"Tested Hearts", chapter 14
Author: Chicmns
Category: Drama, angst
Disclaimer: All main characters belong to DPB, CBS, and Paramount.
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Thanks to all the kind reviews, including 'Not A Muggle', 'jtbwriter', 'Lyssa Grace', and 'Dreamer20715' ... I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and reactions to the story!
GW HOSPITAL
ROOM 411
Frank shook his head, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "On the floor of her room? My God...no one told me about that! You poor girls..." glancing back and forth between Mattie and Jen. "Sounds pretty scary to me."
"It was. I heard a noise, got up to check on her, and..." Jen replied, before shaking her head and looking down at her feet as she stood by Mattie's bed. Harm's mom reached over to touch her arm...then she pulled her into a hug.
"We're so glad you were there, Jennifer. Thank you for taking such good care of her and getting help." Jen gave her a pained look, then returned her eyes to a point near her feet...slowly shaking her head.
"I should have noticed it last night, ma'am. She came home, listless and flushed. She didn't have much of an appetite during dinner, either. I—I should have—"
Mattie's face fell as she remembered the events of last night, listening to it from her distressed roommate and sister's perspective. Her heart broke for Jen, knowing how much she cared about her and how much Jen valued Harm's trust in her.
"--done exactly what you did." Frank answered for both he and his wife, who nodded. "Please don't do this to yourself." he said in a quiet, certain voice.
"It wasn't your fault, Jen." Mattie whispered to Jen from her bed. Jen turned to look at her.
"I...understand that, M..." she answered, tapping her head while using her nickname for Mattie, "but I'm just having a little trouble forgiving myself, that's all." She gave her little sister a watery smile.
"Not even a direct order keeps her from blaming herself," the Admiral added, speaking from behind them. "Although why I even thought that would do any good is beyond me...don't know what I was thinking." Everyone laughed a little at that, and Jen managed to look a little embarrassed at the Admiral's teasing.
"Well...we'll all talk about it later after you're back home, Matilda," Mrs. Rabb said.
"Don't call—"
"Mattie." That one word from Harm carried a lot of emphasis, and she immediately halted the rest of her typical response, then suddenly yawned. At that moment, Dr. Masters entered the room, followed by a nurse.
"Well, look who's decided to quit sloughing off! Hello, Mattie--I'm Dr. Masters, your physician. How are you feeling?" He stood at the foot of her bed, gazing at her expectantly with a friendly smile.
"Hi, doc." Mattie smiled back, and Harm could tell she liked the young doctor right away. "I feel like I'm in a sauna, I'm really thirsty, and my throat feels tight. And, um..." she paused.
"Mattie?" he encouraged her. "What else?"
"It really hurts every time I try to take a deep breath." Worried looks appeared on everyone's faces, except for Dr. Masters and the nurse...who didn't seem surprised to hear about this symptom.
"It's to be expected, Mattie. See, you have some fluid in your lungs that's built up because of the infection in your system. We've given you some medicine to treat it, and that should go away in another day or so. Speaking of which, even though you've made a lot of progress since you were brought in, you'll be here another couple of days at least. We need to keep you on the medicine and monitor you a while longer, and I need to make sure your lungs are clear before I'll release you. So get settled, OK?"
Mattie watched his face closely during his speech, and seemed to accept what he'd told her. "Okay."
"Good. Now, could everyone excuse us for a few minutes? I need to examine Mattie again, and we need to take another blood sample."
"Sample?? What sample? Dad??" Mattie spoke in a confused voice as everyone stated to leave the room. Harm locked gazes with her, sending calm and safe thoughts through it to her.
"It's all right, sweetheart. Just do what Dr. Masters tells you, all right? We'll be right outside."
Everyone moved to the corridor just outside Mattie's room, closing the door behind them. They heard the bell of the elevator and turned to watch as Sturgis and the Roberts exited from the elevator car. Harm waved them over.
"Bud! Harriet! Sturgis! Down here!"
The three quickly joined the rest of the group, and after greetings were exchanged, Harriet went over to pull Jen into a hug.
"The admiral told us a little about what happened. Thank you for being there for Mattie when she needed help." Bud gave her a smile, too, squeezing her shoulder.
"You're welcome, ma'am...sir. And all I did was go and get the Commander, basically."
"Not totally true," Harm replied. "You kept you head, helped me with her, and were a great friend as always."
"We would have been surprised at anything less from the Petty Officer," Sturgis added. Jen blushed, thanking him with a blinding smile.
"Yes," Harm's mother agreed, enveloping Jen in another long-lasting hug of her own. "We're so happy you're with Mattie as a part of our family." Jen smiled, relaxing in the older woman's arms, sighing and closing her eyes briefly as she returned the hug. Harm crossed his arms, grinning, yet speaking with a fake wounded tone.
"Hey-what about me? Don't I get any hugs?" Harm jokingly said.
"Sorry, flyboy." Mac laughed. "We don't want to be responsible for giving you a big head."
"Little late for that, Mac." Sturgis said, and everyone laughed.
"Fine, fine. Treat me this way. At least Mattie still loves me," Harm sniffed.
"Not if you don't get her something from the gift shop, 'dad'." Jen cheekily said.
