Aunt Julia's Bad Day

John Linn had come up through the business in much the same was that Julia Williams had, at about exactly the same time. It's when they'd met, and, during the ensuing time period, become close friends.

Julia always considered it that way: John Linn was her friend. She'd eventually joined him, once he'd become the CEO, as a member of the management team at Dryfuss, Inc. But the easy closeness of their relationship was always a treat for her.

Of course, it wasn't exactly the same for John Linn. He had been in love with Julia Williams, totally, infatuatedly in love with her for over a year and a half. They had, these feelings, surfaced and ripened after they'd been there and working together for about six months.

John Linn not only found her a true friend but a valuable worker. She was certainly a 'go to' kind of person and never seemed to be out of her depth in working on problems that they faced for the company.

Apart from that quite major thing, he was simply taken by her beauty. He didn't like to dwell on it. He wasn't going to allow himself to be a drooling adolescent about it. But he never managed to not notice the loveliness of her face and the ample beauty of her body. From the crown of her head, with her close cropped hair, right down to her toes, John Linn Dryfuss was absolutely in love with Julia Williams.

He also made it his constantly pursued plan to not let her know that. He was a kind of old fashioned gentleman. He was very reticent about pushing forward his agenda for her, his feelings for her. In that respect, he was unlike her nephew Nicholas totally!

Nor was he quite sure that a lovely Afro-American woman like Julia Williams would fancy or allow 'attentions' from a white man like John Linn. That was shaky ground, he felt and he simply stayed away from it.

But every day, this day included, was a joy for him because he worked closely with her, and he knew that he'd see her that day. It always made his day bright. He told Mindy and Maudie about going to see Julia today. They made appropriate cat noises during his relating of the tale and it pleased him.

He was humming to himself, as he made his way down the circular drive from the absolutely huge house, the Hall, that had been his Mom's total concern in her life. He was living there, he felt, as much from inertia as anything else. He had, apart from the business, no real anchor for himself these days. He knew he should think more about that.

The one question that he did allow himself to ask was: "Where would Julia like to live? Would she like this huge house and these grounds or was she a dedicated apartment dweller or what?"

John didn't know much about her personal life. He tried not to pry there, although now and again she did talk to him, as a friend, about issues: such as Shawna and Nicholas coming to live with her, when Shawna's marriage ended.

He was humming to himself, having just gone over that question about where Julia would like to live, when he entered, even if unintentionally, into Julia Williams' bad day!

THE ACCIDENT:

Julia was hurrying, as she neared the front of the Dryfuss estate. She didn't see the pot hole, until it was too late and the pot hole combined with her benign neglect of Rosinante, as of late, caused the accident.

She hit the pot hole with her right front wheel and the tire blew totally. The car suddenly jerked to the side, hopped the curb and slammed into the wall of the Dryfuss estate.

It all happened in a nano-second, and, when the car hit the wall, having been traveling at about 40 mph, Julia received a major hit on the head and everything went black.

It just so happened that John Linn was just at the foot of his long, winding driveway, when the accident occurred, and he saw it all happen. He turned the Rover off and jumped from the car immediately. He ran over to where the car was still shaking and wrenched the door open. He reached in and turned the key off. As he did Julia slumped to the side, into his arms, apparently lifeless.

That was his thought; it was his first and worst thought. He imagined right then and there that all his plans and his waiting and his gentleness and slowness about making anything clear to Julia Williams was suddenly put at a naught.

In almost desperation, he said to her:

"No, no, Julia, my Julia, don't die! I've never told you! I've never said things! I've never loved you properly! Don't, don't die on me!" He was simply, in that moment, beside himself.

To Julia it was as though someone were speaking to her from a cloud. She was, right then, sinking into unconsciousness but she heard the voice and the words, and recognized the voice, seeing a very hazy picture of John Linn in front of her eyes, that were, even then, closing.

Someone, who'd also seen the accident and came to the scene, but after John Linn had made his desperate declarations, had called 911 and there was already an ambulance on the way.

John stood back to allow the attendants to take care of her.

"Is she . . .?" he asked.

"She's out," the attendant, a woman named 'Wendy' answered.

"Oh," he said, "I thought she was dead!"

"No," Wendy said, "Do you know her? Relative?"

