Free Loving A Firefighter (Loving Series) by Susan Leigh Carlton Page A

get it over with.”  She dialed a number from memory.  When it was answered, she said, “Mrs. Tompkins, please,” 
    “Mrs. Tompkins, this is Carrie Evans.  The flowers are lovely, and I was going to call you anyway.”
    “How are you doing?  You’ve had all of us worried here.  You made our newscast the other evening you know?”
    “No, I didn’t know.  I’d just as soon not made it that way.”
    “I’m sure.  I wanted to talk with you anyway, but I have a selfish reason here.  What would you think about us doing a segment on the ten o’clock about your experience?   We carried a bit from the scene after it happened and a followup would be good news.  We would have one of the co-anchors do it.”
    “Can you hold a minute?  My mother’s here.  She’s a nurse in the hospital here… Mom, what do you think, they want to do a news segment on me and the shooting?”
    “I think it would be neat.  I’m sure the hospital would cooperate.”
    “Mrs. Tompkins?  I think it would be okay.  Will you arrange it with the hospital and let me know when?”
    “The hospital won’t be a problem.  They love the publicity.  We’ll get it all set up.  How long are you going to be there?”
    “At least four more days.   I start rehab in the morning.”
    “I’ll get back to you.  How is the young man…Chip Reynolds? How is he doing.”
    “He’s still in the CICU.  Mom took me up there earlier.  They think there is a slight improvement in his condition.”
    “Get well soon, Carrie.  We miss you and I need you.”
    Nothing she could have said would have made Carrie feel better.  She turned to her mother and said, “They’re going to set it up.  She told me they miss me and need me.   I’m so relieved.”
    “That’s great, honey.  I am so proud of you I could just burst.  I’ve been thinking about where you’re living.  I’m not sure it’s safe.”
    “There were no problems until Nathan set it on fire.”
    “I understand that, but what about them giving your key out without your permission. ” 
    “ That won’t happen again, Mom.  I have an agreement with the manager.  He replaced my locks too and Chip says the new ones are good ones.  Besides, I don’t want to move until Chip can help me find a new place.  I want to wait for him.  He may be living there some day.”
    “Carrie !  Are you talking about getting married?”
    “No Mom , we haven’t, but if he wanted to move in, I’d let him.”
    “Have you…”
    “No Mom, we haven’t been doing anything.  Besides, I wouldn’t tell you if we were.”
    “Okay, I have an alternate plan.  You’re not going to be completely recovered by the time they discharge you, so why don’t you stay with me for a couple of weeks.  You’ll have your strength back and maybe Chip will be out by then.”
    “I would hope so.  I would like to stay with you for two weeks.  It would be a big help since I don’t know when the doctor will release me to drive.”
    “Okay, let’s do that.  Now I’ve got to go to work.”  I’ll check in on you later.”
    “Bye, Mom.  I love you.” 
    “Love you too.”
    * * *
    Three days later, Carrie’s therapy had progressed well and she was allowed to walk unaided in the hallway.  She had been cautioned not to overdo the walking. 
    When the nurse came into her room, she asked if Chip was still in CICU.  The nurse checked and said he had been moved to the ICU.  She asked if it would be possible for her to go to the cardiac floor and see Chip.  With the nurse’s approval, she went to the elevator and went up to the surgical floor. 
    The Reynolds’s were in the ICU waiting room when she arrived.  She went in and walked up to them.  They stood and Mrs. Reynolds hugged her and said “I’m glad to see you’re better.” 
    “I’m still a bit shaky, but therapy is going well and they said I could walk without a nurse or orderly holding onto me , as long as I don’t overdo it.  How