Chapter 17

The Departure

Ming and Marco were kicking their feet up watching the Patriots game when the phone rang.

"Hello,' Ming said.

"Ming, how is everything in Cambridge?"

"It's doing fine Julie. Apparently Chet is driving Dr. Craig up the wall but well that's Chet near as I can tell. Right now Lopez and I are watching the Patriots try and hand Buffalo their you know what's on a platter. How is everything in Central City?"

"It's holding together. I should be getting home tomorrow. Gary will drive me home when we get in."

"OK, so Lopez and I need not worry about meeting you?"

"No completely unnecessary. The kids are in a rush to get home."

"I'm sure," Ming said. "Chet was not in the best of moods when I saw him."

"I'll swing by and check on him when I get into town. April can always drive the kids home. If anything Chet could probably use a sympathetic ear."

The next day Julie's plane landed and the van was waiting when she came down. Brad Conklin was standing by the van.

"Julie, you ready to ride?" Brad asked as he walked over.

"Yes I am Brad, you didn't have to meet me. Gary could have driven me."

"I was available and I informed Chet Barnes to tell me when you were going to be returning so I could meet you."

"My first stop is Mass General to check on a friend of Ming's. Burn victim."

"OK then it's probably a good thing I came since this could be thought of as work related," Brad said.

They were soon enroute. When they arrived Julie went to the Front desk.

"Afternoon Julie. How was your vacation?"

"Good Elly, I'm here to see Chet Kelly."

"Room 516," Elly replied.

When Julie arrived outside the room she peeked in and saw Jeanette sitting with him.

"Excuse me Mr. Kelly but you mind if I stop in?"

"Not really. I'm not sure we've met?"

"I'm Julie Fredericks. I'm a Med student in Psychiatry over at Harvard Medical."

"You're the famous basketball player aren't you?" Jeannette realized.

"Surprisingly enough yes. Mr. Kelly, if you want I could help you get through this. While I've never suffered burns I have helped people through far worse things."

"Here is the thing Ms. Fredericks my husband is scheduled to be transferred to Rampart General in Los Angeles tomorrow?"

"What kind of flight arrangements are you figuring on?"

"I don't really know. We'll have to check with his doctors," Jeanette said as Dr. Auschlander walked in with Dr. Brackett.

"Julie, this is a surprise I thought you were back home in Iowa," Auschlander said. "Dr. Brackett this infamous young former athlete is Julie Fredericks."

"We were just discussing Chet's transfer to LA. Ms. Fredericks was asking about the flight arrangements."

"To be honest Julie we didn't make firm arrangements since we don't know when Chet's lung will be inflated enough to move him."

"When do you think that will be?"

"We hope tomorrow but well we can't be sure really," Auschlander said.

"When he is ready I've got the plane," Julie said. "Chet Kelly soon as your condition permits you are going to be flown to LA aboard Hoop Star One."

"Talk about traveling in high style," Chet said.

"That you would be Chet. One thing Hoop Star One has is room to place the gurney on which you would be laying on during your flight."

"God I hope not," Chet said.

"Unfortunately Chet you will be laying down during the flight. Your travels to and from the plane will be by ambulance."

"Oh great and I'll probably have Gage and DeSoto attending me in LA. The ride would be humiliating enough without having to deal with them," Chet muttered.

"There is no way of knowing who would be meeting you in LA."

A few days later a small motorcade pulled up to Hoop Star One. Julie used a special elevator unit to board the plane that was then lowered so that Carla and Skip could load Chet.

As Chet was leaving Federal 11's rig the crews of three different ambulances were saying goodbye. Marco rode up with Chet.

Ming then boarded as they looked out and saw Libby and Katie waving goodbye on their own while Julie's friends April and Midge helped two twin babies to wave.

Drs Brackett and Craig then took their seats while Dix and Jeanette, along with Marco, stayed with Chet in a separate area.

Melissa was excited since she was escaping the cold and snow neither of which she cared for. Shortly after that Julie took out a deck of cards and started to shuffle them.

Two Air Force guys one a Captain the other a Technical Sergeant sat down along with a lady from the Army.

An eleven-year-old girl was sitting in a seat nearby but Melissa left her alone.

"Sarah, Melissa, come on," the Captain said.

"I don't know dad. You all tend to do better then me," the eleven year old said.

"What's on your mind Captain Galloway?" Melissa wondered.

"Nothing more then a friendly game of cards," Captain Galloway said.

"Dad, I've seen your idea of a friendly game of cards. Every time you get anything better then a full house you have a hard time keeping a straight face."

"Sarah, one more remark like that and I'm going to insure you get turned into an instant paratrooper," the captain commented.

Sarah resisted sticking her tongue out.

"For the record Sarah, if we were going to be playing poker I would have attempted to convince your father before now not to include you and Melissa. Ellen, why don't you join us as well?"

"I brought my own entertainment," Ellen said holding up her book.

A few hours later a voice could be heard from the cockpit.

"LA control, this is Hoop Star One we are on a medical transport and will require an ambulance upon arrival," Colonel Barnes called ahead.

"LA control copy," the tower responded.

A couple minutes later an alarm tone was sent out from the Los Angeles County Fire Control Center.

"Squad 51 please meet an incoming flight from Boston with a medical transport at Los Angeles International Airport. Ambulance enroute, time out 13:30,"

"Squad 51 10-4 on medical transport to meet LAX," Captain Stanley responded.

"What is up with that Roy do you know?"

"No I don't Johnny. It's a toughy," Roy replied as the two paramedics headed out. "We have almost no information to go by. Where are we to meet the stupid plane?"

The Squad went in via the Emergency gate that went directly onto the tarmac and pulled over to an area. By chance the ambulance was on hand along with a civilian car.

"Afternoon Mrs. Kelly, any word on Chet?"

"The doctors are worried about him, Johnny, He seems to have almost totally given up."

"Jay, you have any clue where we are to meet the plane?" Roy asked one of the ambulance attendants.

"None, DeSoto, We won't know for sure until the plane lands."

A short time later a plane pulled up in front of them a short ways out.

"Roy, isn't that Hoop Star One?" Johnny asked noticing the 5-pointed Star with a basketball hoop and net in the center of the star on the tail fin.

"I think so," Roy said as a set of stairs was wheeled over so the first passengers could disembark.

Timmy, who was also on hand, started running when he saw his mother step off the plane.

"Mommy," he cried.

"How is my little guy?" Jeanette asked him.

"Fine mommy," Timmy said. "Where's daddy?"

"He will be along shortly," Jeanette said as Roy and Johnny slipped past.

"Oh great just what I need to get home and right away see you two freaks," Chet could be heard commenting from the plane.

Fairly soon Chet suitably sedated at Gage's insistence was loaded into the ambulance.

Timmy was watching the ambulance roll off, his eyes almost tear filled at the sight of his father's bandages.

When he saw a small piece of paper.

"Here you go Timmy. This might cheer you up?"

"What does it say? I'm still learning to read?" Timmy inquired.

"To one of my biggest fans of the next generation from Julie Fredericks #15," Sarah read to him since she had walked over.