TRIXIE CHAPTER 37

David ran after Don, he was careful not to knock into the nurses or the trolleys around the corridor.

He turned the corner and saw Don dashing across to the next wind and saw him chasing a man.

Meanwhile the man realized that Don was on to him. He ran and dashed into the next wing. He was way ahead when he spied a janitorial cart. He pulled the cart to one side and lay in wait for Don.

When Don approached him, he stood up and with all his strength he pushed the cart towards Don. He didn't let go, he rammed the cart into Don.

Don was pushed backwards; he had no chance to avoid it. The man kept pushing it at him, he kept stumbling backwards and was almost falling when David shouted at him and some nurses were alerted at the commotion.
"HEY, HEY, YOU!"

The man stopped pushing, he looked at Don and he made a gun with his hand and pointed it at Don. "Bang, you're dead." He said and he gave a final push at Don and turned to run away.

Don bent down catching his breath and holding on to the now stationery cart for support.

"Don, Don, are you alright?" an anxious David asked.

"OK, OK, only winded."

"No, Don, I saw him ram the cart at you; better let Dr. Stewart check you over." One of the nurses said. The nurses came near to see if Don needed help.

"No, I'm OK, really, thanks for your concern."

David looked at Don and saw that he was sweating, whether from exertion or pain, he was not sure.
"Come on; let's get you back to your room. You did a mighty sprint there just now. I couldn't catch up." David smiled at Don, "For an injured man, you're mighty fit in running."

"Huh, tell me that afterwards." Don walked back slowly with David.

"That was Logan, you know." Don said.

"So I'd gathered, what's he up to now? Better be very careful, he's cunning, smart and he's not scared of being caught."

"I think he's checking out the area. I saw him hiding behind the corner and he was looking in my direction just after I had my talk with Clara. I turned and saw him. He ran and I ran after him."

They reached his room and Don felt exhausted, he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.

"Hey, are you Ok, shall I call the nurse?"

"No. I just want to rest before Dr. Stewart comes in. Don't want to spoil my chances of getting out. More than ever now I need to get out of here."

"He knew it was you?"

"Yea and he made a sign like this at me." Don showed him the gun hand that Logan made.

After a while, Dr. Stewart came in with a nurse, David stood up and excused himself.

One of the nurses told Dr. Stewart what had happened, he gave Don a thorough checkup and after a while he said, "Well, you're looking good but your heartbeat's a trifle fast, heard you did some morning exercise. How was it?'

"Well nearly got done in if not for my team mate." Don said frankly.

"Well, that's good, even with this you're doing well. How about we get you out of here tomorrow morning?" Dr. Stewart said checking at Don's shoulder.

"How about today, this afternoon? I'll stay for lunch."

Dr. Stewart smiled, "Didn't know that you like our food so much."

"Well, I can't just have my breakfast and go, can I?"

"Alright, you can stay for lunch first. But," Dr. Stewart held out a hand.
"Provided you stay with someone, you get someone to change the bandages every two days for a week, then come in for your final checkup."

Don was elated that he could get out today.
"Yes, I'm staying with my father and brother and no problem my father can change the bandages for me."

"Well, OK then, I can't say I'm sad to see you go, and I can't say I want to see you again." Dr. Stewart smiled.

Don smiled. "But I can say thank you very much for all you have done and I like to take you out one day for dinner, my treat."

"You're most welcome and thank you in advance for dinner. I apologize on behalf of the hospital that you have suffered while under our care."

"That's not your fault; it's just that he came after me while I was here. Well, I am getting out and I'll make sure that he won't hurt anybody. We'll catch him, he's not invisible."

"Take care and I'll send Clara in with the discharge papers and you can go anytime after lunch. Clara will give you the instructions for after discharge home care and you can get all your medication here, no need to go elsewhere. FBI gets a special discount here."

"Thanks again Doc, see you for dinner one of these days. I'll contact you."

"Yea, do that. Take care."

Doctor Stewart went off and the nurse with him stayed to change bandages for Don. She took the dressing off his head saying, "You don't need this but try to not to scratch. I know it's gonna be itchy for a while. We'll prescribe a cream for it, the scar will also disappear."

"Aw... I was hoping for a scar, it'll be more dashing to the girls." Don joked with her.

Don was familiar with most of the nurses and he knew Mona was easy to get along with.

She replied, "You'll still be your own dashing self without the scar and don't be cheeky."
Mona is one of those motherly nurses; she is also a grandmother to three little boys.

"Thanks Mona for all your help."

"You're most welcome, ahh; the nurses will miss you terribly."

Don ducked his head, he was embarrassed.

Mona laughed and said, "There you go, be good."

Mona went off and soon David came in and saw that Don was all smiles.

"You ready to blow this joint?"

"Yep, Dr. Stewart is signing me out after lunch. Now where is my parent?"

"You want me to call Alan?"

"No, wait for a while; I still have about 3 hours to wait."

Alan came in around 12noon and got the good news that Don would be leaving after two. He was glad for Don and happy that finally Don got to go home with him.

Clara brought the paperwork around 1pm and after Don signed the papers, she said she would collect the medication for him.

Don was not in the mood to eat when Wilber sent in the lunch tray for he was anxious to go but he needed to do something first. He told his father to wait for him.

David followed him to Trixie's room and waited outside.

He knocked on the door and pushed it open; Trixie was reading her book in a chair next to her own bed.

Don was glad to see that Mrs. Cameron was alert and sitting up in the bed.

"Mrs. Cameron, how are you?' Don asked.

