Paying the Consequences
by
Louisa sped down the canyon road, dust billowing behind her like a rooster's tail.. The tires of her car squealed as she skidded around a curve.
"Damn that man!" muttered Louisa , wiping angry tears from her face with the back of her hand. "How dare he forbid me to go back to school."
An on-coming car blew its horn, the driver shouting at her to stop. Louisa turned the wheel and guided her vehicle over to the side of the road. As she put the car in park, the other driver did a u-turn in the road and pulled up behind her. Looking in the rear-view mirror, the young woman recognized John Gage 's white Land Rover.
" Louisa , what in the hell are you doing driving down this road that fast?!?" asked the paramedic as he leaned in the open driver's-side window of her vehicle. "With all the loose gravel, it's a miracle you didn't go off the road."
"Don't start with me, Johnny , "growled Louisa . "I'm not in the mood to be lectured right now."
Gage noticed the young woman's tear-stained cheeks. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" he asked with concern.
"I'll say it did. I told Hank that I wanted to go back to school and he all but forbade it. He acted like a chauvinistic jerk!"
Johnny frowned. "Are you serious? Why would he do that?"
"Because he wants me to stay home and take care of Matthew and Emma . He practically accused me of abandoning them!"
"That sure doesn't sound like Cap," replied Johnny . "Maybe you just misunderstood him."
"No, I understood perfectly. Do you it's wrong for me to want to finish my education, Johnny ?" asked Louisa . "I'd only be going to school part-time, so I wouldn't be away from the twins all day long."
The paramedic bit his lip, mulling over the question. "Well, no, I don't, but I'm not married to you. I think you have every right to want to finish your degree, but I can understand Cap's point of view, too."
Louisa sighed. "I just don't what to do anymore," she said softly, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "I love Hank and our children, but I want to go back to school so much."
Johnny reached out and patted her shoulder. "Just give him time, Lou . After Cap's had some time to think about it, I'm sure he will understand." He looked up as another car drove past. "We can't just sit here. Why don't you come back to my place and we can talk about this some more."
"Thanks, Johnny , but no. I'm going over to my mother's for a while. I appreciate you giving me your input about all this, though."
"Anytime. You want me to talk to Cap for you?"
"No way!" answered Louisa , clearly horrified by the idea. "This is something we need to work out ourselves. Don't say anything to him please."
"Okay, no problem. Call me if you need anything or just want to talk, okay?"
"I will, Johnny . Thanks. See you later."
The dark-haired paramedic stood back and watched as Louisa pulled back onto the road and drove away. He sighed heavily and returned to his Rover. As he drove past the Stanley home, he impulsively turned into the driveway. As Gage exited his vehicle, he heard the twins wailing inside.
Hank opened the door, clearly surprised to see Gage on his doorstep. "Hey, John . What are you doing here?" he asked, trying in vain to calm his children.
"Just thought I'd drop in and say hello. Need some help?"
"Yeah, come on in. I could use an extra pair of hands about now."
Johnny walked into the house and looked around. "Where's Louisa , Cap?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He reached out and took Matthew from Hank's arms, patting the infant's back gently.
Hank glowered. "We had a fight and she took off someplace. Lord knows where she went."
"Is there anything I can do to help, Cap? I know newlyweds fight, but it's not Louisa to just take off."
"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get another opinion on this." The Captain paused, chewing on his lower lip. "Louisa's got this crazy idea about going back to school. I told her that it would be better to wait until the twins start pre-school, and then go back, but she's determined to start right now."
"What's so crazy about that, Cap? Louisa 's a smart girl; she'd be a great medical assistant," answered the paramedic.
"I'm not saying she wouldn't, but I don't think is exactly the right time. The twins aren't even a year old yet, and she wants to leave them for hours at a time."
"Come on, Cap. It's not like she'd be leaving them with total strangers. Mrs. Lopez would be more than happy to take care of then while Lou is in class," said Johnny .
"That's not the point, pal. I just think she should be home taking care of our children, not spending all day in a classroom," replied Hank.
"I really don't know what to tell you, Cap. Is it so bad that she wants to finish school and get a job?"
"I guess not, but Louisa should be home right now. After Matthew and Emma start kindergarten, then she can go back." The lanky Cap gazed at his daughter, who had finally stopped crying and was busy chewing on her fist. "I really love her, John . She was so angry when she left, I'm not even sure she'll come back."
