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Life's Illusions - 10 years on - Chapter 13
Pete and Beth were supporting a sobbing Pauly, Josef and Sofia looked terrified clinging to his legs as the adults gazed down at Reece in his hospital bed.
Pauly was numb, only one day ago their lives had been ideal, they were a family on vacation when a madman entered their lives, snuffing out their happiness, leaving Reece's life in limbo.
They'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It had been the last day of their vacation, Reece had insisted it was to be a fun shopping day.
At the Mall with Reece and Pauly urging them on, Josef and Sofia had bought presents for school friends and family, the morning a non stop laughter fest as Josef and Pauly tried on hats, shirts, wigs and sunglasses to entertain them.
Exhausted they flopped down in an open coffeehouse in the centre of the mall, Reece and Pauly were enjoying their coffee, Josef and Sofia their favourite milkshakes.
Sofia had spilled her milkshake and gone to the counter for paper napkins when the first shots rang out.
There'd been a delayed reaction, Reece and Pauly's brains identified immediately what the sounds were, but belief and realisation were a few seconds apart.
Reece had shouted 'down on the floor', then he was on his feet heading towards a terrified Sofia, he'd scooped her up in his arms, heading back to where the others were sheltering behind a massive stone planter, he'd almost made it, then he'd visibly shuddered, dropping down in a huddle, shielding Sofia.
Every time he closed his eyes Pauly relived that morning.
They'd spent a week relaxing at PJ and Lenny's house in Shell Key, a large Plantation Style Mansion inherited from PJs beloved Grandfather.
Acres upon acres of grounds led straight out to the beach, not private, but being nestled in a bay with two prominent headlands either side, there was little public access for fear of being cut off by the tides, every day had been full of fun, spent on the beach.
Their second week had been a nonstop adventure at Disney's and Universal's Theme Parks in Orlando, they'd taken a four bedroom villa in the grounds of Fielding Orlando, a five star resort.
All week Josef and Sofia had been awake at the crack of dawn ready for another day of adventures, it had been an idyllic vacation, until that day.
The gunman had been shot dead by Police Marksmen, the officers responding had begun to round up and escort the terrified shoppers out of the Mall, they'd been afraid to make any sound, Pauly shielding Josef, Reece shielding Sofia, the officers had found them and said it was safe to come out, Pauly had stood, checking Josef was unhurt, thankful they were safe, until Sofia's cries made him look towards Reece who hadn't moved, Pauly saw the blood creeping out from Reece's body as he ran towards him.
There was so much blood, later they would find out there were three bullets in Reece's back and one in his neck, at the base of his skull.
He was drifting in and out of consciousness, in a lucid moment he whispered, "I love you Pauly, truly love you, don't mourn me for too long, promise me you'll love again, and look after the kids, tell them how much I love them, promise me Pauly please".
Pauly had nodded through streaming tears as Reece closed his eyes, Pauly had thought he was gone.
Paramedics had tried for what seemed like a eternity to revive him and had finally achieved a weak pulse before he was stretchered into an air ambulance.
The ride to the hospital had all been a blur, the questions, arranging the insurance cover, then they were alone, sat huddled together in near silence in a waiting room for hours whilst somewhere close by, surgeons battled to save Reece's life.
Unbeknown to Pauly their names had leaked to the press.
News reports had been running headlines accompanied by pictures of Reece, Pauly and the children, 'Disgruntled Mall Employee's Gun Rampage leaves Son-in-Law of Woodruff Executive Chairman fighting for life in Orlando Mall Attack'.
Beth and Dave along with their six year olds Bobby and Elly had been spending a relaxing few days in New York with Pete and Jaque when Beth stood transfixed staring at the TV's rolling headline, her screams brought everyone into the lounge.
Pete had taken immediate control telling Jaque to call the pilots to have the plane ready for immediate take off, they needed to be in Orlando right away, without stopping to grab anything they bundled the children down in the elevator to the garage level where a large Suburban Limo was housed.
Dave took the wheel and headed towards Teterboro.
Pete dialled his fathers number, he knew his parents were at Montclair staying with Woody and Jacqueline, "Poppa, tell Woody to turn on your TV, the CBS news channel, Pauly and Reece are in trouble, it's saying Reece is fighting for life, we're heading to Teterboro now, we should be able to make Orlando in about three hours, Pauly will be on his own with the kids, can you find out where they are to save us time, okay, speak soon".
As he completed his conversation Dave was turning into the Teterboro FBO entrance, they could see one of their pilots waiting beside a car outside the office building and he beckoned for Dave to follow them.
