Part 1 – The Beginning – College Life

Andy arrived as a freshman, being indoctrinated into the team almost immediately.  It was obvious he would be starting or playing serious minutes as a freshman.  There were high hopes for him.  Good for him, but bad for Jeremy Bartlett.  Jeremy had been the star point guard since sophomore year, and he was in his senior year.  He tried to put on a good face, but everyone knew the score.  Jeremy would be going into his senior year with Andy breathing down his neck.  Jeremy went out of his way to play the cruelest of tricks on Andy.

Regardless, the team took Andy in.  He went through all the rookie hazing.  His locker had been broken into at least ten times.  Sometimes a “present” was inside, like once a garter snake.  Sometimes his clothes were missing, only to be found in a toilet, a park bench, or anywhere in between.

But in truth, Andy played basketball with a purpose.  He paid for his education with a scholarship, and he was a great student.  His real goal was to be a successful premedical student.  He even came to this school because of a program for early admission into medical school.  Instead of four years undergraduate, early admission essentially got you out of undergraduate after your third year.  Your senior year would be the equivalent of your first traditional year in the separate medical college.  Andy didn’t have much money, and so this early admission program was the ultimate goal of Andy in college.

Andy was serious.  When others went out to party, Andy stayed back in the library.  Often his friends would see him coming home from the library hours after a party started.  He would use the back door to the dorm to climb to the fourth-floor single room he had.  Often, Andy would close the door and go to sleep.  Leaving his friends waiting.

In November, Andy met a cheerleader in the back halls of the stadium.  They were both headed to get therapy in the training facility.  Andy was shy.  But he managed, “Hello, how are you.”  It was all she needed, as she lit up.  She said, “Hey you, I am Savannah Jones.  It is so nice to meet you finally.  You are Andy Anderson, the freshman basketball player everyone is talking about.  Wow, you are big guy.  Say, I am a freshman too!  Where do you live?  Are you dating anyone?  Maybe we could grab a cup of coffee.  I will be cheering for some of your home games this year.  Don’t be a stranger.  Call me!”

Before Andy could answer even one question she was gone with her friends.  He didn’t know what to do with all that.  Yet, her bubbly energy was attractive.  Her body was petite, but she had curves in the right place.  Her blonde hair was wavy and seemed to flow down to her lower back.  Andy liked her appearance, but his real attraction was what she had that he didn’t.  She was outgoing and had joy in her soul.  He was deeply attracted to her, the person.

Andy would clumsily try to bump into Savannah.  To intercept her in a cafeteria food line.  To engineer any interaction to create the first meeting.  He wanted to talk and ask her out.  But Savannah had a jet pack on.  She started on one path and then changed courses two or three times.  He finally got her telephone number.

One Fall Day, Andy got the courage to call Savannah on the phone.  “Savannah, it is Andy … Andy Anderson.”

Savannah immediately warmed up.  “Andy, it has been a few weeks.  I expected you to call sooner.  Please tell me you are calling to ask me out.”

Andy was taken back, but realized this was going to be easy, “Yes, Savannah.  I thought we could go to Sauces Pizza.  Get a pizza and maybe a pitcher of beer.  How about Friday at seven PM?

Andy picked Savannah up.  He was wearing Jeans and a white and green striped dress shirt with an open color.  He had showered, shaved, and a bit of cologne.  Savannah watched Andy as Andy walked to her dorm.  She admired his athletic presence, his styled hair, and his big smile.  She waited in a blue sun dress with a form fitting top and flowing bottom.  She wore black high heels and carried a black handbag.  Andy picked her up in his Ford Pickup Truck.  It was run down on the outside, but spotless on the inside.  She slid over on the bench seat to the middle.  Right next to Andy.  He put his arm around her without thinking.  Savannah pressed into his arm, and complimented him, “Andy you smell nice.”

Andy replied, “Savannah, you look so pretty.  Thanks for coming out.”

They had a good night.  Eating pizza and drinking beer.  Andy and Savannah laughed and joked and complimented each other.  Andy joking, “You look like a little munchkin compared to me.”

Savannah replying, “You look like a big King Kong, idiot.”  They laughed.

As Andy drove Savannah home, she got serious just for a moment, “Andy, can you imagine us as seniors.  Still together as boyfriend and girlfriend.”  Andy smiled, this is something he thought was real.  When they parted that night, they were starting to fall for each other.  Andy kissed her softly.  She kissed him back.  She slid her tongue in his mouth and played with his tongue.  He hugged her closer.  The kiss lasted at least a minute.  As they separated, Savannah was looking up at him with gorgeous blue eyes, almost tearing up. 

