To Know Someone Cares2
EMERGENCY FAN FICTION
I do NOT own any rights to the show EMERGENCY.
Any notes I felt were needed are at the beginning of previous chapter/s.
Ch. 5
Sandra had them walk out a set of double doors which had been put in
within the past couple of years allowing enough space to roll any bed, or
gurney, through. Once they walked outside they found themselves walking
to a building with matching doors of the one they'd just come out of.
Turning to her old friend, and the two men that he'd brought, Sandra
explained that what they first saw in this particular building would not
explain the surgery she'd been able to do, but if they'd be patient all things
would be explained. "Here we go."
Upon entering the wide open room the men saw nothing that would say
any kind of operation was possible. Wooden chairs, benches, and shelves
might as well have been frozen in times as they could have easily passed for
props in some western movie. "This is the waiting room. I have purposely
left it looking like this as to give my Barkley relatives the impression it is
indeed a half-baked clinic - as they call it. This.." Sandra went and stood by
a 3 foot white door, "leads to what they assume is my office. And the place
where everyone is taken care of." With that she allowed them to view a
room that might as well have belonged to Hyrum Baker, of Walnut Grove.
"So, where is your real office?" Johnny asked with puzzlement written on
every inch of his face.
"With most of the every day injuries, this is my office, but.." Sandra
paused and only started back up when she walked to another set of double
doors and unlocked them, "With people like Dixie.." She opened the door
and had them follow her, "I take care of them in an area down this hall. And
before they awake I have them moved, so, they find themselves where
Dixie is at; only I just got the bed she's in two days before she showed up -
believe that one, or not, I don't really care." Sandra was not surprised when
the two doctors, and one paramedic, following her stepped inside a room
divided into three sections and went into mental shock. It was Johnny that
first made a move.
"This place has almost as much updated stuff as Rampart General." His
eyes stayed wide as his hand ran itself over the counter tops, and then
touched an operating table.
"My relatives -with the exception of Vicki, Willard's wife, -know
nothing of this room. I keep the outside looking like an rustic old building
on purpose. They think I 'play my hick- doctor' thing - she shuddered at the thought of their voices speaking - and leave me alone as they think nothing
of 'real value' is within its four walls."
"Crumb, are all the Barkley's like that?" inquired Joe with disbelief in his
voice.
"No." Sandra shook her head. "They come from a long line of loving,
caring, hard -working, honest people who care about others, while
honoring and revering their maker. Unfortunately, this generation seems to
have totally lost those ethics. Well, the rich ones anyway with the exception
of Vicki. "That woman -bless her soul - convinced Willard two years ago I
deserved more than mere permission to use this place with old equipment.
She's been allowed to help me build things up under the condition Willard
plays the ignorant fool and our other relations stay in the dark. So," she
lifted her hands and smiled, "as far as any one is concerned I am working
with out of date material."
"Won't the family try to make trouble?" Kel asked concerned about any
legal repercussions the group may attempt to send his friend's way.
"Seeing as Vicki's name was on everything there's nothing they could do
to me, but , yes, they'd have caused major headaches for my cousin's wife
only this morning Vicki called, and her call put my mind at ease in regards
to anything along those lines."
"What was it about?" Johnny was more curious than Roy's children
wondering about their presents on Christmas Eve.
"Papers. Vicki said she was bringing me the finalized ones she, and I,
worked on last month."
"Papers?" Joe asked.
As if on cue a knock came on the door. Considering what was being
discussed Sandra was not surprised when her five -foot six, heavy set
female relative- with short blond hair entered the room.
'Vicki, this is Dr. Kel Brackett." Sandra nodded towards Kel - who was
standing nearest the door. "Next to him is Dr. Joe Early, and that young man
is Johnny Gage." She'd wanted to make a smart remark in regards as to the
'lad's age', but figured it would be out of place - after all - she'd just met the
fellow.
