Would you believe it? I have nothing, NOTHING to do. So I'm going to start my story now. Well, I'll quit blabbering and let you get on with this. hehe. By the way, I love feed back so don't feel as though you will be insulting me if u rite that this sucks or something…
CHARACTERS: Dr Dave (of course J)
I'm not going to say who else is in it. You'll know by the end though!
************************************************************************
21:05, the clock seemed to scream. Great, Dave thought, another 5 minutes gone. He felt…apprehensive. Yes, that was the right word. There was another 11 hours and 55 minutes to go. He sighed. Maybe he should go to sleep. But then again, how could he sleep? It was another 12 hours until he would see her again, after all these years. He allowed his mind to drift back to when he was 8…
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"You're not a little kid anymore, sweetheart."
The boy eyed the woman carefully.
"What do you mean, mommy?"
The older woman sighed, clearly torn between telling her son her secret or keeping it from him.
"I'm getting married again, honey."
The boy looked, unbelieving, at the woman.
"Married again? what about...dad?"
"Dad has been gone for so long, sweetheart. It's time to forget. Besides, I need…"
The older woman never got a chance to finish her sentence. The boy screamed loudly and fell on the floor, crying loudly. Kneeling down beside him, the woman rocked the boy slowly, back and forth, in her arms.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Shh…honey…"
"You cant forget daddy! You promised him…before he…"
The boy choked on his emotions and looked over at the wall with a distant look in his eyes.
"Sweetheart, you're right. We could never forget daddy. But…I think its time we all began to move on. Shh, honey, don't cry. Mommy will always be here for you, even if I marry again. You will always be my number one, okay?"
The boy looked at his mother, and with a sniffle, stuck out his pinky.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
************************************************************************
Dave rocked himself back and forth on his bed. It had all been so long ago, but the memory was still as clear as though it was yesterday. 21:28. He thought back to July the 5th that year…
************************************************************************
The place was filled. There were guests from as far as England coming to the wedding. Backstage, the boy was crying in his heart. From now on, his mother would be sharing her time with someone other than him. Sure, the new guy bought him all the toys that could possibly have existed in his little corner of the world, but something made him uneasy around the man. He was worried that perhaps his mother was rushing into this a bit. But then again he was only 8. What would he know?
"C'mon, times up dreamer!"
A high pitched wail pierced the changing rooms air.
"Shut up Mandy!" yelled one of the bridesmaids.
The boy walked over to Mandy's cot and stroked her on the head. She was soon silent.
"Davey really has a way with kids, doesn't he?" asked Mandy's mother.
"C'mon Dave, ring boy!"
Dave ran outside and peeked into the bride's changing room. His mother looked beautiful. He almost wanted something terrible to happen so the wedding wouldn't happen, but then he reminded himself that this would make his mother happy. She was smiling like she had never been since his father had died. Dave sighed and ran to his uncle Stan.
"C'mon boy, time to get started!"
************************************************************************
Dave looked at the clock. 22:01. He reminded himself that he would have to wake up early. If he was late, Chief would kill him. After all, she had already agreed to give him the afternoon off. He wondered how she would look now. Changed, he guessed. Stupid guess. What else?
************************************************************************
'Where's the bloody boy?"
"He's at school."
"Well, tell him to get his ass back here straight after or he'll end up down the toilet bowl."
At that moment, the door banged shut.
"F---ing hell, shut the door a bit quieter would ya?"
"I'm sorry…"
Dave walked in with his head down and eyes shifting everywhere, as though looking for a place to hide.
"Waddya want kid?"
"Nothing…I'll go to my room now, if that's okay."
"I'm having friends over 10 pm tonight. If you aren't in bed, watch it."
"Yes dad."
Dave was in bed by 9:30. He knew that if his father found him out after that he would be beaten. Dave closed his eyes and tried to force the tears to stay away. His mother had to hold down two jobs to feed the family and was never home. His father didn't work! Why should his mother? Dave closed his eyes and wept. He couldn't keep the tears away any longer.
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He couldn't keep the tears away any longer. Angry, he picked up his pillow and threw it at the wall opposite his bed. God, why was he so weak? Why didn't he stand up to that idiot? Why? He had built a wall around himself all these years, and now he was going to let it collapse. Why had he agreed to let her come and see him? After all those years he had spent building up his self esteem, all those years he had been the cheery, carefree Doctor Dave, it was going to fall in front of him. All those years behind a face which people thought was carefree, all the strong streaks he had tried to make up, were all gone. Dammit, he thought. Why couldn't I be more fortunate? Why couldn't I have life as easy as that Carter for Christ's sakes? he thinks that one or two traumas in his life qualifies him as someone everyone should care about. Dave gave up trying to sleep and headed for the hospital instead.
