CSADT

By Ed Carlson

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This story is purely fictitious. The names used herein are for character

identification and should not be construed as real people, alive or dead.

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Chapter 1

(Late Afternoon)

“Mary Beth, you’d better go talk to Ruben and Darrel over there,” the angry waitress said.

“I’ll handle it Norma,” Mary Beth said, coming out from behind the lunch counter walking authoritatively over to the two men seated in one of the booths. “What seems to be the problem over here?”

“We want some grub, four eyes,” one of them replied, slurring his words.

“You two both know that I don’t serve drunks in this place,” Mary Beth returned. “Now, I want you to leave!”

“Why won’t you give us something to eat?” the other one asked.

“Because both you and your brother are drunk! And I don’t serve drunks! If you want something to eat, go back to Harry’s Place. He’ll fix you a sandwich as well as give you a drink,” she commanded. “Now you and your smelly brother get out of here! I mean it!”

“What do you mean, smelly?” Darrel asked indignantly.

“You two both smell like that mink farm where you are supposed to be working,” she snapped back. “If you don’t get moving now, I’m calling the sheriff!”

“Well, we’re not leaving, four eyes,” he replied.

Mary Beth turned and walked back to the counter. As she approached it, she bumped it as though she hadn’t seen it. She walked around the counter and picked up the telephone. As she did, the two brothers got up from the table and stomped out the door. As they did, Darrel said: “Watch yourself, four eyes. We’ll be back.”

“I wouldn’t trust those two any further than I can throw ’em,” the waitress said once the door was slammed behind them.

“I’m not concerned,” Mary Beth replied. “They’re just out blowing off a little steam. If you wipe that table down, I’ll get the air freshener.”

Chapter 2

(After closing time)

“Bobbie, is that you?” Mary Beth said after hearing a familiar knock on the back door.

“Yes, it’s me Mary Beth. Unlock the door,” Bobbie said from the alley behind the café.

Mary Beth unlatched the deadbolt on the back door and swung the door open. Deputy Bobbie Langtree walked in and latched the door behind him. He gave Mary Beth a little kiss and walked into the back of the café.

“You look very provocative this evening,” he told her.

“What do you mean? I just threw on these old things for my Friday night ritual,” she replied.

“Well, you certainly know how to fill out that top, and you look good in those low-rise jeans,” he complimented her as he looked closely at her erect nipples on her unrestrained breasts beneath her low-cut white cotton top that was tied and exposed a major portion of her midriff.

“Come on, you’ve seen me like this before,” she responded without objecting.

“I know it, and I’m not complaining,” he said. “You want me to pour you a cup of coffee?”

“Please,” she replied. “I’ll be with you just as soon as I get the old deep fryer oil draining.”

Bobbie poured two cups of coffee and took them to the little table in the back room where they normally sat in the late evening. He put the cups down and took off his hat while Mary Beth continued to work at getting the old cooking oil draining into white buckets.

“Do you change that oil every week?” he asked.

“Have to. The fried chicken on Saturday will taste like Friday’s fish if I don’t,” she replied. “Just a second, I need another bucket.”

She opened the back door and walked out to the little storage building behind the café. She retrieved another bucket and started back. Just as she reached the door, a gust of wind blew dust in her face. She closed her eyes and made her way inside, then closed the door behind her. She dropped the bucket and, with her eyes still shut tightly, felt her way over to the table where Bobbie was still sitting.

“What’s the matter?” he quizzed.

“Dust in my eyes,” she replied as she sat down. “A gust of wind caught me just outside the door.”

She blinked a few times and tried to open her eyes. They began to tear, and she couldn’t keep them open.

“You going to be all right?”

“My eyes are scratching like mad. I think I must have dust under my contacts,” she replied, removing her glasses after sitting down. “Could you get me that blue box that is sitting on-end on the top shelf in the storeroom please?”

The deputy got up and retrieved the box. He placed it in front of her as he sat back down. With her eyes still closed, she opened the box and took out the contact container. He watched closely as she removed her contacts, placed them in the container, and then put on even much thicker glasses.

“I didn’t know that you wore contacts as well as glasses,” Bobbie said as he watched her add more cleaning solution to the contact case.

“I have to. Take a good look at these contacts” Mary Beth said, sliding the case over in front of him.

“They don’t look like any I’ve seen before,” he replied. “They’re the same color as your eyes, and the center is darker.”

“Yes, they’re tinted because my eyes can’t handle a lot of light very well. But notice they’re a lot thicker than most. They are as strong as they can make contacts. They contain two thirds of my prescription I need to see,” she said as she put her normal glasses in the little blue box.

“Wow, that’s really something,” he said, sliding the contact container back to her. “Those thick glasses are certainly a different look for you. The others make your eyes look a little bigger, but these make your eyes look huge.”

Mary Beth’s eyes continued to tear as she put the contact container in the little blue box. She blinked several times trying to relieve the scratching, but to no avail. She took a bottle of eye drops out of the box and removed her ultra thick glasses. She leaned back against the booth and, with her head tilted back, put in the eye drops.

Bobbie tried on the ultra thick glasses, and attempted to look through them.

“These have got to be the thickest glasses I’ve ever seen,” he commented. “How in the world do you see through these things?”

Mary Beth leaned forward and put down the eye drop bottle, then began feeling around the table. When she didn’t find her glasses right away, her hand search became almost frantic.

“My glasses! Where are my glasses?” she asked in a panicked voice.

“I’m wearing them,” Bobbie replied calmly. “Can’t you see that?”

 “Bobbie, if I don’t have those glasses, I can’t see anything at all,” she said frankly as her wide, dark eyes stared blankly in his direction. “Right now, I’m totally blind. I can’t even see that you’re right across the table from me.”

“I knew that you couldn’t see very well, but I didn’t imagine that you were blind,” he said, removing her glasses but still examining them as her hands continued to search the table unsuccessfully.

 “Bobbie, let me do a little demonstration for you; then you’ll know how little I can see,” she said, her wide dark eyes staring blindly in his direction. “There’s a roll of wax paper on the counter behind you. Unroll a little and look through it and tell me what you see.”

“Nothing,” he replied, holding up the wax paper and trying to look through it. “If I aim it at a bright light, it will be brighter there but that’s all. There are no shapes at all.”

“Exactly. That’s the way I see, or rather don’t see, without my glasses,” Mary Beth explained. “Now please give me my glasses.”