The plane already had it's engines running outside the hanger, as they pulled up they could see there were two mechanics in the other car with the pilot, one of the mechanics jumped out with the pilot and ran across to the Suburban, "Go guys, I'll park her up until you return".
Both cars peeled off and drove back to the terminal building as their party boarded and strapped in, within minutes they were airborne heading for Orlando".
In Montclair Lenny and Jacqueline were in tears, PJ was on the phone talking to Leo whilst Woody was arranging for the pilots to refuel and log a flight plan for Orlando, within thirty minutes they too were heading for the airport.
An hour into their flight Pete received a call from Leo, he gave the hospital details and told him Pip, his parents PA, had arranged a limo when they landed in Orlando, they had accommodation booked at the Orlando Fielding and PJs plane was already in the air, the third plane was en route to collect Billy from Chicago.
Pauly was terrified and tired, the children were asleep either side of him with their heads in his lap, it had been hours with no news, he'd been alternating between bouts of tears and numbness, unable to contemplate a future without Reece, he jumped in shock as the door opened and the hospital administrator came in.
"I'm sorry if I startled you Mr Thorn, I just wanted to let you know your family are on the way, your brother and sister should be here within the hour, your parents are en route from France".
Pauly thanked him, he was grateful for the news his parents, brothers and sister were headed towards him.
The administrator went on.
"I have a family room prepared for you where the little ones can get some rest, I'll send in a couple of nurses to help you settle them, the surgeons working on your husband will know where you are and will update you as soon as they're able".
Two nurses helped Pauly settle Josef and Sofia into a single bed in the family room, Pauly had settled himself with a cup of tea when Beth and Pete arrived, they went straight into a hug with a sobbing Pauly.
A little over two hours after Beth and Pete arrived the Surgeon came into the room and sitting with Pauly explained what they'd done.
He's critical but stable right now, he'll be moved to a suite in the next couple of hours, we've managed to remove all four bullets".
He hesitated, looking around the others, as telling them, Pauly would need help to process what was coming.
"There were complications, one of the bullets came to rest against his heart but we're confident we've managed to repair most of that damage, two did very little damage they lodged in soft tissue".
Again he stopped for a moment.
"The major problem, there's no nice way to put this, we don't know if he'll be paralysed, it went into the back of his neck and struck his spinal cord right on the brain stem, there's no way of knowing what damage it did until Reece can tell us and he'll be in a coma for some time.
His body received so much shock it shut down, we encouraged and continued that coma state whilst we operated but now we have to wait for him to come out of it, there's no way to speed it up, it has to be his body's choice, you have to understand it could be hours, days, weeks or months, there's no way of knowing, all we can do now is wait and pray".
Reece had been settled into his private room but getting near to him had seemed almost impossible, there were pipes and wires coming out of him in all directions, he was pale, despite the summer tan they'd achieved in the previous two weeks, he was covered in bandages and looked lifeless.
Pauly hadn't wanted to let the children see him but Josef had been adamant, shouting, "He's my Poppa, I'm going to be there when he wakes up".
They were standing by his bed, Pauly sobbing as Beth and Pete supported him, Sofia and Josef clinging to Pauly's legs when the surgeon came in, not realising the children were present he explained, "It doesn't look good I'm afraid, we had to restart his heart several times in theatre, you should be prepared for the possibility that he may die suddenly without warning, without ever regaining consciousness, very few people would be capable of enduring the enormous pain and stress his body experienced".
Josef let go of Pauly and faced the surgeon, "My Poppa won't die, he's tough, he wouldn't let us down, I'm going to help him get better, do you hear me?", he'd been almost screaming at the surgeon.
The surgeon nodded and backed out of the room.
Pauly, pulling himself together, sank to his knees circling his arms around Josef and Sofia, "You're right Josef, Poppa wouldn't want to leave us, so we have to do everything we can to help him get better, one thing I do know is that he can hear us, so we talk to him, as much as we can, we let him know how precious he is to us, how much we need him but for now he needs rest, we'll each speak to him, give him our love and then you and Sofia are going back to the villa to eat and rest, no arguments young man I need your help now not your tantrums, are we clear?".
Josef nodded through tears, "But I'm coming back, I'm going to make him get better, you'll see", he was adamant, defiant.
As Pete reminded them later, Josef was like a miniature version of Woody who had threatened too throw anyone with a negative attitude out of PJs hospital room head first after he'd suffered his heart attack and stroke.
In Chicago, Billy and Jay had just agreed a buy out of the IT Company that produced the 'In Car Boxes', the guys who'd developed the system were concerned only with seeing the cash they envisioned would finance their lifestyle for the foreseeable future, a concept Billy and Jay didn't get, but as they agreed, it was each to their own.
