“Ouch!”
“Stop being such a baby!” Reese said as he helped Billy pull his shirt on over the bandaged shoulder.
“That’s exactly what I feel like.” He pouted then winced as his arm was slipped into the sling.
“Hey, you’re going home dude.” Ian verbally shot across the room. “I’m still on display here.” He tried to indicate his immobility but gave up because he was quite simply immobile.
Billy lightly swatted Reese’s hands away. “I can button it up myself.”
Reese raised both hands in the air and took a step back. “Okay. Okay. Backing off.”
Billy fumbled one handed with the buttons and asked Ian. “You gonna be alright here?”
“I’m kinda stuck, pinned up here on the bulletin board. Unless my constant nagging gets me thrown out, there’s not a whole lot I can do.”
After mumbling a few profanities, Billy finally looked up at Reese. “Uhm…”
“Now you need my help?” Reese teased him. “You look like Vonnie here, buttons all in the wrong holes.”
“Velcro…do they make clothes with Velcro?” Billy asked as he was unbuttoned and rebuttoned.
“I’ve got some.” Reese wriggled his eyebrows. “We’ll model them for each other later.”
“T.M.I.” Ian moaned.
Billy chuckled. “Vonnie and Sparky send their love by the way. Vonnie said if you don’t call her soon she’s going to write Santa and tell him not to bring you anything for Christmas.”
“I’ll call as soon as I can get a phone to my ear.” Ian snarked. “Did you tell her that if her Daddy had just landed a little to the left her Uncle Ian wouldn’t be a window pasty?”
“Oh, now it’s my fault you’re a klutz?” Billy teased.
“I’m a klutz?” Ian smiled. “Which one of us broke an arm sharpening a pencil?”
“T.M.I.” Billy bit his lip, and tried not to laugh.
“You broke your arm sharpening a pencil?” Reese popped the last button in place and smoothed Billy’s shirtfront.
“Sort of.”
“Sort of?” Ian laughed. “Hey Ian, I think I’ll sharpen your pencils for you. Snap. Ow! I broke my arm! I broke my arm!”
Billy looked up at Reese. “It’s not nearly as funny without the pantomime.”
Reese raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s just say there were some tequila shots and an open bottle of ketchup involved and leave it at that.” Billy admitted.
“We’ll talk later.” Reese directed at Ian, who nodded his head. “I’m going to go check and make sure all the paperwork is legal and I’ll be right back.”
Reese kissed Billy’s forehead and squeezed his cheeks together. “Don’t break anything.” He shot a look at Ian as he made his way out the door. “And you don’t encourage him to break anything.”
“Me?” Ian squawked. “I can’t scratch my own nose!”
“Remind me never to introduce anyone I’m dating to family.” Billy mumbled.
Ian smiled and laid his head back on the inclined hospital bed and sighed. “So I guess you’re just going to run off and leave me here…all alone…unable to move…dying for a cigarette…”
“Don’t hand me that.” Billy frowned.
“It’s okay.” Ian sighed. “I understand. I’m used to being left behind. Used like a trampoline and then just abandoned…”
“Stop you dork.” Billy pulled up the chair up close to Ian’s bedside. “I love ya, man, but I am outta here. If you’re a good boy, I’ll bring you a pitcher of tea.”
“Will you hide a file in it?” Ian perked up.
Billy chuckled a little. “It’s not like I won’t be back. It’ll be a couple of days before they’ll release me to fly home.”
“About that.” Ian said. “I want you to stay.”
“Ian, I have to…” Billy started to say.
“I know.” Ian cut him off. “I know, buddy. That’s not what I meant. I know you have to go back. There are things you need to do and face, but Billy…I need my family here…with me.”
“Don’t get all weepy on me, dude.” Billy tried to smile. “This is going to be hard enough.”
Ian nodded his head. “Billy, I want you to go home, but just for a little while. Go back, talk with your family then put the house on the market, pack up your adorable little monster of a daughter and come back to stay.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Regardless of what happens between you and Reese, I want you and Vonnie here with me. If nothing else, what has happened in just the last few days, well since Aunt Hil died, makes me want my family as close as possible. Like it or not, you be family, dude.”
If he’d been able, Ian would have sat up and moved closer to the edge of the bed. “Go back to Lost Mountain and study up on whatever you need to get your building license here in California. When you’ve got that done, pack up your daughter and get back here. I’m going to need work done on the house.”
“You mean that?”
“Of course, I mean that. I want you and Vonnie here, and Jude, if we can figure out a way, and Sparky…”
“You want my sister to move here, too?”
Ian nodded his head. “Eventually, I need Sparky to do something for me, if she will and then we’ll get her out here, too. Wouldn’t be a real family without a little sister for us to torture now would it?”
“Ian, I’d hug and kiss you but…”
“How ‘bout we just imagine we did that…touchy, squeezy stuff still kind of hurts.”
“What still kind of hurts, Baby Doll?” Tippy asked as she waltzed in and gave him a big hug and a kiss.
“Never mind.” Ian said. “Where’s Ronnie? I thought you were bringing my son?”
“Calm down, Baby Doll.” Tippy kissed Billy’s cheek. “He’s here. He ran into a friend, but he’ll be right in.”
“A friend? I didn’t think Ripley’s shift was until later.”
