Mistaken Identity

They got there early so she could make her rounds through the exhibit. There were a few minor foibles, but nothing serious. Thomas was able to witness Andie's finesse with handling artists, art critics and buyers.

Half-way into the show, Dina showed up. Andie introduced Dina to Thomas. She asked him to look out for her. So, he was escorting her through the exhibit. Andie was standing in the entryway when a man walked in and started shouting at her. "You think you are God! Rejecting my art when you showcase this swill!" He was gesturing with a gun in his hand. "You're so high and mighty. You wouldn't know real art if it bit you in the ass!" He raised the gun and shot at Andie.

People were screaming and running away. Thomas shoved Dina to the floor. He ran toward the entryway. The gunman ran out the front of the building. Thomas felt like he was running in slow motion. Andie was lying on the floor and there was blood all over her chest.

"Nooooo. Andie! God damn it. Andie!" She was barely conscious. He pulled his phone out and called 911. "I need an ambulance at the Andeline Art Museum on fifth avenue. A woman has been shot. She needs an ambulance now! No, the shooter ran out of the building. I don't know what he was wearing! He was gone by the time I got to her. He's gone. Hurry! She needs help now". He set the phone down to apply pressure to the wound.

The medics arrived and checked her vitals. One of the paramedics took over applying pressure to the wound. The others moved her onto a gurney. They wouldn't let him go in the ambulance. The police tried to get him to stay and give a statement. "I didn't see the man. I only saw my girlfriend on the floor with a gunshot wound in her chest. Now I am going to the hospital to be with her!"

He hailed a cab and ordered it to take him to the nearest hospital. He ran in through the emergency entrance and asked for the woman who was brought into the ER a short time ago. They asked him to fill out some forms and to wait in the waiting room.

He called Roselyn and told her what had happened. She said she and Max would be there as soon as possible. He looked around the waiting room. It was full of pathetic creatures who were injured or in pain. He begged the nurse at the desk to please try to find out about her condition. She finally agreed to try.

When she returned, he peppered her with questions. The doctor said that the wound was not life threatening. They were operating on her to remove the bullet. She said that she was obliged to tell him that there are always risks in surgery.

When Roselyn and Max arrived, he relayed the information to them. Roselyn was asked to fill out the rest of the forms. Thomas tried to assess if Max was doing alright. He said he was fine. And then he teared up. "Max, they told me that it was not a life-threatening wound. She's going to be alright."

Roselyn returned from turning in the completed forms. "Max, darling, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I'm not leaving so don't try to make me go."

"No, we're not leaving."

Concerned about them, Thomas brought some bottled water to them. He had gotten himself a coffee because he wasn't leaving either.

Finally, the surgeon came out to give them a report. "She's out of surgery. She did great. The bullet didn't hit the heart or any major arteries. We'll keep her overnight to monitor her, but hopefully we can release her tomorrow. She will have some rehab therapy afterward. The therapists will be in to talk with her about that tomorrow."

"When can we see her?" asked Thomas.

"We're just now moving her to a room. It may be an hour before she can have visitors."

Max was looking tired. Thomas and Roselyn were both concerned. "Max, I'm going to stay the night. Roselyn, why don't you take him to your penthouse and I'll have Andie video call you as soon as she is awake."

Roselyn answered, "I think that is a great idea. Come on, sweetheart. I want you to come home and put your feet up and we'll wait for Andie's call."

Max said, "Thomas, if anything changes, you call us."

"Of course."

After Max and Roselyn left, Thomas sat tiredly waiting to see Andie. A nurse approached him after an hour. "She is on the third floor. Room 302. You can see her now."

He walked into her room. She looked so small in the hospital bed. She was pale and disheveled; something he had never seen before. He sat down by her bed and took her hand.

When she opened her eyes, Thomas was there waiting to speak with her.

"Thomas, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. How are you feeling?"

"I'm groggy. They said that I'm okay. Don't look so worried."

"I'm sorry, I can't control my face. I am worried."

He bent over her and kissed her. "Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Your parents were here. They want to have a video call with you. Are you up for it?"

"Of course."

Thomas set up the call.

"Dad? Hi Daddy. No, I'm all right. Really. Hi Mom. Is Dad alright? Okay. Yes. They said that they would probably release me tomorrow. Okay mom. I'd rather go back to Glenmore to recuperate. I'm sure that the local doctors can handle my recovery. Okay. I love you too. Goodnight."

"Is Max alright?"

"Yes. I think so. Mom said they were going to go to bed. Which is what you should do." She looked at the blood on the front of his shirt. It was her blood. Oh God, he must have been afraid.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll sleep in the chair here."

"Thomas, you can go back to my place."