"Hi, glad to meet you." After shaking their hands the gal turned to Sandra,
"Here is the title to the house, clinic, and land surrounding it, plus the strip
that hooks it to the Davenport ranch." Vicki beamed - she loved getting one
over on her sister-n-law.
"Kim's going to have a fit, you know that." In spite of what the lady
might do Sandra couldn't help but chuckling as she thought about the
money hungry lady's reaction.
"Of course, but we know which lawyer drew those papers up. And
Willard - knowingly - signed those papers, so, trying to get this place away
from you now, or making problems for me, would be like her framing us for
murder and having Perry Mason on our side - with Burgess on hers." If
anyone had expected remorse to accompany her words they'd have been
sadly disappointed. Sandra's kin then bid them good-bye saying "Have to
get back to my place before the itch with a b shows back up."
"Vicki! You should be ashamed of yourself" Sandra chastised Vicki,
"Name calling won't fix the problem."
"No, but right now, darling, I don't give a hoot." With that she walked out
the door.
"So, Johnny.." Sandra looked straight at him, "Trust me to take care of
Dixie until she wakes up?"
"Ya, I guess so." Johnny had to admit the female doctor had a lot more at
her disposal then he'd thought at first.
"Before we go back I do have a question that I have to ask you Kel, and
it's driving me crazy." Sandra crossed her arms as she looked at him with all
the sincerity she could muster.
"And that would be?" Kel gave his famous Brackett smile to Sandra.
"How in the blazes do I know Dixie? I've been racking my brains ever since I could focus on her face, and not just her condition." The question
had Joe and Johnny ultimately confused - especially since Kel was acting
like it was the most normal question in the world.
"You honestly don't remember do you?" He leaned on the counter behind
him.
"If I did, do you think I'd be stupid enough to ask the question." When she
saw a very familiar twinkle come into his eyes she warned him, "Watch your
mouth."
"Darling, you should be able to figure that out yourself. Where's the only
place you could know her from?" He crossed his own arms and starting
speaking as if he were lecturing one of the young doctors straight out of
medical school he had working under him. "You've not ever been to Los
Angeles, Dixie's not been up to this ranch before now, and she missed
going over to Europe during World War 2, nor she spend any time in 'Nam,
and - knowing your past- I doubt you did either. So, that can't be it, but she
did do a stint in Korea. So, what's the only place you have in common?" He
lifted his left hand as to tell her 'say it'.
"Korea!" Slapping her hand on her forehead Sandra shook her head.
"Should have easily remembered her name along with the face. That lady
was one of the best nurses I got to work with then the military had the
nerve to transfer me. Told them I wanted her in my bag and they just
laughed. Now that's settled.. Let's get back to the house." Sandra stuck the
papers Vicki had brought inside pocket of her jacket and locked the doors
as they went back to the house holding Dixie.
OOOOOO
"Don't worry about our patient, Johnny has some time off work. He is
going sit with her." Sandra was speaking to Anessa. "Besides, I believe you
have homework to attend to - if you are serious about switching over to the
position of a RN."
"In that case, I'm out of here." Anessa grabbed her jacket as she willing let
Johnny take over.
"I'll be in the front room talking to Kel and Jo. Iif you need any of us,
Johnny, we're just around the corner." While the paramedic stayed with
Dixie, the three doctors sat near the fireplace and got comfortable enough to
start up a friendly conversation. Dr. Early was the first one to speak up.
"You're question outside surprised me, but not as much as your reaction to
Kel upon our arrival. How do you know each other?"
"He saved me from hell." There was no other way to put it.
"How?" Joe shot a quizzical look Kel's way - as well as her own.
"I remember it was ninety-fifty three and I'd just got back stateside. I
voluntarily got discharged thinking I just needed a breather and any
flashbacks I was having would quit." Her eyes took on a glazed look as if
her past was rolling on a screen right in the front room.
"You don't know really know me! You don't know what war is like! You
missed having to go to Europe and Korea! So , leave me alone!" Sandra's
voice rang out as she slowly moved closer to the edge of a cliff hanging
over the ocean's canvas. A young college graduate was carefully inching
his way towards her attempting to get her talked out of jumping.