"I'm her boss," he said, "I work with her, she's my . . .friend. May I please ride with her to the hospital?" He said this with great emotion showing on his face.

"Yes," Wendy said, kindly, as they loaded Julia into the ambulance for the short ride to the University Hospital, which was nearby.

He clattered into the back of the ambulance, after the gurney was loaded, and sat so that he could be out of the way. Wendy was working on Julia, taking vitals and announcing into her mic the results to the ER at the hospital. He was, however, close enough to be able to hold Julia's hand.

He remarked to himself that it was a shame that he'd never gotten to hold her hand before, and he was terribly afraid that it was now too late to begin to show his amazing feelings for her.

"You okay?" Wendy asked pleasantly.

"Sorry," John Linn said, "I love this woman and she doesn't even know it."

"I bet she does now!" Wendy said, putting her hand on his arm.

"That would be lovely!" he said.

"Boy friend?" Wendy asked again.

"No," he said, softly, "I'm her boss, actually. She's my admin associate; she helps me run the place."

"Well, just take good care of her," Wendy said finally, "I bet she's going to be fine, especially with you in her corner."

"Oh, I hope so!" he said.

There was a sense of unreality for him, as they raced through the streets with the sirens blaring. He's witnessed it so many times but never, never from this perspective.

At the hospital, Julia was whisked away to a treatment room, and shortly thereafter John Linn was approached by someone to ask about her. He gave the information that he had, and indicated that the company would be paying for her hospital bills.

Then, once that task was taken care of, he got on his phone to his secretary, telling her of the situation, and asked her to look at Julia's personnel file and call him back. He said that he needed to contact family.

He got the call in a relatively short time and then tracked Shawna down at home, just getting ready for work.

"Hello?" Shawna said, answering the phone.

"Mr Dryfuss?" she said, after he identified himself to her.

"Yes," John Linn said, and then explained to Shawna that Julia had had an accident just outside of his home. He mentioned the blown tire and her car smashing against the wall.

"I'm at the hospital with her and they are assessing her now; I'll wait with her," he said.

He could tell from the sound of Shawna's voice that she was just barely holding back her own emotions. She said that she'd be right there.

He was busy with one of the ER aides, when Shawna arrived. They needed permission to perform possible surgery to relieve some of the pressure of blood within her skull.

(As a matter of fact, tests later showed that the surgery wasn't necessary.)

At that point, Shawna started to fall apart. John Linn simply put his arms around her and put up his hand to hold off the hospital aid and said softly to Shawna.

"Honey, we'll get through this; please sign their paper. It's going to be fine."

"Yes, yes," Shawna said and signed the needed document.

Then they needed to wait. John Linn went to get some coffee and something at least to snack on for the two of them but they waited pretty much in silence, for a bit, though with Shawna talking a bit, including about 'the trouble'. She was upset or might not have mentioned it to him.

"I appreciate your being here," Shawna said at one point.

"She's such a valuable member of our team!" he said, not giving a hint about his real feelings at that point.

The procedures and tests, they were told, was a complete success and Julia would be taken to a private room.

Shawna wondered about that but John Linn explained that he, the firm would be paying her hospital bills and he insisted on a private room.

This made Shawn cry, and he held her as she did.

"It's going to be a while," he said, "Do you need to go home and arrange anything?"

"Yes, maybe I do," she said, "I'll be back as soon as possible but I never had a chance to take my morning shower and I need to change. Thank you."

He hugged her before she left.

AWAKENING:

John sat by her bed, and was reading some items on his phone. Julia had lain there silent and, he thought, beautiful for quite a while.

He was finally surprised by her voice. It was soft and tentative but for him it suddenly filled the world:

"I heard what you said," she said softly. "Heard it all, John Linn!"

"Oh!" he breathed and held onto her hand. "I didn't realize that!"

"Shawna?" she said then, as though consciously putting of any discussion of what he'd said to her, as she was fading, after the accident.

"She's at home changing clothes." he said, "Will be back soon, I think. She was really really upset," he went on. "Mentioned the 'trouble' with Nick."

"Oh," she said.

"Are you okay with that? Anything I need to do?" he wanted to know.

"Don't know," she replied, "But just hearing you ask makes me feel better about it; I appreciate it, John Linn!"

