Chapter 218 – Early Sunday Morning
Dee stepped outside and was glad that he had gotten a bit of sleep. He was tired and knew that he was going to need a nap or turn in early, but he was willing to forgo a little sleep if it meant helping Jack. Dee also thought about Doug and how much he liked him. Most other Mounties didn't want to get close to Dee because of who his dad was, but for some reason it didn't seem to bother Joe or Doug. Dee also thought for a second that he was glad that he had gotten to know Jack before he learned who he was. He was sure that it had helped them to connect and that connection helped Jack get over the awkwardness that normally came when they learned who Dee's father was. Dee was glad that his cousin had married a Mountie and moreover one that he got along with.
Dee didn't admit it often, but there were many times since he joined the academy that he felt lonely and left out. It wasn't that way with Jack and his friends. Even Jacobs had accepted Dee as just another member of the team. Dee was hoping to convince his father to let him have a posting. He honestly wouldn't mind working with Jack, Jacobs, Joe or Doug. Dee was also being realistic and knew that it was unlikely that his father would let him go too far any time soon. Not only was he worried about his son, but he had come to depend on him so much to get through the paperwork and all the information that Wynn was required to deal with for his job.
Dee knew that despite everything that was going on, that he and his father were enjoying his time away from the office and doing more real Mountie work as he called it. While Dee was lost in thought, he didn't hear Lee come up to the pump himself.
"Hey there." Lee said.
Dee jumped and turned to see Lee standing there.
"Sorry." Lee said. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just going to ask how Jack was doing."
"He held his own overnight." Dee said. "Jacobs and Faith are going to try and get a breathing treatment done and then clean the wound again. He is not out of the woods, but he is definitely fighting."
"Good." Lee said. "I don't know what I would do without my best friend. Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. Even if it is sitting with him."
"I will." Dee said. "Right now, prayers are probably all anyone can do."
Lee nodded. He wasn't going to share with Dee that he wasn't all that religious. Lee helped Dee carry the water back to the house.
"Thank you." Dee said.
"You are welcome." Lee said. "Again, let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. I have extra room in my house if you guys need more places to stay. I also have a larger table than Jack and Elizabeth if you need more chairs or anything."
"Thank you." Dee said. "If we have another big family dinner, we might take you up on the chairs."
"Anytime." Lee said.
Lee watched Dee go into the house and then went into his own. Lee stood there for a moment and looked around. He couldn't wait until he got married and Rosie moved in. Lee then hoped that the house didn't feel so empty.
"How are you doing this morning?" Faith asked.
"Better." Elizabeth said. "I slept most of the night. I was so tired and it felt good to sleep. Being back in the classroom this last week took a lot out of me."
"Hopefully that starts to get better." Faith said. "How long are your aunt and them staying? I know they have been helping."
"Aunt Elizabeth, Charlotte and Patty will be here at least until Saturday." Elizabeth said. "I am pretty sure Charlotte will leave this coming weekend. The rest, well, there are other factors in that. Depending on things Wynn might go back and the rest stay or they all go together."
"Okay." Faith said. "Just remember if something happens after they leave, please don't be afraid to ask for help. I know that it is a long way off, but have you thought about what you are going to do after the baby is born? Teaching I mean."
"Right now." Elizabeth said. "The plan is to be off and go back after the Christmas holiday."
Faith nodded.
"Just know that things might change." Faith said. "I want you to be able to be flexible."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I mean I know what I want to do, but I also know that it will be a huge change when the baby comes. We all will be adjusting. I am hoping that things will settle enough that I can go back to work. I honestly don't want to give up teaching quite yet."
"As long as you know that being flexible is the key." Faith said.
Jacobs and Doug got upstairs. Jacobs stopped outside the bedroom door.
"Do you want me to wake Jack?" Jacobs said.
"I can do it." Doug said. "I know that Jack is modest and this must be hard on him. He knows me better so it might be easier for me to help him get dressed. If I need help, I will call you."
"Okay." Jacobs said. "I will be right here."
Doug knocked and then went into the room.
"Come on Jack." Doug said. "It is time to get up."
Jack started to stir at the sound of Doug's voice. Doug saw Jack's eyelids flicker.
"Jack." Doug said. "You need to get dressed. We need to get you downstairs and do a breathing treatment. Come on. I know that you are in pain, but you need this."
Jack groaned, but finally opened his eyes.
"Doug." Jack rasped out.
"Yes, Jack." Doug said. "I got here yesterday. Now come on, you need to get up and get dressed. Jacobs is waiting to help you downstairs. You need to do a breathing treatment then they will deal with your hip."
"Pain." Jack said.
"Yes." Doug said. "But we can't do anything about the pain until you get up and get dressed."
Jack groaned.
"I will help you." Doug said. "But you are naked under that sheet. So come on, I will help you sit up. I know that it is going to hurt, but one thing at a time."
Doug went over and helped Jack sit up. Jack groaned in pain. Doug helped him slip pajama pants on and then handed him his henley.
"Do you want socks or slippers?" Doug asked.
Jack shook his head.
"Help me to stand." Jack said.
"I am right here." Doug said.
Doug held out his hands and Jack took them. Jack pushed off the bed and Doug pulled him up.
