Read Online Come and Talk to Me by June Kramin - Free Book Online Page A

had done a few tours and knew where they wanted to settle, Reggie felt less like she was holding Van back from children. Maybe they wouldn’t be ready for kids for a long time either. Maybe in a few years they would talk about adopting.
    Virgie completely understood about canceling the night, as Regina knew she would. They made plans for the next two days off since their husbands shared the same shift. As soon as she hung up, Van howled from the bathroom. She rushed in, and screamed at the sight of him on the floor. “Van, no!”
    “Baby, call Master Chief. I’m hurtin’ bad.”
    “I’m calling an ambulance!”
    “No. I have to go with our coverage. I can’t go anywhere else.”
    “You can’t ride all the way to the hospital in Key West like this!”
    “I’ll be okay. Please, just call him. Call the station. They’ll get a hold of him.”
    She ran to the kitchen to call the station and was relieved when their friend, Derrick, answered. She’d shared a few nights with him in Key West and considered him a good friend. The wives never thought twice about an invitation to go to Key West with any of the crew. No one messed with a crewmembers wife. You were as safe as if you were with your own husband. They were almost more protective, as a matter of fact. She was actually afraid of being looked at in the wrong way by someone, causing a fight to break out.
    Reggie explained the situation hurriedly to him and he jumped into high gear. “I’ll get a hold of Master Chief, but I’m sending a driver right over. He has to go to Key West; there’s no choice.”
    “But he’s in a lot of pain, Derrick. That’s an hour away.”
    “I’ll send the truck with the emergency lights. He’ll get there quicker. He can’t go local unless it’s life threatening. Sorry, Reg. I’ll send the strongest meds I can find here for him. You can ride along, too.”
    “He has to lay flat. He’s having a hell of a time.”
    “There’s a topper on the truck. I’ll throw a mattress in for him. See you in a few, sweet cheeks. Sit tight.”
    Ten minutes passed before they showed up. The boat wasn’t out on patrol so six of the crew showed up. They brought a wooden body board to load him up on the truck. Reggie breathed a sigh of relief at the arrival of the cavalry.
    Although they all knew how serious it was, they tried to keep things light. “Hey, moron,” Derrick said when he walked in. “Can I stay with your hot wife while I make the noob here drive your sorry ass in?”
    “Keep your black ass away from my wife,” Van said into the bathroom rug.
    “But I brought her a hot new teddy.” He winked at Reggie, who managed a smile.
    Derrick knelt down, leaning closer to Van. “You should have let the sonofabitch fall, you jackass.”
    “You’d have done the same thing in my shoes.”
    “Yeah, you’re right. What a bunch of schmucks. Jones is here. He’ll give you a shot in your hairy ass ’cause lord knows I don’t wanna see it.”
    “Up yours. Ah shit, don’t make me laugh, man. Get me the hell outta here.”
    The station’s paramedic joined them in the bathroom to give Van a shot of morphine. Reggie hadn’t met him yet, but it didn’t matter. The thought of that drug made her cringe, no matter who was administering it. He acknowledged her with a nod, but now really wasn’t the time for introductions.
    Carefully laying him on the board, each man took a corner and carried him out. Once he was loaded into the truck, Reggie climbed in the back with him. Derrick drove, all the others returned to the station in a second vehicle. The truck bounced more than she cared for. With each bump, Reggie looked down to see the pain on Van’s face. His eyes squinted together too often and one made him bite his lip so hard, she was afraid he’d draw blood. It took everything she had not to yell at Derrick to be more careful. She knew he was doing everything he could. Relief set in when she realized the morphine must have finally