"She will, Cap. I know for a fact that Louisa loves you and the twins more than life itself. But she is stubborn; in the end, she's gonna go back to college, one way or another."
"I know that, pal. I just wish she didn't want to do so now ," answered Hank. "I don't even know where she's gone."
"I'd say one of three places, Cap. Either Marco 's, her mother's, or Roy 's. If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say she went straight to her mother's," replied Gage, deftly steering Hank in the right direction.
"I was thinking the same thing. I guess I better call and see if she's there. Can you watch the twins for a few minutes?"
"No problem," grinned Johnny . Go ahead; go find your wife."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Maria Lopez 's House
Louisa pushed open her mother's front door and walked inside. Maria looked up, surprised to see her daughter. By the young woman's tear-stained cheeks and blazing eyes, the Latino woman knew something was seriously wrong. She stepped forward and hugged her daughter.
" Louisa , what's wrong? I can see that you have been crying. Is it Hank or the twins?"
" Matthew and Emma are fine, Mami . It's Hank that I'm mad at," answered Louisa curtly.
"All right, let's go into the kitchen and talk. Tell me what happened."
Louisa dropped into a chair and looked down at her clenched hands. "I told Hank that I wanted to back to college and he practically told me there was no way he would allow that."
Maria sat back in surprise. "Why in the world would he do that, sweetheart?"
"He wants me to stay home with the twins, instead of getting an education," retorted Louisa angrily. "The way he acted, you'd think this was the Victorian Age or something. I'm so mad I could just scream!"
" Louisa , settle down. There has to be a logical way to resolve this. Hank is a reasonable man."
" Mami, am I being selfish, wanting to go back and get my degree?" she said, looking up. "This is something I really want to do. I would only be taking classes part-time, so I would have plenty of time to take care of Matthew and Emma ."
"No, querido , I don't think you're being selfish. But I understand Hank's side of this, too. What would it hurt to wait a couple of years?"
Louisa paused, biting her lip. "I guess not," she said slowly, "but what if I get pregnant again during that time? Then I'd have to wait even longer."
The telephone rang, interrupting their conversation. Maria picked up the receiver, her eyes widening when the caller identified himself.
" Louisa , it's Hank," said Maria , covering the mouthpiece with her hand. "Do you want to talk to him?"
"No, Mami , not yet. I need time to cool off. Just tell him I'm fine."
"Hank, I'm sorry, but Louisa doesn't want to talk right now. No, no, she's fine, just upset. All right, I'll tell her." She hung up and returned to the table.
"Hank is bringing Emma over. She needs to nurse, honey. Please try to at least be civil when he gets here."
"Okay, for you, Mami . Is it okay with you if I spend the night? I'm not ready to go home quite yet. At least not until I've had some time to cool off."
"If you must," answered Maria . "But tomorrow I want you to go home and talk this out with your husband."
"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One Week Later
Hank walked into Station 51, dark circles showing clearly under his blood-shot eyes. He had tried to talk to Louisa the morning after their argument, but they had just ended up in another shouting match. Louisa had taken both children and moved in with her mother for a few days.
Marco stared at his Captain, shocked by the man's appearance. The Latino man had spoken with his sister, trying to convince her to return home, but had failed.
"Morning, Cap," he said. "Are you okay?"
Hank smiled briefly. "Not really, Marco , but I'm sure things will work out. Let's get ready for roll call, shall we?"
A few minutes later, the crew lined up, waiting for their assignments. After handing out their duties, Hank went into his office and closed the door.
"Man, Cap looks terrible," commented Chet. "Things must be pretty bad between him and Louisa ."
"They are, amigo ," replied Marco . " Louisa has been at Mama's for a week and still won't talk to him. I always knew she was as stubborn as a mule, but this is getting ridiculous."
"We have to do something, guys. Cap looks like he's ready to lose it."
Roy shot the Irishman a glare. "Stay out of it, Chet. This is between them. I doubt they would appreciate you sticking your nose in."
"But, Roy ….." began Kelly .
" No , Chet. Roy 's right. Mind your own business," put in Mike Stoker . "Let them work it out by themselves."
"Okay, okay, I won't say another word. But I just feel really bad for them."
The claxon went off, startling the men. "Station 51, Station 110, Truck 127, warehouse fire. Algier's Industrial Park, Building 22, 2740 Algier's Boulevard. 2-7-4-0- Algiers , cross street Lincoln , time out 08:41 ."
"My God, that's the building where we found Louisa ," said Johnny softly.
