While you're Coming Home

Chapter 9

The two men strode down the main hallway and made the turn into the hall that was reserved for Lt. Garrison and his people. Christine met them in front of Terry's room. Will Garrison looked in at the woman lying in the bed, eyes closed.

"Is she . . .?" he asked his youngest daughter.

Chris answered quickly, "She's sleeping. You know Terry. She can use up her reserves and continue on by pure cussedness."

"I'll come back and see her when I get back from this mission," said Monty. "So what's this about Craig?"

Chris frowned. "There was a ruckus in the hall. A lot of yelling by Dad, Terry, Actor, and Julie. Georgia, his nurse right now, was in the room with him. She can tell you what she saw. Terry thinks it means he's going into that place. None of us know how to get him out."

"Well, let's go talk to her," said Monty with a sigh. "I'm not even sure I can bring him out if that's what he's doing."

They went into Garrison's room and Monty stood beside the bed with a hand on his brother's shoulder. Georgia repeated what she had seen. The adopted brother thought maybe Terry was right in her assessment. Monty looked around the room. He was not comfortable doing this in front of the General and some stranger. Not much he could do about that.

He shook the shoulder lightly. "Hey Craig, I know you can hear me." Monty switched to Blackfoot, knowing that despite living there in his younger years, Will wasn't as fluent in it as he was in Lakota. "It's time to come out of it, Brother. Middle Sister and your men made it. I know you have a heck of a headache, but it's time to get back to living." He felt a slight twitch of muscles under his hand telling him that on some level Craig was listening to him. "Come on, Brother. I don't have all day. I have to go count some coup."

Monty heard a quiet snicker from Chris. He ignored her. "Do I have to come back in the morning and kick your ass?" he continued in Blackfoot.

The snicker was repeated a little louder. Unfortunately, there was no further response from Craig.

"Okay, I'll be back in the morning when we get back," said Monty. "Remember what I said."

He squeezed the shoulder and turned away, leading his sister and adopted father out into the hall. He looked at Christine's twinkling eyes. "I think you're right. I'll come back tomorrow and try again."

"Just what were you saying?" asked Garrison sternly. "Did you call your brother an ass?"

It figured the old man would remember the swear words. "Not exactly." Monty hurried on. "I have to go. I'll be back after the mission." He turned and strode away.

Gen. Garrison glared after his adopted son. When Monty rounded the corner out of sight, he turned to his daughter. "And just what did he say to Craig."

Chris looked up at him, all innocence. "I understood some of it. It's been a while since I was home." Her expression turned slightly defiant. "Besides, there are some things that are just between us kids." She turned and walked across the hall into Actor's room and shut the door.

Will Garrison wondered for the umpteenth time when he had lost control over his children.

GGG

The next morning, before Julie brought the coffee, Actor carefully rose from his bed. The least movement and his left upper arm felt like the bones grated. Well, he would just have to get used to it for now. He draped a surgical gown Sandy had given him around himself to cover his backside and took hold of the IV pole for balance. They had not bothered to restart the intravenous he had pulled out that first time he had gotten out of bed at the screams of his daughter. Slowly straightening to his normal height, Actor walked out into the hall and down to the next room.

Sandy was just finishing checking the vital signs and dressings on Terry. The green eyes of Teresa were open and went to Actor's face in the doorway.

"Hi," she said quietly.

Sandy closed the chart and put it back in the rack at the foot of the bed. She smiled up at the tall Italian. "Would you like some privacy with Terry?"

An inappropriate thought crossed his mind and the grin on Teresa's face said she understood it. Actor smiled politely at the nurse. "I would appreciate that, if you don't mind," he said.

"I need to go check on the other men anyway," said Sandy.

Actor stepped aside to allow her out the door and came inside the room, maneuvering to close the door behind him. He left the IV pole at the foot of the bed and approached the young woman on the side with her IV. He stood looking down at her drolly.

"I'm not sure I can do this," he warned Teresa.

"Terry grinned. "Just don't fall down on top of me. It would be hard to explain."

"Marmocchia," he muttered.

Carefully, with hand on the mattress of the upturned head of the bed, he leaned down and was able to exchange a quick light kiss on her lips. When he straightened, Actor was surprised at Teresa's hand reaching out to try to part the two gowns at his right hip.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked with amusement.

"I want to see how badly you were hit," she said seriously.

He sobered, glanced at the door, and helped her part the gowns. Terry eyed the white dressing taped to the side of his hip. She pulled the front gown out a little farther.

"Teresa!" Actor objected.

"At least the bullet missed anything important," she said.

Actor shook his head. "Teresa, you are incorrigible. I don't know why I came in here."

"Because you worry about me like I worry about you," she replied.

The Italian nodded his head, reached back for the metal chair, and eased his tall frame down to sit beside her.

Terry's eyes followed him. "Are you going to be able to get up off of there?"

With fake unconcern, Actor replied, "If not, I will just wait until someone can get me up." He leaned back and said, "So tell me where you were shot."

