Clint was on the ground. Not moving. Viki panicked, ran out of the limo and straight to him. She touched his face, saw that it was bleeding and already bruised. His eyes were closed and he was so still.”No, this can’t be happening!” she screamed to herself.”Larry, Larry, come quickly!”She didn’t need to have called him, he was right behind her. “I’m right here, Viki. Move out of the way. Let me in.” Larry’s voice was fairly calm for the situation.Viki hesitated for just a moment and then sat back on her heels on the warm grass. She was trembling and making little sounds. She wasn’t crying, but she was on the verge.ark, having heard the commotion, came running from between some apartment buildings.”What happened, Viki?””A drunk driver or somebody ran Clint down! He went flying and landed here. He’s unconscious, I think.”
“He’s still breathing then?”
“Yes, he is Mark. Are there any medical facilities around here?” asked Larry.
“I’ve never noticed any. There is a doctor’s office a couple of blocks away,” replied Mark. “But we can’t go there, Ivan wouldn’t approve.”
“Mark, this is serious. Clint is in shock, he needs attention, now!” Larry was screaming now, not believing that they had to get Ivan’s permission.
“I’ll call Ivan, he’ll know what to do.” Mark pulled out a cell phone and dialed. He began talking in low tones and walked away from the group.
Returning to them, Mark said, “We will meet Ivan. He will know what to do. He’s expecting us.”
“Clint can’t ride in a car! He needs an ambulance,” argued Larry.
“Even so, there is no ambulance in Macao. Everyone is afraid of them. Not just the noise, but hospitals, too. The doctor here is more like a ‘witch’ doctor, for lack of a better comparison.”
“Then let’s get going. Viki, make room in the floor of the limo. You ride up front with Mark and I’ll stay with Clint. Wherever we’re going, we better get there fast!”
Transporting Clint in the limo turned out to be the quickest way. The route to wherever Ivan was tricky.
“Mark, do you know where you’re going? Where are we going?” asked Viki.
“Ivan gave me directions. Here help me by reading them. I’m down to the ‘turn left on Water Street. I’m beginning to get into unfamiliar territory.”
“I thought you lived here, with Ivan.”
“I do, but I was never allowed to accompany him on some of his business. If I was with him, we did errands or went down to the docks. Sometimes he would be gone for days. I wouldn’t know when he was coming or what he was doing.”
“Must have been a lonely life, Mark. And for what?”
“I told you, I have my reasons. Someday, I’ll find what I’m looking for and I’ll shout it to the rooftops!”
“I hope it comes soon, Mark. I think you’ve lived through a living hell with that man.”
“He’s been difficult, in the best of situations. I will be relieved to get out of this place. Actually, Monaco was a wonderful retreat. He left me alone quite a lot.”
“But he still treats you terribly. I don’t know how you’ve stood it.”
“It’s been a game for me, Viki. I had so much riding, I couldn’t afford to let go.”
“I hope whoever you’re doing this for appreciates you,” Viki said.
“More than anything, I’m doing this for me. But I’m hoping that there will be some other happy people in this equation, too.”
Going through the countryside, Viki was alarmed at the contrast. Small huts with lots of farmland dotted the hills. There were some cows, but there were also goats and sheep. The air seemed clean and natural. The skies were actually blue and clear. It seemed soย peaceful. Yet, Clint was in the back of the limo fighting for his life. He hadn’t stirred when they lifted him, but his eyes had scrunched up. Viki noticed that his teeth were clenched and she somehow knew that he was in great pain. ‘I can’t stand to think he’s in pain,’ thought Viki. She was saddened to the very inch of her being. She wished it was her. She wished that van had hit her, not him. She loved him so much. Thoughts were rushing in her head. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of her brainwaves.
For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me seeI’ve been wrong so many times,
But you never crossed the line.For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made rightYou gave me Jessica and raised our sons
You turned my night of fears into days of fun.For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in youYou married me. Three times, in fact.