"Hmm. Might have a point there, Jen."
"Wait just a minute!" Harm's mom spoke up. "I won't have anyone spoiling my granddaughter before Frank and I have a chance! What do you think Frank and I flew out here for, anyway?" and there was another round of laughter from the group.
The door opened and Dr. Masters came out. He held the door open as the Roberts, Sturgis, Frank, and Jen reentered the room to visit with Mattie, who was the happy recipient of more hugs and kisses from the new visitors...while Harm, his parents, Mac, and the Admiral hung back in the hallway to hear from the young pediatrician who stood with them.
"How's my granddaughter doing, doctor?" Harm's mom came right to the point.
"She's doing a lot better since we checked her at 4PM, ma'am. The last set of X-rays showed a continued reduction in the amount of fluid in her lungs, and her fever has now dropped to," and he paused to check his PMC, "100.1. We're still waiting on the results of the blood tests we did earlier, and we'll process the sample we just took for comparison. She seems alert, but she's still very weak and needs lots of rest. I would like her energy to be devoted to recovery, so if we could keep the number of visits down to a dull roar, I'd be grateful." He smiled at the group around him.
"What else do we need to do, doctor?" Harm asked.
"Well, she's still in the middle of her regimen, Mr. Rabb, and I want to make sure she has no residual infections before we let her go home. Even after she's released, she'll need to take it easy for a few days until her strength returns. No school or heavy activity for a week or so...that kind of thing."
"We understand." Mac replied.
"Why don't you folks keep her company for another few minutes, then she needs to get some sleep. If her improvement continues as it has, we'll try her on some solid food tomorrow and take it from there. I'm on rotation for three more hours, so please have me paged if you need me. One of the nurses will come back when it's time. I don't expect Mattie will have any trouble sleeping, but if she shows signs of not being able to drift off, let us know. I'll prescribe something to let her sleep."
"Thanks, doctor." Harm smiled at him, and shook his hand.
"Mattie's doing most of the work, sir. She's coming along very well, and having her family and friends close by is a big help, too. Good night, and I'll see you all tomorrow morning." He smiled and turned to walk down the hall as the group headed back into the now somewhat crowded room.
"Dad! Mom! You aren't leaving yet, are you?" Mattie asked them.
The two parents chuckled as they came closer to their daughter. "Not yet, honey," Mac answered.
"I can't believe I'm stuck in here another couple of days. Rats..."
"Now, Mattie...you're still sick, ok? And you're going to do everything the doctor says to get better – understood?" Harm told her.
"Yes, sir." The glum look on Mattie's face was cute and heart-rending at the same time.
"And your granddad and I will be here with you until you go home, and we'll take care of you there while everyone's at work. We're not leaving till we know you're well again." her grandmother added. Mattie's face broke out in a smile.
"Cool!" Her grandmother watched her with a look of pure love, and laughed.
"Of course it's cool...Matilda!" She emphasized the longer name with a teasing note in her voice. Mattie narrowed her eyes, then looked up at the Admiral who stood nearby, a bemused look on his face.
"Sir, can't you, um, order her or something to call me 'Mattie' like everyone else?" Mattie whined good-naturedly.
The Admiral patted her shoulder. "Sorry, young lady. Your grandparents are outside of my chain of command."
Mattie changed tactics. "I didn't think anything was outside of your authority, sir."
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" he looked up at the ceiling, answering her with a wry smirk. "And I see you've acquired some of Coates' manipulation tactics. Flattery, in this case at least, will get you nowhere. Carry out your orders like any good sailor, Matilda." Mattie huffed and glanced at her grandmother, who uncharacteristically stuck out her tongue at her, causing Mattie to glare back at her as everyone laughed. Then Mattie turned back to the Admiral, narrowing her eyes.
"Thanks for all your help, sir." They exchanged a fond look, grinning at each other. Jen shook her head, watching these two people who were more fond of each other than either would ever let on.
Harm clapped his hands together at that moment. "All right, folks. Say your good nights...Mattie needs to rest, and Jen--you have class."
"But—"Mattie began.
"Mattie???" Harm quickly responded, throwing a significant look at her.
"sighhhhh."
"That's what I thought. Mom, Frank...why don't you stay at my place tonight? Mac—could you take them home?"
"What about you, son?" his mother asked...although she already knew what he would do, as she and Frank both kissed Mattie good night.
"I'm staying here with Mattie tonight. I'll sleep in the spare bed, and come home in the morning to change while she's seeing Dr. Masters. You guys can come back then."
"And bust me out of this joint for a big breakfast, right?" Mattie added, a hopeful look on her face.
"Like I said before...dream on, sister!" Jen replied, giggling.
"Mattie, I think you're going be on hospital food for the next day or so, at least." Harriet added. Mattie scowled, but no one disagreed or volunteered to save her, so she sighed and yawned again, leaning back against her pillows.
Mac spoke up while helping Mattie get better settled in bed. "I'll be back once I've gotten Frank and Helen squared away, Harm."
"That's OK, Mac. Go home and get a good night's sleep."
