Comeuppance Pt. 03

Janice wasn't injured, but her shooting from the upstairs embrasures kept the gangsters at bay, and killed at least several. She was still guilty of everything he charged her with two day before the gun battle, but for some reason his fury had diminished. Perhaps nearly dying does that to you? Surely it wasn't as simple as having finally confronted her, and April...

He sighed deeply, stared straight ahead, and said, "Everything you said makes sense. Since going to see April is out, and I feel like shit anyway, we probably ought to stop somewhere and get me toiletries, some underwear, jeans, and some pullover shirts."

"Make a list, with sizes. We'll start at Wally World and go from there. And don't forget new shoes - those things on your feet..."

She bought the toiletries, underwear, and two pair of Wranglers at Walmart, but the shirts, a pair of dress pants and a pair of khakis, and the athletic shoes and Ariat boots, came from North Star Mall. She did let him try the footwear on before she bought it, bringing both pair out to the truck under the watchful eye of a salesman who seemed more interested in watching her than the boots and shoes.

They fit perfectly, so she went back and finished shopping for her brother, and then paid with his Visa travel card. Maybe someday he'd have enough points to go somewhere out of Texas, she though, maybe even out of the country - but she knew he didn't have a passport anyway.

'Damn him!' she thought. 'I always admired his strict moral code and no nonsense personality, but now I wish he was just a little more like the men... no, that's not true! I just wish he had a little give to him!'

Jack made it into the Embassy Suites with no support other than his walking sticks, while Janice parked his truck. Inside, they discovered it was happy hours - free drinks and eats from 5:30 - 6:30! Jack plopped down, Janice got them drinks and snacks, and they looked around the atrium without saying much beyond commenting on the stream, plants, and mixed crowd of business people, travelers, vacationers, and a few earnest souls possibly here to support loved ones in their medical trials.

Starring aimlessly at the greenery, Jack grew quiet and introspective. Is that why he was here - to support two loved ones, or only Carl?

No, he was concerned about April too, but why would he be? She had committed so many mortal sins that she shouldn't be excommunicated; she should be executed! But if she went to a priest, confessed her sins, and sincerely asked for forgiveness, would God grant it? If she were sincere in her heart, and was willing to change her ways, doctrine said he would.

But he wasn't God, and decisions of that kind were not his problem. His problems were of this realm - the actions she took to destroy their marriage and their love! For a mere mortal, those actions were unforgiveable!

He felt something tug on his sleeve and shook himself out of his reverie. "I'm sorry - what did you say?" he asked his companion.

"Don't worry about it. I was just making conversation, but you seem to have been in a distant and more cerebral place, thinking deep thoughts - which is something quite different for my live-in-the-moment, it-is-what-it-is brother."

He snorted gently, and chuckled quietly. "Nah, it's me; I'm just gettin' my limits tested a bit."

Then he turned dark and glared at his sister. "But don't believe for a moment I'll ever condone..."

Janice put her hand over his mouth, interrupting him long enough to say quietly, "I know, April knows, we all know! Hell, you think we 'condone' what we did? But like it or not, we had a reason! You don't have to accept that, but it doesn't change it!

"Now, let's talk about what kind of drink and appetizers you want this time."

****

The free breakfast buffet from 6:30-8:30 fit their schedule perfectly; they were on their way down at 6:40 when Jack's phone buzzed. He waited until they were out of the elevator and called the Sheriff back. "Rene. Hey, this is Jack - good morning."

"Mornin', Jack. You where you can talk?"

"Will be in 30 seconds," he replied and limped to an area away from the breakfast crowd. Janice followed, carrying one cane so he could hold the phone.

"Jack, that sumbitch you interrogated before we got hold of him sang like a mockingbird, and so did two of the assholes we ran down with dogs. It seems the thorny brush, the howling of coyotes, the screaming of a cougar right close by, and the rattlesnake that crawled into their camp made them city boys right uncomfortable!

"After they survived the walk and night in the wild, they were more than happy to accept a ride back to town, and to tell us pretty much everything they knew in response to an offer of witness protection.

"Yeah, they did know that much, and the feds were drooling all over themselves. We weren't allowed in all of it, but I heard the term 'RICO' thrown around a lot in their private conversations.

