Quickly filling a syringe, he
tried to swab the arm with alcohol. With
Lee attempting to pull away, Chip held the arm still.
“Come
on, Skipper, don't fight us. This is the
same medication they gave you in the hospital.
It will relax you and help with the pain.”
Lee
stopped resisting and after the injection, Jamie rubbed Lee's arm in a soothing
manner. “The shot should work very
rapidly, just lay back and let the meds work their magic.”
The
doctor felt the tension ease from Lee's overwrought body. Jamie checked Lee’s pulse and satisfied, he
picked up his bag and motioned Chip to leave.
“Lee,
if you need anything, just give me a holler.”
Lee
didn’t look up. “Thanks, Chip. I’ll be fine.”
You don’t look or act fine, Chip thought. He was heading for the control room, but a
meeting with Jamie first was definitely in order. He’d wait.
Jamie
had a few more instructions to give before leaving himself. “Okay, Skipper. I'm going to let you be. I’ll check back with you later. Are you feeling any better?”
“Yeah,
pain’s letting up some,” Lee said, his voice flat. “Sorry I jumped down your throat, Doc.”
“I’ll
overlook it this time. Try to get some
sleep, it's the best thing for you. You
know the drill, eat and rest, and that means no paperwork, at least not for
today. Chip will give you the report on
the boat's status when he brings dinner.
If I find out you are not obeying orders you get the joy of an IV,
clear?”
“Chip
is already in command so why don't you get off my back! I don't need you smothering me, constantly
trying to control my actions! I just
want to be left alone - can YOU understand that!”
“Captain,
I think we all know this isn’t normal behavior for you, so I’ll let that slide. Take a shower, get into bed and I’ll see you
later in the day. I’ll send Frank along
just to make sure you’re following instructions.”
“Jamie,
I don't need a babysitter.”
“Then
act like it.”
Chip
had the words out a second after Jamieson closed the cabin door. “What’s going on with him, Jamie? I’ve seen Lee in bad shape, but never like
this. What exactly is wrong?”
“If I'm
correct in my diagnosis, this could be really serious, Chip. Lee needs to rest, and not get upset. If he continues to ignore his symptoms his
career could be over.”
Chip
let that sink in, his thoughts in a whirl.
Trying to make sense of it all, he said, “But Lee's had concussions before,
so have I.”
“Have
either of you ever overreacted the way you just saw? I'll know more once I talk
to Dr. Kimber. He has all the films and was able to perform
a thorough examination.”
“What do
you suspect, Jamie?”
“He's showing all the
classic signs of post concussive syndrome, or PCS. Many patients with PCS have trouble just
getting out of bed. It could last six
months or six years, it could beach him permanently. Wait, wait, I’m not saying that’s what’s
going to happen,” Jamie added as Chip rounded on him. “There is one drug,
amitriptyline, that has shown to be helpful but unfortunately one of the
side effects is increased depression, insomnia, nightmares, that sort of thing. Kimber said
that Lee refused to talk to him about this last mission. I'm going to need your help with that.”
“I had a
feeling when he came on board that something really bad happened on that last assignment. So his shrugging it off as nothing could be
because something else is going on, something we don’t know anything about,”
Chip mused. “And nightmares to boot. Great.”
“It’s going to be tough. You’ve
got to walk a thin line when you try to draw him out. He's already upset with you being in
temporary charge. He's going to hit the roof
when I tell him he's unfit for command for the entire cruise.”
“I'll do my best, Jamie but we
both know how pigheaded Lee becomes regarding his health. Let me know as soon as you have a definite
diagnosis.”
* * * * *
When
Frank arrived at Lee’s cabin, he got right to the point. “Do you want to take a shower or just go to
bed, Captain?”
“Bed
with a pit stop to the head,” Lee decided, slowly rising from his bunk. Frank stepped to his side ready to help if
needed.
Angered,
Lee snapped, “I think I can it handle this on my own, if you don't mind.”
“Okay,
I’ll lay out your pajamas; just don’t lock the door in case you fall flat on
your face, sir.” The tone was light,
teasing; the doc had emphasized upsetting the Skipper as little as possible.
Soon
Lee returned and glared at Frank, daring him to just try to undress him.
“Standing
by if needed, sir,” the corpsman commented with exaggerated military formality.
Lee
didn't have much trouble removing his shirt and putting on the pajama top, but
his sense of balance being off, the pants were a different matter. He could not understand why the problems were
happening now. He’d left the hospital
and flown back on his own with no troubles.
He didn't want to admit it but besides the dizziness, the headaches were
increasing in intensity and frequency. Surrendering,
he held the offending garment out to the corpsman.
Frank
got the Skipper's feet through the openings and pulled the legs up to the knees
letting the Skipper finish the job and keep in command of the situation. Wisely, he didn’t comment on the numerous
black and blue bruises that appeared on the Skipper’s chest and back, but the
doc would be getting a detailed report.
“Okay, Captain,
I need to get your vitals and do a quick neuro exam then I’m out of here. I'll be by every couple of hours to check on
you.” Frank efficiently completed his
tasks, took the tray from the desk and left.
Before he had turned off the lights Lee was asleep.
* * * * *
He
tossed and turned in his sleep as the images invaded his dream.
Pete, it’s a trap! Get away, run … damn, too late.… Where’s the screaming coming from? Girl, no!
Don't stop… no… Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know.
“Peter,
help me… give me cover... Jesus, where
are they? Pete, for God's sake lay down
some cover fire... cover me!
“COVER
ME!”
Lee
jerked up screaming, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his
racing heartbeat. Finally able to stand on
shaky legs he made his way to the head to splash cold water on his face. He filled a glass and emptied it in rapid gulps. Lee struggled out of his top and left it on
the floor where it fell. The pounding in
his head was at a frantic pace as he stumbled back towards the bed, collapsing
facedown on it, one foot dangling off the side.
The medication and exhaustion sent him to sleep almost at once.
Frank
returned for the first check and found the light on in the head and pajama top
on the floor. He managed to arouse the Skipper
significantly enough to put on fresh clothes and assure himself Lee was all
right. Frank got his patient into a more
comfortable position, covering him with a blanket. He debated leaving but the Skipper was
apparently resting peacefully for the time.
He would report to Dr. Jamieson,
suggesting hourly visits.
*****
The
doctor paused momentarily before knocking on Lee's door. He knew the usual game the two of them played
following one of the captain's injuries would be more intense this time.
“Enter!”
“How
are you feeling, Skipper? Anything hurting
other than your head? I see you’re following
my orders to rest and take it easy. It’ll
also help to heal all those bruises sooner than later.”
“I'm
fine, just fine. Obviously, Nurse Frank has
been running his mouth off again,” Lee growled.
No way was he telling Jamie about the nightmare, especially with what
the doc knew about the other injuries. Besides,
he remembered only snatches of it himself.
“I keep telling everyone over and over.
But nobody will believe me and I'm getting a little sick and tired of it. After all, I was able to travel from DC all
by my little ‘ol self. Don't know why I
have to be laying down all the time.”
Knowing
that Lee would probably continue with his tirade, but determined, the doctor
spoke in a quiet but firm voice. “Skipper,
with all due respect, how can you say you’re alright? Sure you made the trip, but at what cost? Do you realize how strong that earlier
injection was? I'm amazed you are
coherent already. You need to relax. Dr. Kimber
stitched you up some, it’s easy to see that, but you’ve managed to keep the
rest pretty well hidden -- your usual M.O.
If I had known you were injured, I would have sent the flying sub to
bring you home, rather than let you run around airports, aggravating your
concussion. I’m concerned about your
behavior. You’re not acting like
yourself, Lee. Is something more going
on with you then the head injury? It's
the mission that’s got you in such turmoil, isn't it? If you don't trust me at least talk to Chip
or the admiral. Getting it off your
chest will help.”
The
captain unsteadily got to his feet and started to pace back and forth, not
looking at the doctor. He had to stop as
the anvils inside his head resumed pounding.
But they weren’t loud enough to drown out Drake’s last words to
him: You
did what… you had to do. Lee… I messed up ... you're a good friend ... I really messed up … It's not your fault... I'm sorry....”
Lee
came back to the present trying to push away the haunting memories. Leaning against the desk and with his back to
Jamie, Lee answered in a dead voice. “It
was a tough one, Jamie. Some people
lived, some people died.”
He
didn't want to talk to Jamieson or anyone else, not until he could push the
pain of the betrayal to the back of his mind.
That had included the shrink at his debriefing. He had given the psychiatrist the standard
answers, the ones they always wanted to hear so he could be sent out on another
mission. He did what he had to do, the
security of the US, perhaps that of their allies, dictating his actions.
Sighing,
Jamie shook his head. “I think there’s
more to this story than that. But I know
when I’m not getting answers. You can't
be responsible for everything. It is an
unfortunate fact good people sometimes die violently, no matter how hard you
try to prevent it. There's a lot of evil
in this imperfect world of ours.”
Crane
whirled around and faced the other man. Anger,
bitterness and resentment flashed quickly over his face. Lee could feel his control slipping once more,
as the harsh words gushed out of his mouth like lava spewing out of an erupting
volcano.
“Drop
it, Doc, just drop it! Nothing happened
that you need to concern yourself with. I
keep telling everyone that I have a headache and I'm tired. Why won't anyone listen to me and just let me
alone? This is what you always want,
isn't it, Jamie? Trying to lock me away
in my cabin; not allowing me to do my job!”
Jamie
looked stunned at the ferocious outburst, and took a step backwards. Lee, ashamed of his words, immediately
regretted the Jekyll and Hyde reaction. If
he couldn't quickly get a grip on himself, the doctor might truly consider
locking him away; at least, order him to Sick Bay on a 24–7 observation. The violent verbal outburst sounded almost
paranoid to his own ears. Rubbing his
temples in pain, the excruciating headache at critical stage, he stumbled over
and sat down in the desk chair. His
command of military discipline had enabled him to keep control over his
emotions until he’d left Washington; why was it letting him done now?
