I Got Stung

Before he could respond, a doctor walked in and started talking as though he wasn't there.

"Ms. Crawford. Let's see how you're doing," the 30-something year old MD said before realizing Trey was standing next to him. "Oh. Hi there. Are you..."

He looked at him then laughed.

"Sorry, I almost asked if you were her husband."

The patient surprised both of them by saying, "Hold on here, Doctor. Are you saying it's not possible for me to be married to such a handsome young man?"

Trey saw the look on the doctor's face, and in spite of the pounding in his head, he laughed.

"I really stepped in it this time, didn't I?" the doctor said to him a little sheepishly.

His patient laughed then said, "But no, he's not my husband. I do, however, owe him my life."

"Oh, okay. So you're the one who brought her in," the ER doc said once he put two and two together. "Nice work."

He stuck out a hand which Trey shook before the man turned back to his patient and did a quick check.

"Okay. We'll go ahead and get you checked out. Someone will bring your discharge paperwork in in a few minutes, and you'll be free to go."

She thanked him then thanked Trey again.

"My pleasure," he told her.

Once the doctor was gone Trey let her know he had her purse.

"I'm not too proud to admit I was embarrassed to carry it inside, but when they let you go, we can go get it."

She looked at him then laughed.

"Good call. I think you'd look a little...strange...carrying around a purse."

Trey leaned her way then said, "I know, right? I mean, it doesn't even match my shoes."

The woman laughed even more loudly then realized she hadn't introduced herself.

"I'm Robyn. Crawford."

"Trey Donovan," he told her. "And I have a confession to make."

"Uh-oh," Robyn said with a smile.

"I uh, I kind of looked in your purse."

"Good luck finding anything in there," she replied. "I have to shake it just to locate my keys."

"You may not remember, but I dumped everything out on the parking lot looking for an EpiPen. I did pick up your wallet and keys before I brought you here, and luckily I found everything else when I went back to get a prescription filled. But...I kind of looked at your driver's license."

Robyn smiled at him again, and when she did, Trey realized her photo didn't do her justice. She was actually even more attractive than he'd thought.

"That's too bad," she said almost whimsically.

"Too bad?"

"Yes. Now you know how old I am, so I I have no chance of ever being your wife."

She laughed then said, "Or even your girlfriend."

Trey noticed a wedding ring, and the smile on his face disappeared. Robyn noticed and explained.

"I lost my husband in March of 2017," she said very quietly.

Trey lowered his head for a moment then looked at her and told her how sorry he was.

"Thank you. It's been...difficult," she told him before a smile reappeared just as a nurse came in with an iPad.

"All right, Ms. Crawford. You've been cleared to leave. If you can just sign here..."

She flipped the tablet over and Robyn used her left index finger to sign electronically.

"A southpaw, huh?" Trey said as the nurse thanked her and wished her well. There were no follow-up instructions, and she was free to go.

Robyn needed to slide her legs over, so Trey moved aside then held out a hand.

"Here," he said.

She didn't need the help, but she smiled and thanked him as she gave him her hand.

"Dizzy?" Trey asked before letting go.

"No. I think I'm okay," she told him. "Until I get the bill anyway. I lost my insurance a few months ago, so..."

"Ouch. I really am sorry this happened," Trey told her.

"I hope you didn't think I was implying that this was somehow your fault when I mentioned the bill."

"No. I knew you didn't mean it like that. I just wish you'd been able to get inside Walgreens."

Without her purse Robyn had nothing to gather up, so she and Trey went to the front desk before leaving. The same sweet woman who complimented him earlier was still there.

"May I get a copy of my bill?" Robyn asked.

"Honey? We'll just send it to your insurance company. If they don't pay all of it, they'll let you know."

"I...I don't have insurance," Robyn told her so quietly the woman barely heard.

"Oh, okay. Well then, I'll uh, I'll print that up for you right away," the woman told her.

When she handed it to Robyn, she folded it up without looking.

"If I don't look, it can't hurt me, right?" she told Trey with a smile that amazed him for two reasons. The first was how amazing it looked. The second was that she could smile at all after what she'd just been through.

"And the main thing is, I'm still alive," Robyn said.

She looked over at him, smiled again, then told him, "Thanks to you."

When they got to his truck Robyn asked, "So was this my ambulance?"

Trey laughed, opened the rear cabin door so she could get her purse, and told her that it was.