"I'm getting better, hopefully can get out of hospital by this weekend. Thank you so much for looking after Trixie for us, Mr. Eppes."

"It's Don, Hi Trixie, how are you doing?"

Trixie did not answer Don but continued reading.

Don looked at Mrs. Cameron.

Mrs. Cameron said "She been like that this morning, she did not eat her breakfast and she answered me in monosyllables."
Don bend down and looked at her, "Trixie?"
Still she did not answer Don.

He tried another tactic, "You remembered what we've talked about? I'll bring Charlie and Alan to visit you. Your mother said you'll be out of here by this weekend. It's only 3 days away."

Don tilted her face to look at her. Don's heart almost broke; tears were running down her face.

'Aw… pumpkin, don't cry. Come on, you don't want to be a cry baby."

She jumped up and clung to Don and Don almost lost his balance, he hugged her to him and carried her to the sofa where he put her down.

"Hey, you're still crying, so you want to be a cry baby?"

"No, am not."

"Al..right then, I still see tears in your eyes." Don said in a sing song tone.

Sniffles…sniffles, after a few sniffles, she looked at Don, "Am not crying."

"OK, now you are happy your mommy is here with you, aren't you?"

"Y..eeesss."

"Your mommy said both of you will be leaving very soon, so you're happy about that aren't you?"

"Y..eesss."

"Then you remembered what we talked about?"

"Yesss."

'I'll come and see you tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow until you go home, is that alright with you?"

"Yesss."

"So Ok now, no more tears. You'll be a good girl for your mommy and listen to Grace or Chandler and don't be running out of this room, alright?"

"Yes."

"OK, I've talked all I want to talk about, now it's your turn, surely you have a better vocabulary other than Yes!"

That got her giggling.

"Now that's what I like to hear." Don hugged her to him.

"But I don't want….." Don stopped her before she could continue, "No, no… we've already gone through that."

"But..."

"Um mmm. It's a no no word."

"Now can I say something?" she pouted.

"Wow… I'm scared; Pixie is an angry girl now." Don suddenly backed away.

She giggled and she pulled at Don's arm.

"OK, OK, you'd better not pull off my arm, I can only use this one for the time being."

"Don, what I want to say is that, you promised to come and see me?"

Yes."

"You'll always be my friend?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"No, I want to hear you say it."

"Yes, my little Pixie, I'll promise to be your friend."

"Always?"

"Always."

"Thank you very much Don, I will always be your friend too. You'd better go now, I will be a good girl and listen to mommy and Chandler and Grace."

"Alright. Take care of your mommy and yourself"

"Yes, Don you know I will. But you promise me to take care of yourself and listen to Alan?"

'Wow… this girl is something.' Errr, yes up to a point. I will listen to my dad."

"OK, that's fair enough; I know you will take care of yourself." Trixie said and she pulled him down to her level and whispered, "My mommy does not know about that bad guy trying to get me. You will catch him quickly?"

"Yes, I will catch him as soon as I find him, you don't worry about that. I won't let him hurt you again, I promised." Don said softly to her.

"Ok, that enough for me, thank you very much Don." She suddenly pulled him down again and she kissed him on his cheek, "I love you."

Don was taken aback. Then he bent down and put his hands on her face and kissed her forehead, "Love you too Pixie."

She clung to his neck and hugged him. Don did the same and hugged her to him.
For a while, Don kissed her cheek, they both let go and Don stood up.

"Goodbye Mrs. Cameron, I'll come by tomorrow."

"Thank you Don, you're very good with Trixie, no wonder she admires you very much."

"You've got a pretty smart girl there, she's very adorable and my family loves her too. Well, I'll be going now. Bye Trixie."

"Bye Bye Don, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you then."

Don left and saw that David was talking to Chandler. Don had a few words with him regarding Trixie.
He gave him his cell number and told him to call him if the need arose. He also gave him his office number and told him that he could speak to any of his team.

They shook hands with each other, and then David and Don left.

Alan urged him again to eat something. Don declined saying they could pick up a pizza on the way home and that satisfied Alan.

Clara came in with the medication that Don would need for the week.
She explained the various medications and after discharge homecare to Don and Alan. After that she went outside and came in with a wheelchair.
Don was not eager to sit in it but Alan reminded him that he had a big bag and he could carry it himself by putting it on his lap.
David laughed at Alan's tactic and Don rolled his eyes and sat in the wheelchair with the bag on his lap.

Alan and Don thanked Clara and she saw them to the hospital entrance.
Alan went to get the car; a few nurses came by to wish Don a speedy recovery.

David waited by the side and grinned at Don.

Don's cell rang, "Eppes."

"Don, are you getting out today?"

"Yes, Charlie, I'm on the way out now, Dad's bringing the car round. Will I see you later at home?"

"Yes, see you later. Glad you're back."

"Yeah. See you."

Alan brought the car to the front of the hospital's entrance, David took the bag from Don and stowed it in the trunk. He saw Don to the passenger seat and told him, "I'll follow you back to Charlie's house. What toppings do you want on the pizza?"

"No problem, David, we'll get it ourselves. We'll see you back in Charlie's house." Alan said.

"It's no problem really, I'll get it and you two can go straight home."

Alan thanked him and he gave the order. He tried to give David the money for it but David declined .
Don said, "Thanks David, we'll see you at home." He turned to his dad and said, "Home James, and make it quick." He leaned back and closed his eyes.

He heard David laughing as he walked off.

"Funny man, James indeed." Alan smiled and started the car, Don smiled.

The end for now.

My grateful thanks to my beta Mikiss for all her help.

Tinkoo.