Found Love

Chapter 7

The doctor got there quickly and with Sasha's help, began working on Mike. He made it clear that Mike was in a very precarious situation. He needed to be moved so that he could be put on monitors and properly evaluated and treated however he wouldn't survive the trip to the mainland. The small-town doctor was by no means a surgeon and made that clear. Between him, Sasha and Christine; they finally got the bleeding stopped. Mike's heart rate and breathing was steady and he woke soon after the procedure. He was weak and exhausted. As the doctor collected his tools, he gave instructions.

"I will come back tomorrow. He is not to get out of this bedroom. I would prefer he stay in bed too. If you have a bone broth of some sort, that might boost him up some. I would also prefer that he be monitored." The doctor instructed, and Christine nodded.

"Sasha, can you stay in here for a minute? I'll walk downstairs and start the broth, pay the doctor and check on the kids. I think I heard Tom down there." Christine asked, and Sasha nodded. Mike had gone back to sleep and aside from an occasional moan; seemed to be okay.

"Yeah." Sasha agreed as she pulled the chair up next to her friend. She and Mike had developed a friendship after Tom took off after the coup with Allison Shaw. It had never been anything more than a friendship, but she considered him almost like a brother. He had been a constant for the past several years. Sasha was thrilled to see him happy again. He deserved it. He had been a friend to a lot of people that didn't always respect his weird sense of humor or protectiveness, including Tom. As she sit and listened to his rhythmic breathing; she remembered that she had brought the book about the Carpenter's up and had sit it on the dresser. It could occupy her time. She grabbed it, pulled the blanket further up Mike's torso, checked his bandage and pulse and then opened the book to a passage from Admiral Carpenter.

"March 10th, 1837

My dear wife wrote the Secretary of the Navy asking for the Carolina be somehow given to me. That wouldn't be so bad, but she signed my name to it. If he found her out; she would hang. So, I did what any doting husband would do and went along with it. She only meant to help me, and I understand and love her heart.

She was successful, and I bought the Carolina for a dollar. I also have purchased the island. As it gets a bit warmer, I will sail to Hatteras and begin constructing a crude cabin with the help of our servants to house my family; and then we will begin constructing the house. It will be a long process, but it will keep our children safe.

I still hurt for Lizzie. Her birthday recently passed, and I went through her trunk of things. Our other girls could use her clothing and hair ribbons but neither Mary Katherine or I can bear to see them on our other daughters. So, we pack them away in our bedroom. Her bed also sits unused. Our younger daughters need it, but they avoid it. Ellie, our third daughter asked me to take the bed away. I understand why but it hurt my heart. She's only seven and doesn't understand it. It must be terribly hard for the girls to look at the bed every day.

We never had this issue with our other lost children. The baby and our toddler never left our bedroom. They hadn't really developed needs and interests like Lizzie had. Her books, her unfinished sewing project, hair ribbons…its always a sour reminder that she isn't here to use them. I shouldn't sound so bitter and I know she was only the child that God had lent me for a few years. She was not mine to keep; I just wish He would stop reminding me of that."

Yet again, Sasha wiped tears. It reminded her of conversations she had had with Mike after she had met him. He was lost and bitter. Even though he was still a little lost, getting to know his wife and kids again and bonding with the twins; it was a good kind of lost. Sasha heard something in the hallway and saw Mia peeking in. She gestured at her and Mia quietly came in. She eyed Mike suspiciously and Sasha pulled her onto her lap.

"Does your mommy know you're up here?" Sasha asked.

"I told her I was getting my book and she said it was okay." Mia told her, and Sasha nodded. Christine would know that Mia would feel the need to check on her father.

"Do you understand what's happened?" Sasha asked.

"Mommy said that he got really hurt taking care of her." Mia said simply. She had reached out and squeezed Mike's hand and then put her tiny hand over his much larger one.

"He did. Your daddy loves taking care of people and he's good at it." Sasha explained. She had looked down at Mia's little face and saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I want another hug. He was giving me one just before he had to go to the dock, but I'm scared I won't get anymore from him." Mia said between sobs and Sasha rocked her back and forth.