Andy’s heart was beating a mile a minute.  Andy said, “I will see you soon.  Maybe next Friday night.”

Savannah said, “Sure Andy.  Friday night would be lovely.”

They part and both are thrilled with finding each other.  Two Freshman, just starting out, full of hope.  Both at college, away from home, and starting to be in love.  They went out on a few dates and things were great.  Andy was very respectful.  He wanted things to turn physical, but he was inexperienced and brought up by good parents.  Savannah cautioned him she wanted to take it slow.  He took it slow almost counting down dates until sex might be worth trying.

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Part 2 – The Prank that went Wrong

Yet, by winter, they were a couple.  They took turns staying in each other’s dorm rooms at night.  They planned their class schedules so they would meet up.  They ate meals together.  They were inseparable and inexperienced.  “Andy and Savannah” were like a one-word description, always said in the same sentence.  They had fallen in love and were sexually active.  They tried their best to be responsible, but they had a few close calls.  Passion outweighs their good sense.  Beyond that, they celebrated her period each month as a bullet dodged.  Often a joke, but very aware they needed to take better precautions.

As Spring approached, Andy went to the frat house comprised of most of the basketball players.  He would most likely pledge this in the Spring.  For now, he and the other freshman players were given free access to the place on party nights.  It was crowded, the music on the first-floor hall was loud.  Andy was with three of his friends.  They sat at a table and chairs, off the dance floor.  Joking.  Watching girls.  Saying hello to people they knew.  Just hanging out.  Andy expected to meet up later with Savannah at her place.

Jeremy came walking over like he owned the place.  He was a senior and an officer of the fraternity.  He looked at Andy and said, “Hey, Andy, how are you doing tonight?

Andy smiled and cautiously said, “I am fine.  Thanks for letting us hang out with you guys.  The party is great.

Jeremy laughed, “Andy, all the real action is upstairs in the rooms.  You guys are down here with the other freshmen.  It is cool though.  In a few years, you will be running this place.  Just like I do now.  Right Rook?  I run things, here and on the team.”  Andy got the message.  He tried to maintain an unfazed look.

Jeremy said, “Hey Andy, you have been dating that Savannah girl.  Right?  She is extremely cute for a freshman.

Andy smiled, “Yes, I am dating her.  She is really cool.”  Andy was careful.  Andy asked, “Why do you want to know?”

Jeremy chuckled, “No reason.”

There was a pause.  Andy’s friends started to return to the conversations they had before Jeremy showed up.  Jeremy said, “Hey Andy, do me a favor.  My room is 315.  Can you be a good guy and go up and get me my Motorola RAZR cellphone?  It is on my desk.  You can’t miss it.  Bring it down for me.  Thanks.”

Andy was actually glad to have something to do.  He jogged the three stories up.  Got on the hall.  Looked for the single.  Room 315.  Got it.  Andy went in and saw the phone on Jeremy’s desk.  No problem.  Just then, Andy heard someone stir from the twin bed by the window.  It didn’t take him long to figure out a blonde girl was covered in the sheets.  Andy said, “Sorry, I just am here to get Jeremy’s phone.”

To Andy’s shock, the girl rose with a look of terror on her face.  She was wearing a shirt, unbuttoned, no bra.  Her breasts were not showing, but the sheets were wrapped around her lower half.  The girl was horrified and said, “Andy?  Oh no!”  Andy said, “Savannah, what are you doing here?”  He was horrified and the only thing he wanted to do was escape.  So, he did.  He left the room, and he slammed the door shut.

Over the course of the next two weeks, Andy Anderson became angry and inconsolable.  He refused to talk to Savannah as she tried and tried to explain it was some sort of mistake.  A prank.  Jeremy gave her too much to drink.  He talked her into it.  She was there to surprise Andy.  It was dumb looking back on it.

All Andy could do is picture her in bed with Jeremy.  Too much to drink made the story worse.  Even if he didn’t hate Jeremy then, Jeremy was Andy’s most fierce competitor on the basketball court.  Andy refused to trust, love, or forgive either of them.

