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By Linda Taggatz & Melissa Dillard

           

 

                       

Kel looked up when Dixie entered his office. He had the most forlorn look on his face, but he wanted to be civil to her at the same time.

 

“So, Dix, is it true what I heard about you and Joe, that you two got married this past weekend?”

 

“Yes, Kel, it is.” Dixie replied in a loving tone.

 

“Well, um, congratulations are in order I guess. “ Kel said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “It seems that it came up rather suddenly. When did you and Joe get so chummy?” Kel remarked with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

 

“I got tired of waiting for you to ask.”

 

“YOU were waiting for ME to ask!” He said incredulously. “I was waiting for you to choose between Joe and me. I guess you made your choice.” Kel said miserably.

 

Dixie understood how he felt. After all, they had been an item at one time. Kel had missed the wedding. He spent the weekend with his dad and step mom in Amarillo. It had been some time since he’d done that and they were happy to see him.

 

“I wish you both all the best.” He said, trying to maintain an air of dignity.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Are you happy, Dix?”

 

“Yes, Kel, I am.”

 

 He looked at her and sighed. He knew that anything more than a professional relationship between them wasn’t meant to be.

 

“I’ll get out of your way then.”

 

Amarillo had been a side trip for him. He had been in Brackettville earlier in the week.

 

“What do you mean by that, Kel?” Dixie asked gently.

 

“I took a position in Texas.” He said quietly.

 

“TEXAS!” she echoed. “Why there?”

“Texas has always been known as place where a person could start over.”

 

“Where in Texas?” She asked.

 

“Brackettville.”

 

Dixie raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t to be related to the towns’ founder would you?”

 

“Yeah.” He said modestly. “It’s a long story, and I don’t have time to tell it right now.”

 

“Could you make that long story short?”

 

Kel explained to Dixie that before 1836 the town didn’t have a name. It was named after his great- great grandfather Reilly after his death at the Alamo and the defeat of Santa Anna in 1836.

 

“I did a high school history paper on the ‘Siege of the Alamo’. I got an A+ on that report.” He said with a grin.

 

Dixie grinned. “Good for you. What kind of position?”

 

“Same as I have here.”

 

Dixie was impressed. “When do you plan on leaving?”

 

“I leave at the end of this month. I’ve informed Thompson of my decision. To say he wasn’t happy would be an enormous understatement.”

 

Dix looked at Kel with a special twinkle in her eyes. “This place won’t be the same without you here.”

 

“Thanks, that’s nice to hear.” Kel looked at his watch. He had rounds to do, plus he needed to get some air. “Look, I’ll talk with you later. Tell Joe I want to see him. I want him to take over my position here. I want him or Mike Morton to take it. Let Joe know about it okay. Thompson said it would be my decision.”

 

As he started to walk out of his office, Dixie touched his arm. He closed his eyes, and remembered the good times they had together.

 

“Kel, you know that the news is going to spread around the hospital about your leaving. People are going think it’s because of me. I’m not going to be able to take the looks that I’ll get from people.”

 

He touched her face gently and said, “We know the truth. It’ll be worded in a letter to be posted that I took the position BEFORE you and Joe got married. So, don’t worry.”

 

He left his office. Dixie sat on the couch. A few minutes later, Joe came in and hugged her.

 

“Joe, he’s leaving and moving to Texas. He’s taken the same position there that he has here. He wants you to take over as Head of the Emergency Department.”

 

The letter came out and was posted that afternoon. The rumors started flying immediately. When Johnny and Roy came in for supplies, they immediately heard the buzz about Brackett. Dixie set them straight. They sought Kel out. They found him in his office.

 

“I hear congratulations are in order on your new position in Texas.” Johnny said enthusiastically.

 

“Thanks Johnny. It’s going to be a challenge. Brackettville is a small town.”

 

“Chet’s cousin lives there.” Said Johnny.

 

“I met him. He’s the local historian. He’s a nice guy too. Tell Chet he said hi.”

 

“I’ll do that.” Said Johnny.

 

Just then Joe came in. “I heard you’re going to Texas.”

 

Kel looked at him and said, “That’s right.”

 

“What about your job here?” asked Joe.

 

“It’s yours if you want it, Joe. If you don’t, I’ll talk to Mike Morton.”

 

“Can I let you know tomorrow?”

 

“Sure. Just tell me so I can notify administration.”

 

“Okay, Kel. Good luck in Texas.”

 

“Thanks, Joe. I’ll see you later.”

 

Joe left Kel’s office. He had the offer on his mind. On one hand, it would be a good career move. On the other, running the ER was better suited for a younger man. He had tonight to think it over.

Roy and Johnny left a few minutes later. They went back to the station, in total disbelief. Things would be very different at Rampart without Kel Brackett around. They talked about it all the way back. They were still talking about it as they entered the kitchen.

 

“Did I hear you guys right?” asked Cap. “Is Doc Brackett REALLY leaving?”

