WHEW! This was a bear to write. And I had to use Little Big Town's "Tornado" as inspiration - too perfect. This bounces between the present and the storm. I wanted to try a little something different for this update.
Since the last update I wrote, we've had our own tornado outbreak. 18 confirmed tornadoes last week - it was good times.
THANK YOU to everyone who is reading and reviewing and commenting. I just love all of you!
THINGS I OWN: A 1953 edition of a collection of Faulkner stories. THINGS I DON'T OWN: Hart of Dixie.
Zoe sat quietly, the only light in the room emitting from a dimmed light overhead. For the first time in more than eighteen hours, it was quiet. She listened intently to the soft puffs of breath emitting from Wade, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest as he slept, knocked out cold, this time by the pain meds. The door squeaked softly and light flooded into the room momentarily before the dark returned.
"Zoe?" came Lavon's voice. "I'm going to head back to Bluebell with George. I'm leaving the Navigator here for you." He held up the keys before setting them as quietly as he could on a nearby table.
"How is everyone?" she asked.
"Hanging in there," Lavon replied, coming to stand by her. "Tom Long came out of surgery fine, doctor says he'll make a full recovery. Lemon called George to check in and update everyone on what's going on in Bluebell. He wanted me to let you know Earl and Margaret are fine. They're gonna stay at the plantation at least for the night, if not longer. No one's made it out to Earl's yet to see what the damage is and the roads are full of debris, can't get Margaret home neither."
"Wade will be relieved," Zoe said. "I know he was worried about his dad."
"How is he?" Lavon asked, nodding at Wade.
"Lucky," Zoe answered. "He's incredibly lucky. He's got a pretty nasty concussion, broke a few ribs and dislocated his shoulder but it could have been worse." Tears that had been threatening Zoe's eyes all evening long tried once more to fall but again, with a lot of effort, she pushed them back. "It could have been so much worse." Lavon reached out and squeezed his friend's shoulder in support.
"You did good today, Dr. Hart," he told her. "You helped a lot of people, kept your cool when a lot would have lost it. You were incredibly brave."
"I was just doing my job," Zoe replied. She stifled a yawn. Lavon squeezed her shoulder again.
"I'll be back in the morning," he told her. "Try and get some sleep, okay?" Zoe nodded.
"If you need me in Bluebell, let me know," she said. "I don't want to leave Wade, but he's in good hands here. If it gets to be too much for Brick…"
"I think we'll be fine. The pair of you triaged most everyone that was injured enough to require medical attention. You stay here with Wade, maybe check on the others who are hospitalized and send me a report?"
"I will," Zoe promised. "And hey, good work to you too. All that emergency preparedness planning you did saved a lot of lives today." Lavon shrugged.
"Just doing my job," he repeated. "Now it's time to assess the damage and start cleaning up."
"We didn't even get hit the hardest," Zoe said, thinking of those in the surrounding areas who had lost everything. While Bluebell had suffered heavy damage, homes and businesses were still standing. Some would need extensive repairs and the debris piled in the usually idyllic streets would take days to fully clear, but all and all, Bluebell had been lucky. She made herself remember that as she looked at Wade, lying in the bed with a bandage around his head and a sling on his arm.
"Hard to believe," Lavon said, his mind in the same place as Zoe's. "I'll see you in the morning." Light flooded the room once more and then it was dark again. Zoe stretched and then tried to get comfortable in the vinyl-covered armchair.
Exhaustion filled every nook and cranny of her petite frame. Her muscles were stiff and she ached all over. She had her own set of bumps and bruises that tinged when she moved the wrong way and she rolled her neck, trying to work the knots out of it. She knew she should be asleep. She wanted to be asleep. But adrenaline was still coursing through her and as much as she wanted to, she just couldn't.
"Mmm…," Wade groaned, moving around in his sleep. Zoe, equal parts concerned girlfriend and trained surgeon, moved to check on him.
"Hey," she said softly, putting a soothing hand on his non-injured arm. "Don't move so much, okay?" She watched as Wade's eyes fluttered open. It took him several long moments to wake up enough to focus on her, his thoughts hazy from both the blow to his head and the pain medication he was on.
"Zoe," he choked out.
"Hey," she said again, reaching out to adjust the bandage on his head. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"
"A little," Wade admitted. He winced. "Maybe a lot. My head. And my ribs." Zoe nodded and reached for the call button to bring in a nurse.
"The pain medicine is wearing off," she told him. "You're going to have quite the headache for the next few days."
"I've got quite the headache every day, Doc," he said. "She's 100 pounds soaking wet and five-foot-nothin.'"
"Cute," Zoe said. "A huge knot on your head and you're still a comedian." The nurse's voice came through the speaker and Zoe asked, ordered, really, for them to come to Wade's room with another round of pain meds.
"Tom," Wade said suddenly. "Where is he? How is he?" Zoe could tell he was starting to remember the barn collapse.
"He's fine," Zoe soothed. "He needed surgery to stop some internal bleeding but everything went well. Lavon said he's going to make a full recovery. And Lemon called to let us know Earl and Margaret are fine too. Lavon will be back in the morning to see you."
"You're sure Tom's fine?" Wade pressed.
"I'm sure," Zoe said, even though she only had what Lavon had told her to go on. She had no reason to doubt him however. "He'll be back in Bluebell with Wanda waiting on him hand and foot before you know it."
"What about you?" Wade asked. "You okay?" Zoe smiled softly at him.
"I'm okay," she told him. "Now, at least. I was so worried about you. I hated that I couldn't come with you but I had to stay and help."