Already there were a list of major insurers knocking, or more importantly, banging on their door for this product and they both knew they were onto a winner.
As the boys celebrated, a sombre Jolly entered the office making straight for Billy with tears on her face, "You have to go, Reece has been shot in a mall in Florida, he's barely alive, Pauly needs you, there's a car waiting, don't ask now, we'll talk when you're on your way, we'll follow with the children when we've tied everything up here now go".
Billy was at Meigs Field and airborne within the hour, having understood Jolly's message, this was not an instruction to mess with, they talked almost non stop on the phone as his car took him to the airport and again when he was airborne during the two hour flight.
During the flight he also got a call from Leo to bring him up to speed though Leo couldn't give him any details on how Reece was doing.
At the hospital Beth and Pete had stayed with Pauly whilst Dave, Jaque and the children had been sent back to their Villas to rest.
When Billy entered he found Beth and Pete sat talking in whispers while Pauly sat at the side of Reece's bed his head on the pillow fast asleep.
Going straight into a group hug Pete beckoned Billy to follow him back out into the corridor, there they could talk without disturbing either Reece or Pauly who had been exhausted and desperately needed rest.
"It's not good news Billy, he took four bullets shielding Sofia, one went into the back of his neck and hit his brain stem, if he comes out of the coma it's a real possibility he'll be paralysed, the doctors can't say when, or even if, he might wake up".
Billy insisted that Beth and Pete go back to their Villas and their families, he would stay with Pauly for the next few hours and then they could work out a shift pattern to support him.
A few hours later as Pauly and Billy took turns chatting to a comatose Reece, PJ, Lenny and Woody arrived, having sent Jacqueline and the children directly to the Fielding to get settled in their Villa.
Getting the Head of the Medical Team in for a chat, PJ and Woody asked him to lay out bluntly his expectations and predictions for Reece going forward, it proved a crushing blow for Pauly to hear that Reece was not expected to emerge from his coma, as for a full recovery, he rated the prospect as nil, only expecting an existence, if he made it out of the coma, as a Tetraplegic or Quadriplegic meaning he would have, in his opinion, no use of any limbs below his neck and facial movement would likely be limited also.
After the Doctor left them it was Lenny who took the bull by the horns, "Okay, I know what we just heard wasn't what we wanted, but we now have the worst scenario, nothing can surprise us so it's what we work with, PJ I'm buying us a house here, Pauly will need to be close for quite a while, the children need stability and we all need to be able to fit in to ease the load for Pauly.
Within two weeks Lenny had secured a large property only a short distance from the hospital, it had extensive grounds and more importantly 11 bedroom suites, she snapped it up as it was for 28 million dollars.
It ticked every box when Lenny viewed it, she was adamant they only look at properties with both swimming pool and gym, on the ground floor were 6 reception rooms, 2 of which Lenny immediately set about converting into a bedroom suite for Reece with direct access into a state of the art physiotherapy room complete with its own hot tub and sling to ease both entry and exit.
On the day they left The Fielding to take up residence in the new house PJ asked Woody to get some information from The Fielding accounts department, he was acutely aware they had been utilising prime space for several weeks and it must have had a cost implication for The Fielding staff to relocate and compensate guests and yet the management had not invoiced them a single dollar, insisting the privilege of hosting the family in a time of need was payment enough.
Woody was able to extract the information quite easily from one of the back office staff, he could see immediately why PJ was concerned, the amount of lost revenue plus the compensation and relocation costs was enormous, it would show up as a huge dent in the quarterly and annual performance figures, it would attract unfair sanctions which the management didn't deserve, yet they were prepared to accept it in an effort to show their strength of feeling for the family.
Making his way towards the Office of The Managers, Woody decided he needed to solve this problem, he understood, it was why PJ had sent him instead of taking care of this himself, PJ knew Woody could talk to them on their own level without offending them.
He'd asked to speak with the General Managers on duty and in only moments both were sitting listening intently as he explained.
"The one thing I want you to understand is that we are sincerely grateful for your gesture in not billing the accommodation we have been occupying, it's a lovely gesture and one we will remember and cherish, however it cannot be. You are tasked with achieving a certain level of occupancy, our stay, unless properly billed, will impact that performance badly and has the potential to earn you sanctions on your next annual budget, therefore I'm insisting that you bill my father in full, Pip his PA will contact you and give you the billing details. My father and Mother will also be writing a personal note of appreciation which you should receive shortly, it will be addressed to every employee and if I know my parents it will have something extra included.
