A Shaolin Easter to Remember
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"Peter?"
There was no answer at first. The Sun had gone down and it had gotten chilly. Peter had placed a blanket over his father while he slept. Caine reached out with his chi and could not find Peter's presence in the immediate area. He hoped that his son was not in any danger. For now, he would wait for Peter's return.
Even though Peter had said he would be there when his father had awaken, Peter needed to stretch his legs and go for a walk. He needed to think and try to figure out Nelson's game. So far, nothing else had happened, but that did not mean that nothing would. He needed to be sure that his father remained safe. It was odd thinking in these terms. At the same time it felt good. Having his father back with him seemed to have a calming affect.
When his father had disappeared for six months after they helped the new Emperor of China (still living in exile), Peter had nearly gone stir crazy with worry. He poured himself into his work. Any relationship he had would sour after a couple of weeks. He also became more reckless than he had been in the past. It was as if he was asking for trouble; wishing in some way his father would pay attention to him. In his actions and his state of mind, he was that 13 year-old kid.
Then came the fall and the dream. Or was it a dream. He could not be sure. He remembered shouting at his father, accusing him of the most horrible things. But after that, things seemed to be different between them. It was as if all the feelings of abandonment he felt had been lifted from his soul. Oh, there were still times he would get frustrated because his father still held secrets from him, but the feeling of abandonment was no longer there. Instead, it was replaced with something else. There was a deep need to want to be close; a need to want to get to know his father better and to want his father to know everything he could about him. And most of all, there was a need to express his love for his father more than he had in the past. He wanted his father to know that he loved him
"Peter?" He could hear his father calling him as he climbed back up to the apartment.
"I'm here, Pop, on the terrace. Just follow my voice."
"I could not feel your presence. I became worried."
"I'm sorry, Pop. I needed to take a walk and think some things over."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
Peter noticed that his father was trying to scratch his hands.
"We better get those bandages off and put more salve on your hands."
Peter led his father over to the raised seating area by the work-bench and had him sit. He went over to where he placed the tray containing the bandages and got what he needed. On the shelf he found the salve. Slowly Peter cut away the bandages so as not to disturb too much of the skin. Examining his father's hands, he could see the burns were healing nicely. The use of the salve had prevented any scarring.
"You know, Pop, you ought to market this stuff. You'd make a fortune," Peter said jokingly. "What's in it anyway?" Peter started rubbing the salve over each hand.
Kwai Chang held out his hand and Peter placed the jar in it. He then pulled the jar close to his nose and breathed deeply. "Let's see, aloe, calendula, comfrey, grindelia, and witch hazel
"You can tell all that from just smelling it?"
Kwai Chang smiled at his son's question. "No, I was just making a joke. I have made the salve on numerous occasions and know which herbs and plants are required to make it."
"Could you teach me?"
Kwai Chang was surprised at Peter's interest. As a child, Peter did not seem interested in learning about being an apothecary, let alone a Shaolin priest. There was only that one time he had to ask Peter to pick some herbs for him outside the temple walls because he could not leave. The circumstances were unclear and confusing because it felt as if it was wrong in some way and yet it happened. At the same time, he also remembered he had been on some kind of journey but the memory of the journey was unclear. It's purpose lost over time.
"I mean if we needed more salve I could make it while you instructed me. If Lo Si wasn't able to be here, I could . . ."
"I would be honored, my son."
Peter was just getting his father's hands covered with fresh bandages when the sound of something crashing through glass and wood broke the moment. Peter reacted by pushing his father down and away from the falling debris. Peter could feel shards of glass cutting his hands as they fell. A larger shard in the shape of a thin dagger pierced the back of Peter's left shoulder as it fell. The pain piercing his mind.
"Aaaauughe"
Kwai Chang could hear and feel in some way that Peter was injured, but he could not help him. His blindness prevented him from seeing what had happened. Still, that did not stop him from trying to reach his son.
"Peter! Where are you? Reach for me."