"You didn't miss much," Wade said, wincing a little as an especially sharp pain shot through his shoulder. "George's truck ain't the smoothest ridin' thing anyway. Put a guy in it with a bunch of broken stuff and another one with even more broken stuff and internal injuries, add in a scared teenager and dodging debris and drivin' through fields and everythin' else and it's a real amusement ride."
"It was the quickest way to get you two here," Zoe told him. "Getting ambulances to Bluebell takes enough time on a good day." The nurse appeared then and Zoe stood back, letting her do her job.
"There," she said, administering the last of the pain medication into Wade's I.V. "That'll help you be a little more comfortable." She turned and looked at Zoe. "It's past visiting hours," she said pointedly.
"I'm his doctor," Zoe replied. She wasn't about to leave.
"You don't work here."
"Still his doctor," Zoe shot back. "I treated him at the scene. I'm Dr. Zoe Hart. I 'm sure it's in his chart somewhere."
"It is," the nurse confirmed. "As 'Zoe Hart, girlfriend' in the emergency contact space."
"Look, I'm not leaving," Zoe informed her. "I am his girlfriend. But I'm also his doctor. And I treated at least half of anyone else who came to this hospital from Bluebell in the last eighteen hours. I haven't showered and I am exhausted. I also don't care about things like visiting hours."
"Leave it alone, nurse," Wade said. "She's little but she's scrappy."
"Fine," the nurse said, relenting. She'd been busy enough caring for tornado victims without having to argue with a stubborn woman the size of her left thumb. "Tell you what, I'm feeling generous. Not only will I let you stay, I'll bring you down a set of scrubs to change into after I make my rounds. You can take a shower too, if you want. Might have to call down to pediatrics to get some small enough to fit you though."
"Thanks," Zoe said, her tone short. The nurse left and Wade chuckled which quickly turned into a wince. "Laughing isn't a good idea right now," Zoe told him. "Broken ribs make sure absolutely nothing is funny."
"That nurse was twice your size," he told Zoe. "She could've slung you over her shoulder and toted you out of here if she really wanted to."
"I'd like to see her try."
"Me too. Those twisters would look like a gentle spring breeze compared to the fit you'd throw." Even as he talked, Wade's eyes were growing heavy, his medicine working already. Zoe moved so she was once more by his bed.
"Get some sleep," she told him. "If you're on your best behavior, I might get to take you home in a day or two."
"You should sleep too," Wade told her, his eyes closed.
"I'll try," Zoe answered, shaking her head at how Wade was always taking care of someone besides himself. She kissed his forehead. "I love you," she whispered.
"Love you," Wade mumbled. Then he was fast asleep.
"Wade!" Zoe called, tripping over her own feet as she stumbled down the basement stairs, catching herself on the railing to avoid full on falling.
"Right here," he answered, slamming the basement door and coming up behind her in one swift motion. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down the remainder of the stairs. "Get down." He pushed her down to the floor near Earl and Margaret who were both staring up at the ceiling as though they could see through it. The radio, running on battery powered, babbled on about tornadoes. They could barely hear it over the ever growing roar all around them.
"What's happening?" Zoe called out to no one in particular. She grabbed for Wade but he was rummaging through a box of supplies across the room.
"It's a tornado, Dr. Hart!" Margaret called. Wade arrived at her side, gripping a flashlight.
"Stay down," he ordered, also glancing up at the ceiling as well. The roar was deafening now. Around them and above them, the house started to shake.
"Wade!" Zoe cried. His arms were around her almost instantly, pulling her into his chest.
"I've got you," he said, hugging her tight. "I've got you. It's gonna be okay." She clung to him, her head buried in her chest as the house shook still harder. Above them, the sound of glass shattering sounded out like a symphony, mixing in with the roaring of the tornado and the sounds of debris, big and small, tearing through Bluebell.
"The house is blowing apart!" Zoe shrieked, making herself as small as possible against Wade. It wasn't in her character to be afraid but this was like nothing she had experienced before.
"We're okay, Doc," Wade said. Zoe, her senses heightened, heard the doubt in his voice.
The roaring and shaking went on for what felt like an eternity to Zoe but really was less than two minutes. Almost as quickly as it had come, it was gone. It was only when it was silent that Wade loosened his grip on Zoe.
"She's over," Earl commented.
"There's more comin,'" Wade replied. He looked at the stairs, debating something. "Y'all okay?" he asked Earl and Margaret.
"Fine and dandy, save for my liver," Earl quipped. Margaret gave him a harsh look but nodded in response to Wade's question. All color had drained from her face. He looked at Zoe. She too was pale, her eyes big and scared.
"You okay?" he asked softly, grazing his thumb across her cheek.
"I think," she squeaked out, still shaking. Wade reached and squeezed her hand. He glanced back at the stairs before turning back to them.
"Let's stay down here for a while," he said. "Listen to the radio, see what the forecast has to say." No one protested.
The minutes pressed on. The announcer on the radio gave rapid-fire updates, doing his best to list warnings as they were posted and relay important messages. There was more roaring, more shaking and then calm again. No one said much. Margaret moved at one point, muttering that it was time for Earl's medicine. Someone – Wade or Lavon – had thought to bring a couple of doses to the basement and she fished them out of the supply box.
Wade stood and started pacing, anxious to know what was going on above him. Zoe remained in the same spot, feeling a certain sense of safety there having now made it through at least two tornadoes. After a while, she took her cell phone from the chest pocket of Wade's flannel shirt she was wearing. She had no service and so she replaced it and waited.