“I’m
a little light headed, and my head’s killing me, are you happy?”
“I'm
not the enemy, Lee. I'm just trying to
help. Take this and get back into bed,
that’s the best place for you right now.”
Responding
to the quietly spoken words, Lee swallowed the two Tylenol tablets Jamie placed
in his hand. “I know, Jamie, I know you
are.” He returned to the bed hating what
Drake had taken away from him.
*****
Chip
had not enjoyed the briefing that Jamieson gave him. After his latest confrontation with the
captain, Dr. Jamieson had spoken with Dr. Kimber, and they both agreed Lee was showing
all the signs of post-concussive syndrome; severe headaches, dizziness, and the
bad temper. The only good sign was the
tests Dr. Kimber had ordered while Lee
was at Walter Reed Hospital showed no skull fracture or intracranial bleeding. Lee had downplayed his symptoms, tricking the
doctors into releasing him early. They
didn’t know him as well as Seaview’s
doctor did, Jamieson noted wryly.
Now
was not the best time for Admiral Nelson to be at Pearl Harbor for meetings,
fumed the XO. Jamie agreed not to call
the admiral until morning, after he had again talked with Lee. Only then, would he be able to give a
complete picture of what they were facing.
Lee
had an extraordinary sense of duty; he always felt responsible if events did
not go as planned. Chip had experienced
the captain’s brooding over past assignments.
He knew Lee would be racked with guilt if innocent people had lost their
lives on the mission. Now with the
complication of PCS, that guilt would be magnified. Once more, the XO cursed Admiral Johnson and
the ONI for dragging his friend into another one of their messes.
Chapter 2
Surprisingly,
after being told he was being relieved of duty for the cruise and placed on
medication to combat his symptoms, Lee had stopped pushing himself. There had been one incident in the circuitry
room when the Skipper, allowed to take a short walk, had come across men making
repairs. There were parts strewn all
over the deck. Normally Lee would simply
issue a quiet order to police up the mess, but this time there was a mini
explosion when the captain let loose on the two crewmembers. Chief Sharkey managed to get the Skipper back
to his cabin, calling the doctor to relate the episode.
The
doctor had arrived and swiftly assessed the situation.
“Okay,
Chief, I’ll handle this. The captain
will be resting for quite a while so you are relieved. Don't look so worried, he’ll be fine.”
After
Sharkey left, Jamie turned his attention to his patient.
“Want
to tell me what happened, Lee? But
first, how bad is the headache?”
“Wouldn't
object to a couple Tylenol, extra strength if you got them.” After swallowing the tablets he finished
drinking the glass of water before he continued. “Usually it starts with the pain in the head,
this time the outburst came without warning then the drummer started up again
with a vengeance. It was just a little
thing, no big mess. They're both
competent men, everything would've been cleaned up, but I lost it and blew up
at them. From what I can remember, they
had a very surprised look on their faces when I ripped them up one side and
down the other.” Lee gave a humorless
laugh. “Not my usual method of discipline.”
“Any
other symptoms, dizziness or nausea? How
soon did the headache start after the yelling?”
“Maybe
a minute at most. The more the head
hurt, the crazier I became. Jamie, how
much longer is this going to keep happening?
I can't continue being captain of Seaview
when I lose control so easily. What
would've happened if we were in an emergency situation and lives depended on my
calm judgment?”
Sure
his frustration and feelings of defeat were being telegraphed on his face, Lee
turned away from the doctor. It was
getting harder to keep his spirits up after each attack. He had risked his life once too often, and
the repayment was possibly the loss of the one thing he’d spent his adult years
trying to achieve.
“Let's
not get ahead of ourselves, Captain, it's only been a couple days. Your body needs time for the medicine to
start working plus you need the normal post-concussion care, rest, rest and
more rest plus no stress. I want you to
remain in bed for a couple of hours, even if you don't sleep. Relax, think of those great places where you
and Chip go diving, the freedom you have in the water. Call me if the headache doesn't let up in
another fifteen minutes or so and I'll give you something stronger. For now, remember, you don't have a care in
the world.”
“Yeah,
right. Chip is driving the boat and I'm
reliving vacation memories. Just what I
wanted.”
“It'll
be over sooner than you think, Skipper.”
“Keep
telling me that, okay, Jamie? Just keep
telling me that.”
*****
A
gentle tap on the cabin door aroused Lee from his sleep. Calling out a hoarse permission to enter, he
struggled to bring himself to full awareness.
“Well
hello, Captain Sleepyhead, did you enjoy your siesta?” Chip asked.
In his hands was a tray with two mugs of hot Cocoa and a plate of
cookies from the galley. They settled in
as the XO went over the events of the day.
“There’s
nothing to be concerned about, Skipper. The
boat is in great shape. The minor
rewiring in the circuitry room was completed yesterday evening and we ran
numerous tests. There's not a speck of
unused wire left anywhere, I inspected the job myself,” Chip offered with a
slight snicker.
“I
came down pretty hard on Burke and Simpson, I sort of lost it.”
“After the chief handed you off to Jamie, he went back and added his
own chewing out. When I checked their
finished work you could have eaten off of the deck. Don't worry about your yelling at the men, it
keeps them on their toes. I'm usually
the one who lowers the boom! I'm planning on doing a walkabout tonight at 2200, are you up to keeping me company?”
“Do you think we can sneak it past my keepers?”
“Just don't go wandering around until then and it will be safe. I'll give you the old signal -- two knocks, a pause than three quick ones.”
“Just like the time with...” Lee's voice faded away, not wanting to
remember the crazy incident at the Academy with Peter Drake. Seeing Chip’s concerned face he quickly
pushed that memory away. “Think we need
a counter sign?”
Chip
laughed and shook his head as he walked away.
*****
The
resupplied run to Sea Lab 2 was going smoothly, and Seaview arrived at the coordinates right on schedule. After meeting several of the scientists
aboard the underwater lab, Lee got out of the way leaving the unloading to
Chief Sharkey and his work detail. He
accepted Dr. Jay's offer to see some of
the latest research being conducted, overjoyed at having something to occupy
his time, while still obeying doctor's orders.
The
dinner was a lively affair with Dr. Jay
offering up several funny stories concerning the admiral, ones that he would
never dare tell in the presence of Nelson.
Lee immensely enjoyed the company, happy when none of his current
medical problems reoccurred. Still
easily fatigued, Lee however did retire early.
He was relieved the resupplying had gone so smoothly. The rest was harder to contemplate -- five
days to return to Santa Barbara then the possible end of his career as captain
of the Seaview, or any vessel, if his condition did not improve.
The
next morning, after a final check with the lab personnel and goodbyes being exchanged,
Seaview started home. Later, Lee personally contacted Admiral
Nelson, feeling duty bound to report in.
Even if he was not in charge at the moment, Crane wanted to show he
could resume some of his duties. He
quickly updated the admiral regarding conditions at the sea lab along with
relaying the scientists’ well wishes.
“Dr. Jamieson’s been telling me you've been
behaving like a model patient. When Seaview returns to Santa Barbara, he
has advised that you take a minimum
of two weeks off to help in your recovery.
I'm in total agreement.”
Lee
could feel the beginning of a headache. Afraid
the usual pattern of a following blowup would be close at hand, he rushed to
end the conversation. “Yes, sir, if you
both feel it's for the best. If you’ll
excuse me, Admiral, I'm afraid I'm quite tired.”
“Don't
worry about anything, Chip can handle the boat, Lee. Just rest and follow Jamie's orders. We need you back on your feet. I'll be leaving Pearl in two days so I'll
beat you back to the Institute.”
“Have
a safe flight, sir. I am sure Acting
Captain Morton will bring Seaview back
without scraping the paint. As everyone
keeps telling me, I'm just along for the ride.”
Before
Nelson could respond to that, Lee broke the connection, dropping his head into
his hands. Great! Now he was behaving like a spoiled kid whose
favorite toy had been taken away. He
couldn't help it; he felt Nelson was just trying to humor him. Groaning, he reached for the bottle and
swallowed two pain pills. Better to
prevent another spell then to give anyone more ammo to take away his command. Lee hated to acknowledge it, but he still
felt listless and knew that he needed further rest. The prone position helped alleviate the
constant dull pain in his head and the ever present slightly off balance
feeling. Closing his eyes, he repeated
to himself, two more days, relax, just two more
days.
Too
tired to move to the bed and hoping to stem the threatening headache he now switched
off the desk light and used his arms as pillows to lay his head on the desk. He tried to slow his breathing, relaxing his body.
Soon he had drifted off to sleep.
The shots are coming from
everywhere! Pete -- lay down some firepower
to the left! Pete, where the hell are
you! Got to get to that guy, drag him
off. Hold on, help’s coming. I’m gonna rig a tourniquet on the leg. Ambushed! Damn faulty Intel. Pete!
Where the hell are you?
Pete! Could use some help here! Don't look at the body of the girl, don’t do
it. Damn… where’s that other
magazine? Pete! Owww, damn, two more inches and I’d be dead. Shit, that other girl… shit! This guy’s had it, the belt’s not working,
too much blood loss, can't stop it. Where
are you, Pete? Come on, we’ve got to get out of here.
“Hang
on, just hang on. I'll get you home. Noise, what’s that noise? PETE!”
Chip
knocked on the door and waited, hearing Lee' strange sounding voice. He had arrived with lunch planning to go over
the final report from the sea lab. Now
he needed to discuss what he was hearing.
Knocking harder this time, he waited until he received a groggy
permission to enter.