Later that day a handwritten letter arrived at The Fielding Orlando, addressed to:
'Our family, who sheltered and nurtured us in a time of need'.
We don't need to identify you, nor could we individually, as each and every one of you played your part in easing our burden following that tragic day which left our boy Reece so badly injured.
There is no change in his condition though we continue daily to pray for his return to health.
We leave you today only because we are conscious of the need to establish a more permanent base, this for the sake of our children and grandchildren during what could potentially be a long process of recovery, it is a given that we will miss you all, please, we ask that you remember, our house will be open to one and all should you have the time to drop in.
We have enclosed something for each of you which we ask you to accept with our heartfelt thanks for your kindness and generosity when we so desperately needed it the most.
God Bless you one and all.
PJ & Lenny Thorn, our Children & Grandchildren.
The letter was accompanied by 362 sealed envelopes, each containing a 100 dollar bill, one for every member of staff, whatever their job title.
The original letter was framed and displayed proudly in the staff canteen for all to see and a copy accompanied each envelope received by staff members.
The days had turned into weeks, the weeks into months.
Exactly 6 months to the day after that awful event Pauly had sat alone and wept, holding the hand of his beloved Reece, acknowledging this could be all there was in his future, "I don't know if you can hear me my love, I've prayed every day that you would come back to us, we love you, we need you, but maybe it's not to be".
Pauly was shocked almost out of his seat by the slamming of the door and the angry voice behind him, "Don't ever say that, do you hear me?, never fuckin ever say that again, Poppa's resting, that's all, when he's ready he'll come back, I know it, he has to, he made us a promise, he has to god damned honour it".
Pauly knew without turning who's voice was almost screaming those words but he was unprepared and stunned as he turned to answer Josef's tirade when a weak voice said, "Language young man, that's not how we taught you to speak to your elders".
Josef and Pauly's eyes shot immediately to Reece who was trying to smile, "Water, please, so dry".
Josef rushed to put the drinks straw to his fathers lips while Pauly in tears rang constantly on the nurses call button, finally running out into the corridor and along to the nurses station shouting, "He's awake, get a doctor, he's awake".
Inside the room, as Josef pulled the straw from Reece's lips, his father whispered, "You need to apologise for that outburst, make sure you do, now how long have I been here and what's wrong with me, tell me quick before Poppa comes back".
Josef's face was awash with tears as he answered, I'm sorry Poppa, I'll tell Pops I'm sorry, I was angry because you wouldn't wake up, it's been a long time, we've got a house here now so we're close to you, the doctor said you might not wake up and if you did you'd be paraside or something like that, it means you can't walk but I'm going to help you with that, we'll do exercise in the Phisery room Grandma had built for you, I love you Poppa, don't leave us again".
By then Josef was sobbing, his head buried in Reece's chest, he realised Reece's arms were circling him, holding him close just as Pauly came back in.
"He's holding me, he can move Pops, ring Grandma, she needs to bring Sofia, it's gonna be okay".
Pauly was in shock but instinctively he moved to the bed wrapping his arms around Reece with Josef burrowed in the middle, "Welcome back my love, I've missed you so much, I thought I'd be left to face the rest of my life without you, I was so close to giving up hope, I'm sorry, I should have had the faith of this young man, however rudely he put it".
Josef looked up at his parents, "I'm sorry Pops, I swore, I shouldn't have, it was wrong, I'll take a punishment".
Looking down at their son Pauly said, "Normally I'd smack your butt, however today you have a pass, just don't let me hear those words ever again".
The next few hours were a hive of activity around Reece as doctors and nurses prodded and poked him until he called a halt saying he was too tired, that they needed to let him rest.
Lenny and PJ had brought an excited Sofia to the hospital whereupon she climbed into the bed with her Poppa, clinging to him and refusing to budge for doctors or nurses who had no option but to work around her.
In the days that followed it became clear Reece had some sensation below the waist but he couldn't move his legs.
On the third day Josef entered the private room as he had every day after his schooling was over since Reece had been admitted, to find his Poppa with tears streaming down his face sobbing.
"Poppa what's the matter?, please don't cry, we're going to be okay".
Reece looked at his son, "I can't walk, I never will, I'm useless".
Josef's temper rose immediately to the surface, he was shouting before he knew it, "Stop it, don't you dare say that again, you're going to walk, I promise, I'm going to be helping you, my teacher always says, 'It's mind over matter', I never used to understand what he meant, but when he explained, I think I understand, he says if you tell yourself you can do it you have a fighting chance, if you tell yourself you can't do it then you're finished before you even start, so promise me, you'll tell yourself you can do it and you'll try".