It had been close to an hour with another train-like roar sounded.
"Here we go again," Earl commented. Wordlessly, Wade resumed his spot next to Zoe as they waited for another storm to pass by. This one shook the hardest, roared the loudest. Wade took the shaking as a good sign, hoping it meant the house was still standing above them. When it was over, they realized they'd lost the radio station. Wade went to it and fiddled with the dial until another frequency came in.
"We're not out of the woods," reported the announcer. "The first round has moved through but a second line of storms, at least equal in strength to the ones we just saw, will begin moving into the area around 9pm. Citizens are urged to remain in their safe place…"
"I can't sit here any longer," Wade said. "I gotta see what's going on." He stood and started up the stairs. He was halfway up them when Zoe decided it was time to move.
"Wait," she said, springing to her feet. "Is it safe?"
"You heard the guy on the radio. Worst of this line has moved out, got more comin' later. You stay right here. I'm gonna go up and see what the damage is." He was at the top of the stairs, his hand on the doorknob, when he realized Zoe was following him. "Stay put," he said again.
"I'm coming with you," Zoe informed him. He looked at her for a moment before deciding it wasn't worth arguing with her in the moment. He pushed open the door. Zoe gasped.
"Damn," Wade muttered. The kitchen and living room were covered in glass and debris, every window of the plantation home blown out. Sticks and leaves littered the room. It was bad but it wasn't as bad as he was expecting. He glanced up to make sure the ceiling looked secure before cautiously stepping into the rest of the house.
"I thought the house was gone," Zoe admitted, carefully picking her way through the kitchen towards the door.
"Me too," Wade admitted. "Careful," he warned, making his own way in the same direction. "We don't know if there's any structural damage."
Zoe made it to the door first and with some difficulty, pushed it open, a thick branch blocking her way. "Wow," she said, looking out over the plantation. Several big oak trees, some of them hundreds of years old, had been pulled out of the ground, roots and all, and tossed around like toothpicks. The planation's sweeping lawn looked more like a stretch of land in mid-deforestation. Wade let out a low whistle behind her.
"Looks like the shed's gone," he said, pointing towards a big piece of metal that Zoe now recognized as a piece of the roof of the storage unit behind the plantation.
"What about our houses?" Zoe asked.
"Come on." Wade took her hand and led her across the yard. He stopped a ways from the house and turned to check it over. Every window was gone and it would need a new roof as most of the shingles had been ripped away but it looked like it had withstood the worst of it, at least for now. "It'll be fine to ride the next round out in," he said. They continued walking. Zoe let out a sigh of relief when their homes, still standing, came into view.
"We're both gonna need a few shingles," Wade commented, making a quick assessment of the damage. "And a few new windows too."
"They look like they fared better than the main house," Zoe answered.
"Tornadoes are funny like that," Wade replied. "They'll drop out of the sky, turn your neighbor's house into a pile of matches and not even blow the mail out of your mailbox twenty yards away." They watched as Burt Reynolds slunk off of Zoe's porch and into the bushes.
"Stupid gator," Zoe mumbled. Wade chuckled. Together, they headed back to the plantation. Earl and Margaret had made their way out of the basement and were standing on the porch, taking things in.
"I thought it was a goner," Earl called.
"Me too," Wade called back. "Y'all should be fine to stay here tonight, ride out the next round. There's plenty of batteries for the radio. Keep it on until the storms are over."
"Where you goin'?" Earl asked his son.
"Gotta get down to the Rammer Jammer. We've got a break in the weather and I'm sure there's people gonna need some help while we can get to 'em." A light rain had started to fall but none of them felt it. "You all stay here, stay put and pay attention to what's goin' on. Get down to the basement sooner rather than later, you hear?" Margaret readily agreed while Earl muttered something that sounded like mutinous compliance. Zoe didn't say anything but followed them inside.
Wade headed to the garage to see if he could get his car out, not sure if the roads were remotely passable but deciding to make it as far as he could before going on foot. A tree was blocking the garage though and so he headed around to wear he'd last left the plantation work truck, hoping it was still in one piece. Aside from a broken windshield, he was in luck.
"Will it start?" came Zoe's voice. Wade looked up. She'd pulled her hair into a ponytail and was holding a medical bag in each hand.
"Where do you think you're goin'?" Wade asked, yanking on the driver's side door to open it.
"With you," she answered matter-of-factly. She started around to the passenger side where Wade met her. He pushed it shut just as she opened it.
"No you're not."
"Yeah, I am."
"Zoe, you're stayin' here."
"Wade, I'm not," Zoe told him firmly. She held his eyes with her own, challenging him. "I'm a doctor. People might be hurt. They'll need me. Lavon said it himself this morning." Wade stood there, torn for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to leave her at the plantation where he knew it was reasonably safe. But he also knew she had a point. She was a doctor and one of only two doctors in the town at that. She was probably needed.
"Fine," he relented. "Hang on." He took off his plaid shirt and wrapped it around his hand, carefully removing as many shards of glass as he could from the truck seat. It wasn't hard work – the tornado had made a clean break of the windshield and took most of the glass with it. When he was satisfied, he put his shirt back on and held the door for Zoe.
It was slow going into town. The drive that should have taken less than 10 minutes took nearly an hour. Wade drove slowly, navigating around numerous downed trees and power lines, taking alternate routes and driving through fields and yards. Neither of them spoke much, each taking in the damage to the town. They both let out a sigh of relief when they arrived at the Rammer Jammer.