GGG

It wasn't until after breakfast and debriefing that Monty was able to return to the hospital. The door to Terry's room was closed, but he could vaguely hear talking in there, male and female. He figured it was a doctor. He would check on his sister later.

Tapping lightly on the partially closed door to Craig's room, Monty looked inside. The nurse, Georgia, was back taking care of his brother, and sitting on a chair, writing on the chart.

"Come in," she said. "There's another chair."

Monty sat down on the opposite side of Craig from her. "Any change?" he asked.

Georgia looked at him with a puzzled expression. "I can't say how, but I don't think he is as far under as he was before. He hasn't awakened at all." She eyed the black-haired, darker skinned man sitting across from her. "I don't understand this 'it' you and your family think the Lieutenant is doing."

Monty gave a chuckle. "It's a little hard to explain to people who don't live around Indians."

Georgia closed the chart and left it on her lap. "Are you going to try to wake him up again?" At Monty's nod, she added, "Would you like me to step out this time?"

Monty looked at the nurse with the dark brown hair, brown eyes and trim figure and liked what he saw. "No, you can stay if you want."

The Lakota lieutenant stood back up and grasped Garrison's shoulder, giving it a shake. "Hey Brother, would you wake up? I'm gettin' tired of coming over here and you not talking. Give it up. Time to come outta there. If our sister can do it, so can you."

The nurse stood silently at the end of the bed, surprised at the change in tone of the brother from the previous day. She was even more surprised a few seconds later.

Craig's face grimaced. His eyelids crinkled and finally opened to slits. He graced his brother with what could only be called a dirty look. He wiggled his tongue inside his mouth to get some moisture built up. The voice that came next was just a whisper.

"I'd like to see you kick my ass," Craig said.

This brought a laugh from Monty. "Maybe not right now. You seem to have done enough damage to yourself."

"They're all alive?" Craig asked seriously. "How bad are they hurt?"

"Yeah. Doctors said it was a miracle." Monty gave a quick rundown of the injuries. "Terry's the worst. Concussion, and took five bullets. None of them life-threatening. Actor next with a badly broken upper arm from a bullet, and another bullet wound to the hip. Chief has a through and through bullet wound to the left shoulder. He'll be fine. Goniff has a broken rib that deflected a bullet. And Casino has a bullet wound right arm. They're all going to be all right."

"What hit me in the back of the head?" asked Craig with another grimace.

"No idea. I guess some Kraut tossed a grenade and something hit you. You have shrapnel cuts on you back, legs and arms, but they say you'll live. You better. The old man wouldn't be too pleased if you didn't," said Monty with a smile.

Craig had just noticed the nurse standing at the foot of the bed. "Could I have some water, please?" he asked.

"Of course," she smiled. "I'll go get you some. And I need to call Dr. Lathem and let him know you are back with us."

He waited until the nurse had left the room and looked back up at Monty. "The General is here?"

Monty gave a snort. "His firstborn son is in a coma. You think anybody could have kept him away? He's down the hall. When that nice nurse gets back, I'll go get him or we'll never hear the end of it."

Georgia returned five minutes later, with a pitcher of water and a glass. As she poured water into the glass and stuck a glass straw in it, she said. "Dr. Lathem is in surgery. He'll be here in another twenty minutes."

"Thank you," said Monty in a more polite tone. "I'm going to get our father, before there's another row in the hall."

He went out, but walked across the hall, through the now open doorway, into Terry's room before going to the ward. Sandy was sitting on a chair beside the bed and looked up at his entrance. Terry's eyes were closed.

"Sorry," said Monty, "I have to wake her up."

Without waiting for permission, he slapped the bottom of Terry's foot. "Hey, wake up."

Terry's eyes flew open, and she gave her brother an apprehensive look. "Craig?"

"Easy, Sis. He's awake, talking, and even making sense," grinned Monty.

"Oh thank goodness," exclaimed the girl.

"I'm going to get Dad."

"Thanks, Mon," Terry said with emotion."

"See you later," said Monty. He looked at Sandy. "Thanks for letting me talk to her."

Sandy watched him leave the room with a shake of her head.

Monty made it as far as the next open door and heard Actor call out to him. He backed up and stuck his head inside the room. Julie was on the chair and the confidence man was reclined against the partially raised head of the bed.

"The Lieutenant?" asked Actor.

"He's awake and talking."

"Thank you," said the Italian with relief evident in his voice.

Monty grinned and continued up the hall to the ward. Christine was sitting on a chair between Casino and Goniff. Chief was sitting up in bed. And Gen. Garrison was sitting on the edge of his.

Chris looked up sharply at her brother. That caused Will to look over his shoulder. It also got the attention of the other three men.

"He's awake and talking," reported Monty. This brought low cheers from Chris and the men. Monty turned his attention to the General. "The doctor will be in to see Craig in a few minutes, if you want to see him first, Sir."

"Of course I want to see him!" The big man could move fast and was quickly up and on the way to the door, causing Monty to jump out of his way.

The adopted brother looked at his kid sister.

"I think I'll wait and see Craig later," she said with meaning that Monty understood completely. "Thank you, Brother," Chris said.

