Sorry this chapter is going to be half as long. I can't wait to get to the next chapter. Recovery. It's no spoiler. You all know I'm killing off Jack.
Chapter 13
The Crash-part2
Elizabeth sits on the front pew of the chapel. She is praying so hard. She figured the longer she prayed the more God would hear her plea. At sometime later Charlotte and Tom came in. They sat down one on each side of her. They each grab one of her hands. They sit in silence. All praying silently. Elizabeth thinks out loud, where 2 or 3 are gathered He's in the midsts. They continue to pray. Finally Elizabeth opens her eyes and says, Amen. Tom and Charlotte say Amen. Get up and follow. They get up and hug one another and walk out of the chapel. Elizabeth asks, can you both stay with him until I get back? I need to go home and shower and get some clean clothes. They agree. Elizabeth goes to leave but turns around and says, I don't have my keys. Tom pulls her keys out of his pocket and hands them to her. She thanks them and leaves. Charlotte tells her to take her time. She puts her hand in the air to say ok.
She hurries home. Remembering that there is food in the back of her SUV. She goes to get it out but it wasn't there. She goes in the house , looks in the freezer. The food was put away. She walks over to start a pot of coffee. There was a note stuck to the pot from Tommy. It said that he put all the food away. She makes a mental note to thank him. Goes in to start her bath. She takes her clothes off and climbs in the tub. She must have fell asleep because when she woke up the water was cold. She climbs out, drys off and looks at the clock. She had been asleep for 3 hours. She says, no wonder I'm so cold. She throws some clothes in her overnight bag. Gets dressed and doesn't even bother with putting on her makeup. Puts a her tennis shoes on. Throws her toothbrush, her brush,toothpaste all in her bag. She goes out into the living room and grabs a book and puts it in her bag. She reaches in the cabinet and pulls out a 5X7 empty frame. She pulls up the selfie of Jack, her, and Jarrick. She prints it off and puts it in the frame. She goes into the kitchen and pulls her thermos out from under the bar and pours coffee in. Puts the cap back on. She grabs her soup thermos and puts it in her bag. She remembers her perfume. She runs back in her bathroom sprays it in the air and walks under it. She throws it in her bag. She puts her coat on grabs her purse and keys. She turns the coffee pot off. Out the door she goes. She stops by Abigail's to pick up some soup. She puts the soup in her soup thermos. Tells Abigail she needs to go. She puts her money down on the counter and turns to leave. Abigail tells her that her money isn't any good here. Thanks to her Frank would not have been home and come back to her. So thank you! She hugs her. Elizabeth says that she had help to bring them home. Abigail says, but it was you that got the helicopters. Elizabeth hugs Abigail and says she has to get back to the hospital to Jack. It as already 4:30 pm by the time she made it back to the hospital. She scored herself for falling asleep in the bathtub. She walks back into the hospital with her bag. She walks into Jack's room. She apologizes to Charlotte and Tom for being late. She tells them she fell asleep in the tub and didn't wake up until the water was cold. Charlotte tells he that it's ok. You must have needed the rest. She pulls out her thermos of coffee and asks them if they wanted a cup? Charlotte excepted. Elizabeth asks how's he been doing? They tell her the same as when she left. Elizabeth pulls out a picture from her bag and sets it on the table. She says, I hope you don't mind. Charlotte says no that's a great picture. When was it taken? Elizabeth replies, the day we went Christmas tree hunting. Elizabeth asks about Jarrick. How is he doing? They say he's fine. We haven't told him yet. Elizabeth says, that probably for the best right now. We should probably be getting home, Charlotte says. Tom tells her to all if you need anything or there is any changes. Elizabeth hugs them goodbye and says I will. Tell Jarrick I said hello. Oh, Charlotte you can use Jack's key to my house if Jarrick wants to go play with his train. Charlotte asks, why does Jack have a key? I gave it to him just in case he needed to get in. They left, Tom and Charlotte look at each other. Elizabeth takes Jack's hand in hers, brought it to her lips. She held it there for a bit. Then she turned it to intertwined them together. She just sat there and watched him sleep. She knew he was in a coma but it was like he was just sleeping. She run her fingers threw this hair. He was gorgeous when he slept. She starts telling him about her day. I went home after they put you in this coma. I really needed a bath. So while...