Collision Course, Chapter Ten
 

Julian and Ivy's limo drove up to the Administration building of the school. They got out, and a small man came over to them.

" Mr. And Mrs. Crane, I'm Freidrick  Mas."

" I don't give a damn what your name is.", Julian barks. " Where the hell is our daughter?"

" The search team is still looking for her. Your Mr. Gustavson is heading up the search party. We’ve done everything he’s asked."

" You better. Take me to your command center."
Julian and Ivy follow the man. Everything is busy. Julian and Ivy look around, and see the pictures of the people they believe are missing, because Penny’s picture is among them.

Julian goes off to discuss things with those in charge, while Ivy gravitates towards the board with the pictures on it. Penny looks like the youngest person there, but, all of them are young. They’re all someone’s children. Ivy looks over and sees a group of women huddled in a corner with their rosaries. A woman that Ivy believes is a nun comes over to her.

" Mrs. Crane, would you like to come and pray with us?", she says in French. Ivy, at a loss for words, just follows the nun over to the group of women, two of whom are clutching pictures. Ivy recognizes them from the board. One takes Ivy’s hand and just nods. The prayers are in French, but, Ivy can follow, and she just prays that her youngest child will return. They are deep in prayer when Julian comes over to the group. Ivy jumps up.

" Julian, what is it?"

Julian smiles at her. " They’ve located her and four others. The men have to bring them town in sleds, so it will take awhile. "

Ivy uses her French to convey the news to the women in the group, who cry happy tears.
 

Julian’s smile fades, and Ivy sees it. " Julian, what aren’t you telling me?"

" There are problems, Ivy. They’re alive, but, the men say that there are problems. We have to go to the hospital. That’s where they’ll bring them."

Ivy tells the women, and they leave with Julian and Ivy, all of them piling into Julian’s limo. When they arrive at the hospital, they all get out, and go to the waiting room that has been prepared for them. Food and cots are in there. Julian and Ivy find a place to sit. Julian whips out his cellphone and places a call.

" They should be here within the hour."

" Julian, I’m worried."

" So am I. But, her being alive is half the battle. Whatever she needs, I can buy for her. If they can just get her to the hospital, she’ll live. I won’t let her die."

Ivy slipped her hand inside Julian’s. When he spoke like this, she believed him.

The minutes seemed to pass so slowly, but, eventually they saw the nurses and doctors begin to buzz around the emergency room, ready for something. They ran outside, and one by one, the gurnees came into the hospital. But, no Penny. Finally, on the last stretcher, Ivy recognized her own golden locks peeking out from beneath a sheet.

" Penny!" , she shouted. The doctors rushed the gurnee right by them and found a cubicle and went to work. Julian noticed the Crane Industries man that he had put in charge and went over to him.

" Gustav".

" Mr. Crane. Mrs. Crane."

" You found her."

" Yes. We found them."

" From your experience, what has happened to her?", Julian asked.

" She has hypothermia. A severe case. There are broken bones, Mr. Crane. And, possible internal injuries. Because they were all so young, their bodies didn’t have a chance against the elements. And, maybe that saved them, because the adult chaperones weren’t as lucky. They all died."

Julian nodded. " What are her chances?"

" I’m not a doctor, but, it’s going to be touch and go. Mr. Crane, I’m sorry, but, there is another group still out there. We came back for supplies as much as we were delivering this group. I have to go to try and find them."

Julian nodded. " Thank you, Gustav."

" No thanks necessary. I hope she…they’re all OK.", Gustav said before leaving.

Julian and Ivy sat in the waiting room with the other parents, when finally, a doctor came to see them.

" Monsieur and Madame Crane? I’m Doctor Lemieux."

" How’s our daughter?", Ivy asked.

" Well, she’s alive. She is suffering from severe hypothermia. Our first priority is to rise her body temperature. Without that, we can’t attempt any of the rest."

" The rest?"

" From what we can determine, your daughter doesn’t have any internal injuries. But, there is a head wound that worries us. Your daughter has not regained consciousness yet. The longer she’s out, the more we’re worried. But, we can’t do a brain scan on her until her temperature rises a few more centigrade. "

" If you need any special machines or equipment, just tell me, and I’ll have it flown in.", Julian tells him.

" There is no special equipment needed. I should also warn you: your daughter has severe bruising all over her face and upper body because of hitting the ice at such a hard force. You might want to call in a plastic surgeon. I’m not saying surgery is an absolute, but, it might be warranted."

" What else?", Julian demands.

" From her non-response with certain tests, we are nearly sure there is no internal bleeding, but, we can’t be sure until…"

" You get her blood temperature up.", Julian replies.

" Exactly. I will tell you that your daughter has a broken arm for certain, as well as a broken pelvis and legs. She’ll be in a half body cast once we can raise her temperature. She’s quite fortunate. I’ve known grown men who haven’t survived avalanches. For her to be so young and small, she’s lucky."