Peter was lying on the floor, curled up, trying to fight the pain and get it under control. He had to be in control. His father needed him. Soon Peter felt his father's strong but bandaged hands on him.
"Peter, what has happened?"
Kwai Chang could feel Peter's pain. His hands, though covered in gauze, ran along his son's body and found the dagger of glass sticking in his son's shoulder. The injury was bad. It would take the expert hands of a surgeon to remove it.
"Pop, can you crawl over to the bench?" Peter's voice was filled with pain.
Kwai Chang's heart nearly broke from the sound of it. He did his best to concentrate on what Peter was trying to tell him. "Yes."
"My jacket is laying on the bench. Inside my pocket is my cell phone. Try and get it and bring it back to me." Peter was trying to talk through clenched teeth. His breathing sounding forced.
Kwai Chang made his way carefully to the bench. He could feel that the floor was littered with broken glass and wood. He did his best to crawl over the glass without getting cut himself. Feeling his way, he soon found the bench. Kwai Chang pulled himself up along it and felt for Peter's jacket. He found the cellular phone and again found his way back to his son. He handed Peter the phone. Peter dialed the emergency number to the precinct.
"This is Peter Caine. Send an ambulance right away to my father's in Chinatown. Someone threw something through one of the windows. I've been hit with glass. Hurry, I think it's bad." Peter dropped the phone, the pain intensifying. The pain and the loss of blood were blacking him out.
"Peter!" Kwai Chang could feel his son slipping into unconsciousness. Caine felt for the phone and picked it up as best he could. "Please hurry. My son needs help. I am blind and cannot help him." The person on the other line asked Caine where he lived and Kwai Chang provided them the necessary directions.
It was 10 minutes before the ambulance arrived. Kwai Chang did what he could for his son. Caine reached with his senses and found what items he could to try to stop the flow of blood coming from Peter's wounded shoulder. It was not easy. Every second that Kwai Chang took, more blood was being lost. Without his sight, Kwai Chang had to move carefully. His bandaged hands made it difficult to help his son. He was certain the dressings would have to be replaced a second time because Peter's blood would have soaked through. Suddenly, Kwai Chang could hear several pairs of footsteps running on the stairs.
"Caine! It's Kermit. I heard the news on the police scanner. What happened?"
"Stretcher coming through!" Two paramedics entered from behind.
"I do not know. Something came through the window. Peter tried to protect me. Please, lift him carefully. Keep him on his right side." Kwai Chang tried to move toward his son but Kermit held him.
"Do you know what it was?"
"How do I know what it was if I cannot see it?" Impatience and fear for his son was coming through Kwai Chang's voice. "Please, Kermit. Let me go to my son. He needs me."
The paramedics had strapped Peter down and were heading out the door.
"Peter's in good hands. They'll be taking him to County General. I'll take you there myself. Do you know if it's the same person who planted that bomb several days ago?" Kermit led Caine by the arm and assisted him down the stairs and to his car. That was when he became aware of Caine's bandaged hands. "My God Caine, your hands1"
"My hands are fine. The blood is Peter's. To answer your first question, I do not know. Peter has not told me very much." They climbed into Kermit's car and continued to talk.
"Talk about role reversal. You better ask Peter. You have a right to know. Besides, you might be able to confirm his suspicions."
"Who does he suspect is responsible?"
"A man by the name of James Nelson."
"That name sounds familiar."
"It should. He and Peter were the only two kids that survived the destruction of the temple."
"I was not aware that other children had survived. I believed only one child had survived out of those who had been killed and it had not been Peter or this James Nelson at the time."
"Oh, there was another?"
"Yes, but he left this country a long time ago and went to China. I have not heard from him since."
Kermit sped after the ambulance. He wanted to be sure that Kwai Chang was there when the ambulance arrived. He knew the short cuts that would get him to the hospital quickly. When they did arrive, the paramedics were rushing Peter to the emergency room. Doctors quickly took in the situation. Kwai Chang tried to go to his son by following the sound and the voices of the doctors but he was forced back.