"As to the others, unfortunately two decided to shoot it out, one tried to break into Joe Bob's house in the middle of the night, and the rest surrendered but haven't talked - yet. Luckily, they're all facing federal charges, so their trials will be in the federal courthouse in Laredo, and Cow County won't be bankrupted by the cost of prosecuting all those assholes. Unfortunately, the Feds whisked them off before we finished questioning them, but I'm confident they will all either do hard time, or go into witness protection so their bosses can do hard time!"

"Rene, just out of morbid curiosity, what names did come up? I swear I won't say or do anything - I just want to know."

"Swear to me that you won't use this for any purpose, Jack. The feds have a plan, and if you go after a name I give you, I swear I'll lock your ass up for a decade!"

"I solemnly swear I won't go after a single one of the guys you name, Rene!" he promised, hoping the one name would not be on the list.

It wasn't, and he get a warm feeling inside. He would be getting a shot at the puppet master himself! That should rock some bedrooms and boardrooms!

Janice tugged at his shirt when he put his phone in his pocket. "What did he say?"

Jack's smile was smirky; he took his other cane, and told her, "Tell you over breakfast, which you have to bring to me. Let's go order and get a table; you can be my server, and I'll be your tale-teller!"

Janice enjoyed the story, was happy they caught or killed everyone who attacked them, and was happy they gave up the man who sent them. When told his name, however, she said she'd never heard of him, and Jack believed her. There was no indication she was lying, and, having raised her through her teen years, Jack knew her signs well... or at least, used to.

Having each consumed an omelet, three pancakes, two links of sausage, a bowl of fruit, two glasses of milk, and three cups of coffee, they made their way to the front entrance. Janice brought the 4x4 truck; he climbed in using the nerf bar and handgrip, and they headed for University Hospital.

The Spine Injury Center was well guarded but not impregnable; they made it past the closed doors and as far as the nurses' station. There they were advised that Mrs. Armstrong was awake, but had signed a form allowing No Visitors.

Janice made an impassioned plea: April hadn't known that her husband and sister-in-law were alright at the time she made that decision, and she would change her mind if only they would go tell her Janice and Jack were waiting outside to see her!

Oh, and take the note she and Jack would compose really quickly!

Janice wrote a paragraph, and handed the pen and paper to Jack, with a warning. "You better be your sweet and charming self, and I mean the sweet and charming old Jack, not the brutal asshole we encountered when we returned, or she'll never let us in! If that happens, I'll make your life miserable!"

In spite of the sugary card they composed, April declined, saying she appreciated them coming but wasn't ready for visitors.

They were disappointed, and more disappointed that the nurse would give them nada - nothing at all! But they also needed to check on Carl, so they drove across town to Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), which was now located on Joint Base San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston instead of Brooke Air Force Base - originally Brooke Army Airfield, before there was an air force. Jack accepted the wheelchair offered at the door, and Janice pushed him around the gigantic building to Carl's unit.

The nurses they spoke to were excited: while he hadn't regained consciousness, there had been more signs of brain activity since their visit yesterday. They were hopeful, the doctors were hopeful, and everyone hoped they would tell the patient more stories today.

They were allowed to stay way past the end of morning visitors' hours, sitting and chatting with one another as if it were a three-way conversation, calling his name to ask, "Carl, remember that time...?"

They were convinced they saw his eyes flutter more than once, and Janice thought she might have felt a slight squeeze from the hand she was holding. The medical staff ran them off at noon, and told them not to come back until after five, but to come back - the instruments agreed there was detectible movement!

They ate at a Brazilian steakhouse halfway back to their hotel. It was the first time either had eaten at Fogo de Chão, and they were overwhelmed by the bounty brought to their table. It wasn't cheap, but it was good, and they were plenty full when they left.

Jack was on his phone as soon as Janice pulled out of the parking lot, and he quickly told her to go two blocks and turn into a small shopping center. She was puzzled when he directed her to the Hallmark store, but after he laid out his plan, she leaned across and hugged him. "That's my big brother!"

Even knowing they were banned, they went by University anyway. Their request to see April was denied, so they each left a card with a pretty picture, a short verse wishing her a speedy recovery on front and inside, with a longer handwritten note on the back, and left the cards with a nurse who looked concerned enough to draw an inquiry from Janice.

