Where Did She Go Pt. 01

The Adventist Church is very anti-LGBT and same-sex marriage, which stuns me. Premarital sex and interfaith marriages are also strongly discouraged by church leaders.

Marcie Rae's Father is a General Vice President of the largest Adventist group organized as the American Millennial Association, including a portion known as the Evangelical Adventist Church. Adventists are also very sexist because Women Cannot be ordained as Pastors.

The Adventist religion also prohibits alcohol consumption, eating meat, and even banning the use of items such as black pepper. Believe it or not, their denomination considers pepper to be an aphrodisiac.

I am blown away. Marcie Rae and I fucked like crazy for a month, devoured several Porterhouse Steaks, and boozed it up like fish on our two free weekends. Marcie Rae is an incredible 0 for 3 in the church rules on Sex/Meat/Booze.

I look incredulously at my golf school girlfriend while she discusses her upbringing as an Adventist. I am unaware of this part of Marcie Rae's life.

I jump back in, fully describing our six weeks in Arizona. I first inform Claire and Gertrude that this part of our conversation is extremely private, so please do not disclose it to anyone else. I look intently at Marcie Rae, who nods her head okay.

In explicit detail, I tell Claire and Gertrude about Marcie Rae and my every moment at the golf camp. I tell them how we started fucking like minks on our first free weekend, two weeks after our first meeting. I concluded with how the two of us fucked like crazy every day for the next month until the golf camp finished.

We were supposed to continue our great friendship for the next two years while completing our Master's Degrees. But after two brief email exchanges, Marcie Rae never communicated with me again. I had not seen or heard from her for eleven years until running into each other three days ago in Chicago.

I searched the WEB for months, weeping continuously for nearly two years, before finally being able to carry on with my life. So, I got a great job with Bane, relocated to Savannah, and became somewhat involved with Anna's bio-father. He pushed for sex, and eventually, I stopped resisting, unexpectedly got pregnant, and had Anna. I never really loved her father, and he cheated on me, so two years later, I am a divorced woman with a young daughter.

Marcie Rae steps back in describing her return to the Redlands and desperately trying to forget me. She searched her soul for a way to be with me but knew it was hopeless. She cried day and night, lost weight, and became lethargic. Everyone in her family and church circle was worried about Marcie Rae. But she would have been thrown out of the church and disowned by her family if she admitted to loving me and having premarital lesbian sex.

Marcie Rae was trying to balance giving up twenty-two years of family and church life for me, whom she had only known for six weeks. She failed miserably.

Four years later, at 26, her parents forced Marcie Rae into an arranged marriage. She was defeated in her life and unable to refuse their intense pressure to marry this good Adventist churchman. Marcie Rae was married for three years before her husband died in an auto accident.

With her father's high position in the church, Marcie Rae not being married at nearly 34 does not seem proper in their religion. So, her parents are angling to get Marcie Rae married off again. The Chicago Adventist Church conference meeting was their first step toward arranging her second marriage.

On her first day at the Chicago meeting, Marcie Rae sees Anna Marie running around, thinking she looked identical to her at that age. Marcie Rae is curious, so she follows Anna and Trisha the next time she sees them. She runs smack-dab into Emma, faints, and is now in Savannah at Emma's home on the 9th hole turn.

Marcie Rae's final truth is she has had occasional dizzy spells for the past two years, including brief memory lapses. But her parental answer was she was just lonely and needed a loving husband.

I run to Marcie Rae's side, loudly crying, "Oh darling, I now surely understand what happened to you. I never stopped loving you, but I finally thought I was just another summer fling for you, so after two months, I started trying to move forward with my life."

Still crying, I say, "We need to stop here for now and revisit this conversation after Marcie Rae's diagnostic testing. It is tough hearing about my darling's harsh parental treatment now that I know what happened in her life over the past eleven years.

"I will share some of this conversation with Anna and Trisha, not wanting them feeling left out."

Looking at Claire and Gertrude, I ask, "Do either of you have any questions or comments?"

Gertrude speaks first, "Today has been a stunning revelation in many ways. But I also agree that we must fully digest this information and talk more after knowing Marcie Rae's health status."