“Sorry,
guess I took a quick nap at the desk.” Lee
tried to pull himself together, quickly grabbing a cup of coffee from the tray
to help relieve the scratchiness from his voice.
“Sounds
like you were having a doozy of a nightmare.
Want to talk about it?”
What the hell was I saying? “What?
No, there's nothing to talk about.
Let’s just eat and you can fill me in.”
“But
Lee, I could hear you--”
“Just
drop it, okay? I wanna talk about work,
nothing else.”
Chip
knew it wasn't the time to press the matter, but he would try once more before
he left. Perhaps Lee needed a little
time to compose himself. Placing the
food on the table, he took a bite of sandwich and then proceeded to give the Skipper
an overview of his report.
*****
Lee
picked a cookie off the plate, breaking tiny pieces away, leaving a pile of
crumbs on his napkin. Stalling for time. Lee finished off his hot drink then returned
the mug to the desk. It was difficult to
bring up what he needed to discuss with his friend. If he could explain to someone who would
understand and not be judgmental, maybe he could put the tragedy of the last
mission behind him. Right now whenever
he thought about what had happened, it usually triggered one of his headaches. In the past Chip had helped put things in
perspective when other assignments had gone south. Now he was counting on his long-time pal to
come through one more time, this time maybe to help save his sanity.
The
XO slowly gathered up his papers, taking his time. There had to be a way to broach the subject
again about the nightmare. He was about
to speak when Lee beat him to the punch.
“Chip,
don't leave, there is something I need to talk to you about.”
Grabbing
a pencil, Lee started doodling on a scrap of paper, a habit of his when he had
difficulties discussing something. He
crumpled the paper, tossed it away, and faced his friend. “I know I can always talk to you about my
stint with ONI. I trust that you won't
go running to Jamie or the admiral when I tell you I'm having nightmares or
other problems.”
“Hey,
that's part of the job description for being your XO. So, what's up, I know something has been
bothering you. Get it off your chest; Dr. Morton's
couch is open for business.”
Lee’s
hazel eyes dimmed. “This isn't funny,
Chip.”
Chip’s
shoulders slumped, and he said in dismay, “Damn, I'm sorry, Lee, I was just
trying to help relieve the tension. I
guess I messed up. You know I'll always
have your back, help you in any way I can.
I heard you outside the door; it was another nightmare, wasn't it?”
“Yeah,
must have been. Look, I'm the one who
should be apologizing. Lately, I seem to
be taking anything said the wrong way.” Each
man looked down towards the floor in embarrassment, not knowing what to say
next. Lee pushed the destroyed cookie
around on the napkin, finally cleared his throat and began his story.
“Admiral
Johnson approached me when ONI received Intel that “a person of interest” would
be traveling with just a small group of guards.
With the help of four specially trained policemen, Drake and I should
have had no problem capturing and returning this person to the States.”
“I
take it Drake is another ONI operative?”
“Yes. He
was actually in our class at Annapolis; Peter Drake, remember, he took Naval
Engineering with the both of us when we were firsties. I was closer to him than you were. You’ll remember about the couple of pranks he
was involved in with us, especially the one at our last Army Navy game. That was the best one... when the limousine came into the stadium in
Philadelphia with the bunch of guys in black suits jogging alongside and a set
of flags that looked vaguely like the presidential seal...”
Chip
looked closer at his friend. Lee wasn’t
in his cabin anymore; he was back in the stadium, back at the game.
“The
limo went in front of the Navy section first and we all stood and saluted when
it passed, drove around the field on the track and stopped in front of the Army
section where all the Woops stood and saluted.
After a pause, the door opened and out came the Navy goat, Bill! Bill and his handlers ran across the field to
the Navy side. I swear, I’ve never seen
the Woops howl louder. Pete was the head
‘secret service agent.’ The idea was all
his, remember?”
“Sure,
Lee. Sure I do.”
Lee’s
eyes focused again, coming to rest on Chip’s face. “Sorry, Chip, time got away from me there for
a minute. Anyway, Drake and I have been
assigned to several of the same missions in the past, sometime working
together, other times just meeting as a contact person to pass information to. It was safer if you knew and trus…” Lee paused slightly, and then quickly
continued with “if you knew and trusted the other person.”
Lee stood up and began walking around the
small room, too keyed up to remain still.
“The Intel was wrong -- I should have suspected something when we
received just actionable intelligence -- and we got into a firefight. A couple of the local officers were shot
almost immediately. I got my concussion
thanks to a bomb planted in our escape vehicle, which luckily for me, went off
early.”
“So
the bad guy got away?”
“Not
quite, Chip. The “person of interest” never
was there. It was a trap to capture or
kill me. The bomb was meant to kill
anyone else who tried to escape.”
“Dammit,
Lee, it's bad enough when you go on these assignments, but now they're setting
traps to murder you! The admiral's going
to blow a gasket when he hears this.” An
agitated Chip, joined Lee in the pacing, stopping a few feet away from the
captain’s face. “You’ve got to stop
working for ONI, Lee. Yes, you have a
strong sense of duty to your country, but you're also too important to Seaview, to your friends, to keep coming
back damaged after playing 007.”
He could almost smell the cordite from
the gunplay.…
One officer writhed in pain, half of his
jaw shot off. Nearby, his partner lay
mortally wounded from a gunshot to the stomach.
Two teenage girls sprawled in a bloody heap in front of him, guilty of
being in the wrong spot when the shooting began. Then getting to the Jeep, and the explosion. Finding Drake… the fight… Drake dying in his arms.
“Lee? Lee, are you all right?”
With
difficulty Crane refocused on the present, forcing himself to continue his
story.
“The
bad guys opened up on us the minute we got to the supposed hiding place, right
in the middle of this little town. Killed
one local cop, wounded the other. The
worst was the two girls that were shot as they were running across the street. I knew I had to get out of there fast. I looked around, couldn’t see Drake. Figuring he’d head for the Jeep, I took off
in that direction. Boy, was I right. Trouble is, I surprised him rigging the Jeep
up for an explosion.”
Even
now he could see the little packet of C-5, the wires running underneath the
ignition panel, Drake’s busy fingers intent on the job, never noticing Lee
until the other man was right on top of him.
“I
surprised Drake as he was planting the charges in the Jeep he’d conveniently
found for our getaway. He was trying to
explain, crying about how he needed the money, when the bomb went off in the
Jeep. He jumped me, we fought and he
pulled a knife. It was over in a few
minutes. I came back, he didn’t.”
“Drake
was a traitor? Why?”
“Said
he’d gotten in over his head gambling. For
30 pieces of silver he turned his back on all his beliefs. He forgave me,” Lee spoke in an incredulous
voice. “I held him in my arms while he
was dying and that sanctimonious bastard is telling me he's forgiven me. He was playing his part to the end. He was always a cocky SOB, maybe he couldn’t
accept what was happening. The traitor
wasn’t sorry, only sorry he was caught. Sonofabitch,
Chip!” he cried out. “I did my duty, and
I’d do it again. Who knows what more
Drake would have revealed to the other side.”
Lee
resorted to his customary gesture of frustration, moving his hand back and
forth through his hair. “I should have
realized something was wrong. Things
just didn’t ‘feel’ right, and because of my mistake, two innocent girls and one
officer were killed, with another maimed for life. There would have been two more dead if I
hadn’t managed to call in the chopper we planned on using to track our guy if
he eluded us.”
Lee
could feel his self-control slipping as his anger overwhelmed him. He was unaware of his actions until the pain
shot up his arm when his clenched fist hit the cabin's wall. Chip grabbed the wrist, examining the injured
and rapidly swelling hand.
“Looks
like it's Sick Bay time again, buddy. That's
got to hurt.”
The
XO was attempting to steer Lee towards the door when he stumbled, an attack of
vertigo overcoming him. Chip guided him
over to the bunk before reaching for the mic to summon medical assistance.
“Chip,
I'm sorry. I'm sorry I keep doing this.”
“We'll
work through it, Lee. Don't worry.”
As Dr. Jamieson examined the injury, Lee lay
motionless on his bunk trying to ignore all that his body was going through. He felt as if he would never be in control
again. At times he thought the
medication was beginning to work, but then he did something stupid like this. If he continued on this course, he would soon
find himself being invalided out for good.
Jamie
carefully laid Lee’s swollen hand down by his side. “Okay, Captain, I'm going to give you
something for the pain and dizziness. There
doesn't appear to be any broken bones but you need an x-ray to be sure. I don't want you walking so let us take you to
Sick Bay--”
“You
are not going to carry me anywhere,” came the sharp interruption. “Just give me a sec and I'll get there under
my own steam.”
“As
I was saying, there's no rush. I'll put
a cold pack on the hand to help the swelling until you’re feeling better.” Jamie seemed to carefully pick his next words
with Lee in such a volatile state. “It
would help to know what you were doing prior to this accident. It could help prevent another episode.”
Lee
couldn't talk about it again. “I just
want some peace and quiet. Chip can give
you a report, just like he has this entire cruise. I'm sure the two of you will have plenty to
talk about. Just leave and let me alone.” Lee knew he was being unfair to both men but
right now he didn't care. All he wanted
was his normal life back, one where he was the master of his emotions.
The
two officers left without argument. With
the mood the Skipper was in, probably anything they could say would be taken
the wrong way.
Chapter 3
Finally,
they were home. Lee and Chip were the
last to leave the boat. The XO kept
stealing glances at Lee, as they sat in the observation nose finishing up the
usual reports. Ever since hurting his
hand a couple nights ago, the captain had been keeping to himself. Chip was determined to draw him out of his
funk. It was the only reason he was
allowing Lee to work on the paperwork.
“Come
on, Lee, the rest of this can wait. I
know your hand has to be hurting; you managed to put a nice dent in your cabin
wall. I’m hungry. Let’s pick up some Chinese at Golden Dragon,
my treat.”