"Ahhhhh!" Jack cried out as he stood.
Doug held on to Jack to keep him standing. Jack tried to sink back to the bed, but Doug wouldn't let him.
"Come on." Doug said. "I got you. You lean on me and I will help you to the hallway. Jacobs is out there and between the two of us, we can help you downstairs."
Doug moved to Jack's right side and wrapped his arm around Jack's back.
"At your speed." Doug said.
Slowly they moved toward the door. When they got to the hallway, Doug gave Jack a break.
"You take him down." Jacobs said. "I will follow, if he looks like he is unsteady, I will grab him."
"Got it." Doug said.
"Come on." Jacobs said. "I know that you can do this. I get the pain. But it will be worse if you don't move. You have basically been in one position for a whole day. You need to move. You need to do a breathing treatment. Then we can deal with your hip and the pain."
Jack nodded. Doug let Jack set the pace heading down the stairs. They had to stop once and give Jack a break. As soon as they got to the bottom of the steps, Dee was there and between Doug and Dee, they basically carried Jack a short distance to the chair. They carefully set him down.
"I am going to let you sit for a minute." Jacobs said. "Then I am going to want you to start the steam treatment."
"We have a little bit on the water." Dee said.
"Then he can rest until the water is ready." Faith said. "I know that you are in pain, Jack, but how bad is it?"
"Bad." Jack rasped.
"Is it just your hip?" Faith asked.
Jack nodded.
"Okay." Faith said. "It will get better. Union City is sending chloroform. Hopefully it is here when we change the bandage tonight. So you will have this one and one more before we get it. I have enough morphine, but if we do that for both changes today, I won't be able to give you any tonight."
"Understood." Jack rasped.
Jack took a breath.
"Morphine now." Jack said. "Then tonight."
"So you want to try the dressing change at noon without?" Faith asked.
Jack nodded.
"Tea before." Jack said.
"You want to do the medicated tea before the dressing change?" Faith asked.
Dee came over and knelt in front of Jack.
"I gave you medicated tea at three this morning." Dee said. "You can't have any more until eleven."
"Perfect." Jack rasped.
"I understand, now." Dee said.
"Is the pain subsiding a little as you sit there?" Faith asked.
Jack held up his finger and thumb an inch apart.
"A little?" Faith asked.
Jack nodded.
"Good." Faith said. "I know that moving was the major cause of pain. I am hoping that it gets better. Hopefully the dressing change isn't as bad this morning. Usually the first twenty-four hours are the worst. Hopefully, they will get better each time. Now, before you do the steam, I want to get a temperature and a set of vitals."
Jack nodded. Faith pulled out a thermometer, shook it down and then slipped it under Jack's tongue. She then took his blood pressure, pulse and respiration rate.
"Jack, please try to slow your breathing down." Faith said. "I know that you are in pain, but the rapid breathing is not going to help anything."
Jack nodded and tried to focus on his breathing. Doug could see that Jack was struggling, so he moved and sat in front of Jack.
"Jack, look at me." Doug said.
It took a moment, but Jack finally focused on him.
"Remember how I struggled with the figure eights in drills." Doug said.
Jack nodded.
"You had me clap out the beat until I did it for five minutes without a mistake." Doug said. "I want you to clap that beat out. You should inhale and exhale on every other beat. Come on, I will do it with you."
Doug started clapping out the beat. Slowly Jack got into rhythm with him. When he did, his breathing naturally slowed. Even Elizabeth was amazed at the effect that Doug had on Jack. She knew they were close, but she hadn't been aware of how close, even after the few conversations that they had had.
"Good job." Faith said. "Keep that up. I am just going to take the thermometer."
Faith slipped the thermometer from Jack's mouth and looked at while Doug and Jack continued to count out the beat and focus on his breathing.
"Temperature is still elevated, but it is below one hundred degrees." Faith said. "I am going to take your heart rate and check your breathing again."
She placed the stethoscope on Jack's check and listened to his heart and then his breathing.
"Much better." Faith said. "It is still high, but more what I expected."
"Water is ready." Dee said. "Now I am going to warn you Jack, I have put extra eucalyptus oil in this, so it is strong."
"Okay." Jack said.
Jack grunted in pain as he leaned forward. Dee draped the towel over his head and Elizabeth set the alarm. While they waited the fifteen minutes, they all sat around the table. Doug decided to share a few stories from their days at the academy. Even Faith was enjoying listening to the stories. They were all having a good time listening to Doug tell stories because he was a great storyteller. With the attention off of him for a bit, Jack was even able to relax a little more despite the pain.
Elizabeth sat back and looked around her table. Yes, there were other people that she would consider her best friend, at least one of Jack's best friends was at the table. As well as three of his brothers-in-arms. She loved that about Hope Valley, they could sit and enjoy themselves and it wasn't awkward. She could never remember her parents sitting around like this telling stories. It was casual and laid back. She knew that whenever her parents had people over, they were dressed up and formal. Elizabeth didn't miss that. She liked sitting around listening to stories like she was. She loved learning more about Jack and his best friends. She looked at Faith and realized that even Faith was having fun despite the reason for the visit. They smiled at each other and then went back to the conversation. Dee had jumped in and was telling a story about being at the academy.