When Frank woke in the morning it was with a splitting headache. Still he was relieved to see Denise. He took her and held her to him waking her.
"Frank?" She whispered sleepily, not opening her eyes.
"Yeah, baby," he whispered. "I love you."
"I love you too, I'm sorry for overreacting last night. I shouldn't have shut you out like that," she said trying to wake up.
"No, you shouldn't have," he sighed. "But I understand. I hurt you and I'm sorry."
"Me too. Forgive me?" She said looking up at him with her eyes barely opening and smiling slightly.
"Always," he smiled. "Not feeling good, Dee." He'd promised to tell her, he didn't to anger her again
She became alert instantly "What's wrong?" she asked him concerned.
"Head hurts, really tired," he said leaning back into the pillow.
"Okay lay here; I will go get you something for a headache. Don't move," she told him sliding out of bed going to get the medicine he needed.
She came back in and sat down beside of him; she placed the cuff around his arm and gave him the pill to take for his head. He swallowed it then she started the machine to take his blood pressure "It's a little higher than it needs to be," she said looking at him.
"I'm so tired, Dee," Frank said not fighting her on testing his pressure or anything.
"Frank, do you need to go to the hospital? You look weak honey," she asked not used to him telling her he is anything less than fine
"I don't know, Dee," he sighed. "I'm so tired."
"Okay Frank we need to get you to the ER. You need to be checked by a doctor," she told him.
Denise went to get Jeremy up so he'd know what was happening. He insisted on helping. By the time they got to the room Jeremy had to help Frank up. He wasn't even fighting him, he let Jeremy lead him to the car and help him into the front seat. Denise got in the driver's side and Jeremy in the back they made the way to the hospital to make sure Frank was okay, she hoped and prayed he would be.
As he was a "bounce back" patient, Frank was seen right away. He was hooked to a heart monitor and blood pressure machine, his tiredness was explained in moments. "His heart is beating out of his chest," the ER doctor told Denise. "It's exhausting his system and keeping his brain from getting oxygen. I'm going to up his meds and send him home on full restrictions for one week. I'll send home an oxygen mask as well, if he gets short of breath, it'll help."
"Okay," denies said, she was choking back tear and she looked at Jeremy. "Mom he is fine, he just needs lots of rest," he assured her pulling her into a hug, Frank stirred for the first time since he had been asleep, he had dozed off when they got there and into a room.
Denise was at his side in seconds, "Frank?" she whispered holding his hand to her lips.
"Dee, are they going to let me go home," he asked her, he didn't want to be here he wanted to be at his own house in his bed.
"Yeah," Denise replied. "But you have to stay in bed, okay. Your heart is beating too fast, your body thinks it is constantly running the K with no breaks so your heart is being over worked. The only cure is rest, bed rest."
"Okay, fine but you need to rest to Dee, so no waiting on me hand and foot," he told her sternly.
"We'll tell my folks you're sick and they'll help, so will Jeremy," Denise told him. "I'm so glad you told me how you felt, honey. I didn't get upset, did I?"
"No, I'm proud of you honey," he said a little sarcastically, she knew when he acted like this, he was feeling pretty good and she smiled.
Half an hour later Denise, Frank, and Jeremy arrived back home with three new prescriptions, a portable cardiac monitor, an oxygen tank, and strict orders for both Sherwoods to take it easy for the next few days. While he held his mother in his arms earlier that day, Jeremy decided to speak to Michael about reassigning him so he could be closer to home. He planned to visit them after her made sure both his mom and his dad were going to listen to the doctors.
When Denise slid the key in the lock, the door was pulled open from the inside and Colonel Branch greeted them with a stern look of disapproval. "It is considered customary to provide breakfast for your guests or at leave a note if you are going to leave them to fend for themselves."
"Sorry dad, we had to go to the doctor for a check-up," she lied not knowing Frank had already told her father about his illness.
"It's Sunday," Elizabeth broke in, neither had taken a long look at Frank since he'd come into the house. Jeremy was hovering near his mother, ready to jump to her defense as his father would want him to do.
"Yeah, he and I have been under the weather, and with me being pregnant, we have to go in for regular checkups," she told her mother. "People don't stop getting sick because it's Sunday and around here at any rate 48 hours means 48 hours even if it is a Sunday."