“I’m
not hungry. After I finish here I want
to check out something in Engineering. You
go ahead, I might sleep aboard tonight.”
“No,
you’re not staying on Seaview. In fact, we’re leaving right now. I’m still acting captain and it’s my job to
complete these forms. The rest of the
reports are not due for another week. Engineering
is fine, that’s why we have an Engineering Officer. I’m starving.
If you feel like crashing, you’re welcome to the guestroom.” Taking the pen out of Lee’s hand, Chip
started to stack the files. “Come on,
get your gear, we’re leaving.”
The
captain laughed and closed his laptop, appearing to admit defeat. “Chinese it is. I confess I have a taste for some orange
chicken. And Chip -- thanks. This cruise has been tough on you, putting up
with my brooding and everything else.”
“Belay
that kind of talk, what are friends for.
Now, as your best friend I’m telling you -- move it! I want food.”
“Okay,
okay, but let's get one thing straight. I’m
putting my foot down at being tucked into bed tonight.”
* * * * *
A
satisfying smirk appeared on Chip’s face while he cleaned up the empty takeout
containers. Lee's claim of not being
very hungry had proven to be false as evidenced by not a drop of orange chicken
being left over. He grabbed two cans, one
of beer the other one Coke, while the microwave worked its magic on the popcorn. Now, he needed Lee to kick back and enjoy
watching Cary Grant win World War II.
Before
leaving the kitchen, Chip paused and removed a small bottle from the cabinet
over the refrigerator, tucking it into his pocket. Chip had observed Lee rubbing his temple
while he gathered up the food cartons. He
would simply place the Tylenol on the coffee table close to Lee without a word;
long ago he had learned how to handle his obstinate friend.
Even before the opening credits were finished, Lee washed down two
tablets with his drink and reclined back as far as possible. Twenty minutes into the film with none of the
usual comments from Lee, Chip glanced over and found his visitor asleep. Turning down the volume a little so as to not disturb his friend’s slumber, Chip congratulated himself -- mission accomplished.
At the conclusion of the movie, he moved as quietly as possible
cleaning up, and then placed the throw from the back of the sofa over Lee's
still figure. Leaving the corner lamp on
low, Chip made his way upstairs, keeping his door open just in case. Climbing into bed, he started to chuckle as
he recalled what Lee had said earlier about not being tucked into bed. Some things
were just inevitable.
*****
The
next morning, a sheep-faced Lee showered and breakfasted at Chip’s condo. Chip had overheard Lee crying out a couple
times during the night, and debated whether or not to awaken his friend. But he had quieted down and remained silent until
morning.
“Don't
rub it in; I'll admit I was hungry and tired last night. Yes, mother knew best. Finish stuffing your face, I'm anxious to get
to the Institute.”
“Lee,
before we do that -- I overheard you last night. You were doing some good tossing and turning
in your sleep. It was about the mission
again, wasn't it? We have plenty of time
to get to the office. Why don't we talk
some more?”
Lee’s
face changed immediately from open and friendly to harsh and accusing. “There's nothing to talk about, Chip. It was another nightmare; we both know I'll
have them for a while. Nothing I say to
you will bring back the dead so why don't we just leave it.” Lee picked up his cover and walked towards
the door signaling the end of the discussion.
Arriving
at his office, Lee wanted to quickly go through the accumulated mail and
various other items, which needed his attention but was prevented by his
secretary and Chip. He was still under
the ‘no work rule.’ He followed Chip to
the exec’s office where he proceeded to hound his friend for the next hour
until it was time to report to the admiral.
Outside Nelson's domain, Angie offered both men some coffee before they
entered the admiral’s inner sanctum.
After
a few minutes chitchatting about his Hawaii trip, Nelson quickly got to the
matter at hand.
“Our
next project has been pushed back a month, which works out for the best. Captain Crane, I believe Dr. Jamieson wants you to take at least two weeks
of R&R starting tomorrow?”
“Yes,
sir. Before I go, I’ll arrange leave for
most of the men since we have a longer down time. Unless you object?”
“That’s
my job, Lee. Why don’t you just--”
Lee
rounded on him. “Just take it easy, Mr. Morton?
I’m sick and tired of taking it easy.
I’m losing my mind being so inactive!
I think this poor muddled head of mine can push a mouse around and work
the spreadsheet you created. And for
your information, this blowup in courtesy of Lee B. Crane, not PCS.”
The
admiral needed to fake a cough to cover the urge to laugh. “I believe the doctor will forgive us for
allowing the captain to manage this task.
I'm sure he won't be over exerting himself, Mr. Morton.
Lee, I ordered some modifications to the boat, so let’s get everyone
back two weeks prior to sailing. That
will be significant enough time for any new training.
“I’m
going to be tied up with meetings for the next two weeks, flying between DC and
the Institute. With Lee gone, a lot more
work will be on your shoulders, Chip.”
“There
shouldn’t be any problems, Admiral. It’ll
be good experience for Frank O’Brien to handle some of the XO’s shore duties. He’s very qualified, after all, he’s had a
very good teacher.” Chip’s grin got
wider when Lee snorted. “I say again,
he’s had a great teacher. Just make sure
Cookie’s supplies are correct. We can’t
have Seaview sailing without a full
load of goodies.”
“Heaven
forbid, gentleman. Only thing worse
would be a coffee shortage for her captain.
I’ll be leaving for DC tomorrow evening, so check on the specifications
for the project and we can meet later tonight if there are any questions. That will be all.”
“Yes,
sir.”
As
the two junior officers started to leave, Nelson called out to Crane.
“Lee,
I don’t want to hear you’ve been in the office or on board Seaview until Jamieson has cleared
you. That’s an order. I want you 100 percent when we sail again.”
“Yes,
sir, don’t worry, I want to get back to my old self. I’m seeing him after lunch today. He’s hoping to decrease my medication, but
I’m sure he’s already told you.”
Nelson
flushed. “Don’t fault him for doing his
job, mister. I need to know the medical
condition of my officers.”
“Sorry,
Admiral, no disrespect intended. Just
feeling frustrated and tired of everyone watching over me.” Lee felt ashamed of his words, he knew
Nelson, as well as Chip, were in his corner.
At times he thought he was improving.
The headaches were more infrequent, but he worried of not regaining
control over his emotions, and never being able to command again. It was hard not to become discouraged, of
letting the depression take hold of him again.
Jamie was right, he needed to free himself from all the stress and
pressure if he was to completely mend.
*****
As
arranged, Jamie checked in with Lee each day to monitor his progress. The Skipper was trying very hard to follow
the restrictions but he was going stir crazy with the prohibition of driving. Even with a driver at his disposal he hated
the loss of freedom. Finally, after five
long days of showing steady
improvement, Jamie took pity on him.
“Okay,
it’s all arranged. Chip’s going to drive
you to the cabin tomorrow. MacMillan is
the caretaker, a retired firefighter. He'll
make sure everything is ready; just tell him if you need anything. Rules are simple -- you call me every day
plus if there are any problems you call to report them. You might also figure on calling Chip daily
after he leaves, you know what a mother hen he is.” Jamie laughed at the look on Lee's face. “Enjoy yourself fishing, but no five-hour
hikes through the woods, please.”
“Come
on, Jamie, I don't need a caretaker playing babysitter, I'm quite capable of
calling if I run out of anything. Bad
enough you hovering over me.” Lee was
complaining out of habit. The truth was
he was happy Ski or Pat hadn't been assigned to watch over him.
The
doc put a mock scowl onto his face. “And
Lee, since you’re off the meds you can have one or two beers but no more. It’s
really best to stay away from alcohol if you have any symptoms that day. If
you're not careful I might just have a talk with Chief Sharkey. I hear he likes fishing.”
Lee
threw up his hands. “Okay, okay, daily
calls are fine. Maybe that's not a bad
idea anyway; I can rub it in, me fishing and all this lounging around while
everyone else's slaving away. I might be
nice and bring some trout home for you.”
*****
As planned, Chip
drove on the way to the cabin Admiral Nelson had graciously offered for Lee’s
use during his vacation. Nelson had
provided easy to follow directions - 101 south to the Westlake Boulevard exit,
then a right onto El Potrero and left onto Lake Sherwood Drive. They talked about many things on the way
down, from work and upcoming repairs on the boat to how the Midshipmen were
doing in football, and consequently paid little attention to their surroundings
other than to note that as usual, the freeway was packed. The smiling guard at the inconspicuous
gatehouse, who checked their names off as they went through, didn’t seem too
out of place; lots of places in California were gated communities. It wasn’t until they pulled up to the
driveway and saw who they assumed was the caretaker standing in front of a pair
of immense ornamental iron gates, flanked by pillars of polished granite, that
they looked at each other.
“Lee, did the
admiral ever tell you about this place before?”
“No, all he told
me was that he had a place on Lake Sherwood, and that he’d bought the land
quite a while ago. And that it was a
nice, but small, out of the way place.”
“Small and out
of the way? I’d hate to see his
definition of large and smack in the middle of things.”
The caretaker
stepped up to the driver’s side door of the car. “You Mister Crane and Mister Morton? I’m James MacMillan, and everybody calls me
Mac. The admiral said you’d be here
about now. Let me open up for you.”
As they drove
along the winding driveway and came into view of the ‘cabin’ the young men
tried and failed to hide their impressions of the grand surroundings. Nelson had obviously been playing a little
joke on them; it was more like a mini mansion, consisting of a two story,
southern styled house with a full wraparound porch and gabled windows upstairs
that overlooked the Santa Susana Mountains beyond. Five steps led up to the doorway, which faced
a velvet-smooth lawn and large flowerbeds.
Stands of Live Oak dotted the lawn.
Off to the side they could see a sliver of water and a dock, where a
sailboat was bobbing.