“First, do the hand in front of your face test, and I’ll think about it,” he teased.

“Bobbie, please just give me the damn glasses,” she asked apprehensively, almost pleading. “I told you I can’t see.”

He didn’t move.

“Bobbie, I don’t like to be teased like this,” Mary Beth snapped. “I hate being blind.”

He still sat motionless without making a sound.

“OK,” Mary Beth relented. “Hold up your hand and wave it in front of my face.”

Bobbie waited a few seconds and then waved his hand several times within six inches of her nose. He stopped and then did it again.

“OK, you can start anytime now,” Mary Beth said as she stared blankly with her dark eyes wide open.

“I already have,” he said.

“There, I told you I can’t see,” she replied sadly. “Now do you believe me?”

“Boy, you really are blind. You didn’t even blink,” Bobbie replied, putting her glasses back in Mary Beth’s hands.

“Thank you!” she said as she quickly put her glasses back on. “I go into extreme panic mode when I misplace my glasses or I can’t find them.”

“Have you always had problems seeing?”

“Only for the past three years,” Mary Beth started. “I’ve told you a little about my past and my drug dealing boyfriend and how we used to get drunk and stoned.”

“Yes,” Bobbie replied. “You also told me how you got away from him and straightened yourself out in rehab.”

“True. I’ve been clean and sober ever since. I guess my eyes were the last straw,” she continued. “I found out that Joie had a thing for girls with thick glasses. He also delighted in taking their glasses from them and letting them wander around unable to see. Because I could see perfectly, he had a pair of those joke thick glasses for me to wear when we partied. Then later on, he had contacts made for me. I couldn’t see when I put them in. I needed thick minus glasses to see anything then.”

“That sounds pretty sick,” Bobbie commented.

“He was,” she replied. “One night, there was a guy who worked at the laser eye surgery clinic at the party. He owed Joie a great deal of money. They got me really stoned and talked me into letting him operate on my eyes. You know, the ‘I’ll love you more if you do this for me’ line. The guy promised that he would only make me a little nearsighted. The three of us left the party and went down to the clinic. He took us in the back door and pulled down all the shades. He promised just before he started that he’d only make me a little nearsighted and that it wouldn’t hurt. He started zapping me with the laser, and it started hurting. It hurt a lot because he was messing me up. I couldn’t see anything at all by that time. I was totally blind.”

“What did you do?” Bobbie inquired.

“I guess I screamed and hollered a lot. It took both of them to hold me down,” Mary Beth said. “They took me back to my place and both of them forced themselves on me after they poured more booze down me. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was still blind and really hung over. I wasn’t quite sure where I was and stumbled around my apartment until I found the phone. I called my best friend; she came over and took me to the emergency room at the hospital. The real doctors there operated again. They had to remove the lenses from both eyes and do cornea transplants. Because he’d messed my eyes up so badly, they couldn’t give me interocular lens implants. Without glasses, I was totally blind. As soon as I left the hospital, I went into drug rehab wearing these damn thick glasses and you know the rest of the story. I’ve been clean and sober ever since and damn proud of it.”

“That’s great. I’m proud of you too,” Bobbie remarked. “Whatever happened to your old boyfriend?”

“He and his supposedly eye surgeon buddy, who turned out to be the janitor, both ODd while I was in rehab,” she said coldly. “It couldn’t have happened to a couple of nicer guys.”

“It sounds like they got what they deserved,” Bobbie said. “How well can you see with your glasses on?”

“With these ultra-thick glasses, not well enough to get a driver’s license. I have pretty extreme tunnel vision, about ten degrees, and absolutely no peripheral vision at all. Things at a distance are fuzzy, and at night, it’s a lot worse. I can usually make out the road signs when I get close enough,” she explained. “You see, because the lenses in my eyes are gone, I can’t really focus. And with my extreme correction, I have to compromise. I’ve chosen good focus at about six feet with these glasses. With my glasses and contacts combination, I do much better. I have more peripheral vision, and the glasses are the no-line bifocal type. I have reading glasses for close up work and computer glasses when I use the computer up in the apartment. I also make sure that I always have emergency glasses in my purse at all times. Fortunately, even without my thinner glasses on, if I have my contacts in, I can at least make out shapes.”

“The emergency glasses are a good idea,” he remarked. “This whole glasses and contacts thing must be a real pain.”

“It’s better than the alternative.”

“What’s that?”

“Going though life totally blind and poking around with a cane.”

“Whew,” he whistled. “So when you do that ‘over the glasses look’ that you do sometimes, you can’t see?”

She slid her glasses down to the end of her nose. “With these glasses and without the contacts, not a damn thing. Let’s finish our coffee, and you can walk me to the bank,” she said.

“I’m game for that,” he said.

“Not changing the subject,” Mary Beth said, “but thank you again for remodeling my apartment. You’ve done such a great job on it. I just love it.”

“I’ve enjoyed working on it. The place is really going to be nice when I open up the other half of the building.”

“Every time I look around, or in some cases just feel around, I see a little bit of you, and I like that.”

“Thanks. It’s been a labor of love and a chance to express the artist and craftsman in me all at once,” Bobbie said. “That you’re pleased, is really all the thanks I need.”

“Money’s been a little tight, especially with the mortgage I had to take out to get this building with the apartment upstairs; I only wish I could afford to pay you more. With the way things are, I have to work an extra shift each week to make a profit.”

“Don’t worry about the money. I haven’t spent any of it yet anyway,” he said. “I’ve been saving it to buy more materials for the other side.”

“I don’t want you to do that. It’s just me rattling around up there. I have plenty of room, and what you have done so far is beautiful. Please spend it on something you want.”

“I know what I want,” Bobbie replied.

When they finished the coffee, Mary Beth retrieved the bag that contained the week’s receipts. They went out the front door of the café and locked the door behind them.

“Bobbie, it sure is nice for you to walk me to the bank like this,” Mary Beth said as she put the keys in the pocket of her tight fitting jeans.

“I would never miss the opportunity to walk in the moonlight with a pretty girl like you,” Bobbie replied.

“I’m not pretty,” she objected before they started. “With these damn ultra-thick glasses, I’m uglier than a mud fence.”

“Well, I beg to differ with you. You have a great figure, beautiful hands and nails, nicely done hair, good facial features, nice complexion, and a wonderful personality. What is more beautiful than that?”

“How about with no thick glasses that make my eyes look like watermelons?”