 

“Yeah. He’s going to Texas.” Replied Johnny.

 

Shock registered on their faces. They couldn’t believe what they just heard! Stoker was so surprised that he dropped the spoon into the spaghetti sauce he was making. He used a pair of tongs to fish it out.

 

The next few weeks passed like a blur for everybody. On one hand, they were happy for him. On the other, they were skeptical about the job. On the 28^th Kel walked into the staff lounge and into a surprise going away party. It really jolted him. Johnny, Roy and all their shift mates were there. He talked with everyone at length. At one point, he was seen talking to Joe. From the look on their faces you could tell there was no animosity between them, just friendship.

 

“Who do I have to thank for this, Joe?”

 

“Dixie. She organized the whole thing. Kel, are you disappointed that I didn’t take over in the ER?”

 

“Yes, but I understand. It’s a tough job.”

 

“You’ve been busy getting ready to move and helping Mike Morton ease into your old job.”

 

“Very busy.” Kel agreed. ‘That fried chicken looks good. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

Kel helped himself to a piece of chicken. It was delicious! Kel asked who made the chicken.

 

A voice from the back of the room said “I did!”

 

Kel turned and found he was looking at Mike Stoker.

 

“Mike, your chicken is as great as I’ve always heard it was.”

 

Mike grinned. “Thanks, Doc.”

 

Dixie came up to Kel and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her.

 

“Thanks, Dix. You didn’t have to do this.”

“You’re still my friend and that’s what friends are for, Kel.”

 

Tears came to his eyes as he hugged her. He didn’t know what to say.

 

“I never got to kiss the bride.’ Kel said jokingly.

 

“I don’t think there’ll be any objections.”

 

Kel gave her a quick, friendly peck on the cheek.

 

“I just want you to be happy, Dix.”

 

Dixie smiled. “I am. I hope you find happiness in Texas.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

That night, Kel called his dad in Amarillo. They had a long talk. Several days later he was in Texas. He had found a place to live when he was visiting there. It was a nice 2-level town house. It had a fireplace downstairs and a deck. Kel fell in love with the fireplace and the deck. It was about 10 minutes from the hospital. The proximity to the hospital was what really sold him on it.

 

He met with all the other department heads. Chief of surgery, Dr. Carlisle surprised him the most. Dr. Carlisle was an attractive, intelligent, soft-spoken woman. He was impressed with her. He also met the head nurse of ER.  Her name was Marge. She reminded him of Dixie, tough as nails with a heart of gold. He liked her instantly.

 

He had also filled out the forms to apply for his Texas medical license. Those forms had been sent to the state board in Austin. He already sent out the change of address forms. He was sick and tired of paperwork at this point. The only thing he had to do was get a Texas drivers license. He took several days to settle in to his place before going for his drivers’ license.

 

He went to city hall. That’s where he was told he had to go for a drivers’ license. He was wearing cowboy boots, a flannel shirt, a beat up leather jacket, sunglasses, and a navy blue or black cap. The front of the cap read “LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPT.” In the middle of the words was a big, red 51.

 

A lady greeted him. Her name was Annie Wilson. She was beautiful to him. She helped him with the paperwork for his drivers’ license. She took the picture for the license. He took off the cap and sunglasses for it. She thought he was a good-looking man. She was also intrigued by the fact that he would leave L.A. for a small city.

 

“I needed a change.” He said with a hint of regret.

 

“Oh” she said with a wise tone. “What do you think of our city so far?”

 

“I like it. It’ll take some getting used to after living in a big city so long. It’ll be nice though because my dad and step mom live in Amarillo.”

 

“Mr. Brackett, I don’t normally do this, but would you like to have dinner with me this evening?”

 

Kel looked at her and thought that’s pretty gutsy in this day and age. “Sure, what time?”

 

“Meet me here about 5:30. I know you’ll have your hands full starting Monday, so tonight I’d like to welcome you to Brackettville.”

 

“Thank you. I’ll see you then.”

 

After that first dinner, Kel and Annie became inseparable. He loved being with her. She was bright, articulate and witty. He told her about his past and his relationship with Dixie and her marriage to his friend Joe. She understood how much that hurt him at the time, but realized that their relationship wasn’t a rebound one. It wasn’t long before he realized that he really loved her.

 

He had been in Brackettville nearly 18 months when his office phone rang. He thought it might be Annie. “Hello, Dr. Brackett speaking.”

 

“Kel.”

 

His heart skipped a beat. “Dixie, is that you?”

 

“Yes, Kel. Joe and I had to call you. We need your help.”

 

As he was talking to her, there was a knock on the door. “Hang on a minute. Come in!”

 

Annie walked in. He wrote on a note pad ‘It’s Dixie. Something’s wrong.’ She nodded that she understood. She started to leave when he shook his head ‘no’ and motioned for her to sit down.

 

“Dix, what’s wrong? Has something happened to Joe?”

