Tracy

089:

         

089:

A compassionate and concise nurse came to the media secure waiting area and addressed Julian first. "Tracy is in shock, but has not suffered any degree of smoke inhalation. The children are being treated for mild smoke inhalation, and have all received oxygen. Daniel had a chest x-ray. His sinuses are mildly swollen, and we would like to keep him a few hours. Tracy is ready to see you Julian. Since they are in the ICU at the moment, just one visitor at a time. Tracy will be released very soon, but I suggest we get her a sedative and take her to a secure spot for the day. I'm sure you are all aware of the need for a strong support system." Her eyes rose to check that indeed they all understood their roles.

Bridget squeezed Julian's arm.

"Is she aware of the extent of her losses?" Julian glanced up at the nurse after staring at the floor for a moment to catch his bearings.

"Tracy is disoriented and has been given a mild sedative and IV fluids. She is otherwise unhurt, and we've called in the hospital grief counselor to explain things to her. The children are in the room with her."

Julian's eyes rose to Richard's and Michael's. They both nodded at him, Michael reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.

Julian followed the nurse.

Tracy was in a room with the children, another nurse, and the grief counselor. She was still dressed in dirty, soot covered gray sweats and a loose ARMY sweat shirt, obviously previously belonging to Raine. Danny was on the bed, playing with some big Lego blocks, and the babies were back in incubators receiving oxygen. Danny had tubes in his nose, and was hooked to a tank. Tracy randomly stroked his hair while she listened to whatever the grief counselor was saying. Julian stopped in the doorway, taking a deep breath.

Her eyes flicked to his, and her shaking hand rose to cover her mouth as she pushed away from Danny's bed and stumbled into Jules' arms. He wrapped her tightly, molding her to him as if to draw her into his body. He hunched his shoulders, shaking with her shaking, trembling with her trembling, sobbing with her sobs.

There wasn't anything to say.

Her whimpers of pain, as she shook against him, caused that rush of desolate hopelessness he'd felt when Casey died to be renewed. He rocked her, feeling her foot against his, her scraping against his leg, and knew she really was trying to climb inside, away from the pain. Danny started crying, and reached for Tracy.

She turned instantly, falling back to her own space, reaching for him, soothing him, explaining that he needed to breathe the special air they were giving him.

"In my nose." Danny fingered the tubes looking up at Julian.

"Hey, Little Man. You've got tubes in your nose."

"Cause my house caught on fire." Danny swiveled as children do and pointed to the twins in their incubator's, now sleeping peacefully. "Raine threw them out the window and Momma caught them, so the fire didn't get them, but not my brother. The fire got my brother."

Julian's hand rose to cover his mouth and wipe his eyes as he leaned on the bed and hugged Danny close. "What are you building, my friend?"

Danny went on to explain what he was building, nothing really making sense in his four year old mind yet. Tracy walked to the window near the two crowded incubators, and with a hand on her hip, and a hand on her forehead, looked out at the hustle and bustle of down town Mission Viejo. Life went on. Few if any of these people knew what had happened to them today. Few if any had ever suffered this kind of loss. She knew she'd never seen a house burn down, never even been that close to flames of that magnitude, seen the fire racing and dipping, ferocious and insatiable. The smoke billowing, the darkness and the creaking.