Jeremy led Denise out to the car, she hadn't said much since she had left the hospital room and he was beginning to worry about her. "Mom, are you okay?" he asked her opening her door and letting her in the passenger seat. She just nodded her head but didn't say anything.
He went to the driver side of his car and climbed in, he looked at her but she refused to look back at him, instead she kept her gaze out the window. He put his hand on her hand, "Mom, are you sure you are okay? You can talk to me," he said hoping she would open up and tell him how she felt.
Instead of talking she began to cry, then that turned into sobbing. "Jeremy, I can't lose him," she told her son through tears.
He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Mom, Dad is going to be just fine," he told her trying to stop her tears.
"I was scared, Jeremy," Denise sobbed. "And he didn't even tell me. He lied to me about being sick, that's what hurts."
"Mom, I'm sure he was just trying to keep you from worrying," he told her gently. "I don't think he meant to hurt you," he added.
"I know, but what if he had a heart attack in his sleep. I've never been so scared in my entire life, not even when he chopper went down. I thought I was going to lose him," Denise sobbed, getting more worked up with each passing moment. "And I can't be with him; they won't let me be with him."
"Mom calm down. I know you are upset about not being able to be with him and you're scared but you have to calm down, you have to think about the baby," he told her calmly.
"I know," Denise said getting her emotions under control for the time being.
Jeremy dropped her off and only left at her insistence. He got back to the hospital to find his father dozing still being monitored with an EKG and BP cuff. "Dad, are you awake?"
"Yeah, son, just resting my eyes. Your mom okay?" he asked hoping she wasn't upset or worried about him.
Jeremy sat beside his Dad, "She is now after crying her eyes out on the way home. I got her calmed down. What's going on with you? Tell me the truth."
"It was just a panic attack son, I'm fine, I promise," Frank said looking at Jeremy. "Why was she crying? She knows I'm fine," he asked shifting focus form him to his wife.
"If you are so fine why all the monitors? Why do you look like Hell?" Jeremy asked, not taking any nonsense. "You told me I have to be man and respect my mother, well I just watched my PREGNANT mother cry because she thinks you lied to her about being sick and you know what Dad, and so do I. This isn't soldier to soldier or son to parent; this is man to man now and your last chance."
"Okay, Jeremy, listen the monitors are to watch my blood pressure, it is a little higher than normal and my heart rate is up, but like I said it was just a panic attack, and I know I shouldn't have lied to your mother and I will apologize to her for it when I get out of here," he told his son realizing his lapse in judgment when he lied to his wife.
"High blood pressure and high heart rate isn't normal. How sick are you?" Jeremy asked. "Do I need to talk to General Holden about a reassignment?"
"No Jeremy, I am not that sick, I will be fine in a few days, but I may have to be put on medication for high blood pressure, but nothing more, so until I get out of her I want you to look after your mother, don't let her get upset or worry over me, keep her safe, you understand me?" he asked him in a stern voice.
"Yeah. Dad you looked really bad, Mom was right to be worried and you don't look okay now. You look so pale," Jeremy said taking Frank's hand. "She wants me to sit with you."
Frank shook his head. "Son, I am fine I just need to stay here and me monitored by the doctors for tonight. You need to go home and be with your mom, I don't want her being alone, especially now," Frank said. "Tell her I made you go."
"No can do, Dad," Jeremy said settling in for the night. "Right now she scares me more than you do. Anyway, Mrs. Holden sent Emmalin to stay with mom. She'll be alright, but I'm still worried about you. I love you dad."
"I love you too son, let's get some sleep, your mom will be here bright and early, count on it," he replied chuckling.
Of course, he was right. Denise arrived at the hospital with the Bugle call. Jeremy was still sounds asleep but Frank was wide awake and waiting for his wife's arrival. He expected her to fuss and fret over him, he didn't expect her to be angry. She sat beside his bed, she didn't even touch him. "You lied to me," she said matter of factly.
"I know I did, Dee and I'm so sorry. I was just trying to keep you from getting too stressed," he told her wanting her to understand he wasn't trying to mislead her, only protect her and their unborn baby. "You and the baby are what matter right now. This is no big deal, there's nothing to be angry about, Denise."
She just looked at him and began to cry.
Frank reached for her and to his relief she came right to him. He pulled her close, "Oh, Dee, ssh, it's all right, honey. "What's got you so upset?"
She took a breath, "My husband is in a hospital bed and for some reason he doesn't seem to care how much that frightens me and how much it should frighten him! Is your image really that important to you?"
"Denise, I'm sorry for hurting you and I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about how I was feeling, but I didn't do it to hurt you or for any reason other than protecting our baby," Frank said keeping his arms around her but hardening his tone just a bit to get through to her. "It was wrong not to be honest. I am sorry."
She pulled back and met his eyes, "Tell me the whole truth, Frank. Now."
"Denise, I am telling the truth now, it was anxiety and I'm fine now, I promise," Frank said looking her square in the eye.
"What about why you came home early?" she pressed finally getting somewhere with him.
"I wasn't feeling well, my chest was sore and I was having trouble getting a deep breath, I got a headache and felt pretty tired, but that was all it was and it's all gone now, I feel just fine," Frank assured her. "I do."
Denise just began to calm herself down and wipe her eyes when Frank's doctor came in with a syringe, "Colonel Sherwood, your heart rate is tachy, this medication will slow it down." He injected the medication and turned to leave but Denise stopped him.
Frank nodded his consent and kept focused on his wife.
"How high is it, Doctor?" she asked, concerned evident.
