(Garrett) (Three weeks after the shooting)
Woody has made great strides. The swelling went down and there was very minor damage to the nerves, the neurologist said that all he has to do is relearn to walk and run. It's been slow, painfully slow for Woody. Jordan the doctors and I think that Woody is pushing himself too hard, he could end up causing more damage then the bullet did.
Jordan, she has been running herself ragged, I finally had to tell her to not come to the hospital for a weekend, she looked scared, hurt, I had to explain that she would not do Woody herself or her job any good by running herself in to the ground. Lily told me she found Jordan asleep at her desk one day, Lily tried to wake her up to go home but she muttered something about being strong for Woody so he would believe her. I fear I have but to much pressure on her.
For some reason Slocum has been cutting her a lot of slack, and the rest of the crew from what I heard, Bug told me about the pranks that Lily and Nigel have been doing. I don't know if Jordan was any better after that weekend, I heard she went to the St Inez. Paul had stopped by to visit Woody and talk, I heard Paul tell Woody that Jordan has been praying to St Jude, I turned back and saw a smile on Woody's face, not a full blown one but a smile never the less. Woody seemed to not push himself as hard but still too much for our liking. When he pushes himself it hurts more and he takes it out mainly on Jordan. I put a stop to it as much as possible, but he's scared, and there is something else, I can see something else lurking behind his eyes, especially around Jordan; pain, fear, some anger maybe, but I do see love, several times, I have caught him looking longingly at her, when she was not looking.
The way things are going, Woody will be able to leave the hospital in the next couple of weeks, he is up and moving around on crutches, then I will have to take the time to figure out what I'm going to do. I have been surprised and frankly a little worried that I have not heard from Slocum or the Governor about what they plan on doing. Covering evidence is a big no no in my line of work… former line of work. Maybe I can take Lily up on that offer she made several months ago about smuggling me over the border. What was it she said oh yea…
"Say no more, I've got a full tank of gas, you'd be across the border by midnight."
Ha, I wish it was that easy, but I can't run now, if I've learned anything from Jordan it's that running doesn't solve the problem. No I have to stay and own up to what I have done.
(Knock knock)
"Garrett, I was told you were here at the hospital working with detective Hoyt here. I just wanted to come by and talk to you both."
"What do you want Slocum" I should have known, be careful what you wish for.
"I stopped by, for 2 reasons; first DA Walcott who sends her regards said she wanted to stop in herself, but she has been busy, she is personally taking this case, and is trying to make sure that detective Hoyt here, does not have to testify, also the Governor said to pass on his thanks to you detective Hoyt for a job well done, but to never do anything as stupid as that again. We need good cops like you to keep us save at night. And second, it took me two days to think long and hard about it, but I told the Governor that if you had done any wrong doing it would have been Dr Blackledge that told you to do it."
"I'm sorry, so what do you mean?"
"You forget I had worked with Dr Choo Choo, I'm sorry I mean Dr Blackledge, as well, I know why you did it. Times were different back then. To me it's the way you handled yourself since then and other then your Choices in hiring, I can't fault you, after all, you did always take the high road."
"Yes I heard about the pranks."
"Oh you don't know the half of it, they and I pretty sure I know the two behind it, they would move something in my office every day, just enough for it to bother me, you know me I like very thing neat and tidy. But that not the best part the first day they had broke in and flipping my office 180 degrees, everything was perfectly placed, just on the other side of the room. The other pranks, I would have at least suspended them but, I know that for some reason you would not want me to fire them, so I put up with it for as long as I could…"
"Wait, so I'm getting my job back?"
"Well, to be honest you never lost it, I changed the time off to paid vacation and seeing as you are helping our resident hero here, get better, the governor agreed. I didn't want you to worry about how things were going at the morgue, but as I said I can only handle so much. Honestly how you can handle being those people's boss.
Oh and one more thing before I go, I may have at one time wanted your job, but I'm pretty happy at the job I'm in now. And it's better then being Chief M.E. I'm having some people move your stuff back in tonight, and I've told nobody, so it should be a nice surprise tomorrow. I hope you don't mind, I used your record player. I found your Rosemary Clooney albums. I love to listen to her sing."
"Yes, my mother uses to sing to us at night, lullabies by her." I listen to those records when I get really down. They bring back memories of happier times.
"Rosemary Clooney, yea I remember my mom use to listen to her on her record player." Woody said speaking for the first time.
"Well thank you Dr Slocum. I will be there bright and early first thing in the morning." I felt lighter, guess I was more worried about it then I thought. Now all we need to do know is get Woody back on his feet and we will be back to… I almost said normal, but as Nigel once said 'normal is only a setting on a dryer.' While we still have a ways to go, getting back up. We are at least half way there.