Forever Lovers (13 page)

Swan and Troy had a bed in Quinn's room.
Neither had slept much for days that were now turning into months.
Much of that period, Troy held Swan while she sobbed over her son.
It was a difficult time for both parents. When death seemed
eminent, the twins came for what they thought were his last rites
and their final farewell.

Troy was especially glad when Steve arrived
at the hospital, which was Jade's new husband. It was good to have
the reinforcements of another male in the family at this difficult
time as they stared down at Quinn and held his hand watching him
slip away right in front of them. He needed the extra support to
keep the ladies from becoming totally unglued – himself
included.

It was fortunate that Quinn surprised them
all and began to rally for life not long after they all came for
what they thought would be their final visit. His journey suddenly
changed directions that day for the better. Everyone was so
grateful that they never questioned that there was just no rhyme or
reason for his turn around. None of the family could talk about his
horrible ordeal. It was just too devastating and awful to discuss
with anyone outside the family. They all knew that his journey back
to health would still continue to be long and painful, but they
left thankful.

It would be almost nine months that Quinn
would be kept in a coma to fight pain and infection before the
decision was made to start slowly cutting doses of morphine and
other pain killers. The medical staff began bringing Quinn back to
life just as the lives that he had created were being born in the
center of the United States in the state of Kansas. It was as
though they were reaching for him and bringing him life through
their umbilical cord of life.

Quinn finally began to see pieces of light
that were no longer gray. It was like his body was thawing out from
a long wintery frost. As the numbness began to subside, it was
replaced with a searing burning pain. The sensation made Quinn
fight to go back to the blackness, even death, but his body chose
life as he continued to heal while he journeyed through hell to get
there.

CHAPTER 25

Quinn, where are you? Why aren't you
answering my phone calls?
This week Lily was going to the
doctor for her sonogram. The doctor would tell her the sex of the
baby. She needed Quinn here with her holding her hand and watching
the new life that they had created together and sharing in the
thrill of a boy or girl, smiling at each other as they tossed
around a variety of names. Tears gathered and glistened in her
eyes. She had told no one of her pregnancy. She needed to let Quinn
be the first to know, but that possibility seemed slimmer with each
passing day.

Lily called Quinn again for the third time
this week. With luck, he would answer this time and all would be
well, but a recording had now replaced Quinn's voice.
This
number is no longer in service
. A chill went through her entire
body. She sat frozen holding the phone to her ear long after the
line went dead with ominous silence. A sense of dread and
foreboding cruised and circled her body enclosing her like a cold
wet blanket from head to toe before it centered in the middle of
her heart with a heavy thud making her shudder and shake.
What
was going on
? Lily began to doubt herself. She began to relive
and question their time together in the Caribbean.
Was it just a
sham? A diversion from
his life as a SEAL? A chance to bed
her and satisfy a desire? To conquer?
Lily put her head in her
hands and began to sob. She crawled into bed finding solace and
comfort. Trying to pull herself quietly together, she curled up in
a protective tight ball around her baby, finally accepting that she
was the only one standing between her new life and the world that
they would sadly live together without Quinn.

After twenty-four hours of a piety party for
herself, Lily decided to make one last phone call. This time to
Jade as she was hoping to get some information about Quinn. Jade
was excited to hear from her as she had just gotten news that she
was officially pregnant and excited about sharing the happy news
with Lily. A baby girl would be born early summer. In her
excitement, Jade mentioned nothing about Quinn.

Lily asked cautiously, “So, I guess Jasmine
and Quinn are excited about becoming an aunt and uncle?”

“Jasmine is, but I haven't had a chance to
tell Quinn, yet,” she replied still pumped with enthusiasm, but a
little more subdued.

Lily tried to press subtly, “I guess he's
still with the SEALS? How are things with him?” hoping to keep the
questions as generic as possible and still get answers.

“Things are fine with Quinn. You know how he
is,” she said vaguely.

