It had been pure madness.
Diana had managed to feed, clothe, and bathe all five kids, drop four of them off at school and one off at Sanderson's sisters house. She then got gas and ran to the Commissary for laundry detergent and bleach.
Then, she sped across the base to the hospital.
Where she parked in a Doctors reserved spot and ran inside, almost two hours late. She quickly ran to clock in and found the receptionist at the E.R. had clocked her in two hours ago. Grateful, Diana slipped her a twenty and quickly ran out onto the floor.
She had been at work a whole ten minutes, when over the intercom Keira, the receptionist paged her, "Diana Gibson, would you come to the front please, you have a phone call."
After a quick check of the patient list, finding it had been a slow day. Then seeing the Doctor asleep on one of the stretchers, Diana ran to the front.
Passing the nurses lounge, where the four nurses and Dr. Chris Dockery were watching an American Movie on Pay-per-view.
Diana ran up front, where the young woman, with very short cut hair, a shade of bright blue sat, reading the latest issue of "Hello."
With a black nail she pointed to the phone, "Line three, it's what's his face."
Curious, Diana grabbed the phone, but didn't hit the line three button, "I know a lot of what's his faces."
Keria thought harder, "It's that dude you're living with. The one with the two Arabian kids……I can't remember his name. Tall….with a tight ass though."
Diana hit the line three button, "Sanderson?"
Keira clapped, "That's his name!"
Diana ignored her, relief filled her when she heard Sanderson's voice come over the line, "Hey. I'm here, safe and in one piece."
Habitually, Diana ran a hand through her hair, "Did you just land?"
"No…" Sanderson began to say, but Diana cut him off, "No? Don't you know how to use a phone? You pick up the receiver and punch in numbers!"
Keira gave her a thumbs up, "You tell him girl."
"Good God woman, what is your problem? Is there a problem over there? What's wrong? Hoot went days before he called you."
Diana swallowed and looked around the almost empty waiting reception area.
Only Keira was there, she took the hint and grabbed her coffee mug. Heading off to the break room for more tea.
Diana collapsed against the counter, sliding down against it, onto the floor.
"Diana," Sanderson asked, worried.
"No. Nothings wrong. It's just…..different now."
There was a pause, then he agreed, "I know. I would have called sooner, but it took me a while to track down a phone. I'm not as intimidating as Hoot apparently. It takes me a little longer to track down banned goods."
With her bottom on the cold floor, Diana told him, "Ok. I was just worried. I don't want you to get hurt too. I can't handle loosing anymore people I love."
Sanderson's heart jumped, but he remained calm.
He assured her like he assured his children, "I'll be fine."
Annoyed, Diana told him, "I'm not ten ok? I know how the military works. I'll be fine, really means, I'm ducking bullets and praying for the best."
A noise made Diana look up, Dr. Chris Dockery walked into the reception area, seeing Diana he tapped his watch. Diana flipped him off.
Chris then spat, "No personal calls on business hours!"
Thousands of miles away, Sanderson heard the voice of the handsome rich Doctor. He then heard Diana threaten to beat him with her tire iron if he touched the phone. A swell of annoyance filled him toward the good doctor. "Diana," he asked.
"Hold on," she told him, then covered the bottom part of the receiver with her hand.
Sanderson waited a moment and then the line went dead.
He stared at the cell phone he had borrowed, more then a little pissed off, "I am so kicking his ass when I get home."
Five days later……
All four kids were in bed with Diana when the phone rang.
Curled up against her asleep.
Diana had been asleep too, however, she had Daniel asleep on her chest. Alexandria curled up beside her, while Rachael lay, snoring.
When the phone rang Diana immediately grabbed it, half asleep she moaned, "Yo?"
"Yo? What the hell kinda greeting is that? You is supposed to be a responsible adult, woman. What other bad English you teachin my children?"
Slowly Diana woke, but not fast enough, "Who is this?"
"Albert. Yo brotha-in-law. Where the hell you be at?"
Diana thought about the name, "Albert?"
"Hoot's brotha?"
"Oh! Albert. What are you doing? What's wrong?" It suddenly registered for Diana.
"Good God woman! You forget bout me already! Damn!"
"Yeah yeah yeah. What's up Albert?"
"A'ight girl. Momma wants ta see her gran'chillin. Now I know you gots ta stay on the base an all. Since ya have all them lil ones ta watch, but momma wants ta come over, so ya mind?"
Hearing the heavy southern twang brought a feeling of grief to Diana. Hoot's accent was nowhere near as thick as his brothers, but was still thick. Quietly she told Albert, "No. I don't mind. When does she want to come visit?"
"A'ight. How bout in a week for a few weeks? I gotta get the tickets."
Diana nodded, "Ok."
"A'ight. I call ya when I get tha tickets. A'ight?"
"Ok. Sounds good. Are you gonna come too? The kids would love to see you." Diana asked, laying her head back down on the pillow.
Albert laughed, "Naw. Gotta work. But I wanna see them kids for Christmas. A'ight? But thank'ya for the pictures. We got all five kids on the wall! Momma loves'em. She got in'a fist fight at church de'fenden Jordan."
A smile came over Diana's face.
"How you doin girl?"
Diana opened her eyes, "Ok. I think."
"Ya know….it's be a lil over a year, I swear I still think he's here."
Tears burnt in Diana's eyes, "I know how you feel."
Albert was quiet for a moment, then he asked, "You seein anyone?"
"No," Diana whispered.
"How's Sanderson doin?"
"He's ok. He's over in the desert right now," Diana told him, rubbing Daniel's back when the infant moved.
"What the hell is he doin in the damn desert! Does he wanna get his ass shot? What the hell is his problem? He left yo ass with them chillin on yo own? I'll kick his skinny ass!"
Suddenly, Jordan lifted his head, he looked over at Diana. Diana reached over and ran a hand through his dark hair. Smoothing it back.
Jordan fell back on his pillow, sound asleep.
"I'm fine Albert," Diana lied.
She looked over the children, the children that completed her and helped her survive. She just wasn't sure where she would go from there.