"Can you stay with me tomorrow night, Mom?" Mattie whispered. Mac looked back and forth between Harm and Mattie, and finally gave in. "Alright, sweetie. I'll come back with your grandparents in the morning." She smiled down at Mattie, pursing her lips in frustration. "I don't want to leave your side." Mattie grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"You're always close to me, Mom." She smiled, yawning again...her eyes starting to close as sleep quickly came. Mac leaned over her, kissing her cheek and whispering, "I love you, Mattie. Sweet dreams."
"Night, Mom. Love you too." Mattie answered in a sleep-filled voice.
Everyone started to gather their belongings...the Admiral helping with the Rabbs' luggage. Harm stood next to Mattie, holding her hand in his as he watched his family and friends leave for the night. "We'll see you all tomorrow," he whispered to them. Harm's mom came back, kissed and hugged him, and said good night. The Admiral nodded at him, mouthing, "Call me if you two need anything," and getting a nod in return before following the Rabbs and Roberts out of the room.
Jen was the last one at the door...pausing at the door before swiftly moving back to Mattie's sleeping form. She dropped a kiss on her forehead, then smiled at Harm and picked up her purse and books to leave. Before she reached the door, she heard Harm's voice. "Jen?" She stopped and turned back to face him.
"Yes, Harm?"
"Don't worry about anything. Just concentrate on class and call me on my cell when you get back home tonight... so I know you're back home OK," he whispered.
She nodded, grinned that grin of hers that told him she knew he was fussing over her, but loved it anyway...and quietly left.
Harm looked down at Mattie who'd fallen into a deep sleep, still holding his hand, as the monitors continued their soft beeps.
MATTIE'S HIGH SCHOOL THE NEXT MORNING
Andre hurried from the bus, walking with a determined stride into the school and, once inside, towards Miss Barrows' office...wanting to catch her before first period class. He needed to find out if Mattie had gotten any better since the last time he and Miss Barrows spoke...and as he came to the open door of her office, he paused to gather his breath before knocking.
Entering the room at her invitation, he saw her sitting and writing at her desk. "Morning, Miss Barrows."
"Good morning, Andre. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. You?"
"Good. I have some news for you about Mattie. Have a seat."
He took the wooden chair in front of her battered metal desk, and waited. His grandmother had taught him the value of having patient conversations, especially with his elders...and her lessons immediately came back to mind. Miss Barrows smiled at him, as if to let him know she appreciated that he didn't immediately bombard her with questions...then sighed, laying her pen down on the top of her papers.
"I spoke with Mattie's dad yesterday, Andre, and he told me that her fever's come down quite a bit, although it's still up there. Her doctor is very pleased, though, and even though she hadn't regained consciousness by then, her dad didn't sound worried."
Andre breathed a sigh of relief. That sounded pretty good, considering. He still wished that Mattie would wake up. Her still being unconscious worried him. Before he could ask her any questions, her office phone rang. Giving him an apologetic smile, she picked up the handset and spoke.
"Hello? Oh, good morning, Mr. Rabb!" At hearing the name, Andre's ears picked up. His grandmother also taught him not to pay attention to phone conversations that didn't involve him, but this was about his friend. He watched Miss Barrows' face closely for any signs of good--or bad--news.
"Oh, that's great, sir! Last evening, hmm? Did she say much?" A smile worked its' way to Andre's face; Mattie had woken up, apparently, and was talking. Sounded pretty normal to him. "And the fever? Wonderful...that's a relief. What does the doctor think now?" She grunted occasionally as he listened to Mattie's dad give an update, then... "Well, that's very encouraging. I'll let her teachers know. Andre? As a matter of fact, he's right here with me. Would you like to speak to him? No problem--here he is." She handed the phone to him, and he cleared his throat.
"Sir? This is Andre Biggs. I'm, um, really glad Mattie's feeling better."
"Thanks, Andre. We are, too. She woke up yesterday, a little confused but in good spirits, and she's had a good night of sleep that's not quite over yet. I wanted to thank you for asking about her and volunteering to collect all her homework assignments."
"No problem, sir. I'm not sure she'll be too happy about me bringing her work to her, but I'll risk it. She might just throw it back at me!", he replied, laughing. Harm returned it, surprised that this young man apparently knew Mattie so well.
"She's still too sick to throw things, so you should be safe for now — I think. She's starting to feel a lot better, son. Her grandparents got in last night just as she was waking up, and I think that helped her a lot. She went back to sleep soon after, and she's still got a fever...which is getting lower hour by hour."
Andre nodded into the phone as Miss Barrows watched. "That's really great, sir. She's told me a lot about her grandparents. I can tell she loves them big time. Could ... do you think it would be OK if I came by to see her?"
"Well, we need to see how she's doing after she wakes up and after her doctor's had a chance to examine her again. Hopefully she'll feel even better today. Tell you what—why don't you stay in touch with Miss Barrows during the day, and I'll keep you guys up to date on how she's doing? And if she's OK with it and feeling well enough, you and Miss Barrows can drop by after school. How does that sound?"
"Great, sir! I appreciate it a lot. It's pretty quiet around here without her." He heard Mattie's dad laugh again, and was a little puzzled...until Harm explained his reaction -- in a way. "My daughter's a handful, that's for sure."
"She, um ... she loves you and the Colonel a lot, sir. More than anything else in the world."
