True Love

Of course he bragged about their son too when he visited. He held her hand and caressed her as he crooned out his love. On the weekend he would take John Carl with him so the boy could at least see his mother. John would tell his son about how wonderful his mother was and how much in love they were. He promised him that she loved him very much even though she couldn't tell him that.

One Sunday afternoon when John was 5 years old he and his father were telling Carrie good-bye when her hand twitched. John had just finished giving her a good-bye kiss when he saw her eyelids fluttering. She moaned, "Jooohhhhhnnnnn."

Young John looked at his father then said, "Momma?"

John grabbed the call button that had been hung on the wall for those many years and pushed it frantically. When he did not get immediate attention he walked to the door and yelled, "Nurse, Nurse, Help Quick."

An orderly and nurse came running toward him and the nurse said, "Sir, please stop yelling. What seems to be the problem?"

John was panting and his eyes were wet when he said, "She jerked her hand and said my name. Her eyes were moving but she didn't open them."

The nurse gave him an incredulous look and ran into the room. As she went through the door she said to the orderly, "Get Dr. Godolfski"

As Carrie's room filled with people John found he and young John were pushed outside. Finally Dr. Godolfski came out and walked up to where John and his son were sitting. He said, "She seems to be resting comfortably and her eye response to light seems better but we couldn't get any other response. I just don't know what to tell you. like we said when she was admitted, there is no way of knowing if or when she will awaken. As you know she has had a severe emotional shock and sometimes people never recover from something like that. I'm sorry."

John had called his parents and told them when Carrie made her sounds. They told him they would come right up. Shortly after the doctor had talked to John his parents and Traci came walking down the hallway. He had to tell them there was no further news and watch in sadness when they all looked so sad. They visited a while then decided they needed to go back home because Monday was a work day.

"I think I will stay here tonight and maybe tomorrow. Will you take John home with you please?" John asked.

His father looked at him sadly and said, "Sure son but don't get your hopes up. Take all the time you want but........"

As soon as the family left John walked back into Carrie's room. He pulled a chair back up near her bed and took her hand. He leaned in to kiss her once more and then pulled back. "I'm here Honey. I sent little John home with his grandparents but I'm still here. I still love you so much. Please come back to us. Please."

He leaned forward and gave her another gentle kiss. He thought he felt her lips move but he didn't want to start another false alarm. When he leaned back he though her nipples were harder but decided even if they were it might just be a reaction to some other stimuli.

All through the night he held her hand. He had leaned the chair back and dozed but he didn't get much sleep. When the orderly came in the next morning she was shocked to find John's chair pushed up as close to Carrie's bed as he could get it. He was sleeping and had her hand clasped tightly in his.

"Sir did you spend the night here? You know you're not supposed to do that. Now you have to leave so I can take care of Ms. Carrie here."

John glared at the orderly and started to say something back to her when he felt Carrie's hand twitch again. She moaned, "NNNNOOOOOO."

John and the orderly looked at each other then the orderly turned and ran out of the room toward the nurses' station for help. John leaned toward Carrie and said, "Honey I'm still here. Do you hear me? I'm here Carrie. Please come back to us. Honey?" He felt another small squeeze from her fingers.

John heard noises and glanced toward the door. There were three people standing just inside the door. As he watched the Doctor once again entered the room. "What's the excitement about this time," he asked.

The young orderly said, "She said No when I told this gentleman to leave and I think her hand moved trying to hold him."

While the orderly was talking Carrie's eyes began rapidly moving again and she swallowed. Everyone heard her say, "Stayyyy. Johhhhnnnnn."

That elicited much excitement and a flurry of activity. The doctor walked up to John and said, "Sir I think you should stay as long as you can and keep talking to her. That may help." John nodded OK and after examining her everyone but John and a nurse left. The nurse just stood watching for a while as John talked to Carrie. The longer he talked the more relaxed she seemed.

At one point John took his phone out and called home. He held the phone close to Carrie's ear while he talked hoping she could hear also. He thought he saw her move slightly during the conversation but he couldn't be sure. All throughout the day he talked. He talked until his voice cracked and yet he tried again. Finally in the evening he was so exhausted he fell asleep in his chair. He was leaning on the side of her bed.

