stepped into the room, a medical file in hand. “The lab results look good, Ms. Logan, and the X-rays were fine. Nothing broken. Remember, ibuprofen as needed, and take it easy for the next couple days. The muscle relaxers should help your back. Call if anything changes.”
A nurse handed Michele her final paperwork and an aide pushed a wheelchair into the room as soon as the doctor had left. Once outside, Michele waited while Jamison retrieved his car.
“You have to be more careful, dear,” her mother chattered at her side, her hand, once again, tugging nervously at her collar. “When I think what could have happened...”
“But it didn’t. Besides, Jamison arrived immediately after the accident. He called the police and EMTs.”
“And if he hadn’t followed you to the cemetery, you could still be lying by the side of the road.”
Although Michele knew her mother was right, she wouldn’t waste time worrying about could-have-beens. Right now she wanted to go home and take a hot shower and change into something other than her rain-damp clothing.
Jamison pulled his sports car up to the curb. A military policeman parked behind him, and a second MP angled Michele’s car into the lineup.
Roberta waved a greeting to the young man at the wheel of the second car before she turned back to Michele. “You ride with Jamison, and I’ll go with the nice military policeman who brought me.”
“Are you sure, Mother?”
Roberta nodded a bit too enthusiastically. “Of course, dear. Besides, you and Jamison probably have a lot to talk over.”
Michele’s mind was too fuzzy to override her mother. She had a headache and her left leg ached.
Jamison opened the passenger door and helped Michele out of the wheelchair. Wobbly as she was, she appreciated his strong arms supporting her. She inhaled the scent of him and, for an instant, rested her head against his shoulder, comforted by his closeness.
“Easy does it.” His voice was filled with warmth as he gently ushered her forward.
Fighting off the desire to remain wrapped in his embrace, Michele slid onto the leather seat, feeling an instant weariness. She waited for Jamison to round the car and climb behind the wheel.
“I could have driven my own car back to post.” Although she attempted to sound strong, the faint tremble in her voice spoke volumes about how she really felt.
“Not after that blow you took. You need to take it easy. The EMTs agreed, as I recall.”
She nodded. “They did say something to that effect.” The doctor had done so, as well, which she didn’t mention. “I appreciate your help, Jamison, and hate tying up your day. I shouldn’t have been so careless.”
He put the car into gear and pulled onto the main road, heading back to Fort Rickman. “Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens, Michele. I never should have allowed you to drive to the cemetery alone. As soon as I realized your safety could be at risk, I raced to catch up to you.” His eyes were filled with regret as he turned to look at her. “You weren’t at fault, Michele. I was.”
“I’m just glad you got there when you did.”
He reached out and briefly squeezed her hand. “Have you remembered anything else about the driver?”
She shook her head. “Everything happened so quickly. All I could think about was getting out of the way.”
“Thank God, you weren’t seriously hurt.”
The muscles in her neck tightened. “I’m not sure God had anything to do with it.”
She turned toward the window. When they had dated, Michele’s heart had softened to the message Jamison had shared about a loving God who wanted the best for His children. Jamison’s enthusiasm and commitment to Christ had made her rethink what had happened to her brother and the reasons she had retreated from the Lord. She knew there was a higher power who gave life. Her problem was the seemingly fickle way in which He took that life away.
Oil and water didn’t mix. Jamison was a
A nurse handed Michele her final paperwork and an aide pushed a wheelchair into the room as soon as the doctor had left. Once outside, Michele waited while Jamison retrieved his car.
“You have to be more careful, dear,” her mother chattered at her side, her hand, once again, tugging nervously at her collar. “When I think what could have happened...”
“But it didn’t. Besides, Jamison arrived immediately after the accident. He called the police and EMTs.”
“And if he hadn’t followed you to the cemetery, you could still be lying by the side of the road.”
Although Michele knew her mother was right, she wouldn’t waste time worrying about could-have-beens. Right now she wanted to go home and take a hot shower and change into something other than her rain-damp clothing.
Jamison pulled his sports car up to the curb. A military policeman parked behind him, and a second MP angled Michele’s car into the lineup.
Roberta waved a greeting to the young man at the wheel of the second car before she turned back to Michele. “You ride with Jamison, and I’ll go with the nice military policeman who brought me.”
“Are you sure, Mother?”
Roberta nodded a bit too enthusiastically. “Of course, dear. Besides, you and Jamison probably have a lot to talk over.”
Michele’s mind was too fuzzy to override her mother. She had a headache and her left leg ached.
Jamison opened the passenger door and helped Michele out of the wheelchair. Wobbly as she was, she appreciated his strong arms supporting her. She inhaled the scent of him and, for an instant, rested her head against his shoulder, comforted by his closeness.
“Easy does it.” His voice was filled with warmth as he gently ushered her forward.
Fighting off the desire to remain wrapped in his embrace, Michele slid onto the leather seat, feeling an instant weariness. She waited for Jamison to round the car and climb behind the wheel.
“I could have driven my own car back to post.” Although she attempted to sound strong, the faint tremble in her voice spoke volumes about how she really felt.
“Not after that blow you took. You need to take it easy. The EMTs agreed, as I recall.”
She nodded. “They did say something to that effect.” The doctor had done so, as well, which she didn’t mention. “I appreciate your help, Jamison, and hate tying up your day. I shouldn’t have been so careless.”
He put the car into gear and pulled onto the main road, heading back to Fort Rickman. “Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens, Michele. I never should have allowed you to drive to the cemetery alone. As soon as I realized your safety could be at risk, I raced to catch up to you.” His eyes were filled with regret as he turned to look at her. “You weren’t at fault, Michele. I was.”
“I’m just glad you got there when you did.”
He reached out and briefly squeezed her hand. “Have you remembered anything else about the driver?”
She shook her head. “Everything happened so quickly. All I could think about was getting out of the way.”
“Thank God, you weren’t seriously hurt.”
The muscles in her neck tightened. “I’m not sure God had anything to do with it.”
She turned toward the window. When they had dated, Michele’s heart had softened to the message Jamison had shared about a loving God who wanted the best for His children. Jamison’s enthusiasm and commitment to Christ had made her rethink what had happened to her brother and the reasons she had retreated from the Lord. She knew there was a higher power who gave life. Her problem was the seemingly fickle way in which He took that life away.
Oil and water didn’t mix. Jamison was a
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