Wheelers Road , Chapter 3

Chapter 3
Wheeler's road


It was 10 minutes before Alice found a Dr.
"There is a Doctor Fortenberry in Wolf Pass, Nevada.
Very, very small town with one doctor. He wants to talk to you.
I picked up the phone.
"Doctor?", this is Jake Wheeler. My partner (It was easier than telling him that she was a computer) and I have a friend with us that has fallen ill. Would..."
"Are you the war hero?". The frankness of the question kind of took me aback. "Yes, sir. I guess I am.
Come on by son and bring your friend.
We will Doctor. Thanks.
No son. Thank you.
An hour later, we pulled Ms. Annie into a vacant lot down the street from a small building. I shut down the rig and got an Ole Miss ball cap from the rack overhead. I climbed back into the sleeper. She was still asleep. I pulled the hair off of her face, "Megan?" She woke slowly. "Megan?"
What ? What is it?
Megan, Wake up.... Megan, stay with me. She was coming out of it very slowly.
Megan, wake up. I want you to see a friend of mine.
K..Where? About 100 feet from the truck. Very small town at night. You should be fine. No one is around..Ok?
K.
I helped her get to the front seat, stuck the hat on her head. Got out and walked around the truck. I opened the door and helped her down. She was definitely unsteady on her feet. I put my arm around her waist and we walked toward the yellow light on the porch.
When we got to the door, I opened the screen and knocked softly.
The door opened and a tall, elderly man answered the door.
"Mr. Wheeler?"
Yes, sir. This is my friend Meg.
Meg has been throwing up, running a temperature, She feels weak all the time. She...
"I think I get the idea, son.
Meg, I have a small room. Down the hall on your right. Let me talk to Jake for a second.
Yes, sir. And she waived slowly down the hall.
Jake, I ....
Doctor, I know what you are going to say and I know. I didn't know where else to take her...
Who?
Megan...
No, I wanted to tell you that my daughter was killed in Mosul. I just wanted to say thanks. What you did took a lot of courage. Not many could have done it. My wife and I will never forget that you tried..
I really did not know what to say.
OK, Doc. Somebody had to do it and there didn't see anyone else but me around.
I am not a hero.
All right, Jake. I understand.
Doc, my friend. She has been under a tremendous amount of pressure lately. Her job, family, life in general.
Because she is Megan Mitchell?
I didn't think you knew Doc.
I am old, wheeler. Not dead.
Give me a second. "And he was gone to the back.
I turned the light on in the waiting room and found a year old Reader's Digest.
I started reading the jokes but I did not really feel funny. My sense of urgency had always stood me well in Iraq and now I was scared for Megan.