Whispered Promises

Mary picked up the tiny baby. Looking down at the infant, her voice caught when she said, “You didn’t deserve this…”

Captain came over to speak to Sir. “The local authorities have been contacted and are on their way.”

Sir looked in satisfaction at the numerous survivors. “Excellent work, Captain. I’ll call Stephanie to see if she can house all of them.”

“Good.”

Sir held out his hand to Captain and shook it firmly. “This rescue would not have been possible without you.”

Captain nodded gravely. “I’m thankful we were able to save them all.” He glanced at Mary and Brie with a troubled expression. “However, I wish we’d gotten here sooner to spare them any pain.”

Sir cleared his throat. “As do I.”

Brie watched as the police arrived, lighting up the forest with flashing red and blue lights. She held her breath as Greg Holloway was taken out of the van in handcuffs and led to a waiting patrol car.

Holloway’s reign of terror was over.

Brie attempted to speak to Mary while they were at the hospital being evaluated, but her friend kept her eyes on the floor and completely ignored Brie.

While it was hurtful, she had witnessed firsthand the pain Mary endured because of her. The wounds on Mary’s back had yet to heal and would leave scars she would have to live with for a lifetime.

As much as Brie longed to comfort Mary, she respected her friend’s need for distance. Brie hoped there would come a day when Mary could find it in her heart to forgive her.

Brie lay on the hospital gurney in Emergency for a long time while they administered several IVs. As she watched the liquid slowly drip into her veins, she heard Captain walk in and ask the station nurse if he could speak to Mary.

He was directed to the curtained area right next to Brie. “I will take you home, lief. Is there anything I can get you before the long drive?”

She heard Mary’s tortured voice answer, “No…”

“Candy and I would like you to remain with us. Would you like that?”

Mary said nothing.

“If you’d rather stay somewhere else, I will arrange it.”

She started weeping. “I just want…”

“Yes?” Captain encouraged her softly.

“…to forget,” she said, sobbing quietly.

Captain told her in a tender voice, “If I could, I would take those memories from you, lief. But I can’t. What I can do is help you move past them…with time.”

“I want to shrivel up and die,” she choked out.

“I understand,” he replied. “There was a time when I felt that way, myself.”

“What saved you?” Mary asked, weeping softly.

“A three-legged dog I didn’t want.”

She was silent for a moment. “That’s the last answer I expected.”

Chuckling sadly, he told her, “I felt the same at the time, but you never know the gifts life has in store for you. The only way to experience them is to keep on fighting.”

“I’m tired of fighting, Vader…”

Captain stated softly, “Let me be your three-legged dog for a while.”

Tears filled Brie’s eyes as she lay there, touched by Captain’s kind heart. For a man renowned for his tough exterior and military know-how, he was truly a gentle giant inside.