Monty shrugged and sat down on the recently vacated bed. "Wasn't sure if I could do it, but I had to try."

GGG

It was a couple hours later, before Terry could manage being helped into a wheelchair to go see Craig. Chris was the one to do the wheeling while the nurses took a supper break. Carefully the chair was pushed into the room and stopped beside Garrison's legs.

Garrison had heard the clinking of the glass IV bottle against the pole and the squeak of the tires. He watched the door and was relieved to see Terry, alive; maybe not well, but at least alive.

Christine took a seat on a spare chair and let the two siblings talk.

"Good to see you, Sister," said Craig with a still weak voice.

"Good to see you, Brother," returned Terry.

"I hear you got us through and out of there," said the older brother.

Terry shook her head. "I didn't get us out, the Resistance did, is what I was told. I just pulled one of your stunts and ran the road block. I didn't do it as well as you. And I don't want any more practice."

Craig studied her face, the casted arm and the uncomfortable way she was sitting. "How many bullets did you actually take?"

Terry sighed. "They tell me five, not counting the arm and the head. Most of them were deep grazes." She frowned. "I didn't get much of a chance to check you out in the back of the truck. How bad are you?"

Garrison frowned. "Shrapnel and whatever hit me in the back of the head. I was told the two Resistance men behind me took most of the blast and were killed." There was sorrow in his voice.

"That's what we are told too," said Christine quietly.

"All four of our guys were hurt too?" asked Garrison with concern.

Terry nodded. "They'll all be fine." She recited the list of injuries each of the men had received. Even though Monty had earlier. Only with her brother could she allow the grimace in reaction to seeing Actor's arm with the bones so out of place. "I've seen lots of injuries, but it's different when it's family and friends. People you know and care about."

"I know," acknowledged Craig. "Believe me I know."

Chris rose to her feet. "I hate to break this up, but this is the second time you've been up since you came to, Terry. You need to get back in that bed." If she expected an objection, she didn't get it.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Brother," said Terry.

"Get some rest," smiled Garrison. "You've had a hellova time. I slept through it all."

Terry gave a short chuckle. "Trust me I wasn't far behind you."

Christine took hold of the pole and the handles of the wheelchair, backing them up. Before she turned to the door, she grinned broadly. "Gee, for once I didn't hear 'I'm fine' from either one of you."

Terry and Craig exchanged small grins. "I'm fine," they said simultaneously.

The youngest sister shook her head and pushed Terry's chair out into the hall.

GGG

The next morning, Terry woke up to a commotion in the hall. She was also alone in her room. Something was going on across the hall, but she couldn't see from her bed. Frustrated, the woman tried to figure out how to maneuver herself out of the bed with the cast on one arm and the intravenous in the other. The rattle of a gurney stopped that notion.

Two orderlies were pushing a cart with Garrison on it down the hall.

"Craig!" yelled Terry, almost panicky.

"It's okay," called back her brother.

A minute later, Sandy hurried into the room.

"I'm sorry," said the nurse, "I was helping Gloria. She was giving the Lieutenant a bath and noticed fresh blood on the back of his leg. Dr. Horner checked the wound and it looked deeper than it had earlier. They decided to take a better look at it in surgery."

Terry lay back in relief.

"I'll buy you some breakfast."

"I get breakfast, but you can eat with me."

Monty walked down the hall with Craig's nurse.

"They seemed to have taken a liking to each other," remarked Sandy, with a grin.

"That may be a good thing," admitted Terry.

The injured woman spent the rest of the day in bed. She was feeling the concussion strongly and just did not have the energy to get up. She was visited throughout the day by each of the men, her father and Julie. Actor made the short trip a couple times walking with only the aid of the IV pole that was no longer in use. There was so much traffic in and out of Terry's room that he was only able to stand at the foot of her bed for a few minutes each time.

Sandy kept Terry apprised of her brother's progress. They had opened the one wound a little more and found a tiny metal sliver that had gone unnoticed when they had cleaned and dressed his wounds the first time. The metal had been removed and a drain put into it to remove any infection that might set in.

The air missions increased, and the number of wounded increased with them. Finally, the base hospital needed more room. There was a conference held in the ward room with the two doctors, General Garrison, Actor, the rest of the men, and Christine. It was decided to move all of the injured men and Terry back to the Mansion. Christine said she could take care of any dressings that needed to be changed and help the men, with the aid of her father and Julie.

The three men in the ward were up and about now. Actor was pushing himself to be active. The General was not about to leave until Craig was back on his feet. Julie was making herself useful and had taken care of injuries before at the French convent.

Transportation was the only question. Will called Allied Command and requisitioned an Army limo and driver. It was three row seating and could accommodate the four men and the General. Chris would take Julie in her car. Craig and Terry would be placed in an Army Air Force ambulance and returned to the Mansion together.

Things moved quickly and that afternoon found Garrison and his men and Terry back at what was considered by them as their home. There was some hidden apprehension about how this was going to work. It took a short time to find out.

9