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| ISBN-13: | 9781477255230 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 08/15/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 354 |
| File size: | 463 KB |
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ALLEGRO
By Roslyn Paterson
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Roslyn PatersonAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-5525-4
Chapter One
It Had Begun, 2015
I'm sorry, Miss, just a few more questions." Still, it was that voice.
Dreaming, Fiona recalled her struggle to remember that day in the hospital, right now, however, just not as vividly.
"Do you know where you are?" the voice said.
Her wedding and life with Kurt in Berlin had all been so real. What was it he had said? What is it with this voice and these questions; this man is a real pest. He won't leave me alone, Fiona thought, in her dream.
She remembered looking up searching for the man and his voice. Her eyes refused to focus, nor her brain for that matter. She wondered if they had heard what she just said. So she repeated it. But this time when she spoke, it was with a bit of sass and emphasis, the voice was not quite an irritation, but it was getting close. She so wanted them to stop asking her these silly questions. Not one to speak cheekily, maybe this time they'd let her alone. So they wouldn't ask her again, she thought.
She said, "I'm on a Mediterranean Cruise on the Love Boat with my husband Kurt Hochsaenger. We left port just yesterday and I woke up to what I thought was this morning. And you keep asking me these silly questions."
Those in her room gathered closer to her bed to listen to her comments. They included her parents, Maureen and Ian, her doctor, and Jake. They listened intently and with deep concern.
Fiona continued, "But when I woke up it was so dark, I decided that it was," she paused, "Well, it was still actually in the middle of the night. But the B-E-E-P was so loud; it was just like an alarm clock. I figured the last people in this cabin had unfortunately set the alarm clock for the middle of the night!
"Yes, Miss, it was quite loud."
She heard the voice again but still hadn't opened her eyes to see who it was that spoke to her, even now in her dream she wondered who it was. "Now kindly find my husband or send me someone who has some answers. All you seem to be doing is asking me stupid questions."
"I understand Miss, if you'd only open your eyes, and allow me to ask you one more question," the voice said again just like the last time. She remembered the doctor asking her these questions and that her answer was rather glib thinking if the doctor didn't know where he was they were both in a lot of trouble.
"Actually, Miss, could tell me, who is the President of the United States?" said the doctor.
She was hoping that he knew the answer to this mundane question. "Well that one is easy, George Bush." Fiona said with a nod of her head, "Yes, that's it. Why do you want to know about Mr. Bush, has something happened?" she said, questioning.
"I was hoping you would ask me that, Fiona. You see, I'm your doctor, you are in the hospital. Your Mother and Father have been sitting vigil in your room ever since you were brought in here two months ago." The voice paused, rather, the doctor paused.
"Hospital? Where am I?" Fiona said, as the alarm bells in her head were suddenly going off and were now showing on her face.
"You are in NYU Medical Center, ICU room number 1311," the doctor said.
Feeling more uncertain about her true surroundings, Fiona said, "No, I'm on the Love Boat. This is my honeymoon. You arranged it for me. Daddy, what have you done with Kurt?"
"Fiona, listen to me now," her Father said firmly. In her dream, she remembered her Father's tone. It was sweet and caring but yet it was still full of concern. "It is the year 2015, they told us that after your swimming workout at the YMCA you fell in the showers and hit your head pretty hard. They rushed you here and you've been in a coma ever since."
"A coma?" Fiona said even more alarmed at her health status revelation, then realized a bit more, though still her brain felt like the cobwebs were anchored in deep. "Doctor, am I alright?" She said in her dream.
Fiona's memory of her time in the hospital was fading in and out in her dream. She remembered hearing the "B-E-E-P" sound again, even now in her dream. That sound was a stranger in the dark, but she could hear it loud and clear. It wasn't the ship's horn, or from traffic outside. Finally, her more rational brain led her thinking, well, her dreaming. "B-E-E-P." There it was again, in her dream she finally remembered what it was, it was the nursing call button of a patient in the room next to Fiona's. Each time someone had come into or exited her room when the door was open, the too familiar "B-E-E-P" invaded the privacy of her hospital room and now the silence of her dreams.