" Can we see her?", Ivy asks.

" Certainly. But, you’ll have to get  sterlized dress on first."

" Thank you, Doctor.", Julian said, as they followed the doctor.

Julian and Ivy entered the room. Their daughter looked tiny, hooked up to the tubes, as well as the treatment being done to raise her temperature. The doctor had warned them about not touching her, and it was hard on both of them.  They just sat and watched her, and the thermometer measuring her temperature. They stared at it, almost willing it to rise.
 

" Ethan. I got your message.", Gwen said, entering the Library where Ethan had been taken by the maid.

" I know. That’s why I’m here. I have to talk to you."

" About what, Ethan?"

" About us."

" Ethan, what are you talking about?"

" I’m here to know what it would take for us to get back together."

Gwen stood there, with her mouth open.
 

" Hey, Chad. What are you doing?", Beth asked.

" I…uh…was just looking in the tennis magazines."

" For any reason?"

" Didn’t you know that I’m the next Arthur Ashe?", Chad smiled at Beth.

" Somehow, I don’t think Arthur Ashe is the player on your mind. Do you mind?", Beth said sitting down across from Chad, as Chad shook his head, no.

" This is about Whitney, isn’t it?", Beth asks.

Chad nods. " Yeah. It’s about Whitney. I’m crazy about her, but…."

" But, what?"

" Her Mother. Dr. Russell isn’t fond of me. And, though it’s improved lately, she still isn’t sure about me and Whitney. Especially after that Tiffany incident."

Beth shuddered. She had heard, during a latenight gab session with Chad, the story of Tiffany, and she knew the ‘issues’ that it brought up.

" But, Dr. Russell knows that you were NOT the guy responsible."

" I know. Logically, she knows that. But, I still get the feeling that she thinks I’m some ‘fly-by-night’ Brotha who’s gonna do a ‘wham-bam’ on her daughter."

" Well then, you’re just going to have to go old-fashioned on her."

" Old-fashioned?", Chad says confused.

" Yes. Dr. Russell is the conservative type. So, she should respect someone being honest with her. Someone who comes right out and ‘   declares ‘  his feelings for her daughter. Someone who informs her of his ‘intentions’. It’s totally old-fashioned, but, it’s a directness that she can’t avoid. She has  to take you seriously, if you come to her, no holds barred."

Chad waves his hands up at Beth. " I dunno about that. I  don’t even think I really know my feelings for Whitney."

" Then, you don’t stand a chance with Dr. Russell. Only someone who knows himself will be able to deal with her. Both she and Coach Russell seem like very direct people. When it comes to their family, they know what they feel, as well as for one another. How are they supposed to trust you with their daughter, if you’re so confused. They shouldn’t be able to trust you, with confused feelings. But, someone who can come up to them and say, ‘ yes, I care for your daughter…I feel ‘this’, and this is the reason you don’t have to worry about me’, THAT is a guy that they know respects their daughter, and someone that they can trust with her."

Chad looked at Beth. " You think that will work?"

" I’ve known TC Russell for forever, and I KNOW it will work with him. But, he doesn’t seem to be the problem. Dr. Russell is. What do you have to lose?"

Chad looked at Beth and shrugged his shoulders. " Not much…….thanks Beth. You’ve given me a lot to think about."

" Glad I could be of some help. " Beth says, getting up from the table.

Could it really be that easy, Chad wondered? He knew that Eve was out of town for a business trip, but, he was going to talk to her as soon as she came back. He was going to declare his feelings for Whitney. Make Eve realize that he wasn’t some joke off the street. He was a man who loved her daughter and would do whatever it took to make her happy.
 
 

Eve had been sitting in the parking lot for over an hour, trying to gain the strength to go in.

The truth seemed to be staring her in the face. And, all she needed was a little bit more information, before the destruction of the world as she knew it was complete.
Gathering her strength, she got out of the car, and walked towards the building. Once inside, she waved to the guard, who knew her from previous visits. She knew where he lived, and went straight to his room. She knocked on the door, and when she received a ‘Come In’, she entered, and closed the door behind her.

He turned away from the TV to her.

" Eve?"

" Hello, Orville."

" What are you doing here?"

" We need to talk, Orville. I need the truth from you."

" The truth?"

" Yes, Orville. I need the truth.. Yes or No…..Is Chad Harris the son I had with Julian?"

Orville looked away from Eve and said nothing.

" Orville, I’ve got DNA tests. I’ve got mismatched birth and death certificates. What I need to know is if you know anything. After all, you were the one who had Chad’s burnt birth certificate. So, I guess that means you know about his life. Orville, I need the truth. My life is going to change, but, I need the truth: Is Chad Harris the son I had with Julian?"

Without turning to look at her, Orville gave her the answer she didn’t know she wanted to hear:

" Yes."