“Ripley’s not out there.” Tippy said going to the bags she plopped in the window before all the kissing and hugging. “It’s that Noseworthy boy, the one with the glasses? You know his wife is pregnant. I thought it would be nice if we threw him a little shower. Wouldn’t that be fun? No one ever throws the father a baby shower…”
“Tippy…” Ian tried to get her back on the subject. “That’s a wonderful idea, but Ronnie? Where’s my son?”
“Oh, I’m sorry Baby Doll. He’s with that sweet lady from the grocery store. The one you always see when you’re shopping. What’s her name?”
“Miss Inez?” Ian asked.
“That’s the one.” Tippy pulled a few things out of one of the bags. “Apparently she’s here in the hospital. We got off the elevator, there she was and Ronnie ran right over to her and started chatting away.”
“Is she visiting someone?” Ian asked.
“I don’t think so. She’s in a wheel chair.” Tippy cut the tags off a pair of flannel pants. “You like this color, Baby Doll?”
“They could be bright pink with silver shiny stars and I wouldn’t care. Just get some pants on me please.” Ian begged.
“Billy Boy, do you think you can help me try and slip these on him?”
“I’ll give it a shot.” Billy stood and pulled the blanket off of Ian. “Let us know if we’re hurting you.”
“Taking the blanket off was painful.” Ian said. “Even if I start spurting blood, get those things on me.”
“I got a large.” Tippy blathered as she started slipping the pants over Ian’s feet. “Thinking they’d be big enough to go over that one leg.”
“Looks like it may be tight but they’ll do the trick.” Billy helped slide the pants up. “Ian can you lift your butt up?”
Ian gave him a dirty look. “If I could do that, do you think I’d need two of you to dress me?”
“Are we changing the doll’s clothes?” Reese laughed has he walked in.
“Yeah, I thought a sun dress and a smart hat for the ride around the living room in the plastic convertible.” Billy said. “Can you help lift him up enough for us to get these pants the rest of the way up?”
“Yeah.” Rease slipped his arms under Ian. “This may hurt a little. We’ll go on three?”
Ian nodded. The count down completed. He tried not to wince or yell as the pants we’re finally in place. “Thank you. I don’t feel so exposed now.”
Tippy cleared her throat and held up the cell phone Ian had been hiding in the bed. “What is this young man?”
“How did that get there?” Ian feigned innocence.
She gave him a chiding look and slipped it in her purse.
“Oh, come on Tippy. It’s not like I can even use it.”
“Then there’s no need for you to have it, is there?”
“Look I promise to stop dialing those 900 lines…”
“Papa! Look who come to see ya!” Ronnie rushed excitedly to his father’s bedside, not seeing the wince when he gave him a hug and a kiss. “It’s Miss Inez!”
Ian looked to the elderly African-American woman in the wheel chair being pushed in the room by a handsome young woman. “Mr. Ian.” The woman said with relief. “I am so glad to see you all smiles. You had me worried, young man.”
“You are a sight for sore eyes, Miss Inez.” Ian was genuinely happy to see her. “I’d give you a hug and a kiss, but they keep taking links out of the chain to my dog house.” He looked to the woman with her. “And who is this beautiful young lady? Is this…Rose?”
Miss Inez beamed. “Why, yes. This is my grandbaby Rose Marie. Rose honey, this is Mr. Ian Justyn.”
“It is so good to meet you, Mr. Justyn.” Rose started to take a step forward to obviously shake his hand, but looked at Ian in the bed and simply blushed.
“Ian.” He said. “You need to call me Ian.”
“Granny talks about you and the boy all the time.” She put her hand to her modest sweater. “I have to be honest I thought she was just…”
“Senile…” Miss Inez snorted. “Go ahead and say it, you thought I was goin’ senile.”
“Well…” She blushed again.
“We see each other at the market two or three times a week.” Ian confirmed. “She and Ronnie always run off and leave me to shop by myself.”
“Pooh!” The old woman said. “You couldn’t tie your own shoes, Ian Justyn. Twice now we’ve had to come to customer service and get you a sucker and a tissue to dry your eyes.”
Billy and Reese rolled. “Now that I believe.”
“Forgive me. Inez and Rose Morning, some of the rest of my family; Reese and Billy and of course Tippy Shores.” He let the little group all say hello and shake.
Of course, Tippy had to be Tippy. “Now Miss Inez, honey, why are you here?”
“Oh, I done cracked this ol’ hip again.” Miss Inez shook her head in disgust.
“Again?” Tippy asked.
“Third time.” Rose confirmed.
“You didn’t fall down in the ice cream aisle again, did you?” Ronnie asked.
“Shhhh!” She warned him as she noticed her grand daughter’s eyebrow peak. “I was just a walking out to get the mail and tripped up the front stoop.”
“Fortunately I was home.” Rose added. “The last time she fell I was at work and she lay there for four hours.”
“Aw, darlin’. That’s just awful.” Tippy said.
“Don’t you all fret about me none. I’m old and stuff is bound to happen.” She shot a finger toward Ian. “Now this young man. What you divin’ off a balconies in the dark for? You’ll give a old lady a heart attack.”
“I’m going to be just fine.” Ian said. “It was just a nasty, horrible tragedy. As soon as they unhook me, I’ll be back to my normal self.”
“Don’t you go pushin’ it.” Miss Inez scolded him. “You young folk think you can just go from first to third gear in two seconds. Don’t you rush it now.”