“I don’t mind the glasses,” he said. “They’re just you.”

“But don’t you like me better like this? You can see my eyes better,” she said, taking off her glasses as they stood under a streetlight.

“You do look different without glasses. You have big, deep, dark, almost black eyes. Because they’re so dark, they’re very unusual. Very mysterious. I guess you do look better,” he said, taking her hand. “But I don’t mind the glasses. Even with the thick glasses, you’re still a very beautiful woman.”

“You get to carry my eyes and lead me,” she said as she felt around for his uniform shirt pocket and put her glasses in the pocket just below his badge. “OK, now keep holding my hand and let me try walking down the street without wearing my glasses.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Bobbie quizzed. “It’s three blocks to the bank.”

“Yes. You just said I look better without my glasses,” Mary Beth replied. “Just don’t let go of me, and I’ll be all right.”

They continued walking to bank. Her iron grip on his hand almost turned her knuckles white. When they got to the night depository at the bank, she took out her key ring from her pocket. She found the right key by touch and felt around the little door for the key slot. She put the key in the slot in the door and pulled open the little door, then slid the money pouch in the slot. With the money safely deposited, she took his hand again and they started back to the café.

“How are you doing?” Bobbie quizzed.

“OK, I guess,” Mary Beth replied. “I don’t ever remember being outside without my glasses. I always wear them. Being unable to see out here is really scary for me.”

They were on the sidewalk, ready to cross the street while he was helping her find the curb, when they heard a car spinning its tires and throwing gravel.

“What in the heck was that?” Mary Beth said, staring blindly in the direction of the sound.

“It looks like Ruben and Darrel peeling out of Harry’s Place,” he replied as he let go of her hand and stepped into the street to get a better look.

Mary Beth began feeling around with her arms outstretched and only found air. “Bobbie, where are you?” she said in a panicked voice. “Where did you go?”

“I’m back out in the street,” he said.

“Bobbie! Bobbie! I can’t find you,” she said, now frantic and feeling the air more actively with her outstretched arms and spread fingers. “Don’t leave me! Please!”

“I’m right here,” he said calmly, reaching out to grab her hand as she blindly felt for him.

“Thank God, you’re back. I was about ready to freak out.”

“It’s OK. I’m here,” he said. “It was Ruben and Darrel all right.”

“I bet they’re really plastered by now. I had to kick them out of my place earlier. Darrel is the one who called me four eyes. They were pretty steamed when I threatened to call you guys.”

“Mary Beth, you be careful of those two,” he cautioned as they continued on. “They get really mean when they’ve been drinking. I’ve had more than one run in with them. They beat up Judy Bishop last month. Right now, they’re both out on bail.”

“That’s right, I forgot,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I’m not scared; I have you to protect me.”

“Do you want your glasses back now?” he asked.

“No. Keep them for a while longer,” she replied. “Just don’t let go of my hand.”

They started across the street again. They were near the centerline when they suddenly heard a car racing toward them. Bobbie pushed Mary Beth out of the way. She heard the squealing of brakes and a loud thump.

“Bobbie. What’s happening? Where are you? Bobbie?”

There was no answer as Mary Beth stood in the street, frozen with fear, unable to move.

“Bobbie, where are you?” she called softly. “Bobbie, say something. Please. I can’t see you.”

Suddenly someone grabbed her elbow and began leading her.

“Your boyfriend had a little accident,” a voice she recognized said.

“Darrel, what did you do to Bobbie?” Mary Beth quizzed as she began to resist him.

“Seems as though he ran into a door. He’s right here in the road,” Darrel said. “Now get in. We’re going for a little ride.”

Mary Beth resisted again as they shoved her across the old and frayed vinyl seat cover. She heard the other door open and felt the pickup rock slightly as Ruben climbed into the cab with her. He pulled her into an upright sitting position as Darrel climbed into the cab beside her.

“Let’s go have some fun,” Darrel said as he tried to start the old pickup truck.

The engine finally caught on the fourth try. He put it in gear and spun the tires as they took off. He took the corner on what seemed like two wheels to Mary Beth and speed off down the street. He took several more corners rapidly, and she heard them go over what sounded like a bridge. Once over the bridge, they were on a dirt and gravel road. Mary Beth began to resist by kicking and scratching. Ruben was having a hard time holding her.

“Darrel, stop this thing. This little wildcat needs to be hogtied,” Ruben exclaimed.

Darrel stopped the pickup, and Ruben got out. He pulled Mary Beth out and pushed her away from him. Unsure of where she was, Mary Beth began blindly feeling around for something, but her outstretched arms found nothing.

“Hey. She doesn’t have her glasses,” Darrel said to Ruben. “Look at that! She’s as blind as a bat.”

They both began laughing as they watched her try unsuccessfully to locate a landmark. She screamed when he ripped off her white top.

“Hey! Nice tits,” Darrel said. “You know, without those ridiculous glasses, you’re not a bad looking chick. Let’s see what the rest of her looks like.”

While Darrel held her arms, Ruben made quick work of taking off her shoes and socks, then pulling down her tight fitting blue jeans and panties even though she kicked and struggled. Darrel released his grip, and Mary Beth quickly tried to cover her nude body.

“Get some of that baling twine out of the back, and let’s tie her up good and tight,” Darrel said to Ruben.

When Ruben had the twine, Darrel walked quietly up behind Mary Beth, who was still trying to cover herself, and grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her.

 “Please don’t hurt me,” Mary Beth pleaded. “Just leave me alone.”

“We’re not going to hurt you. We’re just going to party a little,” Darrel said. “I think you’ll like what we have for you.”

Ruben tied her hands securely behind her back as Darrel continued to hold her. The twine had been tied extremely tight and began to cut painfully into her wrists. Her complaints were met with a sharp slap across the mouth by Ruben.

She tried to kick Ruben as he began to tie her ankles, and Darrel laid her face down on the dirt road. He sat on her thighs as Ruben finished tying her ankles. When they finished, they stood back and admired their work as Mary Beth struggled in the dust to free herself.

“The way she’s tied, she can still work free,” Darrel said. “We’ve got plenty of twine; let’s do it right.”

“OK. I’ll sit on her, and you do it,” Ruben replied.

