Resolutions
Chapter Four
Tuesday morning dawned bright and clear. Jess had slept better then she had in weeks. Matt had done the same by the sound of him whistling in the shower. But when Jess sat up the good nights sleep went straight out the window. Her stomach started turning and she bolted for the bathroom. That's where Cody found her twenty minutes later.
"Welcome to morning sickness." He handed her a wet wash cloth. "You never did well with any kind of sickness." She looked at him. His blue eyes bright. He was loving this.
"Bite me brat." He handed her two crackers.
"Eat these before you try to stand up."
"Even when I'm mean to you you're nice to me lately. What gives?"
"This is just the beginning Jess. Labor is going to make those last two avalanches you were in look like a walk in the park. I'm just preparing you for what's to come. I may not always be nice but I do tell the truth." Matt came to the door.
"I thought she died in here."
"No such luck. It would have made a nice ice breaker at family events though." Cody took a step back prepared for the fist aimed at his thigh. "So what do you two have planed for today?"
"Jess has a doctor's appointment with Shep and I have a million things to do before Jen and Blake come up. You just get here?"
"No, I've been here since six. Sarah and the kids are spending the day with mom and dad." Jess looked up and felt her stomach drop and threw up yet again. Cody backed up. "Come on Jess aim would ya."
"Thanks guys. Now get the hell out of here." She pushed the door shoving Matt and Cody out the door.
"She's not taking well to morning sickness."
"You think?" Jess's phone rang and Matt grabbed it and answered it. "Matt Hawkes."
"Jess okay?" It was Derek.
"If you call having full fledged, bring you to your knees morning sickness okay then baby sisters just peachy."
"Oh poor thing. I wish I was there."
"No you don't. Jess is giving Linda Blair a run for her money. You want me to have her call you?"
"I try back later. Tell her I really am sorry."
"Just save those for the delivery room. Take care."
"Yeah, you too." Matt hung up and threw Jess's phone on the bed.
"Make sure she gets to her appointment and I think Cutler's getting released. The two of you can handle him today. I'm not in the mood." Robin came upstairs. "Hey."
"Hi. Charlie just called from Stoney's. Some kids with four wheelers came by. He said they looked no more then ten or twelve. Headed up the mountain."
"School get out early?"
"I called. Their last day is next Tuesday."
"Okay, get the snowmobiles ready. Have Cooper man the phone till Jess gets back. You, me and Frank will check out the kids. I guess I can add truant officer to our list of many duties." He looked at Cody. "Lay off Jess. This isn't her idea of fun."
"I know." He gave her a few more minutes and knocked on the door. "How are you doing in there?"
"I might be able to stand upright soon."
"Give it a minute or two. I'll be waiting. Brush your teeth before you come out though."
"Thanks. How are you doing?"
"Not to bad. I thought about a lot of things last night. I figure between what McKnight did to Ava and Sarah and what he did to me when we went to arrest him there's no way he's getting out of prison so soon." The water was running so Cody knew she must be standing up at least.
"I would hope so." Jess opened the door with her toothbrush in her mouth.
"What time is your appointment?"
"Twenty minutes. I was thinking why don't we bring Cutler here. He can have my old room and we can all take care of him."
"Do any of us want that?" Jess looked at him.
"I know he can be a pain in the ass Cody but we're all he has. I still want to call that bitch sister of his and tell her off."
"Not worth your breath Jess. Come on we better get to the hospital before Shep thinks your drumming up more business for him." Jess grabbed her jacket and they headed to the hospital.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Jim Cutler sat on the edge of the bed trying to stop the room from spinning. If he told Shep he couldn't stand up without getting dizzy he's be spending another night in the hospital. He wasn't going to do that if he could help it.
"You ready to break out of this place?" Cody came into the room.
"Damn straight. Did you draw the short stick?"
"In more ways then one. Jess had an appointment with Shep and some orthopedic guy. We thought we'd pick you up while we were here."
"They still have that wheel you down in a chair policy don't they?"
"Last I checked. Why?"
"I get a little winded and the room starts to spin."
"Maybe you should be telling this to someone with an MD behind his name."
"Cody, I can't spend another night in here. I'm going stir crazy. Please. It'll pass."
"You know if you die my sister will kick your ass?"
"I heard rumors. I don't plan on dying man just not walking up a mountain real soon. How are you doing? I heard about McKnight getting a parole hearing."
"A hearing is all it is. There's no way that bastards getting out after only four years." Cutler looked at his friend.
"I with you there. How's Sarah?"
"Doing better then I expected. We both are. No parole board in their right minds would even listen to McKnight."