“He won’t, Miss Inez. I’m in charge.” Ronnie smiled.
“Well, I should get her back to her room.” Rose smiled. “It was a pleasure meeting all of you.”
“Now Miss Inez, obviously I’m going to be here a few more days…”
“Weeks.” Tippy coughed into her hand ignoring the dirty look from Ian.
“…So you just roll down here any time. We’ll keep each other from being bored.”
“Oh, I’m sure the two of you can find some kind of trouble to keep you occupied.” Rose smiled.
Miss Inez laughed into her hand. “I bet we could, lawdy, I bet we could.” She patted the corner of Ian’s bed she could reach. “I see you soon. Ronnie, child, come give Miss Inez a big kiss.”
He did, and she waved as her grand daughter began to back up her chair to roll her out.
“Rose?” Ian asked making the young woman stop and turn to him. “After you get your Grandmother all tucked back in, would you mind coming back to see me?”
“If you’d like…” she hesitated.
“Everyone is about to take off and I could use the company.” Ian smiled. “Just a minute or two if you could.”
“Of course.” She rolled her Grandmother out of sight.
“What a sweet lady.”
“An’ she’s funny.” Ronnie squirmed a little until he could sit on the bed beside his father. “She reminds me of Aunt Hil.”
Billy smiled. “I see.”
“Do ya like your pants, Papa?” Ronnie moved on.
“Yes, I do.” Ian rubbed his son’s back as best he could. “Did you help pick them out?”
“Yes.” Ronnie said. “And I got a present for Miss Glo, too.”
“What did you get her?” Ian asked.
“I’ll show it to you before Granny helps me wrap it.”
“Miss Glo?” Reese asked.
“Another friend of ours.” Ian told him.
“It’s a sign language book.” Ronnie said. “I know she needs to try to talk, but she gets so frustrated. Her one hand works real good, so I thought I could help teach her sign language.”
“I think that’s great, Puppy.” Ian said. “Although she’s got a few hand signals down a little too well already.”
“Miss Glo?” Billy made a connection. “She’s in California?”
Ian nodded his head. “I had her moved out here in March. I thought she’d get better care.”
“Clare is gonna be ticked when she finds out her mother’s not…”
“Billy, she hadn’t been to visit or even called the poor woman since I left Lost Mountain. I was paying for the care, and my lawyer sent Clare a letter.”
“She hates your guts, Ian.” Billy warned.
“Clare or Miss Glo?” Ian smiled.
“Aw, Papa and Miss Glo are like Papa and Rodie. They spit and hiss, but they love each other.” Ronnie said.
“I do not love that cat.” Ian insisted. “I tolerate her because you love her and the transfer has actually been good for Gloria. She’s making progress. She hadn’t done that in a long time.”
“She asked about you this morning.” Tippy smiled.
“She did?”
“The best that she could.”
“You didn’t tell her what happened.”
“Papa, all she does is watch TV.” Ronnie reminded him. “There’s no way she could not know, and you haven’t been by to see her.”
Ian nodded his head. “Is she okay?” He asked with real concern in his voice.
“Yes, Baby Doll.” Tippy smiled. “I think she was real worried, but Ronnie always brightens her snarl.”
“You visit her?” Billy was stunned.
“I’ve taken Ronnie to see her a couple of times. I’ve only go visit her by myself about once a week. The company does her good.”
“We color together.” Ronnie says. “She doesn’t stay in the lines very well, but she can’t move that one side.”
“I thought she was sort of, you know, kind of a vegetable.” Billy said.
“She’s made a lot of progress.” Ian told him. “She’ll always be wheel chair bound, but there’s not a thing wrong with her mind. She struggles to speak, usually two or three short words. I’m hoping soon the doctors will allow us to take her out on little afternoon trips and visits.”
“Oh, she’d love that.” Tippy said. “Maybe by Thanksgiving? I wonder when the last time was she had a big family holiday?”
“I hadn’t even thought about a holiday.” Ian said almost to himself. “I guess we’ll be having some big ol’ honkin’ holidays to look forward to. Speaking of looking forward to things. Has somebody in this room decided not to abandon me after all?”
“Nope.” Billy said. “I was just waiting on my ride.” He slipped his good arm around Reese.
“Well, since you insist on leaving me behind, I wonder if you could do me one little favor?” Ian asked.
“Sure, buddy, as long as it doesn’t include unhooking you and stuffing you in my backpack or…”
“Enough!” Ian said. “I get the picture. Ronnie get that little box you put away for me yesterday.”
“Sure Papa.” Ronnie bounced off the bed.
“Would you take my new car home for me?” Ian asked.
“You’re going to let me drive your fancy new wheels?” Billy said.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ian said. “You only have one hand. I’m going to let Reese drive my fancy new wheels.”
“Are you sure?” Reese almost squealed with delight.
“Some one needs to enjoy it.” Ian moaned. “I certainly can’t. I haven’t even seen it.”
“I showed you a picture.” Ronnie handed Reese the keys.
“It’s not the same.” Ian said. “But I’ll get over it. I still can’t believe Mr. Turner bought me a car.”
“Not just a car.” Billy reminded him. “The car.”
“Yeah.” Ronnie squirmed back to his place on his father’s bed. “I can scratch Rolls off my letter to Santa.”
“I knew he’d do that.” Tippy said. “Networks always give executives and stars cars as a thank you for big hits.”