“I don't think
we’re in Kansas anymore, Lee.”
“Just a modest
cabin, my ass. The OOM has been holding
out on us. I wonder if he ever brought
anyone special here?” Lee couldn't stop
laughing at Chip’s expression.
Uncomfortable
with Mac doing all the work, Chip helped unload the car, suggesting to Lee that
he find the kitchen and make some coffee while they handled the gear. Busy with his luggage, he missed the smile on
Mac’s face.
A set of stairs
just off the entry led Chip to the second floor. There were easily three bedrooms, and he
selected the middle one, which had a view of the boat dock and the lake. He dropped his bag onto the queen-sized bed,
admiring the furnishings, which included two easy chairs, a desk, a fireplace,
and what had to be at least a 40-inch flat screen television. Returning downstairs he followed the scent of
fresh brewed coffee. He halted at the
sight in front of him. A fifty-something
redheaded woman had just placed a plate of doughnuts in front of Lee.
Leaning back in
his chair sipping his cup of java, Lee saw his friend stopped in the doorway of
the spacious and well-equipped kitchen. “Just
don't stand there with your mouth open, take a seat. If these doughnuts, freshly made by the way,
are like her coffee, we're in for a treat.”
Turning to the attractive woman, he performed introductions. “Mrs. McMillan,
that person impersonating a statue is Chip Morton, my best and generally quite
intelligent friend. Just sometimes food
gets in the way of his brain cells. Chip,
if you haven't figured it out, this lovely lady is Mac's wife. Seems she's the housekeeper, so no KP for us
this trip.”
Chip found his
voice and greeted the woman as he grabbed a sugar-covered treat. “Sorry, ma'am, my manners are usually much
better. Guess I'm still awestruck about
finding Admiral Nelson’s ‘little cabin’ that he's letting us use.”
Her smile
widened as she poured him a cup of coffee.
“Call me Peggy, please. Harry
likes to pull that stunt. Did he tell
you he bought this place before he even started building the Institute? He and Mac would sit for hours going over the
plans.”
Chip wiped a
spot of powdered sugar off his upper lip.
“No, ma'am, I mean, Peggy. He
never mentioned anything until Lee needed some R&R and offered the use of
this place.”
“So tell me,
Peggy, does the admiral come here very often with friends? Seems a shame to waste such a gorgeous spot,”
Lee asked casually.
The redhead
wasn't deceived. “None of your business,
young man. Now, are you just going to
sit here all day keeping me from my work, or are you going to do some fishing?”
“We were just
leaving, ma’am!”
Both ran
upstairs to grab light jackets, knowing the breeze coming off the lake would be
chilly due to the colder than normal fall weather. They met up with Mac at the pier just as he
finished loading some gear on board the sailboat.
“I put a large
thermos of coffee plus a cooler for pop and beer. Peggy sent some sandwiches and snacks, not
knowing if you plan on sailing or just fishing off the side.”
“Thanks Mac,
just fishing today. Tomorrow we’ll try
sailing. Tell Peggy we’ll bring home
enough fish to feed all of us for dinner.
I'm feeling lucky.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Crane, but knowing the missus, she'll have a
couple steaks ready just in case.”
With a wave,
they were off, Lee leading the way. He
hadn’t felt this good in quite a while.
*
* * * *
The day stayed
unseasonably cool but the cloudless sun still made it very enjoyable for the
two men. Chip managed to put a
good-sized dent in the food and wisely kept his mouth shut over Lee's lack of
appetite. He’d promised Doc not to push
his friend too hard this weekend, giving Lee time to just relax.
Keeping an eye
on both their poles he reached into the cooler to get another beer and settled
back on his chair. When he saw Lee’s
pole starting to slip from his hand Chip caught it, raising the line out of the
water and silently leaning it against the sailboat’s railing. Chip smiled as his friend’s head fell
forward, sound asleep. Jamie had once
again proven how smart he was. Lee was
away from the temptations of the Institute and Seaview in a quiet setting where he could swim, sail or fish, three
things he loved. After Chip left there
would be two people unobtrusively keeping an eye on things. He had to laugh over something else, too;
Jamie had also tricked him into taking a short vacation, knowing how much extra
work the XO had been forced to take on, with Lee out of action.
A while later
Chip stood at the railing, casting his line out into the water. He heard his companion push back his chair.
“So Captain
Ahab, catch Moby yet?”
“Maybe tomorrow. I think one more will be plenty for dinner
tonight.”
Lee stood, stretched and then joined his friend at
the side rail looking out over the water.
“God, what a beautiful sight. I
can see why the admiral built a place here.
He sure managed to keep it a secret, though.”
“Yeah, I often wondered where he went to ‘clear his
head’ when he took off. Sailing on this
lake would do that.”
“Just what the doctor ordered, right, Chip?” There was a slight pause then he turned and
looked at his friend with a sly grin on his face. “Thanks for not saying it again.”
Chip didn't pretend not to understand what Lee
meant. “You’ve been told enough times,
pal. It's just got to get through your
thick skull.” He gave a slight shoulder-to-shoulder
nudge. “Are you going to let me out-fish
you, or are you going to put your line back in the water?”
“Yes, sir, casting line, sir! How’m I doin’?”
“Smartass!”
The two men stood side-by-side in a comfortable
silence born from years of friendship, watching the lines bob in the still
waters. Lee felt a tug on his pole and
reeled in the largest fish of the day. Holding
it up, he exclaimed, “You may have caught more, but by weight I win.”
“I say again - smartass.” Chip broke out laughing, and Lee joined in. “Do
you want to keep going, or maybe do a little exploring?”
For an answer Lee set down his pole and started
gathering their things, and they motored back to the dock. After their catch was proudly delivered to
Peggy, who promised a mouthwatering fish dinner they followed an overgrown path
until they came upon a gazebo, built out of the same granite that made up the
gateposts. The autumn-colored leaves of
a gingko tree waved back and forth languidly in the cool air. The round building allowed for a 360-degree
view of their surroundings, and the arched openings in the walls stopped
approximately three feet from the floor, allowing a visitor to comfortably sit
on the thick stone and enjoy the serenity.
They stayed here for a while, soaking up the tranquil ambiance, and then
headed back to the house, where Mac and Peggy waited on the large outside
patio, barbecue tongs in hand.
Sitting down to a dinner of grilled fish, roasted
potatoes and corn on the cob, Lee knew that already he felt revitalized. The ‘cabin’ was a secret no longer; he hoped
he could return soon.
* * * * *
Next day, after
finishing off a fabulous Peggy-prepared breakfast, Lee and Chip took off for a
day of sailing and fishing. After
several hours of tacking back and forth across the lake they dropped anchor and
decided to try their luck. Setting up
two chairs at the stern of the boat, they settled back watching the lines bob
and waiting for the first bite. At first
Chip was a little concerned with Lee's silence, but he had seemed to enjoy
handling the helm.
The quiet was
finally broken by Lee asking, “Did Mac stow a thermos again, Chip? I can use a cup of coffee.”
“Coming right
up, Skipper. There’s cookies if you want
them.”
“Just something
to drink.”
They sat
side-by-side with the cooler pushed between them acting like a table. Lee pulled his line out of the water and put
more bait on the hook. A short time
later and both had bites, hauling in a couple of nice sized bass.
Lee put the fish
on his stringer, threw it back overboard and said, “I promised Jamie something
for his dinner, so you can take home today's catch when you leave tomorrow.” Then with an evil grin he added, “Make sure
to tell him how gorgeous this area is and that we are waited on hand and foot
while he slaves away.”
Chip slowly
nodded his head up and down, saying, “I’ll make sure to rub it on how we had to
‘rough’ it. Then again, I don't know if
that's a good idea. Maybe I'll just wait
till you come back and you can tell him.”
Lee raised an
eyebrow. “Chicken?”
“You're the one
on sick leave so he won't yell at you,” Chip pointed out. He was happy to joke around with Lee, who
seemed to be almost fully recovered with no blowups or headaches the last
couple of days, at least none he was aware of.
“You know, Lee,
maybe in a couple months we can get a week or so off together and go to the
Bahamas and do some diving. Be nice to
have a break when neither of us is recovering from an injury. We could find some local girls to show us
around and have a really good time.”
“Mr. Morton, I'm glad you’re my executive officer,
you come up with excellent ideas. I
believe some ‘fun in the sun’ is definitely warranted. Maybe you can search around, see if there is
a short conference we could attend and do it on the Institute's dime.”
Chip tapped his
head with a long index finger. “That's
why you're the captain, always thinking.
But seriously, Lee, I do think a real vacation either together or not
would do us some good. This past year
has been really something else.”
“Okay, I
promise, New Year’s in the Bahamas. Now,
I think it's time for more sailing. By
the way, how late are you planning on staying tomorrow?”
“Well, I can't
be rude to Peggy. She said she's
planning on grilling some big T-bone steaks, so sometime after supper.” He put a hand over his heart. “Honestly, I think I can make the sacrifice
to leave a little late.”
“Oh, some
sacrifice, you're always a thoughtful guest.
Come on, I'll let you steer, try not to run us aground.”
That night after
another great meal provided by Peggy and winning $10 playing poker with Mac and
Chip, Lee went to bed and slept soundly through the night without any
nightmares.
The next morning
they made use of a close-by golf course that Mac had informed them Nelson was a
member of and had arranged to have them play as his guests. This time it was Chip who pocketed the
winnings. Sitting at the ‘19th hole,’
they enjoyed a couple of cold beers.
“Well, pal,
looks like your vacation is almost over.
Think you can stay out of trouble with the admiral until I return?”
“What you mean
trouble? I’m his fair-haired boy,” Chip
joked as he patted his head. “Seriously,
if you want me to stay on, I’m sure the OOM wouldn't care.”
