The Grey Area (Book 1)

A Just Man: Joe's Viewpoint

"The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked." - Proverbs 24:16

19 August 2009

Lowville, New York

Ringringring. I rolled over in bed and pawed at the bedside table, trying to find the phone. Wrapping my fingers around it, I pulled it off the table and squinted at the screen of the cordless landline. A long telephone number filled the screen, and I rolled my eyes.

"Hello?" I croaked. I looked at the clock. Nine A.M. I'd only been asleep an hour. I had gotten home after a long shift and collapsed into bed instantly.

"Dr. Joseph Smith?" A voice I didn't immediately recognize crackled through the speaker.

"Yes. Who's calling?" I sat up and flicked the table lamp on.

"This is Colonel Acton of the 391st Combat Support Hospital."

391st...Alameda's unit. I was awake now. Ali's hospital was somewhere around Kandahar or something like that. Before her first deployment, we'd talked about who was to be notified if something happened to her, and she'd selected me as her primary next of kin. "Is this about Major Alameda Pendragon, Colonel?"

The speaker crackled again. "Yes sir, I'm afraid so. Major Pendragon was out in a Humvee and was struck by an IED. She's still in surgery  right now."

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. "What happened?"

"She was very seriously injured in an IED attack. She's in surgery, and it's very likely she will be transported to the States. You'll be notified when someone knows more."

"Oh no..." I ran my free hand through my hair. "When will that be?"

"We don't know yet, sir. I'm very sorry, sir. Major Pendragon's a good officer, wonderful person. She's well liked here, the whole hospital's waiting for more news."

"Thank you for calling, Colonel. I should call my wife right now."

"All right, sir. Someone will be in contact with you when we know more."

"Goodbye." I hung up on him, and dialed Beth's cell.

"Betha Abela."

"Hey honey. I may have to take time off and go to Germany or Maryland. Ali's been hurt."

4 July 2008 

Bethesda, Maryland

I looked out the window and shook my head. Ivy was chasing Ali around the yard, giggling when she pretended to trip and fall. Ivy pounced on Ali. Ali held still a moment, then rolled over and tickled Ivy under the arms. Ivy laughed and ran off to join the other kids. Ali stood up and shook the grass out of her hair.

"Lee, are you gonna quit acting like a kid and help me out here?" Major James Rain, an orthopedic surgeon originally from Texas, stuck his head out the door. Ali had written me about him when she was last deployed.

"Coming!"

Rain shut the door. "Got a real knack with kids, doesn't she? Jim, by the way, I don't think we've met." Jim held out his hand. I took it.

"Dr. Joe Smith."

"Ah, Lee's family. Nice to finally meet you. We deployed to Iraq together."

"That's right, you must be the one Ali said concocted up that crazy prank with the nitroglycerine?"

Jim laughed. "I got my ass busted for that one. People passing out left, right, and centre until the Colonel finally figured out what was going on. I got yelled at so long and so loud the whole camp knew just from being able to hear the yelling."  Ali came in.