Forever My Marine Pt2

Chapter #5

Chapter #5
Mar 12th 2022
⚠️Talk of mental health issues⚠️
Scarlett’s POV
I wake up with Louri still fast asleep in my arms when a nurse comes in. “Oh my god.” She mutters and stops in her tracks me being the worrying wife I am immediately start to look at all the different monitors none of them seem to be going off her heart rate is ninety five which is a little high for someone who is in such good of shape as Louri but that's to be expected after what she’s been through. “What’s wrong, is she ok?” I ask, trying not to panic as I look her up and down and her skin looks normal other than the bruises. “I-it’s y-you.” She stutters. Oh thank god she’s just shocked to see an actress here Louri is ok as well as ok as she can be. “Nurse Fraser you have to move so I can bring the Colonel their meds. If you are going to freeze just because of who the patient’s wife is then you need to be taken off this case.” Nurse Harvey says sternly damn this isn’t her first rodeo. “Yes ma’am.” Nurse Fraser says and runs away with whatever it is she was carrying; it looked like fresh bandages for Louri’s wounds. “Sorry she’s new. Now it says here in the notes to ask you or a Lieutenant Wilds to wake her due to an incident with her and a nurse when she first got here.” Nurse Harvey says. “Yeah she feels awful about that.” I tell her. “From the report I read it was an accident and the Colonel wasn’t in the right state of mind.” She says. “No she wasn’t. Louri baby you have to wake up so the nurse can give you your meds.” I say softly rubbing her good shoulder and she begins to stir. “Mmm is it morning already?” She asks in her sexy morning voice. “Yes it’s around nine Honey this is Nurse Harvey she’s here to give you your medication.” I tell her and she nods and moves up slightly wincing as she does and it hurts to see her like this. “Good morning Colonel. How are we feeling today?” Nurse Harvey asks and Louri’s jaw clenches slightly. “We? Seriously, I hate it when people say that.” Louri says. “How are we feeling?” Louri says in a mocking tone. “Louri, she's just trying to do her job.” I say softly. “It just feels so invalidating like what I went through wasn’t as bad as it was. But to answer your question I am feeling like shit. Today is the second day I’ve been here. My wounds are still pretty fresh and hurt like hell. I am in pain and I know you are going to ask me where on the scale it is and it’s an eight.” Louri says emphasizing the use of the word term ‘I’. “Colonel, I am just trying to help. I didn't mean to make you feel invalidated.” Nurse Harvey says. “And I’m sorry for snapping at you. It seems to be what I do best since I got home. I snapped at my wife, my kids, and my brother. I know you are just trying to do your job and I apologize for being an ass.” Louri says. “Colonel it’s completely understandable you have been through a tremendous amount of trauma. I was an ER nurse on 9/11 and I worked in Columbia Maryland at the time I took care of the pentagon victims. I understand trauma is real. After 9/11 I snapped at everyone and everything till I went to therapy and it helped.” Nurse Harvey says. “Yeah my therapy sessions are going to be so much fun.” Louri chuckles using humor as a defense mechanism as usual. “Well I need to track down Nurse Fraser. She has the stuff for changing your bandages.” Nurse Harvey says before giving both Louri and I a soft smile and exiting the room. “Louri I understand that joking is one of the ways you cope but sometimes it hurts to hear because I know that there really is a war going on inside your head. I also know that the more jokes you make the worse it is in your head.” I tell her. “You have always been able to see right through me haven’t you?” She says. “Yep since the day we met I’d like to say.” I smile. “I love you.” She says leaning up and connecting our lips and just as it starts to get a little heated she winces in pain. “Oh shit Baby are you ok?” I ask worried. “Yeah I’m ok just got a little carried away that’s all.” She says laying back with a groan. “Do you think you are up to trying to talk to one of the kids today? Maybe Maya?” I ask. “Um maybe after Nurse Harvey comes back and changes my bandages.” She says, dropping her head. “Hey it’s ok. You have been through a lot. It's ok if you aren’t ready.” I tell her. “I know you always remind me of that which I am grateful for but I want to be able to talk to my kids. But you saw how it took everything out of me to talk to Louisa for what was five minutes at most.” She says her voice is breaking. “Louri it’s not your fault that someone hurt you psychologically.” I tell her, caressing her cheek and turn her to face me. “They are my kids and it physically hurts to look at them.” She says and breaks down at the confession of how she feels. “Oh shit Louisa. She is expecting to be able to come see me today. I want to see her but I can’t yet. Scarlett I can’t I just can’t I’m sorry god she’s going to hate me or think that I hate her.” She sobs harder into my shoulder and I just hold her close. “It’s ok I will call your mom and have her tell Louisa that the doctor said no visitors that way she won’t think hate you or think you hate her.” I tell her. “Would you like me to do that?” I ask. “Yes please. But if I am feeling better later today I want to try to see at least one of the kids.” She tells me. “Ok. I will see what I can get worked out but don’t push yourself because that will only set you back not help you heal.” I tell her and she nods.

A/N
Nurse Harvey is based on my Aunt who was in fact an ER nurse on 9/11 and she did treat the pentagon victims. I don’t take the topic lighty. I don’t take the topic of mental health lightly either. Anygays see you in the next one.