She winced as she read the text on her phone, then sighed. Well, it saved her a call, didn't it?
She quickly pocketed her phone as she made her way to the large rec room of the hospital to talk to her last soldier. After that, she would be flying out.
No, she corrected herself, after that, she'd be collecting Katie from her grandparents and then flying out. Best to save her daughter from meeting the father that would surely disappoint her. Then again, how much could a three year old take in? Would she be able to sense the rejection the man had for her and her mother? Allie thought of the pictures she had around the house so her daughter would know the face of her dad. It had been hard to find pictures of them together. Her favorite actually had been taken while they had been on vacation with Shana and John. The four of them were standing on the beach and had gotten a passerby to take their picture. That was actually on her bedside table. The picture of Dash in his uniform had been placed on the mantle with a candle that she and Katie lit every night, praying for his safe return. Then there was the collage Katie had in her room that her grandmother had put together – childhood photos, he in his high school football uniform, then in his Army dress….
Allie sighed. She would put most of those away, but let Katie keep hers in her room until she decided she no longer needed it. After all, even if Dash wasn't part of her life anymore, his parents were a big part of Katie's, and eventually she would ask questions as she got older.
She scanned the rec room, looking for her last assignment. Spotting him, she smiled and made her way over near the ping pong table where he was watching two other guys go at it.
"Who's winning?" she asked softly, crouching down beside his wheelchair.
"Hey! So you came to see me after all, Lady Jaye!" The man grinned and grabbed her in a bear hug, throwing her off balance.
Finding herself half on his lap, she laughed as she got up and dusted herself off. "Nice to see you too, Footloose! Gosh, I haven't been called Lady Jaye in years," she teased him. "How have you been feeling, Andy?"
"Well, like, it's not been too bad. I mean, they're saying I can head on home here pretty soon. I don't know, though. I kind of like it here," he said with a grin.
His mood was infectious, and she found herself wearing a silly grin on her face. It was good she had waited to see her old teammate last. It would help her leave the hospital with a more positive "vibe" as Andy would call it.
"You would," she teased. "I'm getting ready to head home myself. Anything you need me to help you with? I got that job all lined up at the ice cream shop like you asked," she said, an old joke between the two of them.
"Hey, like, you know that's one of my passions in life. Except your place doesn't have a beach."
"Hmm. You could always make one. People would be grateful you gave them something to do besides feed the cows all day."
"Yeah," he laughed, "and you chasing down all the cow thieves, right?"
"Well, I came to say goodbye before I left. Remember that favor I asked you a couple days ago?"
He nodded. "Yep," he said, "already made contact, too. In fact, I think his nurse is bringing him out here if he doesn't fight it too much. Seemed pretty surprised to see my face, I can tell you!"
"Yeah, about that," she said, fidgeting with a button on her shirt. She forced her hands down. "Just don't mention me, okay? It didn't quite go the way I thought it would."
"Oh, geeze, I'm sorry Allie. I had thought the two of you were, like, soul mates." He thought she had seemed a little tense when she had approached him. He wondered how much Flint knew about what she had done for him over the years. Knowing Allie, she hadn't told him, and probably wouldn't have, even if things had worked out. Maybe he'd have to run a little interference in that direction. Didn't seem right that he would reject her after everything she'd gone through.
"Yeah, well, anyway, just keep an eye out for him. Oh, and don't forget to look me up when you get home, okay?" she finished with a smile.
"No problemo. Can I hit on you now that you're single?"
His expression had her laughing.
"Hey, never hurts to try, right? Plus, with me, you know you'll always win an argument since I'll never have more than one leg to stand on!" he joked, doing a wheelie with his chair.
She shook her head. Of all the people she had met over the years, Andy had taken his injuries, including the loss of his left leg, in stride. Then again, he had reached his "zen" years ago on a lonely beach he had told her.
"Did you say you were going home, or home was coming to you?" he asked her, and she looked at him, puzzled.
He gestured across the room and she groaned as she saw Dash's parents and Katie bouncing into the room.
"Damn, I thought they'd be here later today," she muttered, wanting to save Katie the pain of seeing her father. That, and she had wanted a chance to explain to his parents why she wasn't staying. A text hadn't seemed quite appropriate at the time.
"It's a vast room, J, but if they're in here, he's here somewhere. You should let the two meet and see how it goes," he added sagely.
Allie muttered a few words under her breath that Footloose was glad he couldn't translate. He watched as she walked stiffly over to the other side of the room where his parents waited.
Looking around himself, he found who he was looking for and wheeled himself over to the far side of the room by the window.
"How goes it today, fearless leader?" hailed Footloose as he approached Flint. He was in a chair similar to his, only Flint's legs would regain their use after therapy. His face was partially bandaged, but Footloose already knew he was scheduled for surgery in the next few days to take care of that. He had to admit – he was curious as to what it looked like under the bandages, but figured it would be rude to ask.