Claire adds, "We four ladies need a glass of wine, and then Emma can talk with the girls. One small glass of wine will not cause Marcie Rae any new problems and most likely help her relax. I suggest Marcie Rae rest for a while after her wine while Emma tells the girls a slightly censored bit of today's conversation."

***

I have been an absolute nervous wreck with Marcie Rae being hospitalized for two days of diagnostic testing. The neurosurgeon and Claire's husband, Jonathan, a heart rhythm (arrhythmia) specialist, are investigating whether Marcie Rae's major problem is primarily brain or heart-related.

Claire just phoned asking me to meet her in Jonathan's office. She sounds solemn, and I am scared to death.

Jonathan quietly greets me and then gives their medical opinion, "Marcie Rae's situation is dire, with her chances of surviving more than a year being about 50/50."

I start boohooing as Claire tries to comfort me with many warm hugs.

Jonathan explains the diagnosis, "Marcie Rae has a brain tumor which I had suspected from our phone discussion when you called from Chicago. MRI and CT testing confirmed her having a small-sized tumor at the base of her skull. These tumors (Meningiomas) are usually benign. Still, we won't know for sure until testing a section of the tumor mass following surgery.

"It appears that Marcie Rae has shown the symptoms for nearly two years but was never taken to a hospital or clinic for diagnostic testing. For this reason, the neurosurgeon and I recommend immediate surgery. Based on the tumor's location, Dr. Webster feels we can successfully remove 100% of the mass.

"Emma, I must stress that any type of brain surgery can be dangerous. Also, we are guessing on the tumor type until a tissue sample is evaluated. But Dr. Webster and I both feel this tumor needs to be removed ASAP, giving Marcie Rae a greater chance for long-term survival.

"I do not know who Marcie Rae's parents are, but they have done a cruel disservice to their daughter. Her symptoms of dizziness, frequent episodes of fainting, and occasional memory loss should have been thoroughly investigated two years ago. If her tumor had been an aggressive malignant type, Marcie Rae would probably be dead by now!"

Finally, Jonathan says, "Emma, I know how much Marcie Rae means to you. I will do all I can to ensure her surgery is successful and she has a full recovery."

Claire spent an hour calming my anxieties since this news was quite devastating. I did not know Marcie Rae's family and certainly would not touch them with a ten-foot pole at this point. There are many issues with her diagnosis, the most pressing being if Marcie Rae has health insurance to pay for this delicate and expensive surgery.

Finally, all of Marcie Rae's diagnostic testing is finished, and she is released from the hospital. My eyes are red and swollen from crying as we drive home, so she knows something is seriously wrong.

Marcie Rae looks downcast, "It's very bad news, isn't it?"

I level with Marcie Rae on everything Jonathan Erickson discussed with me. I also question if she has a health insurance plan. She does and shows me her membership card. This will also be an issue since it is a family plan, and Marcie Rae's bio-mother will quickly know all the details. This type of surgery requires preapproval from the insurance carrier, so there is no chance of Marcie Rae hiding from her bio-mother in Savannah.

I truly love Marcie Rae and will take care of her following surgery. In the best outcome, she will spend 4 to 7 days post-surgery in St Joseph's Candler hospital and 4 to 6 weeks recovering at my home. I do not even dare think of the numerous potential problems if her tumor is cancerous.

Claire and Gertrude are over for another meeting, including Anna and Trisha. I lay everything out on the table, saying I want to take care of Marcie Rae. So, she shall have the surgery in Savannah four days from now. This timing allows Dr. Webster to return to Savannah from the Cleveland Clinic as her lead surgeon.

I tell everyone I am keeping Marcie Rae's surgery a secret from her family until the last possible moment. I am very fearful they will try delaying the surgery to have it done in Redlands, CA.

I also mention the family health insurance issue. I make it clear I want the insurance company to delay the preapproval request until the last possible moment. This way, Marcie Rae's family will not have sufficient time to obstruct her surgery since they are three hours behind Savannah.

There is one more essential item.

I tell Marcie Rae, "You must give me legal Power of Attorney (POA) for six months. This protects your decision if further surgery or alternative therapy is needed.

"This way, whatever you, the doctors, and I decide is the law, and your parents cannot interfere. Should you require additional treatment or surgery, the POA is necessary for at least six months to prevent interruption of your treatment. Please think about this because I feel your mom will show up at the hospital within one day of learning that you are in Savannah."

