Author's Note: You are allgoing to get a surprise towards the end of this chapter. I wannna thank everyone who criticized me, as well as my betas! Thanks a bunch for the encouragement too! And thanks to Elpee, my partner in watching Ben Affleck movies. And Ivelina, who put up with me and my annoying little Ben Affleck facts. LOL
Luv Ya'll!
"Rafe, her fever won't go down!" Evelyn closed her daughter's door softly. "I've tried everything!"
"Maybe we should go fetch the doctor." Rafe suggested, eyes worried.
"Tomorrow. If it doesn't go down tonight, you can go fetch him tomorrow morning. I think there might be a pebble or a piece of glass inside her hand." Evelyn paused. "Can you stay with her? I'll bring her some soup for dinner. Her mouth hurts too much to chew."
Rafe nodded and opened the door. He took the chair next to her head and softly ruffled the sweaty curls.
"Angel, come on, wake up. It's dinnertime." Rafe stroked her cheek as Evelyn placed the tray on her bedside table.
Ron's eyes opened slowly and she tried to push herself into a sitting position. She groaned softly and yawned.
"Can you help her eat? I have to go down and give Danny his dinner."
"Sure." Rafe took the spoon. "Open wide."
Ron opened. He spooned the hot liquid in her mouth. She swallowed eagerly, dehydrated from the fever. "Tell me a story Daddy."
He raised his eyebrows. "Me?"
She nodded.
"Okay. Um, what do you want it to be about?"
She shrugged and swallowed another spoonful.
"About my first flight?"
"No. The time you and Mama met. How did you meet?" She opened her mouth, waiting. He lost himself in his thoughts for a second, not seeing her.
"More!" He snapped back and fed her another mouthful.
"Well, I was a pilot, and your mom was a nurse. We met on the job. I was supposed to take an eye exam . . ."
Ron never stop turning and twisting that night. Her mother or father, staying by her bed in a vigil, would hear her cry out in her sleep every once in a while. Her fever refused to go down. By morning, Evelyn was frantic.
"Go get the doctor Rafe. She's not getting any better." Rafe obeyed and returned an hour later with the doctor.
"There is something inside her hand and it's infected badly. I think it's a piece of glass. Her fever won't go down until it's out of the flesh. I'll have to operate to get it out." The doctor concluded after examining his patient carefully and thoroughly.
Rafe and Evelyn exchanged worried glances and nodded grimly. "When?"
"The sooner, the better. If that fever rises any more, it'll get risky. Go get her things and we'll drive her to the hospital in Nashville. They should be able to do it right away."
Evelyn nodded and hurried up the stairs to put Ron's clothes and things in her duffel bag. Rafe went upstairs, wrapped his sweaty daughter in a sheet, and carried her out of the house and into the back seat of their car.
When Ron woke up, the first thing she noticed was the throbbing pain in her left hand. She lifted it up and stared at the white bandaging.
"Ron? Angel are you up?" Rafe asked, noticing his daughter had moved.
"Yeah," She mumbled. "I'm hungry. What happened?"
"Well, you were in surgery. There was a piece of glass stuck inside your hand and the doctors had to take it out."
"When can I go home? What day is it?"
"It's July fourth. And you can come home tomorrow. Mom or I will stay with you during the night."
"Where is Mama?"
"She went to the diner for lunch. She'll be back soon."
At that precise moment, Evelyn and Danny walked in the door. Seeing her daughter's eyes open and alert, Evelyn rushed over to her bedside.
"Mama!"
"Oh, Ron, are you all right?"
"Yeah, but my hand hurts."
"It'll stop soon."
"Danny!" Ron had spotted her brother.
He rushed over to her and looked at their parents. "Can I talk to her alone?"
Evelyn and Rafe suppressed smiles and exited.
"Here Ron. This is for you. Happy late birthday." He handed her a small package wrapped in pretty violet paper with pale pink ribbons. She eagerly reached toward it, but carefully unwrapped it. The paper was just too pretty to waste.
"Oh. Oh, It's wonderful!" She gasped, staring at the fist sized model airplane.
"I made it for you. You can look at it until your hand gets well enough for you to learn to fly."
"It's . . . perfect!" She examined every inch of the toy. It was carefully painted army green with tiny designs on the wings and doors. "Thank you so much."
"I just hope you're okay. I'm gonna crush Johnny for doin' this to ya."
She grabbed his arm. "No. It's my fault in the first place. I never should have told Casey about having two dads. But he heard and . . . Well, when he punched you," She looked at Danny's bruised cheekbone and eye. "I just couldn't stand it! But promise me you won't go after him again."
He sighed. "Fine. I promise. But if he EVER hurts you again, promise off."
"Agreed."
"I saw him." Danny said abruptly.
"What?" His little sister gazed at him, puzzled. "Who?"
"My father. I saw him. Yesterday. In the morning, before Mama and Rafe brought you here. I was sitting at his grave talking to him for you. He—He just appeared." All of a sudden, he realized that this might scare Ron.
She smiled at him. "What did he say?"