************************************************************************
"Daddy! No! Please stop!"
A trembling Dave placed himself between his cowering mother and his drunken father.
"please! You'll kill her!"
"F--- off kid! Or you'll get it too! What does she think she's doing out so late? Hanging out with her new boyfriend or something by the looks of it."
"Please, she's just working! Leave her alone!"
At that, the older man took a swing at the boy. The boy flew to the other side of the room from the impact. He felt his head start spinning before he blacked out.
************************************************************************
'Hey Chief"
"Malucci? On time for once I see."
'Yeah Chief. Couldn't wait to see this place again."
"That'll be the day.' remarked Abby.
Smiling, Dave settled himself for work, remindful that this might be the last time his wall would be up again.
************************************************************************
He had run away when he was 13. He still remembered why…
The window shattered as a 13 year old boy hit a baseball at the house. Covering his mouth, he looked in horror at the glass underneath. A tired woman covered in bruises walked out and looked at the glass. Unable to contain herself further, she knelt down on the floor and cried.
"Mum! I'm sorry…oh my God. Dad…"
The woman composed herself and placed her hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Go away, Dave. You're not young anymore. You can take care of yourself."
"But mum, when dad gets back…"
"No. GO!' she yelled.
"Mum!!!" the boy screamed.
But it was no use. His dad could be seen coming around the corner and he took one last look back and ran. Somehow he felt he would never come back.
"I'm sorry Dave! Don't…Don't come back!"
The words tore through his heart.
"I love you, Dave! Don't forget that!"
"I love you too, mum!"
And with that he turned the corner and ran.
************************************************************************
It was 6 am in the morning. Weary staff passed the admin desk, all looking quizzically at Dave doing paperwork. Dave in the hospital at work on time was strange enough, but Dave doing paperwork? Even Kerry felt puzzled. Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Dave left the admin desk and went to the staff room.
"You okay Malucci?" asked the Chief.
"Yeah" he replied. "just doing my part of the work."
'Well, good."
"yeah".
Just then Randi poked her head through the door.
"Malucci, woman looking for you."
He ran out. And stopped next to the woman who was drumming her fingers at the admin desk. Choking back tears, he wrapped his arms around her, and she hugged him back.
"Oh my God. It's been so long."
"Yeah. Mum. I missed you. Lets go to the café next door."
"Okay."
CHARACTERS: Dr Dave (of course J)
I'm not going to say who else is in it. You'll know by the end though!
************************************************************************
21:05, the clock seemed to scream. Great, Dave thought, another 5 minutes gone. He felt…apprehensive. Yes, that was the right word. There was another 11 hours and 55 minutes to go. He sighed. Maybe he should go to sleep. But then again, how could he sleep? It was another 12 hours until he would see her again, after all these years. He allowed his mind to drift back to when he was 8…
************************************************************************
"You're not a little kid anymore, sweetheart."
The boy eyed the woman carefully.
"What do you mean, mommy?"
The older woman sighed, clearly torn between telling her son her secret or keeping it from him.
"I'm getting married again, honey."
The boy looked, unbelieving, at the woman.
"Married again? what about...dad?"
"Dad has been gone for so long, sweetheart. It's time to forget. Besides, I need…"
The older woman never got a chance to finish her sentence. The boy screamed loudly and fell on the floor, crying loudly. Kneeling down beside him, the woman rocked the boy slowly, back and forth, in her arms.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Shh…honey…"
"You cant forget daddy! You promised him…before he…"
The boy choked on his emotions and looked over at the wall with a distant look in his eyes.
"Sweetheart, you're right. We could never forget daddy. But…I think its time we all began to move on. Shh, honey, don't cry. Mommy will always be here for you, even if I marry again. You will always be my number one, okay?"
The boy looked at his mother, and with a sniffle, stuck out his pinky.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
************************************************************************
Dave rocked himself back and forth on his bed. It had all been so long ago, but the memory was still as clear as though it was yesterday. 21:28. He thought back to July the 5th that year…
************************************************************************
The place was filled. There were guests from as far as England coming to the wedding. Backstage, the boy was crying in his heart. From now on, his mother would be sharing her time with someone other than him. Sure, the new guy bought him all the toys that could possibly have existed in his little corner of the world, but something made him uneasy around the man. He was worried that perhaps his mother was rushing into this a bit. But then again he was only 8. What would he know?
"C'mon, times up dreamer!"
A high pitched wail pierced the changing rooms air.
"Shut up Mandy!" yelled one of the bridesmaids.