 

“No, Kel, he’s fine. It’s Mike Morton.”

 

“What’s wrong with Mike? The last I heard, he was doing well in the job. I also heard he’s become a top notch doctor.”

 

“Kel, there’s no easy way to say this. Mike has leukemia. He asked me to call you. He has no family and he wants you here with him.”

 

Kel couldn’t believe what he heard! He put his hand to his mouth to keep from screaming. Annie watched him. She could tell that something was terribly wrong.

 

“How long has he known?” Kel asked in a choked tone.

 

“He found out last week, but the problem is, it’s so far advanced that the specialists don’t think they caught it in time. Kel, he’s scared. He wants to talk to you about taking the ER over. He feels that since he got it from his mentor it would only be right for you to have it back.” At that, Dixie started crying.

 

Kel coughed a little, trying to clear his throat. “Dix, can I call you back later? I need to let all this sink in.”

 

“Sure. What do you want me to tell Mike in the meantime?”

 

“Tell him that I’ll be there in a few days. I have to get some things straightened out here.”

 

“Ok.”

 

“Tell Joe I said hello.”

 

“I will. Take care and I’ll talk to you later.”

 

“Where are you?”

 

“I’m at Rampart. I’m director of nursing now, but I still work in the ER.”

 

“Ok. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

Kel hung up the phone. Annie looked at him and asked gently, “Kel, what’s wrong?”

 

“The young man who took over my position at Rampart has been diagnosed with leukemia. The specialists don’t think they caught it in time. He wants me to take it back. If I decide to take it, I’ll have to leave right away. Oh, Annie, I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE YOU! You’ve become a BIG part of my life.”

 

Annie looked at Kel lovingly and said “Kel, if you leave here for good, I’m going with you. I have a friend there who can get me the same type of position that I have here. I LOVE you Kelly Brackett and I’m NOT going to let you slip out of my life that easily.”

 

Kel looked at her. ‘What a remarkable woman! I’m lucky to have her.’ He got up, went over to Annie, kissed her and said, “Thanks for being so understanding. I have to make some phone calls.” Kel made those phone calls. The only person he DIDN”T call, was a realtor. He decided to keep his place there as a vacation home.

 

Annie was able to secure a job at L.A. city hall within 2 weeks of Dixie’s first phone call. She had to tie up some loose ends, but told Kel she’d meet him at the end of the week. Kel told his superiors at Brackettville General why he was leaving. He was surprised at how understanding they were. Kel thanked them for that.

 

Two days before he left for L.A., he called Joe.

 

“Hi, Joe.”

 

“Kel! It’s so good to hear your voice. Everyone’s buzzing about your coming back. You’ve made things a lot easier for Mike.”

 

“Joe, how’s he doing? Dix says he’s really down.”

 

“Well, the specialists have him on some drugs that seem to be helping, but the side effects are really bad. They think they might be able to get him into remission soon, but you know how that can go. The paramedics are happy you’re coming back, but hate the reason behind it. They felt Mike was doing an excellent job.”

 

“It’s good to hear that he was getting along so well with the medics. I’m flying out this weekend. Can you and Dix pick me up Sunday afternoon around 5:30 your time? I’m not driving because Annie is going to use my car to move some of her things to the townhouse she found recently. That’s where I’ll be living.”

 

“Is this the girl Dix told me you’ve fallen for?” Joe asked enthusiastically.

 

“Joe, she’s FANTASTIC! She has a great job at city hall here. She was able to secure the same job here. She’s brunette, about 5’6 and petite. She can’t wait to meet you, Dixie and everyone else there. She’s really made my life complete. Joe, can you keep a secret?”

 

“From Dixie? It won’t be easy keeping a secret from her, but I’ll do my best.”

 

Kel lowered his voice. “I plan to ask her to marry me.”

 

“I’m really glad to hear that, Kel! How does your dad feel about your moving back here?”

 

“He was sorry to hear the reason why, but he understands. He said that he and Sheryl would probably move back to California soon. He said Texas is nice, but he loves California. Hey look, I got to go. I’ve got a staff meeting to go to. I’ll see you Sunday. Take care.”

 

The staff meeting went well. The administrator said he hoped Kel’s move back to L.A. would be temporary. Kel did too, but he couldn’t be certain of that.

 

Annie would be waiting for him to get there. She was already planning his welcome. His flight arrived from San Antonio on time. Joe and Dixie picked him up and took him straight to the hospital. Mike perked up when he saw Kel. A big smile came across his face. It was the first one Dixie had seen there in some time.

 

“Tell me about Annie.” Said Mike.

 

Kel told him everything, except what he told Joe in confidence.

 

“I’m happy you found someone special, Kel. I feel better knowing that.”

 

“Speaking of how you feel, how do you feel?”

 

“I have good days and bad days. Today is one of my good days.”

 

Dr. Johnson came in. She chased the visitors out. Kel waited for her because he wanted to talk to her about Mike’s condition and prognosis. She came out again. Kel stopped her.