While Ruben sat on her legs, Darrel began to retie her hands. He started by securely tying a couple of wraps of twine around her wrist and a wrap around her opposite upper arm just above the elbow. When the one side was tied, he retied her other hand in the same manner. He then finished the job by putting several wraps around the area just above her wrists. When he was finished, they both stood up and admired his handiwork as Mary Beth struggled unsuccessfully to free her hands and arms. They had tied her in such a way that as she struggled her twine restraints became tighter and tighter with each tug or pull and wouldn’t loosen when she relaxed. The wraps around her upper arms tightened the most.

They picked her up and carried her to the pickup and put her in the back. She heard both doors slam shut before they continued on down the road. The bed of the pickup was cold to her nude body as she was jostled around by the moving pickup on the rough road. After what seemed like an eternity to Mary Beth, and after much bumping and turning, the pickup slid to a stop.

“We’re here,” Darrel announced. “Let’s get her out and have a little fun.”

Mary Beth heard both doors open. Suddenly one of them grabbed her foot and pulled her toward the tailgate. They stood her up.

“What happened to your glasses?” Darrel asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she replied sarcastically.

Her answer was met by a slap across the face.

“Bobbie has them,” she sobbed. “I was practicing being blind.”

“You mean you can’t see without your glasses?” he quizzed.

“I can’t see a damn thing,” she replied. “I’m totally blind now. Please let me go. The ropes hurt.”

“We’re going to party a bit first.”

“What are you going to do to me?” she sobbed.

“Well now, just what do you think a couple of good old country boys standing here, looking at a good-looking girl that’s naked as a jay bird, would have in mind? Especially one that can’t see a damn thing. I think that a little group sex would be in order.”

“OH NO! Please don’t do that!”

They picked her up and moved her toward the front of the pickup where the headlights were aimed and dumped her on the ground face down. The intense bright light was painful to her, forcing her to tightly close her eyes.

“What are you going to do to me?” Mary Beth sobbed.

“Just a little good down-home fun. Just like we do to all the girls,” Darrel replied. “The difference is that they like what we have to give them. They don’t scratch, and we don’t have to tie them up.”

“I won’t scratch anymore,” she pleaded. “Please untie me. The ropes are hurting my arms. My hands are asleep, and I can’t feel them.”

“I don’t think we want to untie your arms because you scratch and hit. But we’ll untie your feet if you promise not to run away.”

“Where in the hell do you think I’m going to run off to? I’m blind as a bat. I can’t see a damn thing, I have no idea where I am, and you have my clothes.”

“Had your clothes. They’re back down the road away. If you promise not to run away, we’ll untie your feet. Besides, it’s hard to have sex with your feet tied together like that,” he said as he cut the twine from her ankles.

“Please don’t! Just let me go. I won’t tell,” she sobbed as tears from her unseeing eyes dripped down on the ground in front of her naked breasts now pressed against the gravel surface of the dirt road. “Please don’t rape me! Please! Just let me go. Please!”

“Nice try little darling,” Darrel said as he rolled her over onto her back, then stood up to take off his pants. “I think you’re going to like this little present I have for you.”

“Oh my God! No. Please Don’t!” she pleaded as she writhed in the dirt in the middle of the road. “Please don’t rape me! I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t rape me.”

“I thought it was my turn to go first,” Ruben said. “I’m tired of sloppy seconds. You always get to go first.”

“No, I’m the oldest,” Darrel snapped back. “I’m going first.”

“You’re only older by ten minutes,” Ruben retorted. “I’m going first!”

“Like hell!” Darrel shouted as he pulled out his hunting knife.

“Oh ya!” Ruben countered as he pulled out his matching knife.

They moved away from where Mary Beth lay tied and began to circle each other in knife fight fashion. The fight lasted several minutes starting with each making minor gashes on the other. Eventually Darrel lunged at Ruben, and Ruben stepped aside and simultaneously slashed Darrel’s neck as he moved past. Darrel had a wide-eyed look on his face and put his free hand on the gash in his neck that was pumping bright red blood. Ruben stood frozen when he saw what he had done to his twin brother. Darrel made one final lunge at the still frozen Ruben; this time, his knife squarely hit its mark. Ruben doubled over with the knife in his chest. Darrel crumpled on top of him as each twin brother’s life blood flooded from them.

It took Mary Beth a long time to get up the courage to call out. She waited in silence unable to see what had transpired with her assailants.

“Darrel? . . . Ruben? . . . Is anyone there? . . . Hello?”

Her calls were met with only silence. She called out again—again with no response. The only sound was the wind and the sound of the pickup engine cooling. She struggled to her feet and used her body to find the pickup. The gravel and sticks hurt her feet as she made her way around the side of the pickup, out of the glaring light from the headlights. It became darker for her as she made her way to the open driver’s side door. As she slid in the seat, her knee brushed the knob that controlled the headlights. She used her knee to push in the light switch, and the glow from the instrument panel that she was able to detect disappeared.

“I’ll save the battery,” she thought to herself as she lay down exhausted on the bench seat of the pickup. “I’m living the nightmare I’ve always had since the operation—the fear that I’d be left completely alone fumbling around unable to see.”

Mary Beth was shivering and cold when she awoke. It was still night. It took her a while to remember where she was, but almost instantly, the horror of the evening before came flooding back. As she sat up, her shoulder bumped the horn button and the sound of the horn blaring startled her. She leaned back on the seat and screamed in pain when her tightly bound hands and lower arms touched the seat. Tears began to flow as she leaned forward and rested her nude breasts on the steering wheel. She began to shiver again.

After a while, she needed to relieve herself of the coffee. She slid out of the cab of the pickup onto the gravel. The gravel hurt her feet again as she made her way to about the rear tire. As she squatted, she was almost happy that she was completely nude. As she worked her way back to the cab, even though she could not make out any shapes at all, she noticed that it was getting lighter. She slid into the cab of the pickup and her now familiar seat. When she slid in, her hands bumped the door post and she screamed from the pain that shot through her arms.

‘Why me?’ she thought. ‘Haven’t I been put through enough already? I’ve tried to put up with bad eyesight and thick glasses without complaining about it. Why did they single me out for this ordeal?’

Steadily, the cab became brighter as the sun came up. Mary Beth lay face down on the seat with her eyes shut tight to fend off the bright light that hurt her eyes. All kinds of thoughts ran through her mind as she lay on her stomach in the cab of the pickup. Thoughts like ‘What am I going to eat?’ or worse yet, ‘What am I going to drink?’ And lastly, ‘How am I going to get out of here? Wherever here is.’

