The Tirade
Jeremy sped away from the cottage leaving behind the dog he loved and a woman who cares about him. "Great! Just great Jer! You can screw up with the best of them! You yelled at Charlie! You yelled at the only living thing on earth that ever loved you back! Are you frickin serious?!"
He had nothing but contempt for himself and continued his self demonization. "That dog has been the one shining light among all those stupid, crazy, crappy relationships you have ever been in.
"Pumpkin doesn't even come close! That skirt-chasing moron! I mean you have the Thompson twins, bro! Identical twins that fall at your feet and that isn't enough for you? You need to have Pansy, Mandy, Candy, or whatever her name is too! Like choose one woman and go with her!"
He shook his head. "How did you become such a loser, Jer?" He leaned over to see his face in the rearview mirror and his truck veered into the oncoming lane. A horn screamed. "Damn it!" He swerved back into his lane. "Pay attention you idiot, just because you're dying doesn't mean you need to take someone with you! What is this? A pity party?"
"Crap, I must be tired! I haven't been this cranky since Ginger broke up with me." He smacked his forehead. "Why even bring her up? You must be delusional. My God, she left you a disastrous wreck!"
"Pumpkin had to run your company for a month. And he gave himself a five thousand dollar raise! How'd he put it? 'Retroactive to the last public humiliation'. Who was that? Right, that was Heather." He just shook his head at all the stupid memories ricocheting through his mind from his past.
The Accident and Miguel
Just then headlights crossed the centerline, Jeremy hammered his horn several times but the person in the other vehicle did not respond. "I am not going out like this!" He swerved hard to his left.
The two trucks interlocked and began spinning shearing off a destination sign and an old wooden power pole before splitting apart. Jeremy's truck twisted, finally giving in to the momentum spinning him like a dryer tumble dries clothes.
By the second roll, Jeremy's head struck the door frame turning him into a rag doll. All four wheels snapped from the frame leaving it looking more like a torpedo than a truck.
The second truck nosedived into the ditch stopping violently, setting off the airbags and knocking the driver out cold. The cab of the truck folded like an accordion between the engine and the truck bed leaving very little room for the driver.
Lights from two neighboring farmhouses shot on. The sound of an accident is very distinct and both farmers phoned 911 then made their way to the trucks as quickly as they could.
Jeremy vaguely heard the sirens and the emergency lights flashed through the blood that covered his face. He heard voices the odd time but then nothing.
When he opened his eyes a Mexican man began cursing at him in Spanish.
"What the hell are you saying?" Jeremy pushed the man away then looked around. "Hey, where the hell am I?" He looked around not recognizing anything.
"You, my friend, are in the ever after and I am about to kick your ass! You idiot!" Jeremy did not know the man but he stood face to face with Miguel Consuelo Rodriguez Garcia. Harmony's father.
Jeremy held his hands out fending off the very quick Mexican but Miguel eventually struck him in the face. "Geezus, what was that for?"
"You're an idiot!" Miguel pushed Jeremy with both hands.
"I have been called that more than once in my life but what's your reason?" He put his hands up to protect himself. "I never even met you before!"
"I had it all planned and you had to screw it all up! Gringo idiot!" Miguel cursed Jeremy again.
Jeremy pushed him back. "What plan? What the hell are you talking about?!"
"You saw your grandfather, Santiago? Si?" Miguel asked. "And your family bible?"
Jeremy frowned. "Yes. But what do you have to do with my grandfather and that old burnt bible?"
"I could not talk directly to you so I needed to remind you of history. Your family history. Your family's secret." Miguel confused Jeremy.
"I don't know anything about a family secret. My grandmother's bible barely survived the fire." Jeremy tried to make sense of it all. "I keep it just to remember them."
"That book has an ancient recipe inside the back cover." Miguel punched Jeremy in the shoulder. "Trust me, it was protected. And it is safe!"
"An ancient recipe? For what? Tortillas? Enchiladas?" Jeremy rolled his eyes.