In the night John woke up. He felt like something was pulling at his hair and it was ruffling like a wind was blowing it. When he moved his head he felt a pull. He looked up and was staring into two blue eyes as Carrie stared at him.

John was startled and jerked his head away from Carrie's grasp. When he did that she let out a short yelp. She watched while John grappled with the call button. This time when he pressed it he heard immediate footsteps. The overhead room light came on and the charge nurse herself came bustling into the room. It was a little after three a.m.

When she surveyed the bed she first saw Carrie's arm grasping at John's hand then she saw the blue eyes squinting at her in the harsh light. "Oh, My," she said. "It's so good to have you awake and with us again Carrie. Now you just lay there and rest while I check you over. Can you hear me OK?"

She stared at Carrie and Carrie made a small nodding motion with her head. After she had checked Carrie she smiled and said, "Now you two just stay here and be quiet. I need to make a phone call then we will so some tests in the morning."

John didn't even look at the nurse when she left. He was staring into Carrie's eyes while she stared at him. She whispered, "John. Where"

John laid a finger on her lips and said, "Shhh. You've been sick Honey. It's all going to be OK now. Please just rest and get better so we can go back home." He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss that he felt she returned.

About 5 a.m. John heard a herd of elephants running down the hallway then Traci's voice saying "I don't give a good God Damn if it isn't visiting hours we want to see my Daughter."

The door suddenly filled with said herd of elephants and into the room poured Traci, Jessica, John (John's father) and his grandparents. Carrie opened her eyes again and looked up at the people standing around her bed. She focused on Traci and said weakly, "Momma?"

Traci broke down in tears then fell to her knees to hug Carrie.

About that time Dr. Godolfski came bustling into the room. He took one look at the crowd and said, "Everyone out. Hurry please. I need to see Carrie and there is way too many people in here."

John started to rise but Carrie slowly reached and grabbed his hand. She was staring at him with a pleading expression as she held onto his hand. She turned her head slightly and whispered, "Momma?" when they tried to rise she began breathing very rapidly and looked extremely frightened. Dr. Godolfski looked at her expression and said, "OK John you and this lady can stay. The rest of you go please."

Carrie immediately relaxed and held John's hand while the doctor examined her. After the exam he talked to all three of them for a short time. He said, "There is every reason to believe this awakening will be permanent but sudden shocks and frights as well as strong emotional jolts should be avoided. Having said that, we need to begin weaning her away from the IV's and onto solid food. As her strength returns we will need to begin physical therapy to build strength. I will make arrangements for psychiatrists to come in and visit as we prepare her mentally to return home."

"Right now gentle exercise and rest are important. Do not discuss Carrie's condition with her unless the medical staff approves of the conversation." He turned to Carrie and said, "Carrie do you remember anything about your problem, why you're here?"

Carrie looked at him a moment with a confused expression then nodded her head yes. "Can you tell me some of what you remember?" asked the Doctor.

Carrie said, "I was going to get married. Charles kicked my door down and he...they pushed me and Mother into the bedroom and they..." She looked at John then she said, "But John came and saved me again while they were..." Carrie started crying slowly as she continued. "I was going back to the hotel for more clothes and I was in my room. Charlie came up behind me and grabbed me again but he was dead and John couldn't kill him again. I got away and ran. I don't remember after that. Did I get away from him that time?"

While she was talking John turned white, then he jumped up and ran from the room crying. The doctor jumped up and told the nurse, "Watch Carrie." Then he ran after John.

Doctor Godolfski caught up to John in the front lounge. He was sitting on a couch crying and rocking back and forth. He was mumbling "Oh, my GOD. I did it to her OH, GOD I did it."

Dr. Godolfski sat beside John and held him still. "Son, what's the matter? What are you talking about? I know from her file that you killed the man that was raping her and helped capture two others. Why do you think you did it to her?

