The Gift

Copyright 2020, Steven M. Moore

            “You’re from the Middle East, I suppose,” Bubba said to Ed as they sped along.

“Iraq. I was an interpreter for the US Army. I was able to get here just before…well, you know. I’m still trying to get my family out.”

“Sometimes our government does things that make no sense. Where ‘bouts in Iraq did you serve?”

“Green Zone mostly. Outskirts of Baghdad. I retrained as an EMT when I arrived here in the States.”

“Probably better than truckin’. ‘Course I know how to fix a truck. Your heli’s a complete loss.”

“Not mine. Birdman’s. The dead pilot inside. He was a great guy. Lived to fly helis.”

“Sad. Heli looked old, though. They don’t last forever, you know. Them tourist ones are always going down.”

Bubba sounded the horn and went around two slow cars, doing so in the prohibited fast lane.

Please, troopers, don’t stop us now, mused Ed.

***

            “You fellas are in an awfully big hurry,” drawled the trooper.

“Cut me some slack, sir,” Bubba said. “Ed here needs to deliver a heart for a transplant.”

“Is that right? Where’s the heart?”

Ed pointed to the container behind his seat. It looked a bit like a picnic container for brewskis, but the red cross and lettering was distinctive.

The trooper nodded. “Okay, just follow me. I’ll use the siren and flashers. I can radio ahead too.”

They pulled into the ER’s entrance about forty minutes later than the original time Ed had estimated. Nurses were waiting.

Are we in time to save the woman? thought Ed.

***

[Six months later…]

“Ready for the best damn barbecue this side of the Mississippi?” Mitch Brady called out to his guests when they walked nervously into his backyard. “You all find some seats and I’ll get you some brewskis.”

“Diet coke or some other soda for me,” Ed said, “if you have any.”

“I’ll get them,” said Dr. Chang. “You watch the meat, Mitch.” He later joined Bubba, Ed, and Charlie Red Feather, the state trooper, all of them a bit uncomfortable for being invited to what was a special family affair.

“We’re a bit like the UN here,” the surgeon said with a laugh, saluting his new friends with his Bud.

“Cherokee Nation in my case,” said Charlie, saluting them too. “Just my papa, though. Mama was a Mexican lady. I don’t drink much, but a cold beer on a hot day goes down well.”

At that moment, Dot Brady made her appearance. She came out of the house, looked around, and then walked toward them. She hugged them all.

“Thank you for coming. This is my birthday. I thought I wouldn’t have another one. Thanks to you fellows, I can. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Me too,” said Mitch, walking over. “Dot’s doing real good now.”

“That’s wonderful, Mr. Brady,” said Bubba.

“You bet it is. And call me Mitch. Let me introduce you all to the family. And then we feast. Watch out, though, ‘cause our daughters are eating for two. I even have lamp chops and chicken breasts for you, Ed.”

Ed smiled at Mitch and winked at Bubba and Charlie.

***

Comments are always welcome.

Binge-Reading #2. While I binge on other author’s series, you can binge on mine. Last week, I featured the “Clones and Mutants Trilogy.” This week, consider my “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series,” seven books that make concrete the first part of my trademark motto, “Around the world…,” because they generally start with a homicide in Manhattan but often move to other US and international settings. The one exception is Aristocrats and Assassins, which starts with Castilblanco and his wife Pam on vacation in Europe (Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden, a main character in the “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” series, makes his first appearance here).

Available on Amazon and Smashwords and all the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) and lending and library services (Scribd, Overdrive, Baker & Taylor, Gardners, etc.)

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

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