“No, Chip, I'm
fine. I don't need a third babysitter. Peggy and Mac are plenty. I promise Jamie I’d call every day and I will. Don't worry, I'll give you a ring, too.” He sat down the empty bottle. “Time to get back to the house. Peggy was planning an early dinner so you
wouldn't get home too late.”
They enjoyed the
grilled steak and homemade peach pie, Peggy thoughtfully making a second one
for Chip to take home. As they walked to
Chip's car, Lee knew he had to reassure his departing friend.
“Don't worry, I
really am fine. I finally feel like my
old self, no dizziness and headaches and especially I don't want to bite
anyone's head off.”
“And what about
the other stuff? Your feelings about
Drake and everything? “
Lee paused,
wanting to be honest with his friend. “I'm
getting there. Being here will help me
accept my role in what happened. I know
it was killing you this weekend not to bring it up again. Thank you for that. I just need a little bit more time, Chip. I'll get there.”
“I know you
will, Lee. But just remember I'm just a
phone call away if you need someone to listen.
Now, I better get going. Take
care and try not to give those nice folks any problems. “
“I’ll behave. If I upset them, Nelson will never let me
come back here again. “
*****
After once more
enjoying a good night’s sleep, Lee woke to an overcast rainy and windy day. While he was deciding whether or not to stay
in his warm cozy bed a little longer, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Mac entered
carrying a cup of coffee. “Peggy thought
you might enjoy the first cup in bed if you didn't feel like getting up. It's pretty gloomy outside and the forecast
looks bad for the entire day.” He handed
Lee the mug with a grin on his face. “Might
be safest if after breakfast you come back and hide in your room. Since I can't work outside she's got me
washing down walls. She just might hand
you a mop and pail. That woman can't
stand to see a speck of dirt anywhere.”
Lee flashed his
famous grin. “Don't worry, I have
scrubbed my fair share of floors, sometimes on my hands and knees.”
“Ah yes, life at
the Academy.”
“I didn't know
you attended Annapolis.”
“No, I was a
rookie fireman in Baltimore when I met Midshipmen Harriman Nelson. The young gentleman had overworked his elbow
at a local pub and I was able to get him back to his hotel room without
incident. He wouldn't let me leave
without buying me one for the road and that's how we struck up a friendship.”
“I wondered, the
way you talked about him I figured you had known each other for a long time.” Quickly finishing off his coffee he handed
the mug back to Mac. “Well, can't stay
in bed all day. A quick shower and I'll
be down and ready for field day. With
the way the weather is looking, I don’t think I'll be enjoying any outside
activities.”
“At least, not without
a proper breakfast first. Peggy's making
Belgian waffles with strawberries. And
if you're serious about helping out, put on some sweats or something. I need to get things out of the attic and I
can use a strong back. Then as a reward
I'll beat you in a game of chess. Harry
told me you're as good he is, and I usually take his king.”
Lee jumped up
and went into the bathroom and enjoying the much longer than usual hot shower. He pulled out his jogging clothes and dressed
quickly. Before leaving he neatly made
his bed; satisfied at the job, he was almost tempted to bounce a coin off it.
*****
Although outside
it was dreary and gloomy, inside was just the opposite. At first Peggy had been upset with Mac
enlisting Lee's help to switch some furniture from the attic, reminding her
husband that the young man was on sick leave.
Her husband told her not to be silly and Lee explained he was physically
fit.
“I’m actually in
pretty good shape, considering I’ve been doing a lot of sitting around. Mac, I’ll be with you in a minute, let me
just put these in the dishwasher.”
As Lee went into
the kitchen to drop off his breakfast dishes, Mac pulled Peggy over to his side
and said quietly, “We need to keep him busy -- his doctor doesn’t want him to
sit around and go into a bout of depression -- that’s one of the things Harry
warned me about.”
Nodding, Peggy
said loudly just as Lee stepped back into the dining room, “You two can start
in the back bedroom upstairs, washing the walls and taking up the new furniture. I’ll get ready to hang the curtains.”
Lee pretended
that he had heard nothing. It annoyed
him a bit that his present state of mind had been shared with relative
strangers, but also knew in his heart that Jamie, Nelson and everybody else at
NIMR wanted only to bring him back to full health, and he definitely agreed
with that assessment.
Peggy was
standing on the ladder ready to remove the drapes as they came in with the last
piece of furniture, a beautiful Queen Anne’s chair. The two men promptly picked her off the
second step, and Lee ran up the rungs and in no time put up a new set of
curtains. The whole room now had a
definite feminine look and Lee wondered if a new guest would soon be occupying
the room.
Peggy insisted
they rest even though Lee swore he was fine.
Mac told him it was best to surrender so as not to get her ‘Irish up’,
and they both ducked as Peggy threw a pillow at her laughing husband. Mac pulled out the chessboard, and the game
was on.
Their two-hour
battle over the chessboard was still going strong when lunch was announced. They ate in the living room listening to some
Dixieland jazz from Max’s CD. Lee sat
back in his chair and put his feet up on the hassock, totally relaxed. He was surprised when he opened his eyes
sometime later and saw that he was alone.
He started to get up, and then noticed a note on the coffee table.
We didn't want to wake you from your nap, you looked
so restful. We've gone into town to pick
up a few things and should be back in about an hour. Peggy
Startled, he
glanced at his watch and realized he had been asleep for almost two hours. Getting up, he stretched and walked to the
kitchen where he was grateful to see a nearly full pot of coffee. He poured a mug, drank that down and poured a
refill, then walked to the front door.
Stepping onto
the front porch, Lee strolled to the railing and looked out, taking several
deep breaths of the sweet smelling, rain-washed air. The wind had died down considerably but there
were several tree branches on the ground and other debris that would need to be
cleaned up. Tomorrow he and Mac could
take care of it. He was gratified there
were things for him to actually do and not just lie around.
He took a couple
laps around the wraparound porch, giving him a good view of the entire property. Off to the side, hidden behind a large
circular hedge, he spied Mac and Peggy's guesthouse. Even with not ever being inside of it, he
knew it would be equipped with the latest appliances and comfortable and
well-constructed furniture. The admiral
would have insisted on this, for even though they were employees, it was
obvious they were longtime friends.
Continuing on
his stroll, he was able to see the path Chip and he had taken which led to the
gazebo. Tomorrow, if the weather permitted,
he planned to visit it again. There was
something about that place that made it so peaceful. Having made his way completely around the
house for the second time, Lee sat down on one of the outdoor chairs on the
back patio to wait for the older couple.
The silence was broken when he heard far off to his left several voices
yelling. He saw four teenagers running
from the next-door neighbor’s house on to the property’s private dock. The two boys jumped into a small motorboat
leaving the girls to make their way down much more slowly. As they neared the boat both girls started
yelling, and Lee could see they were drenched, courtesy of a surprise bucket
attack from the boys.
They continued hopping and screaming, and in the next instant Lee was
back at the ambush with Drake. The
coffee mug slipped from his hand and broke on the patio deck, spewing its
contents all over the deck. All he could
hear or see was the screams of the two young girls caught in the crossfire and
then their bodies laid on the ground with their blood seeping into the dirt. The scene played over and over in his mind as
if on a film loop.
Chapter 4
The MacMillans were getting out of the car when they saw Lee drop the cup
and ran up the steps to him. Lee stood motionless staring out to nothingness
until he was shaken to awareness and hearing a concerned female voice calling
his name.
“Lee, Lee, dear, what's wrong? Can
you hear me? Mac, help me get him
inside, then call Dr. Jamison.”
Becoming aware
of his surroundings, Lee shook off the helping hands.
“It's okay, I'm
okay.” He shook his head as if to clear
the memory from it. “Sorry if I scared
you.”
Peggy wasn't
having any of it and she firmly took his arm and let him back into the house,
almost pushing him down onto the couch. Without
a word she went to the bar and poured a small amount of brandy into a glass.
“Here, drink
this while I make a fresh pot of coffee.
Mac, why don't you get a fire going, it's kind of chilly in here. It will make the room more cheerful.”
She was soon
back with the coffee and a plate full of brownies. She poured out three cups and handed one to
both men. Going back over to the bar she
returned with the bottle of brandy and put a bit in her cup.
“All this cold
rain is getting to me; I can use a little something to warm me up.” She offered the liquor to the others and they
both happily accepted. “You’ve just been
working yourself a little hard the last few days, dear.” She picked up his feet and before Lee could
protest set them on top of the hassock. “It’s
left over Irish Stew for us tonight so there’s no rush, we can sit back and
relax for a little while.”
Lee understood
what she was doing and was grateful for them not asking what happened. He finished off his coffee and then refilled
the cup and took a brownie. Chewing it
slowly he stared off into the crackling flames.
As he sorted out his feelings, he was surprised to realize that although
he was concerned about having the flashback, the actual events portrayed were
not nearly as upsetting as he had experienced before.
“I appreciate
you not prying into what happened out there on the porch,” he said quietly,
explaining about the teenagers and the horseplay, and how the screaming had
affected him.
“I was fine
until I heard those two teenage girls screaming and… well… I was back in a very bad place.”
Mac nodded over
his cup, staring down into the dark liquid.
“I’ve had moments like that myself, Lee.
A sweatshop factory burnt to the ground.
We lost two of our men and fifteen young illegal girls burnt to death. I had nightmares quite a while after that.”
Neither man
offered any further information. Peggy
sat there for a few moments and then left the room. He could hear her sweeping and figured she
was picking up the remnants of the broken coffee mug. Turning towards the kitchen, he saw her
putting away the groceries and then place something into the oven.
Mac was the
first to stir himself. Putting down his
coffee mug, he leaned forward and made a move on the chessboard.
“Check mate in
three.”
Lee finished his
brownie as he studied the board, considering his next move. He’d get out of this yet.