"Zoe!" Lavon called as soon as they walked through the door. "I've been trying to reach you. Cell service is down. We need you. We've set up a triage in the town square. No serious injuries yet but Brick's overrun with minor injuries."
"I'm on it," Zoe said, turning towards the door she'd just walked through. Wade grabbed her arm to stop her.
"There's more storms comin,'" he reminded her. "Promise me you'll pay attention to the weather?"
"I promise," Zoe said. She had no intentions of being anywhere other than a basement or storm cellar if and when another tornado struck. "You have to promise the same though."
"I promise," Wade agreed. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Love you," he whispered, still getting used to the words. Zoe smiled up at him.
"Love you too," she said, testing the words out. She liked how they sounded. She turned and left. Wade watched her for several moments, unable to shake the knot in his stomach.
"Did I just hear 'I love yous' exchanged?" Lavon asked. Wade turned to Lavon.
"You did," he confirmed. "That's my girl you just sent out there."
"She'll be fine," Lavon said, sensing Wade's nervousness. He clapped Wade's shoulder. "How are things lookin' at the plantation?"
"It's all still standin' but you ain't got a window left in the place, probably gonna need to replace some of the floors with the rain blowin' in and debris and all. There are trees and power lines down everywhere – took me and Zoe nearly an hour to get here. Looks like all the house are still standin' but some of 'em had right smart damage." Lavon nodded, making mental notes.
"Better report than what I was expected," he admitted. "We hunkered down in the cellar. I thought for sure this place was going to be leveled when we came up."
"Looks like most of Main Street survived okay," Wade commented. "At least for now." He looked around at the collection of emergency personnel and locals mulling around, waiting for assignments or else coming back in with a report for Lavon. "I'll get Jake to start making up some sandwiches to pass out, maybe see if we can get the charcoal grill fired up and start feedin' people. It'll probably be days before we get power back, might as well use up what we can before it goes bad."
"Thanks, my man," Lavon said. "Listen, I might need you to go out and help clear out some of the debris in the main streets. You're a little more – able-bodied – than some folks." Wade nodded.
"Just let me know what to do," he said. "Jake! Let's get to cookin.'"
Zoe tapped lightly on the door of Tom Long's hospital door before entering. Like Wade's room, Tom's was dimly lit, a couple of machines beeping softly. Wanda was curled up in a chair near his bed, sleeping soundly, her hand heavily wrapped in gauze from where Zoe had stitched it up earlier. Zoe felt a surge of empathy for the woman.
"Hi, Dr. Hart," greeted a sleepy-sounding Tom Long. Zoe smiled at him. He looked pale and had some bumps and bruises but she had never been happier to hear his voice.
"I thought you'd be asleep," she told him. "All that pain medication and sedatives."
"Probably will be before too long," Tom answered. "It's all I can do to stay awake right now."
"The doctor says you'll make a full recovery."
"Of course I will," Tom said. "Going to take more than a tornado to take me down." Zoe grinned at how confident he sounded. "How's Wade doing? They haven't told me much about what's going on in Bluebell."
"He's going to be fine. He's got a pretty nasty concussion, a dislocated shoulder and some broken ribs that he's going to feel for a while. But he'll be okay."
"That was some scary stuff," Tom commented. Zoe nodded.
"That's one way of putting it." An involuntarily chill ran through her as she thought back through the last several hours. "I'm going to get back to Wade, but I wanted to check on you, see how you're doing."
"Thank you, Dr. Hart," Tom said. "You saved my life." Zoe shook her head.
"I didn't. The surgeon who operated on you did."
"He said without the care I received in the field I wouldn't have made it."
"I was just doing my job," Zoe said modestly. Wanda shifted around in her chair but didn't wake up. "Get some rest, okay?"
"Okay," Tom agreed. "Tell Wade I said thanks too." Zoe smiled.
"I will."
Zoe tossed yet another pair of latex gloves into the makeshift trash can and wiped the sweat from her brow. For the last two hours, she and Brick had tended to what felt like the whole of Bluebell, stitching up wounds but mostly calming fears that bumps and bruises weren't as bad as they appeared. She had just finished stitching the hand of the Cooper's two year old who had picked up a piece of glass and at the moment at least, triage was empty.
"I saved you a burger they brought over from the Rammer Jammer," Brick said as Zoe sat down beside him on one of the folding chairs that had served for examining patients most of the evening and into the night. "It's cold now but you should eat something." He passed a burger wrapped in aluminum foil over to her. The wind had picked up again, a telltale sign the next round was blowing in.
"Thanks," she said as she unwrapped it. Cold or not, she was starving. Brick passed her a warm can of Diet Coke too.
"You did good work today, Dr. Hart."
"Likewise, Dr. Breeland." Brick looked at her.
"I mean it," he said. "You held your own. You worked hard. You took care of people. I know I give you a hard time, but you're a good doctor, Zoe. A damn good doctor." Zoe looked at him for a long moment before reaching out and laying her hand on his forehead. Brick swatted it away.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking for fever. You're being nice to me. You're clearly delirious." Brick sighed.
"I just said I know I give you a hard time," he reminded her. "But you are a good doctor, despite it all. Harley would be proud of you." Zoe gave him a soft smile.
"Thanks, Brick," she said. "That means a lot. More than you realize, probably."
"I know now isn't the time or place to discuss this, but I know that you're year is almost up here in Bluebell and, well, I just wanted to let you know that your half of the practice is yours as long as you want it."