After wishing Jade well and happiness, Lily
hung up and filled in the blanks – he's still a SEAL and he's fine.
So, that's the way it is. Time to face reality. She couldn't bring
herself to tell Jade that she was going to be an aunt as well, not
yet anyway. That would be Quinn's job. She decided that the father
of her baby would remain a secret until that time.

Lily went to the doctor the following day.
She had just gotten back from that appointment and was sitting
outside on her cheery white wicker couch with colorful lime green
and hot pink pillows. It was on a screened-in-porch surrounded by a
backyard filled with the nature of wildflowers, roses, and lots of
lilies. Colorful chirping birds swam in the bird bath nearby and an
occasional hopping cottontail joined them. It was her quiet happy
place – a place that gave her comfort.

Lily sat with her sonogram pictures pressed
up against her tummy. She looked at the results again making sure
that there had been no mistake. Nope, the two penises were still
there. She would give birth late January to two baby boys. She
gathered her thoughts and took a deep breath. Time to call Mom and
Dad.

CHAPTER 26

Lily's dad, Luke, did not take the news of
her pregnancy well. He was ready to kill the son-of-a-bitch that
had impregnated his little girl as soon as he found out who he
was.

Unfortunately, Quinn was fighting his own
demons at a hospital in Berlin, Germany. He had been in intensive
care for several months, first fighting for his life and then
fighting the pain, infection, and operations to save his life and
limb. When he wasn't screaming, he was lost in a dream where he was
frolicking in clear blue waters with dolphins and his true love,
Lily. Then, she would disappear in a blur as he would reach out for
her.
Where are you going, Lily?
he' ask over and over as
he'd thrash his head back and forth against the pillow.
I
need
you. Then, he would feel a cool wet rag being lightly
washed soothingly over his face. It was calming as he disappeared
into nothing again

Lily, oblivious to Quinn's struggles, began
to make plans for her upcoming responsibilities that she had
finally accepted would be hers and hers alone. She'd lost all hope
that Quinn would ever want to be part their family. The twins would
have the support of her own loving family and that would have to be
enough for now. Fortunately, she lived in a four bedroom house –
three bedrooms up and one down. Once the twins were born, she would
move upstairs to be near them. That would also free up the
downstairs for her parents when they came for a visit. Somehow, she
knew that would probably be quite often, which pleased her
immensely. Her brother, Jonathan, would be in the act as well as he
would be starting K-State and majoring in architecture in the fall.
Uncle Matt and Aunt Jen would not be left out either. Financially,
she would not have to worry. She had her career and her own trust
fund. Adding everything up, she knew that she could manage. She was
a strong woman. Besides, she looked around and she was it, the main
person that would give the twins love and stability. They would
never know how it could have been any different, how great a father
Quinn would have been – only Lily would know that.

CHAPTER 27

Lily was deeply involved in the community for
her expertise as the local veterinarian in the small Kansas town.
She had acquired a reputation as the “go to” doc for all animals in
the area needing prosthesis due to injury, cancer, or other major
medical issues. She had become employed by the military on more
than one occasion to help out with injured military dogs. Most of
those wounded animals were flown into the Army base nearby, Fort
Riley.

Being pregnant did not slow Lily down. She
was going to Germany this week to observe a technique of skin
grafting on humans. When she got back, she would be picking up a
special bomb sniffing Belgian Malinois dog by the name of Gunner.
He had lost his leg when a bomb went off unexpectedly. This German
Institute had manufactured a unique devise that was helping burned
victims in battle and she hoped to apply the same technique on
animals.

Gunner was young and had only known one
master. He was suffering from Post-traumatic Syndrome as he tried
to cope with the loss of his missing leg pain. He didn't understand
what had happened to him or his master. His equilibrium was off. He
spooked at any loud noise. He was a wounded soldier that was a
total mess even though they are known to be fearless under fire. He
was also highly intelligent – enough to be concerned and anxious on
a daily basis just like the humans they followed into battle.