 

“Talk to me, Maggie. I want to know what’s going on.”

 

“Come to my office. I’ll tell you everything when we get there.” He followed her to her office. He sat down. She closed the door behind them, then sat down

 

“I won’t lie to you, Kel. His condition is very serious and his prognosis doesn’t look good. We’re typing for a bone marrow match, but none has been found yet. We’ve had a lot of volunteers, all the paramedics, the entire E.R. staff and anyone else who was concerned.”

 

“You can try me, Maggie.”

 

“Good. I’ll do that. It’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I want you well rested for the tests.”

 

Kel winked and grinned. “I’ll tell Annie that.”

 

Maggie looked puzzled. “Annie?”

 

“My girlfriend. She came with me from Texas.”

 

“I see.”

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow Maggie.”

 

Kel left Maggie’s office. He went downstairs to the E.R. It looked the same. He went to his office to call Annie, but she was already there.

 

“Annie! I was just about to call you.”

 

“I couldn’t wait to see you. I’ve got a special homecoming planned for you. How’s Mike?”

 

“It looks bad for him. Dr. Johnson is going to test me for a bone marrow match tomorrow.”

 

“Tell Dr. Johnson he can test me too.”

 

Kel grinned at Annie. “She’ll be happy to hear that.”

 

Annie raised an eyebrow. “She! You mean Dr. Johnson is a WOMAN!”

 

Kel was trying hard not to laugh. “I had the same reaction when I met Dr. Carlisle.”

 

“I’d like to meet Dr. Johnson.”

 

“Right this way, milady.” Kel responded as he offered her his arm.

 

Annie smiled as she accepted it. They went to Dr. Johnson’s office. Kel introduced the two ladies. The three of them talked about Mike. Annie offered to be tested too. Maggie accepted the offer.

 

“I want you BOTH to be well rested for the tests.” Said Dr. Johnson.

 

Later that evening, Kel was with Annie. She had prepared a VERY romantic candlelight dinner. Kel helped Annie with the dishes. When they finished, Kel took her by the hand and led her into the living room. He had her sit on the sofa. Annie looked puzzled when Kel pulled a small box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. He set the box down then took her hands in his.

 

“Annie, I’ve been in love with you for some time now. I’ve waited so long for someone like you to come into my life. I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you, if you’ll have me.” Kel picked up the box, opened it and presented it to her. “Annie, will you marry me?”

 

There were tears in Annie’s eyes as she saw what was in the box. She started crying even more when he took the contents out of the box. She took a few minutes to compose herself.

 

“YES!”

 

He slipped the ring onto her finger then he kissed her passionately.

 

“I should’ve asked you before we left Texas.”

 

“It doesn’t matter, Kel. I would’ve said yes no matter when you asked me.”

 

Kel looked surprised.

 

“I knew I was in love with you after our third date.” She said.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked gently.

 

“I wasn’t sure how you felt, and I was afraid to ask.”

 

“I would’ve told you if you asked. I learned a hard lesson. I should tell people how I feel about them.”

 

Annie understood. She suspected that was part of the reason Kel lost Dixie, although she would never say that aloud. She loved Kel too much to do that. Kel called his dad and broke the news to him.

 

After the call ended, Annie looked at him. “What did he say, Kel?”

 

“He was thrilled. He also said that he and Sheryl would be moving back to California next week. He said they found a nice apartment near the hospital. He also said he checked out what fire station’s area they’d be in. He told me they would be in 51s’ area. I said that was great.”

 

Annie smiled. She would soon be meeting her future in-laws, even if her future mother in-law were a step mom. That didn’t matter to Annie. What mattered was that Kel loved her and she loved him.

 

“You know that Dr. Johnson wants us to be well rested for tomorrow.” Said Annie.

 

“I know. It’s just that you’ve made me the happiest man around. I love you so much.” He said as he pulled her close and kissed her passionately.

 

The next morning Kel and Annie went to City Hall and applied for a marriage license. When they were done, Kel went to Rampart. Annie had some paperwork to fill out and would come in when she was done. Annie wasn’t going to start her new job for another week. After they had been tested, she and Kel had lunch together. Joe, Dix, Johnny and Roy were there. Johnny and Roy were between runs. Kel introduced Annie to them. They broke the big news to everyone.

 

“Congratulations!” said everyone simultaneously.

 

Just as they finished congratulating Kel and Annie, Johnny & Roy were called out on a run. Kel told Joe & Dix that they were being tested for bone marrow match for Mike.

 

“Maggie said it would be a couple of hours before she would know the results. I’m going to show Annie around. How about meeting us in the lounge in about an hour?”

 

“Sure.” Said Joe. After they were out of earshot, Joe turned to Dixie and said, “He seems happier and more relaxed than I’ve seen him in years.”

 

Dixie smiled. “I’m so glad he found someone that compatible and passionate like him. I really worried about him after we got married, but I realize that with all that’s happened, he’s STILL my best friend.” Joe hugged her.

