Chapter 2

Dixie's Warm Heart

The Idea of Dixie buying a teddy bear for rape victims, was written By Rebecca B.

In the story, "Victims"

Dixie looked up from where she was on the phone when she saw the ambulance attendants coming around the corner with the female patient. She quickly finished her call and directed them into room 2 then she turned to direct the male patient. "Take him to . . . Johnny!"

"Hi Dix."

"How did you get involved this time?"

Peters spoke up, "Why, he was playing the roll of the knight in shining armor, what else would he be doing."

Johnny glared at Peters as he said, "My new neighbor had an uninvited visitor and it seems I was the only one to come to her aid." That was something that really bugged Johnny, with a complex full of people he was the only one to respond to Elizabeth's screams.

Dix looked up at Peters and said, "Doctor Early is waiting for him in room three." Then she turned to her desk and picked up the phone and dialed Roy's home number.

Roy was brought out of a sound sleep by the ringing of the phone. He quickly reached for the receiver so as not to disturb the rest of his family, "DeSoto's residents." Hearing Dixie's voice coming over the phone brought him fully awake.

"Roy I thought you would like to know that Squad 8 just brought Johnny in. He was coming to the rescue of his neighbor and got cut across his chest."

"How bad?"

"He'll be fine, but he bumped his head too and so I'm sure he will be spending the next twenty-four hours with us."

"Okay Dix thanks for calling." Roy hung up the phone and Joann asked, "Johnny?"

"Yah, but it's not too bad," He said as he stood up and put his robe on. "I need to go call Captain Stanly to let him know he will need to find some one to cover for Johnny tomorrow." Then he went down stairs to the kitchen to use the phone there.

Doctor Early turned to see Peters coming into the room with his patient. As his eyes moved from Peters to the gurney he was shocked to see it was Johnny. Shaking his head he questioned, "Johnny?"

"Yah Doc." He sighed, "It's me, I stopped to help my neighbor and this is what I got for my chivalry."

After checking Johnny over he ordered a set of x-rays for his head and then he turned to Johnny, "Well you have a nice lump on the back of your head as well as this slice across your chest. As soon as I get the X-rays back we will clean up the chest wound and stitch it up.

Doctor Early had just finished looking over Johnny's X-rays and was heading back to the exam room to tell him he would be staying as an overnight guest. As he approached the door to room 3 he saw Roy coming down the hall way. "Good morning Roy. I was just going to give Johnny the out come of his X-rays, would you like to accompany me."

Roy was comforted by Dr. Early's casualness; this told him that Johnny was not too bad off. "What happened?"

Dr. Early shook his head as he reached up and pushed the door open, "I'll let him tell you."

Johnny watched as Dr. Early came into the room followed by Roy. "What are you doing here?"

"Dix called me. I've already informed Cap you will need a replacement tomorrow. And I thought I would check in on you. What happened this time?" he questioned.

With a sigh he explained, "Some one was trying to rape my new neighbor and I stepped in to stop him. He cut me and pushed me back were I hit my head on the open door."

Roy turned to Dr. Early and asked, "How bad?"

Dr. Early turned to Johnny and explained. "You have a mild concussion and we will be sending you up stairs after we get that cut cleaned out and sewn up. After that we will be keeping you here for 24 hours for observation." Then he busied himself with the job of cleaning out his cut and stitching it up.

After Dixie hung up the phone her next thought was, 'that the gift shop was opened' as she usually purchased a stuffed bear for rape victims. With a sigh she told herself, "I'll just have to do it in the morning." She Then she went in to help Bracket. The young woman was lying on her back with her eyes shut but Dixie could see tears leaking out the corners. Bracket was examining the cut under her chin and Dixie stepped over to the gurney and spoke to the woman.

"I need to gather some information for our records." As Dixie took down the woman's personal information she was aware that this woman spoke only as much as was necessary. She also realized that this young woman was on her own as there was no family or friends to contact. She felt for the poor woman and tried to make small talk and to comfort her but the woman remained guarded and didn't respond.

That morning as soon as the gift shop opened up Dixie purchased a Teddy Bear and headed upstairs to check on the young woman. When she stepped into the room Dixie smiled and said, "This is for you," and she handed the bear to her with a motherly smile on her face. The young woman looked at Dixie and then the bear but she didn't make any effort to take it. So Dixie turned and sat the bear on the side table. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

The woman didn't even turn her head to look at Dixie and she didn't say anything either.

Roy and Dwyer had just brought in an older woman in who had taken a bad fall. "I want to check on Johnny real quick want to come?"

With a smile on his face he said, "No Thanks, I hear there is a new nurse in orthopedics and I want to meet her before Johnny does." Roy returned his smile and then headed off to find his partner.

Roy gently pushed the door opened and looked in on Johnny. He was resting with his eyes closed and Roy thought he was sleeping and moved to step back when he heard Johnny say, "Come on in I'm not asleep."

"How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad but I would like to get out of here and go home and sleep in my own bed."

Just then Dixie stepped into the room, "Hi Roy," She acknowledged his presents. Then she turned to Johnny and gave him a warm smile and said, "Are you grumbling about our accommodations again?"

Roy chuckled, but was interrupted by a call coming in over the handy-talky in his hands "Well Junior I need to head out."

Both Johnny and Dixie said goodbye as Roy headed for the door. "I'll stop in when I can," he called over his shoulder as he left.

After the door closed Dixie stepped over to Johnny and took hold of his wrist to take his pulse. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor later today, after you've had a chance to rest."

"Sure Dix, what have you got in mind?"

"The young woman that came in with you."

"Elizabeth?"

"Yah Elizabeth. I'm worried about her, after giving us her personal information she hasn't said two words since. I was thinking that because she knows you. . . ."

Johnny interrupted her, "Dix I met her for the first time yesterday afternoon. And she hasn't said much to me either."

"Okay I'll give you that, but keep in mind, you did save her. Maybe she would open up and talk to you if you stopped by to visit."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders, "Well I can give it a try."

"Thanks Johnny. I really think that she could use a friend. From the information she gave us, she doesn't have any family or friends to help her get through this."

That evening after dinner Dixie entered Johnny's room pushing a wheelchair. "How about we go say hi to Elizabeth?"

"Sounds good to me, but can't I walk?"

Dixie gave Johnny that look of 'Don't try that with me,' and Johnny sat into the wheelchair with out further argument.