John looked at Dr. Godolfski with horror in his eyes. He said, "We were coming home from a session with her psychiatrist when she decided she needed more summer clothes. I usually went to the house where she and her mother lived and got things for them but since we were close I just turned the car around and took them there with me. We were in her bedroom door when she stopped and started trembling. I walked up behind her and put my arm on her shoulder and that's when she screamed and ran away. We found her curled in a ball in the back seat of the car. She was non responsive from that day until now. OH GOD I CAUSED THIS!!!"

The doctor looked at John a moment and said, "John, it sounds like your touch in that room surprised her and perhaps made her flash back to the day of the rape but son you didn't do this to Carrie. At least now I think the doctors will have something to work with while we try to make her well. I think you need to talk to a psychiatrist also though. If nothing else discussing Carrie with one will perhaps make it easier for you to help her."

Carrie continued to improve and, surprising him and everyone else in the family John's attitude improved after he had been seeing the same psychiatrist for a while. Finally came the day when the doctors thought Carrie was stable enough to begin learning about things that had gone on while she was unconscious. It was a bright sunny day and Carrie was sitting in the yard when John and a young boy walked up to her chair. She could see the doctor in the background as well as the parents.

Carrie looked up at John and asked, "John who's this?" The little boy with John was pulling John's hand toward Carrie.

He started to say something when John said, "No John. Remember you aren't supposed to talk until we say you can."

When she heard that Carrie looked perplexed then she started to tremble. She said, "Oh, no. His name is John. He looks like you and..." Her face crumpled and she moaned, "You got married and..."

John had sat in a chair facing Carrie and pulled the boy onto his lap by this time. He said rapidly, "NO, Carrie, I'm not married but this is my son. He is our Son Carrie. I named him John Carl Dawson. You were pregnant when... Carrie I've never even looked at another woman. I had you—and little John. No one else would ever be right for me. We waited for you Honey."

Carrie's eyes were sparkling and she smiled through her tears. She held her arms out to John and he let little John go. The child walked up to Carrie and said, "Momma we came to see you all the time. Daddy told me you would get better and come home to live with us sometime. Are you better now? Can you come home to live with us now? I really want to have my Momma at home with me and Daddy. Maybe then he won't cry at night or if he does you can make him feel better."

Carrie smiled and said, "Oh, Honey. I'll come home just as soon as the doctor says I can. He says it won't be long now. Can you wait just a little longer?" Young John hugged her, gave her a sloppy kiss and nodded his head yes.

Finally the day arrived that Carrie could go home. The doctors told her and John that she still needed more psychiatric help and probably would for some time but she had recovered enough to go home. One evening while she was sitting on John's lap watching a movie with him she turned and gave him a kiss.

She looked into his eyes and said, "You really waited all this time for me? There was no one else?"

John just looked at her and shook his head no then said, "Yes I waited and No, there was never anyone else. Some of the girls we used to know made offers but I just couldn't. I missed you so much and..."

Carrie smiled and leaned over. She gave him a gentle kiss and said, "Well then, don't you think it's time you made an honest woman of me? After all I had you child six years ago and I've been sleeping with you now for six months. Are you ever going to marry me?"

John looked up at Carrie and said, "Oh yes. You just tell me when and where. I'll be there with bells on."

This time the whole town turned out for the wedding. The church was decorated and the Bride, Groom and the whole family dressed together, traveled together and entered the church together. Six years to the day from the scheduled date of their nuptials John Dawson and Carrie Samuels got married.

After the reception they left on a month long honeymoon paid in part by the large property settlement John had won on Carrie's behalf in a civil suit against her attackers. It seems Charles had inherited a large amount of money just before he attacked her and the courts decided she needed some compensation for what he did. Of course much of it had gone for her medical care but there was still enough to help with the honeymoon.

Johns Construction Company continued to thrive. He attributed much of his initial success to Carrie and the sympathy in the surrounding counties when her plight surfaced. Of course he got repeat business because of the quality of his work and cost controls.

John's love for Carrie never faltered throughout the adversity. When he was asked why he didn't move on and date someone else he only would say, "I have my woman. I was prepared to vow in front of God, family and friends that I would be true and take her in sickness and health, for better or worse, till death do us part. In my mind I had already made that commitment. How could I go back on it because of what some animal did to her? After all she was still alive and she was still my woman."