"Well Harley did leave it to me," Zoe quipped.
"You know what I mean." Zoe chuckled.
"I do," she agreed. She looked around at the place she'd learned to call home over the last several months. It was entirely dark, save for their little spot in the town square where generators worked flood lights. In the distance, the Rammer Jammer was lit up too, ran also on generator power. She could see people mulling around. It had become the gathering point for most of the town. Having spent most of her life working to fit in, both in Bluebell and New York, she couldn't help but feel that for the first time, she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
"Dr. Hart! Dr. Breeland!" came someone's voice in the darkness. Zoe didn't recognize the voice but she did catch the note of panic. "Take cover! There's another twister comin'!"
Zoe gasped and Brick jumped to his feet, Zoe hot on his heels.
"That damn radio! The batteries must have died," he said. He looked up and down the street. "Let's get to the practice," he directed, already moving quickly in that direction. "It's closer than the Rammer Jammer. We'll go down in the basement." The pair barely made it inside before the next tornado dropped out of the sky, blowing away the chairs they'd just been settled in.
It felt like an eternity before Brick deemed it safe to leave the practice's basement. Together, he and Zoe crept up the stairs. They both let out a sigh of relief when they saw the practice was still standing. Several windows had been blown out, the door ripped from its hinges and the waiting room furniture had been tossed all around but it was all fixable. They made their way through the door.
"Oh my God!" Zoe gasped.
The town square had been ripped apart. The gazebo was now a pile of matchsticks, their triage area completely gone. A set of stairs from who knew where laid in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the practice. A car was on its roof. Zoe could hardly believe the amount of damage that had taken place in mere minutes.
"Let's get to the Rammer Jammer," Brick said. "We'll see what Lavon wants us to do from there." Zoe swallowed the lump in her throat as she followed Brick down the stairs of the practice. The bottom one crumbled under his weight and he caught himself on the railing, a series of curse words slipping from his mouth. The relief Zoe felt when she seen the Rammer Jammer still upright in the distance was immeasurable.
When she and Brick entered, the place was crowded with emergency personnel and volunteers. Zoe stood on her tiptoes, looking for Wade. She couldn't find him. Before she could ask someone where he was, Lavon started addressing the crowd. Almost immediately, he focused in on Zoe and Brick.
"We need triage," he told the town doctors. "This round was stronger than the first and at night. There's probably more damage, more injuries. I'm guessing the triage area from earlier is gone?"
"Completely," Brick confirmed.
"Then we'll set up a new one," Lavon said.
"We can use the practice," Zoe piped up, still looking around for Wade. "It's got some damage, but all of our supplies from earlier are gone. We can make do there."
"Good idea," Brick agreed. "We'll head over there now." Zoe followed Brick out the door, stopping for one last look around for Wade.
"Coming Dr. Hart?" Brick asked.
"Just looking for Wade," she said as the pair set off at a brisk pace towards the practice. "I didn't see him."
"I'm sure he's fine," Brick said. "There were an awful lot of people in there. You just missed him, is all."
The next two hours flew by. There were more injuries, most minor, but there were a fair amount of broken bones and wounds that required stitches. Zoe finished setting Cody Miller's wrist, stripped her latex gloves and wiped the sweaty damp hair from her forehead. She could hear Brick in his exam room across the hall, shushing a small child as he worked to stitch up a cut across the length of the bottom of her foot. She sent Cody on his way and turned to leave the exam room to collect her next patient when Corey Franklin burst into the practice.
"Dr. Hart!" he cried. "Dr. Breeland! Tom! Wade! You gotta…. They're hurt… Bad…"
"How bad?" Zoe asked, feeling panic swelling inside of her. She started blindly grabbing for supplies to fill a bag.
"Where are they?" Brick echoed, the girl's foot half-stitched.
"Down at the old mill," Corey panted out. "They were helping old man Peters and his wife out of their safe place when the last twister hit. They got them to safety but the barn they were in started falling. They're both hurt. You've got to come." Brick looked at Zoe who was closing up a bulging medical bag with trembling hands.
"You go," he told her. "I can't leave right now. Call if you need back up."
"Show me where they are," Zoe said to Corey. They left the practice at a run. Corey had parked his four wheeler a few hundred yards from the practice, as close as he could get with the debris, and without question, Zoe climbed on the back and held on for dear life as he drove through Bluebell, dodging debris as best he could. Her heart was in her throat along with her stomach as unbidden images of the worst case scenarios filled her mind. She shook her head slightly, trying to bring her mind back to the here and now. She needed all of senses about her to treat Wade and Tom. She had to be Dr. Hart right now, not Zoe, the girlfriend.
She gasped as the old mill site came into view. The mill and the Peters' home were still standing but their big red barn was nothing more than a heap of boards, shingles and nails. Zoe felt ill. Mr. and Mrs. Peters were sitting on their porch stairs. They looked traumatized but a quick check with the older couple revealed they didn't need immediate medical attention.
Zoe followed Corey quickly to the barn site, their going made more difficult by the dark. Her eyes fell on Wade first who was propped up against a pile of boards. All Zoe could focus on was the blood pouring from a deep gash above his eye.
"Wade!" she cried, dropping to hear knees at his side. His eyes opened and he turned his head towards her.
"Zo?" he asked as though he didn't believe she was there.
"I'm here," she told him, opening her bag and reaching for gauze to start cleaning his wound. She desperately wished for a flashlight. "Besides your head, what else hurts?"
