Here's chapter 2, finally!
Disclaimer - Everything is Meg Cabot's, except for some characters. Like Shaun, and Bianca, and Ben and Maddison. That's all I think...--------------------------------
Chapter 2 – "Signs"
Suze's P.O.V – Monday Night
I flicked through the T.V channels with my pajamas on, taking advantage of the little time when Shaun could take Maddison for a drive, giving me a break. Flick, flick, oh this looks OK…
Then the phone rang. I expected it to be Shaun or maybe Cee Cee, but instead it was Mom.
"Hello Susie, something terrible has happened, it's Andy," she said. I could sense the worry in her voice and I knew whatever she had to tell me wasn't going to be good.
"What is it?" I asked, although not really wanting to hear the answer.
"He needs bypass surgery."
"Wow."
"Yes, I know. But don't worry everything's going to be fine, I'm sure of it; if he has surgery he'll have a 98 chance of survival. But we'll need to get to San Francisco right away."
"San Francisco?"
"Yes, San Francisco. It's where Andy will be having surgery."
"Oh, OK. Um, so when will we need to get there? I mean, what about Maddy? I can't leave her here with Shaun if he'll be at work all day."
"Ask Cee Cee, Maddison gets along fine with her two children."
"Mom, I don't know if I could do that. I mean I can't just dump a two year old with her when she's got two of her own children to look after."
"Well it's either that or a babysitter. You should at least ask; if she was in the same situation you'd look after her kids, right?"
"Yes, OK. I'll work something out. When will we be going?"
"Tomorrow."
"TOMORROW? Mom, we can't go tomorrow!"
"Why not? Susie, Andy needs to get this as soon as possible. Surely you can understand that."
I sighed. "Yes I can. I'll be ready tomorrow, OK?"
"Great. I'll pick you up at eleven."
"OK, bye."
I hung up the phone and stared at it for a few seconds, letting what I had just been told fully sink in.
I was going to have to ring Cee Cee.
"Hello?" Cee Cee said as she picked up the phone.
"Hi, it's me. Um, I need a favor."
"Like wha- LACHLAN PUT THAT DOWN! Like what?"
I decided to just blurt out the whole thing.
"What?!" she asked in shock.
"Yes, I know. But I really need you to take care of Maddy."
"Well, sure. But oh my god Suze, bypass surgery?"
"I know. So I'll bring Maddy 'round in the morning then?"
"Yeah OK."
"Thank you so much."
"Well, that's what friends are for."
"Yeah. So Bye."
"Bye."
I hung up the phone and Shaun walked in with Maddison asleep in his arms. How does he do it? Every night all he has to do is take her for a drive and she falls asleep, but when I want her to go to bed there's a great big tantrum.
"Shaun, Andy needs bypass surgery so I'll be going to San Francisco with Mom tomorrow. Cee Cee said she will look after Maddy through the day when you're at work, OK?"
"Oh my god, bypass surgery? Is he going to be OK?"
"I'm pretty sure he'll be fine if he gets operated on."
"Well sure then. Do you want me to take some time off or anything?"
"No, it should be fine. Just make sure you help Cee Cee with Maddy."
"Of course."
Shaun gave me an assuring smile and walked away to put Maddy in her cot. I sat down in my favourite armchair and curled up in a ball, just thinking about San Francisco and Andy. I wonder if Jake, Brad, or David would be coming. That was a stupid question, of course they would be; it's their father after all.
I felt Shaun's arms slip around me and I let him pick me up off the chair.
"You OK?" he whispered into my hair.
I just nodded and motioned for him to carry me to our room. He did so, and I relished in the way his arms comforted me and seemed to take away all the stress. He put me down on the bed and kissed me before taking down the suitcases that were up above our closet, which we hadn't used since I moved in, and still held some of my unpacked belongings.
"What's this?" Shaun suddenly asked when he was in the middle of taking everything out of one of my suitcases. He held up a small portrait. Of Jesse. The one I stole from the Carmel Historical Society. Which was painted in the Nineteenth Century.
So much for not mentioning his name.
"Uh… nothing. It's just a souvenir I got from a holiday about ten years ago," I said thinking up a quick excuse.
Why did I have to be reminded about Jesse, after forgetting for all these years? Other people would probably call it a sign; I say yeah, right.
But I packed it anyway.
Jesse's P.O.V – Tuesday Morning
"Bye," Bianca said to me as I walked out the door about to go to work.
"See you this afternoon," I replied.
I leaned in to kiss her and I felt her arms slide around my neck. I put my arms around her waist and when I pulled away I whispered, "I'll be home soon."
"DADDY!" bellowed Ben as he came out from his bedroom rubbing his eyes. He ran up to me and I picked him up in a hug.
"Daddy, when you come home today from work will you take me to the park again?"
"Of course," I said as I put him down on his feet. He seemed satisfied with my answer and waved as he trotted off to watch cartoons.
He asks me if he will take him to the park when I come home every single morning. Don't ask me why he still thinks it necessary to ask me when I always say yes, and have never said no, not once of the one thousand times he's asked me. But that's Ben, I guess.
I kissed Bianca goodbye once again, and made my way to the car. Soon I was driving to work, thinking about Ben and Bianca as I usually did every morning.
I switched on the radio and I winced when I heard the song that was so well-known to me, but brought back so much painful memories.
Oh Susannah, don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
Instantly I switched it off and pushed all of the thoughts that had resurfaced to the back of my mind where they belong. Why did I have to be reminded about Susannah, after forgetting for all these years? It couldn't be a sign, could it? No, of course not.
Word Count: 1120
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