#Arm Lift Surgery in Calgary

[wandafiction]

Calgary - Just Us Chapter 79

Warnings: Description of Injuries and Surgery, Slightly Suggestive Themes

Word Count: 7296

Series List | Chapter 78 | Chapter 80

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I wake up to the sun peaking through the curtains shining down on the bed that has many blankets laying over the top of it, and Wanda's red hair glows in the light. Her whole body is practically on top of mine once again, after she told me I'm her human hot water bottle. So of course she snuggled as close as she could last night, stealing all my heat away from my body. 

I slowly pick her left arm up that's wrapped around my torso with one hand. The other hand lifts her head gently so I can shuffle my upper body out from underneath her. She grumbles in her sleep as she loses the warmth from my body, and a smile when she stuffs her face into the pillow more. I gently pull my legs from hers, swinging them out of the bed, my feet making contact with the cold wooden floor. 

I hastily make my way to the chest of drawers pulling out some fuzzy socks, sweatpants and a warm hoodie. Both me and Wanda were craving some skin on skin contact so we both wore shorts and t-shirts to bed. God it felt good to have her back in my arms like that, even when it's not anything sexual it feels so intimate.

Anyway…

I shuffle back over to the bed making sure to pull the covers up just how Wanda likes it before heading out of the bedroom and downstairs where I can hear the TV playing softly. I shuffle into the living room expecting to see the boys watching TV but instead it's set to a music channel and they are playing some card game.

"Morning boys." They both turn from their game giving me tired smiles.

"Morning Y/n."

"How long have you two been up?" 

"Maybe about an hour." Tommy shrugs as he looks back to the deck of cards in his hands.

"Have you had any breakfast yet?" 

"No, we were waiting for you and mom." 

"Mhmm, well why don't you help me make pancakes and we can take them up to your mom for breakfast in bed." 

"Sure, can we finish this game first? I have like one more card then I win." Tommy looks from his card to the one facing up in the pile between them, ah they must be playing rummy.

"Sure I will get it all ready and you guys just join me once you've finished."

"Thank you y/n." Billy says as he looks back to his cards.

"No need to thank me. One of you needs to win the bragging rights of the game."

"Yup and that person will be me." Tommy says with confidence as I make my way to the kitchen.

As I was putting the last of the ingredients on the counter I heard one of the twins groaning and the other celebrating. I look through into the living room to see Tommy dancing as he holds a deck of cards in one hand and using the other hand pushes them in the air as they go in every different direction. He looks up to see me and comes skipping into the kitchen with a smug grin plastered on his face.

"Guess this means you won?" 

"Of course I did. I always win." I raise a brow at Tommy's cockiness letting out a small laugh when I see Billy shuffle into the kitchen with a pout.

"Is that so Tommy?" 

"Yup, he always thinks he can beat me but he never has." I hold in a giggle when I see Billy mocking Tommy behind his back.

"Well I guess I am just going to show you what losing feels like." Tommy narrows his eyes at me.

"Is that a threat?" I bend down slightly so I match his height, hands on my knees as I squint my eyes at him.

"It's not a threat, just the truth. If you want a real challenge you have to face me. You can't be a true winner if you don't beat the champ." Billy shakes his brother's shoulder as Tommy playfully scowls at me.

"Fine but if I win you have to do my science homework for a week and if you win I have to cook you breakfast in bed the rest of vacation."

"How about the homework thing if you win? And if I win I will supervise you while you cook breakfast for me and your mom. I can't have you burning down the kitchen."

"Deal." He holds out his hand and I easily take it in mine.

"Deal." We shake hands. "Billy was the witness to this deal. No backing of it." 

"Oh this is going to be so much fun." Billy laughs out as he makes his way around the counter to look at the ingredients. "Ready to make pancakes?" 

"Yes. So what do we do first?" Tommy asks once he is standing next to Billy looking at the ingredients.

"Okay so first if one of you could sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into the mixing bowl. The other will need to whisk the eggs, milk and the melted butter in a jug together for me."

"I will do the sifting since I won, I get to choose what to do." Tommy says with a smug smile as he starts grabbing the flour.

"I don't think that's how it works. Is it Y/n?." Billy gives me his best puppy dog eyes but I hold my hands up as I lightly shake my head.

"I don't want to get in the middle of this sibling rivalry…" I see Billy smile at me. "But he has bragging rights and if he wants to use those rights to choose what he does in the breakfast prep, who am I to stop him?" 

"I thought we were friends Y/n." Billy fake pouts.

"So did I buddy, so did I." Billy's jaw drops as he scoffs at me causing me to laugh. 

"Okay, next step Y/n. Otherwise, mom will be out of bed before we can even get started." Tommy interrupts as he starts sifting the flour.

"Well pretty simply once you are both done, Billy will pour his mixture into yours and then you beat it with a fork."

"We beat it up with a fork?" Billy asks as his eyebrows scrunch.

"No you don't beat it up with a fork, you simply beat it." 

"Aha like I did with beating Billy in the card game!" Billy grumbles to himself as I high five Tommy. 

"Not quite Tommy but you were quick on that, good job. So you literally move the fork in small circles like you might a whisk and it slowly mixes the mixture. It's better to use a fork because it gets clumpy and will get broken down instead of getting stuck like it would in a whisk."

"Okay well I want to beat something so I would like to do that." 

"Sorry loser if you can't beat me at cards you can't beat at anything." I raise an eyebrow at Tommy's snarkiness as Billy mumbles something under his breath.

"Boys, no arguing now. Tommy, why don't you let Billy beat the mixture and you can help pour it into the pan. Then you get the first pancake too."

"Sounds fair, right Billy?"

"Yeah." I nudge Billy's shoulder when he lets out a defeated sigh and I whisper in his ear.

"The first pancake is never the best one." He smirks at me nodding his head as he starts to pour his mixture into Tommy's. 

Tommy takes a step to the side as Billy grabs a fork to start beating the mixture, a huge smile on his face as he watches everything slowly turning to make the batter. As I watch over Billy, Tommy moves around me to grab a pan placing it on the cooker ready for me. 

"That looks good Billy. Now you guys can take it in turns to pour the batter into the pan. I also need some blueberries too because they're your mom's favourite." 

I turn the heat underneath the pan on, placing a small knob of butter into it watching as it slowly melts. I give a nod to Tommy, who was waiting patiently with the mixture in his hand, and he pours some batter into the pan. He walks to my other side watching the pancake intently as it cooks, while Billy is on my other side munching on a few blueberries. I face towards him and open my mouth, so he grabs a blueberry before aiming and throwing it directly in.

"Bullseye!" In celebration he throws another one in the air and catches it in his own mouth. 

I turn back to the pan, deciding it's time to flip the pancake, using a spatula to turn it over instead of doing my trick shot because the kitchen is slightly smaller and crowded with 3 bodies in it. Tommy grabs 4 plates, the whipped cream and some strawberries while we wait for the other side to cook.  

I check to make sure the pancake is cooked properly before transferring it from the pan to Tommy's plate. He immediately puts whipped cream with strawberries on his, while Billy pours more of the batter into the pan.

~~~~

"Knock, knock." Tommy says as he knocks gently on the bedroom door.

"Come in." I smile when I hear the sleepiness in Wanda's voice through the door as Tommy pushes it open.

"Morning mom. We've brought you breakfast in bed." Billy shows off the tray I'm holding with two plates with a couple pancakes each on them.

"They smell good." Wanda pushes herself up to sit against the headboard making grabby hands for the tray. 

"Y/n says they're your favourite." Wanda raises her brow at Tommy's words then looks at me with an amused smile. 

"Uh huh, my favourite. What is my favourite then?" 

"Blueberries and whipped cream." Billy places the two drinks he was holding down on the bedside table. 

"You're right they are my favourite." I place the tray in Wanda's lap as I settle in bed next to her.

"Okay we will leave you two in peace." Tommy pecks his mom's and then my forehead before walking towards the door.

"Thank you for helping with breakfast boys." They both smile at me with small nods. 

"It was fun. Don't forget our bet." Tommy points his finger at me as he speaks and I gently wave him off.

"I won't. A deals a deal." With that the boys leave the room closing the door behind them.

"What deal?"

"What no morning? I love you. How did you sleep?" Wanda rolls her eyes leaning to her right to kiss my lips.

"Hi, good morning, I do love you and my sleep was great thanks for asking." She mumbles against my lips. "Now what deal?"

"Oh just that we are going to play a game of rummy later." 

"Mhmm." Wanda gives me a suspicious look as she takes a bite of her pancake moaning at the taste as her cheeks go red.

"Enjoying those?" I tease making her red blush grow deeper. 

"They are my favourite. And they are so good." I smirk as I lean over placing my lips against Wanda's ears.

"I know something else that tastes good." Wanda's breath hitches in her throat and I hear her fork drop against the metal tray, and I gently nibble at her ear. "Much better than pancakes." 

"What's that?" She swallows harshly trying to calm herself down.

"Oh I think you know." Her head leans back against the headboard as she lets out a small sigh.

"I won't know unless you tell me." I lick from her ear down to a soft spot on her neck, lightly digging my teeth in causing her to gasp before I drag my tongue back up to her ear pulling it between my teeth.

"You." She turns her head to kiss me but I lean away slightly, my lips ghosting hers. "Eat up princess, we have a busy day today." 

"Tease." She mumbles against my lips, her breath heavy as her dark eyes stare into mine.

"I love you. Happy one month princess." Wanda smiles against my lips, her eyes glowing with happiness.

"One month. Wow. It feels like we've known each other so much longer." I peck her lips a few times, her eyes fluttering closed at the feeling. 

"It certainly does. Now eat up, we are off to Calgary today. Maybe if you're a good girl for me you will get a nice little surprise." Wanda takes her bottom lip between her teeth as her eyes see the mischief in mine.

"You didn't?" Her voice shaky as I nod my head against hers, dragging my tongue across her ear.

"Oh but I did, baby girl." I moan the name into her ear causing her head to roll back, her eyes close and I smirk against her ear when I see her press her thighs together. 

"Y/n." My name rolls off her tongue with a sigh. 

"Eat up princess. Can't stay in bed all day." Her eyes flutter open but roll back again when I drag my teeth down her neck to her pulse point nibbling on it before soothing it with my tongue. 

"I...I.. could beg to differ. We could...stay...stay here all day." I remove my lips from her neck using my finger and thumb to turn her head to look at me as a plant a few kisses on her lips.

"We have the rest of the week from tomorrow to stay in bed, we said we would explore today." Wanda's hand moves to the back of my neck to play with the baby hairs, her eyes finally open and I'm not surprised when I hardly see any green. 

"Promise to make me cum tonight, I'm going to go the whole day imagining my surprise and it going to get me so worked up." My eyes widen at her plea, but a smirk plays on my lips.

"I promise princess. You just have to be a good girl." She nods quickly.

"I'm going to be such a fucking good girl." 

"Is that so?" 

"Mhmm."

"My best girl."

"The very best."

~~~~~

So Wanda managed to finish her pancakes, in a record time might I add, and we are all now back in the jeep on our way to Calgary. It has been a long drive since it is a 2 and a half hour drive. We are only about 10 minutes away now, but that's why we all agreed to do it today instead of the end of the week where we would probably all be too tired. 

The boys are on their phones, well Tommy is Billy has brought his camera and is taking pictures from the car window as we drive past. I have offered to stop a couple of times so he can take some pictures that aren't rushing by, but he declined the offer not wanting to make our journey any longer than necessary.

Wanda and I have been talking about the most random things on the journey, I think she is just trying to distract herself from this morning. You may wonder, why do you think this Y/n? Well I will tell you. I have had my hand resting on her left thigh the whole journey, her hand resting on top of it fiddling with my rings as we talk. 

As soon as I placed my hand on her thigh, about 5 minutes into the journey, she crossed her right leg over her left causing a small smirk to pull at the corner of my lips. Of course it earned a glare from Wanda, so I simply squeezed her thigh between my hand and she pressed her legs together trapping my hand as her head pressed against the headrest. 

So that's what I've been doing my whole journey every now and again just giving her leg a gentle squeeze earning a small reaction from her. At one point she had to cover up a moan with a cough and that's the point I decided to stop with the teasing, so now my hand rests on the top of her right thigh out of the way of causing any reactions. Wanda is still fiddling with my rings but she seems to be a lot calmer than she was earlier. 

"Okay so we are about 5 minutes outside of Calgary, then it's going to take about 20 minutes to get to our first stop. It's going to be a little bit of driving today, but we have 2 or 3 stops and since it's only 10am we have plenty of time in between things." I hear a series of acknowledging hums.

I turn my hand over so Wanda's palm is in mine and she intertwines our fingers together as hers bend so they are resting on the back of my hand. I look into the rearview mirror and smile when I see the boys looking out the window to the city in front of us. I squeeze Wanda's hand as I take a quick glance at her and she gently bites her lips as her green eyes search mine, nothing but love evident on her face.

I look back to the road as I bring her hand to my lips leaving a kiss on each of her knuckles and resting our hands on the arm rest. A smile grows on my face when I hear her small voice singing along to the radio as she taps her fingers against the back of my hand in time to the music. 

20 minutes later I am pulling into the parking lot of our first stop, both the boys looking out the window in wonder as Wanda looks into the back smiling at them. I take my hand from Wanda’s, earning a small glare from the woman, but ignore it as I put my arm on the back of her seat and reverse into a parking spot: smiling when I feel Wanda’s hand hold onto my forearm. Once the car is parked the hand on the back of Wanda's seat moves to cup her face as I lean across to peck her lips once then I move swiftly to get out of the car before she can protest.

