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12 marines are called back to fight UN forces trying to take over the US |
Scud had laced a torn piece of his shirt through the bullet wound and was the designated driver. Custer rode shotgun with his leg propped up on the dash, and Mac rode in the back with Jack so Jack could monitor him. âWatch for flecks of red around the mouth, bleeding from the ears, movements that stop suddenly, stuff that just donât seem right. Iâll be there right behind you guys, but in case something happens, tell the doctor just what the facts about the wounds, and give him these, so they can check for poisons and crap like that.â Those had been GDâs parting orders before loading Scudâs body into the backseat of his car. Rachel and Jennie would follow in Mista Dâs Hummer. The trip to the hospital was uneventful, and the check-ins were routine. The doctorâs praised GDâs work, even though it was hardly professional. Mac was required to stay overnight so the doctorâs could watch him, and the tests for poison came back negative. Everyone else was given a clean bill of health and encouraged to go home and sleep. GD pulled the doctor aside. âListen, Doc, we found him, unconscious. Just run an MRI just to be sure, okay?â The doctor nodded, then noticed that the waiting room had been converted into a sort of bedroom. GD touched his shoulder and explained, âSee Doc, when one of our boys gets himself hurt or has to spend the night in the hospital or something, all of us who can make it come and wait for him.â Rachel saw them talking and raced up. âDoctor Hernandez, is there a chance I could get a cot put in Kevin McNaughtonâs room? Please?â The doctor nodded, sympathetically. âIâll see what I can do, maâam. Why donât you go in and wait?â She peeked into the room and saw Mac sitting up, touching his face lightly. His fingers found the slash wound and followed it from his hairline, across the center of his brow and to the opposite point of his jaw. he gave a half grin and a weak laugh before he noticed her standing there. âHey, baby, whatâs up with you?â They had let him wash the dried blood out of his mouth, so his smile wouldnât disturb any visitors. Rachel walked over to the bed and he reached for her hand. âHow are you feeling?â He stretched his arms. âOh, none the worse for wear, a little banged up and GDâs sewing hasnât improved since the War, but Iâm okay. How âbout you?â She gave an exasperated sigh. âYouâre the one who got shot at, stabbed, this-that-and-the-other-thing, and youâre asking me how Iâm doing? Why donât you worry about yourself?â âBecause I want you to be happy, to make sure youâre safe and everythingâs alright with you. Besides, donât need anyone worrying about me, especially not you.â he kissed her hand. âWhy shouldnât I be worried about you? I love you?â âBecause, lovely lady, when youâre worrying about someone, youâre not happy. And that makes me not happy, which slows the healing process, and that makes you more worried. Donât worry about me, Iâll be fine.â His face brightened and he reached for his personal stuff on the chair beside the bed. âTurn the other way for a second, please, Rachel?â He quickly pulled on his shorts and pulled a small box out of his other pants. She heard him getting out of bed and turned around to tell him to get back in. âKevin, back to bed! The doctor said-â His lips got in the way of saying anything else. He pulled back and got down on one knee. A flicker of pain crossed his face and she reached out a hand to comfort him. He brushed it back and looked up at her. âRachel, Iâve got a question to ask you, love.â He lifted up the box and opened it. âI know war isnât always the best circumstances for something like this, but I gotta ask.â His face was pleading. âRachel, whatâs your last name?â She burst out laughing and threw her thin arms around his neck. She kissed him and looked him in the eye. âI wish it was McNaughton.â âRachel, will you marry me?â âyou already know the answer to that.â âGuess I do.â He picked her up, felt the blood running down his back and didnât care. Mac had found someone to care about. Too bad Whip didnât live to see it. Jack and Mista D stood at the door and watched, and waited. After a few minutes of kissing, Mista D came in with the cot. âAlright kids, is time foâ somâ sleepinâ. And itâll be in separate beds until we gets youse inta church. Got dat, Brotha Mac?â âRight D, thatâs right.â Mac let go of Rachel and grabbed the cot. âMine,â he pointed to the cot, then to the bed. âHers.â Jack stepped in, threw Mac onto the hospital bed and pinned him there. Mac tried to fight, but Mista D applied the shoulder pressure points and he relaxed. Rachel stroked his cheek. âListen, you big ape, if you donât stay in that bed, weâll never make it to church, now will we? Then Iâll get away, and you donât want that. Now be a good boy and go to sleep.â She kissed his forehead then retreated to the cot. Jack dragged a chair in and positioned it near the door, facing it as was their habit. âAlright, you two birds, get some sleep before they kick you out.â Scud felt someone touching his hand, the wounded one, the one he said didnât need a doctor poking at. He woke up and looked around. He took in the waiting room and identified two new faces clumped together across from him. But if they were over there, who was touching him? he glanced down and saw a little girl, no more than three, pushing at the makeshift bandage, while her parents were zoned out at the TV. he reached down and picked her up. She looked up at his face, then back down at the hand. Again she reached for the bandage. he lifted it to push her hand back, but when her fragile fingers brushed his bare skin, it felt like electricity was flowing through his body. She withdrew her hand and smiled at him. She reached for his face and brushed it too, with the same result. She smiled again, then vanished. Her weight was gone from his lap, her entire being was gone like it had never existed. The two people across the room were gone too, and the TV was off. His leg was still warm where she had been sitting and his hands were still positioned like he had been holding her. And his hand didnât hurt any more. he ripped the bandage away and put his finger where the hole had been. It was completely healed, with no sign that anything had ever happened to it. Joe noticed his friendâs bewilderment, and asked him. âYou okay Scud? Want the doctor to take a look at that hand of yours?