Hank dashed from the office and acknowledged the call. Seconds later, the engine and squad roared out of the station, lights flashing and sirens wailing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Station 51 was first on the scene. Hank stared at the blazing structure, remembering the night Louisa had been found. He turned to his crew, barking out orders. "Chet, Marco , pull an inch-and-a-half and start with the east side. Johnny , Roy , you take the west side. Let's see if we can make some headway before the other stations arrive. Keep an eye on the roof; it looks pretty unstable."
"Right, Cap," answered the men, dragging out the hoses and waiting for Stoker to charge the lines. All four men gazed at the leaping flames in awe, each saying a prayer for their safety.
Chief McConikee 's car roared into the complex and screeched to a stop several hundred feet from the burning warehouse. He jogged over to Hank. "What have we got, Hank?" he asked, his sharp eyes taking in the activity.
"I have my men on the east and west sides, Chief. The entire structure was pretty much engulfed when we arrived."
"HT-51 to Engine 51. Cap, this is Desoto. We need help."
Hank looked at McConikee, his eyes questioning his superior. McConikee processed the unspoken question and nodded. "Go ahead, Hank. Just be careful."
Hank struggled into his SCBA gear and grabbed a hose, charging through the front door of the warehouse. He was immediately assaulted by the brutal heat. Near the west entrance, he spotted Gage and Desoto flooding the leaping flames with water. He moved in that direction, alert to the sounds of creaking support beams and roaring fire.
A few moments later, Hank, John , and Roy met up with Marco and Chet in the center of the burning building. Most of the fire was contained, except for a few isolated pockets of flame. The HT in Hank's pocket crackled to life. "HT 51, get out of there!" came McConikee's voice. "The roof's about to go! Move it!!"
The men started for the door, pieces of charred insulation raining down around them. Johnny pulled Roy out of the way as a beam crashed down, missing the senior paramedic by inches. Too late, Gage saw a second beam falling. "Cap! Look out!" he shouted, a fraction of a second too late.
The massive metal ceiling beam struck the back of the Captain's head and bounced off his shoulder , knocking him to the floor. His helmet flew off, landing on the floor beside the injured man with a clatter.
Roy dropped his end of the hose and frantically grabbed for the handy-talkie in his pocket. "HT 51, to Command. We have a code I; get someone in here to assist! It's Captain Stanley !" he shouted, his voice cracking.
McConikee gestured to Station 110's paramedics, who had just arrived on the scene. "Get in there, boys! Be careful, the rest of the roof could go at any second!"
Station 110's paramedics, Larry Foster and Joe Taylor , grabbed their equipment and headed for the warehouse at a dead run. Dense smoke filled the structure, obscuring their vision. Finally, they saw the crew of Station 51, huddled around their Captain, who lay motionless on the floor.
"What happened?" asked Foster, dropping to his knees beside the injured Captain.
"That beam fell and hit him," shouted Roy , pointing to the object. "He's alive, but unconscious. I found a laceration on the back of head, but I don't know just how badly he's hurt. We've got to get him out of this smoke."
Chief McConikee paced anxiously outside the warehouse, his nerves fraying more every passing minute. He breathed a sigh of relief as Foster and Taylor carried Hank out of the building on a backboard, closely followed by Station 51's crew.
" Joe , get Rampart on the line," ordered Foster . "I'll get the vitals." The paramedic bent over Hank, quickly taking his blood pressure and pulse. He frowned as he wrote the numbers on a pad.
"Squad 110 to Rampart. How do you read?" barked Joe Taylor , his voice cracking from strain.
"We read you loud and clear. Go ahead, 110," replied Kelly Brackett .
"Rampart, we have a 38-year-old fireman, injured in a ceiling collapse. Vitals are, BP, 90/62, pulse 60, respirations 20 and labored. There is a deep laceration to the back of the head. Witnesses say a metal support beam struck his head."
"Are there any other injuries, 110?"
"A possible broken shoulder, facial lacerations, and contusions."
"110, is the patient conscious at this time?"
"Negative, Rampart."
"110, start an IV, d5wtko, and immobilize. Monitor vitals and give me another report in 10 minutes. Do you have an ambulance at scene?"
"Affirmative, Rampart. IV, d5wtko, and immobilize."
"Transport immediately, 110. We'll be waiting for you."
"10-4, Rampart," replied Taylor . "Our ETA is approximately 15 minutes."