There was silence on the line, and Andre glanced up to see Miss Barrows smiling at him...then started to apologize to Harm for getting too personal ... when he heard Harm's choked voice come back on the line.
"We love her too, Andre. And I'm glad she has a good friend like you."
"Thanks, but I'm the lucky one, sir. Mattie...well, she has this way of making things work around her. You know?"
"I sure do." Harm was astounded at the perceptive nature of the young man he was speaking to. Mattie chose friends very well. "Listen, Andre...I have to get back to her, but...would you like to go flying with us when she's recovered?"
"In the Stearman, sir?!? Wow--that would be SO great! She talks about your plane all the time!!"
Harm laughed again, pleased that he and Mattie had apparently found another person who would appreciate the thrills of flying in his Stearman. "We can talk more about flying plans when you come by the hospital. For now, let me speak with Miss Barrows again, and hopefully you and I will chat more after school. All right?"
"Yes, sir! And...please tell Mattie I miss her when she wakes up. Maybe that will help keep me out of trouble when I bring the homework," he added in a surprisingly wry voice. "Goodbye, sir—here's Miss Barrows again." He handed the phone back, the sounds of Harm's laughter filling the air around the desk, to the smiling counselor/nurse.
"Mr. Rabb? Yes, he is. Andre's one of our best students. I'm glad he and Mattie are friends. Good! Well, I'll be here when you call back, sir, and thanks for keeping us informed. I'll pass along her status to the office staff, and we'll do whatever we can to help. Andre and I will stop by after school lets out, her condition permitting. I just need to verify with his grandmother that he can come with me, and then we should be all set. Yes, sir. We can't wait to see her again, Mr. Rabb. Take care. Bye." She hung up the phone, and looked at Andre.
"Well, Andre—looks like you've made quite an impression on Mattie's dad!" The young man in front of her wore a smile as big as day.
"Mattie's feeling better...and her dad's taking me flying, Miss Barrows!"
She grinned at the excitement that filled his face. Mattie had mentioned to her about she and her adopted father's shared love of planes and flying, and how that had been a big reason they'd found each other. She smiled again, then glanced at the clock on her desk and looked up. "Well, you'd better get to class, Andre. Check back with me during lunch, and we'll see where things are then. Meanwhile, I'll call your grandmother and ask her for permission for you and I going to see Mattie. I can also take you home afterward — I'm not sure if the buses will get you home from GW."
"Thanks, Miss Barrows! See you at lunch!" He stood, threw his backpack onto his shoulder, and jogged from the office.
GOOD HOPE TREATMENT CENTER
Tom Johnson sat in the common room of the treatment facility, silently stewing over his conversation with Sarah MacKenzie the previous day. How dare she speak to him like that! Didn't she understand, as any woman should, that Mattie was HIS biological daughter ... no matter how bad things were between them at the time? And that, once Mattie had gotten over the hurt and anger she carried over her mother's tragic death, they would be a real family again – not one cobbled together with different bits and pieces?!?
Well, he thought to himself, once he'd reported their conversation to Social Services, along with the circumstances of Mattie's illness and mistreatment ... things would fall back in his favor. And when Mattie saw how determined he was to be her dad again, well ... she'd come around.
Having convinced himself of something only he could see, he went to the phone in order to make some calls and then request an emergency pass to visit Mattie in the hospital.
GW HOSPITAL ROOM 411
Harm pocketed his cell phone after calling Miss Barrows and speaking with both she and Andre, Mattie's friend. He hoped that Mattie would feel up to a visit from the young man this afternoon ... Harm was anxious to talk with him again in person. And his visit would cheer Mattie up, as well. He knew she wasn't happy about spending time in the hospital, as anyone wouldn't be. Harm was as determined as her doctor, though, to make sure she was completely OK before she left this place. He didn't want to have to bring her back if they rushed her home too early. No way he'd risk Mattie's health, or allow her to risk her own health, that way.
Sitting on the extra bed he's scooted close to hers, he watched her still, sleeping form ... her long, unruly hair splayed all over the pillows. A nurse was adjusting her oxygen tube and double-checking her IV, being careful not to wake her until her own body decided it was time to wake up.
Harm smiled at the nurse as she finished her checks and quietly left Mattie's room. They were so professional here, he thought. Mattie couldn't be in better care, and Harm was grateful Dr. Masters had been available when they'd arrived.
Mac had called him late last night after she'd gotten his parents settled at his place, and she'd told him then about her conversation with Tom Johnson. Harm was worried about what Tom would do, and decided that his non- appearance at the hospital so far was an ominous sign. Something told him that there would be trouble out of this situation, and he gently squeezed Mattie's hand in his as he swore to protect her from anything that might happen. 'I promise I won't let him bring any more pain into your life, Mattie,' he thought as he watched her sleep. He'd also told Jen about the conversation when she'd called him back after getting home from class last night ... and he'd asked her to call him immediately if Tom showed up or called their apartment. Harm's legal instincts were screaming at him in warning, and he decided to talk to Mac and the Admiral about it today after Mac had called Social Services to make her report to their social worker.
Harm sighed, thrilled that Mattie was recovering and in good hands ... but worried over the challenges that might be coming at them next.