Miguel slapped the gringo again. "Don't you ever talk like that about my heritage! Your heritage!" He slapped Jeremy again for good measure.
"Would you stop slapping me!" Jeremy pushed back.
"Gringo, the recipe is an ancient recipe dating back over five hundred years." Miguel paced around. "Your family were trusted with this recipe when conquistadors raided our forefather's village." The Mexican shook his head. "It will save you and it will save my Gwen."
"Yeah, right!" Jeremy shook his head before stopping to look at Miguel. "Your Gwen?"
Miguel ignored the question about Gwen. "And...Your mother could have saved your father but she forgot her Mexican heritage." Then he pointed at Jeremy. "Don't you do the same thing, gringo. Look how screwed up your life is!"
"Wait a second!" Jeremy frowned as he looked at Miguel. "Is? I thought this was the afterlife?"
"Well..." Miguel winced. "I might have..."
Just then Santa Meurtes walked off the bridge of souls. "You!" She pointed to Jeremy.
"Me?" Jeremy stumbled backwards.
"Yes, you! How did you cross the bridge of souls?" She approached the confused man.
"I died. In an accident. I am supposed to be here!" Jeremy reasoned.
"You are not dead!" Santa Meurtes turned to Miguel. "Have you told this one anything?!"
Miguel shrugged. "Nothing Santa Meurtes! Nothing at all!"
Santa Meurtes drew in a deep breath before exhaling, sending Jeremy back to the land of the living.
She looked directly at Harmony's father. "Miguel...you play a dangerous game." Santa Meurtes raised the hood of her cape and walked away.
Monday Morning (5 days later)
Jeremy woke up from the medically induced coma inside the Intensive Care Unit of a small county hospital. A doctor and an intern made their way to the patient who just stared back at them.
"Take him off the respirator and have Dr. Campbell perform the extubation Mr. Fartham looks to be recovering nicely." He leaned over Jeremy and spoke loudly. "I think your doctor will be very happy to know you are awake. Give us a little time to get this stuff off of you. Okay?" The doctor gave the thumbs up.
Two hours passed before the ICU doctor relieved Jeremy of the breathing tube. He sat there in silence, not really wanting to talk until the ICU nurse entered the room.
"Your doctor will be by shortly." The nurse hurried to another patient.
Jeremy looked out the window at the bright summer sky with a few fluffy clouds floating past.
"Look at you! They gave you a room with a view. You must have a little influence around here." Jeremy looked shocked to see Madeline standing at the side of his bed. "I am thankful Charlie stayed with me!"
Jeremy closed his eyes tightly. His voice sounded gravelly when he chose to speak. "I'm an idiot, Mad..." He pressed his lips together and tried again. "Mad...a...line."
"Let's keep it simple. Just Maddie." She smiled. "Don't worry, Charlie is good. She made a new friend at the cottage.
Jeremy rolled his eyes.
"What? Why'd you just roll your eyes? Even dogs need friends!" Madeline frowned. "You can't be angry!"
"She's...not fixed," Jeremy spoke quietly.
"Oh...ohhhh! Damn!" She laughed. "Oops."
"Oops?" Jeremy closed his eyes.
"What else can I say?" She laughed. "He was a ruggedly handsome dog."
Jeremy freed an arm only to slap his forehead.
"Jeremy, it's not that bad! She is only. Well, she was a dog in heat and well, nature took its course!" Madeline spoke in a happy positive tone.
Jeremy did the full facepalm this time. "Oh ~ puppies!"
"Yes, it does look like you are having puppies!" She laughed.
"Haha...funny." Jeremy groaned as he moved.
"Yeah, you will be feeling those bruised ribs for a few weeks." Madeline continued with his injury list. "A concussion, a dislocated shoulder, and that smile went away!"
Jeremy shook his head. "A barrel of monkeys." His speech sounded a little better.
"Tomorrow we will get you up and walking a bit."
"Can I ask a favor?" Jeremy spoke slowly. Madeline nodded. "I need to know something for sure."