The crew of Station 51 stood silently, watching as their Captain was treated and prepared for transport. Marco spoke softly under his breath, praying that his Captain and brother-in-law would survive. "Chief, I want to go with when you tell my sister what happened," he said to McConikee, who was standing beside him.
"Of course, Lopez . Let's go." Addressing the rest of Hank's crew, he said, "You boys are stood-down as of right now. We'll meet you at the hospital."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Louisa looked up as she heard a car pull into her mother's driveway. She gasped when she recognized Chief McConikee 's bright-red car. " Mami ! Get down here! Chief McConikee is here!" she shouted up the stairs.
The young woman opened the door, ushering in the Chief. Her eyes widened when she saw Marco climb out of the vehicle She paled when she saw their grim expressions.
" Lou , I think you better sit down. I have some bad news to tell you," said Marco , reaching out to squeeze his sister's hands.
"Oh my God! Something's happened to Hank!" Louisa swayed and would have fallen, save for her brother's supporting arm around her waist.
" Mrs. Stanley , your husband was injured when a ceiling support beam fell on him," said the Chief. ""He's on his way to the hospital as we speak."
"Nooooooooo!" wailed Louisa , leaning heavily against Marco 's shoulder. "How bad is it? Is he going to be all right?" Tears spilled down her cheeks, soaking the shoulder of the fireman's turn-out coat.
"We don't know yet, Lou . He was unconscious when they loaded him into the ambulance."
" Mami , will you watch Matthew and Emma ? I need to get to Rampart."
"Of course, dear. Go, your husband needs you," answered Maria , her dark eyes bright with tears.
Marco gently guided his sister out to the Chief's car. During the drive to Rampart, Louisa was eerily silent, tears streaming down her cheeks. "This is all my fault," whispered the young woman as they pulled into Rampart's parking lot, startling the men.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Louisa burst through the Emergency Room entrance doors, her eyes scanning the halls for a familiar face. She spotted Hank's crew gathered around a treatment room door, and made a beeline for the men.
"Where's Hank?" she gasped. "Is he alive?"
Roy DeSoto pushed himself away from the wall and wrapped his arms around the distraught woman. "Yes, he's alive. Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early are in there with him now."
Louisa wiped her face with the back of her hand. "What happened, Roy ? The Chief told me a ceiling support beam came down on him?"
"Yeah. We had just been ordered out of the building when the ceiling started caving in. Cap took a pretty bad hit," answered the paramedic softly.
The young woman's eyes rolled back and she fainted, slumping against Roy 's chest. Johnny stepped forward and helped his partner lift and carry the unconscious woman to the waiting room. Louisa 's eyelids fluttered and then opened.
"Take it easy, Louisa . Just relax. Cap is strong; he'll be fine, you'll see," said Johnny .
"And what if he's not? This is all my fault. If I hadn't brought up going back to school, this never would have happened," said Louisa , her voice taunt with fear and remorse.
Before the paramedic could respond, the treatment room door swung open, and Dr. Early and Dr. Brackett came out. Louisa pulled away from Gage and ran down the hall towards the doctors.
"Is Hank going to be okay?" she asked, steeling herself for bad news.
Dr. Joe Early sighed. "He's sustained a serious head injury, Louisa . The CAT-scan showed a subdural hematoma just over the occipital lobe of the brain. In addition, he sustained a broken left shoulder and numerous facial cuts and bruises."
"Oh, God," moaned the young woman. "What are doing for him?"
"We're monitoring him right now, but once we have him stabilized, we're going to drain the blood from his brain," replied the doctor. "His vitals have come up slightly since he arrived, but not as much as I would like." Dr. Early reached out to squeeze her hands. "I'm not going to lie to you, Louisa . Hank's condition is very serious."
"Can I see him?" asked Louisa . "I have to tell him something. Please, this is very important!"
"Just for a few minutes. He's still unconscious, so he won't be able to respond," said Early. "Follow me."
Louisa followed the doctor into the treatment room. A pained whimper escaped her throat as she gazed at her husband's battered form lying on the gurney. Reaching out a shaking hand, she gently touched Hank's arm. "Hank, it's me. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm so sorry I was such a stubborn little witch about going back to school. I promise you I won't go back until you want me to. Just please be okay. I can't live without you."
Hank moaned softly, startling his wife. His hand moved slightly, as if reaching for her. She took his hand and squeezed gently.