END OF CHAPTER 14
Author: Chicmns
Category: Drama, angst
Disclaimer: All main characters belong to DPB, CBS, and Paramount.
Rating: G
Author's Notes: Thanks to all the kind reviews, including 'Not A Muggle', 'jtbwriter', 'Lyssa Grace', and 'Dreamer20715' ... I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and reactions to the story!
GW HOSPITAL
ROOM 411
Frank shook his head, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "On the floor of her room? My God...no one told me about that! You poor girls..." glancing back and forth between Mattie and Jen. "Sounds pretty scary to me."
"It was. I heard a noise, got up to check on her, and..." Jen replied, before shaking her head and looking down at her feet as she stood by Mattie's bed. Harm's mom reached over to touch her arm...then she pulled her into a hug.
"We're so glad you were there, Jennifer. Thank you for taking such good care of her and getting help." Jen gave her a pained look, then returned her eyes to a point near her feet...slowly shaking her head.
"I should have noticed it last night, ma'am. She came home, listless and flushed. She didn't have much of an appetite during dinner, either. I—I should have—"
Mattie's face fell as she remembered the events of last night, listening to it from her distressed roommate and sister's perspective. Her heart broke for Jen, knowing how much she cared about her and how much Jen valued Harm's trust in her.
"--done exactly what you did." Frank answered for both he and his wife, who nodded. "Please don't do this to yourself." he said in a quiet, certain voice.
"It wasn't your fault, Jen." Mattie whispered to Jen from her bed. Jen turned to look at her.
"I...understand that, M..." she answered, tapping her head while using her nickname for Mattie, "but I'm just having a little trouble forgiving myself, that's all." She gave her little sister a watery smile.
"Not even a direct order keeps her from blaming herself," the Admiral added, speaking from behind them. "Although why I even thought that would do any good is beyond me...don't know what I was thinking." Everyone laughed a little at that, and Jen managed to look a little embarrassed at the Admiral's teasing.
"Well...we'll all talk about it later after you're back home, Matilda," Mrs. Rabb said.
"Don't call—"
"Mattie." That one word from Harm carried a lot of emphasis, and she immediately halted the rest of her typical response, then suddenly yawned. At that moment, Dr. Masters entered the room, followed by a nurse.
"Well, look who's decided to quit sloughing off! Hello, Mattie--I'm Dr. Masters, your physician. How are you feeling?" He stood at the foot of her bed, gazing at her expectantly with a friendly smile.
"Hi, doc." Mattie smiled back, and Harm could tell she liked the young doctor right away. "I feel like I'm in a sauna, I'm really thirsty, and my throat feels tight. And, um..." she paused.
"Mattie?" he encouraged her. "What else?"
"It really hurts every time I try to take a deep breath." Worried looks appeared on everyone's faces, except for Dr. Masters and the nurse...who didn't seem surprised to hear about this symptom.
"It's to be expected, Mattie. See, you have some fluid in your lungs that's built up because of the infection in your system. We've given you some medicine to treat it, and that should go away in another day or so. Speaking of which, even though you've made a lot of progress since you were brought in, you'll be here another couple of days at least. We need to keep you on the medicine and monitor you a while longer, and I need to make sure your lungs are clear before I'll release you. So get settled, OK?"
Mattie watched his face closely during his speech, and seemed to accept what he'd told her. "Okay."
"Good. Now, could everyone excuse us for a few minutes? I need to examine Mattie again, and we need to take another blood sample."
"Sample?? What sample? Dad??" Mattie spoke in a confused voice as everyone stated to leave the room. Harm locked gazes with her, sending calm and safe thoughts through it to her.
"It's all right, sweetheart. Just do what Dr. Masters tells you, all right? We'll be right outside."
Everyone moved to the corridor just outside Mattie's room, closing the door behind them. They heard the bell of the elevator and turned to watch as Sturgis and the Roberts exited from the elevator car. Harm waved them over.
"Bud! Harriet! Sturgis! Down here!"
The three quickly joined the rest of the group, and after greetings were exchanged, Harriet went over to pull Jen into a hug.
"The admiral told us a little about what happened. Thank you for being there for Mattie when she needed help." Bud gave her a smile, too, squeezing her shoulder.
"You're welcome, ma'am...sir. And all I did was go and get the Commander, basically."
"Not totally true," Harm replied. "You kept you head, helped me with her, and were a great friend as always."
"We would have been surprised at anything less from the Petty Officer," Sturgis added. Jen blushed, thanking him with a blinding smile.
"Yes," Harm's mother agreed, enveloping Jen in another long-lasting hug of her own. "We're so happy you're with Mattie as a part of our family." Jen smiled, relaxing in the older woman's arms, sighing and closing her eyes briefly as she returned the hug. Harm crossed his arms, grinning, yet speaking with a fake wounded tone.
"Hey-what about me? Don't I get any hugs?" Harm jokingly said.
"Sorry, flyboy." Mac laughed. "We don't want to be responsible for giving you a big head."
"Little late for that, Mac." Sturgis said, and everyone laughed.
"Fine, fine. Treat me this way. At least Mattie still loves me," Harm sniffed.
"Not if you don't get her something from the gift shop, 'dad'." Jen cheekily said.
