Starr moved forward. “John, please. What happened to my Mother? Did she take a fall or something? Is that why she didn’t come home on her own? Dad was really upset. How bad was it?”
John looked at her and back to Bo. “Just give me a minute Starr, and I’ll answer all your questions.” He pulled out his phone and made a quick call.
“Starr, we need to take this discussion back into the house. There are still too many ears listening in.” Bo spoke. He began shepherding them back to the house. “John will give us the story in a few moments. Your mom’s been found, that’s the main thing.”
“Bo, are you serious? Mom and Dad just left here in an ambulance. Something bad happened that’s for sure. I don’t know why I’m still here. I should be headed for the hospital.” Starr rushed inside and grabbed up her purse. “This is ridiculous. I’ll go find out for myself. Cole, please stay here with the kids.”
“Starr, wait for me,” Jack said, he had been drawn outside when the police had shown up. He was a little mad that Starr hadn’t told him that Mom was missing and all of a sudden their front lawn was full of police cars and flashing lights. “She’s my mom, too. I want to know if she’s alright.”
“I think you should both wait to hear what John has to say. Your father wanted you to stay put, where you would be safe.” Shaun said as he came up to the group. Starr and Jack started protesting at once and Shaun just stared them down.
“What happened to Mom?” Sam’s little voice carried from the top of the stairs. “She didn’t come to say goodnight and where’s Dad?”
They all looked up to see Sam and Hope looking down through the rail at them. “The commotion on the lawn must have woken them both up,” said Starr as she rushed up the stairs. Grabbing up her daughter, she said. “Sam, Mom got lost when she took the puppy out for its walk. Dad went to find her.”
“Mommy got lost like Little Sam and His Sister? The woods are bad at night. Dad will find her.”
Hope had been listening and when Sam talked about Little Sam and their Dragon story she piped in. “Dragon will save Grandma, he saves everybody.”
Starr gave her little daughter a hug. “He did, but Grandma got hurt while she was in the woods, Hope. Sir Dragon got her out of the dark woods and now he took her to the hospital, so the doctors can fix her up.”
“So Mom is going to be alright? Can I wait up until she and Dad come home? I want to tell her goodnight and kiss her to make her feel better. She always kisses me when I get hurt.” said Sam.
Starr blinked back the tears beginning to form. She had a sinking feeling, that her mother’s injury was pretty bad. If only a child’s kiss could make it all better. “You know what Sam, I’m not sure Mom and Dad are going to be back tonight. It can take a while when you go to the hospital. I think you and Hope need to go back to bed. In the morning, if Dad and Mom are still stuck at the hospital, we’ll go there to see them. Come on now, back to bed.”
Sam looked down at the men standing below. He saw his friend Shaun, his pal detective McBain and Bree’s uncle talking to Jack. “Is Jack in more trouble?"
“No, Sam, why would you ask that?” Starr asked puzzled by this turn in the conversation.
“Because Bree’s uncle and Detective McBain are arguing with him.”
Starr looked down and knew what was going on. Jack was still insisting on going to the hospital. “No, Sam, Jack isn’t in trouble. He’s worried about Mom, that’s all. Now let’s go to bed.” She took Hope back to her room first and tucked her in, putting her princess night light on. “Go to sleep, Hope. Dragon is guarding grandma tonight.” Kissing her, Starr and Sam left the room. “It’s your turn, Sam. Dad would want you to go to bed like you’re supposed to and he wouldn’t want you worrying about Mom. He’ll take care of her. I’ll see you in the morning.” She waited until Sam got into bed, his Spiderman night light glowing softly in the room. Then she shut his door and returned downstairs to the argument that appeared to be escalating.
“She’s my mother and I have every right to go to the hospital and check on her. You guys are hiding something. I want to know what happened to my mom.” Jack was almost yelling. He was getting so frustrated by all the stonewalling.
“Jack, calm down. No one’s hiding anything. Your mom was hurt pretty badly in the woods, but we just don’t have any idea, at this time, just how bad.” John said.