The boy walked over to Mandy's cot and stroked her on the head. She was soon silent.
"Davey really has a way with kids, doesn't he?" asked Mandy's mother.
"C'mon Dave, ring boy!"
Dave ran outside and peeked into the bride's changing room. His mother looked beautiful. He almost wanted something terrible to happen so the wedding wouldn't happen, but then he reminded himself that this would make his mother happy. She was smiling like she had never been since his father had died. Dave sighed and ran to his uncle Stan.
"C'mon boy, time to get started!"
************************************************************************
Dave looked at the clock. 22:01. He reminded himself that he would have to wake up early. If he was late, Chief would kill him. After all, she had already agreed to give him the afternoon off. He wondered how she would look now. Changed, he guessed. Stupid guess. What else?
************************************************************************
'Where's the bloody boy?"
"He's at school."
"Well, tell him to get his ass back here straight after or he'll end up down the toilet bowl."
At that moment, the door banged shut.
"F---ing hell, shut the door a bit quieter would ya?"
"I'm sorry…"
Dave walked in with his head down and eyes shifting everywhere, as though looking for a place to hide.
"Waddya want kid?"
"Nothing…I'll go to my room now, if that's okay."
"I'm having friends over 10 pm tonight. If you aren't in bed, watch it."
"Yes dad."
Dave was in bed by 9:30. He knew that if his father found him out after that he would be beaten. Dave closed his eyes and tried to force the tears to stay away. His mother had to hold down two jobs to feed the family and was never home. His father didn't work! Why should his mother? Dave closed his eyes and wept. He couldn't keep the tears away any longer.
************************************************************************
He couldn't keep the tears away any longer. Angry, he picked up his pillow and threw it at the wall opposite his bed. God, why was he so weak? Why didn't he stand up to that idiot? Why? He had built a wall around himself all these years, and now he was going to let it collapse. Why had he agreed to let her come and see him? After all those years he had spent building up his self esteem, all those years he had been the cheery, carefree Doctor Dave, it was going to fall in front of him. All those years behind a face which people thought was carefree, all the strong streaks he had tried to make up, were all gone. Dammit, he thought. Why couldn't I be more fortunate? Why couldn't I have life as easy as that Carter for Christ's sakes? he thinks that one or two traumas in his life qualifies him as someone everyone should care about. Dave gave up trying to sleep and headed for the hospital instead.
************************************************************************
"Daddy! No! Please stop!"
A trembling Dave placed himself between his cowering mother and his drunken father.
"please! You'll kill her!"
"F--- off kid! Or you'll get it too! What does she think she's doing out so late? Hanging out with her new boyfriend or something by the looks of it."
"Please, she's just working! Leave her alone!"
At that, the older man took a swing at the boy. The boy flew to the other side of the room from the impact. He felt his head start spinning before he blacked out.
************************************************************************
'Hey Chief"
"Malucci? On time for once I see."
'Yeah Chief. Couldn't wait to see this place again."
"That'll be the day.' remarked Abby.
Smiling, Dave settled himself for work, remindful that this might be the last time his wall would be up again.
************************************************************************
He had run away when he was 13. He still remembered why…
The window shattered as a 13 year old boy hit a baseball at the house. Covering his mouth, he looked in horror at the glass underneath. A tired woman covered in bruises walked out and looked at the glass. Unable to contain herself further, she knelt down on the floor and cried.
"Mum! I'm sorry…oh my God. Dad…"
The woman composed herself and placed her hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Go away, Dave. You're not young anymore. You can take care of yourself."
"But mum, when dad gets back…"
"No. GO!' she yelled.
"Mum!!!" the boy screamed.
But it was no use. His dad could be seen coming around the corner and he took one last look back and ran. Somehow he felt he would never come back.
"I'm sorry Dave! Don't…Don't come back!"
The words tore through his heart.
"I love you, Dave! Don't forget that!"
"I love you too, mum!"
And with that he turned the corner and ran.
************************************************************************
It was 6 am in the morning. Weary staff passed the admin desk, all looking quizzically at Dave doing paperwork. Dave in the hospital at work on time was strange enough, but Dave doing paperwork? Even Kerry felt puzzled. Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Dave left the admin desk and went to the staff room.
"You okay Malucci?" asked the Chief.
"Yeah" he replied. "just doing my part of the work."
'Well, good."
"yeah".
Just then Randi poked her head through the door.
"Malucci, woman looking for you."
He ran out. And stopped next to the woman who was drumming her fingers at the admin desk. Choking back tears, he wrapped his arms around her, and she hugged him back.
"Oh my God. It's been so long."
"Yeah. Mum. I missed you. Lets go to the café next door."
"Okay."