~ Dream a Little Dream of Me ~
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Max rode to the hospital in the ambulance beside his beloved wife. He watched as the paramedics rushed around her, putting in an IV, applying pressure to her wound, taking vital signs. For the first time in his life he felt powerless. When they arrived at the hospital there was a flurry of activity. He tried to follow her, but the nurses told him he had to wait - couldn't enter the emergency room where they took her. "But," he began, "you don't understand, I have to be with her - I promised I'd be with her...." The nurse looked at him sympathetically and said, "I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to wait here. The doctor will be out to update you on her condition in a few minutes." Then she turned and left him alone. Alone in this cold, white sterile room. As cold as he felt, he thought. He had never felt so alone in his entire life. He just stood there, staring at the door where he was not permitted entrance. She needs me, he thought. She needs me..... |
| It seemed like an eternity that he stood there in that cold room waiting for the doctor who would emerge any moment to tell him that his Madra would be ok. He didn't hear Jax and Gene enter the room. They gently took his arm and led him to a chair. Gene was immediately stricken with the blood stains on his shirt and hands. Oh my God, she realized, it's Madra's blood! Oh, how could this happen she thought. Who in the world would want to hurt her! Jax put his arm around his friend and asked if there was anything he could do for him. Gene knelt by his side and held his hand. "She's going to be ok," Gene said, "she has to be Max. She's strong and she loves you and the girls! You know, she's going to fight to come back to you!" It was obvious that Max was in shock. He just sat there staring at the door -- the door behind which his life was. "It was me they were after," he said, "me - not her. This is all my fault. That should be me in there, not her!" "I won't have you talk that way," Gene said. "You know Madra would not want that! Don't you dare blame your self, Max - don't you dare!" |
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After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and a young doctor came in. He told them that she had survived the surgery, but was very weak. "The next few hours are critical," he said. "If she survives the night, she has a good chance of a full recovery." He told Max he could go and sit with her if he wished. Jax led Max to a men's room where he could wash up first and change his shirt. "You don't want her to see you like that, do you?" he said to Max. Max looked down at his shirt and his hands began to shake. "She'll be ok, won't she Jax?" he asked. "Of course, she will," Jax responded, "of course she will...." and hoped it was true. Max walked into the room where Madra lay. He took a seat by her bedside, gently stroked her hair, and whispered in her ear. "I love you darling, please be strong -- for me and the girls, please." |
Max bent to kiss her cheek. She was still so cold, he thought. And, so deathly pale. Oh, my darling, he thought to himself. I'm so sorry.....please forgive me. This is my fault....mine! It should be me in that bed, not you! Oh, God, please....please.....I'll give anything just to have her back! Please...God...please. He could stand it no longer. As tears flowed openly down his cheek, he lay his head on his beloved's chest, murmuring words of love.
~ * * * ~ Ok, she thought, I have to get out of here. Where is Max? Max - Max! Where are you, Max! Max, please, I'm scared, please come and get me -- where are you?! She turned and was startled to see this woman - er, green woman - dressed in black. She jumped and let out a little "Eeek! Who are you?!" The green woman cackled at her and said, "That's none of your concern, my pretty - but, you seem to have something that belongs to me!" "I do?" Madra asked. "What would that be?" "My stand, of course -- my HooHoo stand! Give it to me! Now!" she demanded. Madra looked at the thing in her hand and said "a HooHoo stand? Why would anyone want a HooHoo stand!" The pretty blonde told Miss Greene to back off. "There's no need for this fighting she said." Then she turned to Madra and said, "I'm here to help you find your way home, my dear. "Home," Madra said -- "Home to my Max and my girls!" She was so excited at the prospect of going home, she handed Miss Greene the stand. "Oh, can we go now," she asked. "Dear," the pretty blonde said, "you may go home any time you wish!" Miss Greene pulled back, held up her hands and said, "No need to get violent, my pretty.....just let me have that stand and you can go anywhere you want! Just give me my stand!" Meanwhile, Miss Greene seemed totally enthralled with the man in red. "Oh, my" she squeeled, "where have you been all my life?!" With that she dropped the much-sought after stand and grabbed his arm. "What do you say you and I go back to my place for a little drinkie-poo?" Madra looked at him perplexed. "Max," she said, "is that you?" and she reached out to touch his cheek. She felt the heat eminating from him and the touch of her hand on his cheek burnt her fingertips. She pulled back with a start. "No, dear," she said, "trust me -- that wasn't your Max!" All of a sudden there was a flash of light coming from behind her. Madra turned almost blinded by the light. The light, she thought, the light! That's it, I must follow the light -- Max is looking for me...I have to go follow the light....that's where I'll find him....and she started heading towards the light. The pretty blonde grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear, "No, dearie, trust me. You don't want to go that way. You won't find Max there, my dear, not there." Madra was getting more and more frightened. "I don't know what to do" she said. "All I want is to go home....please, I just want to go home. Oh, Max, I want to come home. I miss my Max... I miss my girls....oh, please just let me go home." Madra's eyes welled with tears. Oh, my dear, you may go home any time you wish! No one is keeping you here." "I can," Madra said. "I can go home? Will you take me there? I don't know how to get there? I don't know where I am." The pretty blonde laughed and said, "Why you don't need me to get you home! You can go home anytime you wish. You have the power to get yourself home." "I do," exclaimed Madra. "Really! Oh, please tell me how..." "You have the ruby slippers my dear," she said. "The ruby slippers will take you home. All you have to do is stand on this little piece of yellow brick road, click your heels together three times, and repeat after me - There's no place like home!" "Is this a joke!" Madra exclaimed! "I think I've seen this in a movie before -- are you kidding me? Please, this is no time for jokes. I have to get home!" "Well," said the pretty blonde, getting just a tad annoyed, "if you want to go home then you'll do as I say!" Madra thought to herself - what the heck, I have nothing to lose..... He made all sorts of promises to God -- if only he'd let her live. The doctor said if she survived the night, she had a good chance. Just survive the night, he thought. Oh my sweet darling, just survive the night. I won't leave you - I promise. I'll be here right by your side, helping you to fight. Please my darling, please come back to me. When he could endure no more, he lay his head on her chest and wept. But, just when he feared all hope was lost, he felt a gentle touch - like a whisper on his hand. He looked down and saw it! The sign he was waiting for -- her hand on his, so gentle, almost not even there. But it was there......
To be continued.......
Madra found herself in a strange place. She looked around and thought, where am I? It's so white and cold here. And, what in the world am I wearing?! I hope no one sees me like this! I'll be the laughing stock of the town! Then she noticed she was wearing the prettiest red ruby pumps! Well, at least they're fashionable, she thought. And, what is that little yellow brick thing? But, what the heck is this I'm holding.....
"What's all this yelling for, my pretty?"
Little Miss Green Thang said, "Don't knock it till you try it, dearie!" With that she grabbed for it and tried to wrestle it out of Madra's hands!
Frightened, Madra held a death grip on the stand and held it up to the green thang's throat! "Leave me alone," she shouted, "you hear me! Leave me alone! All I want is to go home! I want to go home -- I want my Max -- go away -- leave me alone!
All of a sudden there was a flash of light and a puff of hot air! A man seemed to appear out of nowhere. He was dressed in red sequins from head to toe!
Miss Greene and the man in red left. Madra looked at the pretty blonde and said, "Please tell me that wasn't Max....he looked like my Max."
Meanwhile, back in her hospital room, Max sat by his wife's bedside, holding her in his arms, willing her to come back to him. She remained motionless -- so pale and motionless.
