For Becky - thanks for encouraging me and for braving all those stupid pop-ups to read and review!
Long Ago and Far Way
Chapter 6 – Grand Illusions
Back in his room, Rick began to pace. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he asked himself softly. "I can't keep this up; it's getting too hard. I gotta tell Thomas it's off and get outta here." Rick stopped pacing and stood for a moment looking out the window. Out in the courtyard he could see Mia sitting in her wheelchair. Watching her, he frowned. "I gotta help Mia. She needs me." Rick sat down on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. "What am I gonna do? I don't want to stay but I can't leave Mia." He stood up and went over to the dresser. Taking a comb out of the top drawer, he combed his hair then straightened his shirt and tie. Rick walked outside to the courtyard and went over to where Mia sat. For a couple of hours, he talked to her about the flowers, the wind and the water; safe subjects, things that mattered little but it made him feel calmer. He was certain that she could hear him, that once he'd seen the ghost of a smile on her lips.
"It's time for dinner." said Susan, coming to take Mia back inside.
Rick looked up, noticing for the first time how late it had gotten, "Oh." The sun was setting. "Is it okay if I take her in?"
Susan looked at him, noticing how his hands were trembling and the haggard look in his eyes. "I suppose it would be alright."
The nurse didn't object when Rick took a seat at the table with Mia.
"You need to eat, Mr. Wright." She scolded him as Marcus set a tray on the table, "You don't want to have to be fed like this do you?" Susan held up the paste that she was preparing for Mia.
"I'll eat." Rick replied, and he did. After dinner, he felt groggy and Susan had Marcus help Rick back to his room. Rick fell asleep almost as soon as he laid down.
"Waterbug Blue this is Homeward Angel, Waterbug Blue this is Homeward Angel, come in Waterbug Blue."
"About time TC. Did your alarm not go off?"
"I think I killed it last time."
"Rick, don't you ever get tired of hauling his butt out every morning?"
"Thomas you know it's become like a hobby to me now." Rick stepped out of the chopper, onto the skid and fired at the enemy soldiers below. He twisted in his harness, aiming under the belly of the bird at the VC directly below. "I see your smoke, Waterbug Blue. Two o'clock Theodore." Rick flinched as a round of lead spattered against the roof of the chopper, just missing his head. "Hang on a mic, I've got some nosy neighbors at our six." The gunner mowed down the small group of enemy soldiers that had been firing at the chopper. "Got 'em, let's get back to the picnic."
Rick was awakened the next morning by the loud growling of his stomach, he felt more tired this morning than he had the previous days. He was quiet when he joined Mia and Julie at the breakfast table.
"Feeling better this morning?" Julie asked.
"Tired." He replied, he was hungry but even eating seemed like an exhausting task. "Can I have some coffee?"
"Caffeine doesn't go well with the medications you're taking," Julie said. "How about a glass of juice?"
He was too tired to argue with her. "Okay."
Marcus set a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of apple juice in front of him. "Going to behave yourself today, little man?" he asked.
"Thank you Marcus," Julie said, glaring at the aide. "That will be all."
He moved away but not before giving Rick a predatory grin.
Rick ate slowly, the spoon seemed to weigh heavier than a spoonful of oatmeal should.
"You'll feel better after you take your vitamins." Julie promised, handing him the cup of pills.
Rick obediently tipped the cup into his mouth and swallowed, washing the medications down with half the glass of juice. He missed the edge of the table and when he released the glass it shattered on the floor.
Rick grabbed his napkin, "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it, you just relax," Julie said. "I'll clean it up." She carefully picked up the glass shards and put them on the tray. When the mess had been cleared away she asked Rick if he wanted to go back to his room and lie down.
"No." he answered slowly, "I'd rather be outside with Mia."
Julie smiled, "Are you sure you feel up to it?"
"I just need some fresh air, that will wake me up."
He followed Julie and Mia out to the deck, taking a seat facing the door.
Less than half an hour later Thomas appeared, he carefully approached, holding out a copy of the Chicago paper like a peace offering. "Hey Rick."
"Please tell me that's coffee in that cup."
"Um, yeah," Thomas eyed him warily. "Do you want some?"
"I'd kill for a cup of coffee right now."
Magnum hastily set the cup in front of Rick, "You can have it."
Rick picked up the cup, swallowing the entire contents before speaking again. "Thanks, Thomas you're a lifesaver."
"Hopefully of my own." he muttered. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Haven't you anything better to do than to keep popping in here early every morning and asking a lot of fool questions?"
The look on Magnum's face made Rick laugh, "Sam Spade, 'Maltese Falcon'."
"I knew that, really, I did." Thomas laughed nervously, "Seriously Rick, TC and I are worried about you."
"Why?"
"Well yesterday you were…" Magnum hesitated, "Really, really… grouchy."
"I was?" Rick looked carefully at Magnum, trying to decide if he was kidding.
"You told TC you were going to chop his hands off and make ashtrays out of them."
"No I didn't."
"And you told me you didn't know how to play chess."
"That's ridiculous, I win the chess tournament every year."
"That's what I told you." Thomas shifted restlessly in the chair, "I thought you were going to try to strangle me, you were out of control yesterday."
Rick wondered if what Thomas was telling him had anything to do with Marcus' earlier cryptic comment. "I was violent yesterday?"
"Well, not violent really, just really … verbally abusive." Thomas was concerned and it was obvious in the way he leaned toward Rick, "Don't you remember?"
"Yesterday is really hazy," Rick admitted, "I remember feeling really good when I woke up but everything after breakfast is a blur."
"Are you still wanting to stay here?" Magnum asked.
"Have you found whoever has been threatening Mrs. Metcalf?"
"No."
"Then I'm staying. Mia could be in danger." Rick looked around, checking to see if anyone was watching, then he pulled a napkin out of his pocket and handed it to Thomas. "Give these to Eudyce at the hospital. The nurse says they're vitamins but I'm not so sure."
Thomas took the napkin and tucked it into his pocket without looking at the contents. "Are you sure you don't need to be taking this stuff?"
"I'm fine, Thomas." Rick's voice took on an angry edge, "Just do it, okay?"
"I will, just don't get all cr…cranky again."
"Are you calling me crazy?" Rick's voice grew louder, "You think I'm nuts?"
Thomas looked around, hoping that the nurse would show up again, "Uh, no. No, I think you're just fine."
Rick winked at him, "Why don't you just get out here then? I'm not a freak for you to stare at!"
Thomas got up, backing carefully away from Rick, who seemed ready to attack him again.
"Okay, okay, I'm going." He spotted the nurse rapidly approaching, and Marcus, right behind her. "I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" He winked at Rick, relieved that he had been right, Rick was just putting on a very convincing act.
