When Dreams End 2
I opened up my eyes and saw Starr, she was holding my hand. I was so tired and so weak but I forced myself to ask her for the one thing that would make me feel better. Marty had died in my dream, I knew that it was just a dream, that it wasn't real but I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hurt and in trouble. "Marty, I need to see Marty," I gasped.
"Dad, you're awake. I'm going to go get the doctor."
"Wait Starr, can you call Marty first? I really need to see her."
"Dad, Marty can't come to see you."
"How do you know that? Is she still in Saint Anne's?"
"Not exactly."
"Starr, what's going on with Marty? Why can't I see her?"
"Dad, Marty was stabbed."
"No, it's not possible. It was just a dream. It had to be."
"What was just a dream?"
"Never mind, it's not important. Marty's not dead. Is she?" I asked fearing the answer. I couldn't survive losing Marty twice.
"No, she's not dead. She's here in the hospital, but she's in very bad shape and I don't know if she'll make it. That's why she can't come see you."
I was so angry and frustrated. I woke up because Marty was here and the very idea that some bastard hurt her made me see red. I needed to find out who stabbed Marty so that I could revisit any pain she felt back on them. "Who stabbed Marty? What happened?" I asked.
"Apparently before Marty's breakdown she switched Natalie's paternity test to make it look like Brody was Liam's father. When Brody found out that John was really the father, he snapped and stabbed Marty."
"That son of a bitch. I'm going to kill him."
"Dad, calm down. I'm going to go get a doctor," Starr said as she left the room.
-
It had been a week since I woke up. Starr came by every day to give me an update on Marty's condition. Marty had lost one kidney after Brody stabbed her and today Starr told me that Marty's other Kidney was failing and that the doctors were looking for a donor.
I pulled out my IV. I finally had enough strength to get out of bed and I was determined to visit Marty and get tested to see if I was a match.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tea asked as she walked into my room.
"I'm going to go visit Marty."
"I don't think so. You woke up less than a week ago. You need your strength. Get back in bed."
"I'm feeling fine. Now get out of my way. I need to see Marty?"
"Why? What purpose does that serve? It's not like she'll be glad to see you."
"Don't you think I know that? I know that I'm the very last person that Marty wants to see, but there's some things that I need to tell her."
"Fine, go see Marty. It's obvious you still love her, so just go," Tea said as she sat down in defeat.
I hated hurting Tea, but saving Marty was the only thing that mattered to me. Once Marty was safe then I would find a way to make it up to Tea.
-
I walked into Marty's room and she was sleeping. Marty always seemed to be at peace when she slept. When she was staying with me after her accident I used to spend hours just watching her sleep. I would wonder what it was that she was dreaming about. Watching her sleep always made me feel at peace with myself. It was as if the peacefulness of her dream was contagious. When Marty found out the truth and left me I lost my peace and started having nightmares again.
Doctor Kyle Lewis walked into Marty's room. "Doctor Lewis, can I talk to you out in the hallway for a second?"
"Sure," Doctor Lewis said as he stepped out into the hallway. "What is this about Mr. Manning?"
"I heard that Marty needs a kidney transplant and I wanted to be tested to see if I was a match."
"Sure, that would be very helpful, come with me and we'll get you started on the tests."
I followed the Doctor into a room where they took my blood work and then I headed back to my room to wait.
-
Forty Eight hours passed by and I was still waiting to hear if I would be a match. The wait had been long and excruciating. Tea and Dani walked into my room and I welcomed the much needed distraction even though things had been awkward between Tea and me ever since I woke up.
"I'm so glad that you're going to be okay, dad. I'm sorry about our fight. I didn't mean what I said. I don't hate you. I was just angry," Dani said as she sat by my side.
"It's okay sweetie. I know you didn't mean it. I'm sorry too," I said as I squeezed her hand. It was so good to see Dani. It was the first time seeing her since I woke up. She had been away at a summer camp for the Llanview High Drama Club.
Doctor Lewis walked into the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know that we got the test results back."
"What test results?" Tea asked.
"Was I a match?"
"You're a perfect match so if you still want to donate. I'll set everything up and get you into an operating room tonight."
"That would be great. The sooner the better. Hey Doctor Lewis, Marty doesn't have to know, does she?"
"No, you can remain an anonymous donor if you want. Don't eat anything and I'll let you know when I schedule the surgery," Doctor Lewis said as he walked out the door.
"Dani, can you give me a couple minutes alone with your dad?"
"Sure, I'll be out in the hall," Dani said as she left me alone with Tea.
Were you ever going to let me know? You just woke up from a coma, you're in no position to play Marty Saybrook's personal hero."
"Tea, I'm not going to sit by and watch Marty die especially if I can help her."
"What do you think is going to happen? Do you think that Marty will be so grateful that you'll be forgiven? She's never going to forgive you. You and Marty will always be on opposite sides."
"I don't care if Marty always hates me as long as she lives. Marty is going to get my kidney even if I have to die to give it to her."
"We'll see about that," Tea said as she slammed the door shut behind her.
