The front door of the house opened and a woman walked out and greeted us. She was an older woman wearing an apron over her house-dress.  She hugged Ellie and Celine. She told Tom and me to bring the luggage into the house. All I wanted to do was run into the house and take my wife in my arms, but I did as the matronly woman asked. When I entered the house, she led Tom and I into a bedroom and told us to leave the luggage there and then she took me by the hand and said that someone was waiting to see me. She led me down a short hallway to another door and opened it, sitting on the bed was a short haired, blond woman with blue eyes, it had to be Carol. She looked nothing like Lisa, my wife, but I knew it was her. She was very pregnant and crying. As soon as she saw me, she struggled to stand and waddled towards me. It didn't take long for us to cleave onto each other as I had been moving towards her at the same time. We held each other for a few long minutes and then I stepped back and put my hand on her stomach. I swear my child must have known I was there because it moved when I touched her belly! Carol smiled and said, "he's as happy that you're here as I am, Michael!" "He, we're having a son?asked with excitement! She shook her head yes, tears falling from her eyes. Then I kissed her and held her some more.

When we came out of the room, Ellie, Tom and Celine were gone. They had taken Celine back to the airport. She was going back to Sacramento already. I felt terrible that I hadn't been able to thank her again and tell her good-bye. Carol introduced me to her Momma, "Michael this is Helen, my Momma. She cleans, cooks, mothers me, and carries a pistol! She is my bodyguard! Helen, this is my husband, Michael." She had  tears in her eyes and her arm through mine as she went through the introductions. Helen appeared to be nothing more than a cook and house-keeper, but since she was a trained bodyguard she was capable of cooking up a fantastic meatloaf one minute and taking out a meat-head the next! I knew Carol had been safe with her and we would continue to be safe with her. I reached over to shake Helen's hand and she said, "I don't think so, Momma need's a hug!" Did I mention that she is as strong as a bear too? She nearly hugged the breath out of me!

Helen set the table and served us a wonderful candlelight dinner for two! Chicken Baked with a White Garlic Creme Sauce, Herb Rose Potatoes, Asparagus Spears, Baby Carrots and Dinner Rolls.  We talked all through dinner. Carol had so much to tell me about her pregnancy and preparations for the baby. We decided not to talk about her disappearance until after dinner. She told me she wanted to name him Adam if that was all right with me, since he will be a new beginning for us, Adam Clifford Jenkins. Carol offered a little more information that I hadn't known before, her knew identity was Carol Jean Jenkins, wife of Retired Sargent Michael Thomas Jenkins, Attorney At Law. She got up and took a frame off the wall and brought it over to me. It was the Marriage Certificate of Carol Jean Winslow and Sargent Michael Thomas Jenkins, dated 5 years ago on March 23, 2004. It was signed by both of us! It appears that Tom Henry Manning and Ellie Louise Manning were our witnesses! Well, the CAGC was definitely thorough! I smiled at Carol and said, "I am glad we're married Mrs. Jenkins, we are having a baby you know!" After we had finished our dinner, she led me down the hallway and into our bedroom!

Carol assured me that making love wouldn't hurt the baby, we just had to be a little creative! She said there was a very large baby in the way! After a few very uncomfortable positions, we found one that worked for both of us! It was an incredible night, much better than the charade I put on the night before! I was so thankful that my wife was alive and that I was soon to be a father that I almost forgot about everything that was still ahead of us! We both slept peacefully, in each others arms for the first time in eight months.

The next morning Helen knocked on the door and said that breakfast would be ready in 20 minutes. I turned over and Carol was up already. I jumped out of bed and threw my clothes on. I found her sitting at the kitchen bar drinking a cup of tea. She smiled and said, "your suitcases are in the guest room and if you want to take a quick shower you have plenty of time! The CAGC makes sure you have plenty of clothes to start out with, go and check!" I walked over and gave her a kiss before retiring to the shower.

