Disclaimer - Not mine, wish they were. All mistakes are mine and mine alone; including the medical information in this chapter.
Chapter Six
Sam and Bobby arrived at the hospital minutes after Ranger and Stephanie. Stephanie watched in amazement as Sam strode confidently into the ER with Bobby at her side. Gone was the worried and emotional Sam that had broken down just an hour earlier. She wore an air of authority as she spoke briefly to the charge nurse, and then moved to the waiting area where Gator and Slim's wife, Carol, were seated.
Carol's eyes were swollen from tears, but showed relief when Sam walked in. Sam immediately embraced her, and spoke quietly while Carol shook her head 'yes' several times. After a few minutes, Sam walked her over to Ranger, Stephanie and Bobby.
"Carol, I want you to meet Ranger Manoso, his wife, Stephanie, and physician assistant, Bobby Brown," said Sam. "Mr. Manoso is the owner and CEO of RangeMan. His firm is the security consultant for Field's and they have agreed to assist the police and DOT with the accident investigation."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Carol," Ranger said as he extended his hand to her. "One of our teams has been dispatched to the scene and I expect their initial report within 48 hours. As we will be working closely with the authorities, information will not be delayed due to protocol or red tape. I promise that my firm will do everything in its power to get the information needed to handle this quickly and efficiently."
"Thank you, Mr. Manoso. I appreciate your help. I don't know what I'll do if I lose Slim," said Carol as she again broke down in tears.
Sam was at her side and spoke in a reassuring manner. "Carol, have you been able to get any information on his condition? Have you been able to see him yet?" Carol shook her head no. "
"Let me see what I can do," Sam stated and walked towards the admissions desk.
"Hello, I'd like get the latest information on one of my employees, Slim Everett. He was brought in approximately three hours from a truck explosion."
The admissions clerk looked dis-interestedly at Sam. "Look, the only thing I can tell you is that he's here and has been admitted. You can wait over there with the rest of them." She waved Sam off with a shrug of her wrist.
"No," stated Sam forcefully, "You can tell me what room he's in so I can accompany his wife to see him."
"Look, lady, I don't know who you think you are, but its hospital policy that you wait for the doctor to speak with you," she replied in a condescending tone. "Now, like I said before, wait over there with the rest of them."
Sam's blood was boiling. She wanted to jump over the desk and choke the shit out of this bitch.
Instead, she spoke with a calm, albeit deadly, voice. "I am Samantha Fields, and Slim Everett is my employee. The woman over there is his wife, who up until a few hours ago had a husband who was healthy and in one piece. She is obviously distraught and needs to see her husband. I will not wait for the doctor because of some bullshit hospital policy. We want to see him, and we want to see him now. If that is a problem, I will happily get in touch with Jack Lawson to discuss this. You know Jack Lawson, don't you? He's the head of Grady Hospital and a personal friend of mine. Now, once again, what room is Slim Everett in?"
The admissions clerk was white as a sheet. She looked at Sam's cold eyes and choked out, "425. He's in room 425."
"Thank you," Sam replied in an even manner and walked over to Bobby, Ranger and Stephanie.
"Wow!" exclaimed Stephanie, "Would you have really called Jack Lawson?"
"I don't even know him," Sam admitted. "I only know his name because there was an article about Grady Hospital last week in the Atlanta Business Chronicle." Sam shrugged her shoulders, "I guess it never hurts to stay informed."
The corners of Ranger's mouth tipped into an almost smile, Stephanie looked at her awestruck, and Bobby put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're a wildcat, baby."
"Sam," Ranger began, "I would like to post a RangeMan guard outside Slim's room for the time being. Until we get some answers I don't want to take any chances."
"I'm okay with that," Sam replied. "It will be one less thing I've got worry about right now."
"Okay, let me make a quick call," said Ranger, "Then Stephanie and I are going to leave. Steph's not a big fan of hospitals, and I'm sure you and Bobby can handle it from here."