For Jeremy’s part he rubbed it in.  He saw how it bothered Andy.  Jeremy laughed at practice three days later, “Hey Andy, Savannah sure is a nice girl.  I see what you like in her.”  Jeremy laughed.  It took about fifteen seconds before Andy lost his cool launching an assault on Jeremy that gave Jeremy a black eye and a cut lip.  Players tried to jump in between Andy and Jeremy; Andy simply threw them aside like ragdolls.

Coach Wagner chewed both Jeremy and Andy out.  They got punished.  Both were suspended for a week.  Andy spent that week working out and devising his plan to destroy Jeremy for what he did.  Andy still blocked Savannah Jones on his phone, and in his life.

When practice and games resumed, Andy was different.  He was like an assassin.  Steals, drives to the basket, and defensive stops were violent.  While he played on the second team in scrimmages, the first team could not run plays.  He thwarted them.  Jeremy complained, Andy replied, “If you can’t get by me, then get the hell out of my job, asshole.”

Coach Wagner loved the new Andy.  He was going to be the spark of the year.  The next two games Andy played more minutes than Jeremy.  After that, Andy was named the starter.  Jeremy realized his prank with Savannah had ruined him.  He was going to ride the bench in his senior year, while Andy would lead the team.

Anytime Coach Wagner thought about substituting Jeremy in, he got a look from Andy.  A look that said, “Don’t you dare.”  Coach was having a winning season with Andy as point guard; he was not stupid.  Andy played as much as Andy wanted to play.  Andy played angrily all year.  His heart was broken but his mind was filled with rage.

Savannah was cheering at most of the home games.  Andy pretended she was not there.  He never looked at her.  Smiled at her.  Spoke to her.  She lost her chance with him.  On games she felt depressed, she sometimes teared up.  This was not her fault.

After a few games, she erected self-defense.  “You want to pretend I don’t exist Andy Anderson, well you don’t exist either.”  She developed her own brand of hate.

Then suddenly, the unpredictable happened.  Halfway through Winter Semester, Andy noticed Savannah was not at cheer practice.  Savannah was not in the cafeteria.  Andy started to realize.  Savannah was not at college at all.  Horror slowly crept into Andy.  He had loved her and that energized him.  Then he hated her, and it seemed to energize him more.  Now she was gone, and he was lost.  No explanation.  Her phone was dead.  He tried to email her.  No response.  He tried writing to her.  No response.  It took Andy a month to realize she was gone, forever.

At the end of the year, Andy was packing up his stuff to go home.  Savannah was always in his mind, but he had resigned to the fact she disappeared.  Jeremy Bartlett stopped by the freshman dormitory to see him.  Jeremy started uncomfortably, “Andy next year you won’t have me push around.  Best of luck.”  Andy had a grim smile on his face.  He had hoped never to see Jeremy again.

Jeremy was about to leave, but he turned, “Andy, I just came to tell you one thing.  It is about Savannah Jones.  That night.  I did get her a little drunk.  I told her it would be fun for you to come into my room and see her like that.  I convinced her this would lead to romance.  She didn’t know how I had planned it to look.  I was an ass.  I wanted you to think I slept with her.  The only problem is it enraged you enough to get even and take my starting spot on the basketball team.  I think we all lost something on this stupid prank.  I am sorry for you.  I already apologized to her.”  Jeremy left.

Andy thought about it.  He would think about it often over the summer.  Should he try to patch things up with Savannah next Fall?  Maybe they could start over.  Andy was hopeful.

Andy got to campus for his sophomore year, 2007.  He thought maybe Savannah took a semester off.  She would be back.  It didn’t take him long to look for Savannah Jones, but she didn’t come back.  She was gone.  He tried to find her on social media; he talked to her friends and even went to the registrar.  No luck as she had disappeared.  Andy never forgot her.  No one really came close to connecting.  He had wished now he had made up with her as a freshman.  She seemed to haunt all his other relationships throughout college.

Andy gave up trying to find Savannah and had a decent college experience.  He had great grades and was a successful basketball player for the University.  Most importantly, he got into medical school, and his life seemed to be lining up as he had intended.

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Part 3 – Andy Anderson, MD 2018

In 2018, Andy Anderson was Doctor Andy Anderson, MD.  He was a trauma physician working in a big city hospital in Cleveland.  Long gone were the days of college, the basketball career, and his thoughts of Savannah Jones.  He was not eighteen, but thirty-one years old. 

