At the tower Frank was shocked to see a young PFC he'd recently taken off the training roster for being unsuitable for the work of a paratrooper. The misguided lad was on the highest level of the tower threatening to jump off without a shoot to "prove to Sherwood" he did have the guts. Frank spent over an hour trying to talk him down with a trained negotiator, but that clearly wasn't working. All Frank knew to do once the boy began removing his shoes in preparation was get up close and personal, like he had to with Jeremy.
Frank moved toward the tower,he took a breath and began to clim up it,he had to save this kid,he wasnt going to let him die,not like this.
Frank was winded by the time he reached the first level platform, his heart was racing by the time he reached the third, and he was feeling positively awful by the time he reached the young man. "Stand down, Private," Frank ordered with as much strength as he had. "I know you're mad about not making the cut but this ain't the way, boy."
"I did everything right colonel and i still got cut,im doing this to prove to you i have guts"the PFC stated his voice shaking.
"I know you've got the gut, Private, but you don't have the skill, not yet," Frank told him. "It isn't easy, I had to go through this training three times. Three times and even then I only got picked up because one of the other guys broke his leg when he hit the ground too hard."
"I have the skills colonel and im going to prove that right now"he told Frank,nearing the edge of the tower
"It's not your jumping," Frank lied. "It's your shooting. You have to hit the target the minute you land. You didn't," Frank reminded him. He was beginning to breathe a lot harder than he wanted to and feel nauseous in the sun
"R...really?" the private asked looking back at Frank.
"Really," Frank replied. "And, I like you kid, I do, I don't want you ended up dead on me. You remind me of my own boy, tries so hard to make me proud." Frank was feeling worse by the minutes but he kept on talking. "What about your father?"
"yeah,i was training for army to make him pround"the private replied
"Jumping off this thing and dying gonna do that?" Frank asked. "Cause that's what'll happen if you go over that ledge without a chute. You come down with me, we'll go to my office and talk this out. I'll set up some training for you, help you out, give you one more shot, but you've got to come down now or no deal." Frank inched closer and reached out his hand. "What do you say?"
The private looked at him,slowly he took Franks and slowly and they began to go back down the tower.
Denise was at the PX when she heard the commotion. Usually she ignored these kinds of things but today she didnt't. She asked the clerk, "What's everyone so excited about?"
"Didnt you hear,a colonel talked a boy down from jumping off a tower"the clerk replied
"A full Colonel or a Lieutenant Colonel?" Denise asked praying Frank wouldn't have been so careless.
"I think it was a Lt. Colonel," the clerk replied. "Why?"
My husband's a Lieutenant Colonel. He got called to the tower earlier today," Denise replied.
"Who is your husband"the woman asked.
"Frank Sherwood," Denise said her heart beating harder in her chest.
"He was the guy,he helped that boy,your husband is a hero"she said smiling
"He always is in my eyes," Denise said outwardly, but inside she was boiling mad.
Jeremy had overheard the news about his father's trip up the jump tower and headed directly for that area. When he saw his father and the young Private descend he went to Frank immediately. "Dad?"
"You are not find, Dad," Jeremy said. "Your skin is white as a sheet. Sit down. I'm gonna get mom."
"No jeremy your mom doesnt need to be stressed im fine,lets just get home"he said.
"Can you make it to the car?" Jeremy asked not wanting to embarrass his dad in public.
"Yeah i think i can make it,lets go"Frank said fighting fatigue
Jeremy watched over his father as they went to Frank's vehicle. He was actually stumbling part of the way there and seemed to have to fight to get his legs into the car. His hands shook violently as he tried to fasten the seatbelt.
Dad do you want me to take you to the ER"jeremy aske worried
Frank shook his head, "No, just home to your mother."
Frank was nearly asleep by the time Jeremy got him home. He didn't undo his seatbelt, he didn't try to get out of the car. "Dad?" Jeremy said nudging him a little bit.
Frank woke up quickly "Oh we're home," he said sleepily. "Let's get inside," he said undoing his seatbelt and getting out of the slowly.
Frank got out of the car and realized he was too weak to walk,jeremy picked up on it to,he went to his dads side "Here dad,let me help"Frank didnt argue instead he let his son help him into the house
Jeremy helped Frank into the house thankful his mother and grandparents seems to be out for the afternoon. If his mother saw this she'd go insane worrying, he was terrified for his father. He'd gone from healthy to severly ill in a matter of days and nothing the doctors tried seemed to help. Jeremy got Frank into the bedroom, helped him remove his ACUs and helped him into bed. By time Jeremy was finished Frank's breathing was terribly labored and his hands ice cold.
Can I get you anything else dad?" Jeremy asked piling extra pillows behind Frank's back like they did for his mom when she had pneumonia, it made her breathe easier. "You want mom?"
"No,i dont want her to worry,i will be fine i just need to rest,try and keep her busy when she gets back"Frank said his eyes already closing and fatigue setting in
"Okay, Dad," Jeremy said. "What are you feeling? Incase I need to know."
"Just really tired and its hard to breath,can you hand me that oxgen mask the doctor sent home with us,im going to use it for a few minutes so i can breath better"he saidthe
"Sure," Jeremy had watched his mother do this a hundred times in practice. He set up the canister and the mask and placed it over Frank's mouth and nose. "There you go. Do you have a headache? You hungry?" Jeremy wanted to help his father so much, it was hard to see his strong capable father so weak and tired.