"But I have another confession to make. I uh, I tried to be careful, but I kind of dumped you in here like a sack of potatoes," he said as he sort of scratched the back of his head.

"I hope you didn't hurt your back picking up my fat as...my overweight body."

Trey took a step back, looked at her then laughed when he couldn't find any fat anywhere on her very fit-looking body.

"Yeah. You're a real tub!"

She laughed then told him, "I've put on nearly a good five pounds since my husband passed away, and I feel like some kind of blimp."

"So what you're saying is that once upon a time you were a stick figure?" Trey asked so seriously it took her a second to get it.

"Sorry. I'm a little slow on the uptake right now," Robyn told him as she reached in for her purse.

"Well, a near-death experience might explain that," Trey said with a laugh.

Robyn didn't laugh. But she did look at him and thank him again.

"And please don't say it was no big deal, okay?"

"All right. I won't," Trey agreed even though that was how he felt.

"I really can't thank you enough. When I woke up and realized what happened, I was wondering how many people would have done anything at all let alone everything you did. Talk about going the extra mile."

"I hope the number of people like that would be very small," Trey said as he walked her around to the passenger side and opened her door.

She thanked him for that, too, then said, "And they say chivalry is dead."

As Trey started the pickup, Robyn said, "You're obviously in the Navy. What is it that you do?"

"I fly P-8s. Those big, four-propeller driven planes that might fly over your house from time to time. Well, depending on exactly where you live, of course."

"Oh, okay. I've seen those. I went to the base the last time the Blue Angels were here and I saw the P-8. It's got a ton of radar screens and...stuff inside. Do you like flying it?"

"I do," Trey said before giving her the short version of how he'd wanted to fly jets, his dad's service, and why he like the P-8.

"My thanks to you and your father for your service, and I'd love to learn how to fly," Robyn told him. "Or even just go up and fly around. In anything. Believe it or not, I've only flown once in my entire life."

"I believe it," Trey told her with a smile. "Is that because you've lived here all of your life?"

"I grew up in Orlando, but that's pretty much 'here', right?" she said with a little laugh.

"Sure. Anywhere close counts. I just didn't know if maybe you came from the West Coast or maybe...Minnesota."

Trey tried saying 'Minnesota' the way people from that area said it, and his lame attempt got a little laugh. He laughed, too, when Robyn surprised him and said something from Fargo, one of Trey's favorite movies.

"Oh, yeah! Yer darned tootin'!"

"You like Fargo?" he asked as he turned to look at her.

"Oh, yeah. You betcha!" she said, using the same voice.

"I love that movie!"

"Me, too. My husband and I watched it several times. Those hoods they wear are hilarious!"

"Yes! They look like wind tunnels wrapped around their heads!"

Robyn really laughed for the first time, and Trey looked over at her again and realized she was actually very pretty. He'd known that, he just hadn't appreciated how attractive she was until just then. She also had a sense of humor, something he found indispensable in anyone, and her laugh made him laugh, too.

The short drive back to Walgreens was over much too soon as Trey pulled into the same spot he'd been in the first time. He asked her to sit tight while he ran around and opened her door which caused Robyn to smile, thank him again, then let him know she thought he was a gentleman.

He laughed then told her, "Well, technically speaking, I'm both an officer and a gentleman. By act of congress, anyway," which made her laugh.

"Well, thank you for everything, Trey. You know, like...saving my life."

Trey smiled, told her it was his pleasure, then said, "Maybe I should walk you inside. Just in case another bee starts buzzing around."

"Don't even say that," Robyn told him with a shudder.

"Come on. I'll walk with you."

He got to the door, made sure she was okay, then wished her a good day.

"Same to you, Trey. And...God bless you!"

He smiled, nodded, then said, "Same to you," before leaving.

Robyn walked back to the pharmacy where Missy saw her and said, "I understand you had a medical emergency. I'm so glad to see that you're okay."

"Oh, yes. Thank you. I can't believe how lucky I was."

"Ah, you mean the hottie who took you to the hospital."

"You know about that?" she asked, not yet connecting the dots.

"I do. I filled a prescription for the gorgeous Navy pilot who took you to the hospital while you were there."

"I...I had no idea," Robyn replied.

"And..."

Missy came down from the elevated area where she was standing with a white bag in her hand.

"This is paid for. Courtesy of said hottie."

"What?" Robyn asked, a looked of disbelief on her face.

