- Bonds, Lame Bonds part3/6
Date: Thursday, June 22, 2000
- SJ <hantaks@mtco.com>
(Part 3)
Mr. Moyer was able to get Mr. Steele a sixty day extension. In
that time, he could apply for the proper visa to stay in the
U.S. indefinitely. One problem solved. One much larger problem
remaining. Making it up to Laura. It wasn't so much that he had
a problem with immigration. It was that he kept it from Laura.
Then he lied to Laura. Then he blamed it on Laura. Then he insulted
Laura by choosing to marry a hooker over her. *And I wouldn't
have asked*. That echoed in his mind over and over. Telling her
that she wasn't even considered, OUCH. Remington was at home
changing when Frances called that evening. Laura was awake and
lucid. The police were also called by hospital staff when she
was alert enough to give a statement.
Remington burst through the door, another bouquet of flowers
in hand to add to the dozens he already sent. "Laura, thank
God you're awake."
He set down the flowers and overcoat. Two detectives flashed
their shields then entered the room as well. "Gentlemen,
Ah. finally, Laura herself will clear me of all your suspicions."
Remington announced triumphantly.
With a puzzled expression Laura, asked, "What's going on.
What do the police want?"
"You need to tell these policemen how you sustained your
injuries. They think I did this to you." Remington clarified
for her.
"You mean they want to arrest you?...Lock you up?...Throw
away the key?"
"Laura!" he warned knowing that payback was on her
mind.
She looked at Remington, contemplating revenge for a moment then
shook her head. "He didn't hurt me. I had a few mishaps
working on a case. I wasn't assaulted by anyone."
The officer placed a business card on the nightstand. "Give
me a call when you recover and I'll release your property back
to you." The detectives left. A nurse came in and adjusted
Laura's IV telling them that visiting hours are up.
He bent down to gently kiss her. She turned her face away still
not being quite so forgiving. He whispered against her temple.
"'night Laura. I'll see you tomorrow."
He gathered up his overcoat and while his back was turned, she
softly admitted, "You did hurt me, you know."
His shoulders sagged and he sighed. With his back still turned,
he shook his head from side to side knowing it was time to face
the music. "I'm sorry, Laura." He started to turn back
toward the bed.
"Please don't...There is nothing you can say that..."
She stopped herself when she remembered something he once told
her and gave him a dose of his own philosophy. "I've learned
to read people by what they did, not by what they said...there
were...ummm...too many...ahh...traps in that." She choked
out the last part just before she began to cry. Instinctively
he took a step closer to comfort her. She stopped him with a
firm, "GET OUT."
A nurse heard Laura and reentered the room. She advised Remington,
"Mr. Steele, I think you should leave. She needs to get
some rest."
The next morning he was there promptly at nine a.m. Just as he
placed his hand on the door to open it, a nurse who recognized
him stopped his progress, "I'm sorry Mr. Steele, you can't
go in there."
"I beg your pardon?"
"This is still ICU and you're not family."
"But..."
"The patient revoked your waiver." the nurse showed
him a copy. "I'm sorry."
Donald and Frances met him as he was walking back toward the
elevator. Donald held up a box of chocolate and explained, "I
had to guard it from Frannie or there wouldn't be any left for
Laura."
They then realized that Mr. Steele was not his usual chipper
self and that he was leaving so soon.
"What happened? Is she okay? Didn't you see Laura?"
Frances asked again bombarding him with questions.
"No, she doesn't want to see me... I have to get to the
office, anyway, bye" he hastily pressed the elevator button.
Mildred had a similar reaction when he entered the office suite,
"Mr. Steele?"
A brief and terse "Morning, Mildred" was all he offered
in response.
"I thought you'd be at the hospital, Chief." Mildred
followed him into his office handing him the morning paper.
"Well, I'm not. Am I, Miss Krebs," he sarcastically
pointed out tossing the newspaper to his desk.
"She throw you out?" Mildred guessed, back to her I-told-you-so
persona.
"Why do you always have to be so direct?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you twisting in the wind might
not be such a bad thing." Mildred was not holding anything
back.
"You're mad at me too Mildred?"
"Mad? Yes. Disappointed? Hell yes. Upset? Damn right, buster.
I thought you and Miss Holt were the real thing...then you......and...You
were going to MARRY someone else. Do you even get it? What if
she did that to you?"
"What?"
"What if she snuck out to marry someone like...like Butch
Beemis? Wouldn't you be a tad angry with her?
Mildred was right. If the situation were reversed, he would be
livid.
Mildred briefly thought whether she should breach Miss Holt's
confidence. A few weeks ago, they were reorganizing the filing
when they had a gal-to-gal. *I hate to admit it Mildred, but
I am in love with him*
Mildred still had a weak spot where Mr. Steele was concerned.
Her assault softened considerably and she added hopefully, "She
loves you, you know."
"And I love her, Mildred," he defended quickly, without
even realizing that was the first time he actually said it.
"You have a funny way of showing it." Mildred scolded
back in her no-nonsense mode.
"Mildred do you know anything about Miss Holt making plans
for us for the Fourth of July weekend?"
"How do you know about that?"
"Frances mentioned something about it."
"All I know is that she told me to mark out the calendar
for the 1st through the 5th and she doodled little fireworks
drawings all over the appointment book for those dates."
"Fireworks eh?" he optimistically came to attention.
"I have a feeling the fireworks were a euphemism for something
else." Mildred confided with a wink.
"Really? What could that be?" he playfully waggled
his brows back at her.
"Chief I'm afraid that the way things are right now, you're
holiday fireworks display is going to get rained out."
"Then, I guess that leaves me only a few weeks to get back
in Laura's good graces...Will you help me?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing Miss Krebs, absolutely nothing," he smiled,
formulating his plan.
End of Part 3
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