"My head is hurting slightly but no im not hungry"he told jeremy
Two tylenol and five minutes later Jeremy left his father sleeping in his own bed. He hadn't removed the mask or shut the door so he could hear Frank call for him if need be. Jeremy busied himself with minor housework until the door opened and his mother stormed into the living room. She looked straight at Jeremy, "Where's your father?" She was angry, even more angry than the times he'd hit her.
"Umm"jeremy said looking nervously toward the bedroom,she was mad and he knew she was going to blow up at him when she did find him.
"Strike one," Denise said putting her hands on her hips. "I know he's here, his truck is here, where is he?"
"Umm he's ummm"jeremy said nervously.
Denise looked at the grocery bags, "Put those away, I'll find him myself, he can't be too far."
Denise went in search of Frank,jeremy right behind her,she went to the bedroom and found him lying there aslleep with the oxygen mask on his face,she turned to jeremy "Oh my god,is he ok"she asked her voice shaking
"No, mom," Jeremy replied. "He's not okay. He won't let me take him to the hospital, he couldn't get in the car, he couldn't walk in the house, he could barely speak by the time I got the mask on him," Jeremy told her. "He made me promise not to let you see."
"Why does he keep doing this he promises me he is going to take it easy and that if he is sick he wont hide it from me and he goes and does it anyway"she said tears slowly starting to stream down her face.
"He's trying to protect you and the baby, mom," Jeremy said comforting her with a hug. "Want me to wake him, get him talking to you? What do I do, Mom?"
No,let him sleep,im going to stay with him though,in case he wakes up and needs me "she said to her son
He'll be disappointed in me," Jeremy said as if he were still five years old. "I let him down."
"No you didnt jeremy you did the right thing"she said getting up and hugging him
"I'll make supper then," Jeremy told her. "Dad won't eat anything."
"okay,maybe he will eat when he gets up"she told him sitting back beside Frank
Denise had been sitting beside Frank for a short time when he began to stir "Hey"she said quietly
Frank frowned and lifted his hand to remove the oxygen mask only to have it fall limply to his side a minute later.
Me
"how are you feeling honey"she asked him
"Kinda tired, sore," he told her too fatigued and confused to lie. He tried to remove the mask but this time his arms didn't even move more than an inch from the blankets. "Told the boy to keep you out."
"yea i kow,it wouldnt have mattered if he tried,i would have fought him to get to you"she said "Why didnt you want me to know,you promised you would be honest with me about this"she reminded him
"Don't want to go to the hospital," he said softly. " Want to be with you and our kids. Had to help that boy, Dee."
"Frank maybe you need to go to the hospital to be checked"she told him "i want to be with you to and so does jeremy but it might be for the best"she said
Frank tried to shake his head, "Feels so funny," he told her trying a third time to get the oxygen off his face. Denise finally went and moved it for him. She took both hands into hers, "Hold tight to me."
He did as she asked and held tight to her
"Frank, it won't hurt, you can, use all your strength," she encouraged,, she didn't realize he was.
"I am"he told her weakly
"Okay, good," Denise said and leaned over to kiss him. "I'm making roasted chicken for dinner, or Jeremy is. You'll eat some?"
"I'll try,im not really all that hungry"he told her
"You need to eat something," Denise said. "Whatever you want but something."
"Okay when it's done i will try and eat something"he told her "Now how are you feeling,you look tired,you should rest"he told her softly
"I"m just pregnant," Denise said. "She or he is moving a lot. Want to feel?"
Sure"he said putting his hand on her stochache just as he did,the baby kicked,pretty hard "looks like it is saying hello"she said trying hard not to tell him the sex,since he said he didnt want to know
Just knows Daddy is here," Frank said smiling. "How are you ankles?"
"they are fine,dont worry"she said partly lying,they were a little swollen but not bad and she didnt want him to worry
Frank and denise continued to talk until they heard a person clear his through,both of them looked up seeing michael standing at the door,they were shocked they hadnt even heard him knock,jeremy must have let him in,michael was standing there a look of pure shock on his face
Denise placed the oxygen back on Frank's face. "Leave this on," she instructed kissing him before replacing the mask and going to greet Michael. "In Frank's office," she told him and led the General away.
They got into Franks office and closed the door "Denise what's wrong with him, he looks very weak," Michael asked her.
"I don't know, Michael," Denise said sitting down. "Couple of nights ago he was brough to Mercer, the same night you sent him home early. He had classic heart attack symptoms, but they said it was anxiety related hypertension and a rapid heart beat. He rested, he did better, then earlier this morning he woke up with a headache and complained for being tired, took him back to Mercer, they said it is from the tachycardia and he needs a week of rest, but Frank decides to go to the jump tower and talk down a rejected recruit. Jeremy had to practically carry him in the house, he needs the oxygen to breathe, he has no muscle control, no appetite, and the scariest part is he's admitting it."
"Your right for Frank to admit he is sick it must be bad," he stated "is there anything I can do"he asked her
"Yeah, put him on full leave, make sure no one calls him for anything until he gets his strength back," Denise said. "Maybe explain to Frank that pregnant women's ankles swell?"
Michael smiled "Consider it done"he told her
Denise rose to escort Michael out, "I'm scared, for the first time in our marriage he's with me when he needs me and I can't help him."
"I know its scary denise,just try and stay calm,Frank will make it through this,I dont know if you noticed but you married one strong SOB"he said trying to make her laugh and lighen the tention he knew she was feeling
Denise did smile, "I noticed. I"ll let you know when he's up for visitors."
"okay if you need me or Claudia Joy for anything,dont hesitate to call,day or night"he told her
With a final hug, Denise let Michael head for home.