She took his hand, as she said it and he bent his head, almost involuntarily and kissed the back of her hand, causing her to smile.

"The business?" she asked.

"Ticking along like a clock!" he replied, "Will do without us for a few days, I think."

"Good!" she said, sighing.

"Did Shawna sign for the hospital costs?" she wanted to know.

(Julia was at all times fairly practical and made sure that she had details in hand. It was what made her such a valued ally in the business.)

"I've signed," he said, "Company will pay the hospital costs."

"You mean you will, you wonderful man!" she said. She smiled at him and said: "Bend you head here!"

He did and she kissed his cheek.

Privately to himself he whispered: "Closer and closer!"

And, as though she were reading his thoughts, she said: "Keep that thought, John Linn!"

He blushed and she gave a soft laugh.

It was then that Shawna burst in on them.

"Oh, Julia!" she proclaimed. "Love, love, love!"

Shawna was draped on Julia for a moment and crying for all she was worth.

"I was so afraid that I'd —- we'd lost you!" Shawna said, wiping her tears away, and taking the handkerchief that John Linn offered.

"Not hardly, not yet!" Julia said. Then she quipped: "Do you like my new look? The swami look?"

All three of them laughed at that.

(She was referring to the bandages around her head.)

Then to John Linn, with a twinkle in her eye, she said: "Hope you like bald women!"

Shawna put her hand over her mouth to giggle into her hand and John Linn just blushed.

"Well, I like you!" he admitted. "Bald or any way!"

"Hear that, Shawna?" Julia quipped and then she reached out for John's hand and said: "Okay, I'll quit teasing you!"

"Please don't!" he said.

"Okay," he said then, "I'll go out for something to eat for us. I think that you've snoozed past the dinner time here."

"Oh, goodie!" Julia said, "I am hungry."

"What'll it be?" he wanted to know and both Julia and Shawna considered that and John left to bring back what they wanted.

When he was gone, Shawna said: "Is this sudden?"

"For me it is," Julia said, "Apparently, unless I miss my guess, it's not for him."

"How do you feel about it?" Shawna asked.

"Well, to tell the truth," Julia answered, "In all the blackness of this damn day, it's the one true ray of light and I want to hold onto that and see where it takes me."

"Ohhhhh!" Shawna cooed and hugged her sister.

ARRANGEMENTS:

"I called Nick and told him," Shawna said quietly, after they'd eaten what John Linn had provided for them.

"Good," Julia answered quietly.

She looked at John Linn, who was back by then, and at Shawna, who was obviously nervous and went on: "I don't think that I want to see him yet; not for a while."

"I understand that, love," Shawna said, tears gathering at the edges of her eyes.

"Come here," Julia said, hugging her sister.

"I love you, Jules," Shawna said, "Love you so much!"

"I love you too," Julia said, and as she hugged Shawna, she put her hand out, which John Linn took and kissed.

As Shawna had her head resting on Julia's shoulder, Julia mouthed to John Linn: "Thank you!"

It was shortly after that, when Julia began to feel the full effects of everything and the nurse, coming in, indicated that she'd be given something to make her sleep.

Shawna was obviously torn by not knowing what to do. It was John Linn who spoke up: "Shawna," he said, "Why don't you go home? I'll stay with her for a while!"

"Oh, I am tired," Shawna said, and had an emotional parting from Julia.

Julia was drifting then, and said a brief: "Sorry!" to John Linn.

"No," he said, "None of that. You just get your rest. I'll be here."

"Yes," she sighed, "I know that; it makes it so much better."

(At this point neither of them were any longer willing to hide the great emotions that had flowed between them. They didn't talk about that, not yet; but the emotions were there, nevertheless.)

She settled down and did sleep. Meanwhile, John had some reports and business items to go over, that his secretary, May, had delivered to the hospital for him. He began the process of going over those things and they took him a good long time to digest and act upon.

Only gradually did he actually start to feel tired himself. There was a lounging chair in the room, which he fixed for himself and laid his head back to rest too.

He was awakened by Julia groaning. She was in the midst of some kind of dream involving the former day's events. He simply went to the bed and leaned over her. She woke then and sighed, seeing him there and put her arms up to hug him. She cried a little then, as he held her, and he held onto her until she fell back into a more peaceful sleep.