She knew that if she was ever going to wake up to another alarm clock, she wouldn't have the alarm tone be set to beep; she would, instead, choose something else, something more soothing. Perhaps, she thought, the operas of Wagner on a sound machine, set to wake her up at the appointed hour. Perhaps the first opera he wrote, dedicated to a town he knew only too well, Füssen: Opus 1.
Chapter Two
First Impressions, 1988
Fiona and Jake met while they both worked as staff nurses at NYU Medical Center. He worked on a neurological unit where the wide variety of conditions included: epileptics, cranial surgery, rare orphan neurological conditions to the patients who recently suffered from a stroke or coma. He enjoyed the complexity of the cases with which he worked.
Cardiology had been Fiona's preference, working on a unit located just upstairs from Jake's. She took care of patients with arrhythmias, coronary bypass surgeries, heart and lung transplants, and the occasional rare cardiac disorder. Her subspecialty had come after a year or so and her specific interest was in abnormal heart rhythms.
One night when Fiona went to the hospital cafeteria for dinner break, she noticed a posting on the hospital internal community message board, "4th needed, golf outing Long Island-Saturday the 20th." Having played golf since she was about 12 years old, Fiona thought the idea of taking up golf again; a good idea. She hadn't played any golf since moving to New York. She responded to the notice by taking one of the tongued tabs with someone's phone number and made a mental note to call the number the next day.
When she called the number she wasn't surprised when a man answered, "Hello?"
"Hello, this is Fiona MacLaren from NYU, I'm responding to the posting about golf on Saturday?"
"Hi Fiona, this is Jake. I was sort of expecting a guy to call, but hey, we can be progressive men ..." he said letting his voice trail off.
Sensing his apprehension, Fiona countered teasingly, "What, are you worried to play with a woman?"
"To be honest, a little."
"Well then we are even, it isn't every day I play golf with an entire group of men, but hey, I'm up for that challenge!" Fiona said, the smile on her face evident in her voice. "Do you play for money or beer?"
"Ah, what?" Jake said stumbling.
"You know bingo, bango, bongo, or match point or something?"
"You play, like that?" he said.
"It isn't a concept only for men," Fiona said flirtatiously.
"Then you are on, you don't want a handicap too do you?" he said.
Smiling broadly knowing she had finally been accepted to play, "Not if you don't."
"Touché, Fiona, touché. Where do you live Fiona? Sam is driving out to the course, perhaps we can all drive out together?"
"Oh gosh, I hadn't even thought of that!" Fiona stammered. "I live on East 78th Street."
"Ok, give me the exact address," he said and after she'd told him he said, "Got it, can you be in the lobby by 7:30am? Our tee time is for 10:28am and that should give us plenty of time to pick up everyone and drive out to the course. We usually play at 10:30 because we think it is perfect timing for lunch on the turn and time to clean up afterwards without rushing back to the city."
"Sounds perfect to me."
"Great," he said. "I'll call Sam and let him know. Nick is my neighbor so we only have a few stops and then head over to the course."
The remainder of the call was spent on finalizing the logistics, directions to her building, and if she needed to bring anything else. Thinking about the outing, Fiona smirked knowing she didn't mind being the only female, in fact, when she played golf, while she usually competed against just herself, playing against or with men only, always heightened her game. That was how she met Jake.
Jake informed his buddies that their 4th was woman named Fiona; she was another nurse from the hospital. He further explained that she was up for betting games on their round. He told them that one of her favorite games was bingo, bango, bongo.
Finally the day of the golf outing had arrived. Fiona wore her favorite red polo by Ralph Lauren and khaki middle length shorts. Her hushpuppy style golf shoes completed her look. She always wore a large brimmed straw hat, like Greg Norman-the shark. She wore her hair in a low ponytail underneath the hat. Tammy Jo, her New York golf pro, had shown her how to style her hair for women's golf hats, through the back of a cap or bonnet like Michelle McGann, ribbon and all.
Fiona was downstairs in the lobby of her building anxiously awaiting the men who were coming to pick her up. She spoke idly with her doorman, Neal, a retired police detective and pseudo-Father figure. When she first moved to New York and needed advice, she often stopped to ask his opinions. Today was no different.