*****
That night as
promised he called Jamie and gave him an update. At first he was reluctant to recount the
incident but knew if he didn't, Mac would.
When he first arrived he wasn't sure how much they had been told about
the reason he was there, but it was obvious from what he’d overhead that they
had been warned about what symptoms he might exhibit.
“Did you get the
fish okay, Jamie?”
“Yes, I did. Harry was over and we grilled them on my
patio. In fact he just left. How are things going at Hotel Nelson? Have you decided to shave yet?”
“They put me to
work today scrubbing down walls and moving furniture. Guess they were afraid I wasn’t going to pay
my bill.” Lee rubbed a hand across his
rapidly growing facial hair. “And no, I
told you as long as I'm on vacation, so is my razor. I think I look quite sexy with a beard,” Lee
joked, then went on in a more serious tone.
“It's been raining all day so it kept me out of trouble. And it worked pretty well until…”
“What happened,
Lee?”
Reluctantly he
related the flashback incident but hurried on with his assessment of his
reaction to it. He did not want Jamie
making a house call, or even worse having to come back to the Med Center.
“Any dizziness,
headache or any other physical reactions to it?”
“No no, I just
froze. It took less than a minute with
Peggy and Mac calling me to snap me out of it but I was fine after that. Did you instruct them how to handle me if
something like that happened?”
“No. I don't want you be upset with us but, both
Harry and I agreed they had to be aware of what to be on the lookout for,
without going into all the details. I
hope they weren't too intrusive about anything.
I can talk to them you want.”
“You don't have
to, Jamie. To be honest I don't think I
could be in better hands. It's probably
one of the reasons I'm telling you about it.”
He swallowed, and carefully said, “So, are you coming out here?
“Not unless you
want a fishing buddy. You may experience
a couple more flashbacks in the coming month or so, but that’s to be expected. This was your first one; it's usually the
most severe. I also don't want you to
worry if you have a nightmare tonight about your experience, that’s quite
common. Don't forget I gave you a couple
sleeping pills if you feel you need them.
Just be careful not to take them if you had more than a couple drinks.”
Lee could hear
Jamie’s chair creak as he shifted his weight and spoke again.
“I want you to
think about what you told me. You are
more upset about relieving the tragic events.
That shows that you're coming to terms with all of it. I want you to call me in the morning, just to
let me know how you're doing and then later in the evening again. I'm not overly concerned, you know I'm a
worry wart about my favorite patient.”
Lee’s grin was
huge this time. “Good night, doctor. I still have to call my other mother hen. I'll even be good and call the admiral sometime
tomorrow so everyone will be happy.”
*****
Jamie was right. In the middle of the night Lee woke up in a
cold sweat from his nightmare. Going
into the bathroom he splashed water on his face and neck and then filled a cup
and drank it. Drying himself off, he
returned to the bedroom and grabbed his robe, knowing it'd be a while before he
would fall back to sleep. Coffee was out
of the question but maybe Peggy had the fixings for a hot cup of cocoa. That and an hour or so of reading would do
the trick.
As he reached
the ground floor he noticed there was a light on in the living room. Curious, he forgot about his drink and turned
the other way. Sitting curled up in the
leather chair was Peggy, with half a glass of wine on the table and a book that
had fallen onto the floor. Debating
whether he should wake her or not, she made the decision for him as she jumped
up, startled someone was in the room.
“I think I
should report you to babysitters international for falling asleep on the job,”
Lee joked as he reached down to pick up the book. “You didn't have to stay up, nightmares and I
are old friends.”
“I don't know
what you're talking about, Lee. I was
just enjoying a glass of wine and a book.
I must have fallen asleep. But
since you're up, is there anything I can do for you?”
“I was going to
raid the kitchen to make a cup of cocoa.”
“You sit down,
I'll get it, I don't like people messing around in my kitchen. I could just imagine what the stove would
look like after you let the milk boil over.
You want a sandwich or maybe a slice of pie?”
“No, just the
hot cocoa. You don't mind if I watch you? Somehow mine never comes out as good as when
Chip makes it.”
“You two are
pretty close, aren’t you? You've been
friends for a long time?”
“We've roomed
together since first day at the Academy.
He took me under his wing, and has been playing mother hen ever since
then.”
Her motherly
smile was telling. “I could tell he was
worried about you. You did call tonight,
didn't you?”
“I called Dr. Jamieson
first, to let him know I was alright, and then got hold of Chip. He wanted to make sure I thank you again for
all the cooking. I think he was hoping
you'd sent home another pie with me. And
you're right, he does worry about me. I'm
just afraid one of these days he'll get fed up with all my shenanigans and tell
me to… um... well you know what I mean.”
Peggy placed two
mugs on the table and then reached up above the refrigerator and pulled down a
small canister marked ‘Flour.’ “You want
two or three?”
Lee looked at
her in confusion until he saw the marshmallows in her hand. “Three please. You got trouble with pests?”
“Only the two
legged kind. Mac would eat the whole bag
if I didn’t hide ‘em. I have to do the
same at our place. Most of the time
Harry's guests are pretty informal, like you and Chip, so we end up some nights
playing poker or chess. Neither of us
are big drinkers so it's cocoa for us.”
She dropped the marshmallows in his cup.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?
The rain’s stopped and the weather forecast calls for sunshine. The fish should be really biting after a day
of rain.”
“I thought I’d
help your husband clean up the yard, and then just take a nice long walk.”
“I was going to
say you're a guest and shouldn't work, but I'd be wasting my breath. I admit I worry sometimes when Mac has to get
out that chainsaw. As for walking, since
it’s all private property around here, the only ‘trail’ is out the front of the
house and down the street, but since there’s not much traffic it’s good enough
for exercise. Now, would you like
another cup before I toddle off to bed?
“I'm fine, Peggy. I think I'll sleep fine now.” He got up and washed out his cup. As he placed it in the dish strainer he
turned to her with his little boy expression.
“Do you think maybe we can have French toast for breakfast?”
“I think that
can be arranged. Now get, you need your
sleep. Get up when you feel like it,
I’ll have everything ready and it only takes a few minutes to cook. You like that with cinnamon and banana?”
Lee was already
heading for the stairs. “Yes ma'am! I'll see you in the morning!”
*****
After devouring
his special breakfast and helping Mac chop up the branches for firewood he took
off to explore the neighborhood. Peggy
was right, although it was a paved road only two cars passed him as he headed
down the street, past the gates of other properties. A few minutes’ walk brought him to a large
open piece of land filled with boulders, which tapered off to a good-sized
chunk of lakefront. Signs indicated the
space was for local property owners, so he sized up the nearest boulder and
determined to make a run for the top. There
were plenty of footholds so he knew it would be an easy climb.
Once on top, Lee
sat down and looked around. The lake was
quiet, the breeze barely riffling the surface.
A pair of ducks gamboled by, their wake forming in the familiar v-shape. He throw his head back, enjoying the sunlight
reflecting off his face, and played over last night's phone conversations with
both Jamie and Chip. Chip had readily
agreed with the doctor’s assessment. He
even acknowledged he was happy it took place now and not at some critical point
on Seaview. Lee knew he was right. A flashback during a command situation could
cost lives; something for which he would not ever be able to forgive himself. And the nightmare last night was from the gun
battle where those innocent girls were mowed down, and not his battle with
Drake. He needed to finally come to
terms with what had happened in those final moments with his former friend. His intellect and emotions were still warring
with other each other on that score. Now
that he was physically fit, maybe he could make peace within himself.
A slight rustle
from a nearby bush disturbed his thoughts.
As he watched, two large rabbits emerged, stopped, looked at him and
thump their paws before retreating to the bush.
Excuse me for trespassing, I'm
leaving.
He got up and
carefully began his descent. He had done
enough hiking and thinking for the moment.
Tonight after dinner, he would go and explore that gazebo again.
* * * * *
As Lee made his way into the house, it was strangely
quiet. He soon had an explanation, for
there on the kitchen table was a note.
Lee,
there is chicken dumpling soup on the stove to be warmed plus a fruit and
cheese platter in the fridge. This is my
afternoon to volunteer at the hospital so dinner will be later than usual. I'm bringing home barbecue ribs. If you need him Mac is down at the boat. Peggy
He turned up the heat of the pot and then washed his
hands in the kitchen sink before setting the table. A short time later he was amazed how much he
had eaten. Exercise and fresh air had
greatly increased his appetite. After
washing up the dishes he realized he was in need of some washing himself, and
soon found himself in a shower.
After drying off and putting on clean underwear he
grabbed his robe off the hook, putting it on as he walked over to the bed. Glancing at the clock, which read 2 PM, he
realized he had not yet placed a promised call to Admiral Nelson. He made himself comfortable sitting against
the headboard, waiting for someone to pick up the phone.
“Admiral Nelson’s office.”
“Angie, it's Lee.
How's my girlfriend?”
“In your dreams, sailor. Chip's
told me how you've fallen for a
pretty redhead. You men are so fickle.”
“Peggy might have my stomach, but you always are
first in my heart, Angie,” Lee teased. “Is
the admiral around?”
“Sorry Lee, he just got on a conference call with
Senator Carter and some other bigwigs. I'm
afraid he’s going to be a while. Do you
want me to have him return your call?”
“No, I'll try calling back this evening. But you can tell him I'm doing great and
can't wait to get back to work. And that
his friends are treating me like a king.”
“I'll pass that on, Lee. I'm glad the vacation is doing its job, just
be careful with that redhead. We both
know, shall we say, how high strung they can be.” They shared the laugh as Lee
hung up the phone.
After he replaced the headset, a huge yawn escaped. I
guess the outdoors exercise did more than just increased my appetite. Nap now and then a visit to the gazebo before
dinner.