"Well—he said that he didn't know about me before he left for the Dolittle mission. He said that if he'd known, he wouldn't have gone. He tells me that he watches over us. Me and you. Everywhere. He's our guardian angel."
"I know."
"What?" He snapped out of his daze.
"I saw him too. He told me that he loves you and that he wants you to talk to him more."
"Oh. Well, um, I have to go now." Danny wandered to the door, and gave his sister one last smile and wave.
"I promised her a flying lesson on her birthday. She'll be crushed to find out that she's not allowed to use her hand for another four months. By then it might be too cold to fly." Rafe told his wife quietly as they waited for Danny and Ron to finish their little 'talk'.
"You know, I really don't think it's a good idea to give an eight year old girl flying lessons. She's too young."
"That's what you said about Danny, remember? Then he shocked you. He is a great pilot, isn't he?"
Evelyn smiled faintly. "He is."
"Maybe . . . maybe we could take them out to an airbase and show them around. It could be a family trip. It would fascinate both of them."
Evelyn stared at him. "Are you crazy? Take a twelve year old boy and an eight year old girl to an airbase? To a marine airbase?"
"Oh, come on. It would be fun. I could take them up for a flight, maybe take them to meet the Colonel."
"Dolittle?" Evelyn had frozen. She had never quite forgiven the man who lead Daniel to his death. The man who had sent him on a suicide mission. She did understand that Danny volunteered. But it didn't hurt any less.
Rafe nodded. "Why not?"
Danny opened the door. "I'm hungry. Can I eat my lunch now Mama?"
Ron left the hospital the next day, but was forced to stay in bed for the rest of the week. Her Daddy had promised her and Danny a surprise to make up for the crummy birthday.
"What do you think it is?" Ron asked her brother.
"I have no idea. Maybe it's a new plane."
"Or a dog."
"Or . . . a motorcycle."
"Or a television!"
"It's a trip." Rafe interrupted.
His kids looked at him eagerly, awaiting an explanation.
"We're going to Hawaii."
Yelps of happiness.
"When???" Danny yelled, excited.
"Next month. We leave on the eighth of August."
"For how long?" Ron asked, grinning from ear to ear.
"Two weeks."
Whoops of joy.
After Ron abandoned her bedrest, she began to pack. All of her summer clothes. And her special dress. Most of the blood had washed off, but some stains were still visible along the front of the fabric. But it didn't matter. Somehow, the poor cloth just couldn't get rid of violence around it. The stains would remain there forever, a reminder to the little girl, that fights never solve anything. Just spill innocent blood.
A/N: Where do you think Dolittle should live? The next chapter will be almost twice as long as this one, I think. it'll be all about the trip and stuff. Don't you just love the idea of two little kids at an army airbase?LOL.
Luv Ya'll!
"Rafe, her fever won't go down!" Evelyn closed her daughter's door softly. "I've tried everything!"
"Maybe we should go fetch the doctor." Rafe suggested, eyes worried.
"Tomorrow. If it doesn't go down tonight, you can go fetch him tomorrow morning. I think there might be a pebble or a piece of glass inside her hand." Evelyn paused. "Can you stay with her? I'll bring her some soup for dinner. Her mouth hurts too much to chew."
Rafe nodded and opened the door. He took the chair next to her head and softly ruffled the sweaty curls.
"Angel, come on, wake up. It's dinnertime." Rafe stroked her cheek as Evelyn placed the tray on her bedside table.
Ron's eyes opened slowly and she tried to push herself into a sitting position. She groaned softly and yawned.
"Can you help her eat? I have to go down and give Danny his dinner."
"Sure." Rafe took the spoon. "Open wide."
Ron opened. He spooned the hot liquid in her mouth. She swallowed eagerly, dehydrated from the fever. "Tell me a story Daddy."
He raised his eyebrows. "Me?"
She nodded.
"Okay. Um, what do you want it to be about?"
She shrugged and swallowed another spoonful.
"About my first flight?"
"No. The time you and Mama met. How did you meet?" She opened her mouth, waiting. He lost himself in his thoughts for a second, not seeing her.
"More!" He snapped back and fed her another mouthful.
"Well, I was a pilot, and your mom was a nurse. We met on the job. I was supposed to take an eye exam . . ."
Ron never stop turning and twisting that night. Her mother or father, staying by her bed in a vigil, would hear her cry out in her sleep every once in a while. Her fever refused to go down. By morning, Evelyn was frantic.
"Go get the doctor Rafe. She's not getting any better." Rafe obeyed and returned an hour later with the doctor.
"There is something inside her hand and it's infected badly. I think it's a piece of glass. Her fever won't go down until it's out of the flesh. I'll have to operate to get it out." The doctor concluded after examining his patient carefully and thoroughly.
Rafe and Evelyn exchanged worried glances and nodded grimly. "When?"
"The sooner, the better. If that fever rises any more, it'll get risky. Go get her things and we'll drive her to the hospital in Nashville. They should be able to do it right away."
Evelyn nodded and hurried up the stairs to put Ron's clothes and things in her duffel bag. Rafe went upstairs, wrapped his sweaty daughter in a sheet, and carried her out of the house and into the back seat of their car.