"Stay back. They need the room. We'll get to you later
"I am not a patient. That young man is my son."
"The one that came in with the glass in his back?"
"Yes."
"We need to know what happened. Any time there's a serious injury of this type, it needs to be reported. With this kind of injury, it could have been done deliberately." The woman eyed Caine suspiciously. Even someone who was blind could strike out at someone and connect without realizing it.
"A window was broken. My son tried to protect me. The glass fell on him."
"Are you sure?"
"This man doesn't lie. He's a priest. That man is his son. You better take care of him properly."
"And who are you?"
Kermit flashed his badge.
"Prep him for surgery."
"Caine, you at least need to have those bandages changed," Kermit said.
A nurse approached Caine and Kermit and led them to another examining area.
"I can take care of that."
The nurse changed the dressing on Caine's hands while Kermit and the Shaolin awaited word on Peter. The surgery took about an hour. The doctor emerged, weariness showing on her face.
"Your son was lucky. The glass was in the fleshy part of the shoulder. It didn't hit any nerves or major blood vessels. He did loose quite a bit of blood but we'll be giving him some back. Look, I apologize for my behavior earlier. It's been a rough night. We get all kinds of knife wounds, bullet wounds, and other injuries. I had already seen four stabbing cases . . ."
"There is no need to apologize. I know how difficult it can be. I am or was an apothecary until I was blinded. I too have seen and felt much pain.
The doctor was moved by Caine's words.
"Your son is in recover. We'll keep him here for a few days. Make sure there isn't any major damage to the tendons. He will be sore for a few days. Try to keep him away from any open windows. You may see him briefly. That is, I'll take you to his room"
The doctor led Caine by the arm into the ICU. Caine could hear the sound of monitors beeping. The doctor led him toward the bed. Caine reached out and touched his son's face. Peter was lying on his right side to alleviate any stress on his wounded shoulder. Caine could feel that the pain from his injury was lessened, however, the weakness within would need to be attended to. The doctors were good but they were more concerned for the body and less for the spirit.
Caine reached into the shoulder bag that he had the common sense enough to grab on his way out. Contained within were herbs that he would take with him every day. One particular herb was needed to help boost Peter's immune system. Caine kept a vial of it to pour into tea. Gently Caine lifted Peter's head, found his lips by touch, and coaxed him to drink. He then settled Peter's head back upon the pillow and touched his face one more time. Pride swelled within him remembering his son's protective actions earlier that evening.
"It's time to leave."
Kwai Chang Caine did not seem to hear the doctor. Instead, he followed the edge of the bed, found a clear corner, and sat on the floor in the lotus position, preparing to spend the night with his son.
"You can't stay."
"You just try and make him leave," was Kermit's reply.
"Suit yourself. But the rules state, no visiting after 9:00 PM."
"If you haven't seen your child for 15 years, believing he was dead, and then discovering that he was alive, would you want someone separating you from your child? He is staying. Any more questions?"
The doctor shrugged her shoulders and left. She was too tired to argue.
"Thank you Kermit."
"Don't mention it. I was about to do the same thing. He's lucky. I'll let Blaisdell know what's happened. Then I'll take a cleaning crew over to your place and see that repairs are done. If I find anything, I'll let you know. Good night Caine."
With that, Kermit was out the door and Caine settled in for the night to watch over his son. Maybe by morning, Peter would be willing to answer some questions. They were both injured now, and Kwai Chang had this feeling that it wasn't over yet. Caine thought about the person that Kermit mentioned and remembered. If Peter and Kermit were right, Nelson had become very dangerous since the destruction of the temple. He had so much hope for the boy. What could have gone wrong? Kwai Chang sighed, bowed his head, and began a soft chant. He wasn't going to figure it out alone. For now, he needed to relax and take care of Peter. Tomorrow would come soon enough and Nelson was still out there.
End of Part 6
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2001.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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