Chapter 3
When Chris wakes up, she is in the back of the ambulance. Her arm is bandaged. She looks around trying to remember what happened and where she is. She can see Jim and Hondo talking. She was alone in the ambulance. She sits up and swings her feet off the gurney. She was about to stand up when Jim looks into the ambulance.
"Hey, just sit there. You lost a significant amount of blood. You need to just rest. The EMTs are on the phone with the hospital to see if you must go in or if what they did is sufficient. Do you need anything?" Jim asks.
"Can you call Jack for me? His number is in my cellphone. Just let him know I was injured, so I might not be able to meet him at the restaurant. Then tell him I will call him when I can. Thanks." Chris says, lying back on the gurney. She closes her eyes and sighs.
"Sure. It will be under Jack?" Jim says.
"Yeah." Chris says, opening her eyes and looks up at him.
"Ok. I will go call him. Just lay there and rest. Hondo will be outside. If you need anything, call Hondo." Jim says, leaving the ambulance. Jim gets into Chris' jacket pocket to get her cellphone out. He goes to her contacts and looks for Jack. Instead of calling from Chris' phone, Jim uses his phone to call. He gets no answer. Jim figures he might be like him, not answering an unknown number. So, then he calls from Chris' phone. It is answered on the first ring.
"Hey beautiful! I thought you were at work?" Jack says, answering his phone.
"Excuse me. Is this Jack?" Jim asks.
"Yes. Why are you using Chris' phone? Who is this?" Jack asks confused and a bit angry.
"I'm sorry to call like this. I did try to call you from my phone. This is not the kind of call you leave a message. I am Jim Street, a co worker with Chris. I am also her friend. I was asked to call you about the date you have tonight. See, Chris was injured on the job. We are not sure if she can make it to the restaurant tonight for your date. She asked me to call." Jim says, trying to word it in a way that makes it sound not so serious. But serious enough to be unable to make a date.
"My God! What happened to her? Is she at the hospital?" Jack asks in a panic.
"Calm down. Chris is doing ok. She was shot in the arm. She is in an ambulance. The EMT is talking to the hospital to see if they should bring her in or let her just go home." Jim explains.
"Are they insane? Take her to the hospital. Let a doctor determine if she should stay or go home." Jack says clearly upset this is even a question.
"Jack, I know you are concerned. You have every right to feel that way. But Chris has been a valued teammate and loyal friend. We do not want anything happening to her either. But we have tried to take Chris to the hospital before and it was not pretty. I did what she asked and called you to give her message. But I need to go right now." Jim says, getting word from the EMT they are going into the hospital. "Jack, I have to go, they are taking Chris into the hospital. We are heading to Cedars." Jim hangs up. Then goes to get in the ambulance. Chris looks up at Jim sitting next to her.
"Did you give my message to Jack?" Chris asks, kind if groggy.
"Yes. I told him you were being taken to Cedars. He seems to care about you a lot. He was yelling at me. Can not wait to meet him." Jim says sarcastically.
"remember Jim, I met him in a grief counselling group. His wife died. It is probably bringing back bad memories for him. Do not take it personally. Please, be nice to him with that in mind. He is a good man. You will like him. Probably not as much as I do." Chris says then closes her eyes.
"Why did she close her eyes? Is something wrong?" Jim asks in a panic.
"Do not panic. We just gave her a shot of pain meds. That mixed with the blood loss will make her sleepy. With her weight, it could just put her right to sleep. She is hooked up to the heart monitor. So, her heart is beating fine. Her respiration is fine. She is just sleeping." The EMT says while moving some things in the ambulance. So, they ride the rest of the way to the hospital in silence.