Two Visitors

by Jo and B

The hospital in Coffs didn't look like anything Jack would have related to a medical facility. There was no blood on the floor or sand, everything was clean and the smell reminded him of the offensive scent of the stuff Bridgid cleaned with on occasion. It reminded him of the smell pitch mixed with a seasoning that Killick would use to make souse.

The couple stopped to inquire at the desk as to which room Alistair was in then they made their way onto the lift to his floor.

"Warning, slight pitching deck." Bridgid said to Jack as she pushed the button to go up.

He gave her one of those looks and she cleared her throat with a smile in response. Shifting the bouquet of flowers that she carried to the crook of her left arm, she took his hand with her right.

"Are you okay, Jack?"

"I am, Siren. My concerns lie more with Alistair than anything else."

A few minutes later, Jack tapped on the door of Alistair's room. He pushed it open slightly to call in.

"Reverend Harris, would you be up for visitors, sir?"

"Captain? Is that you? Certainly, please come in!" 

"Aye," he replied. Shuttling Bridgid in front of him, they both entered the room.

Bridgid smiled and waved at Alistair. "Hello you. You're looking much better. I was going to sneak some tuna casserole in for you but I wasn't sure if you'd have any special dietary restriction. Anyway, we brought some wildflowers for you."

Setting the bouquet on the table, she bent to give Alistair a kiss on the cheek. "From now on, I'm calling you Smokey the Alistair, which kind of rhymes with bear."

Jack chuckled a little as he took Alistair's hand. "On some occasions she even amazes me with her humor, Vicar, but I have learned to live with it."

Bridgid placed the flowers in a vase that was on the window sill and after the fact, she put some water in it , splashing some on herself. "Drat."

"You seem to have an effect on her as well. She has curtailed her sailor's tongue in your presence."

"It's the 'reverend' thing. It does that to people." He smiled, truly pleased to see them. They were a breath of fresh air in a heavy hospital environment. "Thank you for the flowers, Bridgid. Ahnna will enjoy them, too. She's gone down to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat right now. Reverend Todd manages to drag her away from time to time for her own good."

"You are most welcome and, I'm sorry I missed her but when things are settled and you feel up to it, Jack and I would like to have you both over for tuna surprise."

"Ah, my favorite dish!" Jack added but the look on his face said otherwise. He actually waved his fingers in a back and forth motion as his eyes grew wide. He was nearly caught in the act as Bridgid turned to smile at him.

Directing herself again at Alistair she asked, "Any idea when they re going to spring you from here?"

He sighed. "It does seem like I've been in here a long time, but I think one or two more days will do the trick. I admit, I will be very glad to see the mill again." He looked from Bridgid to Jack. "I also understand I have a new wall thanks to your talents."

"I should take the opportunity to thank you in a way, Reverend. It was during the construction of your wall that I was able to present Bridgid with a token of our engagement."  Jack stated

"Yes, see!" she held her left hand up. "It's official. I am soon to be the future Mrs. Aubrey."

Something about that didn't sound right.

"I was the soon to be future Mrs. Aubrey but now I am the future Mrs. Aubrey."

Jack harumphed. "Not to be confused with my mother."

Raising a brow, Bridgid chuckled. "One day, you'll have to tell me about her. For now, though, I think we should leave this man alone so he can get better. We'll need him to be strong to marry us. I'm sure there will be such things as cannon fire and ramparts at our wedding."

"Indeed." Jack said. "A fragile man would not survive the day."

"Iiiiiii'm not sure that was complimentary but no worries. You'll both live to see our first anniversary."

"I'm glad," Alistair smiled. "I should definitely like to do that. And, congratulations, Captain. You're a lucky man to have such a lovely future Mrs. Aubrey. It will be my honor to assist in the endeavor, cannon or no cannon."

"On that note, sir, we should let you be to recover."

Jack clasped his hand again as gently as he could.

"Oh yeah, we have ulterior motives. The sooner you are better the sooner we'll be married."

She gave Alistair another kiss and a squeeze, being careful not to disconnect him from anything. "Honestly? You just get better for you and Ahnna, my friend. I love you, Alistair."

"I'll hold you to the promise of tuna," he said as they went out the door. "Thank you again for coming. You've brightened my day."