 

Kel took Annie up to meet Mike. Mikes’ face lit up when they walked in. Before Kel could introduce Annie, Mike looked at her and said, “You must be Annie.”

 

Annie was startled. “Yes. You must be Mike. Kel told me so much about you.”

 

“He’s told me a lot about you.” Replied Mike.

 

Annie went over and shook Mike’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” She said.

 

“Same here.” Replied Mike.

 

“There’s something we want to tell you.” Said Kel.

 

“What?” asked Mike.

 

Kel pulled Annie closer to him and replied, “We’re getting married.”

 

“That’s wonderful!” said Mike, excitedly. “Let me hug the bride.”

 

 Mike hugged Annie. Mike was genuinely happy for both of them, as was everyone else.

 

A couple hours later, Dr. Johnson was looking for Kel and Annie. She looked worried. She was told that Kel and Annie were in Mike’s room. She walked in to see a laughing Mike Morton. Something she hadn’t seen in a long time.

 

“There’s the good doctor now! What’s up Doc?”

 

Kel and Annie started to laugh. They both understood the reference. Annie’s favorite fun thing to do was watch Bugs Bunny cartoons. Kel loved her enough to watch them with her now and then. Dr. Johnson smiled. It was all she could do to keep from laughing too.

 

“Well, I have some good news for you. Kel is a match—100%. We’ll admit him either tonight or tomorrow and begin the procedure. I want to do a few more tests, but everything looks good, Mike.”

 

“Thank goodness!” Said Mike. Kel just grinned a big grin but it went away when he saw the expression on Maggie’s face.

 

“Maggie, there’s something else. What’s wrong?”

 

“Not here, Kel. Why don’t you and Annie come down to my office and I’ll explain the procedure to Annie. That way she won’t worry about you. Mike, they can come back later. You’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

 

“Okay,” said Mike. “See you later, Kel, Annie, and thanks.”

 

As they walked towards Maggie’s office, Kel had a nagging feeling that Maggie wanted to talk to them about something else. When they entered her office, Kel realized he was right. Maggie shut the door behind them.

 

“Why don’t you two have a seat. I have something I need to tell you.”

 

Kel and Annie complied. Kel had the gut feeling that whatever Maggie had to say wasn’t good.

 

“It’s about one of the tests that was run on Annie. I wish there was an easier way to say this, but, Annie, you have ovarian cancer.”

 

Annie started to cry. Kel looked at Maggie and, in a trembling voice asked, “Are you sure?”

 

Kel held Annie tightly. As a doctor he knew the odds of a woman Annies’ age surviving this type of cancer especially in the late 1970’s. There just wasn’t enough information or drugs available. Research was still limited. But, as a man deeply in love with the lady he was about to marry, he just couldn’t think straight at the moment.

“Yes, Kel. I’m really sorry Annie. That’s why I took so long with the marrow matches. I wanted to triple check the results on Annie. Now, knowing this, do you still want to proceed in donating bone marrow to Mike?”

 

“YES!” Said Kel angrily. “How could you ask such a question?”

 

“I’m sorry, Kel. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

 

Annie finally asked the question she had been dreading to ask. “Dr. Johnson, you say I have ovarian cancer. Does that mean that when Kel and I get married we can’t have children?”

 

Neither Kel nor Maggie said anything. The silence was deafening to Annie. Please, somebody, say SOMETHING!” Annie said in a terrified voice.

 

Kel looked at Annie and said, “Honey, this is a rare cancer. The problem is in treating it. There aren’t many drugs available.” He didn’t want to say what was on his mind next.

 

“Kel, what are you NOT telling me? That this cancer is terminal?  What! Somebody PLEASE tell me SOMETHING!” Annie wailed through her tears.

 

Dr. Johnson said, “Annie, this is 1979. The problem with a rare cancer is that the drugs seem to make it worse at times. The survival rate is only 30%.”

 

Annie looked at Kel with tears streaming down her face. Kels’ heart was breaking, seeing her like that. It made him want to cry, but he knew he had to be strong for her. Kel held her tighter.

 

Annie asked Dr. Johnson, “How far advanced is it and why wasn’t it detected before? I just had my yearly pap test.”

 

“Annie, honey, this type of cancer is really hard to detect.” Kel said lovingly, as he held her tight.

 

“Kel, I want to admit Annie for some further tests and if you’re going to have the bone marrow procedure, I need to admit you too. How do you want this done hospital chart wise?”

 

Kel understood. “I want Joe Early consulted for Annie if you don’t mind.”

 

“I understand. I’ve even called in one of the top cancer specialists in the country.”

 

“Who?” asked Annie.

 

“Dr. Ted Ross from Mayo.”

 

Kel grinned. He turned to Annie and said, “You’ll like him. He’s a nice guy.”

 

Maggie was stunned. “You know him?”