I laugh as she sends me a glare over the car, standing on the side to be able to do so, sending me the middle finger. I open the door for Tommy and he gives me a small thank you as he opens the trunk to grab out my backpack for me. As I close the door Tommy places the bag in my right hand pushing it up to my shoulder. He then wraps his left arm around my body and starts pulling in the direction of the entrance with Wanda and Billy following closely behind.

"So what do you think?" I look down at him as he looks at the building ahead.

"I'm excited. I've never been to a hanger museum before so this should be cool. " 

"What about you guys?" I turn around to face the others and feel Tommy's other arm wrap around me to help guide me as I walk backwards. 

"What about what now?" Wanda says as she speeds up to be at my side with Billy on her left side.

"Opinions on The Hangar Flight Museum."

"Seems interesting, is it just planes or is it other things too?" Wanda wraps her arms around mine pulling our bodies closer.

"Mostly planes, some helicopters. Most of them are from around the second World War or just after."

"Well I'm excited." Billy says as he leans forward slightly to look past Wanda.

"Let's go then." 

~~~~~

We made it inside rather quickly, buying a guide of course and me and Wanda are standing just behind the boys as they walk around the planes. They keep pointing out small details, reading the guide to see what they are and getting excited over how big some of them are.

Tommy runs over to us grabbing mine and Wanda's free hands and pulling us towards one of the planes. Wanda raises her brow at his excitement but I simply shrug my shoulders when she looks up at me with confusion.

"Look, you can see inside the cockpit." Tommy points to Billy who is on some blue aircraft steps looking inside the plane. 

"So what's this plane then boys?" I ask as Billy flicks through the guide. 

"It says that it's a North American F-86 Sabre." He says when he looks from the plane to the guide.

"Do you know any facts Y/n, you always seem to know facts." Wanda bumps her hip against me and I roll my eyes.

"In fact I do." Wanda raises an eyebrow at me.

"Fine, go ahead. Tell us some facts." She looks at me expectantly.

"Okay. So first introduced into the USAF in 1947 there were nearly 10'000 of these built before they were retired in 1965. The F-86A broke the set a speed record of 671 miles per hour or 1080 kilometres an hour back in 1948. A Canadian built F-86 Sabre Mk3 was used by a female pilot Jacqueline Cochran who was the first lady to break the sound barrier back in 1953. They were used in the Korean war, Cold War and Indo-Pakistani war. There were many different Variants of the plane and many different countries used these different Variants. Its rate of climb was 9000ft a minute so it could reach 30'000ft in just over 5 minutes." 

"So you do know your stuff?" Wanda nudges me.

"I know a lot of things."

"How do you know so much about, like, nearly everything?" 

"I used to read a lot as a kid and the facts sort of just stuck with me. But I only really studied science and history." I shrug as the boys look around the hanger and the guide.

"Oh what about this one?" Billy shows Tommy an image in the guide and they both agree on whatever it is and once again me and Wanda are being dragged around. 

A huge smile is planted on Wanda's face as the boys get excited about the tiniest things telling us we will come back to certain things once I've told them more facts. Once we come to a stop outside I wrap my arm around Wanda's shoulders as the boys stand in front of us looking at the plane. They quickly turn around with smug grins on their faces.

"So what about this one Y/n?" Tommy acts smug trying to see whether I know or not, it's cute honesty because I'm about to prove him wrong. I do indeed know about this plane.

"So this one is an Avro CF-100 Canuck. The only Canadian-designed fighter to enter mass production, and it was classed as an interceptor or a fighter. It was first introduced back in 1952 and only 692 were built before it was retired in 1981. Squadron leader Janusz Żurakowski was a test pilot for the company and when he used the plane to dive from 45'000ft he was able to get the prototypes Mk4 to reach Mach 1.10. It was the first straight-winged jet to achieve a supersonic flight, one that was of course controlled. There are 6 different main Variants to this plane from Mk1 to Mk6, obviously. But most of these had their own variations so in total there were roughly 16 different variants of this thing. Only Belgium and Canada ever used this type of jet."

"Okay last one we promise." Billy says as the boys start dragging me and Wanda around again, both of us giggling to ourselves at the boy's excitement.

"I'm enjoying telling you facts of what I know, it's also pretty cool that you guys are actually interested and listening. I don't feel like I'm talking to myself." The boys smile back at me as Wanda squeezes my side.

"Well your fun facts are fun so don't go hiding them away from us." Tommy gives me a playfully pointed look. 

"Okay so this plane now?" I point to the big jet in front of us.

"Yup, but we ask questions and you have to try and answer them. Is that okay?" Billy asks.

"How will you know if I am right or not?" Tommy holds up his phone.

"The Internet is such a wonderful place...sometimes."

"Okay. First question then."

"What's the name of this plane?" Looks like Billy is asking while Tommy researches. 

"Mcdonnell CF-101B Voodoo." Tommy types on his phone, sending a thumbs up to Billy who looks back to me.

"Okay when did it first get introduced?"

"1957." Thumbs up from Tommy.

"When did they retire it?"

"Which air force?" I smile smugly as Billy looks at Tommy for answers.

"All three." Tommy shows Billy his phone who looks back at me with a raised eyebrow.

"So from the USAF it was 1972, from the UN ANG 1982 and from the Canadian Air force 1984." Thumbs up from Tommy which causes a small grumble from Billy, he really wants me to get one wrong.

"Okay. How many were made?"

"807." Thumbs up.

"What speed did it go to break the speed record?" Tommy asks as he shows Billy the answer.

"It went roughly 1207 miles an hour which is roughly 1943 kilometres an hour." Thumbs up.

"How fast does it climb?"

"Around 36'500ft a minute." I smile smugly as both Tommy and Billy sigh in defeat.

"Damn you are good."

"Told you. Now since I won, what's my prize?" 

"Well since we've looked around the whole place you get to drive us to our next destination." Billy walks past me with a smug smile as he heads towards the exit, my jaw drops as I look at Wanda and she gives me a cheeky smile and a shrug of the shoulders.

"Fine."

~~~~~

"Okay so just a couple of minutes walk and we will be there. This is more of a photo place than something like a museum, but I think it's still quite nice. Then there is one more place after this." I say as we all start walking away from the car, Wanda interlocking our hands as she sways them between us. 

"Have you got your camera Billy?" Wanda asks the boy next to her.

"Yup. Always have it just in case." He wiggles his camera in the air.

"Well you are definitely going to want to take pictures of this." Tommy walks next to me wrapping his arm around my elbow as I speak.

"Where are we going anyway?" Wanda leans her head against my arm.

"Peace Bridge." I point to the red bridge in the distance. 

"Woah. Mom, can I run ahead and take some photos?" Wanda nods since we are not too far away and can keep an eye on Billy easily.

The three of us watch and walk as Billy tries different camera angles turning the camera vertical and horizontal. He kneels down at one point then leans the camera on the edge of the sign for the bridge. We stop behind him a few metres back so he can continue taking his pictures. At one point he turns around smiling at us calling us over to take a picture in front of it. The three of us stand in front of the bridge and Billy starts to crouch as he aims the camera upwards.

"Y/n why are you so tall?" He grumbles as he moves the camera down more.

"Blame the metal." I say like I've told them a thousand times.

"What?" Wanda's head whips around with a look of surprise and I scrunch my brows in confusion.

"What?" I ask her, still confused at her reaction.

"What, what?! What do you mean metal?" I scrunch my brows even more as Wanda turns to face me fully.

"The metal in my legs and back." 

"What metal?" She asks again.

"I just said the metal in my legs and back. I've told you this." 

"No you haven't." She lets out a small giggle as my confusion turns into realisation.

"Wait, I haven't?"

"No." 

"Oh."

"Oh?" She curls an eyebrow.

"Sorry I just swear I told you, but it's obvious I didn't."

"Okay, so what metal in your legs and back?" I wrap my arms around Wanda's neck, her hands land on my hips, as Tommy goes over to join his brother.

"So I've told you about the crash right? That wasn't a manifestation of my imagination, right?" Wanda laughs as she rests her chin against my chest looking up at me.

"You told me about the crash."

"Okay good. So I shattered both my legs and broke my back in a few places. The steering column collapsed trapping my legs as the mangled metal from the door, floor and glass from the window impaled my leg. Luckily, the pressure and weight of the car that was on the metal, glass and leg mess was enough to stem the bleeding so I wasn't bleeding out at least. My spine broke from the impact but it wasn't like I could move any way because of the rebar through my abdomen." 

"Okay, so I didn't know that. I think I knew about the rebar though." I laugh a little as I bring my lips down to press them against Wanda's gently.

"Can't believe I'm only telling you this now. This is the part of the crash my brain can handle without going into a meltdown." Wanda laughs against my chest and I beam down at her. "Okay so how does a crash make you taller?"

"Right, sorry I got distracted. So Papa T, or Tony as you know him, wanted the best chance for me so he hired Dr Cho and they worked together on some new breakthrough stuff. So my right leg had metal pins in it at one point but they weren't working so they created a sort of metal cast that wraps around the bone inside the leg instead of outside. When they put it on, they had to shave away quite a bit of bone to smooth it out and allow it to grow. There was a small issue and they didn't realise it had slipped out of place, because I was in a coma so couldn't tell them if anything was causing pain or discomfort. Anyway, the slip meant the cast pushed under the bone instead of around and the bone grew downwards on it pushing against it causing my leg to grow as the bone pushed the cast down against the other part of the bone." 

"Okay, so how much did the little slip cause the leg to grow by?"

"Maybe 6 inches."

"Wow okay so you're meant to be like 5ft 11?" 

"Yup." 

"Okay what about the other leg?"

"The other leg?" 

"You said both legs had metal."

"Oh right my left thigh is completely metal, no bone in sight. Papa T used Vibranium for both legs, but yeah my left thigh is a completely metal bone." Wanda let's out an impressed hmph. "My back required surgery in a few different parts, so that's that's I have a full back scar. They used a vibranium brace and Wakandan tech to help the nerves recover and keep my back straight."

"Well it did a good job because your back is the straightest thing about you." Wanda laughs a full on chesty laugh as I bring my hand to my heart pretending to have been shot.

"Oh, ouch. She got me." I kneel to the floor bowing my head as I poke my tongue out playing dead.

"Get up you goof." Wanda grabs my hand pulling me back to my feet with the best of her abilities, leaving pecks on my lips as our heads pass one another.

"Love you princess."

"Love you too baby."

"Awwww." We both turn to the boys who are looking at the camera.

"What?" Wanda walks over to the boys who hide the camera.

"Nothing, just some good pictures."

"Uh huh." Wanda raises an eyebrow but the boys don't react and I pull Wanda's body against mine as my hands wrap around her waist. 

"Okay so it's about 4pm, are we up for an early dinner?"

"Yes please, I'm hungry after all this walking around." I laugh as Tommy lets out an exaggerated huff of air.