Mary Beth must have dozed most of the day because finally the brightness was fading. ‘Good,’ she thought to herself: ‘Soon I won’t have to keep my eyes closed. Not that I’m going to be able to see anything. I just don’t have to keep them closed. I’m starved and thirsty.’

A clap of thunder in the distance announced the storm that was to be descending upon her. She listened intently as the thunder grew louder, and every once in a while, she could detect bright flashes of lighting. She decided to sit up, and in the process, her hands touched the back of the seat. Even such a light touch sent excruciating pains coursing up her arms. Soon it began to rain. Mary Beth felt safe from the storm in the cab of the pickup even with the driver’s side door still open. The intensity of the rain increased steadily, soon becoming a real downpour. Then as quickly as the storm came, it was gone.

“I think my wish for something to drink has been fulfilled,” she said out loud. “Now all I have to do is find some water.”

She sat and thought about it for a while, then slipped out of the cab of the pickup. Again, she used her body as a guide to her location as she made her way around the back of the pickup to the tailgate. She reasoned that the road they came in on was bumpy and full of chuck holes, and surely mud puddles would have formed. The trick was going to be finding them. She also reasoned that most of the road had brush on either side, and that puddles would form in the road ruts. All she would have to do is to walk along staying out of the brush until she stepped in a puddle. She took a deep breath as she stepped away from the comfort of the pickup and any true sense of what she knew to be shelter. The gravel hurt her bare feet as she carefully made her way along, testing each step in kind of a sweeping motion. She had gone about ten feet when she found a puddle of water with her foot. She dropped to her knees and bent forward at the waist, then began to drink. She tried not to think that she was actually drinking from a mud puddle.

When her thirst was satisfied, she carefully stood up and began working her way back to the pickup. She was beginning to think that somehow she had missed it when her breasts came in contact with the cold metal of the tailgate. Again making light contact with the pickup, she found the cab and slid in—this time being careful not to touch her hands to the seat back. When she leaned against the steering wheel, the horn blew and startled her. She sat in the cab of the pickup staring into her world of nothingness and tried to figure out what to do next. She came to the conclusion that her best course of action would be to stay put and, hopefully, help would arrive. Surely she would be missed by now. She wished that she had a blanket to cover her nude body to fend off the chill of the night.

It was beginning to get light again, when Mary Beth slipped off the seat onto the ground. She walked to the place where she had relieved herself before and did it again. She found the open door and slid back on the seat of the cab. She found the steering wheel and blew the horn—an action that she intended to keep up at five minute intervals all day in hopes of attracting a hunter or fisherman. She sat with her eyes closed from the sun and waited for the next interval.

She was getting discouraged when late in the afternoon she heard a shot. It sounded relatively close, and she began blowing the horn in three short blasts, three long blasts and three short blasts. ‘Hopefully, the person shooting knows Morse Code and SOS,’ she thought as she blew the sequence again.

“Hello there,” a voice called.

“Help me,” Mary Beth screamed. “Please, I need help.”

“Keep your britches on. I’ll be right there,” the voice said as it got closer. “I heard that horn blowing. Now what’s all the fussing about?”

“Oh thank God you found me,” she said, trying to stay calm and under control. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“No bother little lady,” the voice said. “How did you get yourself in this pickle?”

“I own the diner in town, and those two over there hit my boyfriend while we were at the bank. I don’t have my glasses so I’m blind. They stripped my clothes off and tied me up and brought me out here and were going to rape me. The two of them got in some kind of fight, and I think they killed each other. That was two days ago, and I’ve been tied up here all that time.”

“I’ll be doggies, you’re the one they’ve been talking about on the TV,” the voice said. “Stick right here, and let me take a look at those two.”

“Please, don’t leave me,” Mary Beth pleaded as he walked way. “I don’t have my glasses, and I’m blind.”

“Yep, they’re dead all right,” he called out. “Looks like one hell of a knife fight to me.”

“Could you untie me? Please?” she asked.

“How long have you been tied like this?” the voice answered from right beside her. “Let me look at those hands.”

“It’s getting close to the start of my third night,” she replied, sliding out of the cab of the pickup and standing nude in front of him.

“Well, those arms are really swelled up and awfully discolored. They’re almost black,” he said. “I’m no doctor, and a doctor should take twine off of you. The twine is real tight and cut into your wrists and arms and stopped the circulation. From what I remember from a first aid course I took a long time ago, if a tourniquet is on for too long, blood clots can form, and when the tourniquet is released, the blood clots can get into your brain and kill you. Let’s get you some real help.”

“So what am I going to do?” she asked.

“I think it’s best if you stay right here. I’ll hike back to my car and go to town for help,” he said.

“I don’t want to stay here alone,” Mary Beth pleaded. “Take me with you.”

“You’re in no shape to hike back to my rig. It’s a couple of miles away through the brush and over the big creek. You don’t have any shoes or clothes,” he said. “I’ll give you this candy bar and my bottle of water. I’ll leave my coat for you too.”

“Can’t you just drive this pickup out?” she inquired.

“No, this is a crime scene, and I don’t want to disturb it,” he said. “You just sit tight, and I’ll be back in a couple of hours with help.”

“I don’t want to stay here, but I guess you’re right,” Mary Beth relented as he fed her the candy bar and water.

He put his coat over her shoulders and said goodbye. Then he was gone, and Mary Beth was alone again. She hunkered down in her spot in the cab and waited.

She must have dozed off, because when she awoke, she was disoriented and confused. When she realized that her arms were really hurting, and she could no longer even feel her hands, the unseen remembrances of the past day’s events began to reassemble in her memory. Was her visitor a dream or real? She could still taste the candy bar, and the coat was still over her shoulders. It was real. It wasn’t a dream. Someone knew she was there and had gone for help. How long would it take help to arrive? How long had she been asleep?

It was totally dark when Mary Beth slid out of the pickup and onto the ground. She went to the place and relieved herself. She was almost back to driver’s door when she heard the sound of vehicles in the distance. After what seemed like an eternity, the vehicles were near. Soon lights were flashing and bright, forcing her to seal out the light by closing her eyes again. She heard the vehicles stop and doors open and close.

“Mary Beth, are you OK?” Deputy Bobbie Langtree’s voice called.

“I’ve been better,” she replied, “but things have just improved greatly. Bobbie, you’re not hurt?”

“Just a bump on the head. I’ll be fine,” he said modestly.