The Belgium Malinois are specially train dogs
that have been described as feeling like they are invincible. They
are disciplined to jump with their masters from helicopters 5,000
ft. in the air, slide down a rope, and respond to any command like
any other soldier. They didn't care what they were doing as long as
they were with their master. They often slept with them, ate with
them, and exercised with them. As a result, they were devoted
friends and lifesavers that masters knew would always have their
back as they walked with them on point sniffing for bombs and often
into the Valley of Death. They are considered part of the Band of
Brothers by their unit. When they are wounded, they receive the
same care and honor as any other soldier. An established Warrior
Dog Foundation helps to pay for their care until they heal.

When Lily got back from Europe, her job would
be to help Gunner adjust physically and emotionally. When he
recuperated, he would be sent into retirement and placed where he
could enjoy the rest of his life. Lily, however, was interested in
him for a much deeper medical reason. She had heard through the
military about this company in Germany that was doing stem cell
imprinting on burned and injured servicemen. She hoped to learn the
technique and maybe use it on canines and other animals that lost
their limbs making their healing a lot less painful if their stem
cell could regenerate new skin. It worked on the same idea as a
regular computer. The stem cells were harvested and put into a
spray gun. The theory seemed as possible for canines as it was for
humans. It was only being used on the military soldiers at the
present, but in a few more years they hoped to use it on anyone in
the world that needed it. The military gave her clearance.

Lily left for Berlin a week before she picked
up Gunner when she was four months pregnant. She wanted to take
this time off before her babies were born. She didn't want to leave
the twins after they had just entered this earth. She only had a
small window to get everything in place before their birth. Lily
left at the end of the week.

The German company had devised the stem cell
gun that were more than accommodating to show off their newly
invented modern miracle. Lily spent the next few days understanding
the device and conversion of the skin cells. After a couple of days
they took her to a military hospital to observe the technique and
injured warriors. She spent an entire day gathering a complete
understanding. When she left, she was ready to put her knowledge
into practice.

By the end of the week, an exhausted Lily
left through the double doors of the entrance to the German
hospital for the last time before going home. As she did so, she
felt an unknown presence surrounding her. For some reason, she
turned around as she exited and looked up at the stately white
infirmary. Her eyes were drawn to the second floor window in the
corner with the shades drawn as though someone were sleeping – a
force so strong that she didn't understand it, almost compelled her
to go back inside the hospital. It pulled like a magnetic device.
She stood there in limbo for a moment in time looking up and
frowning, then a car honked breaking the connection. It was as if
someone had suddenly hung up the phone, ending a conversation that
she seemed to be attached to in some odd way. It was like fate was
trying to interfere with her life twisting her to its will.
Unfortunately, rarely does anyone take the time to analyze those
strange things that happen, perhaps that's because our mind cannot
make any logic from it.

Lily was no different than most people that
have a sixth sense as she looked away, hurrying to hail a nearby
cab, not giving the strange circumstances another thought. That
evening, she was on a plane headed back home to Kansas, driving all
peculiar thoughts from her day away except for the birthing of her
upcoming twins. Strangely, her last image before she fell asleep on
the plane was of Quinn.

The family gathered around Quinn's bed that
same day in the infirmary as they each held hands while they hoped
and prayed that they wouldn't lose a son, a brother, a friend as he
was given his last rites. However, before it was over, Quinn
suddenly became restless and agitated subconsciously knowing Lily
was nearby.
Lily, I'm here, he tried to shout in
anguish.

Two souls touched each other that day coming
together for a small sliver in time giving strength to the injured.
Quinn almost died at the same moment because he had given up on his
beloved thinking Lily was lost from him forever. She reached out
and touched him giving him the will to live even though she
vanished almost as soon as he envisioned her. But, she left a faint
smell of lingering strawberries that had him reaching out for
comfort and life. It was just a little quirk of fate unknown to
anyone except the unconscious man in the hospital room imprisoned
in his own body, but it was a lifeline that was given to him to
navigate back towards the living.