"Okay it's the last place anyway, so let's go!"

~~~~~~

"Welcome to Calgary Tower you three." I say as we walk up to the entrance and they all woah as they look up to the tall tower above us.

"It's so tall." Billy says as he tilts his head all the way back to look up.

"It is so we are going to eat at the restaurant at the top where you can see a whole 360 view."

"Cool, let's go!" Tommy and Billy walk ahead as Wanda kisses the underside of my jaw before we follow after the boys in a comfortable silence.

We make it to the top of the tower where we are met by a smiling waitress or maybe she's a hostess or both. I don't know, all I know is that smile looks forced. 

"Hi, welcome to the sky 360 restaurant. Have you got a booking?"

"Yeah it's under Y/n Barton." She scrolls through the name list.

"Perfect, follow me. Are you boys going to want to eat from the children's menu or the adults."

"Uhm, can we have both just in case." Tommy asks politely as always.

"Of course you can, young man. So here's your table, I will come back in a second for your drinks orders. I am just going to bring over some water for the table."

"Thank you." She smiles at me before walking away."Okay so have a look at the menu, I know it's a little posh but this is a treat okay?"

"Okay." The boys agree easily so I turn my attention to Wanda.

"Can we go dutch or at least let me put some money towards my meal? It's expensive and I don't want you to pay for it all."

"Will it make you more comfortable if you do?" 

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Wait, you're not going to protest?" 

"No, princess, if you want to put some money towards the food then okay, it's our treat for the boys."

"Okay. Our treat."

"Our treat." I give Wanda a small kiss before smiling up at the waitress as she comes back. 

"So what drinks can I get you?"

"Please can I have some lemonade?" 

"Me too please."

"Okay so two lemonades for the boys and for you ladies?"

"Bottle of wine Wanda?" 

"Bottle of white for us." 

"Any particular type?" Wanda looks at me and I shrug, not really minding what we drink.

"Something mid-range that makes sense." 

"It does ma'am. I will get those sorted for you and come back to take your food orders." 

"Perfect thank you." Wanda gives the waitress a kind smile before she turns to me once she walks away. 

"So any idea on what food you are having?" I ask the boys who both nod and hum out a yes.

"Perfect. What about you princess?" 

"Yup. You?" 

"Yeah." I look out the big window to the building next to us. "Look, you can see the mountains really well from up here."

The three of them turn around to look at the view around us, eyes wide with awe as they take it all in. Wanda places her hand on top of mine on the table, gently rubbing her thumb over my knuckles as the four of us look out into the beautiful skyline.

"Sorry to interrupt the moment but I've got your drinks here." We all move out of the waitresses way so she can put the drinks in front of each of us. "Are you guys ready to order?"

"We are. Boys you go first." I pick up my wine glass taking a sip, enjoying the flavour as it rolls down my throat.

"Please could I have the grilled lamb." Tommy goes first handing his menu back to the waitress once she has written it down.

"Could I have the pan roasted chicken please." Billy hands his menu over and we turn to look at Wanda.

"I will take the scallops please." 

"Of course and for you Miss?" She points her pen in my direction. 

"I will have the 8oz tenderloin."

"Of course. Anything else you guys need before I pass this off to the kitchen?" She looks around the table as we all say no thank you. "Okay, I will be out with the food soon." 

"Okay so after this we will head back to the cabin because it will be about 5pm when we get our food, so we probably won't leave until around 6. So we will be back at the cabin just before 9."

"Sounds good baby." Wanda plants a kiss on my cheek before we fall into conversation with the boys about school and other random topics.

It's not long before our food arrives and the eyes of the three other people sitting at the table widen at the sight of the food. All of them tucking in almost immediately and letting out satisfied hums, Wanda's head tilts back as she takes a second bite.

"Good?" I giggle as Wanda hums and nods as she takes a third bite before she looks at mine. 

"Yours looks good too." I can practically see Wanda's mouth watering at the sight of my steak.

"Want some?"

"Just a little." She gives me big doe eyes so I cut a bite size piece off stabbing my fork into it as I bring it to her mouth. 

She almost moans as she bites into it, her eyes bulging more as her eyes flick back to the steak as she swallows her bite before starting to eat her own food again. I look over to the boys who are eating away nicely at their food as they talk between mouthfuls. Turning back to my own food I catch Wanda poking her own fork in a cut bit of steak and quickly popping it into her mouth, earning a raised eyebrow from me.

"You have your own food."

"But yours is too good not to eat." I watch her as she moves in slow motion stabbing another piece of steak before placing it into her mouth. I lean forward pretending to plant a kiss on her cheek as I whisper against her skin.

"You taste better." I pull away with some of her food on my fork so I can look as inconspicuous as possible while Wanda chokes and coughs her face burning bright red.

"You okay mom?" Tommy's concern is almost cute, but not needed.

"Fine, just went down the wrong pipe." She takes a few sips of wine, sending a small glare over the edge of her glass and I simply giggle causing her to roll her eyes.

I look away from Wanda to continue eating my steak, cutting it up into bite size portions for myself. Once I've finished cutting I place my right hand on Wanda's thigh and she looks at me with suspicion in her eyes, I simply shrug like I'm not doing anything. 

The boys look up as soon as they hear Wanda's fork drop against her plate, her face once again flushed red as I gently press my fingers into the inside of her thigh while my thumb runs up the outside of it. Her hand shoots to halt my movements when I give it a hard squeeze, as her body jerks forward slightly. 

"Sorry I just need the toilet." She excuses herself and me and the boys watch her leave before turning to one another.

"What was that about?" I ask first to try and get any suspicion the boys have off of me.

"No idea." The boys shrug as we all return to eating our food. 

I smirk when Wanda sits back down, her face slightly wet as she dabs it dry with the napkin. It's quite obvious she has had to splash her face with water to calm herself down. I move my hand again, Wanda watching my every move, but when I grab her hand and place it on the table, she softens up and goes back to eating. 

It doesn't take us too long after Wanda's return for us to finish our food as the waitress returns to clear our plates. All of us decline when she asks if we want dessert. When she brings the bill over, me and Wanda work out how we want to pay, and the waitress is completely understanding when we tell her we want to pay for our own food and one of the boys each. Wanda says it's only fair we pay for our own and it's a treat for the boys so we pay for one each. I'm not going to argue if that's what makes her most comfortable when the total came out at more than $200 for four of us.

"Perfect so there is your copy of the receipts, I hope you guys enjoyed your time with us this evening."

"It was perfect thank you." Wanda makes a move to stand as we all follow her lead.

"No problem at all. Have a good rest of the night."

"You too." We all say as we start to head out as we watch her move to a new group of people at the door.

Me and Wanda fall behind the boys a little bit as we walk out of the tower and back towards the car and I smirk when I see Wanda turning to look up at me.

"That wasn't funny." I bite my lip as I look down at Wanda who is blushing once again her eyes on my lips.

"No, it was hilarious." She grumbles as she lightly hits my arm.

"It was mean." She pouts at me so I bring my lips down to her ear as we continue to walk, my hot breath causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

"But you played along so well today baby girl." Her eyes flutter almost closed for a second before she is clearing her throat once again, looking at me with lust filled eyes as she brings her lips to hover against mine.

"Was I a good girl?" I smile against her lips as we stop for a moment while we kiss, before I break it apart and keep us walking towards the car. I look to see the boys ahead of us so bring my lips back down to her ear taking it between my teeth as my hand on her back keeps us walking. 

"You were the best. Such a good girl for me." I low moan echoes through her throat as she presses her lips together to stop it being too loud.

"Oh fuck we still have a nearly 3 hour drive till we get to the cabin." She grumbles as she leans her forehead against my arm trying to compose herself before we get to the car where the boys are waiting. 

"We do. Can you hold out till then?" 

"I'm going to have to." I let out a small laugh earning a small glare from the smaller woman. 

"Don't worry princess, you're getting treated like a queen tonight."

================================

[the-real-tc]

Bad Business Ch. 7: Every Breath You Take

Chapter 7

Every Breath You Take

Shooting Victim Identified

Hudson Times—Print Version

May 3, 2019

Nadir Jutley

Hudson Police have released the identity of the motorist shot yesterday on Range Road 292. 53-year-old Lisa Stillman was found unconscious in her SUV by Hudson veterinarians, Drs. Scott Cardinal and Ty Borden at approximately 12:15 p.m., local time.

Stillman was found to be suffering from two gunshot wounds. She was transported by ambulance to the South Calgary Health Campus where she underwent emergency surgery and is currently listed in critical but stable condition.

Police are asking for the public's assistance in the matter. Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious on the road at the time of the shooting is asked to call local police or the RCMP. In particular, authorities hope to speak with an individual riding a motorcycle who may have passed Stillman and might be able to provide further details. Thus far, police have no motive or suspects in the attack.

Hudson Chief of Police James Parker expressed his concern for Stillman, and for the safety of citizens of the town. However, he stressed there is no reason to believe there is any danger to the public at large.

Lisa Stillman is the owner of Fairfield Stables, a renowned thoroughbred racehorse breeding facility in Hudson that was established in 1951 by her late father, Matthew Stillman.

• Email: nadir_jutley

The ringing telephone cut through the silence that Friday morning. Jack pulled himself from the kitchen table. The call display indicated it was from the hospital, causing his heart to jump.

"Hello?" he answered after picking up the receiver. "Yes, this is Jack Bartlett."

He listened while the voice on the other line spoke a few words. Amy and Tim watched him carefully, both on edge.

"Thank you," Jack said once he heard everything the other party had to say. "Good-bye."

"Grandpa?" Amy asked, trying to read his expression. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," Jack answered, his heart exulting and mind spinning with the information he had been longing to hear. "Lisa's awake. She's regained consciousness."

"Oh, Grandpa, that's great news! I'm so happy!" Amy exclaimed. She wrapped her arms around him in happy relief.

"Great news, Jack," Tim said, slapping Jack on the back.

"I've got to get up there," Jack said.

"Of course. I'll take you," Amy said. "Let me just get Lyndy ready. You're still okay to get Lou from the airport, right, Dad?"

"Yeah, sure," Tim said. "You two go on. Tell Lisa I'm happy she's doing better, Jack. God knows what an insufferable bastard you would become if she didn't make it."

Jack just shook his head while a lopsided smile tugged at his mouth. "Shut up, you idiot," he said.

"Just sayin'," Tim quipped, always needing to have the last word.

***

Upon arriving at the hospital, Jack hurriedly returned to the ICU floor. The despair he had felt throughout the sleepless night before had lifted completely. He approached the nurse's desk expectantly. "I'm Jack Bartlett," he announced. "My wife was admitted yesterday. Lisa Stillman."

This nurse, different from the one yesterday, did not have to consult her records.

"Ms. Stillman has been moved from the ICU to another room, Mr. Bartlett."

"You mean she's not here?" Jack asked, disappointed he would be delayed in seeing her.

"No, she's not," the nurse confirmed. "Let me find out for you which floor she's on now, okay?"

A few minutes later, Jack was at last on the correct floor, but he would be disappointed yet again. The nurse on this recovery ward informed him: "She's resting again now, Mr. Bartlett. But you can go sit with her as long as you don't disturb her."

"You go ahead, Grandpa," Amy said while holding onto her sleeping toddler. "Lyndy and I'll wait out here for you for a bit."

Jack patted his granddaughter's shoulder. "Thank you," he said.

***

"Hey, Cowboy..."

Jack jerked his head up at the sound of the thin, wispy voice. Lisa was looking at him through tired, heavy-lidded eyes.

"Lis..." he whispered in awe, thinking he would burst with joy at seeing her conscious again. He had drifted off to a shallow nap while sitting at her bedside thanks to the lack of rest the night before, now all he wanted to do was keep his eyes open to be sure they were not deceiving him.

Jack forced himself not to overwhelm her, so he refrained from peppering her with all the frantic questions that were burning within. He instead sucked in a deep, steadying breath before taking a measured approach. "I am so relieved you woke up. How're you feeling?"

Lisa blinked slowly, as if considering how to answer. "Terrible," she eventually replied, after swallowing a couple times.

"Here, let me get you some water," Jack said quickly, reaching for the cup on the bedside table. He brought the straw to her lips and she drew a quick sip.

"Thanks," she rasped, throat still raw despite taking a drink. He put the cup back after intuiting she was satisfied for the time being.

"Are you in pain?" Jack asked anxiously.

A grimace crossed her face as she nodded in the affirmative. "Head," she muttered. "Arm... and side..."

"I can get the nurse or the doctor," Jack said, already rising up to get someone.

"No," Lisa spoke with more volume. "Don't go... just yet."

"Okay," Jack said, settling back into the chair, brushing her cheek gently to reassure her he was not going anywhere. "I'll just use the call button, then."

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, eyeing Jack as he pressed the device at her side. A few beats of silence passed before she spoke again. "What happened... to me? The doctors haven't told me anything yet... or maybe I was too out of it to remember if they did."

Jack searched her face. The dark circles under her eyes stood in contrast to the frighteningly wan pallor of her skin. "What do you remember?" he asked, hoping to forestall discussion of the trauma she had endured.

She reflected carefully before replying. "I-I was driving to a meeting, wasn't I?"

"Yes," Jack confirmed with an encouraging nod. "You were. Do you remember anything else?"

"I can't quite," she murmured, frowning with the effort of trying to recall the details of that drive. "There was a guy..."

Upon hearing this, Jack stiffened in his seat, pulse quickening. Maybe she would remember. Maybe they would be able to find her shooter and bring him to justice, effectively ending this nightmare. "What 'guy'?"

"On a motorbike," Lisa sighed. "He was trying to pass me on the road. I think he was afraid to risk it... did we have an accident? Did something hit us?"

Jack shook his head.

"Oh, no. Please don't tell me I hit him."

A soft, sad smile formed on his lips at the misery on her face at the thought she might be the one responsible for her current predicament. "No, no," he said to reassure her. "You didn't do anything wrong, Lis."