“Then tell us what you do know John, and don’t sugarcoat it,” Starr said as she came up to the group. She was sick and tired of finding out after the fact just how serious things were. “We’re not little children anymore. I want to know what happened to my mother.”
John frowned but knew they would find out eventually and Starr was right she wasn’t a kid anymore. “You both are aware of the women who have been missing, including your cousin Natalie and Liam. When you called Starr, we galvanized the search party because we were afraid your mother had been taken by the same people. We didn’t even think we would find her. We were looking in the woods when we heard your father’s scream.”
Starr grabbed Cole’s hand, she didn’t like where the story was headed. “Dad screamed? What did he scream? Come here? What?”
Shaun looked at her. “It wasn’t that kind of scream, Starr.”
A chill went down her spine. “Oh my God! My mom! Spit it out, how was mom hurt!”
John took a deep breath, saw that Starr wasn’t going to stop pushing until she knew. “Someone captured your mom, tied her up and beat her, then just left her. Your father found her first.”
Jack got up and ran to the kitchen and lost his dinner. Shaun followed him and wet a cloth, and held it to Jack’s neck. His own stomach was churning; he hadn’t known Blair had been beaten. He had only seen her in Todd’s arms and had realized she was naked except for Todd’s shirt. He knew John had kept that fact from the kids on purpose. Even he had been able to figure out from the state of the clearing that someone had probably raped her. Neither of the kids needed to know that particular fact at the moment.
Starr was crying and Cole had taken her into his arms trying to comfort her. He was horrified by what John had just said. Starr suddenly shifted in his arms and sat up alarmed.
“Oh, God, you said Dad found her. That’s why he screamed. John, how is he?” She was terrified for her dad. “If he found her beaten, he can’t help but remember his own past. It must be tearing him up inside. Was he alright? No wonder he was so furious with the reporters.”
“Your dad is holding it together, barely. His main concern is your mother.”
“I can’t stay here any longer. The kids will be alright with you and Shaun, Cole. I’m going to the hospital. Jack, are you up to coming?” She looked toward the kitchen and saw Jack straighten his shoulders.
“I’m coming,” he said. He took the wet cloth from Shaun and wiped his face. His mother and father needed him.
John said. “Then let’s get going, I’ll take you.” Turning to Bo. “I’ll try and get a statement from Blair if she’s able to give one.”
A short while later the three of them walked into the emergency room and were directed to the cubicle where Blair rested. Starr was about to enter when she stopped. “I don’t understand? Where’s Dad?"
Just then she heard Larry’s voice. “Clear!” Starr rushed around the curtain to see Larry using a defibrillator on her father. “Oh God! Dad!”
The nurse quickly moved to get Starr out of there, snagging Jack as he attempted to get around her. “You’ll have to stay out here.”
“Dad, you’ve got to hang in there, Mom needs you!” Starr yelled, as she was pushed back behind the curtain.
Suddenly she heard the beeps telling them he had come back. Larry came around the curtain. “Starr, I think he heard you. He has stabilized for now.”
“Dr. Wolek, what happened?”
“Your father arrived here and collapsed after making sure your mother received care. If he hadn’t come in with her, he probably wouldn’t have made it. You should thank John. He alerted the paramedic to the state your father was in.”
“I just don’t understand this. Dad was alright when he brought Mom out of the woods. Why would he collapse?”
“When your father found your mother, it was pretty traumatic. Given your father’s mental state these days and the stress he’s been under since finding out Mitch is still out there, my guess is, it was just more than his mind and body could take. Shock can sneak up on you. If he remains stabilized, he can go home in a day. Your mom also needs to stay at least another day to make sure there are no complications from her wounds. She and the baby are resting comfortably. Why don’t you go check on your Mom and then you can look in on your father. We’ll move them to their rooms shortly.”
Dr. Wolek, is it possible to put Mom and Dad together in the same room? I know it’s hard to explain, but they need each other and it will help them both, knowing the other is in the same room.”
“Although it’s unusual, I think something can be set up. I’ve seen the effect your mother has on your father. I agree, if they see each other, it will keep their anxiety down.”
“Dr. Wolek, is Blair up to any questions?” John asked suddenly.