"I don't see that ever happing. With the kidnapping, abuse and stabbing you the guy shouldn't even of had this chance for another three years at least." Cutler didn't want to talk about bad things anymore. He lay down to make the room stop spinning again. "How's Jess's wedding plans going?"
"There not. Between work and McKnight she hasn't had time to make much headway. I know she already has the big room at the lodge booked but I think that's it."
"Knowing Jess that's all she'll need. Get married, have some dinner, a toast and she's out of there."
"Yeah like my mother would let that happen." Cody sat down on the chair next to Cutler's bed. "She's been waiting for this since Jess started liking boys." Cody laughed.
"I thought she got the big wedding thing out of her system when you and Sarah did it up right."
"I would think so but I have this feeling Jess is in for a rude awaking when mom starts putting her two cents in." Shep came into the room.
"You boys look cozy. Plan on taking up space for another day Cutler?"
"Not if you can help it." Shep looked at Cutler's pale face.
"How bad is it?"
"I just get winded."
"You can't be alone and getting up and down Jim. You lung is almost healed but I don't want to take a chance."
"He's staying at the station. He's got more then enough people with medical training to keep an eye on him."
"Okay. But I have spies every where." Shep looked at Cody. "Jess is getting and x-ray of her shoulder and then she should be up. It looks good. She has full range of motion. Just keep her from lifting more then a few pounds."
"Yeah right. I have a better chance of keeping Cutler on bed rest for the next month." Shep signed some papers.
"Two down ten to go. You guys better stay healthy. Anymore of you take a hit and the whole mountain will go to hell in a hand basket." He looked at Cody. "Three weeks for this clown and another week for little sister. Got that?" Cody looked at him and smiled.
"Yeah. You sure you don't want to moonlight in the mountains Shep?"
"Yeah and break my leg chasing after you. I don't think so. Thanks for the job offer Ace but this ski bum's done skiing." He waved to his old friends and left.
"I miss that man." Cutler said and smiled. "Well I guess I should get some clothes on." He looked at Cody. "You did bring me some clothes." Cody looked at him and shrugged. A bag flew across the room and on to the bed.
"If I would have left this nut in charge he would have forgotten under ware." Jess came in and bounced on the bed. "How's life treating you Jimmy?" He closed his eyes.
"They giving out happy pills in x-ray?"
"Just my sunny disposition." They both laughed. "What?"
"An hour ago you were puking your guts out." She wrinkled her nose.
"You had to share that." Cutler looked at his friend. She looked really good considering what she had been though the last few weeks.
"Are you okay?"
"Morning sickness." She blushed. He smiled. Not much embarrassed Jess Hawkes but it seemed a little aqward to her to be talking to him about this one thing.
"You don't anything get you down for to long kiddo. This won't be any different." Jess stood up.
"Get dressed. I need a cup of coffee. Anyone else?" They both shook their heads. "Your loss. I'll be back in ten minutes you better be ready." She was gone again in an instant.
"How's she really doing?"
"As far as I know she's fine. This morning was a little rough but other then that. I don't what Thursday's going to bring but I think she'll handle it."
"And you and Sarah?"
"I think we'll be okay."
"Good. I don't need to worry about you guys while I'm waiting to feel better." He sat up slowly and started to get dressed.
"If you need help man, don't be afraid to ask."
"You know I won't."
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Jess sat and sipped her coffee in the small waiting room. Things were getting more complicated every day. She wasn't sure she could take much more of this rollercoaster. Her phone rang. Flipping it open she put it to her ear.
"Ranger Hawkes."
"Jess, what's wrong?" It was Derek.
"Nothing. Everything's peachy."
"Now I know something's wrong because your brother used those same words this morning."
"Stop worrying about me okay."
"Jess…." She knew this wasn't how she wanted to talk to Derek this morning. Maybe if she hung up and faked disconnection.
"Derek this isn't…who the hell am I kidding?" She laughed. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what the hell is happening to me."
"You need to take it easy baby. Stressing out isn't going to help things."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for Jess. You're getting worked up about things you have no control over. Take some deep breaths and relax."
"What would I do without you?"
"I hope you never have to find out. I have to go. I love you baby."
"I love you too." She hung up and stared at her phone. "I'm loosing my mind."
"Keep talking to yourself like that and the rest of us will believe it too." Cody came up behind her with Cutler in a wheelchair being pushed by a nurse.
"Yeah. I better watch where I'm doing that then huh." She looked at Cutler. "They cutting you loose?"
"Only if my friends will have me." Jess smiled.
"Always Jimmy." She stood up. "Let's blow this place."