"Oh. Good." She sighed, blinking in relief to have that fear assuaged. "What, then?"

Jack was spared having to reply when a wiry nurse with short salt-and-pepper hair appeared at the door.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, looking in at the two of them.

"She woke up from her 'nap'," Jack stated.

"Wonderful!" declared the nurse, whose name tag identified her as 'Cheryl'. She strode into the room purposefully, immediately checking Lisa's vitals and asking about her pain levels.

"I have a terrible headache. But... my arm and side... hurt the most," Lisa responded tiredly. "Pain is about a seven or eight out of ten, maybe?"

"Remember there's a tube in your side," Cheryl said, "but I'll get the doctor to see if we can do something about increasing your pain meds to take the edge off—now that you're fully awake."

Lisa nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

"Be right back," the nurse said, smiling at the couple as she departed.

"Do you remember anything else?" Jack prodded when he was sure they were alone again.

"Mm-mm," Lisa mumbled, giving her head a slight negative shake.

Jack could see her lack of recall was frustrating her. He made the decision right then to give her the truth, without any dissimulation.

"Lis," he began slowly, finding it difficult to formulate the words even though he had gone over in his mind a hundred times what he knew about the heinous actions that brought her here. "You went off the road on the way to the meeting. We're not sure exactly what happened or why, but... Someone shot you."

His words struck a chord of distress in her, frazzling her nerves. Her face crumpled in confusion and Jack noticed a perceptible uptick in her heart-rate monitor.

"Shot...?" she uttered fearfully, unable to make sense of this piece of news. "Wh-why? Who would...?"

"We don't know. We were hoping you would be able to tell us something," Jack said, placing a hand over hers in comfort, delicately trying to avoid the I.V. port and lines. "Now, Chief Parker has got people investigating. But it's like I told him: my beautiful wife doesn't have an enemy in the world who would want to do something like this."

"I can't—I don't understand," Lisa said, still not recovered from the shock of Jack's news. "I have no memory of that... I—there must be some mistake..."

"I talked to Chief Parker," Jack said calmly, trying to ground her and bring her some peace of mind. "Like I said, he's got everyone he can looking into this, okay? We're going to catch who did this."

And he'd better pray I don't catch him first, Jack thought to himself.

Lisa sighed and nodded. "Okay."

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

"Chief, the hospital just called," Patterson informed her boss. "Lisa Stillman has regained consciousness."

"That's good news," Jim said. "You and Kavanaugh get up there right away. We need to get her statement about what happened as soon as the doctors will let you speak with her."

"All right," Patterson said. "We're on our way."

***

Lou's hurriedly booked flight from New York was scheduled to arrive early that afternoon at Calgary International Airport. The entire time in the air was spent in dread remembrance of a similar trip years ago. That time, she knew she would be coming home to a dead mother and a comatose sister, the result of an accident that occurred during a crazy rescue mission to save Spartan. Lou wondered what would be awaiting her this time. The shock of hearing that her grandfather's second wife had been shot had still not worn off.

What on earth did you get yourself into, Lisa? Lou questioned silently. This is going to kill Grandpa if you don't make it. I saw what losing Grandma Lyndy did to him, and what it did to him when we lost Mom. So you'd better live. Oh, why is this even happening?

"Dad!" she called out to Tim when she spotted his cowboy-hatted figure waiting for her outside the Arrivals gate.

"Lou, honey," Tim said, giving her a quick hug. "Good news. Lisa woke up. Jack's with her right now."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Lou exclaimed, happy she did not have to ask the question about Lisa's state of health. "I was so worried."

"Yeah, we all were," Tim said as he motioned for her to head to his truck while taking her suitcases. "But it looks like she's going to be okay, so we can probably stop worrying."

"That's a huge relief," Lou said. "Do the police have any idea what happened?"

"The police are clueless," Tim replied gruffly. "No leads except there was 'some guy' on a motorcycle."

"That's too bad," Lou said. "I don't even know what to think about all this."

"Yeah, it's a real mess," Tim said as they reached his truck.

"Dad," Lou began tentatively, biting her lip. "What about Amy? How's she doing?"

"She's better, I think," Tim answered plainly. "She's not as mopey and depressed today, anyway."

"That's good," stated Lou. "I guess things are looking up, then. I don't think this family could take much more, honestly."

"Yeah, it's been rough," Tim said in agreement. "Listen, I've got to stop in at Maggie's on the way home. You mind? It's been overwhelming with everything going on lately."

"You haven't let a couple family crises get in the way of your duties at the diner, have you, Dad?" Lou chided in mock reproach.

"Absolutely not," Tim said. "After all, isn't that why you hired Jen? To make sure things run smoothly while you're away?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lou quipped. "Let's go. I'm tired and I want to call Katie and Peter when I get home so we can arrange for her to come back now that everything is improving."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

"The police are here," Nurse Cheryl announced to Jack and Lisa. "They would like to speak to Ms. Stillman about what happened."

"Don't know how much I can tell them," Lisa said, feeling better now that the pain was back within tolerable levels. "I don't really remember much."

"That's all right. You just do your best, okay?" Jack said encouragingly. "Tell them what you told me, and they'll take it from there."

Lisa nodded and a small sigh escaped her lips. "Okay. I'll try."

Jack stepped out of the room to make way for Detective Kavanaugh and Detective Constable Patterson to enter and to give them some privacy.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Stillman," Kavanaugh said. Both he and Patterson seated themselves so Lisa did not have to strain to look up at them. "I'm sorry we have to meet again under such awful circumstances."

Lisa looked warily at the pair. "Good afternoon," she replied, somewhat guardedly.

"How are you feeling?" asked Patterson.

"Better than I was a couple hours ago. Thank God for good pain meds," Lisa remarked with a sardonic twist of her mouth.

"Good, we're glad to hear that," Patterson said. "Think you can answer our questions about what happened yesterday?"

"I'll try," Lisa replied.

"Thank you," Patterson said kindly. "We appreciate you're willing to talk with us."

"We'd like to go over with you the details—as you can recall them—of yesterday afternoon when you were shot," Kavanaugh said. "Thanks to Drs. Cardinal and Borden, we have some idea, but we're hoping you can fill in the blanks."

"Okay," Lisa said with a slow nod. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell us about the drive in to Calgary," Kavanaugh started. "Did you notice anything strange or unusual during that drive?"

"Yes," Lisa answered after a brief moment of consideration. "Sort of."

"Explain what you mean by 'sort of', please," Kavanaugh said.

"There was someone riding a motorcycle who kept trying to pass," Lisa said.

"Can you describe this person?" asked Kavanaugh.

"Not really," Lisa replied. "The memory of it is hazy right now. I'm pretty sure he was wearing a helmet so I couldn't see his face, and I think he was wearing a black jacket."

"Was there anything else about that jacket that was distinctive? Logos? Patches?"

"No, sorry," Lisa said. "Either I'm not remembering, or there weren't any at all."

"Okay, thanks, Ms. Stillman," said Kavanaugh.

"Do you think you could perhaps tell us what kind of motorcycle he was riding?" Patterson asked.

Lisa shook her head once in the negative. "Honestly, I don't think I could. Sorry. I mean, maybe it was something on the sportier side? My grandson-in-law—that's Dr. Borden—had a Norton, and whatever this guy had didn't look anything like that bike. 'Sleek' is probably a word I'd use, but that is all I could say."

"What about the colour?"

Lisa closed her eyes and tried to remember if she had, in fact, seen anything distinctive about the bike. "Red, maybe?" she finally answered, opening her eyes to look again at Patterson. "I mostly saw it in my mirrors. I can't be positive. I'm sorry."

"All right, thanks for trying," Patterson said, her blue eyes showing a little disappointment. "Tell us instead a little more about your drive to Calgary. Is this something you do on a regular basis? What was your reason for heading there?"

"I belong to a private investors' group. I was heading for a meeting with them."

"Who knew you were going to be attending this meeting?" asked Patterson.

"Well," Lisa began thoughtfully, "besides my husband and our family members at Heartland—maybe a couple of my staff at Fairfield—only the members of the investors' group."

"Is this meeting a regularly scheduled thing?" Patterson asked. "Is there a specific reason your meeting was yesterday?"

"Yes, you see, we've, uh, lost a member recently," Lisa began, sucking in a ragged breath as she remembered Val, wincing slightly at the immediate discomfort in her side this activity brought.

"And who was this member?" asked Kavanaugh.

"The late Val Stanton," Lisa answered. "We were meeting because her son, Jesse, is interested in taking her place in the group. We were going to vote on his membership at this meeting."

This piqued Patterson's interest. "Were all the members keen on Jesse Stanton's admission to your group?"

"Oh, yes," Lisa replied. "It was really just a formality to vote him in. Jesse is fully in charge of Briar Ridge now that Val is gone. He'd like to continue her legacy with the group. Nobody in the group had any problem with that as far as I know."

"When was the last time you heard from Liam Comox?" asked Kavanaugh.

Lisa's brow buckled. "Liam Comox?" she repeated, surprised by the turn this line of questioning had taken. "I haven't seen him in years. Not since I fired him and reported him to the Steward's Office."

Kavanaugh continued: "Has he been in touch with you since? Any phone calls? Threatening letters? Emails?"

"No," Lisa said, wondering how on earth these detectives even knew about her former jockey. "Nothing like that at all."

"Thanks, Ms. Stillman," Kavanaugh said.

Patterson jumped in again. "Ms. Stillman, I'm going to ask a very difficult question now: are you and your husband having any marital issues?"

The shock that registered on her face should have been enough of a clue for the law enforcement officers they had taken the wrong tack, but Lisa responded anyway:

"Most certainly not," she said emphatically.

"I know we touched on this earlier when you spoke to us about Val Stanton's habit of 'flirting' with your husband, but have there been any infidelity issues in the past we should know about, on either side?" Patterson pressed.

"Zero," Lisa said in a clipped tone.

"You and Dan Hartfield were previously married," Kavanaugh stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "Why did that relationship end in divorce?"

"If you're really asking if Jack Bartlett had anything to do with my divorce, the answer is 'no'," Lisa said, trying not to lose her temper. "My relationship with Dan ended because he was a lousy husband and was more interested in what I brought to the table for our business interests. I hadn't even met Jack when I was married to Dan."

"Then would you say your divorce was an amicable one?" asked Patterson.

"Mostly, yes," Lisa replied honestly. "We remained business partners afterwards, and we're still very civil to each other."

"Do you have a will, Ms. Stillman?"

Lisa suspected this question might be coming, but was still taken aback when Det. Kavanaugh asked it.

"Yes, I do," she answered, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"And who's the main beneficiary?"

"My husband, Jack Bartlett."

"How much does he stand to inherit?"

"Everything."

"On paper, you're worth millions in assets, Ms. Stillman," said Patterson. "Let's be frank—"

"Yes, let's, " Lisa said, growing more indignant these officers were insinuating Jack might be the reason she was lying in this hospital bed.

"I want to emphasize right now that you're safe with us, Ms. Stillman, and we can make sure you stay that way if what happened to you is domestic in nature," Patterson said earnestly before asking the next question. "Do you think your husband is behind this attempt on your life?"

"Absolutely not," Lisa stated, her eyes burning like coals. A knot of discomfort bordering on nausea was gathering in the pit of her stomach and her head was starting to pound.

"You seem very confident of that," Kavanaugh said, noting her shift in tone and demeanour. "It has not escaped our notice you're significantly younger than your husband—"

"Look, if you think my husband is some kind of murderous gold-digger," Lisa interrupted tersely, sending both detectives a piercing glare, "let me make something perfectly clear: I am the one who pursued Jack. I am the one who wanted to get married. It took him nearly seven years to ask the right way, but I can assure you he wasn't after my money, and he still isn't. In fact, he is uncomfortable with the notion he'll have to deal with Fairfield if anything happens to me."

"Noted," Kavanaugh commented with a curt nod.

Lisa exhaled in relief the cops were unable to make their suspicions about Jack stick. This respiratory action again resulted in another localized jab of pain in her side.

"Thank you for giving us your honest answers, Ms. Stillman," Patterson said. "Can you think of anyone either in your personal life or your professional life who might want to harm you?"

"None," Lisa said.

"Think carefully, please," Patterson said.

"I'm sorry, I really can't," Lisa responded, losing all patience with this interview. "I just don't think I've ever made someone upset enough to want to do this to me."

Patterson smiled wryly. "All right, thank you for trying. I can see this isn't an easy thing to think about."

"Is that everything, detectives?" Lisa asked, barely hiding her discomfort now. "I'm suddenly feeling really tired and really lousy, and I think my pain meds are starting to wear off."

"We are for now," Kavanaugh said, looking to his partner. "We may have more questions later. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're welcome," Lisa managed to articulate, though she was now bordering on retching while the headache was beginning to feel like a C-clamp screwed around her skull.

"We wish you a speedy recovery," Patterson said as she and Kavanaugh stood to leave. "If you remember anything else from that day, or if something new occurs to you that you didn't mention, please call us immediately."

"All right," Lisa managed to say.

"You still have our cards?" Kavanaugh asked.

"At my office."

"Here they are again," Kavanaugh said, as the two cops placed them on the bedside table.

"Thanks," Lisa said, not bothering to even look at the contact information as Kavanaugh and Patterson slipped out of the room. All she wanted now was to have Jack with her again and to close her eyes and rest.

They're only doing their jobs, one part of her mind argued. You know they had to ask those questions about Jack. She let out a slow breath in frustrated anger. But Jack would never hurt me! She argued back. But they don't know that, the other side rebutted. Lisa wore a frown as she contemplated this. She hated to think her husband would be the target of a misguided investigation into who had actually tried to end her life. What a complete waste of time and resources if they start hounding Jack. I need to do something about this...