I opened suitcase after suitcase and couldn't believe what I found in them. One held Suits and dress shoes, one held Dress Shirts, slacks and Ties, one held jeans, Polo Shirts and Casual Shirts and the last held under clothes, a robe, socks, casual shoes and a box with cuff-links, tie-tacks and a watch with my new name engraved on it. I grabbed a pair of Jeans, a Polo Shirt, the watch and some underclothes, then I found my overnight bag and headed for the shower! I took a quick shower, shaved, splashed on some aftershave, brushed my teeth, dressed, combed my hair back and put on the watch. Cleaned up my mess and proceeded to the kitchen. Helen was just putting the last of the food on the table. It looked delicious. "Michael your just in time to have my Huevos Rancheros while they are nice and hot! I hope you like them!"  Helen happily chattered. "Momma your food is always good! You spoil me!" Carol replied with a giggle! Then the two ladies sat down and beckoned me to join them. She wasn't kidding. Momma could cook! There was homemade refried Black Beans, Spanish Rice, homemade flour tortillas, and the best homemade Ranchero sauce I had ever tasted poured over perfectly fried eggs! She had also made homemade Pico de Gallo to serve with all of it! She must have been up for hours preparing this feast! "Helen, if you cook like this all the time, your going to make me gain weight! But it will be well worth it! This is a delicious meal. Thank you.." I told her. "Michael, you'd better get used to calling me Momma first off, and I always cook a good meal, so get ready to loosen your belt son." She replied, with full on laughter!

After breakfast Carol asked Momma if we could all go into town and buy some things for the Nursery. Momma said sure enough, just as soon as she was finished cleaning the kitchen. She suggested we begin preparing the Nursery by emptying Micheal's suitcases and storing them in the shed out back while she saw to her duties. I lugged the suitcases into our room and began putting my clothes away. Carol had emptied one side of the closet to make room for them. She prepared two dresser drawers for me as well. She said I could put my cuff-links and tie-tacks in her Jewelry box if I wanted to. I opened it up and found it was nearly empty. My heart was dampened. She left a full Jewelry box behind with a lot of memories. I dropped my things in the top drawer and closed the doors. I walked over and took her in my arms and told her that I loved her and that our new life together would be a good one. Her eyes filled with tears and she sobbed in my arms. "Michael, I missed you more than you will ever know. I hated leaving you like that. I detested that you had to think I was dead. I knew what that was doing to you and I couldn't comfort you. There were so many times I wanted to come out of hiding, even if it meant I really would end up dead. At least then, I wouldn't be lying to you." She told me as she cried. I assured her that she made the right decision under the circumstances and that we had a second chance now. We had to start over without any blame. She kissed me and thanked me for being so understanding. If I could only convince myself to let go of all of the anger now. The past eight months had been a night mare. I wanted the government and US Avis Medical Center to pay for what they did to Lisa and Clifford!

We finished putting my clothes and toiletries away. Now Carol was going to show me to the shed. First, she had to introduce me to Neeko and Ollie, two very large Doberman Guard Dogs. Each of us pulled  an empty suitcase behind us and left them at the back door momentarily! Carol opened the door and whistled, in an instant two large dogs appeared. She told them to sit and stay, then she told me to come on out. When I hesitated, she encouraged me reminding me that they were well trained and would not move. I stepped out the door. She said, "Neeko and Ollie, this is Michael, smell his hand. He is good." Then she told me to offer them my hand. I did as she asked and they sniffed it and then sat back down. "Neeko heel to Michael," Carol said next. And Neeko came and stood by my side. Then she told me to pet him. I did and he wagged what little tail he had. Then she called him to heel to her and Ollie to heel to me. Ollie and I went through the same process as Neeko and I had. A little bonding moment. Then she told me to walk towards the shed and call Neeko to me. I did what she directed me to do, and Neeko did as I asked. He came to me and heeled. Then she told me to call Ollie. He came as well. I couldn't believe it. She told me to walk back to her and to tell the dogs to heel. I did and they stayed right with me. She told me to approach her slowly and let her be the one to touch me. I was a little nervous about that, but the dogs were fine with it. Then she said walk away and return slowly again and take hold of my hand. I did that tool. This time Neeko who had been lying down at Carol's feet stood up and Ollie growled. Carol snapped her fingers and said, "Down, Neeko and Ollie, Michael is good. We repeated the process two more times and then the dogs were assured by then that I was no threat. We grabbed the suitcases and headed for the shed. There was a lawn mower and a few garden and household tools in the shed but that was all. The suitcases and my overnight bag fit in fine.