"Your daddy is one of the strongest men I have ever met. I have seen him hurt before and I have every faith that he'll be alright. Would you feel better if you could give him a kiss? You'll have to be really gentle, but I'll help you." Sasha asked.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Mia said as she wiped her tears. Sasha gently sat her on the bed and helped her lay next to Mike. Mia gave Mike a gentle kiss on the cheek and whispered something in his ear. Christine came in with a food try and smiled at them.

"Hey, sweetie; why don't you go on for now? You can come back later, maybe once he wakes up for a while. He's gonna be tired at first. I have to wake him up and feed him this. He will be in a lot of pain." Christine explained and thankfully Mia complied. She gave Mike another kiss and then very gently got off the bed. She ran off and Christine gently shook Mike awake.

"Uh…oh." Mike moaned in pain.

"Babe, I know you're hurting but the doctor wants me to give you this broth to help you regain strength. Do I need to have Tom to come up to help you sit up?" Christine asked.

"I'll try." Mike said as he pushed himself up with Sasha's help. Christine settled the tray over Mike's lap but stopped him from trying to feed himself. Sasha smiled at the devotion between the couple but decided to give them privacy.

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Don't worry about the kids." Sasha said before leaving Christine alone with Mike. Christine sat down next to Mike and began spoon feeding him.

"Bet…you never…thought you'd have to…do this." Mike said quietly.

"In sickness and in health." Christine commented with a smile.

"Better or worse." Mike agreed, and Christine bent down and kissed him.

"Mia was in here before you woke up. You were getting hugs and kisses." Christine told him.

"Wish I had been awake." Mike told her.

"I know. I figure, eat this; take a nap, maybe a bit of a bed bath and then the kids can come up and see you." Christine told him.

"Who's giving me the bed bath?" Mike asked just after she gave him another spoonful of the broth.

"I figured Ella." Christine said. She was teasing but Mike was still not alert enough to understand that.

"Absolutely not. Ella doesn't need to have to do that for me. My sweet baby girl…absolutely not." Mike said in a horrified tone and Christine started laughing.

"I am teasing but Ella would if I asked her to. Hannah too. Those girls adore their daddy." Christine assured him, and Mike settled.

"But…you'll do it, right? I really don't want Tom or Sasha to help with that." Mike asked.

"Yes, Mike; I will do it." Christine promised before giving him another kiss.

"Good. I can definitely handle you giving me a bed bath." Mike said with a dopey smile on his face.

"Easy there, big guy. Its gonna be a couple weeks before we can do anything about all this…frustration. What you get for getting stabbed." Christine told him.

"I recover quick. I'll be back on my feet by next week and will definitely not be frustrated then." Mike insisted.

"Well, since I am the one that would ease your frustrations, rest assured; I won't be doing anything until I am positive you are completely okay." Christine flirted.

"You are no fun, I will make it worth all the trouble, I promise." Mike teased back.

"You talk big. It's a good thing I know that it isn't just talk." Christine continued as she gave him another spoonful of broth.

"Better then some greasy-haired, knarl-toothed…con-artist." Mike finished.

"Never piqued my interest." Christine assured him, not that she needed to.

"I know. I am getting really tired." Mike admitted.

"You've ate enough of this. Let me sit the tray down and I'll help you." Christine told him as she stood up and placed the tray on the dresser and then turned around to help him.

"I should have asked, did Tom get the ferry pilot to the sheriff's department?" Mike asked.

"Yeah. They have enough on him to hold him. They're serving a search warrant at his address tonight and will be out tomorrow to take a statement and deal with the ferry." Christine explained. She knew Mike would want more details, but it would work for the time being.

"Do they expect to find something?" Mike asked.

"I don't know. I'm hoping they find something to give my friend some closure." Christine told him.

"Jake and Lucy?" Mike asked.

"Correct. I hope Lucy gets some closure. She has a baby boy and doesn't know if her husband is alive or dead. I understand it." Christine told him as she tucked the blankets in around his chest.

"I hope so. I love you." Mike told her. She bent back down and gave him a kiss.

"I love you too." Christine answered.

Mike was asleep before she even left the room; and while she wanted to come back upstairs to sit with him, opted to have one of the older girls sit with him. Ella and Hannah had both been pretty upset when they learned of their father's injury, obviously scared they would lose him again. Ella agreed to go upstairs, and Hannah would relieve her. Once Mike woke up, they would call for Christine to help him go to the bathroom and get cleaned up. The kids would all feel better once they knew for certain that their dad would be alright.