"My shoulder," Wade answered. "And I think I broke some ribs. We barely got out before the whole thing fell down on top of us." He suddenly became more alert. "Tom!" he said. "Zoe, Tom. He needs help more than me. He's over there." Wade raised an arm and pointed in Tom's direction. Zoe followed his gaze and for the first time, seen Tom lying nearby, a few boards covering him. "I tried to move what I could but my shoulder… My head… I can't…" Wade was starting to sound distressed.
"You stay put," Zoe ordered. "Corey! I need you!" Corey came to her side from where he'd been watching a few feet away. She handed him a wad of gauze. "I need you to hold this to Wade's head," she instructed. "Apply pressure. We have to stop the bleeding or at least slow it down as much as possible."
"Yes ma'am," Corey agreed. He took her place at Wade's side while she hurried over to Tom, sidestepping a large, jagged piece of metal and climbing over what she thought was the remnants of a piece of farm equipment.
"Tom?" she called as she dropped down to his side. "Tom?"
"Dr…. Hart…" he managed. His breathing was labored.
"Where are you hurt?" Zoe asked, taking out her stethoscope and beginning her exam.
"Everywhere," Tom answered. It wasn't the most helpful answer but Zoe was aware that it was also the most likely. She realized quickly she'd have to move the few boards that were covering Tom. She stood and, using every ounce of strength she had, was able to move the three heavy, large boards aside. A splinter wedged itself into her palm, but she didn't have time to worry about that.
Returning to Tom's side, she examined him with quick, skillful hands. As she pressed on his stomach and gauged Tom's response, she grew more concerned with internal injuries. There was very little she could do in their current situation.
"Dr. Hart… Gonna be…. Sick…" No sooner had the last word left his mouth, Tom turned his head and vomited bright red blood. Zoe let out a curse, her growing suspicions of internal bleeding confirmed. She had to get him – and Wade, who was fading fast – to Mobile for treatment.
"Corey!" she called. "We have to get both of them to Mobile as soon as possible. Get on your four wheeler and get back to the Rammer Jammer. Find someone – anyone – who can get them to Mobile somehow."
"Dr. Hart… The roads…" Corey understood the urgency but he knew too that damage was heavy all around Bluebell and getting from there to Mobile was next to impossible.
"I don't care about the roads," Zoe snapped back. "Tom needs emergency surgery and Wade needs a cat scan as soon as possible. Now go!" Corey knew better than to argue. He took off at a run for his four wheeler, leaving Wade to try and hold the gauze to his forehead.
"Tom? You're going to be okay," Zoe said. "We're going to get you to Mobile and you're going to be fine, okay?" There was no answer. "Tom?"
"Okay," Tom managed. Zoe knew exactly what to do to treat him – in a sterilized operating room with every tool she could need and a team of doctors and nurses to assist her. There was next to nothing she could do out here besides stabilize him and wait.
"Stay still, don't move," she instructed. "If you feel like you're going to be sick again, let me know. I'm going to go check on Wade. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay," Tom said again. Zoe returned to Wade's side. He was pale, sweaty and covered in dirt. She could tell he was also in a lot of pain.
"How are you doing?" she asked. She gently removed the gauze from his wound and examined it. The bleeding had slowed but he needed stitches. Those she could do in the field.
"Swell," Wade replied. "How's Tom?"
"Hanging in there," Zoe told him. She lit up her penlight. "Follow my light with your eyes," she directed. Wade did as he was told, tracking her light as best he could. Zoe was satisfied but still not happy. "Did you lose consciousness?"
"Um…" Wade struggled to remember.
He and Tom had ridden out the storm in the Peters' barn where their cellar was, having ended up out there as they worked their way through Bluebell helping where they could. When it was over, they'd helped the elderly couple out of the cellar. Wade had noticed the barn starting to give and had rushed them along. He'd managed to get the older couple out but Tom had gone back after a cat he'd seen hiding in a stall. He'd made to snatch Tom out of the barn and was just at the entrance when it came crashing down around him. He didn't remember much between then and Zoe's arrival, just hazy images of him trying to help Tom and shooting pains throughout his upper body.
"I think I might have. I don't know. I can't remember." Zoe could tell he was anxious and needed him calm.
"It's okay," she told him. "It's normal to not remember the accident when you have a head injury. I need you to stay calm, okay? Do you feel nauseous?"
"No. Well, maybe a little."
"You've got a concussion," Zoe told him. "I'm not sure how severe, but I'm certain you have one." She looked over at Tom. His chest was rising and falling and he had moved his head enough to where he could see her and Wade. She gave him a reassuring smile before turning back to Wade. "I'm going to clean this up and stitch it up – should stop the bleeding."
"Hope it don't hurt as bad as the last time you gave me stitches." Both of them recalled the heat wave and Wade's run in with the fence behind the Rammer Jammer.
"Hate to break it to you, but it's going to hurt a lot worse," Zoe told him as she dug through her bag. "There are a lot more nerves running above your eye and I don't have anything to numb the area."
"Awesome," Wade grunted. He winced as Zoe dabbed peroxide into his wound.
"Shhh," she soothed, continuing to dab. She went back to Tom and checked over him once more. He was barely holding on to consciousness. She encouraged him to sing a song in an effort to keep him conscious and after some coaxing, he obliged and started a rendition of some love song she'd heard on one of Wade's country radio stations.
"This is romantic," Wade said when Zoe returned to his side. Zoe smiled a little despite the situation. She could tell Wade was making an effort to not let on how much pain he was in and she appreciated it. And by keeping Wade talking, she was keeping him conscious as well. She'd caught him nodding off already and she couldn't let him fall asleep with his head injury before he could be properly examined.