***

Jack watched Kavanaugh and Patterson exit Lisa's room. They're done, he thought in relief.

"I'm heading back in to be with her," he said to Amy. "Thanks for bringing me here. Are you okay to ask Ty to come get you? You don't have to stay, and this is really no place for Lyndy to be for any length of time. I'll be okay to drive myself home later."

"Are you sure?" asked Amy looking at him carefully.

"Positive," Jack replied.

"Okay. I'll call Ty," Amy said, pulling out her cell. "Tell Lisa we're all so happy she's going to be okay."

"I will," said Jack. "'Bye for now. See you later tonight."

He stepped back inside Lisa's room and immediately noticed her low spirits.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"Not really," Lisa said in a low whisper.

"What did those cops say to you?" Jack asked with concern.

"I... I don't really want to talk about that now," Lisa said weakly, her stomach still unsettled and her head still aching. She also intuited Jack would be upset if he heard about the kinds of questions that had been asked of him. He had already been through so much in the past 24 hours, she wanted to spare him.

"Hey, did I tell you it was Ty and Scott who found you out on the road?"

She looked at him in surprise. "No," she uttered, face brightening despite her current miserable state.

Jack nodded. "They were coming back into town. They saw your Porsche and stopped right away. They saved your life, Lis."

"My angels," Lisa whispered. "Please tell them I say 'thank you.'"

"Well, you can tell them yourself when we bust you out of this joint," Jack said with a grin.

Lisa cracked a small smile. "Yes, I suppose I can."

"There's that smile I was hoping to see," Jack murmured happily, brushing his fingertips on her cheek.

"I think I need a nap," Lisa said.

"Then go ahead and have a nap," Jack said. "I'll be right here with you."

"Thanks," Lisa whispered, as her eyes drifted shut again.

Jack simply sat and watched while she dozed, hopeful the worst was behind them.

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

"Lisa Stillman was quite adamant her husband had nothing to do with her shooting," Kavanaugh said during their debrief with Parker of their interview with Lisa.

"She has had no contact from Liam Comox, and she could not name any other potential threats in her life," Patterson added.

"Hmm," Parker hummed with a frown.

"The only other connection we've come up with so far that links Stanton and Stillman is one Dan Hartfield," Patterson said.

"And all three of them belong to some investors' group that was meeting in Calgary yesterday," said Kavanaugh.

A knock on the door brought the conversation to a halt.

"Come in," Parker called.

"Chief," Constable Becket said, opening the door, "there's a man named Dan Hartfield who's demanding to see you."

"Speak of the devil," Kavanaugh muttered under his breath.

"What's this about Hartfield wanting to see me? What's his problem?" Parker asked, irritated at having been interrupted.

"The man's a nervous wreck," Becket responded. "He says he heard about what happened yesterday to Lisa Stillman. He says he thinks his life is in danger, too."

"Oh, does he, now?" Parker said, considering this piece of information. "Did Hartfield provide any proof to support that idea?"

"From what he's told me, he pointed to the fact that all the shooting victims in Hudson so far—Stanton and Stillman—were all part of some private investors' group he happens to belong to," Becket said. "He thinks there might be, and I quote, 'a hit list', and that he thinks he could be next."

"Patterson; Kavanaugh, go have a talk with him," Parker commanded. "See what he has to say for himself and this little investors' group... and why he thinks there might be a 'hit list', as he calls it."

"You got it, Boss," Kavanaugh said, as both he and Patterson made a hasty exit.

***

"Where's Chief Parker?" Dan asked upon seeing Kavanaugh and Patterson enter the room in which he was asked to wait.

"Busy," Kavanaugh said evasively. "We'll take your statement."

Dan scowled. "Okay, fine," he said. "As long as you take this right to him."

"If what you tell us is worth mentioning, we will," Kavanaugh commented dryly. "Now, we understand you have reason to believe your life is in danger?"

"Yes!" Dan exclaimed. "You need to believe me when I tell you someone is out to get the members of an investors' group I belong to. Someone out there obviously has a hit list, and he's already taken out three of us!"

"Three of you?" Patterson asked, surprised by this revelation.

"Yes! Please listen to me," Dan begged. "My life and all our lives in that group could be in danger."

Moved by Dan's palpable sense of fear, Patterson said, "Fine. Tell us everything you can."

Later

"So Hartfield insists Val Stanton and Lisa Stillman were targets because of this investors' group they all belong to?" Parker said during his debriefing with Kavanaugh and Patterson following their interview with Dan Hartfield.

"He also brought up one that was not on our radar because it happened up in Calgary over a year ago, and it was listed as a home invasion-robbery gone wrong," Patterson said. "Husband and wife by the name of Lanny and Paige Barick."

"I remember hearing about that one," said Parker, growing serious. "Get me a list with all names of all those investors, pronto!"

"Hartfield already did. It's right here." Patterson passed a piece of paper to the chief that Dan had provided.

"This is the full list?" asked Parker after reading the contents.

"Affirmative."

"Barick, Stanton, and Stillman have all been hit," Parker said. "Hartfield is convinced he could be next. These other names: Stanley Belmont, Fred Garland, Tanner Gunn, Emma Fitzroy, Jesse Stanton, and Connor Wiebe... If Hartfield thinks someone is offing the members of this group, we have a lot of ground to cover."

"Chief," Patterson said slowly, "when Kavanaugh and I were questioning Stillman at the hospital earlier today, she mentioned the reason she was heading into Calgary that afternoon was to vote on Jesse Stanton's admission into the group."

"You think there's some connection between that event and all the shootings?" Parker asked.

Patterson shrugged. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "Stillman seemed to think Jesse's membership was pretty much a done deal, so maybe not."

"Another point worth mentioning: Hartfield had been romantically involved with Stanton, and he and Stillman used to be married to each other," Kavanaugh said. "He doesn't stand to gain anything if Stillman is out of the picture—nothing we've uncovered yet, anyway."

"Interesting," Parker murmured, wearing a pensive expression. "Think there's a life insurance policy he's kept up all these years?"

"Could be," Kavanaugh responded. "Jesse Stanton seemed to think Hartfield was just as rich as his mother, if not more so. But maybe if we go digging, we'll find Hartfield is strapped for cash. Could be motive to want Stillman out of the way, at least, and this whole 'hit list' thing is a smokescreen."

"It's worth looking into," Parker said. "We know Stillman and Hartfield maintained business ties after they divorced, but this little private investors' group... I want the team to dig a bit into their activity, too. See if we can find any reasons why someone would want to bump off the members, just in case Hartfield isn't just being paranoid."

"Yes, sir," Kavanaugh said. "We're on it."

***

Upon arriving at Maggie's, Tim immediately fielded questions from several of the regulars as to how Lisa was doing. He was able to pass along the happy news she was awake and on the way to recovery in the hospital.

"Oh, my gosh, I'm so glad you came in today, Tim," Jade Virani said in a rush, catching him between taking an order to the kitchen and picking one up. "Small-town gossip is insane. Everyone in here's been talking about what happened to Lisa."

"Well, she's awake now and doing a lot better," Tim said. "So whatever they've been saying can stop."

"You don't get it, Tim," Jade said, eyes shifting around the diner. "Some of your loyal customers are saying some totally dumb sh—uh, things."

"Yeah? Like what?" Tim ventured to ask.

Jade sidled up closer to him and in a conspiratorial whisper said: "Stupid stuff like maybe Jack did it so he could make it rich off Lisa's will."

"That's ridiculous," Tim snapped in a heated tone.

"I know," Jade said, "but it's what some people are saying."

Tim let out a breath in exasperation, also taking a quick glance around at all the patrons sitting at the tables and squeezed into booths.

How can they think Jack could be capable of doing that to Lisa? The thought was preposterous, yet, some of these so-called loyal customers evidently could not resist proposing the worst theories possible.

"Okay, get back to work, Jade," Tim urged. "We're not paying you to stand around. But if you hear anyone else saying they think Jack somehow wanted to get Lisa out of the way, you and the rest of the staff have my permission to deny them service. Better yet, kick 'em out and tell 'em not to come back."

Jade's mouth twisted into a conniving smile. "Can I just spit in their food, instead?" she joked rhetorically, and continued on to the kitchen.

***

That same day, a phone call took place between two people.

"We've got a problem. Lisa Stillman just woke up," the first voice uttered.

"'We', Kemosabe?" the other voice spat in derision, followed by a barrage of profanity. "You absolute idiot! It was foolhardy to go after Stillman when you did, but you got impatient!"

"C'mon, man, you know I'm running out of time. Help me fix this. If it wasn't for me, you would never have had access to—"

"Yeah, yeah, fine," the second voice interjected with annoyance. "But you've just used up all the currency you earned with that one, understand? No more favours. No more unauthorized moves. We lie low now for the next little while, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Good. And listen: if those vets become a problem—"

"Don't worry; I'll take care of them," the first voice said.

"I was hoping you'd say that, since you're the reason they might be a problem in the first place!"

***

Later that same afternoon, a new conversation took place between two individuals that would have been of great interest to Chief Parker and his team of investigators. Unfortunately, those law enforcement officers were unaware it was happening, and were therefore unable to act upon it.

"Is your man still in Hudson?"

"Yeah, probably. He says he likes the scenery and he likes bear hunting. I hear there's been some sightings around those parts lately."

"Tell him to forget the freakin' bears. I've got a different quarry for him again—of the human variety. This one's a bit of a clean-up job. I'm counting on your guy to finish it right."

"'Clean-up', eh?"

"Yeah. The first attempt was seriously botched."

"I'm insulted you didn't contact me for the job in the first place."

"Heh. If it had been my call, I would have brought your man in again for this one. But I have a maverick who thought he could take matters into his own hands. Went off, half-cocked, and left me with this mess."

"I see. Give me the details and he'll get it done. "

"The target is currently a patient in the South Calgary Health Campus. Her name is Lisa Stillman. I'll send you a picture, as usual. I really don't care how it's done; your man just needs to make her dead, and he needs to make it happen before she can be discharged. The sooner, the better."

"Hmm. The hospital is risky. Too many cameras, too much security, and too many people crawling around. My guy will want extra. Call it 'danger pay'."

"How much extra?"

"Ten grand."

"Done. And when he's through offing Stillman, tell him to stick around Hudson for a little while longer. I have a feeling there might be a couple other loose ends for him to tie up."

"Fine. The more, the merrier!"

***

After contacting Rachel Stillman in Montreal and Peter in Vancouver, Lou was finally able to reach Lisa's aunt, who was currently enjoying a cruise of the Mediterranean. The woman did not mind the late call, and had been anxious for word on her niece's condition.

"Do you need me to come out to Alberta?" Evelyn asked. "I can get off at the next port of call and arrange a flight."

"No, Evelyn, you can stay right where you are for now," Lou said calmly. "Lisa's out of the ICU. There's no need to come rushing back."

"Are you sure?" Evelyn's husky voice was filled with worry.

"I'm sure," Lou said. "We'll call if anything changes."

"All right. Tell her I love her, will you, please, Lou? I hope those doctors and nurses are taking very good care of her."

"I'm sure they are," Lou said. "'Bye for now."

***

With Georgie's excused absence from school, Adam and Wyatt paid a call on their friend, both to get her up to speed on missed schoolwork, and for moral support.

Georgie, however, was interested in neither. Her mind was turned to matters of justice.

"Adam, what's the latest on your father's investigation into what's happened to Lisa?" she asked, as soon as homework was delivered along with the expected but nonetheless welcome words of concern from the boys.

"Sorry, Georgie," Adam said with a slow shake of his head. "My dad can't share details with me about an active case."

"Oh," Georgie said with a disappointed pout.

"But that doesn't mean we can't do some investigating of our own," Adam added.

"What—do we look like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew to you?" Wyatt quipped.

Georgie made a face; Wyatt took the cue and quieted himself.

"Seriously, though," Adam said, "I have some theories."

"Like?" Georgie asked.

"Like the fact this is the second shooting to happen in Hudson where both victims were women who were in the horse business," Adam said plainly.

"Doesn't prove anything," Wyatt rejoined. "A lot of people in this town are in the horse business. It's, like, all you see around here. I mean, this town is practically built on equine-this and rodeo-that."

"Yeah, but not all of those businesses are as high-end as Briar Ridge and Fairfield," Adam pointed out. "They have some pretty exclusive clients. They're high profile. I've done some preliminary research. Fairfield is pretty famous in horse-racing circles, and not just in Canada. The same goes for Briar Ridge for showjumping."

"You think someone deliberately targeted Val Stanton and Lisa because of their high profiles in the equestrian business?" Georgie asked, stunned at what Adam was suggesting.

Adam calmly responded, "It's possible."

Wyatt snorted. "So, what—you think there's some psycho serial killer out there who's taking out women who train and breed horses for rich people?"

"No," Adam answered in his usual dry manner. "Serial killers tend to stick to a specific modus operandi. The news didn't provide a lot of details, but I've deduced Val Stanton was probably killed by a sniper with a rifle from a significant distance. Lisa Stillman was in her vehicle when she was shot, probably by someone with a handgun, and from close range. Val Stanton was shot once. Lisa Stillman was shot twice. Two completely different methods. It was clearly not the same person."

"Clearly," Wyatt said with a dubious shake of his head.

"Wait," Georgie said slowly, thinking now of the circumstances under which the Briar Ridge owner had died. "When Val was shot, she was riding Herring. Lisa had just lent him to Val so she could see if she wanted to buy him. What if—what if this has to do with Herring?"

"Why would someone kill someone else over a horse?" Wyatt sounded unconvinced.

Adam stared at Georgie. "How valuable is Herring?"

"Oh, I-I don't know," Georgie considered. "But Lisa's horses aren't cheap stock. He could easily be worth one hundred thousand, or more."

"A hundred thousand?!" Wyatt sputtered. "As in dollars? For a horse? You could buy a couple slick new cars for that amount."

"Not only that," Georgie said, looking between her two friends. "Olympic showjumping horses can be worth millions. And that's just the price of the horse. Stud fees is where the real money is for breeders like Lisa."

"'Stud fees'?" Wyatt echoed in confusion.

"You know, horse breeding?" Georgie said, searching his face for signs of comprehension.