Momma was done by the time we were. She had even changed from a house-dress to a nice cotton dress suitable to wear to town. Carol informed me that she wore a gun strapped to her upper thigh! She always wore a dress! She told us to wait until she honked the horn before coming out. This was an all clear signal, Carol explained. It meant that the van had been checked for bugs, and bombs and she had checked the street for any unknown vehicles, and the sidewalks for strangers. Carol said it took Momma approximately 10 minutes, I could time her if I wanted to! Carol said she had to make a pee run before they got in the van and took off waddling down the hall! I thought she looked so cute! By the time she got back, I heard the horn honk twice! "Okay, we can go now." Carol said.

We went to Babies R Us, in downtown Minneapolis. We took a similar out of the way route to get there, like we did from the airport. I had stashed away most of his envelope full of money, but had brought $5000.00 with me. I told Carol to buy anything she wanted. Her eye caught a bassinet first. It was white wicker with a blue ribbon that was woven throughout the edges of it and ended in a large bow over the head of it. It had a shelf beneath it where you could store wipes and diapers. She said that would go in our bedroom at first. Then she found a Walnut Crib, Dresser, Changing Table and Rocking Chair set that she fell in love with. Now it was time to discuss the theme we were going to use in the Nursery she said. "Theme, what's that?" I asked her. "Do we want baby animals, cars and trucks, the alphabet, cartoon characters, teddy bears, fairy tales, you know a theme?! She said. Okay now I was catching on! "Well what do you like?" I asked her. "I like the Blue Teddy Bears and the Baby Animal Kingdom the best. What about you?" She asked. It really didn't matter to me, so I just picked one, " I think I like the Baby Animal Kingdom, the best." I told her. She got so excited and said, "Oh you picked my favorite, good!" So she picked out wall hangings, a crib set, a musical mobile, a diaper stacker, a diaper bag, some stuffed animals, a lamp, a rug and curtains all in that theme. Then we bought bottles, pacifiers, two bottle brushes, diapers, wipes, clothing, extra crib sheets, bassinet sheets, receiving blankets, heavy blankets, a car seat, a baby bath tub, baby toiletries, baby medications, any and everything for baby Adam. By the time we were done, so was the $5000.00 and I pulled out my credit card for the rest! I had one very happy wife! I felt pretty good myself!

When we got back home, we were instructed to wait in the car. Carol informed me that Momma had to check out the house first. She said I would get used to this, just like she had. It took her about ten minutes and then she came out and got us. We all started carrying in various items. All of the large items were being delivered by Babies R Us in the morning. Which was fine. I still had to dismantle the guest bed and put it, the dresser and end table in storage today.  Momma said she would start washing baby clothes, sterilizing bottles and pacifiers, and Carol was going to go take a much needed nap after her shopping spree!

By the time Carol woke up the Nursery was empty. Ready for tomorrow and it's early delivery. We were anxiously waiting for our delivery! Adam would be with us soon! Momma had all of the baby clothes, and bedding washed before dinner. All of the sterilizing was done too. She was an amazing woman, who showed no signs of tiring. She cooked a Spaghetti Dinner that that night that would rival even Emeril's!

That night we sat out back on the porch under the stars and talked about how Blessed we were to have a second chance. It was a beautiful clear night out. It was cold but we wrapped up in a blanket together and sipped on hot cocoa. Momma was nearby, always watching and Neeko and Ollie were lying quietly at our feet. We were safe.