Colonel Branch realized what his daughter was doing so he intervened, "Must be great to have such good connection. Denise why don't you help Frank and then you can fix our breakfast," the retired Army officer saw how tired Frank looked.
"Sure dad, I'll be right back," she said looking at Frank, she helped him to the bedroom and got him situated "I will be back as soon as I get their breakfast, if my father doesn't want me to do something else," she told him kissing his head.
"I don't want you waiting on me or him," Frank told her fighting to keep his eyes open. "The baby is priority one for you and for me, okay? If he can't deal with that, I'll handle it. Do not upset yourself."
"I won't I promise, this baby is my first priority," she told him.
"I'm so sorry about all this, Denise," Frank sighed. "I'm supposed to take care of you. I can't keep my eyes open."
"Frank, its fine, I don't mind taking care of you. Get some sleep honey. I will be back in a little while," she said kissing him and exiting the room just as he dozed off.
Denise entered the kitchen and began gathering the ingredients for pancakes. "Jeremy, do me a favor and run to the Commissary for me. We need some turkey bacon, Boca burgers, soy based yogurt, your dad needs to cut a lot of fat out of his diet and I want to start that as soon as he wakes up." She didn't even acknowledge her parents.
"Okay sure mom, no problem. Be right back," he said smiling at his mother and left to run the errand for her.
"Your husband can eat what he wants Denise," Colonel Branch reminded her sternly. "It's your job to prepare it, not choose it!"
"Dad, Frank was in the hospital for three days before you came here after he collapsed with chest pains in the middle off the night. That was after Michael Holden sent him home for shortness of breath on the PT trail but before he woke me this morning complaining of a headache. By the time I woke Jeremy to let him know what was happening my husband was so weak he couldn't get himself out of bed. This is the same man that carried me to our bedroom last night and this morning our son had to practically carry him to the car," Denise told her father in a flat, matter of fact, detached tone common in medical professionals. "If Frank wants to eat high fat, high sodium foods while we are trying to find out why his heart pounds and his blood pressure shoots up to stroke level then he's going to have to make them himself, I won't have any part in making him sicker."
"Denise, watch your tone, I didn't raise you to speak to me or any other man this," her father said thinking if he raised his voice she would back down.
"No, you didn't," Denise replied. "But that's the difference between then and now, then I wanted nothing more than to win your approval by being the perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect student and normally Dad I would never want to speak to you or mom or anyone disrespectfully and I'm sorry I did but Frank is sick Dad, he is really sick and I'm going to do whatever I have to do to help him get well. I will not raise this baby without her father, I won't do." With that she turned back to her pancake batter hoping her father would miss the shaking in her back and shoulders as she cried.
"Denise I never expected you to be the perfect daughter, I'm sorry I was so tough on you," he told her, he felt bad for making her upset. "Come on now, don't cry, it's not good for you to be upset," he told her trying to console her.
"I'm scared, Daddy," she cried into her father's shoulder. "He's never been sick in his life." Elizabeth moved towards her daughter and held her as well.
"Ssh, I know sweetie, but he is going to be fine. Frank is strong and he loves you, he isn't going to give up without a fight," he told her holding her close hoping he could make her feel better.
Denise calmed herself down and was able to hide her tears from Jeremy when he got home. Later, she went to rest with Frank while Jeremy snuck off to the Holden's. Claudia Joy greeted the young man with a smile and took him to see Michael.
Jeremy went to the study. "Sir, permission to enter?" he asked to the high ranking officer.
"Granted," Michael said. "What brings you on a Sunday morning? Everything alright?"
"Yes Sir, well except I was hoping to talk to you about my reassignment Sir," Jeremy said.
"Reassignment?" Michael asked sitting up. "You have three more months on your tour."
"I know sir, but with my father being ill and not getting any better I don't want to leave in case my mother or he needs me," he replied.
"I thought it was anxiety," Michael said concerned about his friend.
"Well that's what we thought to Sir, but now it seems to be something more serious. He is getting worse instead of better," Jeremy said.
"Tell me, Son," Michael said. "I can't help you if I don't know all the facts."
"Well, he is tired all the time, and he's weak. The doctor says his heart is working harder than it ever should at all times," Jeremy said.