The thoughts were barely out of his mind when he
felt his eyelids closing as he settled down to a more comfortable position. Within minutes, he was sound asleep.
*****
Completely refreshed and now dressed in blue jeans
and the maroon long sleeved shirt Mrs. Morton had gave him for Christmas, Lee
walked down the seldom used path to the granite fixture. He would have to remember to ask Harry why
such an unusual thing was built. He
figured if he got the truth, it would be very interesting story.
Once he reached his destination he was again struck
by the beauty of the shelter with the multi-tinted gingko leaves adding a burst
of color to the gray white stone. He was
now thankful for his decision to revisit this place in the daylight, to enjoy
the beautiful scenery the arched openings allowed. He availed himself of the thick wall that
easily served as a bench. Looking out
over the sun kissed water with the green forest backdrop he knew he had come to
the right place.
The gods must have been smiling down on him. There was nothing to disturb his solitude
except for the occasional bird briefly stopping by. The sunlight reflecting off the lake created
a hypnotic effect on the water, and Lee found himself reliving that eventful
day. Everything seemed to unfold in slow
motion, from the first bullet fired, then the dark-haired girl’s surprised look
as a slug tore through her, the bloodied knife in his hands and finally the
loud thumping noise as a chopper flew the survivors to safety.
Lee forced himself not to pull out of the trance
like state. He willed himself to view
the scene as an outside observer. How had
he missed something as obvious as Drake’s treachery? Had there been signs? Who had known there would be civilians in the
area? Drake, perhaps, who obviously
hadn’t cared. And who had acted the same
as always, the quiet, efficient American agent -- now with a secret. Were the military policemen experienced or
untested rookies? He thought about that,
too, and concluded it wouldn’t have mattered -- everything had happened so
fast. He checked off one question after
another as he truthfully answered them. Unless
he counted himself an omniscient god, and that was one thing, even at his most
egotistical, never believed, there wasn't a damn thing he could have done to
change the outcome.
Lee felt a great burden lift off his chest. There would always be some regret and sorrow
over the loss of lives, but Peter Drake would answer for all of it. And what about his feeling towards his friend? Could he fondly remember all the good times
they had, or would he simply be a traitor to his country always? For now, the bad over weighed the good
memories, but Lee thought that might fade in time.
He took a final look out over the water and was
surprised to see the sun was close to setting.
He was reluctant to leave this place, afraid to break the spell of
solitude and serenity. He reached up and
broke off one of the smaller red colored leaves and placed it inside his wallet
as a link and then started his way back.
*****
The next day Lee insisted that the McMillans join
him on the sailboat where they spent several hours just enjoying doing nothing. That evening he treated them both to dinner at
a cozy Italian restaurant to thank them for their many kindnesses. When they returned home no one wanted the day
to end. A game of poker was quickly
started and a couple hours later both Mac and Lee were several dollars poorer.
“You two may be able to sleep in, but I’ve got to
get up and make a special goodbye breakfast.
Don't go stomping around when you come to bed, Mac. Thanks again for dinner, Lee. I'm going to be very sorry to see you go
tomorrow.”
“I hate to leave too, but I'm just afraid what kind
of trouble the admiral and Chip will get into without my steadying influence.” It was easy to joke around with Peggy, but he
also wanted her to know how he truly felt.
“Without getting all mushy, I want to thank you for all that you did for
me and I'm not talking about the food. You
were there when I needed some support but he didn't pry or push and for that I
will always be grateful. Harry’s got a
couple of valuable friends who I hope I can also call mine.”
Speechless, Peggy just reached up on her tiptoes,
kissed Lee’s cheek, and then impishly pinched his butt. Just a little playfulness between friends.
*****
The
next morning, as Lee stood drying himself off after a shower he took a good
look at himself in the mirror. Not only
was his too long hair a wavy mess and in desperate need of a military
trim, it was time for the beard to go also.
He remembered seeing a barbershop on the way to dinner last night. Correction -- a men's hair salon. It would probably cost a lot more than he was
used to but it would be worth it. After
breakfast, he would ask to borrow the car and take care of it.
Peggy
outdid herself that morning. Sitting
down, he contemplated a cup of fresh fruit, banana nut pancakes, a three egg
omelette and home fries, all accompanied by her delicious coffee. Pouring himself a cup, he broached the idea of
getting a haircut. His plan of driving
himself was quickly, and for Peggy's part quite vocally, shot down.
“Not
while you're still under my care, Lee Crane.
We were given specific orders you were not to drive until cleared
by the doctor. Just give me five minutes
to finish clearing up and I'll take you.
I need to pick up a few things at the pharmacy so I'll drop you off. When you are finished you can meet me across
the street at the coffee shop.”
After
spending these last days with her, Lee knew better than to argue. A half-hour later, he was sitting in a chair
carefully explaining to the stylist the meaning of a military haircut.
“But,
but....” the stylist argued. “Okay, I
can see getting rid of the beard, but your hair ... you look so good, and to
chop it off down to almost nothing ....”
Lee
laughed at her protests. “You don’t know
my boss. It’s got to go.”
With
a sigh of resignation, she picked up her scissors.
When the
cape was removed and his chair spun around Lee had to admit he enjoyed being
pampered just a little. As he looked
into the mirror, the face of the old Lee Crane smiled back at him, with amber
eyes bright and eager to face the next challenge without hesitation.
He gave thanks for the
help he had received from Peggy and Mac this past week. If it wasn't for their
quiet support along with Jamie's common sense advice he knew things could have
turned out very differently. And Chip, rock solid Chip who took the brunt of
the abuse during his many rants and raves. Chip never wavered in his friendship
and encouragement. He would not disappoint them.
Leaving the salon, Lee
crossed the street and spied Peggy sitting with her back to the window of the
coffee shop. As the door shut behind him, Lee saw she was deeply engrossed in a
magazine. With a devilish grin on his face, he quickly walked to the table,
spun a chair around and sat down. In his best Cary Grant impersonation he
spoke.
“Hello beautiful, where
have you been all my life?”
Peggy slapped down the
magazine and turned to tell the jerk to go away. “Mister, you need to work… Oh,
dear!” Peggy laughed. “My goodness, don't you look very handsome, Lee Crane. I
will miss those dark curls though, reminded me of Lord Byron.”
Women did say the
craziest things about his hair.... “Well, it wouldn't do for the captain
of Seaview, I'm afraid,” Lee said, laughing. ” Unfortunately, we'd
better head back. Chip should be arriving very soon.” Always a gentleman,
Lee pulled back her chair and then opened the shop door as they left. He
couldn't help but be a little envious of Mac as Peggy walked in front of him
towards the car.
*****
Because
of a snafu with some replacement parts, Chip was unable to retrieve Lee from
the cabin, sending Patterson in his place.
Still under orders not to set foot on the boat or visit his office, Lee
was forced to wait for his friend to show up at his place. Chip arrived with a large pizza and a six-pack
of beer for dinner and the latest news.
“Your
desk is clear, Lee. There’s no reason to
overtax yourself your first day back.”
“Just
how many extra hours did you spend accomplishing that task?”
“Well,
Angie helped.”
“And
did most of the work, I’ll bet.” Lee
couldn’t help but joke, happy with the thought of being back in the saddle.
“Hey,
whatever it takes. I just know I don’t
want to play captain for our next project.
That’s your gig, I’m the stern but compassionate first officer.”
“Mr. Morton, I believe you’ve been watching too
many old war movies. Anyway, thanks,
buddy, you made these past weeks bearable.
We did manage to pull it off without Jamie knowing you kept me up to
speed with your daily reports.” Lee quit
speaking when he looked at Chip’s face. “Wait
a minute, why are you grinning like a maniac?
Give!”
“Sorry,
Captain, for a spy you’re slow at spotting a scam. Who do you think gave me the go-ahead to
update you? Jamie figured you’d try and
sneak into the office when you were still in town or come back early from your
vacation. We all know what a control
freak you are. This way, you got your
rest and peace of mind at the same time.”
“That
old fraud! Telling me to keep my nose
out of the Institute affairs, all the while he was plotting with you! So much for that ‘brother’ stuff. I’m never trusting you again.”
The
two men laughed over how the wily doctor had gotten his way without engaging
his sometime mule-headed patient in a battle of wills. Chip left early, happy to turn the reins over
to Lee. After a brief but refreshing
stroll on the beach, Lee hit the sack. Tomorrow
was the big day, his final checkup with the doctor.
*****
“Well,
Captain, in the last 72 hours you have reported no headaches, dizziness or any
other complaints, even the depression is gone.
So, Skipper, to your unasked question, all restrictions have been
lifted, you're fit for the next mission.
But Lee, please, no more knocks on the head. I still would feel more comfortable if you didn’t
take the flying sub out on any joyrides for another week. Just humor this old man.”
“Anything
you say, Doc. Um, about the flying sub,
you mean just piloting it? No problems
being a passenger? The admiral has been
working on--”
“You're
impossible, Skipper. Yes, you can go on
the test ride -- as an observer only! Now
get out of here, I have sick people to see.”
Lee
hurried from the doctor's office almost afraid Jamie would change his mind. As he made his way to the hangar to check on
the upgrades for the flying sub he once more contemplated all that had occurred
in the last month. He had come to terms
with his actions concerning Drake, no longer feeling guilty or even angry. But what about the next time? Could he pull the trigger? Or would he hesitate for just a second too
long and cost an innocent being their life?
Would
there be a next time?
Reaching
the hangar, he pushed back the door and couldn't help smiling. There sat his baby, all spick and span and
ready for her flight. As he walked
around the outside, checking every inch, he heard one of the mechanics answer
the ringing phone.
“Yes,
sir. Commander Crane has just arrived. One moment, please.” The young man motioned Lee forward, holding
out the receiver. “Sir, it’s for you.”
“Lee Crane here.”