Page 7 of Ultimate Freedom

While Lexie examined her wound, Demi waited patiently.

“Do you feel much pain? How about headaches or fever?”

“It aches, but it’s bearable. I stopped taking the morphine and use only Tylenol. My head’s much clearer. I know from previous injuries, I heal fast.”

“That you do. Everything looks good. But don’t overdo things.”

“How can I with these two guards watching my every move.” Demi pointed towards the table where Norrie, Whit and Glen were enjoying her homemade beef and barley soup. A place waited for Lexie to join them once she’d finished with her patient.

“I have a question.” Demi kept her fingers crossed while she asked for advice.

“Shoot.”

Demi flinched and Lexie grimaced. “Too soon?”

Both chuckled, and then Demi continued. “Do you think it would be okay for Rudy to come here later and spend the night with us so we can all have Christmas together?”

Lexie sat thinking before she nodded. “That devil has been threatening to leave the hospital since yesterday. It’s only Glen keeping him there with threats and promises.” Lexie made eye contact, so Demi understood how important her next words were. “Rudy feels protective of you after what happened. It’s killing him that he hasn’t been here when you needed help. Yet with Fred gone, I couldn’t let him out of the hospital to go home alone, and though Glen would normally take care of him, he won’t leave you.”

Demi wasn’t surprised to hear of this situation. She’d already suspected that Glen was being torn in two directions.

“Then this will work out for everyone, right? Glen will be here with me and Rudy at the same time.”

Lexie smiled. “Right. Sounds like a plan. Plus, with Rudy out here, we can get him to back off making any decisions about his father. Glen and I both think it’s too soon for him to have to handle those details. Dawson has been wonderful in contacting his brothers. He’s gone ahead and made a lot of the arrangements for Fred’s body to be looked after in the meantime. And the rest can wait until after the holidays.”

Feeling better for having everything arranged, Demi snoozed and woke up to find herself in her own bed with the covers snuggled around her. She knew she might get in trouble, but what the heck… she slowly lowered her feet to the floor and waited to feel oriented. Once she felt ready, she took a few steps to the chair to get her housecoat. Resting for a few more seconds as her strength grew, she dressed herself and then wobbled to the door.

Leaning against the doorframe, she watched the others in the room talking and laughing. She saw that Rudy had arrived and was on the couch, dressed in loungewear and being supported by lots of pillows. Whit and Glen were wrapping presents on the floor near him, arguing over what color tissue to use in each gift bag.

Filled with love for her family, she walked forward and all three looked up. Whit shot to his feet and came to pick her up. “No. Whit. I’m fine. You don’t need to carry me around anymore. Just maybe let me use your arm. I need to go to the bathroom.”

When she’d finished and had opened the door to join the others, she found Whit waiting to guide her to his chair. “We have a blanket and pillow here if you want it.”

“No. I’m good for now.” She made herself comfy and smiled at the man across from her on the couch. “Hey Rudy. Glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for having me, especially when I know you must feel like… ahh, terrible. I’m so sorry about what happened to you, Demi. Glen was frantic when he heard you’d taken a bullet.”

Demi smiled her thanks at Glen who’d brought her a cup of hot chocolate and was placing it on the table near her.

“Can’t leave her alone for a minute, and she’s in trouble.” His grumbling made her grin.

Whit added in a wry tone. “Tell me about it.”

Teasingly, she grouched. “Hey, give me a break. It’s not like I’m the only one here who’s had turmoil to deal with. That’s why it’s so important to celebrate with each other for Christmas. It’ll be one day where we’re all together, safe, and happy.”

***

Her words turned out to be true. After a warm, rather peaceful evening with more bowls of soup followed by eggnog and cookies, all four people were satisfied just to be together.

Stories told in front of the fire became funnier and funnier until Rudy begged them to stop. Glen, who sat on the floor next to the couch, promised no more, and even Whit tried to conceal his twinkling enjoyment.

Demi suspected that laughing hurt Rudy’s insides but seeing the joy on his face, they couldn’t take his pleas too seriously. When he’d lowered his fingers to stroke Glen’s hair, she saw the joy he couldn’t hide. Hell, could there be a better medicine in the world than to come out from hiding your true self and be accepted?

They broke up early, and the only sour note to the night’s fun came when Whit refused to sleep on the bed with Demi. “I’m such a bear in bed, I don’t trust myself. I’d never forgive myself if I hurt you accidently.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m fine. If you do come too close, I’ll wake you.”

“Are you sure? You know I have a habit of reaching for you in my sleep.”

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