Idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part seventy two

Charlie saw tears in Katie's eyes.

"My dad ... he... sacrificed everything for me..." The girl started to sob. "All I ever did was to cause him pain and worry."

Charlie reached over and took one of her hands. He opened her palm and gave her the key.

"Ka tie... your papa loved you. You are his heart. You were everything to him." He closed her hand around the key. Patting it, he said, "He trusted you with his love. You are making him sad right now."

"How? He is dead."

Charlie looked at the girl.

"Now, who is the wetard?"

"Huh?"

"Your papa.. lives through you. Do you think he would want to hear that you caused him worry and pain? Do you think he would have done all of this if you were such a pain?"

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Swallowing hard, she looked at the special man in front of her.

"I guess I can be a retard some times, too."

"It is not so bad." Charlie gave a crooked smile. "Math... it gets Charlie out of math."

Katie giggled a little.

"Thank you, Charlie."

Charlie nodded.

"Can Charlie see what is inside the lock it?"

---

Carl stood by the information desk.

"I am sorry, sir. She is not answering."

"Please try again."

Sam and Janice Clark walked tiredly out of the little chapel. They heard a loud voice coming from the information desk.

"I said I need to get a hold of Miss Jenny Lundstrom. Overhead page her right now.!!!!" Carl hit the desk in his frustration.

Dr. Clark came up and stated, "Mr. Matthews, you sound frustrated. But if we are going to help you, you need to tone it down a bit."

He turned. "Dr. Clark. My Jen..my friend, she is here. I need to see her. I have to see her. Now. Please..."

---

John pulled back. The woman in front of him seemed to be shrinking... becoming a frightened little girl.

"Miss Lundstrom?"

Jenny felt herself falling into the abyss... the twelve year old girl that she could not protect back then was staring at her, tearful, frightened, lost. The girl reached her arms out to Jenny just asking to be held.

Jenny reached out her arms and felt the girl take a hesitating step forward.

"it is going to be okay. I won't let nothing hurt you... never again."

"Miss Lundstrom, as reasuring as that is. I don't think I need to fear being hurt."

The girl ran into her arms, and Jenny brought her arms up. Holding the girl tightly, closing her eyes..."It's okay. Nothing was your fault. I love you."

"Miss Lundstrom, now I am confused."

John thought, she loves me? He felt strange. He bent down to claim her lips.

Jenny's eyes flew open.

She clenched her fist and hit him in the throat with her thumb.

John fell back.

"You. i will not let you have your way with me. I don't care who the hell you are."

John was on the floor, his knees pulled up, leaning on his nands.

"What?"

"You will leave me alone. You will leave my friends alone. You will pay for everything you have ever done."

She turned to open the door and discovered it was locked. John sprung up and pushed her from behind into the door.

"You, little vixen. You really think you can take me on." He grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the floor.

Jenny rolled and stood up. Noting the space in the office was limited.

"If you think you are man enough, come and get me."

John leaned lazily against the door. Calming himslef... this was more like it. He smiled.

"I am going to make you wipe that smile off of your face."

"Really?' He looked at his nails. "You do know I could have Carl wiped off the face of the earth."

She seethed. Then realized... "You won't do that."

"And why would I not see him dead?"

"Because, then your whole family will turn against you. He is the only one to carry on the family name."

"Well, it seems you have done your homework." He smiled. "Although you forget that I have a grandson."

"Yes. Without the family name, he would be as good to you as Rick is."

"Girl, you really think you are going to win this?"

"Sure. I have the truth on my side. And you, Mr. Matthews have nothing."

John closed the distance and Jenny lunged forward with a straight punch. John dodged but she gave him a glancing blow to his shoulder as he pulled up his knee into her stomach.

She dropped.

John arched the classic Matthew brow.

"I told you I am not without skills."

She rolled away and kipped up.

"Then come."

He did. She greeted him with a quick round kick that should have hit him on the side of his face. He grabbed her leg and brought her down on the floor, then dove on top of her.

"See?"

She struggled.

"And now what are you going to do, Miss Lundstrom."

---

"Open this door. Right now."

Security opened the door.

Carl entered first and there was Jenny on the floor with his Uncle on top of her. He lost it and his foot went into his Uncle's side, effectively removing him from Jenny. John lay on the floor stunned. Security went over and placed the man in handcuffs.

Janice and Sam looked as the young couple held onto each other for life.

She smiled. "Does that remind you of anything?"

He grinned. "Stop it. This is a serious moment." He grabbed her hand and squeezed.

Jenny buried her head into Carl's chest. He held onto her for dear life.

John stood up.

"Carl. She is playing us. She said, she loved me. Me...Carl. Not you. She loves me."

The Security guard muttered, "Yeah, right." As he took his radio to talk to dispatch for the county police to come.

"I assume you are pressing charges, Miss Lundstrom."

Jenny pulled back, looking at Carl. He nodded.

"Yes. I am pressing charges for attempted rape. He tricked me here, and trapped me."

"That man has been seen around the hospital for days. He even tried to accost me the other day. If my Sam hadn't come, I am not sure what I would have done." Janice added.

"Come on, sir." He took the man by the shoulder and headed him out of the office. "The police will want statements, can you folks stay here for a while?"

---

Rick sat beside Lynn who had been transferred to the ICU.

He remembered... The first time he had seen her... all those times he had turned her down for a pomotion. The time at the funeral home... the time she had gotten so drunk that she threw up on him... all of it. Tears rolled unashamedly down his face. He wiped them away and even though he knew he shouldn't he reached over and took her hand in his.

The night shift nurse came in and checked on her patient. She saw that the visitor had fallen asleep, his head beside her patient's hand holding it with his. She finished her check and left quietly.

Another nurse saw the man and whispered to her compatriot.

"What are you doing? The Neurosurgeon is going to have your head."

"My patient has a fifty fifty chance, right?"

The other one nodded.

"Well, I think she has a fifty one percent chance to survive now."

to be continued