“I don’t have any hits…yet.” Ian reminded them.
“But you will.” Tippy grinned from ear to ear. “After the press conference announcing the fall schedule today, and everyone finds out about “Blood Kisses” you are going to be the envy of every suit in the country.”
“Tippy say a dirty word, throw salt over your shoulder and spin around three times.” Ian ordered her.
“Baby Doll, that only works if you say Macbeth backstage.” She giggled. “And you know what a coup this is.”
“Blood Kisses?” Billy finally got his voice back. “You’ve got the rights to Blood Kisses?”
“You know about Blood Kisses?” Ian was shocked.
“Hey, I’m an inbred redneck but I do keep up with pop culture. I’ve even read both books.”
“I’ll show ya where he’s got an advance copy of book three when we get home tonight.” Tippy half whispered.
“You have an advance of Book Three?” Billy and Reese almost squealed.
“Of course.” Ian smiled. “Why wouldn’t I? Before I took the plunge, I signed contracts to do a twelve hour limited series of the trilogy as a prelude to Blood Kisses being HRT’s newest daytime drama…”
“You talked Amanda ‘I won’t acknowledge you exist’ Jackson into turning her masterpieces into a daytime soap? No wonder they gave you a car.” Reese whistled.
“I’m surprised they didn’t buy you a small country.” Billy added.
“They’ll probably do that if it hits number one and stays there a while.” Ian bragged then chuckled.
“How did you manage to pull that off?” Reese asked.
“I’m good.” Ian said flatly. “And it didn’t hurt that Amanda Jackson is Kellen’s ex-wife.”
“Now I didn’t know that.” Tippy admitted.
“Just a lucky coincidence.” Ian said. “Now go. Take my new car home. Get out of here.”
“If you insist.” Billy stood.
“Baby Doll, what should we do with your old car?”
“The Chevy?” Ian winced as he managed to shrug with one shoulder. “Keep it.”
“What for?” Tippy asked.
“What any mountain boy does when he gets a new car. Put the old on up on cinder blocks in the front yard.”
“And the tires’ll make great swings for Ronnie and Vonnie.” Billy joked.
“You boys, stop that.” Tippy said.
“Can we knock the windows out and grow petunias?” Ronnie asked.
“Puppy, this is California. You can’t do that.” Ian informed him.
“Dianthus?” Ronnie asked.
“I was thinking lantana.”
“Can you at least unchain me from the wall?” Ian was almost begging.
“Ian, you are still in a lot of pain.” His doctor explained for the third time. “Even with the drip, you can barely be touched without wincing. Believe me, without it, you’d be begging for it.”
“Give me a bullet to bite.” Ian suggested.
“I’m not leaving anything that you could figure out a way to use as a lethal weapon. You’ve only been coherent less than 48 hours.”
“Fine.” Ian pouted.
“Keep improving as remarkably as you have been, and we’ll discuss it.” The doctor scribbled on his chart.
“Doctor, before you let my son and Tippy back in I need to ask you about something important.”
The doctor clicked his pen and shoved it in his pocket. “Certainly.”
“I realize you can’t discuss other patients, and I’m not asking you to, but Inez Morning…I don’t even know if she’s one of your patients.”
“She isn’t, but I know of whom you are speaking.”
“She’s a friend, my son adores her.”
“Yes.”
“I spoke with her grand daughter, Rose, earlier this morning. I know she needs hip replacement and she doesn’t have insurance. Rose says that Medicare won’t cover enough for them to be able to afford it or something along that lines.”
The doctor just nodded his head.
“Do it. Do anything she needs and what Medicare doesn’t cover I will.”
The doctor looked shocked.
“Look, I’m not rolling in dough, but I’ve got great insurance. They’ll pay for all of the mess I’m in, and I can’t lay here knowing that that wonderful woman has to continue to suffer when I have the means to help. Just tell her doctor to do whatever she needs, spare no expense and send the bill to me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” Ian said. “And when it’s time for convalescence don’t send her to whatever Medicare will cover either. There’s a card on the windowsill. Send her there, she deserves the best and I can give that to her.”
“That is very generous of you.”
“Just take care of her.” Ian says. “She reminds me of someone who was very important to me…and no one knows about this, not even my boy. You found a loophole or whatever. I mean it. If she finds out, I’ll refuse to cover anything and you’re stuck with the bill.”
“We were looking into special case funds.” His doctor revealed. “I’ll have a chat with her primary and we’ll tell her one of those came through.”
“Thank you, Dr. Hunter.”
“You’re a good man, Ian Justyn.”
“No I’m not.” Ian said. “Go ahead and send the hordes in.”
The doctor walked to the door. “Mrs. Shores said she had an errand to run, that she’d see you shortly.”
“What kind of errand?”
“I’m just the secretary.” The doctor smiled. “I’m not allowed to divulge her itinerary.”
Ian heard the doctor tell Ronnie it was okay for him to go in now. The sound of his sneakered feet echoed and he pounded in. After Billy left they removed one of the beds and had moved Ian to the center of the room.
“Hey, Papa.” Ronnie sat cross-legged in the chair that had been pulled up beside the bed. “What did Dr. Hunter have to say?”
“Same old, same old.” Ian told him with a smile. “Does it hurt when I do this? Blah blah blah. How was Mr. Ripley?”
“Good.” Ronnie smiled. “I whipped him in a round of Spit.”
“He’s a nice man.”