-
Two hours later Doctor Lewis walked into my hospital room to let me know that the surgery had been canceled. He told me that Marty was refusing to give her permission. I got out of bed and headed to Marty's room. Tea had gotten to her, I was sure of it and I was determined to do anything to change her mind.
I walked into Marty's room. She was staring out the window with an empty expression on her face. "Marty, we need to talk,"
"Go away. I have nothing to say to you," Marty said as she looked at me.
When I looked into her eyes I saw nothing. One of my favorite things about Marty was her fighting spirit. She had fierceness, a fire in her that I admired but now there was nothing. She was broken and that just made me all the angrier. How dare she give up so easily? I was determined to reignite the fire within her. I was determined to give her the one thing that I knew that she would fight for. "Well, that's just too bad because I've got something I want to say to you."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to fight. I want you to consent to the surgery and I want you to let me help you."
"It's not worth it. I'm tired of losing everything. I have nothing left Todd. I'm not a good person. I did horrible things to John, Natalie and Brody and now I'm paying the price for my actions. I'm not going to let you risk your life so that you could give me a fighting chance at a life I don't want. You have kids, you have a family with Tea. Go be with them. I can't give you what you want, I never could."
"What if I gave you a reason to live? A reason to consent to this surgery."
"You don't have anything I want."
"How about Cole? What if I could tell you that Cole is being brought before the judge on appeal tonight and I've made sure that his sentence is going to be overturned? Would you fight then? You're not a bad person Marty, you're a human being. You made a mistake when you were suffering from a mental breakdown and yeah you hurt other people, but John, Natalie and Brody aren't innocent victims in this whole mess, so you should stop being so hard on your self. You could fight to regain everything you've lost this past year and get your life back on track."
"Cole's being released from prison, how? What happened?"
"When I woke up and found out that you were in the hospital I knew that you needed Cole so I hired him a lawyer and made sure that his case was being brought before Judge Larson who owes me a favor," I said as I looked at my watch. "The hearing should be over right about now, I'll give my guy a call and see how things went," I said as I pulled out my cell phone and began to dial.
"Mike, it's Todd, was Cole's sentence overturned?" Mike told me that everything had worked out. "That's great Mike. Can you put Cole on the phone? I have somebody here that he should talk to."
I handed my phone to Marty, "Talk to your son, I'll give you some privacy." I said as I walked out of Marty's room.
I let Marty talk to Cole while I went for a walk. I walked around the hospital corridors for about fifteen minutes and then went back to Marty's room.
"So, are you going to consent to the surgery?" I asked as I walked back into the hospital room. Marty seemed genuinely happy and I knew that I had done the right thing.
"Yeah, I'll sign the papers. Todd, what's in it for you? Why would you help to get Cole released from prison, especially with how much we hate one another."
"Hate is the farthest thing from what I feel for you. I'm still in love with you. I know that you hate me and probably always will and I know that you'll probably never forgive me for all the pain that I caused you. When I was in my coma, I had a dream that you had forgiven me and we were happy. We were so happy. It was the happiest that I have ever been, so that's why I have to try and make it up to you. Giving you my kidney and helping Cole get home to you gets me one step closer to earning your forgiveness. That's what's in it for me."
"I don't know what to say? Honestly I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you. I don't know if it can be forgiven. I've tried to let it go, come to peace with all the pain that we've caused one another over the years, but I just haven't found a way to. I want to forgive you, but I just can't."
"That's okay. Maybe one day you'll be able to and until then I'll be patient and watch out for you. I'll go and tell Doctor Lewis that you're ready for the surgery.
-
I walked back to my room to find Tea waiting for me.
"Where were you?" Tea asked.
"Undoing the damage you caused. I talked to Marty and convinced her to have the surgery."
"How were you able to do that? When I talked to her she had already made up her mind not to have the surgery."
"I know, but things are different now. I helped Cole get released from Prison. He's probably on his way home as we speak."
"Why would you do that? You hate Cole."
"You're right, I do, but I love Marty more."
"So, I was right. You're still in love with Marty."
"I'm sorry Tea; I know it's not what you want to hear. I think that we should get divorced. You deserve somebody that will be able to give their whole heart to you. I love you, but I'm not in love with you and it wouldn't be fair to either one of us for me to pretend that I was."
"I'll leave. I have some packing to do. I'll have Dani give you a call," Tea said as she left. It was hard saying goodbye to Tea. I hated being alone but it wouldn't be fair for me to keep Tea around because I was afraid of being alone.
Doctor Lewis came in and they wheeled me out for surgery.
-
A month had passed and everything in my life had changed. Marty and I had both come through the surgery. She was being released today. Cole and Starr moved into her house so that they could help her get back on her feet. She was trying to make amends to John, Natalie, and Brody. She dropped the charges against Brody and although I didn't agree with her decision to let Brody go free for hurting her I understood where she was coming from. She was trying to earn forgiveness.
Marty and I had grown closer since I woke up. She and I had forged an unexpected friendship. She was still a long ways off from forgiving me, but I'm still holding onto the hope that one day my dream will become a reality.