LITMIR.BIZ

      It was a very long night and day before the phone rang at the Sheridan house and Mel lunged for it. She said hello and heard Jack’s gravelly voice. “Baby.”

      “Jack! What do you know?”

      “He’s going to be all right. He cracked his head, lost a spleen, is scraped up all to hell, but the injuries are apparently not life threatening at this point.”

      “Was he burned?” Mel asked, thinking about a grenade and the heat.

      “No. Pitched through the air, though. But not burned.”

      “Oh, thank God!”

      “Mel, he lost his leg.”

      “Was the damage too severe? Was it inoperable?” she asked.

      “He lost it in the explosion. There wasn’t a chance. Losing the leg was what almost killed him. He lost a lot of blood.”

      “Oh, poor Rick. Where’d they amputate? Above or below the knee?”

      “Above. But they saved a lot of thigh and femur. He’s still in recovery. We haven’t seen him yet, but he’s going to be all right, Mel. Mel,” he said, then paused. “This is rough. We’re not family. Liz isn’t a spouse and I’m not his father. We’re not getting a lot of help, if you know what I mean.”

      “I’m not sure I do.”

      “I don’t know if they’re going to let us bring him home. He might be transferred to some military medical facility for rehab. If I was his father, I could probably bring him home and take him to the nearest hospital for rehab. If I’d just worked with Lydie to adopt him legally before all this—”

      She heard the regret in his voice. Jack felt as if he’d let Rick down. “Jack, just see Rick, let him know you’re there, find out how he’s doing medically, with pain and trauma. Decisions about where he’s going next will come when they come.”

      “I know.”

      “And Jack? You might want to sleep. I hear the exhaustion in your voice. You have to be strong for Rick. Very strong. You can’t cave in to things like pity, worry…”

      “I’ll be strong.”

      “How’s Liz holding up?”

      “Better than me. She was so relieved to hear he’s going to be all right, she started to cry and laugh at the same time. She doesn’t quite get it, that she’s not getting him back right away. And when she does, he won’t be the same.”

      “You both just need to see him. He’s not going to be himself for a while.” She paused. “I wish I was there with you, Jack. I could help. And I miss you so much.”

      “Are the kids okay?” he asked.

      “They’re fine, Jack. We’re all fine. Just missing you, that’s all. But you’re where you have to be.”

      “Really, if I could just get him home, with our family, I’d feel so much better.”

      “That will come.” She took a deep breath. “He needs to finish this journey. He needs the rehab, a prosthetic leg. Some counseling.”

      “Yeah,” Jack said. “Yeah, I know.”

      “Would you like me to tell people? Or would you like to make calls yourself?”

      “Will you do it, Mel? Lydie, Connie and the boys? If you can call Preach, Mike and Paul, they can call the squad. Are you up to it?”

      “Of course, darling. I’ll make the calls right now. Everyone is waiting. Will you do something for me?”

      “Anything I can.”

      “When you see Rick, please tell him I love him. And I’m proud of him. Tell him I’ll do anything in my power to help him. And tell him…No, it’s too soon for that….”

      “For what?”

      She took a breath. “When I lived in Los Angeles, I worked with a doctor in emergency for almost a year before I learned he wore a prosthetic leg. He was quick, confident, strong and very talented. It’s not only possible, it’s probable. It’s just that…I’m sure getting there’s a real bitch.”