“Yep.” Ronnie slipped out of his chair and scooted it closer. “Papa, since we’re alone can I be true?”
“Sure, Puppy.” Ian looked at his son. “Anytime, you know that.”
Ronnie nodded his head. “You know I loved my Mommy and Daddy.”
“Of course, you did.”
“Well, I always had this feeling in my belly.”
“What kind of feeling?”
“You know, like a itch or a tickle.” Ronnie looked at his father with a question. “You ever feel that way? Way down deep in your belly?”
“Yes, Ronnie.” Ian was honest. “Yes I do.”
“They never said nothin’, you know.” Ronnie kicked his feet a little. “As happy as I was, as much as I loved ‘em. I never really felt like…I don’t know. I don’t know how to say it.”
“It’s okay, Ronnie.” Ian wanted to reach out and hold his boy, but he couldn’t.
Ronnie’s eyes darted to the fingers of Ian’s hand, the one with the monitor clip and the drip bag attached. He took hold of the fingers clenching and trying to reach out. “I always felt diff’ernt somehow.”
“Out of place?” Ian said.
He nodded his end. “Like no matter how happy I was, that somethin’ just wasn’t right.”
“Ronnie.” Ian interrupted. “How did you know? I mean about me?”
He took a deep breath. “I just heard things. People talkin’, and a kid at school bein’ mean.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Ronnie grinned. “I told Mommy about it, and she said I was special. That I got chosed from all the little boys in the world.”
“And that made you feel better?”
“Yes, but I still felt wrong.” Ronnie looked at the floor. “An’ then I’d feel bad about feelin’ so bad.”
Ian sighed. “Believe me, I know.”
“So I asked God for a miracle.” Ronnie said. “I asked him to make me stop feelin’ so bad and wrong all the time. Then Mrs. Fleming give us that assignment, the one to write the letters. I didn’t know until after I wrote mine.”
“You heard your Mom and Dad talking.”
“When I was in bed. They thought I was asleep.” Ronnie looked back up at Ian. “So I thought, Okay God. If he writes me back I’ll know it’s okay. Even though he had to give me away, this is where I belong.”
“And if I hadn’t written back.”
“Sorta the same thing. I’da known then that you didn’t want me at all, and I was where I belonged. Then everything happened.”
Ronnie crawled up on the bed and took his father’s face in his hands. “Papa, I don’t have that feelin’ no more. This is right. I miss Mommy and Daddy every day, but this is God answerin’ my prayer.”
Ian just nodded his head in silence, not knowing what to say.
“This is where we belong, Papa, together. We’re a real family an’ everything. Just like I knew you was gonna be alright.”
“Well, I’m glad you weren’t scared.” Ian told him, “I was.”
“Why Papa? God don’t go back on miracles, and you and me? We’re a miracle. It’s just awful what happened to Mommy and Daddy, but it brought us back together, like God was a waitin’ for just the right time.”
“And now’s the right time?”
Ronnie smiled. “I don’t know ‘xactly why, Papa, but God knows what He’s a doin’.”
“I sure as heck don’t.”
“Well, together we’ll figure it all out.” Ronnie smiled. “Don’t you worry none.”
“What’s everybody worried about?” Tippy breezed in.
“Not a thing, Granny. It’s all taken care of.” Ronnie smiled.
“Well, that’s good to know, Sugar Plum.” Tippy planted a kiss on the boy’s forehead. “Now, can I ask you a little favor?”
“Sure.”
“Mr. Ripley asked if we could get him a cup of coffee.” She took a couple of singles out of her purse. “Would you run down the hall and get one for him, and get yourself a soft drink, too.”
“Okay!” Ronnie hopped up, but looked at Ian. “Papa, can I get any thing for you?”
“I’m fine, Puppy. Thanks for asking though.”
“How does Mr. Ripley want his coffee?” Ronnie stopped in mid-dash to ask.
“Stop and ask him, Sugar Plum.” Tippy smiled and waved him on.
As soon as the boy was gone, Ian looked at Tippy. “So what’s up?”
“What makes you think anything has to be up?”
“Today seems to be the day everyone has managed to find a little time alone with me.” Ian looked at her. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Nothing major, Baby Doll. I just didn’t want Ronnie to hear.” Tippy scooted the chair a little closer. “I talked it over with Colton, and we decided that we want to help that Miss Inez out.”
“Help her out?”
“I talked to that sweet little Rose, and we know they can’t afford the co-pay after Medicare.”
“Tippy…I…”
“So I tracked down her doctor, and told him Colton and I are going to cover her bills, on the Q-T, mind you. I saw the look on your face this morning, so I wanted you to know that she was taken care of. Not to worry at all.”
“Tippy, that’s sweet but…”
“No, buts, Baby Doll.” Tippy cut him off. “It’s all taken care of.”
“If you’d let me finish, Mamie Rae…” Ian smiled. “I already took care of that. I told Dr. Hunter when he was in here a few minutes ago that I’d take care of it, anonymously.”
“Great minds think alike.” She leaned over and kissed him. “But you’re too late. I went straight to the horse’s mouth, Dr. Weiss her primary. I even thought to have them send her to be Miss Glo’s roomie for her physical therapy. That ought to be a kick, don’t you think.”
“Great minds think alike.” Ian smiled.
“So you spend your money on somebody else.” Tippy said. “But I’ll tell Miss Glo it was your idea just to see her riled up.”