It was a winter afternoon, and he was racing into the emergency room after getting a page.  He glanced into the bookstore as he rushed by.  His eyes initially attracted to the cold sandwich dispenser.  It reminded him he skipped dinner, again.  A woman’s face came into view.  Only for a second.  It bothered him, as he could not recall where he saw her before.  He made a mental note.  Short, blonde, and pretty face.  He would try to remember later.  He moved into an exam area to a patient in obvious distress.  His brain dropped all thoughts outside of solving this one patient’s problem.

Later that night, Andy went home.  He went into his home office with a tall glass of whiskey on ice.  He sat at this desk to do emails and other home errands.  Finally, he pulled open a desk drawer and pulled out an envelope.  Inside were the three pictures he still kept of freshman Savannah Jones.  He studied the face and tried to remember the girl he saw in the cafeteria.  The same face and hair, but way shorter.  Maybe Savannah lived here and had a daughter?  Interesting.  He took the picture with him in his work backpack.

The next afternoon, he went to the hospital for his shift.  He stopped in the bookstore to talk to the clerk.  Her name was Mira.  “Mira, I thought I saw a friend of mine in here yesterday.  It couldn’t have been her.  Not tall enough.  Do you recognize this woman?”  Andy showed her the old photo of Savannah he had. 

Mira looked for a minute.  Puzzled.  Then she blurted out, “that is Savannah.  She is a sweetheart.  She comes in about once every two weeks.  I think she is a volunteer with one of the women’s groups.  Nice lady.”

Andy askes, “Do you have any information on her?  Where she lives?” 

Andy gets her data.  She has lived here in Cleveland all this time.  It haunts him.  How could he reach out after all these years have passed?  She lives here.  In the city?  How can this be?  Maybe she is married.  Maybe he was seeing her daughter.  He didn’t know.  He needed answers but was afraid to ask the questions.

He had her phone number.  He called, “Is this Savannah, Savannah Jones?”  He heard her reply.  It was a voice he vaguely remembered, deeper and colder.

Savannah said, “Yes, this is she.  Who am I speaking too?”

Andy took a long breath and said, “This is Andy Anderson from college.  We used to date.  I don’t know if you remember me.”

There was a long pause on the phone line.  Savannah finally said, “Andy, yes, I remember you.  How could I forget?  It is good to hear your voice.  So, how did you find me?”

Andy said, “Well I am an emergency room physician in Cleveland, and I swore I saw you in the hospital the other day.  I asked and was able to find out how to contact you.  I hope you don’t mind.  I thought maybe we could visit, face to face.”

Savannah replied, “Andy, after all this time.”  There was a pause on the phone line.  Savannah continued, “If you want, maybe you can come around someday for tea in the afternoon, maybe tomorrow at 2 PM.”

Andy arrived at the address.  It was a modest, single story, townhome.  He knocked on the door and an older woman answered.  Andy asked, “Is this the Savannah Jones residence?”

The lady smiled as she asked Andy to come in.  It was an older lady, well-mannered and tastefully dressed in conservative attire.  The lady introduced herself as Madge.  She escorted Andy into the living room.  Seated by a small, lit fireplace was Savannah.  She smiled, “Andy, it is nice to see you after all this time.

Andy waited for a few seconds.  He expected Savannah to get up.  She stayed seated.  He bent over clumsily and kissed her on the cheek.  She tilted her head up and to the right to make it easy.  Andy said, “Savannah, it is nice to see you again.  I am sorry to intrude.  I thought I saw you in the hospital the other day.  And I just tracked you down.  Not in a creepy way.”  He chuckled.

Andy sat across from Savannah on a sofa.  The room seemed to belong to some home decorating digest.  Tasteful, classy, all the furniture perfect.  Savannah sitting in her chair looked completely the same.  A bit older, but not much change at all.

Andy and Savannah were served tea by the older lady and the pocket doors to the room were closed.  It was just them.  Andy said, “Savannah, I am a Trauma Physician at the emergency room where you apparently volunteer.”

Savannah’s face lit up, “Wow, Andy that is a great accomplishment.  You made all your dreams come true.  A successful college basketball career and then you actually became a doctor.  Good for you.  I am thrilled for you.”

Andy wanted to ask why she disappeared and why she never called him.  Yet, he was too fearful to disrupt this first meeting.  The conversation stayed on the surface.  Neither was married.  Neither had ever been married.  Savannah was the mother of a young daughter.  This peaked Andy’s interest, but he let it go.  A boyfriend or a former husband.  Savannah lived off a trust fund set up by her now dead father.  She volunteered at the hospital.