As she walked into the lobby, Neal saw her carrying her gear and said, "Let me guess, going swimming at the YMCA?"
"Very funny, you are such a card!"
"Where are you playing today?"
"I'm joining three guys that needed a fourth. One of them is a nurse at the hospital who works on the unit downstairs from mine. They are picking me up. The course is out on Long Island, something public but they didn't tell me which one. At this point, they are all new and unfamiliar to me so it doesn't really matter. I am just looking forward to playing."
"Well, you look the part." He said looking out the window at traffic, "What time are they supposed to pick you up?"
"7:30. I'm a little early," Fiona reported.
"What kind of car? There is one parked up the street about 100 yards with some young men in it. They seem to be talking quite animatedly."
"Well, let's get this show on the road. If it is them, Jake knows what I look like, or at least he thought so from my description over the phone. If I'm outside on the sidewalk with you, waiting for them, perhaps if it is them, they'll drive up the rest of the way?"
"Good idea. Let me carry out your bag." Neal said walking back towards her bag and grabbing it. "What do you have in here, rocks?"
"No, I've still got my Father's old steel shafted clubs, heavy I know. It is why I ride when I play!"
"Darling when you get back to town, I'll have a list of the best women's club dealers for you. You must upgrade to titanium or help me when I'm laid up after my hernia surgery! OOF!"
"They aren't as bad as all that, you are a real tease Neal, you know that?"
Neal smiled knowing one of his favorite tenants was about to have a grand time on such a beautiful day.
Turning to look at oncoming traffic, Fiona saw the parked car merge back onto the street and stop in front of her building. As soon as the car lurched to a stop, Jake hopped out. Smiling as he did so, he assisted Fiona with her gear and she waved goodbye to Neal.
"Are you ready for a great day Fiona?" Jake asked eagerly.
"Ready, let's go!"
Inside the car, Sam turned to Nick who was sitting shotgun and said, "I love fresh meat."
Nick replied, "I think Jake does too."
On the outside, Fiona was busy settling into her seat and not particularly listening to the front seat conversation, Jake had heard his friends' comments and smiled while doing up his seatbelt. While on the inside, the butterflies were taking hold for both of them, keeping them alert and on their toes.
During their round of golf, Fiona and Jake shared a golf cart and Jake drove. Sam and Nick rode in the other cart. She had a feeling about him that she would hold throughout the golf match and try her best not to lose focus. Did she want to impress him? If she won, would that scare him away? He seemed to enjoy her company; he was often touching her knee as they drove through the course. He complimented her game even if that meant he was losing the bet.
"Where was this heading," Fiona thought, "Was this the making of a relationship?" A faint blush came to Fiona's cheek; she wondered about this man sitting next to her.
Chapter Three
Meeting The Parents, 1988
Fiona and Jake had been dating for over six months when they decided it was time to meet their respective parents. Fiona suggested they meet Jake's parents first, since they lived in southwestern Florida and that was a good place to escape the bitterness of a January winter in New York City.
Their flight to Florida was uneventful and surprisingly fast, probably because they both were so exhausted heading into the trip that they slept almost the entire flight. Their hands clasped in each other's grip while they slept made the flight attendants smile each time they passed them up with beverage or food service.
The announcement by the pilot that they were cleared for landing woke Jake, but Fiona still slept. It wasn't until the jostling of the landing that she woke up. "Wow, are we there?" she said.
"Yes darling. We just landed, welcome to Florida."
"Well that was fast, how time flies when you sleep on a plane!" Fiona said with a chortle.
After they collected their carryon bags and deplaned, Jake said, "Remember now, my parents always meet me at the gate. I can't wait for you to meet them!"
"I can't wait either!"
Sure enough, as they entered the gate area, standing there were Clifton and Bette Davies, just past the check-in desk of the gate. Their broad smiles beamed from their faces. Bette was the first to speak, opening her arms and enveloping her son in a huge bear hug.
