One Step Ahead

New Normal

February 25th, 10:30 AM

      "Here it comes, guys!" Wiley called out to Ashley. "We'll give 'em time to land and get her checked in, and then we can go up and see her."

      They were standing in the parking lot of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, watching the air-ambulance helicopter land on the hospital's helipad. After allowing several days for Briar's condition to fully stabilize, Wiley, with the aid of Lieutenant Sanger and Chief MacDevitt, had arranged for her to be transferred back to Los Angeles. He and Ashley had researched several hospitals in the city, and finding that the orthopedic department at Cedars-Sinai worked with three of the city's major sports teams, had chosen to have Briar moved there as soon as she was able to travel. The fact that Sanger's wife also worked there as a surgical nurse had also helped to expedite the process, as the lieutenant was acquainted with several of the hospital administrators, and was able to convince them of the need for the transfer. 

      Ashley, who had graduated from the wheelchair to crutches just the day before, shifted his grip and prepared to enter the hospital. He had returned to LA the previous weekend, when no one had been able to stay in Solvang with him any longer, so he and Briar hadn't seen each other for nearly four days, and Wiley had been forced to leave even earlier, to reopen the garage and allow Cody to return to school. Liz and Carmine, as well as several of their older children, had taken turns spending time at the hospital to make sure that she wasn't alone, and both Ashley and Wiley had spoken to her on the phone, but they were still eager to see her in person again.

      They entered the building, making their way to the cafeteria, since they had been told that someone would come to find them there as soon as Briar had been admitted and settled into a room. They found a table near the door, and Ashley took out his wallet, removing a bill and handing it to Wiley, "Since you're not... encumbered, I'll buy drinks if you'll go get 'em. Sound fair?"

      "Yeah, I can live with that," the larger man responded. "What'll ya have? Coffee?"

      "Oh, hell no! I've decided that hospital coffee is actually just a tool for them to generate business. I'll have iced tea if they've got it, and if not, just grab me a Diet Coke."

      "Oh yeah, like you need diet anything!" Wiley snickered. 

      "Maybe not, but I also don't really like to stuff myself full of a bunch of sugar, either," Ashley replied.

      "That's cool, I'll take your share, then."

      Wiley walked across the room to get their drinks while Ashley checked his phone, replying to a few texts, and confirming a physical therapy appointment for the following afternoon. He laid it down when a large styrofoam cup was placed on the table in front of him, and Wiley announced, "Here's your Diet Coke, man. The tea was presweetened, so I figured this was probably the better option."

      "Thanks, dude." After replacing the phone in his jacket pocket, and taking a sip of his drink, Ashley looked across the table at Wiley and inquired, "So, has she talked to you about it yet?"

      "Very little, to tell ya the truth. I kind of persuaded Cody to prod her a little the other day, since she's less likely to get pissed off and blow up at him, but it didn't do a lot of good. He told me that all she'd really say about it was that she was adjusting to the situation, and that she'd basically prepped herself for something like that when she started working the movies, since you never know when a stunt might go wrong. How about you?"

      "We haven't actually discussed it at all," Ashley admitted. "I didn't want to press the issue while she was in the ICU, and she's managed to find a way to avoid the topic since then. I was thinking I might try to talk to her about it sometime today. Do you want to help?"