“Oh, can I do that?” Ian begged.
“Can he do what?” Wella asked as she appeared.
“Wella,” Ian brightened up even more. “I didn’t think I’d see you again today.”
“I brought you a little surprise.” Wella smiled. “Hello, Tippy.”
“You’re gonna help me break outta this joint?” Ian piped up.
“No.” Wella pulled a laptop out of her purse. “We’re going to watch the Fall Schedule press conference.”
“That’s not for another couple of hours is it?” Tippy asked.
“Well, between Ian and I, it may take that long to get this thing set up.”
Wella sat it on the roller tray as Tippy’s purse rang. Tippy dug in it, pulled out a cell and looked at the ID with a scowl.
“Is that my phone?” Ian asked.
“No.” Tippy flipped it open and spoke. “Hold on a minute, please…too many electronic gizmos in here with him, I’ll take this outside or something might explode.”
“Good idea.” Wella nodded her head and rolled the tray toward Ian’s bed.
“Are you sure that’s not my phone?”
“Positive. I’ll be right back.” Tippy grabbed her purse and walked straight to the nurse’s station before returning to the phone call. “How did you get this number?”
“You again…I might have known.”
“Clare, you shouldn’t be disturbing him.” Tippy snapped.
“I know. I’m sorry. I just had to know…”
Tippy closed her eyes. “He’s doing fine. He’s got a long recovery ahead of him, but he’s doing fine.”
“Thank you.”
“Look, Clare, I know this is hard on you, but Ian’s got a different life now. It’s time you did the same. I feel for you, I honestly do, but…”
“I’m trying.” Clare said. “I really am, but after seeing all the headlines…”
Tippy could hear the fear in her voice. “And I apologize. No one thought to contact you, of course, no one knows where you are and that’s probably a good thing, but I know that you must have been terrified.”
“I appreciate the thought…and the apology. I’ll leave you alone now.”
“That’s probably best.”
“Thank you for taking the call.”
“Of course, and Clare…”
“Yes?”
“If, God forbid, something should happen, I’ll contact you and let you know what’s going on.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I reach you at this number?”
“Yes.”
“Just promise me, that you’re moving ahead and that you’re not going to bother Ian again.”
“I’m doing my best but there are a few circumstances that I can’t go into right now.”
“Circumstances?” Tippy switched ears. “What circumstances?”
“I can’t get into it right now.” Clare squirmed.
“Clare? Is something wrong?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Just a bad choice of words.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Tippy had to ask.
“Look, thank you for letting me know about Ian. Everything is fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Suddenly Clare’s voice got very low. “I have to go. Goodbye.” And the signal dropped.
This time Wella’s purse began to jiggle. “I forgot to turn this thing off…” She found the jangling casing and started to turn it off. “Trish? What would she be calling me for…” she flipped open the phone. “Trish…actually I’m standing by his…okay, hold on…” she held the phone out to Ian, “she needs to talk to you, says it’s an emergency.”
Ian took the phone, and heard a joyous, “Is that you asshole?”
Ian responded with an equally loving, “Alive and well, bitch…”
“Yeah, yeah, love you too. Look trouble is no longer brewing, the witch has cast the spell…”
“Okay, Trish, too many drugs in my system to interpret…”
“Simon Kent has quietly alerted the press that he has a special announcement to make as soon as the press gets assembled.”
“What for?”
“You owe me BIG for this one. He waited until he was sure that Turner, the board and everyone else was busy putting last minute touches on the fall schedule conference. The press conference is to announce the cancellation of “Sebastian Manor”, the addition of one hour to “America Alive” sans Pierce Warner and the sad announcement that HRT is respectfully honoring your wishes and releasing you from your duties effective immediately.”
“That son of a bitch!”
“He is no child of mine!”
“Alright, I am on my way. Tell Blake to call David Turner…”
“David Turner…”
“Just have Blake call him and you explain what’s going on, hopefully he’ll arrive in time to stop this…now make that call!” He handed the phone back to Wella. “You got a car?”
She nodded her head. “Go fire it up, pull it out front and wait for me to figure out how to get to it…”
“Oh no, I’m not helping you escape not for any reason!’
“Wella, as we speak the employee of the month, Simon Kent, has called a press conference behind Davis Turner’s back to announce among other things my termination, at my request no less, effective immediately!”
“I’ll get the car.” She started to head toward the door. She fished in her purse and tossed Ian a second cell phone. “Here I found one you left office. I figured someone found the other by now and confiscated it.”
“Ripley! I need you!” Was all Ian had to say and the man was at his bedside like Dudley Do right of the Mounties.
“Yes, Mister Ian, sir.”
“No time to explain, just disconnect me and get me down to the car waiting out front.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Look I’ll give you a million dollars, just get me out of here. I’m coming back…I promise!’
Ripley put his mountainous arms on each side of Ian, pushed right into his face and growled, “You will not mess with me!”
“I am not messing with you…look…” Ian explained the situation as quickly as he could. He knew when he was half way through it and Ripley growled “I will break his neck” he was home free…then the cavalry arrived in the form of Tippy Shores.
“Where in the hell do you two think you are going, Baby Doll?” She demanded.
Ian started to explain, but Ripley put up his hand, “They are about to go behind Ian’s back and announce to the press that he’s being released from his contract immediately as per his own request. We have to get him to that press room.”