"Hmm. Might have a point there, Jen."
"Wait just a minute!" Harm's mom spoke up. "I won't have anyone spoiling my granddaughter before Frank and I have a chance! What do you think Frank and I flew out here for, anyway?" and there was another round of laughter from the group.
The door opened and Dr. Masters came out. He held the door open as the Roberts, Sturgis, Frank, and Jen reentered the room to visit with Mattie, who was the happy recipient of more hugs and kisses from the new visitors...while Harm, his parents, Mac, and the Admiral hung back in the hallway to hear from the young pediatrician who stood with them.
"How's my granddaughter doing, doctor?" Harm's mom came right to the point.
"She's doing a lot better since we checked her at 4PM, ma'am. The last set of X-rays showed a continued reduction in the amount of fluid in her lungs, and her fever has now dropped to," and he paused to check his PMC, "100.1. We're still waiting on the results of the blood tests we did earlier, and we'll process the sample we just took for comparison. She seems alert, but she's still very weak and needs lots of rest. I would like her energy to be devoted to recovery, so if we could keep the number of visits down to a dull roar, I'd be grateful." He smiled at the group around him.
"What else do we need to do, doctor?" Harm asked.
"Well, she's still in the middle of her regimen, Mr. Rabb, and I want to make sure she has no residual infections before we let her go home. Even after she's released, she'll need to take it easy for a few days until her strength returns. No school or heavy activity for a week or so...that kind of thing."
"We understand." Mac replied.
"Why don't you folks keep her company for another few minutes, then she needs to get some sleep. If her improvement continues as it has, we'll try her on some solid food tomorrow and take it from there. I'm on rotation for three more hours, so please have me paged if you need me. One of the nurses will come back when it's time. I don't expect Mattie will have any trouble sleeping, but if she shows signs of not being able to drift off, let us know. I'll prescribe something to let her sleep."
"Thanks, doctor." Harm smiled at him, and shook his hand.
"Mattie's doing most of the work, sir. She's coming along very well, and having her family and friends close by is a big help, too. Good night, and I'll see you all tomorrow morning." He smiled and turned to walk down the hall as the group headed back into the now somewhat crowded room.
"Dad! Mom! You aren't leaving yet, are you?" Mattie asked them.
The two parents chuckled as they came closer to their daughter. "Not yet, honey," Mac answered.
"I can't believe I'm stuck in here another couple of days. Rats..."
"Now, Mattie...you're still sick, ok? And you're going to do everything the doctor says to get better – understood?" Harm told her.
"Yes, sir." The glum look on Mattie's face was cute and heart-rending at the same time.
"And your granddad and I will be here with you until you go home, and we'll take care of you there while everyone's at work. We're not leaving till we know you're well again." her grandmother added. Mattie's face broke out in a smile.
"Cool!" Her grandmother watched her with a look of pure love, and laughed.
"Of course it's cool...Matilda!" She emphasized the longer name with a teasing note in her voice. Mattie narrowed her eyes, then looked up at the Admiral who stood nearby, a bemused look on his face.
"Sir, can't you, um, order her or something to call me 'Mattie' like everyone else?" Mattie whined good-naturedly.
The Admiral patted her shoulder. "Sorry, young lady. Your grandparents are outside of my chain of command."
Mattie changed tactics. "I didn't think anything was outside of your authority, sir."
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" he looked up at the ceiling, answering her with a wry smirk. "And I see you've acquired some of Coates' manipulation tactics. Flattery, in this case at least, will get you nowhere. Carry out your orders like any good sailor, Matilda." Mattie huffed and glanced at her grandmother, who uncharacteristically stuck out her tongue at her, causing Mattie to glare back at her as everyone laughed. Then Mattie turned back to the Admiral, narrowing her eyes.
"Thanks for all your help, sir." They exchanged a fond look, grinning at each other. Jen shook her head, watching these two people who were more fond of each other than either would ever let on.
Harm clapped his hands together at that moment. "All right, folks. Say your good nights...Mattie needs to rest, and Jen--you have class."
"But—"Mattie began.
"Mattie???" Harm quickly responded, throwing a significant look at her.
"sighhhhh."
"That's what I thought. Mom, Frank...why don't you stay at my place tonight? Mac—could you take them home?"
"What about you, son?" his mother asked...although she already knew what he would do, as she and Frank both kissed Mattie good night.
"I'm staying here with Mattie tonight. I'll sleep in the spare bed, and come home in the morning to change while she's seeing Dr. Masters. You guys can come back then."
"And bust me out of this joint for a big breakfast, right?" Mattie added, a hopeful look on her face.
"Like I said before...dream on, sister!" Jen replied, giggling.
"Mattie, I think you're going be on hospital food for the next day or so, at least." Harriet added. Mattie scowled, but no one disagreed or volunteered to save her, so she sighed and yawned again, leaning back against her pillows.
Mac spoke up while helping Mattie get better settled in bed. "I'll be back once I've gotten Frank and Helen squared away, Harm."
"That's OK, Mac. Go home and get a good night's sleep."