When Ron woke up, the first thing she noticed was the throbbing pain in her left hand. She lifted it up and stared at the white bandaging.
"Ron? Angel are you up?" Rafe asked, noticing his daughter had moved.
"Yeah," She mumbled. "I'm hungry. What happened?"
"Well, you were in surgery. There was a piece of glass stuck inside your hand and the doctors had to take it out."
"When can I go home? What day is it?"
"It's July fourth. And you can come home tomorrow. Mom or I will stay with you during the night."
"Where is Mama?"
"She went to the diner for lunch. She'll be back soon."
At that precise moment, Evelyn and Danny walked in the door. Seeing her daughter's eyes open and alert, Evelyn rushed over to her bedside.
"Mama!"
"Oh, Ron, are you all right?"
"Yeah, but my hand hurts."
"It'll stop soon."
"Danny!" Ron had spotted her brother.
He rushed over to her and looked at their parents. "Can I talk to her alone?"
Evelyn and Rafe suppressed smiles and exited.
"Here Ron. This is for you. Happy late birthday." He handed her a small package wrapped in pretty violet paper with pale pink ribbons. She eagerly reached toward it, but carefully unwrapped it. The paper was just too pretty to waste.
"Oh. Oh, It's wonderful!" She gasped, staring at the fist sized model airplane.
"I made it for you. You can look at it until your hand gets well enough for you to learn to fly."
"It's . . . perfect!" She examined every inch of the toy. It was carefully painted army green with tiny designs on the wings and doors. "Thank you so much."
"I just hope you're okay. I'm gonna crush Johnny for doin' this to ya."
She grabbed his arm. "No. It's my fault in the first place. I never should have told Casey about having two dads. But he heard and . . . Well, when he punched you," She looked at Danny's bruised cheekbone and eye. "I just couldn't stand it! But promise me you won't go after him again."
He sighed. "Fine. I promise. But if he EVER hurts you again, promise off."
"Agreed."
"I saw him." Danny said abruptly.
"What?" His little sister gazed at him, puzzled. "Who?"
"My father. I saw him. Yesterday. In the morning, before Mama and Rafe brought you here. I was sitting at his grave talking to him for you. He—He just appeared." All of a sudden, he realized that this might scare Ron.
She smiled at him. "What did he say?"
"Well—he said that he didn't know about me before he left for the Dolittle mission. He said that if he'd known, he wouldn't have gone. He tells me that he watches over us. Me and you. Everywhere. He's our guardian angel."
"I know."
"What?" He snapped out of his daze.
"I saw him too. He told me that he loves you and that he wants you to talk to him more."
"Oh. Well, um, I have to go now." Danny wandered to the door, and gave his sister one last smile and wave.
"I promised her a flying lesson on her birthday. She'll be crushed to find out that she's not allowed to use her hand for another four months. By then it might be too cold to fly." Rafe told his wife quietly as they waited for Danny and Ron to finish their little 'talk'.
"You know, I really don't think it's a good idea to give an eight year old girl flying lessons. She's too young."
"That's what you said about Danny, remember? Then he shocked you. He is a great pilot, isn't he?"
Evelyn smiled faintly. "He is."
"Maybe . . . maybe we could take them out to an airbase and show them around. It could be a family trip. It would fascinate both of them."
Evelyn stared at him. "Are you crazy? Take a twelve year old boy and an eight year old girl to an airbase? To a marine airbase?"
"Oh, come on. It would be fun. I could take them up for a flight, maybe take them to meet the Colonel."
"Dolittle?" Evelyn had frozen. She had never quite forgiven the man who lead Daniel to his death. The man who had sent him on a suicide mission. She did understand that Danny volunteered. But it didn't hurt any less.
Rafe nodded. "Why not?"
Danny opened the door. "I'm hungry. Can I eat my lunch now Mama?"
Ron left the hospital the next day, but was forced to stay in bed for the rest of the week. Her Daddy had promised her and Danny a surprise to make up for the crummy birthday.
"What do you think it is?" Ron asked her brother.
"I have no idea. Maybe it's a new plane."
"Or a dog."
"Or . . . a motorcycle."
"Or a television!"
"It's a trip." Rafe interrupted.
His kids looked at him eagerly, awaiting an explanation.
"We're going to Hawaii."
Yelps of happiness.
"When???" Danny yelled, excited.
"Next month. We leave on the eighth of August."
"For how long?" Ron asked, grinning from ear to ear.
"Two weeks."
Whoops of joy.
After Ron abandoned her bedrest, she began to pack. All of her summer clothes. And her special dress. Most of the blood had washed off, but some stains were still visible along the front of the fabric. But it didn't matter. Somehow, the poor cloth just couldn't get rid of violence around it. The stains would remain there forever, a reminder to the little girl, that fights never solve anything. Just spill innocent blood.
A/N: Where do you think Dolittle should live? The next chapter will be almost twice as long as this one, I think. it'll be all about the trip and stuff. Don't you just love the idea of two little kids at an army airbase?LOL.