“No way!” Tippy said.
“Tippy, it’s a matter…”
“Save your breath, you’ll need cover. They are not just gonna let him carry you out of here and say come back as soon as you can. The moment that monitor slips off your finger all hell’s gonna break loose.”
She walked over to the far side of the bed. Okay hold still, Baby Doll, this is gonna hurt.” She pulled the needle out of the back of his hand that was attached to the drip bag.
“Shit!”
“Sorry. Okay….okay” She paced a bit. “We need another body, somehow.”
Just then Jesse walked in the door with Ronnie, who held a Styrofoam container that was steaming. “Jesse, Ian needs you. Get over here!”
“Huh?”
“Just do it!”
Tippy grabbed Jesse arm and drug him over to the far side of the bed. “Okay honey…this is so much fun, just like an episode of ‘Mission: Impossible’ I did. I still don’t now why they hired that Lesley Ann Warren as a regular and not me...oh well…hold your hand right like this Jesse.”
He did. “Okay, Baby Doll, on three you are almost home free…one...”
“What is going on?” Jesse demanded.
“Two…shut up sweetly I’ll explain later…three!” In less than a beat Tippy had switched the monitor clip from Ian’s finger to Jesse’s. “Okay, there is just that sweet man at the desk. Thank God m’gaydar didn’t go off on him. Give me two minutes; I’ll open the door when the coast is clear….Ronnie you run out and push the elevator button. When it opens hop inside and press the lobby button, but hold the door open until Mr. Ripley gets in there with your Papa.”
“Are we breakin’ Papa out?”
“Something like that, now scoot.”
Ronnie giggled and was off in a flash. Tippy stood at the door.
“Okay, Ronnie’s at the elevator. Ripley be ready on my signal. She headed for the door. “Wait!” She reached down the front of her dress and yanked out her bra. “There” she unhooked two top buttons and was gone.
“You ready, sir? I’ll be as gentle as I can.” Ripley hoisted Ian up off the bed effortlessly and headed toward the door.
It was less than a minute when the door was thrown open and Tippy whispered…”the elevator is open….run!”
Ripley ran almost effortlessly to the waiting elevator.
Ian looked down at Ronnie. “Okay, Puppy, when the door is open, run ahead and hold all the doors open for us.”
“You got it.” Ronnie agreed.
It wasn’t until Ripley was slipping Ian into the back seat of the car that people started yelling and running toward them. Ripley jumped in the front seat and Wella slammed on the gas before he even got the door shut. Ripley turned around and spoke to Ian. “You okay, boss?”
“Not bad.”
“You’re not gonna feel too fine, once your body starts to realize it doesn’t have a steady Percidan drip.”
“Let’s just concentrate on the neck your gonna break.”
Ripley turned around and slammed his fist into his palm.
Red lights were run and collisions barely avoided but somehow they all made it alive to the pressroom. Ripley gently picked up a shaken Ian and followed by Ronnie and Wella who pushed buttons ordered people to look out and finally guided them to two heavy double doors. She threw them open with all her might and like a twisted version of “Officer and a Gentleman”, Ripley carried Ian toward the already bright lights.
David Turner was standing to the side of the stage, already assembled were most of the executive team and several members of the board. Simon Kent was beaming as he walked to the podium. Lights popped and a silence filled the hallway.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman of the press. Thank you for gathering on such short notice. I will make this brief and then open the floor to questions…”
Ripley placed Ian on his feet, “Want me to carry you up there sir?’
“No.” Ronnie said. “We’re Justyn men. We always land on our feet.”
“He’s right, Ripley. It has to be of my own accord, even if I have to crawl up there.”
The quick exchange drew Kent’s attention and he made the mistake of turning to look, making the crowd in the pressroom look as well. There was an immediate hubbub and the applause began. David Turner walked over to Ian’s good side and put his arm around his waist.
“Damn you have big old balls…”
“You have no idea, sir…”
“Let’s do this together, shall we?” Turner handed Ripley his cane. The two men, one young and black and blue, one old and slightly off balance, walked to the podium to a thunderous standing ovation.
Kent at first refused to budge and attempted to talk over the din. Finally someone in the front row yelled “Get off the stage, loser!” and Kent lost his determination enough to be shoved aside by the strength of the two men.
The applause and the cheers continued. Turner released Ian and stepped back, taking Kent with him. Ian grasped the podium and glanced at the agendas. As standard, taped to the left on blue paper was an itemized itinerary of topics to announce. To the right was a pink sheet with factoids needed to answer possible questions. When he looked up, silence over took the room.
He was moved, almost to tears. He took a deep breath and counted to three. On three he smiled and addressed the auditorium. “Never park in someone else’s space.”
The press roared and cheered. Someone quieted them, by yelling, “Why are you even here?”
Ian held tried to hold up one hand, but realized that he’d lose his balance and fall on his face. Ripley, Turner and Ronnie stepped up quickly behind him, Ripley and Ronnie on each side to support him, and Turner to encourage him.
“Go ahead son, just take your time. You win. Enjoy it.”
“Let me address that first and then we’ll get into the agenda set for today. I am here strictly to set the record straight. There have been a lot of misconceptions and untruths whirling around about what has happened, my condition and my future with HRT. First and foremost, HRT is about the truth, and that is all we care about. As you can see, I am neither hovering near death’s door nor hightailing it out of town. I am here to stay, and at HRT as long as they see fit to have me.”