"Can you stay with me tomorrow night, Mom?" Mattie whispered. Mac looked back and forth between Harm and Mattie, and finally gave in. "Alright, sweetie. I'll come back with your grandparents in the morning." She smiled down at Mattie, pursing her lips in frustration. "I don't want to leave your side." Mattie grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"You're always close to me, Mom." She smiled, yawning again...her eyes starting to close as sleep quickly came. Mac leaned over her, kissing her cheek and whispering, "I love you, Mattie. Sweet dreams."
"Night, Mom. Love you too." Mattie answered in a sleep-filled voice.
Everyone started to gather their belongings...the Admiral helping with the Rabbs' luggage. Harm stood next to Mattie, holding her hand in his as he watched his family and friends leave for the night. "We'll see you all tomorrow," he whispered to them. Harm's mom came back, kissed and hugged him, and said good night. The Admiral nodded at him, mouthing, "Call me if you two need anything," and getting a nod in return before following the Rabbs and Roberts out of the room.
Jen was the last one at the door...pausing at the door before swiftly moving back to Mattie's sleeping form. She dropped a kiss on her forehead, then smiled at Harm and picked up her purse and books to leave. Before she reached the door, she heard Harm's voice. "Jen?" She stopped and turned back to face him.
"Yes, Harm?"
"Don't worry about anything. Just concentrate on class and call me on my cell when you get back home tonight... so I know you're back home OK," he whispered.
She nodded, grinned that grin of hers that told him she knew he was fussing over her, but loved it anyway...and quietly left.
Harm looked down at Mattie who'd fallen into a deep sleep, still holding his hand, as the monitors continued their soft beeps.
MATTIE'S HIGH SCHOOL THE NEXT MORNING
Andre hurried from the bus, walking with a determined stride into the school and, once inside, towards Miss Barrows' office...wanting to catch her before first period class. He needed to find out if Mattie had gotten any better since the last time he and Miss Barrows spoke...and as he came to the open door of her office, he paused to gather his breath before knocking.
Entering the room at her invitation, he saw her sitting and writing at her desk. "Morning, Miss Barrows."
"Good morning, Andre. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. You?"
"Good. I have some news for you about Mattie. Have a seat."
He took the wooden chair in front of her battered metal desk, and waited. His grandmother had taught him the value of having patient conversations, especially with his elders...and her lessons immediately came back to mind. Miss Barrows smiled at him, as if to let him know she appreciated that he didn't immediately bombard her with questions...then sighed, laying her pen down on the top of her papers.
"I spoke with Mattie's dad yesterday, Andre, and he told me that her fever's come down quite a bit, although it's still up there. Her doctor is very pleased, though, and even though she hadn't regained consciousness by then, her dad didn't sound worried."
Andre breathed a sigh of relief. That sounded pretty good, considering. He still wished that Mattie would wake up. Her still being unconscious worried him. Before he could ask her any questions, her office phone rang. Giving him an apologetic smile, she picked up the handset and spoke.
"Hello? Oh, good morning, Mr. Rabb!" At hearing the name, Andre's ears picked up. His grandmother also taught him not to pay attention to phone conversations that didn't involve him, but this was about his friend. He watched Miss Barrows' face closely for any signs of good--or bad--news.
"Oh, that's great, sir! Last evening, hmm? Did she say much?" A smile worked its' way to Andre's face; Mattie had woken up, apparently, and was talking. Sounded pretty normal to him. "And the fever? Wonderful...that's a relief. What does the doctor think now?" She grunted occasionally as he listened to Mattie's dad give an update, then... "Well, that's very encouraging. I'll let her teachers know. Andre? As a matter of fact, he's right here with me. Would you like to speak to him? No problem--here he is." She handed the phone to him, and he cleared his throat.
"Sir? This is Andre Biggs. I'm, um, really glad Mattie's feeling better."
"Thanks, Andre. We are, too. She woke up yesterday, a little confused but in good spirits, and she's had a good night of sleep that's not quite over yet. I wanted to thank you for asking about her and volunteering to collect all her homework assignments."
"No problem, sir. I'm not sure she'll be too happy about me bringing her work to her, but I'll risk it. She might just throw it back at me!", he replied, laughing. Harm returned it, surprised that this young man apparently knew Mattie so well.
"She's still too sick to throw things, so you should be safe for now — I think. She's starting to feel a lot better, son. Her grandparents got in last night just as she was waking up, and I think that helped her a lot. She went back to sleep soon after, and she's still got a fever...which is getting lower hour by hour."
Andre nodded into the phone as Miss Barrows watched. "That's really great, sir. She's told me a lot about her grandparents. I can tell she loves them big time. Could ... do you think it would be OK if I came by to see her?"
"Well, we need to see how she's doing after she wakes up and after her doctor's had a chance to examine her again. Hopefully she'll feel even better today. Tell you what—why don't you stay in touch with Miss Barrows during the day, and I'll keep you guys up to date on how she's doing? And if she's OK with it and feeling well enough, you and Miss Barrows can drop by after school. How does that sound?"
"Great, sir! I appreciate it a lot. It's pretty quiet around here without her." He heard Mattie's dad laugh again, and was a little puzzled...until Harm explained his reaction -- in a way. "My daughter's a handful, that's for sure."
"She, um ... she loves you and the Colonel a lot, sir. More than anything else in the world."