Soon she was embraced with a big hug. Then she was covered with a blanket.

“The aid car is right behind us. They’ll want to check you out, especially those hands. They look terrible,” he said. “Tell me what happened.”

“After they hit you, I was wandering around unable to see a darn thing trying to find you when they grabbed me and shoved me in their pickup. I fought the best I could, and they stopped and dragged me out of the cab. They stripped off my top, and when they discovered I was blind, they stripped me down the rest of the way, then tied me up. They tied me really tight, and the more I struggled to get free, the tighter the twine became. They forced me into the back of the pickup and drove here. They untied my legs and had me down on the ground in front of the pickup getting ready to rape me when they began fighting. I couldn’t see, and I don’t know for sure, but I think they were fighting with knives. I heard a scream and a grunt, and all of a sudden, it was quiet. I called out to them, but there was no answer. I got up and worked my way into the cab of the pickup, and that’s where I’ve been hanging out until that guy found me. I didn’t even get his name.”

“It was Old Joe Booker,” he offered. “Wow, that’s quite an ordeal. I’m glad they didn’t rape you.”

“Bobbie, there wasn’t anything I could do to stop them. I was blind, and they had my arms tied behind my back. I fought the best I could.”

“I bet you put up a good fight,” Bobbie observed.

“I tried,” she lamented. “If they hadn’t started fighting each other, they would have raped me for sure.”

“The aid car is just coming. I’ll get them directed over here,” he said.

“OK, just don’t leave me alone too long. I’m really shaky now,” she said, and he was gone.

The aid car pulled into the space where Deputy Langford directed. The gurney and aid boxes were taken out of the rear door and brought to the pickup tailgate area.

“We’re here to check you out,” the aid car driver said. “How are you doing?”

“My arms hurt bad, and I can’t feel my hands anymore,” Mary Beth said. “I think the circulation to them was cut off by the twine. Can you cut it off?”

“How long have you been tied like this?” the second aid car attendant asked.

“Almost three days now,” she replied and winced in pain as they touched her arms.

“You’re right, the circulation has been cut off. By the looks of the discoloration, I’d guess your circulation has been cut off to just above your elbows,” the second aid car attendant. “Because you could have some serious complications, we’re going to leave you tied and have the ER Doc free you. OK?”

“I’ve been tied this long; a little longer won’t hurt,” Mary Beth agreed. “The guy who found me said that I could develop blood clots that could be fatal.”

“He was right,” the attendant said. “Did they do anything else to you?”

“No, they got into a fight before they could do any more damage.”

“OK, we’re going to start a workup on you. We’ll do a blood pressure, and a pulse, then look in your eyes.”

“The blood pressure and pulse are fine, but please don’t shine the light in my eyes.”

“I don’t understand. Why don’t you want me to look in your eyes?” he quizzed as he took her pulse from her neck.

“The reason that I’ve been sitting here with my eyes closed is that right now I’m totally blind,” Mary Beth explained. “I’ve had an operation where they removed the lenses from my eyes. Because my lenses are missing and my irises don’t react to light normally, my eyes are a lot more sensitive to light. In fact, I would appreciate it if you could bandage my eyes to keep out the light.”

They put a couple of wraps of gauze over her eyes as she had asked and then had her lay face down on the gurney to keep anything from touching her damaged arms. When they had her secure and loaded in the back of the aid car, Bobbie climbed in with her.

“Mary Beth, it’s Bobbie,” he said. “One more question, and then we’ll get you to the hospital. When did the knife fight start?”

“You sound like Colombo with the ‘one more question’ line,” she replied. “Right after we got here. They pulled me out of the pickup and around the front into the light. Darrel was going to rape me first, and the fight was about that. Ruben thought he should go first. They started fighting, and no one raped me.”

“Good thing,” he replied, “or I’d be out dispensing some instant justice.”

“Are you going to ride to the hospital with me?” she asked.

“I’ll be right behind you in the patrol car. OK?”

“OK,” she said. “I need you more now than ever.”

“I know,” he said and kissed her on the cheek.

With Mary Beth properly secured, the aid car started the long, slow, bumpy ride to the hospital. When they got there, Bobbie was waiting along with the admitting nurse in front of the emergency room entrance. Mary Beth was unloaded and was wheeled into the exam room with Bobbie by her side.

The doctor walked into the room and took one glance at her blackened hands. “Start an IV, and give me a syringe of morphine for the pain.”

“Bobbie, are you still here?” Mary Beth asked.

“I’m right here,” he replied.

“Bobbie, I’m so scared now,” she sobbed. “I know what he’s going to say, but I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’ll be right here with you for as long as I can,” Bobbie comforted. “They’re going to take good care of you.”

Bobbie stepped back and stood back out of the way. The doctor closely examined Mary Beth’s swollen and blood starved arms and hands.

“Young lady, your hands look pretty bad,” he said. “There is nothing anyone can do to save them. Gangrene has set in. I’m afraid we’re going to have to amputate both of your hands and the lower portion of your arms.”

“Oh no!” she sobbed. “Not my hands and arms!”

“Mary Beth, I know you don’t have your glasses, and you’re scared. As bad as they are, maybe it’s a good thing that you can’t see your hands,” he replied. “The twine has cut off the circulation from just above your elbows to the ends of your fingers. Your hands are completely dead, and your forearms are dead and dying. Because gangrene has set in, the only way we can get rid of it is to amputate all the affected area. We’ll need to take both your arms off from above the elbows. Do you understand?”

“Shit, my arms hurt so bad that I don’t care what you have to do, just make the pain go away,” she relented. “I can’t stand it anymore. Take both arms off. I can’t stand the pain.”

“The operating room is available; we’ll do it right away.”

The doctor gave Mary Beth a shot, and she became instantly drowsy but was still obviously in pain. The nurses began prepping her for surgery, and the doctor ushered Bobbie out of the room.

“I’d like castrate whoever did that to her—with a very dull knife,” the doctor said when they were out in the hallway.

“It won’t do any good; they’re both dead. They killed each other in a knife fight over who was going to rape her first. Lucky for her, neither one touched her,” Bobbie said. “I’m just sick about this whole thing. I thought I was going to lose it when I first saw her arms. How long before she’s out of surgery and I can see her?”

“She’s one tough young lady,” the doctor replied. “Give her about three hours.”

“I’ve got to get going on the investigation,” Bobbie said. “I’ll be back before she wakes up.”