"Thanks, Ranger. I'll give you a call in the morning with an update." Sam hugged them both goodbye and then she and Bobby proceeded to escort Carol and Gator to see Slim.
Stepping out of the elevator on the 4th floor, Sam felt a small wave of hesitation. She wasn't sure she was ready for this, but she had to be strong for Carol. Sensing her uneasiness, Bobby grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She looked at him and smiled. The faith in his eyes motivated her to continue.
Sam approached the nurse's station and asked to speak with the doctor in charge. A few minutes later a heavy-set man in his late 40's approached them.
"Good evening, I'm Dr. Freeman. I understand you are the employer and the spouse of Slim Everett," he stated, nodding towards Sam and Carol.
"Yes," Sam replied. "What can you tell us about his condition?" Carol's hand gripped Sam's tightly. She thought her fingers would turn purple from the pressure, so she gently removed her hand from Carol's and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Well, the first thing I can tell you is that Mr. Everett is a very lucky man. When his truck exploded, he was walking away from it, so the extent of his burns are contained to his back and legs. From what the paramedics observed, he was thrown approximately 30 feet forward and landed on his chest. We initially thought it was more serious, but upon further examination, it was determined that there are no head injuries, and his jacket and work pants actually helped insulate him from more serious burns."
Carol breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed slightly.
"Now, don't get me wrong," Dr. Freeman continued, "He is in very bad shape and will require several months of therapy and possible skin grafts. But, the important thing is that he's alive and will eventually be able to return to a normal life."
"Dr. Freeman," Carol began, "Can I see him? I need to see for myself that he's alright."
"I can let you see him for just a few minutes, but he has been sedated so that his body has a chance to heal."
"Go ahead, Carol," Sam said. "Bobby and I will wait out here for you. Gator will you go with her?"
"Sure, boss. Come on, Carol," Gator said taking her arm and walking her into the room.
When the door closed behind them, Sam let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"You doing okay?" Bobby questioned as he pulled her into a comforting embrace. Sam laid her head on his chest and sighed.
"Yeah, I'm so glad it's not as bad as we thought. I know he's got a lot of rough months ahead of him, but he's a tough guy and I know he can do it. Whatever he needs he'll get; even if I have to pay for it out of my own pocket."
Bobby tightened his grip on Sam. He was amazed at the depth of compassion this woman had. He had always known that Sam was a caring person, but tonight he realized just how special she was. Holding her in his arms felt like the most natural thing in the world. He knew the attraction between them was mutual, but he didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for. He wanted to discuss the feelings that had been revealed during this trip, but he reluctantly decided to put the conversation off for another time.
As the door to Slim's room opened, Sam pulled away from Bobby and went to Carol. Surprisingly she looked calm and wore a much more peaceful expression. Gator came out behind her and said, "Our boy's going to be just fine. That old dog sure has taken a beating, but I bet he'll be back arguing with Rocky again before we know it."
"Great," laughed Sam, "Just what I need."
Carol hugged Sam tightly, and said, "Thank you so much for everything. You are the best boss in the world. Slim's lucky to have someone like you watching his back."
"No," Sam replied, "He's lucky to have such a wonderful wife."
As Bobby drove her home, Sam reflected on the day's event. She couldn't believe how much had happened in just the last 18 hours. She was beyond tired, but even so, she couldn't stop thinking about the attractive man sitting next to her. She wanted to let him know how much she cared for him, but the time didn't seem right.
It was after 3:00 a.m. when Bobby pulled into Sam's driveway. When they reached her front door, Bobby put his arms around her waist and drew her into a passionate kiss. When they parted, Sam pressed her forehead against Bobby's and looked into his eyes.
"Bobby, will you stay with me tonight? I really don't want to be alone, and I just, I just need you to hold me," she blushed.
Bobby couldn't help but feel the tug of emotions inside. Sam looked weary and exhausted, but to him, she was the most beautiful woman in the world. As Sam searched his face for an answer, heat radiated through his body. Bobby huskily replied, "There's no place in the world I would rather be than with you in my arms."