"Any diagnosis?" Michael asked. "How's your mom taking it?"
"No diagnosis yet, she is tired but of course she wont tell anyone that. She is trying to be there for him," he told Michael. "But she's worried and so am I. He's worrying about her worrying, kind of a vicious circle like that."
"I'll do all I can Jeremy," Michael assured him. "Make sure you father rests. Give my best to your mom."
"Thank you," Jeremy said and saluted him as he had been taught to do to his superiors.
Frank woke up from his nap about noon and was pleased to see Denise sitting by his side with her legs elevated on the bed. She was reading some pamphlets and looked so beautiful with the sun on her hair.
"Hey beautiful, what are you looking at?" he asked her sleepily sitting up against the headboard.
"Those pamphlets I told you about," she replied. "There are so many new ways to have a baby."
He smiled "Yeah, so have you decided what you are going to do?" he asked her.
"No," Denise laughed. "I'm not sure which you'll be most comfortable with, even if you want to be in the delivery room. Do you?"
"Yeah of course I do, I mean if you want me there," he hadn't got to be there with Jeremy so he wanted to be there for this one.
"I still want to think about having the baby at home," Denise said.
"Are you going to take the drugs or not?" he asked her already half knowing the answer.
"Oh no," Denise said firmly. "No, I went through 22 hours of labor with Jeremy by myself without drugs. I won't need them with you beside me. But I want you to be comfortable Frank. This is all new for you."
"Yeah it is but I will be fine, promise," he told her smiling; the truth was he could wait to be able to help her through the birth of their baby.
"If you are all in on this, I think the Bradley method might be the way to go. They actually have a workbook designed for husbands," Denise said showing him the brochure.
"Workbook? Seriously?" he asked her looking at the brochure.
"Yeah, they teach you all sorts of relaxations techniques, massages styles, effective birth positions," Denise told him. "It is really hands on from the last part of the pregnancy through even the first few days. I have to think about nursing though. I couldn't nurse Jeremy, and I'm not sure if you want me to nurse this baby."
"Honey if you want to nurse that's fine with me as long as you're comfortable with it. I've heard it makes them healthier if you do, not as many allergies," he told her.
"Yeah, it does, but I think part of the reason you didn't connect with Jeremy was because he was almost one by the time you even met him. Early feeding by the father is important for bonding," Denise said laying her head on his chest, right over his heart.
Frank and denies were talking about how nice it was going to be to have a baby in the house when the phone rang and interrupted them. Frank got up and answered it, "Colonel Sherwood."
"Sir, you're needed at the tower right away," Frank's assistant, a young lieutenant told him. "We have a situation with one of the turndowns that needs your attention."
"Okay I will be right there," Frank said. "Thank you for the call lieutenant." He turned to Denise, "I have to go in to work, something came up at the towers," he told denies, beginning to get his uniform on while he spoke.
"You aren't going anywhere but back to bed," Denise said firmly getting in his way to stop him from dressing.
"Denise, someone needs me. It's part of my job, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as I can," he told her stepping around her to finish getting dressed.
"You will not leave this house, I forbid it," she argued back. Why couldn't he understand?
"Denise, I have to, I will be careful, but I have a job to do," he told her getting on his hat and jacket. "I will be back as soon as I can," he said stepping up so he could kiss her goodbye.
With tears brimming around her eyes, Denise looked at him, "Please don't do this. What do I have to do to stop you?"
Frank sighed he hated to see her cry and hated worse that he was the cause of her tears. "Dee honey I have to they need me, I will be fine I promise, come here," he said pulling her into a hug to try and console her.
With big wet doe like eyes she looked at him, "I'll beg if I have, Frank. Please listen to the doctors, please."
"Dee I have to go. I'm not going to do anything strenuous, I will go see whets up, help the best I can and then come right back here. Okay?" he told her gently.
"Fine," she said backing off. "I always thought you were different," she said to herself walking out the door.
Frank sighed deeply. He shook his head and went to the living room to get all his other things he needed in case the situation was bad.
Denise wanted to go after Frank but her father caught her and stopped her, telling her it was his duty and her job was to wait for him and make sure he was comfortable and safe when he got home. Denise sighed at her father's old fashioned ideals then went to the kitchen to start making Frank's favorite meal.