"I'm here, honey. Dr. Early is going to fix you up, good as new," she whispered. "Be strong, sweetheart. I love you."
Dr. Early stepped forward, placing a hand on Louisa 's shoulder. "We need to get him up to the OR now. Why don't you go into the Doctor's Lounge and have some coffee?"
Louisa moved back as two orderlies came into the room. "Okay, Dr. Early. Do a good job. I'm counting on you."
The young woman walked out of the room and leaned against the wall, covering her face. Deep, wrenching sobs shook her small frame as tears poured through her fingers. Chet Kelly approached her, sliding a comforting arm around her waist, guiding the crying woman back to the waiting room.
"Cap will be fine, Lou . Trust me; he's gonna make it through this, you'll see," he said softly.
"I pray that you're right, Chet," replied the young woman shakily, "Will you take me to the chapel? I want to say a prayer."
"Sure. Come on." The Irishman looked at his co-workers, silently imploring them to follow. "We'll all go."
Chet stayed by Louisa 's side after they returned from the chapel, talking softly and patting her hand from time to time. He finally convinced her to drink a cup of coffee, supporting the mug when her hands shook. Marco smiled at his friend, grateful for the Irishman's compassion.
The rest of the crew sat quietly, occasionally glancing at the clock mounted on the wall. McConikee left to call Headquarters and update them on Hank's condition. When he returned a few minutes later, he gestured for the men to follow him out into the hall.
"Station 51 has been stood down, boys. I want all of you to stay here with Mrs. Stanley . The poor girl looks like she's ready to collapse."
"Don't worry, Chief. We're not going anywhere," answered Johnny .
Marco went back into the waiting room and stood over his sister. Leaning down to stroke her hair, he whispered, " Lou , I'm going to call Mama and let her know what's going on. I'll be right back."
The young woman looked up, her eyes red and swollen. " Marco , tell her to come down if she can find someone to watch the twins. I need her to be here."
Roy spoke up. "I'll call Joanne . She'll be happy to watch them for a while."
Louisa smiled slightly. "Thanks, Roy . I'd appreciate it."
Four hours later, Dr. Early came into the waiting room, his scrubs stained with blood and sweat. Chet gently woke Louisa , who had fallen into a restless sleep.
" Dr. Early , how's my husband?" she asked, her eyes trying to pick up a clue from the doctor's expression.
The gray-haired neurosurgeon smiled tiredly. "He made it through surgery just fine. He's in recovery right now, but we'll be moving him to ICU in about an hour."
"Does that mean he'll be all right?" questioned Roy .
"The first 48 hours are critical, but I think Captain Stanley will make a full recovery."
"Thank God," breathed Louisa , a relieved smile crossing her lips. "And thank you , Doctor. When can I see my husband?"
"I'd prefer that you wait until tomorrow, Louisa . It will be a while before Hank is ready for visitors. I'll call you if there is any change in his condition. Now, go home and get some rest. It won't do your husband any good if you collapse from exhaustion."
Louisa opened her mouth to protest, but reconsidered. "Yeah, I guess that would be the best thing to do," she admitted. "Okay, I'll be back in the morning."
Chief McConikee stepped forward. "Why don't all of you follow Dr. Early 's advice? This has been a hard day for everyone. Louisa , can I give you a ride home?"
"No, thanks, Chief. Marco , can I ride back to the Station with you?"
"Sure thing, little sister. Let's go." The crew left, changing at the Station and then heading home. Before they drove away, each man spoke a few consoling words to Louisa and gave her a hug. Johnny was the last to leave. He reached out and pulled the young woman close. "I'll stop by the house and take care of the horses for you, Lou . You just get a good night's sleep. I'll see you at the hospital in the morning."
"Thanks, Johnny ," answered Louisa , clinging to the paramedic for a moment. "I appreciate it."
"It's no problem. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Next Morning
Louisa walked into the Emergency Room, searching for Dr. Early . She stopped at the Nurses Station, waiting for Dixie to get off the phone.
"Good morning, Louisa ," greeted the blond woman. "How are you holding up?" she asked gently.
"I'm hanging in there, Dix . Is Dr. Early available?"
"He's with a patient right now, but I'll let him know that you're here," answered Dixie . "Why don't you go wait for him in the lounge?"
The young woman nodded. She pushed open the door to the small room and sank into a chair. A few minutes later, Dr. Early entered, smiling.
Louisa got to her feet. "How's Hank, Dr. Early? Any improvement?" she asked, her voice quavering.
