Chapter 44

Life Goes On

The doctor walked out of the operating room wearing a blood soaked smock. The look on his face made it clear the news wasn't good. "I did everything I know how to do, but I just can't get him stabilized."

"You mean he's still alive?" Regina gasped, tears still streaming down her face.

"Barely," answered the doctor. "It's going to take a miracle from God to save him now."

"Can I see him?"

"I don't think it would make any difference now," the doctor said. "This might be the last chance you get to see him alive."

Mister Ripley, and Mrs. Wilson led Regina into the recovery room where Danny laid unconscious and hooked to all sorts of tubes and wires. Sheriff Pendergrass, and the doctor followed them in. Once inside, Regina took Danny's hand, kissed him on the forehead, and said, "I love you, Danny. Please don't leave me now."

Danny laid still for a couple of minutes, then opened his eyes, and began to gasp as if he were trying to talk. "Doctor," Regina said, "I think he's beginning to come to."

"That's impossible," the doctor said. "He's on so much morphine, there's no way he could wake up now. Let me have a look at him."

Regina stepped to the side to allow the doctor to get closer. "This is unbelievable," the doctor said. "He's really coming to. He's trying to talk."

"What's he saying?" Regina asked.

"The doctor pulled the respirator slightly away from Danny's mouth as Regina took his hand again. "I'm right here, Baby. What are you trying to tell me?"

It was all Danny could do to speak, but in a weak voice, he said, "The poem, do you still have the poem?"

"You mean the poem you wrote me in jail?" Regina asked. "Of course I still have it. I'll always have it, Danny."

"Believe it," Danny said with his last gasp of air. "Just believe it."

The heart monitor stopped, and though the doctors and nurses rushed to revive him, it was of no use. Regina stood there and cried as she watched the last bits of life leave Danny's body. "Why, God?" Regina wept. "Why?"

*****

Three days later, a crowd again gathered for Regina and Danny. This time there was no celebration. Her father had arranged for a funeral just as big as the wedding was to have been. Hundreds of mourners gathered to say goodbye to Danny. A motorcade of police motorcycles led the hearse, and the many limousines while about fifty of Danny's biker buddies from Adamsville and Atlanta brought up the rear on their Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Never had Adamsville seen such a large gathering of people, and not since the death of her mother had Regina cried so many tears.

Regina stood by as each and every person in attendance came to give their last regards to Danny. She had insisted he be buried in his jeans, boots, and leather jacket. She wanted to see him looking just the way he looked when he had first given her a ride on his motorcycle all those months ago. She had even braided a lock of his long dark hair like she sometimes did when they went riding on his Harley. Never in her whole life had Regina felt this much pain.

When everyone finished walking past, and Danny was finally placed in the ground, the funeral director escorted Regina to a waiting limousine. He opened the door for her, and just as she was about to step into the car, a huge dog-- some sort of mutt, a German-Shepherd mix-- came running out of nowhere, and jumped into the car. "I'm sorry," the driver said, "I'll get him out right away."

The driver tried to get the dog out of the car, but the big dog began to bark and growl violently and the driver quickly backed away. "We'll just leave him," the driver said. "Why don't we put you in a different limousine?"

The driver escorted Regina to the next car in line, and opened the door, but before Regina could get inside, the big dog quickly jumped inside this car just like before. "I'm really sorry, Ms. Ripley," he said. "I've never had anything like this happen before."

"Just close the door until I get in the other car," Regina said, "then you can let him out."

*****

When Regina awoke the next morning, she noticed the same big dog she had seen at the funeral laying on the patio outside her bedroom. "How did you get here?" she asked.

It was then she heard a knock at her bedroom door. "Are you up yet?" Mrs. Wilson asked.

"Yes, I'm up."

"Is that the same dog that kept getting in your car yesterday?" Mrs. Wilson said looking out the window.

"It looks like the same dog."

"I'll ask the security guards to see if they can't get it to leave."

"Don't do that," Regina said. "Let's see if it's hungry. It looks as if it's starved to death."

"You don't want to go feeding no stray dog, Miss Regina. You'll never get it to leave then."

"But look at it. It looks as if it's starving to death."

"But that dog almost bit your driver yesterday," Mrs. Wilson said. "He might have rabies, or something, and even if he don't he's much too big for you to handle. You need a little dog like a poodle, or something. You've got a baby to think about."

"I said we're going to feed him, It just feels like the right thing to do."

"Okay. There ain't no dog food in the house. What should I feed it?"

"I'll feed him, Mrs. Wilson. Let's see if he'll eat bacon and eggs."

"You're going to ruin him," Mrs. Wilson laughed. "I'll go fix breakfast, so you can feed that big ol' dog, but if he bites your arm off it wasn't because I didn't warn you."

After breakfast, Regina and Mrs. Wilson walked out to where the dog was laying in the yard. The dog just laid there quietly as Regina walked up to it with the bowl of eggs, bacon, grits, and toast. Regina set the bowl down, and stepped back as the dog walked to the bowl, and began to eat.

"Look at him eat," Regina said. "Poor thing is starved to death. I'm going to call Cindy, and have her bring out some dog food for him. I think I'll get him some treats too."

"If you're going to be keeping him, then you better call the vet too."

"I'll do that if he stays. Let's leave him alone, and see what he does next."

Regina, and Mrs. Wilson walked to the patio and sat down. In a few minutes, the dog walked to Regina, and put his head against her hand. "Look," Regina said, "He's got a tag on."

"What's it say?" Mrs Wilson asked. "Does he belong to anyone?"

"All it says is: My name is Danny. Danny! Oh my God, don't let him leave. I'll be right back!"

"What is it child?"

Regina ran to the house, and returned with her purse. She pulled a piece of paper from it, and handed it to Mrs. Wilson. "What is this?" Mrs. Wilson asked.

"It's the poem Danny wrote me when he was in jail. Here, read it."

Mrs. Wilson took the paper, and began to read aloud,

"When I die, and leave this world
I vow I will return
a shaggy dog so big and strong,
for fear, I'll not concern.
I'll starve myself a week, or three,
'til I'm but skin and bone,
then I'll wait at your front door
until you come back home.

I'll look at you with eyes so sad,
but still I'll wag my tail
'cause I know you will care for me.
There's no way this can fail.
I'll wait outside in your front yard
when you go in at night,
and lay beside the window where
I last saw the lights.

When you wake in the morning
I'll be right there for you,
the morning paper in my mouth,
and I promise I'll not chew
your favorite shoes, or anything
that you choose to lay down.
I'll be the best behaved dog
that you have ever found.

I'll always stay there in your yard
except to walk with you.
I'll greet the mailman when he comes,
and fetch the mail for you.
I'll never dig the flowers up,
or mess where you can tell,
and if you need me, you just speak.
There is no need to yell.

I'll always stand there by your side
when strangers come to call,
and I'll not run away
except to chase a ball.
Never will I jump on you
for fear that you might fall,
or cause a run in your new hose
when you're dressed for a ball.

I'll always do what I am told,
and I'll not bark at night
except to say there's someone here
that I may have to bite.
For if that someone comes around
with bad things on his mind,
I'd tear into him like a bear,
and bite his big behind.

So darling, won't you look for me
when I am dead and gone.
I promise you I will return,
and it won't take me long,
for if there could be anything
that I would long to be,
I'd be the shaggy dog
who guards you when you sleep."

"Regina, honey," Mrs. Wilson asked, "do you really think this big ol' shaggy dog might be Danny Johnson come back to life?"

"Don't you?" Regina asked.