Page 3 of True Valor
“Not really.”
“How about the day?Do you know what day itis?”
“December, um, twenty-third?”
Close.By now it was Christmas Eve morning,but who was counting.“Okay, here’s the deal, Julie.My name is Nicand I’m a paramedic from Boston...”That wasn’t exactly true.
“I’m in Boston?”Again, her voice edgedtoward hysteria and her eyes filled with panic.
“No, no.You’re in Lake Tahoe,California.”
“Oh.”
“We need to call an ambulance or get you to ahospital.You don’t know your last name—where you are...”
“No!”She reached down and turned the key,trying to get the car to crank.
Nic waited until she gave up.
“Julie, listen to me.”He spoke as if talkingto a small child.“You can’t stay here.You’ll freeze to death.”His mind raced with alternatives.The hospital or ambulance wasunacceptable to her and dropping her off at the next hotel he cameto was dangerous, inhumane and made him a total jerk.So, he chosethe option that sounded the craziest and didn’t, at all, fit intohis plans.
“Let me take you to my place and get youwarmed up.We’ll see if you aren’t thinking more clearly afterthat.I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Julie nodded and reached for the door handle.He helped her from the car, noticing that all she had on her feetwere floppy slippers.Well, actually, only one slipper.Her otherfoot was bare.Time stood still as she smiled up at him and tookhis hands.The fleeting feelings and thoughts that followed weredefinitely not Batman-like.
Nic cleared his throat, shoving away thethoughts.“Do you have a purse or anything?”
Julie looked into the car then back at him.“I don’t think so.”
Nic reached for the keys, made sure the doorswere locked and, sweeping Julie into his arms, trudged through thesnow toward his car.Citizen Nic balked and Batman furled hiscape.
“We’ll come back and get your car in themorning,” he said, helping her into the passenger seat.On his wayaround to the driver’s side, he made a mental note of her licenseplate number.California plates.She couldn’t be too far fromhome.
Batman Nic was pleased to be helping thehelpless.But, before putting the car into gear, Citizen Nic waslooking for a graceful escape.
Nic flipped the heater fan to high.
“I’m only wearing one slipper,” Julie said ina monotone.
“I noticed.”
“How do you suppose I lost the other one?”The look on her face was confused, but not panicked.That wasgood.
“I don’t have a clue.”He gave her hispracticed smile of support.
“Well that’s not good, is it?”
“What, losing a slipper?”
“No.Not knowing how I lost it.That’s notgood, is it, Paramedic Nic?”
He couldn’t help but grin.At least sheremembered what he’d told her.Short-term memory intact.Likely nota concussion.She seemed to be taking the situation well.
“No, it isn’t, Julie.But we’ll get youwarmed up and something to eat.Maybe that will help yourmemory.”
We?That definitely wasn’t a good sign.
They rode in silence.Nic drove through theparking garage, hoping to find a place close to the doors into thehotel so Julie wouldn’t have to walk outside.