Andy conveyed his key data.  Dedicated doctor.  Not married.  No kids.

The conversation finally wound down.  Andy was running out of superficial things to say.  He finally asked, “Savannah, you left school without a word.  I tried to find you.  I couldn’t.  I have always regretted how things ended between us.”

Savannah looked pained, but just for a moment, “Andy, it was a long time ago.  Yes, I left school.  And I am sorry for the confusion.  The prank gone wrong.  Yet, here you are, a doctor.  Successful.  Life has treated both of us well.  Let’s just look at this as two old friends reconnecting.  Now, if you will excuse me.  I have some places to be.  Can you see yourself out?”

Andy was surprised at the suddenness of her.  Inviting him to leave politely.  He said, “Of course.  It was nice to see you, Savannah.  Maybe some time we can have dinner or a longer conversation.  Goodbye.”  Andy got up and kissed her again on the cheek.  They held hands for a few seconds.  And then he let himself out.

Andy sat in his car.  And then he saw it.  Savannah came out of the house.  Andy was horrified.  Things started to make sense.  He was almost brought to tears.  He drove away as inconspicuously as he could.  As fast as he could.  Andy was not shocked by much, being a trauma physician.  On this day he was shook.

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Part 4 – The Shock of a Lifetime

Andy is thinking as he drives back to the hospital.  He is used to seeing the worst and the most tragic conditions of patients.  What he saw did not shock him.  But he is thinking.  Savannah and her caregiver came out of her townhouse.  Savannah was in a wheelchair.  They were going to an obvious handicap van.  Andy didn’t see a shorter Savannah in the bookstore; he saw a Savannah in a wheelchair.

This was a revelation.  He thought back over the years.  Her disappearance.  Could this have been the explanation he has always looked for?  He didn’t know.  He wasn’t sure.  Should he just walk away?  Just go back to his life and allow her peace.  Two old friends having tea.  Or should he look into the story of Savannah Jones and the possibility that she never returned to college because something tragic happened.  Andy wrestled with this for days.

Andy called Savannah, “Savannah, this is Andy again.  I wanted to see if we could get together again.  We could even go to dinner.  What do you think?”

Savannah paused on the phone, “Andy, why?  It has been over ten years.  Why open up all of that again?  I don’t think it is a good idea.  It was nice seeing you though.”

Andy persisted, “Savannah.  Please.  It has been ten years.  I want to have you back in my life.  Now that I found you.  I can come over again.  I can meet you.  Whatever you want.  Just an hour.  If after that, you don’t want to see me, fine.”

Savannah said, “Alright Andy.  One hour.  Starbucks on Main Street.  Tomorrow at 3 PM.”

Andy agreed.  He was there at 3 PM in his hospital scrubs.  He saw her.  Seated at a table.  A coffee in front of her.  He ordered and took his time to look around.  Sure enough, Madge was sitting a discrete distance away from Savannah.  Andy was wise to the situation.  He also looked at Savannah’s posture.  It was a little off.  Lower body monoplegia.  Maybe not completely debilitating.

Andy got his coffee and came over.  “Savannah, thanks for meeting me again.”  Andy sat down.  Andy continued, “Savannah, I just wanted to understand.  When you left, it was revealed to me that Jeremy’s prank destroyed all our lives.  I destroyed his basketball career.  I destroyed our relationship.  You might have been the only victim in all of this.  A little drunk, posed to suggest the worst, and then me hating you.  How could this tragedy have been any more sinister?  All the pieces falling into place, stacked against us.”

Savannah had a tear in her eye, but stiffened, “Andy, it is so over and matters to no one.  Why bring it up?  I got over it.  I left school.  Moved on.  Have a good life now.  Obviously, you also achieved your dreams.  This is just foolish to resurrect a past mistake made by kids.  Really, we were just kids.”

Andy replied, “Savannah, we were.  I was angry.  But when I got over it, you were gone.  I tried to find you.  I think I tried to find you many times over the years.  But you disappeared.  As if you didn’t want to be found.  Now I have found you.  I am just trying to figure it all out.”

Savannah said, “Andy, this is nuts.  Damn it.  Just leave it alone!  Things are fine.  You are fine.  I am fine.  Why this interest?”