You always took me back.I’ll be forever thankful, baby
You’re the one who held me upI appreciate the sacrifices you made
All my debts, you gladly paid.Never let me fall
You always believed in meYour strength you always let me see
Your faith just amazes me.You’re the one who saw me through it all
You were my strength when I was weakStanding by me must have been rough
But you gave your love enoughYou were my voice when I couldn’t speak
You were my eyes when I couldn’t seeThrough my stroke, you were so kind
And there is more than one kind of blind.You saw the best there was in me.
Lifted me up when I couldn’t reachYou always thought I was the best
And helped me reach the crestYou gave me faith ’cause you believed
I’m everything I am
Because you loved me.I would be nothing without you
Without your love, I wouldn’t know what to do.
Tears ran down Viki’s face and she was heartsick. She turned around, fearing what she would see, but was not able to resist. She saw such a handsome face, a face with love and distinction. His breathing was steady, at least. She thought perhaps that the pain was not as bad as before. If only he would wake up. She was aching, the huge knot in the pit of her stomach gnawed at her backbone. She was getting sick, thinking of all the things that could be wrong with Clint. Viki almost blacked out and noticed that her knuckles were turning white as they gripped the door handle. ‘The longer we take, the less chance for Clint,’ she thought.
“How much longer, Mark?”
“About 2 miles, I think. Study the map. You’re too quiet. Don’t think about it. Ivan will fix him.”
“Ivan will fix him? Right. Do you know what kind of chance I’m taking with my husband’s life by letting Ivan anywhere near him? It’s a mental debate, a real struggle.”
“Ivan is a brain surgeon, for God’s sake. I think he can do this. After all, once again, his ego is at stake.”
“But he won’t care if Clint dies. He doesn’t care about us!”
“Well, what other choice do we have, Viki? We have to trust Ivan. We have to!”
“That’s the scariest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. Now I know how Larry must have felt. I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Do I have to slap you or something? Ivan will handle it. We have no choice but to let him. And Larry’s here, he can monitor Ivan. You know he will. We have 2 doctors, better odds than no doctors.”
“I wish we’d never gone to Monte Carlo!” Viki slumped in the seat and fell into a pensive mood again.
“Are you looking at the map? I need help, here, Viki.”
“Some map, it’s just a drawing.”
“Are you criticizing my drawing, now? Whatever, just tell me when to turn. I don’t see any road signs.”
“There’s a landmark here. Oh, it’s a stone fence with a wishing well. Watch for that.”
“Okay, I think I see it.”
“Turn left and go to the back of the compound. Go to the largest building and up to the covered drive. Wow, this looks like a hospital.”
“Yeah, it does. What do you know? Let’s get him out.”
Viki jumped out of the limo and ran to the metal door under the canopy. Knocking violently, she captured the attention of someone in the building. A young man in an orderly’s uniform opened the door and she begged him to come with her. He helped Larry and Mark get Clint into a wheelchair and took him into the hospital.
In Portuguese, Mark asked the orderly where Dr. Ivan Kipling was and they were all taken to an emergency room cubicle. There were only two cubicles, though, and the other one had a patient already. Two nurses came in and starting working on Clint. They asked everyone to leave, but Viki refused. Finally, when they saw that Viki wasn’t going to budge, the nurses resumed their examination.
“It’s okay, Viki, I’m going to find Ivan or someone who can tell me where he is.”
“Thank you, Mark. Tell Larry not to go far. We’re going to need him.”
From the other side of the cubicle, Viki saw Clint’s arm move on its own. Then she heard a groan and a cough. Rushing to his side, she saw his eyelids flicker and his lips start to move.
“V…i…k…i . . .”
“I’m here, Darling. How are you feeling? You scared me so.”
“Like c…r…a…p,” he gasped.
“Don’t try to talk. We’re waiting on Ivan. I’ll go get Larry.”
“No, don’t leave me. ”
“He’s just outside, Clint. These nurses will be here.”
Larry went into the cubicle with Viki and began to examine Clint. He used what equipment he could find in the sparse medical cabinet. After a quick series of observations, Larry stated that Clint needed some tests, like x-rays and a cat scan.
With a flourish, Ivan breezed into the room and immediately took over.
“We’re going to take you down the hall for some x-rays, Clint, just to make sure nothing’s broken. Then we’ll look at that brain of yours.”
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