"Stay still," she told him as she prepared to start stitching. "Keep singing, Tom," she added when Tom reached the end of his song. He started on a new one, this one about country girls shaking it for critters. She'd question his choice of songs later. "Stay still," she repeated as she moved to start stitching Wade up. "This is going to hurt. I'm sorry." She put the penlight between her lips, the thin beam her only source of light. It wasn't going to be her neatest job, but it needed to happen.
"Ahhh!" Wade cried out as the needle pierced his skin. Zoe bit her lip, hating that she was hurting him even if it was for his own good. He made an effort not to let on how much it hurt, especially as each movement he made sent a wave of pain through him, his ribs protesting and his shoulder out of commission. So he sat there, biting down on his lip and trying to breathe through the pain. It felt like an eternity before Zoe whispered that she was done. Moments later, the battery in her penlight died.
"Tom? How are you holding up?" Zoe asked over her shoulder.
"Swell," Tom replied. He was growing weaker by the minute. Zoe encouraged him to keep singing and prayed Corey would return soon. She checked over Tom once more before returning to Wade. He was dozing.
"Wade?" she called, reaching out to gently squeeze his uninjured shoulder. He jolted awake and quickly cried out in pain as his ribs protested the sudden movement. "Sorry," Zoe apologized. "You've got to stay awake, okay? You can't fall asleep until you've had your head checked."
"Want me to start singin' with Tom?" he asked, daring her with his eyes to agree. Tom, growing ever weaker, was now leaving out words as he tried to mumble through his latest selection.
"Just talk to me," Zoe said, sitting down by him. "Tell me… Anything. Whatever comes to mind."
"Anything?" Wade asked.
"Anything."
"Stay," he said simply. Zoe frowned in confusion.
"Stay?" she asked.
"Stay here. In Bluebell. I know your year is almost up and that you're probably chompin' at the bit to get back to New York but I'm askin' you to stay here. With me." Zoe looked at him and saw the pleading in his eyes.
"Do you know what I did today?"
"Jabbed a needle through my head several times. I can still feel the sting."
"Besides that."
"Survived your first tornado outbreak?"
"Exactly," Zoe confirmed. "I survived my first tornado outbreak. I watched the town I live in – the town I love – be ripped apart. I've treated half the population for everything from minor scrapes to broken bones. Now I'm treating internal injuries and a concussion in a field in the dead of night in what used to be a barn. And you know what I realized in the middle of all this?"
"That you can't wait to get back to New York where the sky rarely falls and no one has to be treated in a field because there ain't any?" Wade guessed.
"No, you idiot," Zoe said, forgetting their circumstances and punching him in his good shoulder. Wade let out a howl. "Sorry," she apologized. "What I realized, is that I love this town. This is where I belong. I'm not going anywhere." Wade looked at her as though he could hardly believe what she'd said.
"You're not going back to New York?" he asked. Zoe shook her head.
"I can't leave this place," she told him. She leaned forward and kissed him carefully on the lips. "Besides, I went and fell in love with this power-stealing brute of a guy who happens to also be handy with a hammer. And as much as I don't want to leave this town, I really don't want to leave him."
"I heard about that guy," Wade said with a grin, even as he fought to keep his eyes open. "I heard he fell in love with a bossy, neurotic Yankee doctor who has more girly crap to plug in to get ready for the day than the whole Bluebell Salon."
"Hey!" Zoe protested.
"Oh come on, Doc, you know it's true." Zoe shrugged.
"Sort of," she admitted, making Wade chuckle.
"So sweet," chimed in Tom. Zoe went to check in on him. He'd broken into a sweat and for the first time, had a low fever, signaling infection. She felt panic settling into her chest again. In the distance though, the sound of a vehicle could be heard. She prayed hard that it was someone coming to take Tom and Wade to Mobile. Several moments later, George Tucker's truck came into view and his headlights lit up the site.
"Zoe! What's going on?" George called as he parked his truck as close to the debris of the barn as he could get. Corey was with him. "Corey said Wade and Tom were hurt and needed to get to Mobile as quickly as possible." Zoe met George halfway.
"Wade has a concussion, some broke ribs and a dislocated shoulder. He needs a cat scan to rule out anything worse. But Tom's not doing well. He's got internal injuries, broken bones. He going to need emergency surgery." George paled.
"And I'm supposed to get them to Mobile? Zoe, the roads…"
"I don't give a damn about the roads," she snapped, whirling around to face George. She was sick and tired of hearing about the roads. She got it. But it didn't matter. She kept her voice low so Tom in particular couldn't hear her.
"They need medical attention, right now. I don't care how you get them there. I don't care who gets them there. But they need doctors – doctors who can treat them a hell of a lot better than I can at the moment. Tom will die if we don't get him the help he needs. I know there's damage all around us. I know it's not going to be easy to get them there. But it's going to be a hell of a lot quicker for you or me or anyone else to drive them there than to wait for an ambulance. In a perfect world, Tom would be life flighted but I doubt copters are flying right now."
George took a deep breath as though filling himself up with courage. "I'll do my best," he said. "I can't make any promises, but I'll do what I can to get them there."
"Thank you," Zoe said. "Tom can't walk so we're to have to carry him. He should probably lie down. Corey, do you think you can ride on the back with him, keep him calm? And talking? It's important that he not lose consciousness."
