Thanks for the great reviews guys, you rock and I loveeee finding the email saying that I have a new one lol. So please review away. Here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Adrienne
Chapter 11
"You said she was alright, so why the hell hasn't she woken up yet?" Tommy angrily questioned the doctor that was standing before him with a condescending sneer on his face. Joey and him had been sitting at the hospital for the past 2 hours with no word on Jude's condition and then some snot nosed kid who looked as though he'd gotten his MD out of a cracker jack box came up and told him that he couldn't see her unless he was "family."
Tommy would have punched the guy if his son hadn't been sitting in one of the waiting room chairs staring at him with fear in his eyes. Tommy sighed and walked away from the doctor and sat down next to Joey. They hadn't said much to each other since they'd gotten to the hospital but then again they were both lost in their own worlds filled with fear and un answered questions. Tommy leaned back and opened one eye to look at the small child who sat next to him. He could instantly see the resemblance to himself in the boys hair and mannerisms, but the eyes, they were all Jude. Joey hadn't been to responsive to him but Tommy just figured it was because his mother was in the hospital and he didn't know this man sitting next to him. Tommy couldn't believe how much that thought hurt him, his own son had no idea who he was.
Tommy had managed to track down Kwest and Sadie's number to tell them that Jude was in the hospital in Quebec and that he didn't know what was wrong with her. They said they'd be there as soon as possible. Joey had casually mentioned his uncle Mason and his Uncle Jamie and Aunt Kat and Tommy figured they would probably be notified.
Joey was sitting in the seat with his head down and looked heart broken, so fragile and young. Tommy wanted to just scoop him up and hold him like a baby but he knew that Joey didn't know who he was so he couldn't do that. Tommy took a deep breath not too sure of what he might do but knowing he had to say something.
Tommy reached a hand over and tapped Joey on his shoulder. He glanced up into the kind man next to him with a look of confusion and fear. Tommy smiled a little and decided that his son needed to know who he was and that he was there for him.
"Joey did your mom ever tell you anything about me?" He asked quietly. Joey shook his head and asked "What is your name?" Tommy felt a twinge of hurt as his only son asked his name. "My name is Tommy. Your mother and I used to be very good friends, we worked together." Tommy stated trying to sum up their relationship enough to get the point across that he could be trusted. Joey looked thoughtful for a moment and then said "I remember her talking about a Tommy sometimes when she thought I wasn't listening she'd look at a picture and cry." Tommy instantly felt the guilt creep inside him and filled him with a feeling of disgust at himself.
"Did she ever tell you about me?" Tommy asked silently hoping that Jude gave him something to go from. Joey looked sad "She said that she had loved you a lot a long time ago but that she had to stop loving you to come have me and take care of me." He said in a low whisper. "She said she never regretted me and she never would, I was the best thing that ever happened to her." He finished on a small smile as a tear escaped his small eye.
Tommy had never felt lower than he did as his son told him of how sad Jude had been because he'd been such an idiot. "Joey did she ever tell you about your father?" Tommy asked carefully not wanting to give away too much too soon. Joey thought for a moment and then answered "She said he was a great man who she loved very much but he had to go away and live his life and she had to go away and live hers with me."
Joey said quietly. Tommy took a deep breath and then asked him "Did she ever tell you what he looked like? Or show you a picture?" Joey shook his head. "She never showed me pictures but she said he had pretty eyes and hair just like mine. That I looked just like him with her eyes. She has a picture of him in her room but she doesn't know I know. When she thinks I'm sleeping she'll look at it and cry, I've never seen it though." Was his response.
Tommy decided that he needed to let this small child know that he was his father. He'd gone long enough without one and it wasn't fair. "Joey I want you to talk to you about your dad ok?" He asked hesitantly but Joey just nodded for him to go on. "I'm the Tommy that your mom talks about and I'm the man in the picture that she cries over, I'm your father Joey." He finished looking into the little boys eyes to see his reaction. Joey stared back for awhile at first before throwing his arms around Tommy. Tommy was caught off guard by his reaction but took him in none the less. He held on tightly until Joey started to pull away. He leaned back and looked at Tommy and bit his lip.
Tommy knew it was a trait he'd inherited from his mother. He had a question but was afraid of the answer. "What is it Joey? You can talk to me." He stated understandingly. Joey just looked up at him with new tears forming in his eyes. "Why didn't you want to be my daddy?" He asked tearfully. Tommy's heart broke. Here was his new found son, a boy he'd come to love in the 24 hours he'd known him and he thought that Tommy didn't want to be his daddy. What did he say? What could he say?