"He's still unconscious, but he's responding to voice commands a little," answered the gray-haired surgeon. "Come with me and I'll take you up to ICU."
Louisa gasped in shock when she saw her husband. Hank's face was deathly pale and covered with small cuts and deep purple bruises. "Oh, God, he's so pale," she whispered. "Hank, it's Lou . I'm here, sweetheart." The young woman picked up his hand, squeezing it gently.
The man in the bed didn't respond. The heart monitor mounted nearby blipped monotonously, speeded up a for several beats, then settled back into its previous rhythm.
"Doc, when will he wake up?" asked Louisa . " Will he wake up?"
"I'm confident that he will; I just can't say exactly when," answer Early. "It could be hours, days, or…"
"Or never," interrupted Louisa . She bit her lip hard, drawing blood. Tears slid down her cheeks, dropping onto Hank's motionless body.
"Be positive, Louisa . Hank is a very strong man. Plus, he has three good reasons to wake up: you, Matthew , and Emma ."
"He might not see it that way, Dr. Early . Hank and I had a very serious argument about a week ago. He might not want me here."
Dr. Early smiled. "I'm sure he does. All couples fight, Louisa . That doesn't mean you don't love each other."
"I know, but we both said some very hurtful things. Doc. And I was the one who left, not Hank. He might have interpreted that as me wanting to stay away permanently."
The young woman turned and ran out of the ICU, colliding with John Gage , who was standing by the heavy doors. The paramedic reached out reflexively, steadying her as she lost her balance and nearly fell.
"Hey, easy, now," he said. "What's wrong? Is Cap worse?"
Louisa stared at him for a moment, then pulled away. "No, he's the same. Excuse me, please," she said, heading for the bank of elevators and disappearing inside.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Louisa sat at a table in the hospital cafeteria, a cold cup of coffee in front of her. Dixie approached the young woman, tapping her on the shoulder. "Want some company?" she asked.
"Yeah, I guess so, but I don't really think I'll be all that entertaining," answered Louisa .
The nurse leaned forward, staring at her companion. Louisa 's eyes were red from crying and she looked as if she hadn't slept a wink the night before. The young woman fidgeted uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny, but didn't speak.
" Louisa , did you get any sleep last night? Pardon me for saying so, but you look terrible."
"What do you expect, Dix ? My husband is upstairs, fighting for his life and it's ALL MY FAULT!" retorted Louisa sarcastically. "I doubt anyone would look good under those circumstances!."
"All your fault?" echoed Dixie . "What gives you that idea?"
"Hank and I had a fight about me going back to college. If I hadn't opened by big mouth, he wouldn't have been hurt! Now, because I'm such a stubborn little brat, I could lose my husband and my babies could lose their Daddy." The young woman's self-control cracked and she rested her head on the table, sobbing loudly.
Dixie sighed impatiently. She reached out and placed her hand on the distraught girl's back. " Louisa , look at me. Did you set that fire in the warehouse? Or did you cut that beam so it would fall?" she asked sternly. " No, you didn't. This was an accident , pure and simple."
Louisa stared at her friend, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Of course not, Dixie !" she sputtered. "How can you even think such a thing?"
The nurse smiled. "I'm trying to make you understand that you are not responsible for what happened. It was just the luck of the draw. Any one of those men could have been under that beam when it fell."
"But if Hank and I hadn't been fighting, he wouldn't have been distracted," moaned Louisa .
"You don't know that he was, sweetie. Roy and Johnny told me that pieces of the ceiling were falling all around them. Hank just happened to be under one."
Louisa sat quietly, digesting the nurse's words. "I know in my heart that what you're saying is true, but in my head I feel so damn guilty." She smiled slightly. "I guess I'm just being silly, huh?"
No, not silly. Just a woman who regrets her actions," replied Dixie . "Now, have you eaten anything today, young lady?" she asked, flashing a mock glare. "Just because you don't feel like eating, you should. Don't make me get tough on you, like I do with Johnny ," she joked.
"Yes, ma'am," chuckled Louisa . "I've heard about your notorious lectures." She reached out and squeezed her friend's hands. "Thanks, Dix . For getting a little tough on me, I mean. And thanks, for putting things in perspective."
"Just consider it advice from someone who cares, Louisa . Now, are you going to get some food, or do I have to drag you by the ears?"
Louisa laughed softly. "I'm going. You know, for a minute, you sounded just like my mother!"