There was silence on the line, and Andre glanced up to see Miss Barrows smiling at him...then started to apologize to Harm for getting too personal ... when he heard Harm's choked voice come back on the line.
"We love her too, Andre. And I'm glad she has a good friend like you."
"Thanks, but I'm the lucky one, sir. Mattie...well, she has this way of making things work around her. You know?"
"I sure do." Harm was astounded at the perceptive nature of the young man he was speaking to. Mattie chose friends very well. "Listen, Andre...I have to get back to her, but...would you like to go flying with us when she's recovered?"
"In the Stearman, sir?!? Wow--that would be SO great! She talks about your plane all the time!!"
Harm laughed again, pleased that he and Mattie had apparently found another person who would appreciate the thrills of flying in his Stearman. "We can talk more about flying plans when you come by the hospital. For now, let me speak with Miss Barrows again, and hopefully you and I will chat more after school. All right?"
"Yes, sir! And...please tell Mattie I miss her when she wakes up. Maybe that will help keep me out of trouble when I bring the homework," he added in a surprisingly wry voice. "Goodbye, sir—here's Miss Barrows again." He handed the phone back, the sounds of Harm's laughter filling the air around the desk, to the smiling counselor/nurse.
"Mr. Rabb? Yes, he is. Andre's one of our best students. I'm glad he and Mattie are friends. Good! Well, I'll be here when you call back, sir, and thanks for keeping us informed. I'll pass along her status to the office staff, and we'll do whatever we can to help. Andre and I will stop by after school lets out, her condition permitting. I just need to verify with his grandmother that he can come with me, and then we should be all set. Yes, sir. We can't wait to see her again, Mr. Rabb. Take care. Bye." She hung up the phone, and looked at Andre.
"Well, Andre—looks like you've made quite an impression on Mattie's dad!" The young man in front of her wore a smile as big as day.
"Mattie's feeling better...and her dad's taking me flying, Miss Barrows!"
She grinned at the excitement that filled his face. Mattie had mentioned to her about she and her adopted father's shared love of planes and flying, and how that had been a big reason they'd found each other. She smiled again, then glanced at the clock on her desk and looked up. "Well, you'd better get to class, Andre. Check back with me during lunch, and we'll see where things are then. Meanwhile, I'll call your grandmother and ask her for permission for you and I going to see Mattie. I can also take you home afterward — I'm not sure if the buses will get you home from GW."
"Thanks, Miss Barrows! See you at lunch!" He stood, threw his backpack onto his shoulder, and jogged from the office.
GOOD HOPE TREATMENT CENTER
Tom Johnson sat in the common room of the treatment facility, silently stewing over his conversation with Sarah MacKenzie the previous day. How dare she speak to him like that! Didn't she understand, as any woman should, that Mattie was HIS biological daughter ... no matter how bad things were between them at the time? And that, once Mattie had gotten over the hurt and anger she carried over her mother's tragic death, they would be a real family again – not one cobbled together with different bits and pieces?!?
Well, he thought to himself, once he'd reported their conversation to Social Services, along with the circumstances of Mattie's illness and mistreatment ... things would fall back in his favor. And when Mattie saw how determined he was to be her dad again, well ... she'd come around.
Having convinced himself of something only he could see, he went to the phone in order to make some calls and then request an emergency pass to visit Mattie in the hospital.
GW HOSPITAL ROOM 411
Harm pocketed his cell phone after calling Miss Barrows and speaking with both she and Andre, Mattie's friend. He hoped that Mattie would feel up to a visit from the young man this afternoon ... Harm was anxious to talk with him again in person. And his visit would cheer Mattie up, as well. He knew she wasn't happy about spending time in the hospital, as anyone wouldn't be. Harm was as determined as her doctor, though, to make sure she was completely OK before she left this place. He didn't want to have to bring her back if they rushed her home too early. No way he'd risk Mattie's health, or allow her to risk her own health, that way.
Sitting on the extra bed he's scooted close to hers, he watched her still, sleeping form ... her long, unruly hair splayed all over the pillows. A nurse was adjusting her oxygen tube and double-checking her IV, being careful not to wake her until her own body decided it was time to wake up.
Harm smiled at the nurse as she finished her checks and quietly left Mattie's room. They were so professional here, he thought. Mattie couldn't be in better care, and Harm was grateful Dr. Masters had been available when they'd arrived.
Mac had called him late last night after she'd gotten his parents settled at his place, and she'd told him then about her conversation with Tom Johnson. Harm was worried about what Tom would do, and decided that his non- appearance at the hospital so far was an ominous sign. Something told him that there would be trouble out of this situation, and he gently squeezed Mattie's hand in his as he swore to protect her from anything that might happen. 'I promise I won't let him bring any more pain into your life, Mattie,' he thought as he watched her sleep. He'd also told Jen about the conversation when she'd called him back after getting home from class last night ... and he'd asked her to call him immediately if Tom showed up or called their apartment. Harm's legal instincts were screaming at him in warning, and he decided to talk to Mac and the Admiral about it today after Mac had called Social Services to make her report to their social worker.
Harm sighed, thrilled that Mattie was recovering and in good hands ... but worried over the challenges that might be coming at them next.
END OF CHAPTER 14