"I can," Corey said with a nod. It was then that Zoe remembered he was only 17. She reached out and squeezed his arm in a show of solitude. He squared his shoulders, ready to do what he could. Together, Corey and George managed to make a makeshift stretcher from an especially large board and with Zoe's help, moved him to it. Then Zoe went to Wade.
"I feel helpless," he told her.
"You've been helping since well before the storms hit. Time to let someone else take over," she said. Carefully, she helped him to his feet. He was unsteady and the movement caused him to cry out in pain. "Are you dizzy?" Zoe asked.
"Among other things," Wade answered. His arm around Zoe's shoulders and leaning heavily on her small frame, he paused to collect himself as best he could. George came to help and together, they got Wade in the cab of George's truck.
It was then that Zoe realized she'd have to send them without her. Her assistance was needed in Bluebell and there wasn't really room for her in addition to the supplies and tools George was already carrying around. She had a feeling he'd need the chainsaw sitting on the bench seat between him and Wade sooner rather than later.
"I'll come as soon as I can," Zoe told Wade. "Don't fall asleep, okay? Whatever you do, don't go to sleep. Not until the doctor has examined you."
"Okay," Wade said. Zoe kissed him, a sudden fear washing over her that she wouldn't see him again. "I love you, Zoe."
"I love you too," she replied. It had been less than 24 hours since they first said those words and already they seemed so natural. She shut the door and administered last minute instructions to Corey, checked on Tom one last time and then went to George.
"I'll do everything I can to get them there safely," he told her.
"Thank you," she said. "Keep Wade talking. He's getting groggy and he can't fall asleep until he's been examined. My phone isn't working – signal is out anyway but it died ages ago. I'll check on both of them as soon as I can."
"How are you getting back into Bluebell?" George asked. "I can drive you if you need me to but…" Zoe shook her head. Bluebell was the opposite direction from Mobile and George couldn't waste time.
"I saw the Peters' car. It looked like it was spared. I'm sure they'll let me take it into town."
George nodded. "The road is somewhat passable now. I had to saw a few trees on my way out here but I think you can make it most of the way."
"Take care of them," Zoe said. George nodded.
"I will," he promised.
Zoe woke up slowly, sunlight pouring in between the crack in the curtains. She stretched, feeling cozy in her scrubs, the shower she'd had before climbing into the cot they'd set up for her doing wonders. She looked over at Wade who was sitting up in bed, watching her.
"Mornin' beautiful," he said. "Or should I say afternoon?"
"What time is it?" Zoe asked, standing and walking over to his bed.
"After 2," he answered. "Lavon came and went. You needed your sleep though so we didn't wake you."
"How are you feeling?"
"Like a million bucks. This pain medication is good stuff." Zoe rolled her eyes. Wade reached for her with his good arm. "Come here, girl."
"I don't want to hurt you," Zoe said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Your ribs…"
"Pain meds," Wade said again. "I ain't feelin' much. Except the lack of my girl." She gave in and carefully climbed into bed beside him. He put an arm around her and for a while, they just sat there in silence, grateful to be together, that the sun was shining outside. Wade started tracing a bruise on her forearm.
"You okay, Doc?" he asked.
"I'm not the one who has a bandage wrapped around my head."
"You know what I mean." Zoe sighed heavily, trying to fight down the emotions she'd been keeping hidden. Wade jostled her gently. "Talk to me," he urged. Finally, Zoe broke down and let the tears fall.
"I was so scared," she admitted. "I've never experienced anything remotely close to that. There's so much damage and so many people were hurt…" She stopped and looked up at Wade. "Treating you and Tom in the middle of a field – Tom was on the brink of death, Wade, and there was nothing I could do to help him. And then you! You were starting to fade and again, there was nothing I could do to help you. What would I have done if something had happened to you?" She let out a sob.
"Hey, hey," Wade said, holding her tightly to him with one arm. "I'm fine. Tom's gonna be fine. Bluebell will be fine too. It's not our first rodeo. This ain't nothin' compared to when Katrina came through."
"I'm sorry," she apologized, wiping at her eyes. "I guess it's all catching up with me." Wade pushed her hair away from her face and let his hand drift over her long hair.
"It's a lot to deal with," he agreed. "Say, when was the last time you ate?" Zoe had to think about it.
"I guess the burgers you made before the second round of storms hit."
"So about a day and a half ago," Wade calculated. "Dr. Hart, I order you to go downstairs to the cafeteria – or hey, even get crazy and venture outside the hospital walls – and find something to eat. Real food too – no salads or, or, or… sushi. Steak and potatoes. Something that'll stick to your bones."
"You're ordering me?" Zoe asked. Wade held out his good arm and shrugged.
"I've got broken bones, a head injury… I'm in a fragile state, Doc. You really can't refuse me." Zoe had to smile.
"I guess I could use some nourishing," she agreed, realizing she actually was hungry now that Wade had pointed it out. "Do you want me to bring you anything?"
"Just you," Wade answered. "And maybe a chocolate milkshake if you come across one."
"I'll see what I can do," she told him. She climbed out of bed and gave him a kiss. Wade pulled her back in to give her a second, longer kiss.
"Hurry back," he said.
"How could I not after that?" Zoe asked. She gave him one last smile before leaving the room.
Wade leaned back and closed his eyes. The pain meds made sure he didn't feel much but they also made him tired. He let his mind wander, wondering about different parts of Bluebell, how his friends had fared, how his dad was doing, was his father's place still standing? His last thought before he fell asleep was that he was going to marry Zoe Hart one day.
WHEW! Thank you so much for reading! Next update coming soon.