DAY 4

Sandra saw the morning reports and early papers and for the second time in a week considered resigning.  It would be better for everyone she thought but then she went to the hospital room and saw Jaci.  She was awake and on her crutches getting dressed.  When Sandra came in she smiled, “I saw the news.  I was afraid we would loose you; that you might quit.  Please don’t.”

“It might be easier if I did.  Everyone is really coming down on us for this.  I’m still not sure that there wasn’t something I missed.”

“You didn’t.  I saw you try to get up three times and he shocked you, you jumped like someone does in an ER when they put paddles on them, you know the electric shocks.  I thought you were dying.  You tried to get up every time you came to and he shocked you again till you went down.  I felt so bad.  Each time you seemed to have less strength and you had more trouble moving.”

“Thanks but I was there to see nothing happened and I failed.”

“I heard the SAC talking to dad about it last night.  He said you were exactly where you should be, doing what you should and it happened.  The SAC said that the only way to prevent this would to have a second agent to watch the Custer agent’s back.  They’re looking at adding a second agent in those situations.”

“But I was there.  I’d have given anything had he shot me instead.”

“I know that and I also know you have been there when I needed you.  Yesterday, I needed you to support me to face the loss of a leg more than any threat that has ever come.  You think I was a rock.  Everyone here does.  I was scared silly.  And I still am.  I wasn’t sure I could look at it without freaking out.  I need you here.”

Sandra smiled.  This confident young woman was admitting to her something she would probably not have admitted to anyone else.  Jaci was silent for a few minutes then she asked.  “Do you mind telling me something?”