Vengeance of the Freeway Phantom

Chapter 16

Stephanie finally arrived at the hospital and was just about to enter Ponch's room, when a passing nurse informed her that he was asleep--and probably would be for a while yet. She wouldn't mind waiting at all. She thanked the nurse and quietly entered the room. Ponch's visitor took a chair that was by the wall and placed it beside his hospital bed. She shook her head as she took note of all the bandages and the cast that immobilized her dozing friend's leg. 'How fortunate you are to be alive, Ponch, how very fortunate indeed,' she thought as she sat down.

As the minutes slowly ticked away, she found herself--once again--lost in thought. The book she had brought with her--for just such circumstances as these--was forgotten. Instead, the woman reflected on how all the officers had been so very kind to her since her arrival at Central, especially Jon and Ponch. Ponch had a certain something about him. Was it because at times he reminded her so much of Jim? Or was it simply that he went out of his way to show a genuine concern for her? Or was it probably a little of both? Whatever the reason was or wasn't, the woman was confused. Was she really developing feelings for Ponch? If she was, could she trust her wild emotions? By thinking of Ponch as more than just another friend, was she being unfair to Jim? After all, her husband had only been gone for such a short time? With that last question still fresh in her mind, she turned to look at Ponch only to see him staring back at her.

"You…" he began, stopping briefly to clear his throat, "come up with…a solution?"

His question took her completely by surprise. It was as though he had been reading her mind. All she managed to spit out was, "Huh?"

"The gears were…turning pretty…pretty fast there," he croaked. Ponch was pretty steamed that his voice was still so raspy.

"Sorry," the woman apologized, looking rather sheepish. She was really grateful that he couldn't read her mind.

"Don't be…its okay...to think," he told her with a grin.

From that point, the conversation remained on the light side. The two of them quickly discovered that they really enjoyed each other's company.

Then Grossman came in carrying a gift-- which he passed on to Ponch. It was basically just a little gag gift, one to hopefully make Ponch smile. Grossie's present was inside one of those special gift bags with the cord handles. Ponch reached into the fancy sack and pulled out a teddy bear dressed in a CHP uniform and even had a small CHP motorcycle helmet. "Hey, Grossie…thanks!" he told him with a big smile. It worked.

"Its darling, Grossie," Stephanie announced as Ponch handed the bear to her so she could get a better look.

"How you doing, Ponch?" Grossman asked, looking quite concerned.

"I'm doing great…if I could just…keep people from needling me all the time," he quipped. Grossie looked at him with a questioning look. "Needle, Grossie? Get it?" he asked, looking somewhat amazed that his friend hadn't gotten the joke.

"Oh. Oh, yeah. Got it," Grossie finally said, and grinned.

"I really am doing...all right, Grossie…although I'm not quite ready to…run a marathon or...or climb aboard my motor yet. But I'm doing okay." However, Grossman looked like he needed a little more assurance than what he'd just been given.

Grossman visited for a while more. He was glad to be able to talk with Ponch again. Finally, Grossman realized that maybe he'd stayed a little too long. He could tell his friend was trying to hide the pain being inflicted on him because of laughing at his jokes. So, Grossie decided it was time for him to vacate the premises. He bid his friend and Stephanie adieu and left.

Ponch barely had a chance to catch his breath when Bear and Bonnie came in. With three of his friends there now, Ponch didn't have a chance. No matter how hard they tried not to, they still managed to make him laugh. So, after about 15 minutes or so Bear and Bonnie decided they'd better leave now too.

After his friends left, Ponch lay there in his hospital bed, holding his ribs and clenching his teeth. His eyes were tightly shut—and slightly tearing as he was dealing with the pain.

Stephanie sat there watching him closely. Because of the laughter brought on by his now departed visitors, Ponch was now hurting and quite badly. Stephanie suddenly realized that maybe she should leave also. "Hey, I think I'd better clear out, too..." she announced when Ponch finally re-opened his eyes, "so you can get some rest. You--"

"No…don't go!" Ponch pleaded, er squeaked, and reached out to stop her, and naturally felt the consequences of that move, but he still managed, "I'm okay…really. Look Stephanie… I…enjoy your company. I really want you to stay, if you could,." he smiled his handsomest smile.

Seeing that irresistible, disarming smile practically glued the woman to her seat. She quickly came up with a thought though, "On one condition."

He eyed her cautiously, "Which is?" His first thought was, 'Oh no, not her, too.' He could envision a nurse with a needle coming his way.

"You close those eyes again and try to get some sleep."

Ponch's smile returned. He could handle that. "Deal," he simply said and obediently closed his eyes. He definitely did not want her to leave.

'Hmm, that was way too easy,' Stephanie thought to herself. She looked down at her book, opened it to the page she was on and read a sentence or two. Suddenly she had that feeling she was being watched. She glanced back up and sure enough--she was. Ponch had waited a moment or two and then slowly re-opened one eye. Stephanie was still sitting there, right beside him, reading a book. He had simply wanted to make sure she was still there, but she had glanced up and caught him looking at her. "Close 'em!" she ordered sternly.

He quickly obeyed, not wanting to give his pretty company a reason to leave or worse yet a reason to have that needle come his way again.

'I could really get used to this,' Stephanie quietly told herself. She watched him momentarily, to make sure he didn't try it again. When she felt assured that he wouldn't, she went back to her book.

Ponch was really hurting. He didn't figure he'd be able to fall asleep--not without some help. But he wasn't about to call the nurse and end up being poked again. No, he would just simply lie there...quietly... with his eyes closed. That would keep Stephanie happy and she'd stay right there where she was. He'd barely finished his thoughts when he finally did, indeed, doze off.

Stephanie soon realized that she had been reading and rereading the words, but nothing was sinking in. Instead her mind drifted back and forth between Jim and Ponch. That same nagging question had returned to haunt her. Had she allowed herself enough time to mourn her late husband? Something else suddenly occurred to her, as well. Ponch may not even like her in 'that' way. (That thought alone proved that she didn't know Ponch at all.)

Speaking of Ponch, he woke a couple hours later, feeling somewhat better.

Stephanie knew she really should take her leave, but she waited a few minutes before telling him that. "Ponch, look, I really should go okay," she finally told him, "It's getting quite late. I'm glad you had a chance to rest. I'm off tomorrow. I'd like to come and visit with you again."

Ponch's eyes lit up, "Stephanie, I'd be upset if you didn't come." Suddenly, he remembered something else, something he didn't have a chance to tell her before, but should have. "Steph', thanks for the beautiful flowers."

"You're welcome, Ponch. I'll see you tomorrow then." She waved and walked out of the room. The woman was very happy that she had changed her mind when it came to not saying anything to Ponch about being off tomorrow. When she saw his reaction, she realized that maybe; just maybe there was some hope there. Yes, perhaps Ponch did feel more than mere 'friendship' towards her.