Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.
You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.
Click here
As Karole edged closer to death, the one man she ever truly loved whispered in her ear, "Don't leave me, please Karole, fight. I need you... I love you." Don gently kissed the cheek that somehow escaped tape and bandages and whispered, "I love you; I'll be back soon." He stood up and saw a possible shadow that shouldn't be there, a faint hint of a phantasm that had no obvious source. And there, behind the ECG equipment another faint shade that could be the phantasm's associate with the purple tinted hair ends. He stood proud and straight at the end of the bed containing his beloved friend and Master Sergeant Campbell emerged.
"You two, I can see you there, I saw one of you earlier tonight. Enough! Leave me, my wife, and Krissy alone. You two will now focus all of your energy on Karole. I don't know how you do it, and I don't care, just get it done, because if she goes, you go." He glared at the wall behind the headboard, and he was sure he saw a shadow move closer to another shadow. "Your orders are this, in approximately three hundred and ninety days we will be throwing Krissy her second birthday party. Karole will be on her feet and we will take her ice skating. You have your work cut out for you." And with that he turned around and walked out past the nurse's station.
"You gave her orders to get better?" asked one of the nurses.
The steel evaporated from Don's spine, he sagged and said, "Tell me why it won't work," then he headed out to the hallway. He leaned against the wall and covered his face with trembling hands and slid slowly down the wall, his body shuddering, fighting desperately to hold back the cry of agony.
It was still dark when Duong, Huy, and Kim-ly arrived at Mercy General to find Mai holding a small sleeping girl, and Lanh entirely unconscious. The three gasped when they saw Lanh's condition and started to ask questions, but Mai put her finger to her lips and gestured to Krissy, "she just fell asleep again."
"Where's Don?" asked Kim-ly softly.
"ICU," said Mai.
Duong remained behind with his wife, he sat on the bed with her and held her close as they snuggled with Krissy. They were up to eight grandchildren now and he marveled at how small they used to be as he stroked Krissy's golden hair.
Kim-ly and Huy rode the elevator down to the ground floor in silence, the sight of Lanh's injuries shocked them, but Mai had indicated that Karole was much, much worse than Lanh. They followed the overhead signs that led them to the ICU and there in the hallway was a figure squatting by the entry to the ICU. "It's Don!" gasped Huy and they ran as fast as they could to their brother-in-law. He appeared to be in the beginning of a nervous breakdown, his body trembled as he fought to hold back the horror before he went back in to be with Karole again.
Kim-ly knelt and kissed Don's tear-soaked cheek and slid his son, Danh, into his arms. At first thinking the little tyke was Krissy, Don almost pushed the baby away, but seeing his thick, black hair and his mommy's almond shaped dark brown eyes he gasped "Danh!" Danh gave Don a huge, happy, toothless smile and Don wept with joy, "My little boy, I miss you so much!"
Watching the father and son reunion brought joyful smiles to Kim-ly and Huy. Don was so close to a complete meltdown but reuniting with his little boy restored Don's spirit. "I brought Danh here because I thought he needed his daddy," said Kim-ly.
Huy watched and knew exactly what was happening with Don, as a lawyer he's had some rough days that were resolved by a child's caress. "Sometimes it's the daddy that needs the little boy."
______________________________
For those of you that remember the opening to Chapter One, you know that this is clearly not the end of the story, and side stories are still in the mill. The story of Don and Lanh's senior prom is nearly complete and there's a reunion in the works that may surprise some of my readers.
Disclaimer: Torgeson and Briggs Financial Consulting is not a representation of any company in particular but is a representation of those companies out there that consider their employees to be tools to be thrown away when worn out
- COMMENTS
Campus774 months agoThis chapter was so hard to read. I had to stop several times to bring myself out of the story. I feel so close to the family members that I was feeling their pain. You are a magnificent author.
Anonymous5 months agoAlmost too heavy to contemplate yet very imaginable and accessible to the reader. Ain’t stoppin’ now.
Anonymous12 months agoWhat an emotional roller coaster… on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the night ( day ) mares would roll out…. Our hero’s ( multiple) are showing the best of humanity in an unforgiving world! Hopefully the angels will settle down now and follow orders to allow for…maybe not a fairy tale ending to the series, but at least a comfortable coexistence ( both good and bad) in their lives! I’m voting for the good! Great story, great writing, THANKS for the entertaining way you write and hopefully our hero’s are not patterned after one’s that actually lived all of the trauma written. Again THANK you for a great story, on to the next chapter and box of Kleenex !