We retired that night with the hopes of a bright future and a longing for each other that we had to put aside because Carol said her back was beginning to hurt. To our chagrin we both thought it was due to her enormous tummy! In the early morning hours about 1:00am, Carol woke me up, she had gotten up to go to the bathroom and her water broke, she was also feeling some pretty good contractions. So I got up and got dressed and woke up Momma. She checked out the van and the perimeter while Carol got dressed and grabbed her suitcase for the hospital. Two honks of the horn and we were on our way out the door. St. Paul Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis had been the chosen birth place for our son. They had a family birthing room there and would allow Momma and I both to stay in the room with Carol the entire time she was there. The baby would also stay in the room with Carol instead of being taken to a Nursery! On the way to the hospital Momma explained that Carol had been having back labor as Momma called it, while we had been enjoying our evening on the porch!

Always cautious, Momma did her usual jaunt around the city before going to the hospital, she said it was necessary, even under these conditions. By the time we arrived at the hospital Carol was in a lot of pain. Her contractions were three minutes apart. Momma sent me in to get a wheelchair and a nurse. She said to tell them, "My wife is in active labor, 3 minutes apart with her water already broken." I did as I was told, and whatever that meant got me a Nurse and a wheel chair quickly! Within just a few minutes, Carol was gowned and on a bed! A nurse came in and checked her out and said that she was 70% effaced, dilated to a 6 and everything looked good. She asked Carol if she wanted any pain medication and Carol said no! The nurse said she would call Carol's doctor and let her know that she was there. I asked Carol if she was sure about not wanting pain medication and she said that Momma was going to help her use Lamaze to help control the pain. As grateful as I was for everything Momma has done for Carol and to keep her safe, I suddenly felt like an outsider at the birth of my son. 

Carol was doing well with the Lamaze. I had to admit Momma knew what she was doing. I was helping to do what I could, I got her ice chips, and held her hand. The nurse had just been in to check her and said that it was time to call the doctor. Carol was dilated to a 9 and 100% effaced. By the time the doctor arrived she would be ready to deliver! It was about 15 minutes later and a tall, statuesque woman in a white coat entered the room, she spoke with a gentle Scandinavian accent, " Good Morning Carol, Are you ready to have a baby?" She had a beautiful soothing smile. "Hi Dr. Sunderven, yes, I think I'm ready to push! I feel a lot of pressure."  "Okay honey, let me take a quick look." She pulled up the sheet and took a peek. "Carol, his head is already in position and headed down the birth canal, just a few good pushes and he'll be out here with us!" Carol introduced me to the doctor just before she started pushing, "Dr. Sunderven, I want you to meet my husband Sargent Michael Jenkins. Remember I told you he's been stationed over seas. Well he made it home just in time. He's retiring now."  The doctor said she was definitely happy to meet me and glad I made it home in time, but couldn't shake my hand as hers were sterile. About that time, Carol had a very hard contraction and the doctor said, "push Carol, bare down and push. Hold it for a count of 20...good, good, now relax" Just as her contraction was going up again the doctor told her the same thing. And in two more pushes, our son was born. It was amazing. Dr. Sunderven handed me scissors and told me it was my privilege to cut the umbilical cord! I was nervous but happy to do it! Adam was beautiful. He was perfect in every way. The Nurse was cleaning him up and then she said she had to weigh and measure him, but she would give him back to us shortly. The entire time he was in the same room with us. We knew he was safe!

Dr. Sunderven had finished delivering the placenta and had sewn up a small tear caused by Adam's birth. Another Nurse was cleaning up Carol and her bedding. Carol finally asked for some pain medication, now that it wouldn't affect Adam. She didn't plan on breast feeding since she knew that the trial was coming up and she would be separated from him for long periods of time. Damn those people! Our baby would be affected even from the beginning! After the nurse finished with him she brought him to Carol and placed him in or waiting arms. She also told us he was 8# 6oz, and19" long. His apgar was a 9. He had been born with a little more bluing than the doctor liked but everything checked out fine now!