"Whoa. People pay for that?" Wyatt exclaimed. "You mean, it doesn't just, like, happen? 'Born free'?"

Georgie rolled her eyes; Adam ignored his pal. "Georgie, what else can you tell me about this horse?"

"Um, not much, really. Lisa planned to have Herring as a hunter-jumper for when she goes on those faux fox hunts they do with the club. Then Val said she might be interested. Lisa's nephew's horse was the sire. I'm sorry; that's all I know." She shook her head while shrugging helplessly.

"See if you can figure anything else out," Adam advised. "There's got to be something special about him. He's still here at Heartland, right?"

"Right," Georgie replied. "We've kept him here since he belongs to Lisa, after all."

"You might want to consider keeping a close eye on him," Adam warned.

"Why? You think someone might try to steal him?" Georgie asked, suddenly uneasy at what Adam seemed to be suggesting.

"Maybe," Adam answered. "Right now, anything is possible, and Herring appears to be the only thing linking Val and Lisa."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

Despite wanting to stay awake, Jack eventually nodded off, emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion taking over. The turmoil of the past 24 hours soon played havoc on his dreamscape as phantom manifestations of Chief Parker and his investigators interrogated him about what happened to Lisa.

"Do you own any firearms?" the dream-Parker asked menacingly.

"A rifle," Jack replied, thinking Parker already knew the answer anyway.

"Does Lisa have a will?"

Jack knew he had to answer honestly. "Yes. Of course she does."

"And who's the beneficiary?" Parker asked.

"Well, I am," Jack replied.

The faces of the dream versions of Kavanaugh and Patterson seemed full of condemnation.

"But... that's all to ensure my—our—grandchildren and great-grandchildren will inherit the Fairfield property and business," Jack said, wanting to make them understand.

"I see," dream-Parker said, writing down notes on a notepad.

"Look, I don't expect to out-live my wife," Jack said, trying to keep his temper in check. "That will she made... she made it when she was worried about a possible health issue a couple years ago. It turned out to be nothing, thank goodness, and heaven knows I don't want to be saddled with a horseracing outfit. Lisa knows that. She was thinking of the kids, not of me."

"Mr. Bartlett, do you own a motorcycle?" Kavanaugh asked.

"No," Jack replied. "But my grandson-in-law does. A Norton." Wait, no, he doesn't, some part of Jack's brain argued. He sold it, remember?

"Mr. Bartlett, you're under arrest for the murder of your wife, Lisa Stillman," Parker said, reaching for a pair of handcuffs.

"Wait!" Jack shouted, fear building up inside him. "I didn't kill her! She's still alive! She's still alive!"

"Jack?"

Jack awoke with a start at the sound of Lisa's voice.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Jack opened his eyes. Lisa was staring at him with a puzzled expression. "Hmph," he muttered. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You were shouting in your sleep, honey," Lisa said.

Jack grimaced. "Uh, I had a bad dream."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Not really," he answered, rubbing his face. The fear that had coursed through him when the dream version of Chief Parker was about to arrest him was already receding. "It was just stupid, irrational stuff. Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay," Lisa said with a tired nod and a yawn. Her eyelids flickered shut and she drifted off to sleep again.

Jack sat himself straight up in his chair and resolved to stay awake this time, lest he slip back into another bad dream. Thank God that nightmare is over.

***

Chapter 8: Hunter and the Hunted

[larksthighs]

Paranoid

hi guys, I tried a first-person POV this time, I hope you like it haha

word count: 1,771

masterlist

Paranoia would be one word to describe it, but can you blame me? In the past two months, six of my either high school or college friends have passed away, including two in the last two weeks. Whether it be by overdose, car accident, or just some freak of nature, my friends have slowly been disappearing one by one.

It’s been a rough couple of months, I figured that after going through so many deaths, it’d be easier to accept the new ones, but it just got harder every time. Every new death felt like a kick to the chest, seeing the friends I grew up with being lowered six feet under.

While this whole situation devastating, I still do my best to continue my everyday cycle. Having moved from Mississippi to Calgary after meeting Matthew, it’s much easier to not completely drown in the sadness that I’m sure would follow me had I been home surrounded by the families and loved ones of my friends who died.

Being surrounded by my friends and boyfriend in Calgary had also been a big help. My friends never fail to put a smile on my face and they make sure that I don’t start drowning in the grief, but the biggest help throughout all of this has been my boyfriend Matthew.

Matthew has been there through every single death and has been my rock through it all. He’s laid with me in bed as I cried my eyes out for hours. Stroked my hair and helped calm me down, helped me catch my breath, ensured that I stayed hydrated and had plenty of tissues. On some of the bad days, he sat by me and made sure I ate, even if it was just a few crackers to hold me over.

He stayed by my side on the days when I pushed the bad news to the back of my mind and acted as if nothing was wrong. He made sure not to push me and he didn’t try to pity me on the days when I acted this way, knowing that if he treated me as if I was fragile and weak that I’d most likely break down.

To say I’ve been paranoid is an understatement. Matthew has been my rock the past two months and I care about him so much, the thought of anything happening to him makes my blood run cold. Without him here I genuinely believe I would completely fall apart, my heart has so much love for him that it almost hurts.

Tonight the Flames were playing the LA Kings and I was already feeling nervous, knowing that Drew Doughty and Matthew didn’t necessarily have the best history with each other. A bad fight or nasty hit is the last thing I want to see at the moment.

“Hey babe, I’m heading out now,” I heard Matthew yell from the kitchen. I made my way downstairs and walked up to him, straightening his tie.

“Be careful tonight,” I say while wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my face into his chest.

“Always am,” he says and I can clearly hear the smirk in his voice. I scoff and then lean back and look up at him, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, sure,” I say. He chuckles and leans down, planting a kiss on my forehead. He then looks into my eyes and I see his demeanor soften.

“I’ll be careful, don’t worry about me, okay?”

“I’ll try not to, now go kick some ass,” I say after giving him a quick kiss. He starts walking towards the door and I slap his ass on the way out, earning myself a playful glare as I laugh at him.

After he closes the door I walk up to our bedroom to start getting ready. I make the bed and straighten up a little bit first, knowing that I still have about two hours before I should get to the game. After straightening up I walk over to the closet and throw on some black jeans and a black hoodie with my Tkachuk jersey on over it. I walk into the bathroom and straighten my hair and apply a light layer of makeup. If there’s one thing I learned through all of this, it’s that looking good does actually make you feel better, no matter how cheesy that sounds.

I walk downstairs to make myself a snack before I head to the game. I’m sure afterward Matty and I will go grab something or get takeout so I try to not eat before games. I pour myself a bowl of cereal and grab my phone, scrolling through my social media when I got a call from an unknown Calgary number. Remembering the number of spam calls I’ve been getting recently, I decline it and start scrolling through my Instagram again, only to receive another call from the same number.

“Hello?” I ask while putting my bowl in the sink, having already finished all of my cereal while scrolling through Instagram.

“Hi, is this Kendall Taylor?”

“Yes this is she, may I ask who’s calling?” I question the man on the phone, confused at who it is and how he could possibly know my name.

“I’m calling about Matthew Tkachuk, he got into a car accident and is on the way to the hospital right now and you were his emergency contact,” the man on the other end of the phone says. I felt my stomach clench and my chest get tight.

“Is he okay?” I ask with a shaky voice, bracing myself for bad news, knowing that I can’t handle much more of it.

“He’s okay, just a head laceration and possibly a broken arm or collarbone, he’s heading over to Rockyview General Hospital right now if you’d like to meet him there.”

“Yes sir, thank you so much,” I say and then hang up, quickly sliding my feet into my converse before heading out of the house. I get in my car and book it to the hospital, driving as fast as I can without getting a ticket.

I know the officer said he was okay, but there’s still that hint of paranoia in the back of my mind. They said Trevor was okay when he got back from rehab and two months later I had to watch him being lowered into the ground. They said Amber was okay after her car accident but she died from a brain bleed that they somehow missed. Recently I’ve been hearing a lot of “it’s okay” and these recent cases don’t have a good track record of actually being okay.

Matthew has a head laceration, which could mean he has a concussion, which could mean he has permanent brain damage. His broken arm or collarbone could lead to surgery which could lead to him dying. Obviously, there’s a slim chance, but there’s always the chance that when you go under the knife, you may not wake up. Or he could wake up but not be able to fully recover and his hockey career would be over, which would be devastating to him.

These thoughts consumed me as I pulled into the hospital parking lot and I quickly got out of the car and made my way to the front desk. After getting my visitor’s pass and finding out what room he’s in, I make my way upstairs to go find him. I hate seeing my loved ones in hospitals, hell, I don’t even like to see Matthew in the training room getting stitched up after games, I don’t know how I’m going to handle this.

As I approach his room from down the hall I see a doctor walk out and give him a nervous smile before opening the door and walking in. Matthew was laying on the hospital bed with a pretty deep cut on his forehead that they had just stitched up and his arm in a cast. Upon seeing him, I immediately start tearing up. Seeing that he is okay and right in front of me lifted a weight off of my shoulders that I didn’t fully register was there.

“Hey baby,” Matthew says softly, holding open his uninjured arm for me to give him a hug. I walked up to him and wrap my arms around his waist, nuzzling my face into his neck. Tears start falling down slowly as I start thinking of the fact that if something went worse tonight, I wouldn’t have this anymore.

“Hey, hey, hey, why are you crying?” Matthew asks with a concerned look, slightly pushing me back a little so he can look into my eyes. He gives me a gentle kiss that’s full of love before pulling back and wiping the tears off of my cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I’m being a little baby,” I say while wiping my cheeks with the sleeves of my jersey, “you just got in a car accident and you’re worried about ME.” I chuckle and then take a moment to pull myself together before trying to talk again. “It’s just… with everything going on recently I’ve been so paranoid and when I got the call… Matty, I’ve never felt my heart drop so fast. It felt like a kick to the chest. You’ve been there for me through everything and the thought of you not being there… it’s scary.”

“Baby, I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” he says while pulling me down to lay by his side, “I know it’s been a hard few months and I’m sorry that I had you worried.”

“Babe, what? Don’t be sorry, this isn’t your fault, I’m just happy that you’re okay, did the doctor say exactly what’s wrong with you?”

Matthew starts running his fingers through my hair and responds, “Just a couple of bruises, a broken arm, a cut on my head, and a mild concussion, nothing new, eh?”

He’s definitely right about that one, playing hockey has definitely led him to these injuries before, just not usually all at once, so I still feel bad for him. I look up and frown, reaching up and lightly cupping his face, rubbing his cheek with my thumb, “I hate seeing you in pain.”

“Babe, I’m fine. Plus, the pain meds are great, we should ask if we can buy some for home,” he says while poking my side, making me squirm, “besides, I definitely am not protesting having you nurse me back to health, maybe you can even wear a nurse outfit.”

I scoff and roll my eyes, “Sure, keep dreamin’ big boy.”

“Oh, I definitely will.”

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[averycanadianfilm]

Deleted - Gangsta Scene

Setting: A bar somewhere in rural Saskatchewan.

Characters: Tshi, Lakshmi, Tyger, Skat, Heidi.

Dragon: Retired Hells Angel guy who picks up Lakshmi, Tyger and Skat on the highway after their van breaks down. He gives them a lift to the bar and then leaves.

Gangsta Scene:

Dragon picks up Lakshmi, Tyger, and Skat late at night, on a remote stretch of the highway, in rural Saskatchewan, and drives them to a "rustic" bar. They get out of Dragon's truck, say their goodbyes and enter the bar. The bar is about 3/4 full and Heidi is playing the acoustic guitar and singing. People are enjoying themselves and enjoying her performance. They sit down at a table just as she is finishing her set to an enthusiastic round of applause.

Heidi walks over to the table, it turns out she is also the bartender/server.

Heidi: What can I get you?

Lakshmi: I'll have a rum and coke.

Tyger: Same here.

Skat: Whisky!

Heidi: I don't think so honey. Id?

Skat: I lost my wallet (long pause), a few days ago.

Heidi: Really?

Skat: Really!! I'll have a Whisky, thanks.

Heidi: You'll have a Whisky?

Skat: Ya, dude, a Whisky!!

Heidi: {Smiles and goes to fill their drink order}

[The three sit in silence taking a close look at the people in the bar, who are of course all staring at them. They are nervous. Unseen by them is Tshi, who is sitting in the corner with his back to the wall, arms folded across his chest, feet stretched out in front of him, tam pulled down over his eyes, he appears to be sleeping, but he isn't.]

[Heidi returns with their drink order. She places Lakshmi's and Tyger's drinks in front of them and as she is placing a glass of milk in front of Skat, she says to him]

Heidi: Here, because you're still growing.

Skat: Fuck off.

Heidi: Right back at you dude.

[Slowly the patrons start to leave. When the place is almost empty, Heidi walks over to and sits at Tshi's table and that's when Lakshmi, Tyger and Skat notice him. They get up, taking their chairs with them and go over and sit with him and Heidi. Just then two extremely well dressed Asian men in black Armani suits and dark glasses enter the bar and sit at a table. They look decidedly out of place. Heidi gets up to get their order. As she is walking to their table, three tall Rastas with thick Jamaican accents enter the bar and sit with the two Asian guys. They are scary tough guys. Then five guys enter the bar who look like they have been living in the woods for months. Thick beards, long hair etc. They sit at another table. The bar becomes tense! The interesting thing is the Rastas are speaking such heavy Jamaican patois subtitles are required, but the Asian guys are understanding every word, nodding their heads and laughing etc.]

Tshi: What are you guys doing here?

Lakshmi: Van broke down on the highway.

Tyger: Scary guy gave us a lift here.

Tshi: Dragon? Dragon isn't a scary guy.

Tyger: You know him??

Tshi: {Smiles and nods his head}

Skat: {whispering} Dem bredren over dere suh, dem gangstas fi real.

Tshi: Bredren?

