Thunder Storms (#1 - Semper Fi Series)

Part XV

Terry understood. “We’ll get him behind bars and out of your life. We plan on doing it soon. But, our main objective is protecting you so that you and Adam get your ‘happily ever after.’” Terry smiled.

Adam kissed her and whispered in her ear something Terry didn’t hear. Renee calmed down almost instantly. Terry was mistaken. Adam was kissing her and that was the cause of her peace. Terry just smiled and focused her thoughts on the task at hand, and then to the love she and Matt had shared as well. He was still a good man and still knew how to give her shivers even after being married for almost ten years. Thankfully that had not grown cold or boring. She wished he was next to her right now.

. . . . .

Lola’s phone rang. She sat up. It was ten o’clock at night. She’d just hung up with Will a few minutes ago. She always worried when he was gone overnight.

“Hullo? Will? That you?”

“Lola, this is Joe.” Panic started to take over in her mind. Joe never called her unless something was wrong with Will and he couldn’t.                                    

“What’s wrong with Will?” She was already stifling a scream. He better be okay.

“He was hit by a speeding car. I take it you know about our protective mission, right?” Joe asked. Will didn’t keep Lola in the dark on his whereabouts unless necessary, and he usually filled her in on little side trips like this one.                

“Yeah, I know about what he’s doing. He don’t keep much from me unless it’s classified.”

“We’re convinced that the person who hit him is the person we’re protecting our friend from. I heard him as he sped up coming around the corner. Lola, he hit Will. Will is in the ambulance headed for Memorial Medical Center Trauma. He’s in good hands. He asked me to call you,” Joe’s voice broke “and to tell you that he loves you. He’s alive and talking. Those are both good signs. Can you get here quickly?”

Lola started crying when Joe’s voice broke. Joe wasn’t one given to emotions easily. If he was upset, Will was in bad shape. “I can be there in an hour.” They ended the call. Lola was suddenly glad she lived just across the Savannah River in South Carolina. Her trip, though it would feel like an eternity, would only be about an hour to an hour and a half. She called her sister, Lorraine, to come stay with the kids.

“I’ll call ya tomorrow to let ya know how he’s doing. If ya need me, call me.” Lola said, worry lines creasing her delicate features.

Lorraine reassured her. “I got dis. Go ta your man. He need you right now more den me. And, momma’s up the road if I need sumthin’. I’ll give Marcus and Shell a call to let ‘em know. I’m prayin’ big sistah, I’m prayin’.”

With a hug, she thanked her sister and left. “Lord Jesus,” she prayed, “I know you got him. Heal him fast.”

Shell, Will’s momma, called Lola ten minutes before she reached Savannah. “Lola, will ya call me when ya see my baby?”

“Sure thing, Shell. Pray for ‘im. It ain’t good. Joe, who don’ evah cry, broke when he gave me Will’s message. Joe don’t panic. Evah! Will be da toughes man I knows. He gonna get through dis. Love ya, Shell.”

“Love ya, Lola!” She turned off her headset and was in front of the hospital Emergency door. Trying to keep her composure, she asked the desk attendant about her husband. “Will Harris. He came in by ambulance. He was hit by a car. I’m his wife.”

“Yes ma’am. Go right through those doors. The nurse at the desk’ll take you to ‘im.”

“Thank you,” she managed as she all but ran to the doors.

She asked again at the desk and they directed her to the trauma bay. “Oh, Will, honey!” He opened the eye one eye he could. She fought herself to keep calm. He needed her calm, she reminded herself.

Will had many bruises and scrapes on his right side. His right eye was black. She looked at his left leg. It looked bad. It was probably broken. He was hit and that jerk probably left the scene after running over her man. He was awake. “You made it, baby! I’m not as bad as I look. I think my leg’s broke, but they ain’t told me if it is yet. I’m pretty sure I have a concussion, just because I got thrown quite a ways. I think they gonna get me patched up and outta here in no time. Don’ be upset, baby. I lived through gunshots and I.E.D.’s before. This ain’t nuthin!” She carefully kissed his left cheek and stroked his arm softly.

The nurse came to Lola and said, “There’s a Matt Thompson outside? Says he’s family?” Lola had to chuckle at that. Most people don’t understand white folks and black folks saying that they be family. They didn’t know Will or Matt, or they would get it.

“Yeah, he family. Send him in, please. He won’t be happy until he see Will. Cain’t say’s I blame him.”

Matt came in and the shock on his face was enough to make Lola cry. He one-shoulder hugged her, and went over to Will “Hey, brother. Do you hurt as bad as you look?”

“Naw, man. I’m a’ight. I been through worser and walked away. The only reason I didn’t tonight was ‘cause y’all wouldn’t let me. The doc’ll be back soon with da x-rays. My head and my leg both hurt, but other den dat, I jus’ glad to be alive. Praise the Lord. Matt, we gotta get him. He won’t stop at nuthin’ to get her. If you run over a big black dude and don’ blink, you brave, stupid, or nuts. I think he crazy. He’s gonna hurt Renee and probably kill Adam if we don’t catch him.”

“We’re supposed to use our phones as little as possible. He’s somehow managed to break through our lines. He heard everything about the wedding. We moved Adam and Renee. Terry’s with them. I’m staying here to protect you.”

“Man, go to your wife. She’s gonna need backup. Joe and Terry can do it, but they gonna need all the help they can get. We’ll take care of me. I take it they on da way to da safe house?”

“Yep. No one knows where it is except the team. We set it up before we went to Renee’s that first night. This guy is crazy. He’s driven by an idea in his head and not in reality. His demented idea of love is pushing him to frenzy. This guy needs to be stopped and soon.”

Will said, “Da only way I can figure is to bait him with Renee, we’re not willing to do that, and I know Adam would have my head for sayin’ it, but it might work.”

“I think you’re onto something, brother. I’ll fill Joe in when I see him. He’s coming by here before he heads out.” Matt hugged Lola. “How you hanging in doll?”

“I’ve been better and I’ve been worser. I’m doing just fine. He just needs to get better, and soon. We gotta buncha kids who need him.”

Will looked confused, but when he tried to make an expression, pain shot through his head. “We only have two kids, honey.” Lola started crying.

“No, honey, we got another one coming. I was gonna tell you when Joe called you for the mission.” A tear slid down Will’s cheek, and Matt turned away so they could have a private moment to celebrate. “Baby, that’s great!” He tried to smile. “I got a reason now to heal fast. I love you, Lo.” “I love you too, Will.” She whispered back to him.

The doctor came in just then. “X-rays show your left tibia is broken. You have some torn cartilage on your right knee. I suspect you have a mild concussion, but as long as you don’t go jumping into car windows for a few weeks, you will heal well. You don’t have any problems in your neck and spine, so we can take off the collar, and set your leg. You won’t have a long stay here. You are one lucky dog.”

“No, sir,” Will said, looking at his wife, “I’m one BLESSED man!”