 

“We did our residency together. We were also roommates. Teddy did the cooking. He owes me a favor.”

 

Kel explained that last statement. Maggie and Annie grinned.

 

“Can I talk to Annie alone?”

 

“Sure, Kel.” She left them alone.

 

“Kel, do you still want to marry me?”

 

He took her hands in his, looked her in the eye, and replied “Yes.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Absolutely. The only other time I was that sure of anything was when I decided to become a doctor.”

 

“It takes several days for a marriage license to come through.”

 

Kel looked at her. He thought it over. “Is there any way it could be expedited?”

 

“Let me find out.” Annie picked up the phone and called city hall. Kel heard her ask the question. Then he heard Annie say “I see, thank you.” Then she hung up.

 

She turned to Kel. “They said no. We still have to wait. The earliest we could get married is Friday.”

 

Kel frowned. Friday they would probably both still be in the hospital. “I wish there something we could do.”

 

Annie hugged him. “Me too.”

 

“We’ll just have to make it Friday then.”

 

“Saturday would probably be better. We’ll both be stronger by then.” Said Annie.

 

“Dad and Sheryl will be here in another week. Although I’m not sure we can hold off that long. Annie, if it turns out bad for you, I want to spend every minute of the time that’s

 left with you by my side.” He said through tears.

 

“Saturday then?” asked Annie.

 

Kel leaned over and kissed her.

 

“Saturday it is.” Said Kel joyously. He glanced at his watch.

 

“One question, where can we get a preacher and church on such short notice?”

 

“We do have a chaplain here. He can perform the ceremony. We can get married in the family chapel or the staff lounge. The reception could be held in the cafeteria.”

 

“No hospital food at the reception.” Joked Annie.

 

Kel laughed. “I promise. Let’s go downstairs and tell everyone what we decided.”

 

Annie nodded. A short time later they were downstairs having coffee with Joe and Dixie. Johnny & Roy were there between runs. Maggie had filled them in on everything. They all said they were sorry to hear about Annie. Kel and Annie thanked them for that. Then they told everyone that they decided to get married on Saturday.

 

“Tell us where and we’ll come.” Said Dixie.

 

“Here, either in the chapel or the lounge.”

 

Kel turned to Roy, “Would you mind terribly if we borrowed your kids for the event?”

 

Roy asked, “As ring bearer and flower girl?”

 

“Right.”

 

“I’ll talk to Joanne.” Roy replied.

 

“Good. Does she like weddings?”

 

Roy looked puzzled. “She loves them.”

 

Kel grinned. “Tell her she’s invited too.”

 

Roy grinned. “I’ll tell her. I’ll get back to you after I talk to her.”

 

“Good. You know where to find me.”

 

The boys got called out on a run. “See you later, Doc.” They said as they rushed off.

 

Annie turned to Kel and asked, “Who do we need to talk to next?”

 

“Chuck Miller. He’s the chaplain here. He helped me out on a tough one.”

 

Annie asked Kel to tell her about it. He did, without naming names. When Annie asked why he didn’t use the names, he explained that using the names would’ve been a violation of doctor/patient confidence. Annie understood.

 

“Annie, would you prefer the staff lounge or the chapel?” Kel asked.

 

“The chapel.” She replied without hesitation.

 

“Okay. Now, let’s go talk to Chuck Miller.”

 

A few minutes later Kel and Annie were sitting in the chaplain’s office, explaining the situation to him. He understood and agreed to perform the ceremony that coming Saturday afternoon.

 

Roy called. He said that Joanne would love to come and that it would be okay for the kids to be part of the wedding. Kel thanked him, and then told Annie.

 

Ted Ross had arrived earlier in the day. He met with Maggie and Joe. He decided to wait for the test results before proceeding. He wanted to meet his patient next. Joe had Kel and Annie paged. The two arrived at Maggie’s office and went in. Kel was greeted with a bear hug from Ted.

 

“It’s been a long time, Irish.” Ted said with a grin.

 

“That it has, Teddy Bear.” Kel replied.

 

“Who’s this beautiful lady?” Ted asked, eyeing Annie.

 

“Ted, this is Annie. She’s my fiancée.”

 

Annie shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“The pleasure’s mine. You’re a lucky lady, Annie.”

 

“Thank you.” She replied.

 

Maggie jumped in. “Ted, Annie’s your patient.”

 

Ted looked at Annie and sighed. He understood how much she meant to his friend. He also knew that Kel had almost been engaged once before. A drunk driver had killed that girl the same day Kel was going to propose to her. Ted watched Kel bury himself in his work after that. He didn’t want to see that happen again. Ted would do his best to make sure of that.

 

Maggie explained the procedure Kel would be undergoing to Annie. Later Ted and Kel caught up with each other.

 

“Kel, what are you doing working here, instead of in private practice?”

 

Kel looked at Ted and replied, “This is where I’m needed. I can do a lot more good here than I could in private practice.”