"I'm serious. He paid for your prescription."

"You're...kidding," Robyn said, in spite of just being told by the pharmacist that she was serious.

"Nope. I'm not kidding. All paid for in full," she said as she handed the bag to Robyn.

"Why...would he...do that?" Robyn asked, partly rhetorically and partly out of a need to know.

Missy smiled, moved a little closer, then said rather quietly, "I have no idea, but if that man did that for me, I'd find out where he lived and thank him in the most personal way possible, if you get my drift."

The crassness of the comment went right over Robyn's head, but the part about finding out where he lived didn't.

"I do. I get your drift," she replied almost absentmindedly. "Listen, is there anyway you can tell me where he lives so I can thank him?"

Missy gave her a 'you devil, you' look, and a mildly-embarrassed Robyn clarified what she meant.

"No! Not...not like...that. But I really would like to thank him. In person. With...words."

"Unfortunately, I can't give out that information. And before you ask, I can't give you his phone number, either."

Robyn thought for a second then said, "But you could call him, right?"

"I could..." Missy said.

"Would you? Would you call him and see if he'll let me talk to him?"

Missy heaved a big sigh then said, "Yeah, sure. I mean, it's not like I have any chance with him, so...okay. I can do that."

"Thank you! That's so kind of you!"

Missy picked up the landline phone in front of her after looking at a computer screen then dialed the number.

"Mr. Donovan? Hi. Yes, this is Missy, the pharmacist from Walgreens? Uh, huh. Yes."

There was a pause then, "No. You didn't forget anything. But I have someone here who wants to say something to you."

She handed the phone to Robyn just as another customer walked up.

"Trey? Hi. It's...Robyn. The woman who...I got stung."

He laughed and told her he hadn't forgotten her yet.

She laughed, too, then said, "I just found out you paid for my prescription, and...well, I just don't know what to say."

"Thank you?" he suggested almost playfully.

"I seem to be saying that a lot to you, huh?"

"Again, I was just glad to help."

"You have no idea how kind of you that was or what it means me to me, but trust me, that was just incredibly nice of you."

"I'm just glad you're okay, Robyn," he told her sincerely.

"Is there...is there any way...would you...could I maybe somehow make this up to you? Or...at least try to?"

Robyn didn't see Missy rolling her eyes, but she definitely rolled them in a big way.

"You don't need to do that," he said in a kind, gentle voice.

"I feel like I do. You play it off, but you saved my life, and then you...you did this. I don't have a lot to offer, but I do okay as far as cooking goes. Would you at least let me make dinner for you or maybe..."

She hesitated then said, "Okay. The truth is I don't know what else I could possibly do. But I could do this and it would mean a lot to me."

There was a pause, and before Trey could answer, she said, "Please?"

Trey's reply confused her.

"Do you make a decent chicken soup?"

"Chicken soup?" she repeated.

"I have this wicked sinus infection. I'm on no-duty for 72 hours, and I just started taking antibiotics. And they say chicken soup is the cure-all for whatever ails you, right?" he told her with a little laugh.

"Oh. Yes. Of course. And I'm very sorry to hear that. But I actually do make a pretty good chicken soup, and I'd be happy to deliver some."

"I was just kidding," he said.

Missy gave her a 'what's taking you so long' look, so Robyn tried to wrap things up.

"If you'll give me your phone number, I'll call you when I have it ready. Then you can let me know when and where to drop it off."

"You'd really do that?" he asked.

"It's the least I can do."

"If you're sure."

"I'm positive."

He gave him her number which she jotted down using a pharmacy pen and a flyer that was right under her nose then promised to call soon.

"And get better soon!"

"Thank you, Robyn," he told her just as he pulled into his apartment.

Robyn stopped by the grocery store on her way home and picked up everything she needed to make the chicken soup her mom had taught her to make nearly 30 years ago. It was hearty and delicious and while it might not do anything for her knight in...a flight suit...it really was the least she could do.

In addition to the chunks of white chicken meat and noodles, Robyn chopped or diced up a dozen baby carrots, half an onion, some celery, then added some salt, pepper, a garlic clove, and a dash or two of cayenne pepper that she hoped might help clear up a blocked sinus passage.

By 6 o'clock she had everything ready to go. She poured out enough for three days worth, put it in a nice casserole dish, then gave Trey a call.