"Oh Jake, it is so good to have you home." Turning to Fiona she said, "And this must be Fiona. It is so nice to meet you!"
"Hi Mom, Dad, yes, this is Fiona. Fiona, these are my parents Clifton and Bette Davies."
"By the end of the week Fiona, if you aren't calling us Mom and Dad something is wrong," said Clifton. "I am so glad to finally meet you."
They drove away from the airport trying to agree on where to take Fiona first, to their favorite place for lunch, to the ocean, or just what. So many choices awaited them. Jake decided he was hungrier for food than seawater and said, "Lunch first, ocean second."
The drive to lunch was picturesque but slow. They opted for the old highway instead of the new interstate. The restaurant was built on the beach tucked away amongst small and large resorts and island homes. Their lunch consisted of burgers and sandwiches at a picnic table outside on the veranda.
After lunch, the group took a walk along the beach. The devastation of recent hurricanes and storms was evident along the shoreline, as the beach was worn away in several places. Palm trees and fronds were scattered about. Fiona knew from her childhood that this was good timing for shelling and kept her walking path along the first few inches of surf. Every few minutes or so she found what looked to be a keeper shell but upon closer inspection, it was marred, flawed, or broken.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from ALLEGRO by Roslyn Paterson Copyright © 2012 by Roslyn Paterson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 It Had Begun, 2015....................1Chapter 2 First Impressions, 1988....................4
Chapter 3 Meeting the Parents, 1988....................8
Chapter 4 Golf Partners, 1988....................15
Chapter 5 An Engaging Evening, 1990....................22
Chapter 6 Requests and Permissions, 1990....................33
Chapter 7 Parties, Traditions, and Nuptials, 1990....................39
Chapter 8 A Set Back, 2015....................49
Chapter 9 Remembering London to Paris, 1985....................60
Chapter 10 Still Remembering & Stranded in Paris, 1985....................73
Chapter 11 Reality in Real Time, 2015....................86
Chapter 12 Thanks to a New Friend, 1985....................89
Chapter 13 Headaches & Hassles, 2016....................99
Chapter 14 A Brief Reorientation, 2015....................107
Chapter 15 It had Begun-Again, 1985....................109
Chapter 16 The Honeymoon Phase, 1991....................115
Chapter 17 More Hospital Activity, 2015....................125
Chapter 18 Memories of Medical School, 1995....................134
Chapter 19 Scottish Highlands, 1991....................139
Chapter 20 Remembering Tea and Crumpets, 1985....................143
Chapter 21 Still in Scotland Finding Family, 1985....................152
Chapter 22 Nurses Always Find Their Own, 2015....................168
Chapter 23 Nursing Board Exam–Day One, 1985....................169
Chapter 24 Nursing Board Exam– Day Two, 1985....................178
Chapter 25 Another Headache, Another Recollection, 1990....................188
Chapter 26 Thoughts on the English Countryside, 1985....................193
Chapter 27 The Night Train: Paris To Amsterdam, 1985....................206
Chapter 28 Amsterdam, 1985....................216
Chapter 29 Amsterdam to Dusseldorf, 1985....................227
Chapter 30 Two on Land, Two at Sea, 1991....................238
Chapter 31 Eilean Donan Castle & Isle of Sky, 1991....................242
Chapter 32 Altstadt, 1985....................246
Chapter 33 Islands & Bridges, 1991....................256
Chapter 34 Würzburg, 1985....................261
Chapter 35 A Wurzburg Family Dinner, 1985....................276
Chapter 36 Calm Seas and Good Intentions, 1991....................283
Chapter 37 Positive Progress, 2015....................286
Chapter 38 An Autumn Breeze, 2016....................289
Chapter 39 A Bavarian Train Ride, 1985....................297
Chapter 40 Füssen, 1985....................307
Chapter 41 A Honeymoon Interrupted, 1991....................310
Chapter 42 A Honeymoon Rescue, 1991....................317
Chapter 43 Reframed Recollections, 2015....................324
Chapter 44 Honeymoon Finalé, 1991....................332
Chapter 45 Many Returns of the Day, 2015....................341
Chapter 46 Expectations, 2016....................344