Andy said, “Well, Savannah.  Maybe it is intuition.  A suspicion I had since you didn’t return for our sophomore year.  Something happened.  Now I can tell by how you are sitting.  I can tell by Madge sitting back there.  The wheelchair must be hidden in the back.  The posture you have.  You are somehow disabled.  My guess is paralysis, perhaps lower body monoplegia.  And if this is the case, then this may be more of an explanation of why you didn’t return to college.  Why you never reached out.  Why you disappeared?”

Savannah turned white as a ghost, “Andy, stop!  Stop now!  I want to go.  Don’t contact me again.  You see I am handicapped.  My life is settled.  Stop.  Just stop.”  She signaled to Madge to get her.  Madge headed towards them pushing the wheelchair.  Savannah was crying now.

Andy wanted to reach out but didn’t.  He didn’t know what to do.  Andy calmly said, “Savannah, I am here now.  I am not going to go away.  The secret is out.  It doesn’t bother me in the least.  I want to be in your life.  Some way.  Somehow.  Don’t run away again.”

Savannah looked at him.  She calmed down a little.  Using one leg and her arms, she managed to shift herself in the wheelchair.  One leg limp.  Andy was right.  Single limb monoplegia.  Her right leg.  He wouldn’t push now.  He would retreat and regroup.

Andy asked, “Savannah, you are upset.  I am a doctor.  I do understand your situation.  It doesn’t scare me.  I want to be back in your life.  Whatever way you want.  Please.  I know some part of you wants to punish me for missing these years.  I also think you still must want me in your life.  Please.  Let me in.”

Savannah looks at him.  A mixture of sadness, embarrassment, and anger.  She sighs, “Andy, how about tomorrow night for dinner at my house?  Seven PM.  Can you do that?  No guarantees.  No promises.  We can talk.  Just talk.  Is that acceptable?”

Andy said, “Yes, Savannah.  I will be there.  Thank you for this.”

Savannah says, “Andy, I have one condition.

Andy asks, “What?”

Savannah forcefully says, “Andy we talk.  We spend our night together, but when it is over.  When I say you go.  Then you go.  If I say I don’t want to see you again.  They you don’t come back around.  That is the only way I will agree.  Andy, I have built a very controlled and comfortable life.  I don’t want it to be disrupted.  Agreed?”

Andy reluctantly said, “OK, Savannah, if it is the only way.  I agree.  I won’t like it, but I will agree.”

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Part 5 – The Dinner

Andy was there at seven PM, like they agreed.  He was in grey dress slacks, and a green and white striped dress shirt.  A brown leather bombers jacket.  A dozen yellow roses in his hands.  Yellow roses symbolic of perhaps reuniting them.  Andy was so happy and excited.  Like a young college kid again.  Savannah’s handicap did not matter to him.  He had done quick research.  The shocking news was she could live a shorter life based on a number of risks.  The good news is she could have a rich life with all her functions intact, including having children.

Madge answered the door.  She let him in.  As they stood at the door, Andy gathered himself.  Madge suddenly hugged him, “Andy, it is good you are here.  She has been on cloud nine since your coffee.  Be gentle with her.”

Andy went into the dining room.  As he looked on, Savannah was gorgeous.  Radiating.  She was in a black dress, showing off her toned body.  Her hair was perfect.  Her makeup light.  Andy noticed his place setting was on her left side.  Andy smiled, “Savannah, you look beautiful.  He sat down as Madge brought them red wine to drink.”

He sat, their legs touching.  He realized it was strategic.  Him being on her good side.  He leaned over boldy and French kissed her.  The passion slowly returned.  She smiled at him.  Savannah said, “Andy, I almost forgot what kissing you was like.  Thank you.”  She paused.  “Thanks Andy, for coming.  I am truly getting better, inch by inch.  Yet, the chair is safe.”

Andy asked, “What is for dinner.  I am famished.  I traded away a day shift for the graveyard to be here.”

The conversation went from there.  The dinner was great.  By dessert, Savannah and Andy were laughing.  She had forgotten time and schedule.  He had fallen in love all over again.  Her wheelchair did not matter to him.  He held her hand.  As dessert came, he let his hand drop to his lap, and then slowly caressed her leg.  She gasped a bit.

Savannah protested, “Andy, stop.  My daughter is due home soon.”

Andy behaved.  He asked, Savannah, how long have you been paralyzed and why?  I know allot about monoplegia treatment, and with you permission I would love to look at your case.”