 

“You never were in medicine for the money, were you?”

 

“I went into medicine to make a difference in people’s lives.”

 

“Good. That’s the best reason for going into medicine.”

 

“Ted, how did you end up in oncology? I thought you wanted to be a general practitioner.”

 

“My sister died of breast cancer. There wasn’t much that could be done at that time to help her.”

 

“I’m sorry to hear about Kate.”

 

“Thanks, Kel. I’ll take good care of Annie for you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Kel, I like her.”

 

“Ted, she’s done wonders for me. How long do you plan on staying?”

 

“Two weeks. That way I can make sure everything will be okay.”

 

“Annie and I are getting married on Saturday.”

 

“Kel, I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

 

Kel grinned. “I was hoping you’d stay for that.”

 

Ted looked at Kel. “I still remember what you went through with Peg. I don’t want to see that happen again. You’re still my friend and I care.”

 

Kel smiled. “Thanks, Ted.”

 

“I have a patient to check on and you need to be admitted.”

 

“That’s been done. I’m Dr. Johnson’s patient. She took care of that. Ted, what do you think of our staff here?”

 

“You’ve got good people here. I really like Joe Early.”

 

“He’s easy to like. I start back in Emergency when this is over.”

 

“Sounds tough.”

 

“It is, at times, frustrating sometimes too, but it does have it’s own rewards.”

 

“I believe it. I want to ask you something.”

 

“Go ahead, ask.”

 

“When I came in, there were firemen downstairs. What’s with that?”

 

“They’re paramedics.”

 

Ted looked puzzled. “What’s a paramedic? We didn’t learn about them in med school or residency.”

 

“They didn’t exist then. A paramedic is a firefighter who underwent special training. A simpler definition would be to say that a paramedic is the doctors’ eyes, ears and hands in the field. They stabilize the patient before they’re transported. They do the same things we would if the patient were brought directly here. Only they do it sooner. You know that the biggest reason we lose patients is time. Those guys save time and help save more lives. They go into places that would make you sick. They’re the ones who risk their lives to save a patient that might otherwise die. The best way to get a feel for what they do is to ride along with them.”

 

Ted was silent for a minute. “Sounds like you have a lot of respect for what they do.”

 

“I do, Ted. YES, I have gone out in the field with them. The experience is quite educational.”

 

“I’ll have to look into that when I get back home. I’ll see you later, Kel.”

 

Ted walked away. He had to check on Annie. He also wanted to think about what Kel told him about paramedics. He’d talk to Kel about that some more later. Right now, Ted knew that Kel needed some rest.

 

Kel had a few tests to undergo before the transplant. Annie had tests to under go too. Joe and Ted would take care of Annie. Maggie would handle Kel, even though she knew he could be difficult sometimes.

 

The next day, Kel was put under general anesthesia. When he came to, his back was a little where they took the marrow. Carol was his nurse. “You know the rules. You’re to lie still for at least another 2 hours. Dr. Johnson wants you to stay in recovery for at least 6 hours.”

 

Kel looked at Carol and said mischievously “You’ve been wanting to tell me what to do for a long time. You got way too much enjoyment out of that Ma’am.”

 

Carol grinned. He looked at her and asked seriously, “How’s the operation on Mike going? Have you heard anything?”

 

“Last I heard things were going well. Drs. Ross and Early have finished their tests on Annie. They’re doing a biopsy. From what I’ve heard, things look better than expected.”

 

Dixie walked in just then. “How’s he behaving Carol?”

 

“Like a perfect gentleman. I’ll leave you two alone to talk.”

 

“Thanks, Carol. Would you page Dr. Early to recovery? He wanted to know when Kel was awake.”

 

“Sure, Dixie.” Carol replied as she left the room.

 

“Hi, Kel. How do you feel?”

 

“Really sore, but that’s to be expected.”

 

“Kel, I got a phone call about an hour ago. It was someone from city hall. She said to tell you that your license would be ready tomorrow.”

 

Kel perked up. “Great! Dix, would you do me a favor?”

 

“Sure, Kel. Name it.”

“Would you go pick the license up?”

 

“No problem. What kind of license is it?”

 

“It’s the marriage license Annie and I were expecting.”

 

“I’ll get it and bring it here.”

 

“Thanks, Dix.”

 

There was a knock on the door. Drs. Early and Ross walked in. They both had grins that wouldn’t quit.

 

Kel was trying to read their faces. Finally he said “What? Tell me something!”

 

Ted replied with relief in his voice, “Kel, even though it was diagnosed as ovarian cancer, the biopsy showed it was benign. From all the other tests we did, everything looks really good. We removed the affected ovary. However, I want to start to start her on drug therapy and chemo. I don’t want to take chances on it hitting the other ovary. She’ll have to have annual checkups. Possibly within 5 to 10 years she could be completely cancer free.”

 

Kel was so happy he started to cry. “Does she know yet?”