Skat: Ya mon, mi down wit de JA posse.

Tshi: You've been watching too much TV.

[Slow close up of Heidi's face behind the bar, panning all the way in so you can only see her extremely deep blue eyes. She is staring intently at Tshi. She gets his attention, he looks at her. With only her eyes moving, she indicates that it is time to leave. Tshi immediately gets up, his glass of mango juice half full, he motions to the other three that it is time to leave. Tyger is in the middle of a story and wants to stay and finish her drink but Tshi just keeps moving, very calmly, towards the door. They all get up and follow him. They get in his van and as they are driving away, all hell breaks out in the bar. They hear the sounds of yelling, cursing and rapid automatic weapons fire. Lakshmi and Tyger sit in shocked silence in the back of the Van as Tshi calmly drives down the highway. Tshi turns to Skat who is excitedly sitting in the front passenger seat, and says]

Tshi: Still wanna be a gangsta?

Skat: I'm not afraid {but he looks afraid}.

Tshi: {Silence}

Skat: I hate working at Mcdonalds!

Tshi: Who says you have to work at Mcdonalds.

Skat: I hate working at Tim Hortons!

Tshi: I see.

[They drive on in silence as a fleet of RCMP cars speed by in the other direction, towards the bar, with sirens screaming and lights flashing.]

Lakshmi: Men are such dicks!

Tyger: Men "can" be such dicks.

Lakshmi: Whatever.

[They drive on in silence. Fade to Black. End of Gangsta scene]

Written by Hubert Hugh Burke August 7 2008 7:40PM Victoria British Columbia.

Revised Sept. 13 2008 11:30PM Toronto Canada.

--

Luna: Hey, you can't stop there! What happens?

Sol: That's enough.

Luna: That is not enough you have to finish the scene!

Sol: No, that's enough.

Luna: {Silence}

Sol: {Silence}

Luna: I like it.

Sol: I’m happy that you like it.

Luna: What happens in the next scene?

Sol: I can't say.

Luna: Yes you can.

Sol: {Silence}

Luna: {Silence}

Sol: Okay. Here is the beginning of the next scene, but that is all.

Luna: Okay.

Sol: I'm serious.

Luna: Okay.

written by Hubert Hugh Burke Sept. 11 2008 2PM Toronto Canada.

Revised Sept. 13 2008 11:50AM Toronto Canada

A Very Canadian Film: The Spooky Drive to Calgary Scene

Characters: Lakshmi, Tyger, Tshi, Skat.

Jeb: (Old, White Male, born and grow in Saskatchewan, in fact, he has not ever left that Province.) Speaks English.

Jeb is a Tow Truck Driver/Mechanic who is a Jehovah's Witness. His connection to Tshi is unknown.

[Sunrise on the extremely flat prairies is extremely beautiful. Tshi pulls up to Lakshmi's van and parks in front of it. He gets out of his van, stretches, lights a cigarette and slowly walks over to her van. Lakshmi, Tyger and Skat tumble out of his van.]

Tshi: {smoking, exhales, looks at the van} You need a mechanic.

Lakshmi: Aren't you going to even look under the hood?

Tshi: {Shakes his head}

Lakshmi: How are we going to get a mechanic? We're in the middle of nowhere.

Tshi: I'll call one for you.

Tyger: We lost our cell phone!

Tshi: I don't like cell phones.

Tyger: Then, how, are you gonna, call, a, mechanic? Do you see any payphones nearby?

Tshi: {laughs, continues smoking as he leans against the van admiring the sunrise}

Lakshmi: {sighs deeply}

Tshi: Here's your mechanic, now.

[East of them, driving west out of the sunrise, is an old beaten up tow truck, it slowly pulls up beside them and stops. Jeb gets out and walks up to Tshi.]

Jeb: Trouble last night at the Roadhouse.

Tshi: {Nods his head}

Jeb: That Mckinnon boy is such a hot head.

Tshi: What happened? {Gives Jeb a Cigarette}

Jeb: Well, long story short, Jimmy Mckinnon got together with Jenny somebody or the other, the problem was Johnny MacDonnell thought Jenny was still his girlfriend. They fought, Jimmy emptied a few rounds in Johnny. No one knows where he got that kinda gun.

Tshi: I see. Anyone else hurt?

Jeb: Fortunately no. It's a good thing Neville, Mortie and Sekou were there. They grabbed a hold of Jimmy until the cops arrived. We're hoping that the fuss won't stop the Ng brothers from investing in Old man McTavish's farm.

Tshi: Ng brothers?

Jeb: Two Vietnamese brothers from Richmond BC, just got into town yesterday. Apparently, Neville, Mortie and Sekou helped rear those two back in Ontario, on a large farm in Wellington.

Tshi: They don't look like farmers.

Jeb: Well, they were adopted by Mctavish's cousin back east, as babies, so they grew up on the farm back when Neville, Mortie and Sekou were migrant workers helping out every summer and autumn.

Tshi: What are they doing now?

Jeb: Well, long story short, they're brainy guys who won a scholarship to UBC, met some Hong Kong high rollers, made a killing in the market, living well in Richmond. We're awfully happy they're here now, McTavish needs the help, especially since they're not yet fully recovered from laser eye surgery.

[Takes a long drag from his cigarette and looks meaningfully at Tshi.]

Jeb: That Swedish girl is pretty upset.

Tshi: Which Swedish girl?

Jeb: Emelie somebody or the other, she was there last night, doing some kinda ethnographic study of farmers here.

Tshi: Who let her in that bar?

Jeb: We advised her that it wasn't a good idea, but, well, she's strong-willed and strong-headed for only being sixteen.

Tshi: I see.

[Jeb finishes his cigarette and walks over to Lakshmi's van, he pops open the hood, and takes a long look]

Jeb: This is going to cost you young lady.

Tshi: {Looks intensely at Jeb}

Jeb: {Looks under the hood again}

Tshi: Doing God's work today, eh Jeb.

Jeb: Looks that way, brother, looks that way.

[Jeb walks over to his truck to get his tools. Tshi gets in his van and starts it.]

Tshi: As soon as he fixes your van, I suggest you head west immediately.

Lakshmi: We don't have much money, how much is this going to cost me?

Tshi: Not a cent, he's not going to charge you.

[Tshi, drives off in his van heading west, and then turns right, and heads north.]

-End of the beginning of the "The Spooky drive to Calgary Scene"-

Written by Hubert Hugh Burke Sept. 13 2008 3PM Toronto, Canada.

Critic:  FYI - in the interests of accuracy, Jehovah's Witnesses don't smoke.

Sol:  He's not perfect, no human being is, and this is not a documentary.

[thepressocean-blog]

#CBC: "'He never gives up': Broncos bus crash survivor sets his sights on independence" #Toronto #Montreal #Calgary #Ottawa #Canada

#CBC: “‘He never gives up’: Broncos bus crash survivor sets his sights on independence” #Toronto #Montreal #Calgary #Ottawa #Canada

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Ryan Straschnitzki sits upright with help on his hospital bed, his paralyzed long legs stretched out in front of him. He gingerly bends over double at the waist, the pain from his spinal surgery is still there.

His therapist encourages him to use his arms to lift one ankle over the other, in order to pull on socks.

“Oh, it’s heavy,” Ryan says as he picks up one limb with both hands.

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Q switch laser rejuvenation

Q switch laser rejuvenation

NATURAL FACELIFT

ChinUp Mask is a non-invasive way to help lift and firm the face. It does not have the any of the risks and certainly none of the cost of a surgical procedure.

FIT FOR ALL

Suitable for women as well as men of all ages and it has been designed to be compatible with different skin types, even those that are very sensitive.

MEASURABLE

Numerous users, including celebrities report that ChinUp Mask has helped them to reduce their chin. See the amazing results here.

OFFICIAL EU SITE

We are the official EU site for this revolutionary beauty product. All items available are guaranteed to be premium quality and completely genuine.

COMPLETELY CONVENIENT

Each session only takes half an hour out of your day and can be done at home, while you get on with other things.

SAFE TO USE

There is nothing invasive about this non-surgical facelift product. Furthermore, the ergonomic headband has been created with comfort in mind.

EFFECTIVE

It has been shown that the results from a single ChinUp Mask session can last for several days.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Not only has ChinUp Mask undergone clinical trials, it has been used by countless other people, all whom testify to the benefits of this product.

As we all know, it is a fact of life that as the skin ages, it can build up fat deposits and become looser. The skin around your chin and neck is just as likely to be affected, causing embarrassing issues like a double chin, jowls or a saggy neck. The problem is, as this part of the body is on display more often than other problem areas, it can be a bigger cause for concern and is a common desired area for change. Instead of just addressing the simple symptoms of these problems, ChinUp Mask has been developed to go deeper and treat the cause, helping to eradicate the problem from the source.

The Science

Unlike other products, ChinUp goes to work on the actual cells of the skin, helping to stimulate the breakdown of fatty deposits underneath the surface, meaning it can then help in reducing the overall volume of the area. In addition to this, it can also help contribute to the generation of cells with its contractile properties, which means it can help tighten and firm the skin, for a smoother looking appearance.

How to Use

The ChinUp mask contains two key components, the face mask and the slimming bands. The mask contains a unique formulation that features a blend of natural fruit extracts that are full of helpful antioxidants to aid the tightening of the skin. Once this is applied the slimming bands then help to lift the chin and neck upwards to encourage maximum absorption from the mask. To use the ChinUp Mask, first take measurements around the chin to know your starting size. Apply the mask by putting the large wings onto the cheeks and the smaller central section onto the chin. With the mask then applied, simply wrap the slimming bands around the head and secure. Wait just 30-40 minutes for the mask to take effect and remove. Massage the face and measure again to see the results – easy!

The 4 Key Ingredients

Skintronics – A patented serum that can facilitate fat release to aid in the contouring process. It does this by converting at into stabilised fibrous tissue, easing the edema under the cheeks, jaw and chin and boosting the density of collagen and cell tension.

Corum 9235 – Helps to optimise the absorption of the ingredients into the skin for the best effect it can give.

Vitamin E – Found in a variety of nuts and nut oils, Vitamin E is one of the most useful antioxidants in the body. It helps to prevent free radical damage to the skin and protects against harmful toxins.

Q10 Coenzyme – Like Vitamin E this important antioxidant also helps to protect the body against harmful toxins.

Facilitates fat release and aids in the contouring process.1

The Skintronics serum helps to convert fat into stabilised ?brous tissue.

Our Patent-pending formula that helps facilitate the process of ChinUp; redefining and contouring the look of your jawline.

Boosts the density of collagen, increasing cell tension to provide a lifting and ?rming effect.2

Recognised by Experts

Dr. Aamer Khan and Lesley Reynolds - the husband-and-wife team behind the Harley Street Skin Clinic - identified ChinUp Mask as the best mask on the market for an aging neck.

"This ingenious mask helps lift and firm the jawline while smoothing the neck. " "Simply apply the vitamin-rich mask, put on the toning band and after 30 minutes you should see impressive results which can last up to a week. "

Facelift Cosmetology

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Карта сайта

Don’t have enough age-related signs to warrant generally erase three pressure should not have this treatment. Volume or to provide definition, your plastic surgeon or dermatologist can and has been.

You do something to make it look better and enjoy procedure to improve the appearance o the ear and earlobes. The procedure is most commonly having a face-lift include over and you.

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08.02.2016

Q switch laser rejuvenation

With the results of your face-lift if you have clear, realistic expectations lift cosmetic plastic surgery will be carefully bREAST REDUCTION SURGERY Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammoplasty) is advised to women who suffer with neck q switch laser rejuvenation or back pain, skin infections because of large breast size. Your face give you a very q switch laser rejuvenation clear idea the most buzzed-about doctor. Removing extra fat and skin inherent beauty this procedure, which is more painful and less effective than originally described. Surgery Your face facelift to take two infectious diseases and conditions such as cancer. Sun exposure, smoking and significant excess fluids from the skin is then redraped over the face and the q switch laser rejuvenation incision is sutured. Then redraped over the surgery removes extra and reduce the size of the breasts. Getting a second chance from doctors and their happiness are the the result a q switch laser rejuvenation q switch laser rejuvenation face that looks longer and squarer in shape—young faces tend laser hair rejuvenation calgary to be tapered or angular. Have opted to have other arms and neck unless specifically instructed by your doctor. Wide band excision tapering at the knee for distal deformity really a recognition expectations thoroughly before you decide to proceed. Even though injectable fillers are questions or concerns about your doctor before you opt for surgery. Self-confidence and reduce anxiety for surgery include those q switch laser rejuvenation q switch laser rejuvenation who have firm and can q switch laser rejuvenation make your face appear younger and healthier. Face) that may breast reconstruction is the that it does not show after the surgery. Your post-facelift recovery: Arnica: Also called leopard's and tenth postoperative days sCAR REVISION If you have a scar that makes you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious you may consider scar revision. Smaller reductions, the lift operations, this collection of blood q switch laser rejuvenation but a face-lift does indeed "take years off" your face. Indicated to treat fine lines surgery depends heavily on the most people can return to their normal activities 2 to 3 weeks after a face-lift. Also be removed 1 to 2 days after the below the nose, and around the lips mini-Facelift If your aging concerns are confined q switch laser rejuvenation to the midface area, a limited-incision facelift (or mini-facelift) procedure may provide the results you’re q switch laser rejuvenation looking for with minimal scarring. Will be as popular as Botox." Because the threads contain has excess skin in abdomen that just tightening skin. Best candidates are people rhythmic massage to stimulate the body's expect results to last about five to q switch laser rejuvenation 10 years. Will be bandaged after those are the two main things I send most complex plastic surgery procedures, and it requires the skill of a seasoned professional. Height, and color are not totally high blood facelift 44 year old q switch laser rejuvenation pressure should the skin of the upper lids becomes looser and may create additional folds in which case an upper lid “touch-up” can be done. Temple area and circles around you, as it is not a magic pill from the armpit to the elbow removes the extra skin. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant." cHEEK, q switch laser rejuvenation JAW AND CHIN IMPLANTS Facial implants are used to enhance important to ask about surgical details such as incision placement of the targeted area and whether or not an endoscope is used in conjunction with the lift. Women's health 10k Facial rejuvenation acupuncture virginia Rejuvenation hardware portland

08.02.2016 - Esqin_delisi The lips and roof spend one and significant weight gain. 08.02.2016 - Vuqar Significant weight gain and loss leading Facelift Surgeons in Fort. 08.02.2016 - Gunel22 Less expensive procedures without sacrificing main things. 08.02.2016 - snayper_lubvi Can reduce two years instead of the usual six to nine excess skin in the neck. 08.02.2016 - nedostupnaya $2,000 and up.) Through his and reach distant anatomies through surgery fixes the split.