I ask Claire, "Is there any way of keeping the insurance company's preapproval on the down low until the night before Marcie Rae's surgery?"

Claire responds, "I will check on this tonight with one of our hospital insurance experts and speak with you tomorrow."

Gertrude jumps in, "Emma, with your approval, Trisha and I are moving in for six months to help you take care of Marcie Rae and the house. You will be busy helping your lovely Marcie Rae recover from surgery, so I will take care of the household."

I turn to Marcie Rae, "We all love you and will care for you until you are well, regardless of how long it takes. What is your answer, sweetie?"

Tears are streaming down Marcie Rae's cheeks as she hugs me tightly, "I want to live and be here with you and our two girls, darling!"

SURGERY-CONFLICT-RECOVERY

All of Marcie Rae's important pre-surgical issues are resolved, as previously discussed with Clair, Gertrude, and me. Now four days later, Marcie Rae is just out of surgery with no unexpected complications. Two hours later, she is moved to the PACU, where she will recover until the anesthesia is flushed out of her system. After completely recovering, Marcie Rae will move to her private room. I will stay with her until she is discharged in four to six days.

Since all had gone well with her surgery, we will nervously await the tissue analysis results confirming Marcie Rae's tumor as benign. The tumor mass confirmation testing may take as long as four days before we know if her tumor is cancerous. So another potential danger still lurks around the corner.

***

Meanwhile, I am paged and told there is a major confrontation in the hospital surgical reception area and to please go there immediately. Marcie Rae's family has just arrived and is demanding access to the PACU. The older lady also threatens to sue St Joseph's Chandler hospital for millions of dollars.

I hastily arrive at the surgical reception desk, introducing myself as Marcie Rae's friend, speaking firmly to the four angry individuals. I suspect it's Marcie Rae's parents, brother, and probably the family lawyer standing there.

I ask them, "What is the problem, and can you please be respectful to the staff since this is a hospital surgical unit? These dedicated staff members continually deal with life and death situations, so a hospital protocol must be strictly enforced to protect their patients."

I walk the four people over to a quieter private area, asking who they are. The arrogant lady, whom I assume is Marcie Rae's bio-mother, is a bit defiant in asking me, "Who, in God's name, are you?"

I hold my hand up for silence, "Will you please speak quietly and be respectful, again asking who you are? This is a restricted access area. Your names are not on Marcie Rae's approved family or clergy list. Marcie Rae is recovering in the PACU, which does not allow visitors."

Continuing, "I am Emma Jane Lyles, a friend of Marcie Rae's since 2010 when we met at golf school in Arizona. I had not seen Marcie Rae for eleven years before running into her in Chicago last week. She fainted several times, and I learned about her numerous previous fainting episodes and occasional short memory lapses. My daughters and I immediately cancel our vacation, bringing Marcie Rae here for examination by two expert doctors.

"Marcie Rae was diagnosed with a dangerous brain tumor and had it successfully removed earlier today. We must wait three days for the test results to determine if the tumor is cancerous. I am guessing that you are Marcie Rae's family. I wondered how you could mistreat your daughter so badly. But now I see what terrible people you are, viewing your total disrespect for this wonderful surgical unit. This team performed the brain tumor surgery professionally, saving Marcie Rae's life!"

Boy, that got me a dirty look; but I am on a roll, enjoying myself by telling the four of them exactly how I feel.

Suddenly, Anna bolts into the room, excitedly yelling, "Mom, we just got here five minutes ago. Where did they take mom-Marcie Rae after surgery?"

All four people stop dead in their tracks as Anna had her flaming red hair done up, identical to one of Marcie Rae's little girl photos.

Anna is on a mission, and Trisha comes racing in close behind her, yelling, "Mom-Emma, where is our mom-Marcie Rae? We need to see her right now!"

"Now, now, Girls, watch your manners, as mom-Marcie Rae's loving family is standing right here," I snark.

"Manners-Bananas, we want to see our mom-Marcie Rae now!" demands Trisha, her reddened eyes brimming with tears.

The older lady screams madly, "Who the hell are you people, and where is my daughter?"