â Scud stood up and walked over to him. âJust need you to look at it, Joe, just tell me Iâm not crazy.â he told the whole story, from when he woke up to when she disappeared. Joe looked quizzically at him. âThere hasnât been anyone in here since we got here.â âthan how do you explain that?â He shook his healed hand at Joe. âHow did this happen?â Joe looked him in the eye. âGotta be an act of God, Adam.â Mista D and Rachel came out of Macâs room around 7:30 the next morning. he heard the story of Scudâs healing and raised his hands in praise. âThank you, mighty merciful Lord! Macâs bruises almost all healed up, heâs juss a little collad up, but he okay!â he almost started singing, but noticed the nurses gesturing for quiet. âBoys, Macâs goinâ in for a MRI now, so weâs gona be heya fo a while longa. Accommodations okay wid everyone or you ladies want something more comfortable? Uncleâll pay fo a hotel, no questions asked.â The girls said they would stay, then GD remembered he had a body in his car. âFlash!â he ran down the stairs to his car and brought Flash back up. Custer explained the situation to one of the doctors who examined the body and said he would notify them when they could come down and take the body for burial. They wheeled Flash away for an autopsy. Macâs scan was quick. âNot much in there to see, huh, Brotha?â Custer joked. He was Macâs escort down to the cafeteria where everyone had camped since Jack woke up and demanded food. They were almost there when Mac stopped Custer. There was a mischievous glint in his eye. âRemember McMurphy?â Custer laughed and took hold of Macâs shoulder. Everyone at the table turned to say hi when they came in, and Rachel ran up to him and hugged him. Jack took one look and put his head down on the table. GD started laughing silently, and Jennie punched him. Mista D suppressed a smirk. Joe got up and left so he wouldnât give it away. Scud was completely clueless and just stared. When Mac didnât react, Rachel stepped back and looked at him and was horrified. His mouth was open, he walked and acted like a zombie, his face and eyes a complete blank. Custer made an attempt to explain. âThey really donât understand what happened,â he said, âits a freak. He was in the machi-he hehehe.â He couldnât hold back any more. As he burst out laughing, Mac quickly kissed her, then smacked Custer in the back of the head. âYou screwed it up! Youâre not supposed to say anything, just look down and shake your head!â Rachel started punching him, her face all screwed up at having been tricked. He caught her hands and pulled her closer. âHad you goinâ there for a while, huh, baby?â Jennie called him a jerk from across the room. Mac retorted, âWell, maâam, it ainât your approval Iâm looking for, now is it?â he looked down at Rachel and gave her puppy dog eyes. âI is sowwy, Miss Wachel, will you stiw mawwy me?â She tried to glare at him, but found it impossible. She let herself go and fell against him. âOf course, you bastard, but do that again and Iâm leaving you, hear me?â âI hear you, Rachel, and I understand. No more.â He touched her cheek. âNo more.â Then he remembered the others, still sitting at the table. âhey boys, thanks for waiting. We can leave now if you want.â GD pulled Jennieâs chair out and helped her up. âWhat the doctor say, Mac?â Mac ran his fingers through his hair. âDoc said that I was fine, some internal injuries, but nothing life threatening. Headâs fine, no damage done. Canât figure out why exactly I passed out, they nthink it may have just been stress and exhaustion.â Rachel put her hand on his shoulder and grinned. âOh, now that canât be the reason.â As they walked out, Mac glanced over at D. âThink youâd mind doing a wedding next week, D?â âI would be honad, Mista McNaughton. Will you want Flash theya, or you want da weddinâ afta da funeral?â âOpen casket, D, open casket.â Rachel looked at him. âIsnât that a little morbid, having a dead man at a wedding?â Mac stopped and let go of her hand. Jennie stepped in to support her. âWhat? Isnât a body kind of a downer for a wedding?â âEven after all the stuff youâve seen, you still donât seem to get it.â Mac gestured to the men standing around them. âEvery one of these boys has played a huge part in each oneâs life. Weâre brothers in blood and in war, baby, baptized and raised by fire together as one unit. Even in death we still got to respect that bond. Look.â He rolled up his sleeve and the others did the same. She saw the scar, the eagle and the lightning on each of them. GD took over. âGirls, a body may be a downer for most people, but not having all the remaining boys there when Mac ties the knot would be disrespectful. We donât disrespect our bond, unless one turns traitor, like what happened with Whip. He broke the bond, the oath we took in the jungle. Flash being there wonât be a downer for those who actually knew him, know us and respect who he was in relation to us. Brotherhood is for eternity, till death do we part and treasure the memories until the end of time. Thatâs why Flashâs gonna have an open coffin, and heâs gonna be up there just like we was for his wedding and for mine and Jennieâs, like Whipâs, Custerâs three, like we was for Jackâs and Mista Dâs. We was there for beginnings and the ends, always there for each other. You take one, you take all of us. Thatâs just the way it goes.â Jack put his arm around Macâs shoulder, Custer did the same for Joe and GD, and Scud and Mista D jumped in to hold them all together. Mac looked at Rachel. âFor better or worse, baby, these my family now and forever, and that stiff back in the morgue is my brother. This is what loveâs all about, Rachel, supporting each other, running alongside, fighting together against something that threatens one. One for all and all for one, always faithful. That okay with you?â Rachel looked at the group, then just at Mac. âDo you guys babysit?â The men looked at Mac, for an explanation. Mac glanced at them, then back at Rachel. âSheâs got two little boys, guys, two little boys that I still got to meet. They my kids now, no matter who their father was, and from here on, we leaving her past behind her. Come here, Rachel, Jennie.â The women came to the line. âThis is family, and now its coming together.â |