* D PLUS 15

They had been home a week when Eli called Julie aside. “Here’s a paper for you, any time you want to get started, fine. This is why I told you to wait to have your back fixed till we got home.”

She read the paper. It was an authorization to have her surgery done at a civilian hospital by a prominent private plastic surgeon rather than a staff doctor on the base hospital.

“How did you swing this? And this fast too. These papers take years, if they do get approval.”

“You remember Lydia, the congresswoman?”

“Yes, why?”

“She called someone in the Pentagon who called someone who called someone and the request got signed and mailed to us Fed Ex!” An appointment card was attached to the paper. The appointment was for 4 PM today.

Her eyes widened. “How do you get an appointment for today? The authorization paper was just signed yesterday. It takes weeks to get an appointment with someone like this. This doctor is well known. I’ve read stories about him in magazines.”

“My wife called the doctor’s office. She asked for the earliest cancellation available. Before the kids were born she worked there. She fills in when they have vacations. When you know the people in the office it’s easy to make things happen.”

“Thank her for me.”

He nodded. “You’ll be about three miles off the base. As soon as you’re ready to go let me know. I’ll have you put on inactive status and when you’re ready to come back, we’ll put that through.”

“I’d like to hug you but I guess a salute must do.” She saluted, then took one step toward him and gave him a hug. She stepped back, almost embarrassed, “Somehow the salute didn’t seem like enough, again, thanks.”

Jamie called the college for an interview. Her decision had been made that night in the bar as she tried to save people without really knowing what to do. She felt so helpless and yet so badly needed. The feeling was wonderful and frightening. She wanted to become a trauma room nurse, not just a nurse, she told her friends, a trauma room nurse. Nothing less than that was good enough. Her interview was scheduled for later in the week. She would no longer turn tricks, her last one was the night of the raid. She had well over three thousand dollars, she would use it to start her education. Her next call was to the Bob Evans Restaurant along the bypass, they had an ad for waitresses in the newspaper. She needed a job away from the alcohol and tricks, Bob Evans may not be perfect, but it would fill those needs for now. She heard the tips were good and they served no alcohol. She applied for a job there on Friday and on Saturday the call came. The answer was yes, she had the job, could she report later in the day for training? She had only one answer, “Yes.” Her life was now developing meaning.