Savannah replied, “Sure, but I trust my medical team.  They have been great.”

Savannah continued, “After I left school freshman year.  Literally a week later, I was driving in the area and was broadsided by a drunk driver in a pickup truck.  I suffered a significant lower spinal injury, along with bumps, bruises and a broken leg and arm.  It is why I didn’t come back.”

Andy said, “Why didn’t you reach out?  If not to me, at least to your friends in school.”

Savannah thought for a moment, trying to find the safe thing to say, “Andy, it was complicated.  Regardless, my will to live and my cheerleader background saved me.  I fight every day to get therapy, rehabilitation and explore every option to keep paralysis at bay.  To keep my body in shape.  I suspect it consumes me.”

Andy smiled, “Savannah the fighter.”

Savannah smiled, “Andy, my right leg has no control.  And I don’t feel anything from my knee down.  My left leg is fine.  Some numbness from time to time.  But I am fortunate.  My organ functions are still good, for now.  I don’t know what the long-term prognosis is.  It is almost ten years.  I have managed to use aggressive physical therapy and medications to keep worst side effects at bay.”

Andy nodded, “That is admirable.  I see you have kept yourself physically fit.  You knew I wanted to be a doctor.  If anyone would have understood it would have been me.”

Savannah looked sympathetic, “Andy, I know.  But …  It is complicated.  You shut me out.  I got in an accident.  A year to get to a reasonable normal place.  You became a superstar basketball player and were doing well.  I year turned into two.  And here we are.”

It was nine PM when they finished talking and dessert and coffee.  Savannah was looking uncomfortable.  Someone was at the door.  Andy could hear Madge’s muffled talk.  Another person talking too.  Whoever it was, Madge was trying to be quiet.  Andy heard the footsteps going upstairs.  Savannah got restless.

Andy said, “Do you have to go deal with someone?”

Savannah said, “Yes, it is time for the princess to return to reality.  Andy, this was fun.  Maybe we can start again.  Let’s think about this for a day or two.  Call me.  Can you do me a favor and wheel me to the stairs?  There is a chair lift.  Put me in it and away I go.  Up in the tower of my castle.”  Savannah laughs.

Andy wheeled her to the steps.  Opened the chair.  He picked her up gently.  It reminded them of their fleeting time together.  He kissed her passionately and for as long as he dared.  She responded with equal passion.

She smiled and calmly said, “Andy, I have to do…  Put me down.  I will see you again.  This was the best night I have had in a long time.  Thank you.”

Andy returned her smile.  “Goodnight then.  I will see myself out.  I will be texting and calling you until you block my number.”  He laughed as he opened the door to leave.  She had hit the control and was ascending up the stairway.

Andy heard an excited voice from the top of the stairs.  He was just closing the door behind him.

“Mommy, hurry up!”  You need to finish reading the chapter in Harry Potter.  Come on!

Andy got just a brief glance, and what he saw shocked him once again.  A young girl.  Beautiful with her mother’s looks.  Just one thing that stood out and shocked him.  The girl’s hair.  It was an exact copy of Andy’s unruly, wavy, red hair.  He disappeared into the night.  Another revelation, and another set of possibilities.

✦ ✦ ✦

Part 5 – Andy to the Rescue

Andy went home.  He researched.  Two parents are needed for red hair in a child.  Each parent has to carry the genetics forward.  Could the girl be his?  Could Savannah have been pregnant when she left college?  The thought brought Andy to the horror and anger of not being included.  Of something this big.  He wanted to lash out.  But he couldn’t.  Savannah had her reasons.  He would wait.

Andy was to go to afternoon tea with her on Thursday.  He had cleared his schedule.  Andy sat across from Savannah.  Savannah looked at him.  Questioning, “Andy, is everything all right?”

Andy replied, “Sure Savannah.  How are you feeling today?”  He was determined to hold back.  Not ask about her daughter.

Savannah smiled with a questioning look, “I am fine.  Did you come all this way to ask me about the weather next?”  She laughed, “It is sunny outside with a 5% chance of rain.  The high today will be seventy and the low might drop into the fifties.”

Andy felt embarrassed, “Savannah, I saw your daughter the other night.  Just a glance as I was leaving.  The red hair.  I couldn’t help noticing.