 

“No, she’s still out. She’ll probably be asleep for another couple hours. Maybe by then you’ll be at her bedside to give her the good news.” Replied Joe.

 

“Will she be able to have children?”

 

“I don’t know.” Said Ted. “She still has one healthy ovary. It’s possible. Look, I’m going back to the hotel to get some sleep. I’ll be back tomorrow to check on Annie. I’ll talk to you some more then too. Try to get some rest, Kel.”

 

“Thanks, Ted. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

 

After Ted left, Joe sat with Kel. Neither man said a word. Then Kel started to cry. They were tears of joy. He couldn’t believe the news! He was overwhelmed by the news. Finally, Kel looked at Joe and said warmly “Joe, I was so scared of losing her. She’s going to be okay, and from what Carol told me, the operation on Mike is going well.”

 

Joe squeezed his hand. “Try to rest for the next hour or so. Then I’ll have Carol take you down to Annie’s room so you can be with her.”

 

Kel’s dad hadn’t arrived from Texas at this point. Kel figured he was busy packing for the move back to California. Kel had talked to his dad the night before this. His dad had told him it would be another week before he and Sheryl would be there.

 

“Annie asked me to give her away on Saturday. She also asked Dixie to be her matron of honor. We agreed to do it.” Said Joe.

 

“Dix is picking up the license tomorrow.” Kel said. “I asked her if she’d do it because Annie and I won’t be able to. Joe, will you let Dix know about Annie, please?”

 

“Sure, Kel. Try to get some rest.”

 

Joe left. Kel dozed off. Carol woke him up when she came to take him to Annies’ room.

Soon he was sitting in a wheelchair by Annie’s bedside. She was just starting to come around. She looked at Kel. “Hi, handsome.” She said drowsily.

 

“Hey, beautiful. I have some news that’ll make you feel REALLY good.” He said with a grin.

 

“What?”

 

“The cancer was found to be benign. That means it’s not cancerous and won’t spread, but as a precaution, they’ll be starting you on drug therapy and chemo. If all goes right, you’ll be completely cancer free within 5 years. You’ll have to have annual check ups though.”

 

“OH KEL!” She said joyously. “When can I get out of here and marry a certain good-looking chief of Emergency medicine?” She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

 

“You’re out of here in 3 days. We’ll get married Saturday as planned. You start treatment tomorrow. We’ll take a long weekend when we get the chance. Everything looks good for Mike. So, today has been a great day.”

 

Annie was released Saturday morning. She didn’t have a chance to go home and change.

Kel had been released the day before. He had a few days off to recover. Kel spent part of Friday talking to Ted, the rest of the time he was with Annie.

 

That afternoon it was time for the wedding. Kel’s dad still hadn’t arrived in L.A., so Ted acted as best man. Both the bride and groom wore scrubs. It was the best they could do under the circumstances. Kel thought she looked beautiful, to him she would’ve looked beautiful in anything, even nothing at all. Johnny, Roy and Joanne were in attendance. Mike Morton was even allowed to attend.

 

Kel stood in front of the chaplain, as Joe early walked the bride down the aisle. Annie’s bouquet came from the hospital gift shop. Dixie was in place and Jessica DeSoto; the flower girl had done her duty and was sitting with her mom and dad. Her brother Chris had the job of ring bearer. He was in place. The chaplain, knowing what they’d been through, had decided to keep the ceremony short.

 

The chaplain asked who gave the bride away.

 

“I do.” Said Joe proudly. Joe hugged her as he handed her over.

 

The chaplain began, “We have gathered here to join these two in marriage. These two have already been through so much. Are there ANY objections?”

 

There was a pause. No one spoke up.

 

The chaplain continued. He turned to Annie. “Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?”

 

“I do.” She replied with a smile.

 

The chaplain turned to Kel. “Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?”

 

“I do.” Kel replied nervously.

 

Kel and Annie exchanged rings.

 

The chaplain continued. “By the power vested in me by God and the state of California, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

 

Kel took Annie in his arms and kissed her enthusiastically. Annie closed her eyes and threw the bouquet over her shoulder. It landed squarely in Johnny’s lap. Johnny blushed. He knew he was going to get teased about this. Kel grinned when he saw where it landed.

 

Kel addressed the group. “We’d like to thank you all for being here this afternoon. There’ll be a short reception in the cafeteria.”

 

Short was right. They could only get the cafeteria for a few hours. They made the most of it. The food was simple sandwiches, salad and beverages. There was some dancing. As Kel danced the first dance with Annie, he was thinking ‘I’m a lucky guy.’

 

Within a week Mike was released. His bone marrow was holding. His leukemia looked like it would go into remission. He would have some time off to recover. He would still be able to practice medicine, but would have to limit his scheduled duties for a while.

 

Kel was happy to hear that. As he held Annie close he thought ‘I’m back in my old position, among good friends, and I have the most beautiful, loving woman for my wife. What more could I ask for than that?’

 

 

LOBBY• ADMISSIONS