"I'm not leaving. So, get that idea out of your head."

The next day, Andie was released and the four of them returned to Glenmore. Everyone insisted that Andie was going to bed to rest. A desk was brought into the bedroom so Thomas could work there and be with her.

The next day, her brother, Mike, showed up to see her and check her over. They had a nice dinner together. Mike and Thomas went into town together to pick up a few things. Mike was a nice man and they had an immediate rapport.

Therapists were sent to the house to work with Andie to restore function in her shoulder. Both Max and Thomas were working remotely from Glenmore. Roselyn was the hovering house mother. She limited Max's work time and Andie's attempts to become more physical.

At night, Thomas would hold Andie's hand since holding her would cause pain. They talked about the night of the art show. Andie said she had seen him walk toward her, but didn't recognize him. It wasn't until he aimed the gun at her that she realized he even had a gun. "I remember falling and having a hard time breathing. The paramedics and the ambulance are a blur. I don't remember the hospital. But, I remember seeing you when I woke up in my room."

"I was escorting Dina around the exhibit as you asked me to. We were two rooms away when I heard the gunshot. I shoved Dina to the floor. I hope she's okay and that I didn't hurt her. I couldn't get to you fast enough. When I reached you, you were barely conscious. I called 911 and the woman tried to keep me talking. I needed to apply pressure to the wound. I had never been more angry and more scared in my entire life.

I got to the hospital as soon as possible. But, I didn't get word that you weren't going to die for quite some time. I was desperate for information and the nurses just kept badgering me to fill out forms which I was not prepared to do. I called your parents. When they showed up, I was no longer waiting alone to learn the fate of the rest of my life.

"Oh dear. I'm sorry. That sounds more awful than what I went through."

"I didn't tell you for your sympathy. I told you so you would know how much you mean to me."

"Kiss me carefully please."

The kiss was tender and sweet.

Weeks later, Thomas asked Andie to go to dinner with him on a Saturday night. He had arranged for a private dining room at a cliffside restaurant. She donned a black column dress with a long floral scarf. She arranged her hair in an updo with lots of curls. Thomas looked handsome in a black suit with light blue tie.

They were seated and enjoyed relaxing conversation while they perused the menu. After they placed their order, Thomas said he had something he wanted to talk about.

Andie, ever since I met you, my life has held more meaning. I can't wait to see you every day and to spend time with you. When I thought that you were suddenly ripped from my life, I was devastated. But you lived, and I have hope again. I can't think of my future without you in it. No, that's not right. I don't want you to just be in it. I want you at the center of it.

Thomas kneeled before her. "Andie, I love you. In fact, more than I have ever loved anything or anyone. I want to be your husband. I want to help make your dreams come true. Andie, will you marry me?"

Andie was surprised by all of Thomas's endearing confessions. She teared up as he proposed to her. She framed his face with her hands and kissed him deeply. "Of course, I want to marry you. I can't see my life without you either." Thomas took a ring box from his pocket and opened it for her.

"May I?"

Andie held her left hand out so he could place the sparkling ring on her engagement finger. The ring was beautiful. Its ascher-cut center diamond was set into an intricate vintage setting. It winked and sparkled. It was a visible symbol of the bond that already existed between them.

They ate their meal, watched the sun set and planned their future together. They cuddled on the way home. When they turned into Glenmore, the driver used the back entrance. When Thomas and Andie walked into the side door they followed the hallway down to the salon. There, inside the room, were all of their family. Her parents, her brother Mike and his date were there. Thomas's father, his sister Ava, Brian and Jillian were also there. Flower arrangements of reds and oranges were strewn throughout the room.

Jillian ran up to Thomas. He picked her up and she kissed him. She then pulled Andie toward her so she could kiss her. "Are you getting married?"

Thomas looked proudly at Andie. Andie answered, "Yes, sweetheart, we are. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes. I want you for my aunt."

The women in the room looked at and admired the engagement ring. The men congratulated Thomas and toasted the engagement. There was an engagement cake with red and orange flowers on a taupe buttercream frosting base. Rooms for the guests had been prepared and the party continued into Sunday.

Jillian requested to sleep with Danny and Jimmy and she was ecstatic with her new best friends.

On Sunday, a casual brunch buffet had been arranged in the dining room so people could come and go at their leisure.

The men donned their swim trunks and got into the pool with Jillian. The women sat under the shade of sun umbrellas and looked through bride magazines that Adele had bought in advance for them.

Andie walked over to the pool and asked Thomas to come out and talk with her. She asked him if he would be opposed to Max flying the group to Italy for an winter wedding. He smiled and said, "I'll marry you any time, any way, any where you want. Just as long as you are my wife at the end of the day."