"At the high end of the scale for a normal working heart rate," the doctor replied. "His heart is working overtime, and stressing his cardiovascular system he needs rest and at least one week of limited duty.
"We'll see that he gets it doctor," Jeremy spoke up from his makeshift bed. He woke awhile ago but kept quiet and let his parents talk. Emmalin had texted him to say that Claudia Joy failed to get Denise to eat before she left the house, a fact that was becoming evident as Denise's color drained from her face, she leaned on the bed. "Dee, are you okay. You are getting pale," Frank said noticing complexion.
"Mom did you eat today?" Jeremy asked.
"I...I don't remember," she said holding her head; her legs were beginning to feel like jelly.
"Can we get some food in here?" he said taking charge "Mom, sit down," he ordered.
Denise was about to argue but found herself to weak to form the words so instead she sat in a chair beside Frank's bed holding her head in her hands. A nurse brought a muffin and some juice which Denise began to eat immediately, she didn't want to upset Frank, Jeremy was doing a good enough job of that all by himself.
Jeremy looked at Frank with an accusatory glare "See what this is doing to her?"
"Jeremy, this is not my fault! I would much rather be at home, trust me," he told his son.
"It is your fault, you knew you were sick but you kept quiet!" Jeremy fired fiercely protecting his mother.
"I was trying to keep this from happening!" Frank thundered, getting very upset at his son's tone.
Denise was feeling stronger after putting something in her system, "Frank, calm down, honey. Jeremy, calm down. This isn't helping anybody."
"No, Mom, he is the cause of all this! If he told someone sooner we may not be here right now and you wouldn't be stressed out," Jeremy yelled out of anger
"Okay, enough! You do not speak to your father this way! Do you understand me?" Denise said rising and taking Jeremy's wrist in her grasp. "I understand you are upset, I get that but you do not do this."
Jeremy didn't like to be restrained, he twisted in her tight grasp and before he even realized it, he pushed his mother. She stumbled backwards but caught her balance just in time before she fell. His eyes widened, but he didn't say anything just stayed frozen. That was enough to send Frank over the edge and his blood pressure shot up like a rocket, the only thing saving Jeremy's hide was the wiring attached to various parts of Frank's body.
Finally Jeremy spoke "Mom...I'm....I'm sorry," he told her walking toward her; she backed up and stayed silent.
Frank was the next one to speak. "Son, you had better be glad I am hooked to these machines right now cause I would kick your ass all over this room, son or not! You do not EVER hit your mother! Do you understand me?" he yelled his voice dripping with anger.
"He didn't mean it Frank," Denise said trying to calm her husband. "I startled him."
She looked at her monitors, his face, and his chest. "Sweetheart, how do you feel? Jeremy!" Denise said sharply telling him with her eyes to standby in case he had to get help for his father. "Frank?"
Frank was having trouble breathing and getting redder by the minute. "Jeremy, get help!" Denise told her son, then focusing on Frank trying to help him calm down. "Frank listen, just try and breathe," she told him.
He fought for control over his breath and his mind but was losing, he closed his eyes to escape but Denise spoke again.
"Open your eyes and look at me," Denise told him reaching to touch his face. She wanted him to obey simple commands to stay alert. "Tell me how you feel. Use small words."
."Short of breath, heart racing…" he told her, trying not to fall asleep.
Denise sat on the side of his bed. "I love you. I love you so much, Frank," she told him kissing his cheeks and forehead. She took his hand and held in on her belly, "And so do our baby and our son. Think about us, Frank. Think about how much we love you and need you."
He thought about how much his baby and wife needed him, this made him smile slightly. He began to calm down "I love you to Dee, all three of you," he said.
Finally Frank's nurse appeared and injected his IV with two syringes full of potent drugs. "These will make him sleep," she told Denise talking over Frank as if he wasn't even in the room.
Frank focused on Denise and the tiny jabs coming through at his hand.
He was already getting drowsy and his eyes closing slowly "Go to sleep Frank I will be here when you get up," Denise told him kissing his head and sitting in a chair beside his bed
When she was sure Frank was asleep Denise asked Jeremy to find his doctor. She had a few things to say to him. Jeremy did his mother's bidding immediately then joined her at his father's side. "Mom, did I make him get sick like that?" Jeremy asked with tears in his eyes.
"No sweetie, your dad is going to do this from time to time, we just need to watch what we say and do, nothing you did wrong," she told him, she was lying somewhat but she didn't want him to feel responsible.
"He loves you a lot mom," Jeremy told his mother. "He told me so."
Denise didn't get a chance to respond before Frank's doctor came in. "You asked to speak to me Mrs. Sherwood?"
"Yes," Denise replied. "I would like to know what is wrong with my husband, he's a health conscious man in good shape, he shouldn't be sick like this."
"He's suffering from a tachycardia arrhythmia, we don't know what kind yet, but couple that with a dangerously high blood pressure and a badly weakened system and you have the recipe for problems," the doctor said.
"So what do we do to make it better?" she asked him trying to keep calm and not lose it, she was scared to death, she didn't want to lose him, she couldn't lose him.
"We monitor him, we try medications and most of all we help him reduce stress," the doctor advised. "He's a sick man but we can fix him."
"Okay thank you doctor," she said, the doctor walked out, Denise looked at her sleeping husband and tears rolled down her cheeks
The doctor continued, "Mrs. Sherwood, this isn't a life threatening illness. He'll be okay, but you are going to have to help him. He has to take it easy and slow down. All right?"
Denise smiled and nodded, if only he knew Frank, he'd understand what a challenge that was going to be.