He was there, when she woke in the morning. He was, at the time, snoozing a bit. She simply lay there and looked at him.

"My John Linn," she said, almost more to herself, to convince herself of the fact, than to him. It caused him to open his eyes, and he smiled at her.

"Hi, John Linn," she said softly. "Romantic way to spend the night together!" She giggled at the end of the phrase.

"Yes," he said, "But it was necessary."

"Yes, thank you," she said, "For being there for me."

"I am, you know!" he said.

"I'm beginning to realize that very clearly," she said.

After breakfast, they had her off for some tests. The nurse told John Linn, knowing that he'd spent the night, that it would take a few hours, and that he might want the time to go and get himself ready for his day.

He left and went home to shower and clean up. He knew that Maudie and Mindy were being cared for by his house keeper, Mrs Darling. He took time, when he'd gotten home to fill Mrs Darling in on what had happened and bring her up to date.

He also called May, his secretary, and asked her to stop by the hospital later and pick up the documents that he had for her.

Following that, he inquired about Julia's car and found out that it was pretty much a total loss.

"We'll deal with that, when the time comes," he said.

It was a busy time, and when he got back to the hospital, he found Julia sitting up and smiling and talking to Shawna.

"Hey, John Linn!" Julia said with pleasure, getting a hug and a cheek kiss from him.

"Hey yourself," he said, "Looking bright and with it today."

"Oh, feeling that way," she said, "So much better; even head aches aren't bothering today."

"Grand!" he said.

It was shortly after that, that the doctor visited. He was quite positive about Julia's condition and told her that.

"We can send you home today but I'd like you to have rest for another few days or so. Just to be on the safe side. If any head pains reoccur, please contact us as soon as possible."

He left then to do the paper work that was needed.

"What shall we do?" Shawna wanted to know.

(It was normally Julia who made decision in their house hold, and Shawna expected that to be the case now also.)

Julia looked at John Linn at that precise moment, and it was he that spoke up: "This is what I think. I'd like you to come to stay at my house for a few days, just until we're sure that things are going fine and will be okay. Plus, your car is totaled; it's just gone. So, we need to do something about that."

"Oh, dear!" Julia said, tears crowding her eyes at that point.

He reached out for her hand and covered her hand with his: "It's going to be fine," he said. "I promise. Just fine."

"Oh, I think it is," Julia said, and Shawna was smiling.

Julia turned to Shawna then and said: "You don't mind, love?"

Shawna said, "I think it might be the best thing for you. After all, we had that unpleasant stuff and it might effect you just being around. I'd rather have you get totally well first. Why don't I go home and get you some clothes. I'll pack them in a case and I can meet you at John Linn's?"

"Super idea!" John Linn said with enthusiasm.

Then with hugs and kisses, Shawna left to run her errand.

Julia smiled at him then and said: "It's so nice of you to be willing to take care of me!"

"Julia," he said, softly, "You heard what I said; even if you weren't intended to hear it at that time."

"Yes, I heard!" she agreed.

"So, let me take care of you; it's what I want to do," he assured her.

"Thank you so much," she said. Then she got a gleam in her eye and said: "You get to see me bald!"

"Whoopee!" he said, causing her to grin at him. Then she said: "At least bald!"

He just stared and she laughed and said: "I've got John Linn on the run!"

"Afraid you do!" he agreed, and went to her, as she held out her arms to him for an embrace.

After the hug, he said to her softly: "Now don't you go away; I have to take care of this!"

She smiled and said: "I'll be right here, Johnnie!" she kind of gave a giggle, as she used that name.

He swiveled his head around, at the sound of the name and smiled at her.

"Yes?" she said.

"My Momma's favorite name for me!" he said, and went back to her brushing her lips with his own for a quick kiss, and he left.

He was soon back and had made arrangements for a private ambulance to take her to his house, so that he could get her settled. He stayed with her long enough to oversee her being discharged and loaded into the ambulance. Then he gave a quick call to Shawna to tell her that she should meet them at his house. On the phone, Shawna explained that she had a later shift that day but did need to go to work.

"It's fine, Shawna," John Linn said, "I intend to take care of her."

"Oh, you're such an angel!" Shawna said, "I'm so glad she has you!"