Reece was shocked at the anger in his sons voice but touched just the same, he nodded.
"Okay that's settled, we'll start as soon as you're home".
One week after he regained consciousness Reece was transferred by ambulance to the house and settled in his room.
Lenny had secured the services of two nurses and two Physiotherapists who had been thoroughly briefed on what progress they were to aim for though Josef secretly dismissed that as far too slow.
Josef's alarm woke him at 5.30am every day, dressed in his bathers and loose sweatpants he'd head to Reece's room where he would help a waiting Reece into the hoist, it transported him to the whirlpool tub Lenny had insisted was installed when fitting out the room.
Turning on the powerful jets he would loose the sweatpants and climb in with his father.
Each morning they followed the same pattern, Josef proceeded to lift and bend Reece's legs doing twenty reps on each leg with a five minute break between circuits which they repeated three times, all this whilst urging Reece to push against him.
The physiotherapists had ruled out any strenuous exercises for the first few weeks insisting that his doctors were fearful of him overdoing it, they of course, were unaware of Josef's and Reece's determination, or of their early morning routine.
All would have been fine if, after the second week Pauly hadn't woken early, unable to sleep he'd headed to the kitchen for coffee and noticed Josef's bedroom door open, surprised his bed was empty.
Inquisitive, Pauly had guessed Josef would be with his Poppa, slipping quietly into Reece's room in case he were asleep, he'd been surprised again to find Reece's bed also empty, though looking through into the adjoining physio room all became clear as he watched their son struggling to lift Reece's legs and urging Reece to push.
Pauly was standing next to the whirlpool tub before either of them realised they'd been busted.
Both looked like a deer in headlights as they noticed Pauly standing with crossed arms and a stern expression.
Josef burst into tears, "Please Pops, don't be angry, I'm helping Poppa get better, he's going to walk, I know he is".
Pauly scooped Josef up out of the pool and hugged him close, despite the water dripping all over the floor, "I'm not angry, I'm annoyed, you didn't ask me to help, I'm guessing this is not a one off, is this why you're so tired every evening?, how long has this been going on?".
Reece answered a little sheepishly, "Sorry Pauly it's my fault, Josef's been helping me every morning for a couple of weeks now, but he's right it's working, I know it is".
Despite Josef thinking he was in trouble Pauly cuddled him, "I'm so proud of you little man, but you can't do this alone, so, what time do we start in the mornings?, I'm helping or it's a no go".
Josef was beaming now despite the tears still falling down his face,"I get up at five thirty and we work until seven thirty, then I help Poppa dry off and get him back into bed before the Fidler guys get here".
Pauly was looking puzzled so Reece explained, "He means Physio guys not Fidler guys, there's only one guy who's gonna be fiddling with me and the sooner the better".
Pauly smiled and nodded hugging Josef closer, "Okay here's how it goes from now on, I'm sleeping in here from tonight, I'll set my alarm for five thirty and get Poppa into the tub, Josef, you set your alarm for six o'clock, get an extra half hour of sleep, we'll do this for the next week then we'll do alternate days so we each catch up on sleep every other day, no arguments Josef this is not a debate, you have done a wonderful thing here but it's too much, I don't want you wearing yourself out, are we okay?".
Josef nodded, even at his young age he knew he was getting really tired by the early morning exercise, and typical of any youngster he wouldn't question the chance of extra time in bed.
The early morning sessions became routine with Pauly and Josef alternating.
There hadn't seemed to be any real benefit, Reece could only admit to a tingling feeling in both legs but nothing constant, it seemed to come and go, though he did notice it lasted longer each time.
About a month after they started their extra curricular morning exercises, Pauly was enjoying his lie in day whilst Josef was hard at work on Reece's legs, a loud scream and spluttering had Pauly upright and out of bed heading to the tub in a flash.
He found a stunned looking Reece and a spluttering ecstatic Josef who looked like all his Christmases had come at once.
"What happened did you slip?, you scared the life out of me Josef".
Josef was practically bouncing up and down, "I didn't slip Pops, he kicked me, he kicked me really hard, I couldn't hold on, do it again Poppa".
As he said this Josef lifted Reece's right leg and Pauly watched in fascination as Reece's leg twitched then shot out straight sending a giggling Josef backwards across the tub, ducking him a second time.
Both Reece and Pauly couldn't help laughing at Josef's next statement, "Okay, one down, one to go".
TBC
ARB Allan
Comments are welcome to cfgw2000@aol.com.
Thank you for giving me your time, enjoy.