"What is possibly so important you need me to help you?" She had a sarcastic tone.
"Forget it." Jeremy looked out the window. "I will check when I get out of here."
"What is it?" Madeline looked down at Jeremy and asked again. "Jeremy! What is so important?"
Jeremy looked at Madeline for a few seconds before he spoke. "I had a dream."
"Okay...ahem go on." She sat on his bed.
"I believe I met my neighbor Harmony...not her...argh her father." Jeremy frowned. "I am going crazy!"
"Well, you were in a coma for five days!"
"What?"
"Medical induced coma! It seemed to have worked." Madeline smiled. "Modern medicine. Who knew?" Adding yet another sarcastic laugh.
Jeremy pointed at the doctor. "Don't go there."
"Okay okay okay, continue! Dream, your neighbor's daughter's...father." She shrugged. "I think I am ready to hear the rest."
"He told me." He looked away. "You're just gonna laugh."
"Jeremy, at least say it! God knows I could use a good laugh." She touched Jeremy's hand and spoke softly. "Go on."
"He said something about a recipe hidden in my grandmother's burnt Bible. There! Crazy, I know!" He shook his head.
"Alright Dr. Corber, let the man rest." The ICU nurse gently broke up the first visit. "You can come back between seven and nine tonight."
Madeline slid off the bed. "Rules are rules! I will see you tonight!"
"See ya, Maddie." Jeremy watched Madeline and the nurse leave his room then closed his eye but opened them quickly. "No way I am going to sleep. I must be going crazy!"
Jeremy's Home
Madeline followed the GPS and pulled into the Jeremy's driveway. She smiled seeing a young girl in the next driveway bouncing a basketball. "I assume the address Francis gave me was right. And that must be Harmony." She pressed the hatch release and Charlie jumped down from the SUV.
Gwen opened her door to see Charlie running free. "Hold that dog...Dr. Corber? Hey...What are you doing at Jeremy's house? With his dog?"
"Jeremy had a nasty accident."
"I know. I heard it on the news. Is he okay?" Gwen genuinely seemed concerned for his well-being putting a smile on Madeline's face.
"He just woke up this morning. The doctor believes Jeremy will have a full recovery." Madeline spoke with optimism.
"Yeah, a lot of good that will do him," Gwen replied knowing his fate without medical intervention.
"You're right. He needs to start his treatments soon or it will be too late."
"I don't think he wants the help, Dr. Corber."
"Think you could try to change his mind?"
"Me?" Gwen gave a look of surprise to Madeline. "Why would he listen to me?"
"He is not listening to doctors. Maybe he will listen to someone going through the treatment?"
"Fat chance!" Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Come over for tea or coffee and we can talk about it?" Madeline smiled. "A bachelor must have coffee in there." She pointed to Jeremy's house.
"Yeah but I bet his milk is expired!" Gwen had an idea. "You make the coffee and I will bring the cream."
"Want to come over for a chat as well?" Madeline watched as Harmony smiled and nodded.
Gwen emerged from her home with half and half creamer. "We're set now!"
"Let's go, Charlie," Madeline spoke to the dog who ran to the back of the house stopping on the deck waiting for the humans. She softly yelped as if to say 'hurry up'.
Gwen hesitated "Are you sure about that dog?"
Madeline laughed. "Jeremy says she's smarter than his friend...Pumpkin?"
Gwen laughed. "No surprise there!" She looked down at her daughter. "Dr. Corber this is my youngest, Harmony!"
Madeline crouched down. "Hello Harmony, just call me Madeline. Okay?"
Harmony nodded and smiled again. "Okay!"
Charlie performed her happy dance to the delight of the ladies.
"I never really notice how beautiful she really is until just now." Gwen took Harmony's hand. "I almost feel like this is evading enemy territory, Madeline."
"Enemy territory?" Madeline wondered aloud.
Gwen gave a half hearted laugh. "Yeah well, we've lived next door for almost twenty years and barely said a word to each other until last week. And you know how that went."