(she went to laughing)...I was bathing, I decided to just sit there and soak(laughs)I fell asleep until the water turned cold and it woke me up. I was freezing. I got out real quick and got dressed. Maybe I shouldn't have told you that. Now you're going to make a mental note! Alright Thornton that's enough picture for you. She turns to the picture that she brought. She picks up the picture and shows it to him. It's a picture of you, me and Jarrick when we went tree hunting! It's my favorite. Everyone was so happy that day! We had a really great time. You remember, Jarrick running off to find the perfect tree? He kept running from tree to tree saying nope, nope, nope for about 20 times! You told him that it didn't have to be that perfect. He turned around and put his hands on his hips and said, yes it does because I want it to be just as perfect as she is. You remember how it made me cry? Then he speaks up and said he didn't mean to make me cry. He kept saying, I'm sorry. Then I bent down and hugged him and told him that I wasn't crying sad tears. They were happy tears. Do you remember that? That was a great day Jack! When you get out of here we are going to have more great days, I promise you! Remember when I caught you tearing up and I asked you what was wrong? You just turned your head and said nothing. Jack I know it touched you just as much as it touched me. You have a very special little man there. You've done a great job raising him!
Jack when you come home I want us to take a good long look at out relationship and talk about our future. I want to know if you think we have a future. I can't even imagine you not in my life or my future. When I see you, I see my future with you. I know it's only been almost a month but when I told you I had fallen for you, I had fell hard. I know you have Jarrick to think about but I promise that I will never miss treat or hurt him. I fell in love with that little man before I fell for you. Jack I love you with ever beat of my heart. I'm here to stay if you'll have me. I know we don't know what the future holds because that is up to God. I truly believe that God brought me here for you! Our path crossed my very first day of work. Jack you need to get better so we can see what God has in store for us and that little man! I want you to think about us and want to get better so you can come back to us. You were trying to get to me when they brought you in here. I'm here with you. I'm right where I'm supposed to be, right by your side. That's exactly where I want and need to be. She bends over and kisses him gently on his lips. I just wish you could open your eyes, take me in your arms and tell me that everything is going to be alright. I will wait an eternity for you Jack Thornton!
She gets up and sits in the chair. She opens up the thermos of soup. She a little bit of the soup and eats half of the sandwich. She looks at Jack and says, you know Abigail sure cook good soup. This is delicious. When you wake up I'm going to have to get you some of this. She puts the rest of the soup and sandwich back in her bag. She pulls out one of her books and tries to read for a while. As she starts to read her phone starts buzzing. She picks it up and sees that it's her father. She steps out into the hall and answered her phone. She says, hello father. He says, what's up with the 2 helicopter charges? He starts yelling at her through the phone. She has to listen because he won't let her get a word in edgewise. When he stops to ask, Elizabeth are you there? He only called her Elizabeth when he was upset with her. She says, yes father. Can I speak now? He says, don't be fresh Elizabeth. She says, I'm not. You just wouldn't let me say anything. Well father Jack was missing. Their rescue helicopter went down somewhere up on Mt. Baldy. The search and rescue only has one helicopter here. I couldn't just let him die up there. So I called the helicopter service here and told them I was Elizabeth Thatcher with Thatcher Enterprises. I needed 2 helicopters for search and rescue to fly up to Mt. Baldy. They told me they would be ready in 20 minutes. So me, Tommy, and Faith from the search and rescue from here went in one and 3 more from Jack's squad went in the other. We didn't know if their helicopter went down or not father. The station lost contact with the helicopter. So I pulled a few strings and got 2 helicopters to go find them. There were 4 people on that helicopter. When we got up there it had crashed so we set down. Got 3 of them back to the hospital. Jack is the Captain of the squad so I guess he left on foot trying to go get help. We found him halfway down the mountain. We got him back to the hospital but he has some complications. So yes father I ordered them. They weren't supposed to contact you. I just forgot to go pay them. I've been at the hospital since they brought him in. Lizzie, you did all