The crowd cheered. “I’ll answer as many questions as I can later. First let me just say with pride that HRT has just signed award winning newsman Pearce Warner to an exclusive five year deal.” Mr. Turner took a black felt tip and crossed that off the list.
“Effective in thirty days he will be anchoring our morning news program, covering live events and in depths news stories.” Another line checked.
“In addition, we will be adding the alive part back into “America Alive!” with a new format and the help of Mr. Warner, by broadcasting at least two thirds of each of the three hour program from various locations around America, even the world should events so call for it.”
Ian smiled as lights flashed and furious notes were taken. “All of this will be covered in full detail at the conference you were originally scheduled for, but since these were my babies, I have stolen…”
Ian looked down at Ronnie who giggled and then back up, “…a little time to have the privilege of announcing it myself, along with the confirmation that HRT does in fact have the broadcasting rights to the best selling trilogy “Blood Kisses” that will debut this fall as HRT newest daytime drama.”
Only one check to go. Ian started to skip it, but he watched Turner circle it. Turner nodded his head. Ian started to read and noticed one name had been replaced with another. Ian smiled as he reported, “I will open the floor for questions in just a moment, ladies and gentlemen, but first I ask Mr. Simon Kent to join me here.”
Simon sheepishly took a step toward the podium. “Don’t be shy Simon, this is your time!” He finally stood beside Ian at the podium.
Ian cleared his throat. “I close this brief agenda by announcing with sad heart that this morning David Turner accepted the resignation of Mr. Simon Kent, after many years with HRT, effective immediately so he can spend more time with his family.
Simon’s face turned red. “I most certainly…”
Ripley leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I’ve been promised your head on a spit, don’t make me do it here…”
“…leave HRT with sad heart. But it’s time I step aside and spent some quality time with my lovely wife and grand children while I am still healthy enough to enjoy it.”
“Members of the community…Mr. Simon Kent!” Ian said and began to applaud as best he could. The room joined in and Simon smiled graciously and bowed, as he turned to step back, Turner took his arm.
“You leave the building the moment this press conference is over and I’ll let you walk to your car. You will never under any circumstance return and I’ll have your personal items
delivered by the end of the day.”
Simon shook his head and stepped back into a stunned board and executive klatch. Ian turned back to the press. “Okay, you’ve got about fifteen minutes before I am seriously in need of a Percidan, so let’s go with the questions….”
“Is it true that Blue Richards intended to steal Darla Hutton’s diary from your possession?”
Ian laughed, “Sir, the only thing I know about Darla Hutton is that she was one of the founders of this network and I happen to live in a house built on what once was her property. We will probably never know what poor Blue’s intentions were.”
“So you did know the man?”
“I had met him once before and he was the boyfriend of one of my staff, which is why he was at a Saturday casual work day I was having at my home. Many of the people behind me were there as well.”
“But what was he after?”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I will make you a deal. I will always give you every true fact I know about any question you ask. Count on that. All I know about that night was I was getting ready for bed, waved at a neighbor whom I could see from my bedroom window. The next thing I knew I was being used as a human trampoline. You will have to check with the police on any other details. May we please move on to the business at hand?”
“Will HRT be doing any in depth studies of the Darla Hutton legacy?”
Ian chuckled, “Well, that’s sort of moving along. Let me answer that this way. HRT is the Darla Hutton legacy. Let every one else speculate and examine the urban myths. We will only deal with the honesty and quality that her work stands for…and I hope when we reveal our fall line up, you and the public will see that in our work and come home to us, where you belong…”
David Turner smiled, and patted Ian on the back.
“Speaking of the line up, what about the rest of the daytime schedule. If you stand for quality surely that stinker of a soap is gone…”
“Decisions have yet to be made on that, but thanks for picking at a sore spot. We will announce the rest of the daytime lineup with the fall line up. We think that by promoting it with our fall campaign you’ll understand our renewed vision of quality and excellence will speak for itself, and that our daytime line up is a continuing equally important part of the Hutton Redfield Turner legacy…”
More applause… Ian was on a roll. Ian could have gone on forever, but the high was broken by the sound of a siren. “Well, I think my ride is here and I pretty sure I’m in trouble….”
The press laughed. “We love you Ian!”
“Yeah, yeah, you say that now, but what will you print about me in the morning? Okay honesty time...as they get ready to haul me off and tie me back to that damned bed. I take full responsibility for my escape; I just had to set the record straight.”
Ian didn’t resist as a stretcher was brought up to the podium and he was helped on to it. As two EMT’s pushed him off the stage he grabbed Kent’s tie and pulled him down to his face.
Ronnie put his hands on the tie and yanked Simon Kent until they were nose to nose. “You ever mess with my Papa again and you answer to me! Got it?”
Kent’s eyes got large as his face turned blue. Ronnie yanked the tie again. “I said, got it mister?”
Kent gurgled affirmatively and Ronnie let his grip go. Simon put his hands on his knees and gasped for air only to find he had put himself face to face with Ian, who grinned.
“Get ready cause this hayseed has just begun to dig. I’m getting to the bottom of this and I don’t care who hangs in the wake, as long as you’re fat ass gets burned.” Ian patted him on the cheek and he was hauled out to the ambulance to applause and cheers that could be heard as Ripley and Ronnie climbed in with him and the vehicle zoomed back to the hospital.
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