Madge suddenly appeared at Savannah’s shoulder, protective.  Savannah’s beautiful smile disappeared.  But a resolve bubbled up.  Savannah physically braced herself, “Andy, my SoSo, I mean Sophia, is a wonderful daughter.  You saw the red hair, and you concluded she is yours.  I get it.”

Andy joked, “So you had a thing for red haired guys.  I understand.”

Madge stiffed.  Savannah did not flinch, “Andy, Sophia is your daughter.  I left college pregnant.  The miracle of my crash.  My motivation every day.  It is my SoSo.  She is everything to me.  I have never been with another man.”  By now both Savannah and Madge had tears on their faces.

Savannah said, “Sophia was the gift of my life.  A gift from the love of my life.  A gift from God as she survived the crash.  She was also my salvation.  I didn’t want to share her with you.  Not out of spite.  She keeps me going.  I keep her going.

Andy asks, “Were you ever going to tell her about me?”

Savannah looked sad, “Probably not.  Then you showed up.”

Savannah and Andy agreed to meet the next night with Sophia home.  They would tell her together Andy was her father.  They all agreed Andy would arrive early and be in the family room.  He could play with her toys, and they would gradually inform Sophia who he was.

Andy was more nervous than meeting Savannah again.  This was a game changer.  He was a father.  He had no idea what to do.  Except to say he was ready to make any change and any effort to be present.

Andy waited.  Savannah was nervous.  Andy for some reason just got down of the floor and started building a fort or something out of Legos.  Savannah watched him and smiled.  Then the door opened.  Andy stopped breathing as he listened.  Madge disappeared.  Andy heard Madge and Sophia in the kitchen.  Talking and getting snacks.  Sophia was laughing and telling Madge about her day at school.

Andy leaned over and kissed Savannah’s right leg in the wheelchair, not knowing if Savannah felt it.  Her fingers combed through Andy’s thick red hair.  They both separated as Sophia came into the room.  Sophia noticed Andy and was surprised.

Savannah said, “SoSo, this is a friend of mine.  Andy.  He is here today and wants to meet you.  To visit.”

Andy smiled at Sophia, “Hi.  How are you?  Nice to meet you.”  Andy held out a Lego.

Sophia smiled and took the Lego.  She sat down next to Andy quietly and put the Lego piece on the fort.  They didn’t speak for a while but built the fort together.  Andy nudged her and she pushed him back.  They giggled.  Savannah quietly watched.  A tear or two in her eyes.

After a while, Sophia looked at Andy.  She reached for his red hair.  Sophia said, “We look alike.  You are my daddy, aren’t you?”

Andy held her hand and said, “Yes SoSo, I am your dad.  And I have been on a long trip to find you.  Now I have.  I am never letting go.”  Madge left the room, crying.  Savannah moved her chair closer and put a hand on each of them.

They became a family.  Andy adored both Savannah and Sophia.  Savannah and Andy got married.  Andy legally adopted Sophia.  Andy proved, over ten years later, to be Savannah’s great love.  He worked grueling schedules at the hospital but was home or present every second he could.

Andy was convinced beyond anything in his life that his purpose was to provide a life for Savannah and Sophia.  Andy found Savannah’s case files, she had a damaged spinal cord, but it seems to be a lower injury.  And not as severe as most.  She was on the border.  He took her to therapy.  He worked on researching exoskeleton emerging technology.  He took ownership of her medical and therapy plans.  At home, he helped her with therapy.  He spent lunch hours running home to help her with anything she needed.

Savannah joked, “You took ten years off, and now I can’t get rid of you.  Slow down.  Take a break.”

Andy kisses her for the tenth time today.  Her face was lit up with his constant attention.  She was not alone.  Sophia had a dad.  Even Madge had a partner caregiver.

Andy said one day, “Your muscle tone and mobility is really good.  The right leg won’t return, but everything else is going well.  I am proud of you, Savannah.”

Savannah smiled, “Andy, allot of the progress is all because of your help.  Thank you so much.”  She gently kissed him on the lips.  There was a pause before he returned her kiss more passionately.

Andy and Savannah rediscovered sex and even talked about the probability of another child.  Andy loved her, hugged her, carried her, and was loyal to her.  He attended Sohpia’s school events, sports events and even bought her a horse she begged for.  Life was moving forward again for Andy and Savannah.

Then one morning, months after they were married, Savannah finished peeing in the toilet.  She removed the pregnancy test strip before sliding to her bathroom bench.