"Is this the soup lady?" Trey said when he answered the phone.

Robyn laughed then told him she was and also made him laugh again.

"But not the soup...Nazi."

Trey's head was still pounding, but he couldn't help laughing.

"Are you a Seinfeld fan, too?" he asked.

"You're darned tootin'!" she replied, causing him to laugh even more. "Your chicken soup's ready, by the way. Is now okay for me to bring it over?"

"Yes. This is perfect."

He gave her his address and she promised she be there in about 15 minutes or so.

"Great. I'll see then. And thank you very much," he told her.

"Bye, Trey," Robyn told him as she got everything ready to go.

It was almost 6:30 when she used her elbow to ring the doorbell at his apartment. She'd only seen him in his flight suit, so when he came to the door wearing shorts and a tee-shirt instead of a uniform, it surprised her for some reason.

"Come in. Please," Trey told her as he stepped aside.

"Thank you."

Robyn took a quick look around and realized it was a no-frills bachelor pad. But it was very clean and well kept, and for some reason that surprised her, too.

"I can't really smell anything, and yet I can definitely smell that soup," Trey told her as she carried it inside.

"That's probably the cayenne pepper," she told him as she took it over to the kitchen counter and set it down.

Trey lifted the lid and took another whiff and said, "Yep. That's it."

"Well, that should hold you. Just let me know when you're done, and I'll come back and pick up the dish."

"Wait. You're not staying? Isn't there enough here for both of us?" Trey asked.

"Well, yes. There's enough for three large servings, but I...I never dreamed you'd want me to stay and eat with you."

Trey laughed then told her, "How else are we ever going to end up together if we don't start somewhere?"

It took Robyn a minute to recall the exchange with the doctor in the ER, but she did remember it.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot. But that was just kidding. Except for the part about me being too old for you. I wasn't kidding there, but that's the reality of it," she said with a laugh.

"As I recall, you asked the doctor if it wasn't possible you could be married to a man as young as me," Trey informed her with a smile.

"Okay. You're right. But it's the same difference, right? The old 'potato, po-TAH-to' thing?"

"I suppose so," Trey replied. "Regardless, would you like to stay?"

"Are you sure you feel up to having company?"

"Hey. I can be miserable alone or miserable with..."

Trey smile at her then said, "A beautiful woman."

Robyn laughed a 'yeah, right' kind of laugh, but Trey told her it was the truth.

"If you like...blimps," she replied before adding, "older...blimps."

"I'll take your word on your having put on a couple of pounds, but for the life of me I have no idea where you're hiding it."

"Well then. Since you just made my day after saving my life and paying for my prescription, by the way, I'd be happy to join you."

"Let me just see if I can find a couple of clean bowls and two spoons before we get too excited here," Trey said as he went over to look in the cupboard. "If not, we may have to use straws like we're sharing a milkshake."

He turned around a few seconds later and held up two fairly large plastic bowls. One was red and the other green.

"It's what anyone who's someone is eating soup out of this year," he told her as he kind of shook them.

Robyn laughed at his silliness and told him they were very chic.

"And expensive," he informed her. "They only look cheap."

"Here. Let me get those," she said as she took the bowls. "If you can find some spoons, I'll get everything else ready. Oh. And whatever you want to drink."

"With my head feeling like it does, it won't be any kind of fine wine," he quipped.

"Okay. In that case, I suppose champagne will do," Robyn quipped back.

Trey laughed then told her he loved her sense of humor.

"Hey, when you're a single woman with a lousy job and an ER bill that'll take several years to pay off, you gotta laugh, right?"

This time is was Robyn who laughed but Trey didn't. He smiled but deep down he felt bad for her. She'd lost her husband, and he knew ER visits weren't cheap. Even a single dose of Epi was probably a thousand bucks just because it was administered at a hospital. Then there was a doctor's fee, a bed fee, and undoubtedly many other fees he was unaware of.

All he said was that he wasn't exactly dressed for champagne and asked if iced tea would be okay.

"Sweet tea, of course," he added, knowing anyone from the South would want clarification.

"That would be just fine. I'm not much of a drinker anyway."

Trey poured them both a glass while Robyn ladled soup into their fancy bowls. He sat back down then raised his glass. Robyn laughed as they touched and said, "Cheers!"

After just one spoonful of the soup, Trey was hooked.

"Okay. Even with my taster and sniffer all haywire, this is delicious!"