Carol was in the hospital for just a little over 24 hours. Momma stayed with her the entire time. I went back and forth to the cafeteria to get us food and bring it back to the room. We were happy to take tem home though. Carol took to being a mother as if it was second nature. She didn't even mind it when Adam woke her up every few hours for his bottle and diaper change. She was actually enjoying it! She loved holding him. Where I fumbled with his diapers and always seemed to make them too loose or too tight the first try, she did it right every time! I took a break from diapering and began putting the Nursery together. I had called Babies R Us and asked them to hold off the delivery until I called them back. I explained that we were in the middle of a delivery ourselves! The woman I spoke to laughed, and said, "sure, I've heard that old story before!" Then she said, "no problem." I called them yesterday afternoon when we got home and they delivered everything later that day!

Early this morning, I got up and put all of the baby furniture together, hung the curtains, put the sheets and Baby Animal Kingdom Set on the crib, added the Mobile to the crib, put the rug down on the floor and organized all of the baby supplies. I hung the diaper stacker on the end of the changing table and filled it with diapers. There was already a shelf on the wall so I set the stuffed animals up on it. I put the lamp on top of the baby's dresser and left the wall hangings for Carol to place for herself. I wanted her to be able to put them where she wanted them! I left the clothes for her to put away. I figured she would want them in specific drawers. When I was done, I drank a cup of coffee, and enjoyed a piece of Mommas, unbelievable Coffeecake!  Next, I waited for Carol to wake up! When she did, I told her there was a surprise waiting for her in the Nursery. She walked in the room and was overwhelmed, she burst into tears of joy. "Oh honey, it's absolutely wonderful. Thank you. When did you do all of this?" She asked through her tears.  "While you and Adam where sleeping." I told her. She hugged and kissed me. About that time, Adam started fussing. I went and retrieved him from his bassinet. He was so tiny and so easy to love! When i returned, Carol was already hammering nails into the wall where she wanted the wall hangings to go! She was singing as she did it. It was so nice to see Carol happy.

A few days later, Tom and Ellie dropped by around 10:00am.  We thought it was just to see the baby, but they brought disturbing news with them. The District Attorney was ready to go to trial next week.  Carol was going to have to make an appearance in Court soon! The first hearing would not require her presence, it would be, the plea hearing, where the D.A. would submit what charges he was bringing against, UC Avis Medical Research Center and their representatives, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and their representatives, and the Office of the Secretary. The people named in the charges have a chance to offer a plea at this hearing. If they plead guilty or, no contest then you will not have to appear, if they plead not guilty then you will have to appear and give your testimony. The Judge will set the hearing date and we will let you know when that is, as soon as the information is channeled to us. Carol looked at me as if I could do something. All I could do was confirm that what Tom said was correct from a legal stance. "Michael how long do you think it will be before I will have to testify?" My terrified wife asked me. All I could tell her was that it depended on the Judges calendar. If it was full, it could be awhile. If it wasn't, she would be in Sacramento soon! "Michael you have to stay here and take care of Adam while I'm gone, Tom and Ellie are you still going to come here and stay with them?" They said that they were told that plans had changed. They were to accompany her to Sacramento and Momma was to stay at the Villa with Michael and Adam.

Ellie went on to tell us that arrest warrants had been issued for 23 people! Thirteen people at UC Avis Medical Center had been or were going to be arrested from three Nurses in the ICU, someone in the Records Department, two Physicians, four technicians in the Research Lab, two assistants in the Research Lab,  to a hospital Supervisor. Ten  people from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality were also going down.

Tom interjected that the D.A. was likely to be handing out a few warrants to some government officials in Washington as well! He was hoping that a few of these 23 would want to make a deal for lesser charges, right now they were facing various charges from Medical Malpractice, Evidence Tampering, Altering Medical Records, Unethical Research Practices, Accessory to Murder, to Murder. By giving the D.A. names they could help themselves immensely!  He said that this cover up went high up into the Administration!