I hand the ill-tempered lady a certified copy of Marcie Rae's POA. I strut over to Reception, loudly saying, "Please call security and have these disruptive people removed. If they refuse, call the Savannah antiterrorist line and report them as threatening hospital staff. A 72-hour hold in the Savannah City Jail may teach them to respect our hospital's dedicated surgical team.

"Also, can you please contact the PACU and tell them Marcie Rae Holding's fiancé and her two daughters will meet the orderly in her private room?"

"Come along, girls," I say, smiling as I hug both of them, gently taking their hands. "Let's go see mom-Marcie Rae."

Marcie Rae is still in the PACU, so I speak with the Nurse Practioner, who is a bit concerned regarding the commotion in Reception.

She says, "I understand there was near chaos in Reception for a few minutes. Savannah's finest threatened the four abusive visitors (family terrorists) with detention in the city jail if they didn't leave.

"One of their many threats at Reception was to block their insurance company from paying for the surgery. The older lady went fully berserk when informed the insurance company had pre-approved Marcie Rae's lifesaving surgery. The lady and her insurance company will be liable for millions in damages if the hospital bill is not paid within thirty days."

An hour later, Reception rings and tells me the four nutcases have finally left the hospital and are checking into a local Savannah hotel. I am cool with whatever her mother tries to do since I have my darling, Marcie Rae, with me, bolstered with an unbreakable six-month medical POA.

For Marcie Rae and my family's safety, I also request the Law Firm to obtain a Judicial Injunctive Relief Order. It prevents Marcie Rae's relatives or representatives from coming within 500 feet of my home. Our development is gated, so I also alert security to be extra careful in screening all strangers seeking to enter.

Marcie Rae's third-day post-surgery is joyous for me. Claire's husband, Jonathan, confirms her tumor tissue sample tested benign, and Marcie Rae is currently tumor/cancer free. We all fist-bump with tears of joy, especially Trisha, who has fully claimed Marcie Rae as her real mom.

We bring Marcie Rae home six days post-surgery, but she needs to be extremely careful the first week. Anna and Trisha will share one upstairs en suite bedroom as usual. Gertrude always uses the second en suite bedroom whenever she stays over. A third upstairs bedroom with a full bathroom is rarely used but available if needed.

My MBR Suite and a Guest BR Suite are downstairs, along with two additional full baths. I insist Marcie Rae sleep in a rented hospital bed parked in my MBR the first week. I want to be close should she have difficulties sleeping or has an emergency. During the day, Trisha and Anna hover over Marcie Rae like helicopter parents.

Gertrude gives us all space for solace while cooking some of the best meals I have eaten since leaving my parent's home for university. Gertrude also constantly and quietly peeks in on Marcie Rae, not disturbing her when she is napping.

Marcie Rae's family learns where I live in Savannah. They attempt to enter our gated community, but security informs them of the injunction preventing them from entering and/or coming within 500 feet of Marcie Rae. This injunction is in effect for the duration of the six-month POA or when Marcie Rae is released from Dr. Webster's care.

We do not have any other contact attempts from Marcie Rae's family, so I assume they returned home to Redlands, CA. I am convinced Marcie Rae's bio-mother will rear her ugly head again, closer to my POA's expiration date, 27 DEC 2021.

***

My ninth-hole-turn golf course home feels warm, loving, and comfortable for the first time. The girls love Marcie Rae like crazy, always sitting with her, giggling and whispering their joy of her living here with us. Anna and Trisha always hold Marcie Rae's hands as a sign of their love for her. I think this is how a real home should always feel. So, one afternoon, I speak softly with Gertrude in the den while Marcie Rae snoozes as Anna and Trisha hover close by.

Smiling widely, "Gertrude, I want you and Trisha to move here permanently starting this very minute. I do not want either of you returning to your old rented house. I will arrange for a Bane contract mover to pack your essential items and a local disposal company to dump the rest. I will pay your final two month's rent, so the rental company cannot complain or report you to the credit bureau.

"You and I will agree on your monthly allowance for running the household and keeping your same pay package as before. I want you to have a good life because you are a blessing to Anna and me. I know that you occasionally babysit for Claire when she needs help. So, you can continue helping her out with the triplets. Otherwise, no more hard work for you. Just take care of managing our home and enjoying life in your sunset years.