“She been in and out of it since arriving, I really would prefer if you wait until morning to ask her any questions. For the sake of the baby, I need to keep Blair as calm as possible.”
“Well then I guess, I’ll wait. You say Todd is stable. Do you think he’ll have any more problems tonight?”
“That’s hard to say, his condition is guarded and his stress level definitely doesn’t need to be raised, if you were asking if you could talk to him?” Larry looked at John, who dropped his eyes.
John felt guilty, he had been going to do that very thing. It was obvious now that any questioning was not going to happen tonight. “Starr, do you want me to stick around?”
“No, Jack and I will be alright. If you would call Cole and let him know we’re staying here, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Dr. Wolek, for everything you’ve done. You’re sure Dad’s okay?”
“For the time being, your dad is hanging in there. Go see your mom and then in a few minutes you can see your dad.” He turned and went back to check on their father.
Jack looked reluctantly at the curtain that hid his dad, “Starr I’m scared, what if we lose them both?”
Starr hugged her brother. “We won’t. Dad is a fighter, you should know that by now. He’s going to rebound because he has to help Mom. We’ll help them both. Now, let’s go see Mom.” She nodded to John and pulled her brother into the cubicle that held their mother.
As John was leaving, he saw Vicki Banks striding into the ER. “Vicki, I’m surprised to see you here.”
“I came to give Todd some support. I saw a news report. They didn’t have any information to give out on Blair, but I caught Todd’s reaction to the reporters. He was out of control, and I’m worried about him. Have you seen him?”
“Not since I put him in the ambulance. Vicki, you should probably sit down. Todd is here but he’s a patient. He collapsed shortly after getting Blair here. Here comes Dr. Wolek, he can tell you what’s going on. I’m sorry Vicki, you don’t need this right now.” John took her hands in his briefly to let her know he understood what she was going through.
Vicki turned stunned eyes to Larry. “Please, tell me he’s alright.” She couldn’t lose her brother. She was still reeling from the disappearance of Natalie and the baby.
“Vicki, I didn’t have a chance to call you. He’s out of trouble for now. He went into shock and of course, it affected his heart. We had to shock him twice now, but he seems to be stabilizing. I thought we had lost him for sure, but Starr arrived and I think she got through to him somehow. Starr and Jack are in with Blair, but you can go see Todd if you would like.” Larry was keeping a close eye on Vicki, she too had been under a lot of stress, and he didn’t want to have her end up in the hospital also.
“I’d like that Larry. Just give me a moment to sit here, then I’ll go see him. Thank you John, I’ll be alright. These last couple of months have been hard on all of us.” she sat down for a moment and let her heart slow down. The past year and a half had been a series of blows for Todd. How much more could he and his body take? It had been a shock when he first arrived and the revelations had been coming fast and furious ever since. As she sat there, Vicki was hit with a horrible realization. Oh no, not Blair. Could Blair have been raped? Please God. Give my brother some support. He’s going to need it. She looked at Larry who had been patiently sitting with her. “Take me to my brother.”
Vicki moved close to the bed and found herself reaching to move the hair off his face. He always looked so young in sleep. Her heart tugged for him. He had been through entirely too much, but he had managed to persevere and Blair was the reason. “I need you to stick around Todd. I need your dry wit to keep me from getting too serious about my life. You rest and get stronger. You’ve got a family to take care of. I’ll be here when you wake up, that’s a promise.” She pulled up a chair and kept him company until the nurse entered and began to unhook him from the monitors.
“He’s being moved onto the floor next to ICU, a room is ready for both of them. If you would like to follow us,” the nurse moved Todd out and Vicki saw Blair being moved, too.
Starr and Jack followed Blair and seeing Vicki ran to her and hugged their aunt. She wrapped them close and together they made their way down the hall.
You really do like to torture these two, don't you? I mean, sheesh. Side by side hospital beds?!!!!!! I'm enjoying this story very much, I adore your version of TnB, but in all honesty I could do with a little less of the CONSTANT pain and suffering. It seems like Todd is only out of the hospital for a day or two before you put him back in there again. That's the only complaint I have.
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