this to save their lives? She new he was softening now by the name he called her. She said, yes father. Never would I use the company for my own personal gain. Lizzie, who is Jack? She bites her bottom lip. Her father asked, are you biting your bottom lip? You only do that when your contemplating what to say. She speaks up and says, you know me so well father. Jack is my boyfriend. I told mother Christmas Day when she called. He asked, so what kind of man is he, Lizzie? What does he do for a living? How does he treat you? She stops him, father he is the most kind, gentle, considerate, compassionate man you will ever meet. He treats me with respect. He opens every door for me. He is a perfect gentleman father. You would be proud of how he treats me. He is Captain Jack Thornton of the Search and Rescue here. He speaks up and says, so you had to rescue the search and rescue captain? No father, it was him and 3 other members of the squad. There was only 1 rescue helicopter here father. I done what I had to do because the team at the station said they couldn't get another rescue helicopter until the next day. Because they were all up on Mt. Baldy helping with a large rescue. I still don't know about that accident. Father I didn't have time to call and ask for permission. So I took it upon myself to do this. I will reimburse the company for the charges. Email me an invoice and I will pay for it. He told her she would do no such a thing. Lizzie where are you? Father I am happy here. I don't want you coming down here to drag me back home because I will not go back. I have never been this happy in my entire life. I own my house. I love my job if I still have one when Jack wakes up from this coma. Father I truly love Jack with all my heart and soul. He loves me for me and not my money or yours. He has his own money. Lizzy I'm not going to make you come home. Am I disappointed that you didn't come to work with me? Yes but the joy I'm hearing in your voice makes up for it. Are you sure father? Yes Lizzy I'm sure. Father I live in Aspen, Colorado. He said, you went for the skiing didn't you? Yes father but not completely. I work at the ski lodge as an instructor. He says, I should have known. Anytime we couldn't find you in the house, we knew we could always find you up on the slopes helping the guests learn to ski. Lizzy you are like no other. You said Jack's in a coma? Yes father, his brain is swelling because of the head injury that he sustained in the crash. So doctor here had to put him into a medically induced coma so that his body stayed resting. They said that when the swelling went down they would bring him out of it. Lizzy what hospital is he in? Father he's in Aspen General. Lizzy what's the name of the search and rescue station? Father what are you up to? But if you must know, it's Aspen Search and Rescue. There is only 1 father. I know you. I know you are up to something. Lizzy can I come and see you? I promise I won't make a fuss. I missed you at Christmas. Father do you mean it? You want to come here to my house? Yes Lizzy. Do you have room for us because I know your mother will want to come too. Yes father I have plenty of room. I have a beautiful 3 bedroom cabin on Main Street just up from down town. When do you think you and mother will be here? He asks, is tomorrow to soon? No sir. That's just fine. Let me know when you have landed. I'll pick you up in my SUV. I'll get Jack's mom to sit with him while I come pick you up. That sounds great Lizzy. Lizzy, you know I love you, right? Yes father. I love you too! See you tomorrow. Goodbye Lizzy. Goodbye father. Elizabeth hung up and went back in to tell Jack. She was so excited. Jack you will never guess who that was. It was father. He called to chew me out for the 2 helicopters that I got to come find you all up on the mountain but when I told him what I done it for, I told him I would reimburse him for them. He told no it wasn't necessary. Guess what else. He called me Lizzy Jack! He always called me that until the blow up. Since then he's been calling me Elizabeth. That's how the conversation started out but ended with Lizzy! He and mother are coming here tomorrow. I told him all about you! I also told him how much I was in love with you! I truly hope you can meet them before they go back home. Jack my father is being so nice. I did tell him that I was not moving back home. This is my home! So my handsome man, you are going to work real hard at getting better. Ok, can you do that for me? Jack I'm so happy right now! The man I love is alive and working on getting better. My father has come to respect my decisions. She bend over and kisses him oh so softly on his lips. She puts her head on his chest. She hears his heart beating so softly. Elizabeth fixes her cot. She says, I love you Jack Thornton I'll see you in the morning.
