"This is nuts.. I wish I was back shovelling cow manure." Abby grumbled as the car rocked with the storm, careening down the road.
Carol leaned on Elizabeth, her face tearstained and Elizabeth grasping her hand comfortingly. "It'll be okay, they'll all be okay, honey.." She murmured.
Dave sighed, shaking his head as he struggled to keep the car on the road. "Malucci.. Maybe I should drive.." Benton grumbled.
"No.. It's okay man.. I'm fine.."
***
"Seri.. Are you okay?" Dave whispered to her as the plane slowly landed, bouncing on the runway.
"I'm fine Dave.. Stop worrying me like that.. You've been asking me that stupid question ever since we got on this stupid plane. I'm not dying.. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health so stop clinging!" Serena grumbled, grabbing the carry-on and stomping off the plane and into the airport terminal.
Dave sat back in the seat and groaned, staring at the ceiling, composing his thoughts when a flight attendant tapped him on the shoulder. "Sir.. It's time to disembark.."
"Oh.. Yeah.. Okay.. Just give me a sec.." He murmured, gathering his things, and slipping slowly off the plane.
****
"Will my husband come out of this, Doctor?" Carol said tearfully to Kerry and Dave's old friend Dr.Pavo Jzsnic.
"I'm quite certain he will.. We have done several tests, none show any permanent damage. I think it's just a reaction to the cold water. Once his core temperature rises, he should come out of it."
***
"Come off it Doug.. Stop acting so high and mighty!" Ray Ross yelled after him as he chased his son down the street. "Talk to your son. He deserves at least that.."
The old man folded a piece of paper in the doctor's palm and turned, walking down the street to his hotel. Doug carefully opened his hand. Brendan - 555-3344
***
"Mark.. Honey.. It's me Elizabeth.. Come on.. Please.." Elizabeth sat at her husband's bedside, wanting dearly to hold his hand, to rub it gently to kiss him.. but she feared she'd hurt him in his delicate condition.
"Dr.Corday.."
She turned around in her chair to find the illustrious Dr.Pavo in her presence. "Dr.Jsznic.." She replied softly, turning her attention back to her husband.
"Had your husband had anything to drink, to your knowledge?" He asked, knowing full well that Mark had, had enough alcohol in him to knock out a bull elephant. And alcohol lowered the blood temperature when somebody was outside.. Being as drunk as Mark had been....
"No.. I.. I don't think so.. He had been working in the barn.. I don't remember him wandering off to go drinking or anything..
***
"I don't feel like it tonight Mark.." He muttered to himself mockingly. "Please Mark.. I've had a long day.." Mark said again in a whiny falsetto as he fished the bottle from his coat pocket and walked along the grass to the fields. No sex for two months.. Sure there was teasing nookie.. Little quickies.. But nothing to substantiate and to be considered REAL sex.. This sucked.. It wouldn't have sucked as much if Elizabeth had been willing to.. Suck.. that is.. But she said she wasn't into that sort of thing.
Mark sighed heavily, slumping down onto the fence rail and taking a large swig. What was with him and women? Nobody wanted him.. He didn't look half-bad.. He thought to himself.. But first it was Susan.. Then Jen lost interest.. Those women he'd been juggling quickly dropped him.. Elizabeth.. Well..
He took another long drink and stared at the bottle.. Wow.. This was good shit.. Croatian Vodka.. he had to get some of THIS when he got back to American soil.. It was like beating yourself senseless with a heavy brick, sorta painful and numbing at the same time. Good shit indeed.
When a the final drop of the heavy mind-numbing liquor was gone, Mark pitched the bottle into the bushes along the fence line and stumbled back to the yard where his legs suddenly failed him and he collapsed on the lawn.
**
"I don't think he's been drinking doctor.. I'm sorry.. Why?" Elizabeth said worriedly.
"Well. His alcohol level is dangerously high and it's what's dropped
his blood pressure and temperature so low.." The doctor replied matter-of-factly.
****
"Give me that Serena.." Dave muttered sadly as he wrenched the bottle from his wife's grasp. "You can't be drinking while on your medications.. It'll fuck your kidneys royally.. You know that.."
"I don't care.. I want to drink with my husband. We are finally here Dave.. Join me in a glass of wine." She said angrily in response, grabbing the bottle back and pouring him a glass.
"Seri... Please.. It's 4am.. I'm tired. Let's go to bed.. I don't want to do this right now.. Please.." He pleaded with her, pulling her towards the bed, the cheap wine spilling from the bottle as she was jostled and pulled on the bed, the wine spilling on the carpeting.
"Seri.. Look at it.. Look what you've done!" Dave scolded her like a small child as he dropped to his knees and rubbed at the stain.
"Dave... Stop that.. Come on... Let's go to bed.." She murmured drunkenly.
"That's the best idea you've had all night, hon.." He said relieved, a he recapped the wine and placed it on the counter and walked back to bed.
"Did you want to... You know?" She murmured softly as she pulled close. "Break in the bed?"
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He grinned, pulling a condom out from the box in the bed side table.
***
"Mlungisi.. I.. I wanted to apologize.." Kerry said, leaning on her crutches and standing over him as he rifled in the bottom of the linen closet.
"No need.. You have every right to be angry with me, Kerry.. I shouldn't have done that.." The young man sighed, pulling the sheets and blankets from the box and wadding them under his arm.
"Come on.. I'll make your bed for you. Get you settled in.. We can discuss
this in the morning.. Deal?" Mlungisi walked to the living room and started
making the bed as Kerry stood watching, wanting to help.. But not wanting
to get to close.. For fear of what he might do.. For fear of what she might
do..