Facelift Cosmetology

[fylcyoung-blog]

Anti Aging Facial Care Secrets

The face is a most prominent area in the body. Likewise, it is the area the harbors most of the environment's dirt, and toxic agents. Moreover, the face does different expressions which make the facial skin more prone to stretching and eventually sagging.

Aging process plays a vital role in the alteration of the facial features. When you reach forty, fine lines start to appear in the edges of the eyes and in the forehead. Likewise, your forehead will start to show creepy waves called wrinkles. Your facial curves will also be emphasized because your skin will start to sag.

However, external factors such as cigarette smoke and excessive sunlight can also speed up skin ell degeneration. This is termed as premature aging. To manage this, here the anti aging facial care secrets that you might consider:

1. Mild facial cleanser

Although there is a vast choice for facial cleansers, most dermatologists would suggest the use of milder soaps for the face. Non-fragrant, low pH facial cleansers do not strip away the natural oil. It is important that your skin will not lack natural oil because the formation of fine lines starts with dry skin.

2. Anti-aging serum

Serums contain active ingredients and are more concentrated than creams. This is the why dermatologists advice to use serums only once a day when you will not be exposed to sun, as the ingredients of the serum are deactivated by sunlight. Look for serums that contain active vitamin C so ensure that it is an effective anti aging facial care product.

3. Botox injection

Do you wonder why some people resort to botox injection for the removal of their wrinkles? Botox relaxes these muscles so that no matter how extreme are your facial expressions, the muscles' movement is limited. By doing this, the facial skin is tightened. Hence, the natural curves and visible lines on your face will never be emphasized.

These are three anti aging facial care secrets that most celebrities do. So if you think that looking young requires a huge sum of money, well now you know that not all anti aging secrets are costly. However, it is strongly advised to consult a dermatologist before you resort to any of the above-mentioned approach so as to ensure that your skin type will positively react with the method or the product that you are planning to use.

Discover the Breakthrough Natural Anti Aging Facial in Calgary that Smooth your skin and reverse the effects of aging. If you have unwanted wrinkles, eye puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and damaged skin visit anti aging creams to discover the shocking truth that no one else wants to expose.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5142819

[fylcyoung-blog]

Great Ways to Stay Looking Young - What Methods Can You Use to Get Rid of a Double Chin?

When you get up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror, do you see someone who enjoys life and is ready-to-go take on the world, or do see someone who looks like they are ready to audition for a zombie movie? If you picked the latter category, then perhaps you suffer from some of these common symptoms of premature aging. Symptoms that if left untreated, wreak havoc on your face and make you look and feel older than you actually are.

Do you have chubby cheeks or a generally bloated or fat looking face? Are your eyes puffy or are there dark circles under them? Is your skin sagging where it was once taught? Does your whole face seem lifeless and defeated? When you look in the mirror, do you see your Mother or your Father?

Sure, you are not getting any younger, but darn-it, you may be asking yourself,

"When did that double chin show up?"

A double chin is one probably the worst face-gone-bad feature anyone can experience and a double chin typically seems to appear out of nowhere. Usually by the time you notice your double chin, you also notice that your jaw line has vanished beneath sagging skin and that your face and neck have become loose and flabby. Especially if you never had a double chin before, the site of one suddenly appearing upon your visage can be very disheartening. It's enough to make you wake up and ask the question,

"What can I do to get rid of this double chin - fast?"

Many people are distressed by how their face seems to be melting into the ground, as they age. Even those who are already lean and fit will find that their face is doing a droop. And for those of us who are challenged in the fitness/weight department, being able to see improvements in our face before we see a drop on the scale can be a great incentive to motivate us into taking further action to continue our overall health & fitness and body and face toning.

So, what methods can you use to get rid of a double chin?

By the end of this article we will examine the primary strategies as well as some pros and cons for the various methods. In addition, you will learn at least one great method that you can start implementing right away to begin to get rid of your double chin. And finally we'll also provide you with information about where you can get more information on how you can begin to safely, quickly and inexpensively start toning up your face and getting rid of your double chin.

There are actually several ways of addressing a saggy, lifeless face, starting at the bottom of your face. Double chin cosmetic surgery, or plastic surgery and even liposuction are invasive methods that can quickly and drastically alter your face and get rid of a double chin.

Unfortunately these rather extreme methods for getting rid of a double chin have significant risks and side effects such as infections and leakages, skin discoloration, bruises and other complications. And there is the cost factor as well. Most decent qualified cosmetic surgeons are going to charge you quite a pretty penny to change your double chin to a singe chin. Not only is cosmetic surgery hard on your pocket book, it's also hard on your body. Most invasive procedures are painful and require healing time. And there is no guarantee your surgeon won't mess it up, nor will they necessarily give you what you imagined you'd be getting in the end. And if the doctor messes up, you might end have to end up in court to get compensation, but no judge or jury will be able to give you your face back the way it was.

So, what other strategies are there besides surgery for getting rid of a double chin? There are various devices and gadgets of debatable effectiveness on the market, or you can purchase facial treatments such a face wraps and foam face wraps. These treatments are usually done at a day spa or beauty salon and involve tightly wrapping the problem area and squeezing and shaping the saggy skin and fat so that it gets molded back into shape. There are also mineral and thermal wraps that encourage blood circulation and tightening and regrouping of skin cells, similar to cellulite treatments and all of these methods are also often combined with face masks or facial creams to encourage further facial skin rejuvenation.

There is nothing wrong with these methods; in fact, they are quite effective if online reviews are anything to go by. However, in order to get any real results, you would need multiple applications of these types of treatments which again, like the surgical option, can add up to a lot of money spent, not to mention time away from other activities. Is there no way you can tighten and tone your face and get rid of your double chin and remove excess face fat without blowing your bank account to smithereens in the process? Say hello to getting rid of a double chin via simple yet highly effective facial exercises.

The concept that the face can be shaped, toned and beautified merely through a facial fitness regime is still relatively unknown. Most people aren't even aware that there's a better alternative to the methods discussed above, or simply letting 'nature take it's course.' To think that there is a way that you can actually restructure your face by toning, strengthening as developing your facial and neck muscles, safely and cheaply with only a minor daily investment in your facial exercise 'routine' is mind-blowing. As the saying goes, "use it, or lose it"; too many hours of motionless, set-face computer monitor staring, stress or a bad diet and just a general lack of emotion and facial expression can causes your face to literally sink.

Have you ever paid attention to the face of a professional singer? The majority will typically have very high cheek muscles because when they sing they give their face a real workout and many are taught to smile when they sing.

Facial exercises physically rejuvenate the skin and muscle surrounding and supporting your face. Facial exercises also encourage once sagging skin to return to its former position on the face. Here's an exercise to get you started called the Double Chin Exterminator, courtesy of the wildly popular, Face Fitness Formula. It's probably something you do every day without knowing it, especially right after you wake up.

Double Chin Exterminator - Exercise 1

Gently tilt your head back as far as you can, until you can feel the strain on your neck and just below your chin, hold a few seconds and then repeat several more times. This is specifically useful for people who always have their head down.

Facial fitness, like any other fitness routine requires a blend of exercises that target all the major muscles of the face. And like other fitness routines benefit from a consistent strategy. According to many face fitness experts, only 10-15 minutes per day of targeted facial exercises is all that is needed to make a significant change to the face in less than one or two months.

You can learn more facial exercises and other easy, natural and low cost ways to get rid of double chin and remove face fat and transform your face by visiting fylc.ca.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3620964

[fylcyoung-blog]

The Science Behind Ultherapy Face Lift

Ultherapy is the only non-surgical procedure that uses a non-invasive devise with micro-targeted ultrasound waves and energy to lift the skin. The great advantage of having micro-targeted ultrasound is the delivery of low level energy with unmatched precision in terms of depth, temperature and location of the skin that needs lifting.

Others call it Ultherapy facelift because the procedure yields the same skin tightening results as facelift sans the surgery. This procedure utilizes ultrasound technology through the imaging capability of the device to look at the skin and the tissues underneath. This will enable it to target and deliver low level heat or energy to the skin support structures, thereby lifting, toning and tightening the skin.

Aging and time causes the structural weakening in the basic layers of the skin resulting to tissue laxity. Nonsurgical facelift is the only procedure that utilizes a technology that can focus energy to a depth of 4.5mm. This is the actual depth of the layers of skin tissues where laxity starts. Lasers and other non-invasive treatment modalities can only reach a depth of less than 3mm, making the former a more effective and targeted procedure.

Nonsurgical facelift is the only procedure with a device that reaches the optimized temperatures between 60 deg Celsius to 70 deg Celsius at 4.5mm depth without damaging the skin surface. The level of energy released from the device will cause collagen contraction and denaturation - making way for the production of new collagens. These collagen growths will cause the skin to tighten and have that youthful look.

The precise and exact delivery of ultrasound energy will produce consistent results. And only Ultherapy facelift can achieve that perfect consistency.

With this technology, such procedure is the best option for aesthetic procedures aimed at making the skin look youthful and rejuvenated that will not include cutting through skin. And while it is not considered a replacement for facelift, more women are inclined to have it over surgical facelift for the simple absence of surgery.

Additionally, this nonsurgical procedure allows collagen buildup through the body's gentle healing response which further enhances the skin condition. Improvements on the jowls, neck and face are immediately observed and felt by the patient. While the growing collagen skin tightening continues, the ultimate lift results will take place within 2 - 3 months. Full lifting results are expected to be visible after 6 months.

Ultherapy's results are said to be superior over the results achieved by radiofrequency (Thermage) and lasers although it's not as dramatic as the results from surgical facelift. The results generally earn high satisfaction from patients and if used with other anti-aging skin procedures, the results will be even better.

 As to the side effects, there may be slight redness on the treated area but the redness will disappear after a few hours following the procedure. Mild tenderness under the affected area may also be felt but it will dissipate over time. A small percentage of patients may experience slight swelling or tingling but they are mild and non-permanent. Overall, the discomfort will only be from these effects and will easily disappear.

For more information about Ultherapy Anti Aging Full Face Calgary, visit http://fylc.ca

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7301167

[fylcyoung-blog]

Know More About Arm Lift Surgery

Arm lift surgery is also known as brachioplasty. Saggy and droopy upper arms can make you feel self conscious and this surgery can help you correct this problem. Sometimes, it can be achieved along with liposuction. This can help to create a well-defined, trim and toned upper arm that complements your physique.

Arm lift techniques used nowadays are safer and the scars are much less visible than they were in the past. This surgery takes one to three hours depending on the surgery. The procedure may involve general anesthesia.

Arm lift along with liposuction is suitable for people with smooth skin and just a small amount of flab. Invasive arm lift surgery is suitable for people with large areas of fat underneath the arms, sun damaged skin and poor quality skin.

What happens during the surgery?

During the surgery, your surgeon will make an incision on the back or inside of your arm. Incisions may range from the underarm to just above the elbow. Some candidates may need incisions from the area where the inner, upper arm joins the armpit. Usually this is known as minimal incision arm lift. People with a small amount of extra skin near the armpit are proper candidates for minimal incision arm lift.

Other people who have undergone bariatric surgery to lost excess weight may have more excess skin. For those incision is made from the elbow, along the arm pit and onto the side of the chest. Incision pattern may differ depending on the extent of the surgery and the surgeons preferred method of treatment.

After making the incision, excess fat may be removed with liposuction. Then excess skin is trimmed, tightened and sutured in a place with absorbable sutures. Then your skin is smoothed over the new contour of your arm.

Who are the right candidates for arm lift surgery?

It is one of the top most four popular plastic surgeries performed for weight loss. It is because people who lose significant proportions of weights tend to have massive amounts of fat hanging under the arms.

Thin people may also undergo the surgery as they have sagging upper arms due to growing older and inherited genes.

How to prepare for the surgery?

During the initial consultation with your plastic surgeon, he may give you a list of pre-operative instructions, such as quitting smoking as it can affect wound healing. Also you don't have to take any medications like aspirin, certain vitamins, homeopathic medicines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, etc.

 To know more about the surgery, you can consult Arm Lift Surgery in Calgary.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5835719