"Are we causing problem by bringing her messages?" Janice asked. "You seem concerned."

She looked around, leaned forward, and said, "It's not your cards, it's my patient. Obviously, everything I tell you is in violation of patient confidentiality laws, but I'm going to trust you. She not doing well and the biggest reason is she won't try - she seems to have given up!

"We treat patients with injuries not unlike hers quite often; most recover to very high standard and are able to live productive lives with minimal accommodation or pain. Those that do not typically exhibit an attitude like hers.

"The therapist and I were going over her plan for week one, but she was barely responsive, so he began giving her a pep talk. She was still not responsive, so he turned it up a notch about the quality of life she could achieve with just a little work. We barely heard what she mumbled, but we agree it was 'I don't care - I have no reason to live.'

"If that's her mindset, she won't recover. In fact, she'll probably be dead within a year, most likely by her own hand. So, please do anything you can to change that mindset, and I'll help where I can. Right now, I'll focus on getting her to allow at least one of you as a visitor, and I ask that you tell us if you think of ways you can help us help her."

They had no ideas off the top of their heads, but they had ten more cards each, so, perhaps she would relent before those were exhausted.

They went back to the hotel and talked about Nurse Camille and April's condition, but came up with no ideas about what else they could do if she wouldn't let them in to see her. In frustration, they decided to watch a movie. Jack was propped up in bed, but he didn't see much more than the opening scene before rolling on his side and falling asleep. He was lame and weak, and Janice knew he was pushing himself too much - heck, if his doctors had their way, he'd still be hospitalized!

Her big brother had always been indefatigable and indomitable; seeing him as injured and weak was frightening. She kissed his forehead, combed his hair with her fingers, and then walked around the queen bed to lie down beside him. She wrapped herself around his back, and when he didn't stir, she went to sleep snuggled against him.

Jack's fatigued body needed rest, but his mind used the down time to subconsciously review, consider, examine, test, and reexamine the relationships in his life. He awoke physically refreshed, mentally confused, and emotionally lost. The centerpieces of his life had been his wife and sister, and losing both left gaping cavities he had made no effort to fill. Carl had tried, and he was a great friend, but he couldn't offset the losses.

Doubtlessly, having his baby sister snuggled up against him while she slept played a role in the sound sleep he experienced physically. It brought back all those times she used him to push back against the angst of losing their parents; coming into his bedroom crying, snuggling together, and drifting off to sleep with her arms around him. Some might question their relationship, but Jack knew; there was nothing even mildly sexual about it, now or ever. They were bound forever by circumstances beyond their control - the sudden, untimely death of their parents.

Unfortunately, having her in such close proximity was also likely the cause of the mental and emotional turmoil he felt. He loved his baby sister; he hated the woman who lied to him and then allowed her best friend, her brother's wife, to be drug into the debauchery.

When he could be honest with himself, he accepted that he loved April - but not as much as he hated the woman who disrespected and betrayed him. Still, he chided himself, no matter how much you hate her, you can't fail to help her recover from the grievous wounds suffered while she was helping you.

The fine line was finding a way to encourage her to get well without giving her false hope that they had a future as man and wife. That he simply could not see; yet he knew the visits, notes, cards, and small gifts he planned to give her would be misinterpreted.

They were meant as get-well tokens, but she would see them as love letters and gifts. 'Oh well,' he thought, 'whatever it takes to get her to engage in the recovery and rehab process. I can let her down gently when she's up and about and strong again. A beautiful woman like April will have no problem finding another man, another husband, even if she stays near Cowtown.'

As he lay there feeling his sisters gentle breath through the shirt on his back, it struck him that he had done more critical self-examination in the past year than in the previous twenty-eight years of his life. That was not something he was proud of: he lived in a simple world of right and wrong, and decisions, once made, were sacrosanct. There was no place in his world for 'buyer's remorse' and 'second thoughts,' much foolish sentimentality and excuses.

And yet, his mind endlessly reviewed and considered actions taken, circumstances, purposes, outcomes... and motivations.

Two things were reemerging through the walls he had built in his mind: he still loved his sister and his wife, but he could not forgive what had been done.

How those facts could be reconciled, in these circumstances, exceeded his capacity to analyze and synthesize, so he blocked them off, went into his green spot, and slept again.