Fighting Terrorism - Finding Love

We both were rushed to a hospital. My wound was a through and through. No real damage other than it hurt like Hell. I was stitched up and put in a room for observation overnight. I kept asking but no one would tell me anything about Erika's condition other than she was still in surgery. I was becoming more and more agitated and a doctor finally gave me a shot that knocked me out.

The next morning after seeing a doctor I was allowed to leave after they put my arm in a sling. I went in search of Erika. After some minutes of searching and asking for help I was directed to a waiting room and told to stay there and someone would be along shortly to speak with me.

After some time two men, that I recognized as colleagues from Erika's team, approached me. With sadness in their eyes what they told me was not encouraging news. Erika was in extremely critical condition in an Intensive Care Unit two floors above us. They escorted me to the elevators and we rode up together in silence. Walking down the corridor I came to a room with two armed guards at the door. I was told her mother and father were with her and I would not be permitted inside. Just down the hallway was a small chapel so I went there to wait and pray.

I don't know how long I sat there all alone with my eyes closed in thought and prayer. It seemed like hours but I realized it could only have been fifteen or twenty minutes.

Feeling a hand on my right shoulder and opening my eyes I saw a man standing beside me.

"Are you Rick?" Nodding my head yes he continued speaking in a low voice. "I am Peter von Sturm, Erika's father. Come with me. She asked for you."

As we walked the few steps down to her room I asked how she was.

Shaking his head and with tears in his eyes he simply said. "It is not good."

Stepping past the two guards he said. "Let him pass."

Entering the room I saw what must be Erika's mother sitting in a chair by her bedside softly crying. The only other sound in the room was the beeping of her heart monitor.

Approaching the other side of Erika's bed I leaned over and kissed her forehead then whispered in her ear how much I loved her. As I held her hand her eyelids fluttered and I could feel her gently squeezing my hand.

Beep . . . . . . Beep . . . . . . Beep . . . . . BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

One of the nurses in the room quickly ushered the three of us out into the hallway while another began CPR. As we stood in the corridor two doctors rushed in pushing a crash cart. "Herz festnahme", (cardiac arrest) we heard someone yell.

We heard the sound of a defibrillator charging and then a loud voice.

"Ein . . zwei . . drei . . freirer Raum." (one . . two . . three . . clear) WHUMP!

Erika's parents and I listened to the same instructions several more times over the next ten minutes and then all activity ceased and it was quiet.

The two doctors walked slowly out of the room and one looked at us and just shook his head telling her parents in German that she was gone. I didn't need a translation. I knew by just looking at their faces.

The three of us walked back into Erika's room and watched as the nurses began shutting down the I.V.s and removed the cannula that had been providing oxygen to her.

Erika's mother began crying and her father gathered his wife into his arms and wept as well.

I walked to her bedside and whispered once more how much I loved her and then kissed her lips in a final good-bye.

. . . . . Beep . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beep . . . . . . Beep . . . . . . Beep . . Beep.

++++++++++++++++++

Epilogue - Some years later at the home of Erika's parents

"Come my darlings it's time for bed."

"Oh, Oma Marie can't we stay up just a little longer. Opa Peter is letting us play with our dolls on his lap. You don't mind, do you Opa?" My two four year old granddaughters implored.

"Nein mein schatz." (no, my sweetheart) "Your mommy would be very upset with me if you stayed up any longer. Give Opa a kiss good night and run along upstairs, brush your teeth and put on your nightgowns. I'll be up in a few minutes to tuck you both in bed and read you a story."

Both girls scampered upstairs after kissing my husband good night. He got up from his chair and hugged me saying. "We are so very, very fortunate to have them. Aren't we?"

All I could do was nod my head yes before saying, "I better go check on them."

When I got to their bedroom they were both already in bed.

"We brushed our teeth." Elke said.

Heidi chimed in saying. "And I made sure she even used toothpaste."

"Very good girls. Now what story would you like to hear tonight?"

"Sleeping Beauty", they both answered.

"Oh. That's my all time favorite story."

I retrieved the book of fairy tales from the bookcase and began reading. When I reached the part about the handsome prince kissing the sleeping beauty waking her from her deep, deep slumber Heidi asked me.

"Oma do you think that is really true? Could a handsome prince really do that?"

"Oh my, yes! I know it's true! I saw it happen once a long time ago."

"Now go to sleep. Mommy and daddy will be home when you wake up tomorrow morning."

Turning out the light I left the room and thought to myself that one day soon Erika and I would tell them the real story of 'Sleeping Beauty'.