Chapter 3

(Three Hours Later)

“Sheriff, is it OK if I go to the hospital now? Mary Beth should be out of surgery. I’d like to be there when she comes out of the anesthesia,” Deputy Bobbie Langtree asked.

“Sure, go ahead. There’s nothing much you can do here now,” the old sheriff replied.

“I’ve got the paperwork pretty much done Sheriff,” Bobbie offered.

“You go on now. That little gal is going to need you. Now more than ever,” the old sheriff said.

“Thanks Sheriff,” Bobbie said over his shoulder on the dead run halfway to his patrol car. When he had the car started, he radioed dispatch that he was on his way to the hospital.

Bobbie parked his car near the main entrance in the space reserved for police cars and went inside. He had spent too much time at the hospital and knew exactly where he was going. He checked in at the nurses’ station in the surgery wing, and they directed him to go into the recovery room. He slowly opened the door to the room. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low light. He walked over to her bed. A nurse was feeding Mary Beth a small spoonful of ice. Bobbie looked down at her heavily bandaged ends of her new stumps above where her elbows used to be. Tears were coming out of her dark brown eyes and flowing down her cheeks.

“Hey, how are you doing?” he asked quietly.

“Oh Bobbie, they had to cut my arms off,” she cried.

“I know. They told me. It’s going to be all right now,” he said, trying to comfort her.

“I just don’t know what I’m going to do now,” she sniffed.

“I brought you a little present,” he said, putting her purse on the bed. “I think you’re going to like this.”

He removed her ultra thick emergency glasses from her purse and removed them from their case. He looked into her unseeing dark brown eyes as he slowly slid the glasses into place.

“Is that better?” he asked.

“Oh yes. Thank you,” Mary Beth said gratefully. “I didn’t think I was ever going to see again. I didn’t even get to see my hands before they took them off.”

“You wouldn’t have wanted to. They were pretty gross.”

“I know. But they were my hands, and now they’re gone,” she said as she began crying again. “All I’ve got now are these damn stumps and no hands. What am I going to do?”

“Hey, it’s going to be OK,” he said. “We’re going to get through this.”

“I don’t know how.”

“Don’t worry. You just rest now,” Bobbie said softly. “We’ll do it.”

Chapter 4

(Three Weeks Later)

“Hey, how’s my girl?” Bobbie said as he poked his head in the doorway of Mary Beth’s hospital room.

“Come over here and give me a kiss,” she said as she sat in the chair by the window.

“I will if I can get past all of these flowers. What are you doing, starting a florist shop?” he teased.

“I thought I would put a flower stand in one corner of the café,” she joked back.

He walked over and gave her a kiss. She put one of her bandaged stumps around his neck to hold him a little longer. He pulled up the other chair and sat very near her.

“So how did the Coroner’s inquest go?” she asked.

“Fine,” Bobbie said. “Your story checks out with the physical evidence at the scene. The case is pretty much closed.”

“I hate to sound vengeful, but I’m glad they’re dead,” she said. “Now I won’t have to face them in court for what they did to me.”

“I guess that I’m glad too. Now at least some liberal judge won’t let them off for something you’re going to have to live with for the rest of your life,” he said. “Now how was your day?”

“Hey, I had a great day,” Mary Beth beamed. “I got new bandages and got to see my scars. There’s no sign of infection, and I’m healing fine. But the best news is that I’m going to be able to go to the benefit dinner the Chamber of Commerce organized for Saturday night. That is, if I can find someone to take me and feed me.”

“No problem, that had already been arranged,” he said with a smile and a wink. “I’m a great feeder.”

“The doctor says if I have some help at home, there’s no reason for me to be here after that. I can come by on an outpatient basis,” she said. “The other news is that the prosthetist was by again today. I chose my terminal devices, and he has all the pieces on order. He will be able to start on my new arms as soon as the parts get here. The swelling is starting to go down, so next month he’s going to make casts. He said that later he still might need to make me new upper arm sockets when the swelling in my arms goes down completely. Later, as the muscles that used to make my elbows move atrophy, I will need new sockets for sure. Fortunately, most of the parts of the artificial arms will be reusable with the smaller sockets that I’ll need later. That’ll save me some money.”

“That’s great. Are you going to get some of those high-tech things that move by what you’re thinking?”

“You mean myoelectric,” she said. “Heavens no, they’re way too expensive. He’s making me some manual-operated body-powered ones. I chose hooks for terminals. Luckily, he’ll take installment payments. I don’t have medical insurance.”

“I know. That’s why the Chamber of Commerce organized the fund raiser banquet for you,” Bobbie said.

“I still haven’t figured out how I rate all of this? Look at all these flowers and a banquet besides.”

“Because you’ve always supported them and anything the community wanted to do. Who’s always been the first one to open the cash register when any fund-raiser was started?” he said. “Now it’s their turn to support you.”

“Sure, I could use the money,” she said. “But I never expected to see everyone so supportive.”

“It’s because you’re a very special person—especially to me,” he said, giving her a kiss. “And because you are so special, is there anything I can do for you right now?”

“Yes, you just smudged my glasses. Could you clean them? Please.”

Bobbie carefully removed Mary Beth’s glasses and looked through them before he began cleaning them. “Boy, these things are dirty.”

“That’s because I haven’t had them off since you put them on me,” she replied. “I’m not sure just how I’m going to be handling those things or my contacts now that I don’t have hands.”

“They’re going to teach me how to put your contacts in and take them out for you,” Bobbie said. “How long before the doctor thinks you’ll be able to go back to work?”

“Ten to twelve months at the earliest,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t know if I going to be able to keep the restaurant. Bills pile up in this place by the second, and I haven’t even started with prosthetics and rehab. I don’t know how I’m going to afford a live-in caregiver.”

“I was just thinking that maybe I could put up a cot in the unfinished side of the upstairs. I could be around if you needed some help and, at the same time, give you your space,” Bobbie offered, still working on cleaning her glasses.

“I couldn’t let you do that,” Mary Beth said, staring blindly off into space. “Your place is so beautiful. I couldn’t let you move out of that setting right on the lake to come and live in an unfinished room up over my café.”

“I’d invite you out there, but it’s too far from town if you can’t drive. You’d be pretty isolated when I’m gone to work,” he said. “This way, all of your help is right downstairs if you need it. We can rig up an intercom for when I’m not around.”

