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

is Chip doing?  I see they moved him.”
    “He had a good night.  They’ve removed the ventilator tube and he can talk, but he mostly sleeps due to the sedation but he was awake once when I went in.  Carrie, honey he can’t move from the waist down.  The neurologist doesn’t know if it’s permanent or not.”
    Mr. Reynolds spoke up, “Carrie, why don’t you go in with Ellie and I’ll go to the cafeteria and get a bite to eat.  I need to stretch my legs anyway.”
    “Are you sure, Mr. Reynolds?  I can wait until you go in and you can tell me how he is when you come back.”
    “It’s okay, Carrie.  I’ll see him the next hour.”
    “Oh thank you so much, Mr. Reynolds.  I really appreciate that.”
    “Carrie, why don’t you just call me Tom.”
    “That wouldn’t feel right, Mr. Reynolds.”
    Carrie and Mrs. Reynolds sat and talked while they waited for the hourly visit.  “Has Chip told you anything about me, Mrs. Reynolds?”
    “No only that you work at the TV station.”
    “Yes, and I was just promoted the day we were shot.  I’m going to be field reporting.  That means I’ll be on the air some.”
    “Your mother must be really proud of you.”
    “She is, Mrs. Reynolds. Chip is such a good person.  He’s so kind and gentle with me, well, except for the night we were shot.  He wasn’t so gentle when he shoved me out of the way. 
    He makes me feel good all over.  You should be very proud of him , as my mother is of me.”
    “We are, Carrie.  We are. I’m glad you like him.  You two make such an attractive couple.”
    The nurse came out of ICU and announced visiting time.  She listed the rules about washing hands, gloving and gowning up.  They would also need to cover their hair.  She then led the way to the patient area and waited at the entrance where they prepared themselves for entry.
    Having seen him before, Carrie was not as shocked as she had been the first time with all of the tubes and leads coming f rom beneath the sheet.  She hung back while his mother went to the bedside.  She took his hand and rubbed it gently.  Chip stirred and his eyes fluttered open.  “Hi Mom,” came out in a hoarse and scratchy voice.
    “Are you having any pain?” she asked.   He shook his head slightly.  “I have a surprise for you.”  She motioned for Carrie to come closer. “Look who’s here to see you.”
    He angled his head slightly to where he could see Carrie.  There was the faintest smile on his face.  Carrie took his hand and leaned over and kissed his hand through her mouth covering.  “I’m… sorry…  I …   let… him… hurt… you… I… tried… to… stop… him.”  A tear rolled down his face.
    “It wasn’t your fault he shot us.  What you did was the most heroic thing I have ever seen.  Chip, you saved my life.  If you hadn’t moved in front of me and shoved me out of the way and gone after him, he would have had a clear shot at me and I would be dead now.  I owe you my life and I’ll never forget you or that,” Carrie said that in a voice filled with emotion.  She was crying now.  She moved her hand over his and he grasped it, squeezed slightly and smiled.
    “Thank you.”
    “Oh Chip, Keep fighting and get well, I need you to help me find a new apartment like you promised.  I’m going to stay with Mom for a while till you can help me.
    “Good,” he said in a tired voice.
    “I’m going back to my room, Mrs. Reynolds and let you have some time with him.  Thank you.”  She leaned over the bed and whispered, “I’ll be back, Chip.  Get well for me.”
    “Bye ,” almost in a whisper.  Then his eyes closed.
    “She walked over to Mrs. Reynolds and kissed her on the cheek.  “Thank you again.”  She turned and shuffled slowly out of the room and down the hall to the elevator.
    Later…
    Carrie lay on her bed replaying the visit to the ICU.  She had thanked him for saving her life.  When her mother came to her room during her