"You're a good doctor, it's not your fault that politician's son died in
Korea." His voice sounded convincing, but all Sandra could see was a
young man's eye with no life in them, and half his legs completely gone.
"Stay away!" She shouted again and turned to jump only to find herself
being tackled to the ground.
"I'm not letting you jump, Sandra."
"Let go of me, Kel, you're mother's right, I have no business practicing
medicine."
"My mother's acting like a jackass. You are the best doctor that I know."
"Kel, I'm serious, let go of me!" Sandra hissed and would have spit on
his face too - had she been on her back.
"Come hell or high water, I'm not letting you go of you, Sandra. I'll keep
you pinned here all night if I have to." His jaw set firm and no matter how
hard the woman under him struggled to free herself Kel did not let up.
"You know." Sandra's eyes focused back on Joe. "I really would have
jumped had he let go. As it was he arranged to have someone with me at all
times. And when he did have free time from medical school? He refused to
leave my side. Trust me, his mother had a fit over that one." Dr. Davenport
grinned wide. "I no longer care, but back then - if it weren't for this male's
stubbornness in hanging around - I'd not have mentally survived. As it was
when I was well enough not to try and kill myself I vowed not to practice
medicine again - in spite of his urgings to do so."
"What changed your mind?" Joe asked not surprised Kel had gone to such
lengths to help out a friend.
"It doesn't matter, but, to this day I love Kel like I would my own
brother." Sandra faced her brother in spirit, "I hope Patricia appreciates the
man she's married to - because if she doesn't I'll wring her neck."
"Don't worry, she does." Kel smiled back and told both of them he'd
never meant to lose track of Sandra. "Just seemed life got in the way."
"No, Kel." The woman shook her head, " I got in the way." Sandra picked
at her slacks as she sighed. "I had healed enough to survive, but I was still fighting inside over the medicine bit." Grinning at him she promised not to
go into hiding again.
OOOO
For the next 48 hours either Kel, Joe, or Johnny, stayed by Dixie's side.
Sandra would occasionally come in and gather their friend's vitals.
"Rampart called." Sandra spoke as she walked into the room where Dixie
was still sleeping. "They want to know when ya'll are coming back."
"Good grief." Kel scowled, "Joe told them he'd be back tomorrow, and I
told them I wasn't coming back until Dixie woke up."
"Call them then, they weren't being real polite on the phone. And since
Kim has just found out about the land Vicki is using my ear to vent her
frustrations over that particular kin. Therefore, I am in no mood to deal with
them."
"I'll call." Kel's eyes showed they wouldn't like the call.
While Kel was talking to Rampart Johnny stayed with Dixie, and Joe
talked to Sandra in her office. Everything was calm until Johnny raced
through the door 'she's awake!" They all hurried to Dixie's side.
Silence filled the room the truth of Dixie not fully recognizing her
colleagues hit. Pain filled the patient's eyes as if she was aware that she
may be hurting them by not being able to tell them who they were.
"Hey, it's alright. We understand." Johnny gave a lopsided grin and laid a
hand on her arm. "That knock to your head was pretty nasty, we can't expect
you to remember everything else at once. Can we, Dr. Brackett?"
"Of course, not. I'm sure things will come back to you in time." Joe gave
his own smile, but could not keep all the concern out of his eyes.
"You just concentrate on getting out of that bed. We can - and will - be
patient with your memory." Kel's voice sounded a bit rough, but his eyes
showed Dixie he cared too much to pour salt into any wound.
Sandra had been the last one to enter the room, and she'd been delayed by
Kim just as her feet had been about to carry her closer to Dixie, but now
she walked up to the foot of the bed. "Johnny's right, that blow to your
head was no small matter. You just lay still."
"Battle Axe!" Dixie almost shouted in surprise. It was a comment that
convinced three out of four people she'd lost her mind.