“Bobbie, why are you being so darn nice to me?” she asked.

“I’ve been trying to resist this for the five years that I’ve known you now. I don’t exactly know how to say this,” he said, holding her thick glasses in his hand and staring deeply into the dark-brown eyes that could not see him. “I think that I’ve fallen in love with you. There, I said it.”

“Wow,” Mary Beth said as she sank back in the chair. “Bobbie, can I have my glasses? Please.”

“No.”

“Why not?” she asked anxiously. “Come on, I can’t see.”

“Because when I told you that I loved you, my hand tightened around them and I smudged them again.”

With her bandaged arm stumps at her side, she leaned forward and said, “Whether I can see you or not, I need a kiss after good news like that.”

Bobbie didn’t need a second invitation. He laid her glasses on the table and put his arm around her for the kiss. By the passion in that kiss, he knew he had said the right thing to her. When the kiss was over, he continued cleaning her glasses.

“I’m almost scared to ask this,” Bobbie began. “How do you feel about me?”

“Well,” she said thoughtfully, “I’ve always thought of you as a good friend, my best friend. That’s not to say I haven’t fantasized about making love to you, because I have, a lot of times. I’m going to have to start thinking about you differently now. Now I’m going to have to think of you as my lover and my best friend.”

“Before I put your glasses back on you, do you love me or not?” Bobbie said, then slipped her glasses into place.

“Hell yes,” Mary Beth blurted out. “I’ve loved you for a long time. I’ve just been waiting for you to decide that you loved me too. I only wish that this had happened while I still had my hands.”

“Speaking of not having hands, which leads to needing a caregiver, you didn’t answer about my offer to set up a cot in the unfinished half of the building.”

“Yes I did. I said I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she replied. “I said your place is much more beautiful than the unfinished half of the apartment.”

“So do you have a better plan?”

“Yes I do,” Mary Beth said. “What would you say about me taking you up on your offer to be my caregiver but not let you sleep on a cot in the unfinished half of the apartment? Why don’t I have you share my king-size bed with me? We might be a little short of closet space, but I have plenty of room in that big old lonesome bed.”

“Are you asking me to sleep with you?” Bobbie said rather taken back.

“Let’s say keep me company in my bed. If we get some sleep, it will be a bonus. Besides, I want you close if I need something.”

“OK, let’s just say hypothetically that I went to work as your caregiver, I still have to work at being a deputy sheriff. What happens if you need me while I’m out on patrol?”

Mary Beth thought for a minute, then said: “Simple. I own a cell phone that I won’t be able to use until I get my new arms, why don’t you take it with you. If I need anything, I’ll call you.”

“How are you going to dial the phone? You don’t have any arms, remember?”

“How can I forget?” she said. “One of my phones has large buttons that I think I can work with my stumps. It’s also a speakerphone. We’ll set up the cellular number on a speed dial key so I only have to push two buttons to make the cell phone ring.”

“I’m not so sure about this arrangement,” Bobbie said.

“You’re the one who offered to be my caregiver. I just changed your sleeping location. What’s the matter, don’t you want to sleep with me?”

“It’s not that. This is a real big step for me.”

“Forget it,” she said disgustedly. “I’ll get someone else.”

“I can’t let you do that,” he said flatly. “OK, I’m your new caregiver.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I’m sure. I’m just cautious too.”

Chapter 5

(Two weeks later, Sunday noon)

“Did you get settled in at my place?” Mary Beth asked.

“Yes. We’ll have plenty of closet space,” Bobbie said. “I spent the night there last night. You’re right, that is a big bed. I think we’ll do just fine.”

“I think we will too. By the way, thank you for taking me to the service here in the hospital chapel,” she said as they walked side by side down the hall.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to church,” he replied. “Maybe we should start going on a regular basis.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, “especially if I get to sit next to you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bobbie said. “I think I’m getting pretty good at putting in those contacts.”

“You’re doing just great,” she said. “I love your touch, and you can touch me anytime you want.”

“Are you about ready to check out?” he said as his face reddened.

“Sure, but you’re going to have to sign for me. I haven’t figured out how to write with these stumps.”

“No problem. Let’s go get the last of your stuff. I’ve taken two loads of flowers already.”

“I still can’t get over everyone’s generosity, especially last night,” she said as tears came to her eyes. “I still can’t believe what happened. They raised more than enough to pay for my new arms and rehab.”

“How about that banker?” Bobbie said.

“I had forgotten about the disability insurance on the mortgage. Now the mortgage is paid in full. I couldn’t help but cry when he ripped it up in front of the crowd.”

They walked into her hospital room, and Mary Beth supervised while Bobbie loaded her suitcase. They both took one last look around to be sure that nothing had been left behind. Before they left the room, Bobbie took Mary Beth in his arms for one last kiss in the hospital. She put both of her now lightly bandaged arm stumps around his neck as they embraced, for a long time.

They walked out to the nurses’ station and said goodbye to everyone. Bobbie carried the suitcase and the sheaf of papers.

“I’m dreading this,” Mary Beth said as they approached the accounting office.

Bobbie didn’t reply; he only smiled as they went into the office. The accounting clerk looked up and smiled.

“Hi Mary Beth. The doctor said you’d be checking out today. I have everything ready.”

“Thanks Sue Ann,” Mary Beth said. “I’ve been dreading this moment.”

The accounting clerk put a file folder on the counter and opened it slowly. Across the final accounting bill, in big red letters, was stamped ‘PAID IN FULL.’

“I don’t understand,” Mary Beth gasped. “How did that happen?”

“Doesn’t she know?” the accounting clerk asked.

“No, but she does now,” Bobbie said.

“Bobbie! What on earth did you do?” Mary Beth asked anxiously.

“The sheriff received a federal grant of sorts. It’s called the Crime Victims Relief Act or something like that. He talked to the senator and got it fixed up to pay all your medical bills relating to the attack. Heck, they even bought new oil for the deep fryers.”

“I can’t believe this,” she said.

The accounting clerk gave Bobbie a pen, and he signed the paperwork; then he held the pen so that Mary Beth could hold it between her stumps enough to make an X.

They walked out the front door to Bobbie’s waiting pickup. He helped her get in and fastened the seat belt for her. Mary Beth’s lightly bandaged arm stumps dangled at her sides. Bobbie got in and said, “Are you ready for this?”

“As long as we’re together, I’m ready for anything,” Mary Beth replied.

E N D