Adam began fussing again and Carol said she would take him in the Nursery to change him. She asked Ellie to follow her to take a look at the Nursery. " Carol, this is adorable."  Ellie told Carol. "Ellie, is extra Security in place now? And thank you." She replied. "Honey, you know it is and it will continue to be until the CAGC see's that this case is closed and you are 100% safe!" Elliie assured Carol. Carol was finished changing Adam's diaper and handed him to Ellie, " I know you're dying to hold him." She exclaimed as she handed him over. She smiled and sighed, a burdened sigh. Ellie was cooing and miking funny faces at Adam which made Carol giggle.

The ladies joined Tom and I back in the living room and Momma just an earshot away brought us a tray of glasses full of iced tea. She sat down with us as Tom and Ellie filled us all in on some extra Security measures. From now on there would be a black Ford, Mustang parked out front every night and a white Mitsubishi, Eclipse parked out front during the day. If Carol went somewhere, the vehicle would shadow her. Momma, Carol and Michael  would have Cell phone and radio contact with the driver at all times in case of an emergency. When Carol returns to work, there will be an undercover Security Guard in the waiting room, and another who is a nursing assistant, will follow Carol at all times. This way Carol can keep as close to a normal life as possible. She can go shopping, go to work, etc... But one bodyguard will always be with her and another guard will always be close by until this nightmare is over.

When Carol travels back to Sacramento it was explained that Tom and Ellie will go with her and there will be a Deputy Escort from the District Attorneys Office on the airplane as well. Carol, is considered the Prime Witness in a Major Murder Case. So the District Attorney wants to make sure she is kept safe. When They arrive in Sacramento they will be placed in "Protective Custody" and hidden until it is time to take Carol to the court room. Then they will be taken in a Van with black out windows to the Courthouse and escorted into the courthouse and courtroom via  private entrances. Tom, Ellie and Carol will all be wearing protective vests. I have to admit, I was pleased and impressed by the lengths both agencies were going to, to make sure Carol was protected. But that would not stop me from being worried!

It was almost lunchtime so Momma excused herself to go,and make lunch. She asked if Tom and Ellie would like to stay and join us, but they declined saying they had a B.B.Q to attend at their neighbors in two hours, So they needed to head back to town. I thought that strange, with all of this going on, they managed to live a normal life outside of their work with the CAGC. We thanked them for their update and for their help in implementing the further security and told them to come back for a visit when they got a chance to.

The next two weeks went by quickly, Tom and Ellie came by again. I had hoped it was for that visit we had talked about but they brought disturbing news. Not only had all pleas been not guilty but, two of the District Attorney's Witnesses had disappeared and another had been found dead. He was one of our CAGC plants at UC Avis Medical Center. The Janitor, Mark Carlton. The two who are missing are a  Dr. Lawrence Chapman who is an Epidemiologist who consulted on one woman's case, and a Nurse from the ICU, Stella Hellman. Carol commented, that she had met Stella when she was working in the ICU and that she had been a very gentle and caring Nurse, what a shame for her to have been messed up in all of this. Tom said that Carol and three other witnesses were all that were left unless the District Attorney could make a plea bargain with someone and get them to testify on the states' behalf.

Ellie was the one who gave Carol the news that the hearings would begin in three weeks. Until then Carol needed to stay home. She was in extreme danger. Ellie said that she would see to it that groceries and baby supplies were brought to the house personally and anything else they wanted or needed. Momma had a list on the refrigerator and she brought it to Carol She instructed her to add any baby supplies or personal items they needed to the list and then to give it to Ellie. It didn't take her too long before the list was finished and it was in Ellie's hand! Carol and Michael thanked Tom and Ellie again for all there help and encouraged them to stay for dinner this time!

After a splendid Ham and Scalloped Potato dinner with steamed mixed vegetables we sat in the living room and enjoyed a glass of wine. We had nothing at all to celebrate, except Life! Carol was still alive and we all prayed she would stay that way. And Adam was full of life and was too young to know any of this was happening, and that was very good! Cheers!