Chapter 11
After staring at the message for many minutes, she was awoken out of the trance by a phone-call from Vicki. Ecstatic that Emma had woken up, Sara had forgotten about the text until the afternoon where she found herself struggling with what to reply back.
"I know you told me you didn't want contact, but I had a moment of weakness. Everything is fine… sorry to bother you, Sara."
Her fingers were conflicted over whether to send this message she had typed. She didn't know what to reply, or even if she should. Her foremost thought however was how glad she is that he had not been angry with her for making contact.
Just as she clicked to send the text, a group of doctors came into the room as they were doing their ward rounds. The sudden noise within the room woke Emma up from her drug induced slumber. Sara immediately noticed the worried demeanour of her daughter. Since wakening, and even under the medication, Sara had noticed her attitude to be more wary than before and asked the doctors if this was normal.
The female doctor, who introduced her name as Dr Hunter, explained that Emma is reacting as expected after surgery and this is a normal behaviour seen in children who had gone through a surgery.
"….separation anxiety is seen in the majority of cases and this is completely normal. Your child will slowly go back to normal once she is back in her routine."
Sara thanked the doctor for giving her positive feedback but she couldn't help but worry about the effects of this surgery could have on Emma's mental wellbeing.
Overall, the doctors were pleased with her recovery and explained what the next stages were.
"She has an x-ray scheduled in an hour, and if that proves that her chest is clear then we will look at removing the drainage tube and moving her out of the ICU ward." The same doctor who had removed her breathing tube spoke understandingly to Sara, and also added that Emma's specialist, Dr Chan would be round in the afternoon.
As they left the room, Sara thanked them once again for looking after Emma, and moved her eyes back to her daughter.
Emma had lifted her right hand which was near her mother and Sara knew that this was a signal that Emma wanted to be held by her mother. Knowing she was unable to lift her, Sara instead pulled the barrier around the side of the cot down and lay her head on the pillow next to Emma in order to get as close as possible. Emma stared intently into Sara's eyes and listened to every comforting word that came from Sara until her eyes closed and they both fell asleep.
Shortly after sending the text to Sara, Grissom began to panic. He couldn't believe he had taken the bold move to start a conversation, which he was unable to do when she had sent him video message eighteen months earlier. Intrigued by her sudden and short phone call was combined with the jealousy of Greg's visit and contact with Sara. This had stirred him to seek her attention again. An hour had past, and he hadn't gone more than two minutes without constantly checking his phone for any updates. Realising the obsession, he decided to turn his phone off to try and get some sleep.
His sleep was plagued by his thoughts and he didn't get more than three hours before he made the decision to just get up and go into work early.
After showering and dressing for work, he decided to check his phone and his heart skipped a beat when he noticed a reply.
"I know you told me you didn't want contact, but I had a moment of weakness. Everything is fine… sorry to bother you, Sara."
He read it over quickly in a rush, and then as the confusion washed over him he read it slowly and finally word for word in attempt to understand what was going on.
I told her I didn't want contact?
Was this what Heather meant by the fact I hadn't replied to her was giving her an answer?
His brows furrowed. He didn't like it if Sara had assumed his none reply as meaning this and then using it as an attack.
Surely they could be civilised if they were unable to be involved together. He still cared about her, so much, yet he felt so betrayed that he wasn't enough for her and she left him. Does she even remember that they were engaged? That she was his fiancée?
His anguish at the situation was interrupted as he heard his name being called from the living area.
"Gil, are you here?" Heather spoke urgently.
Before Grissom has a chance to reply, Heather opened the door to his bedroom and walked in.
"Gil, I was worried when you didn't come home last night-"
"This is my apartment Heather" Gil replied with one eyebrow raised.
Heather noticing a difference in Grissom since the last time she saw him and took a few steps towards him while replying slowly, "Are you feeling okay? You look uneasy"
Grissom knew she could feel the tension radiating from his body. Although earlier it was caused by the text message, it was now due to that Heather was in his bedroom; the bedroom that held so many fond and private memories of his relationship with Sara.
Quickly, he guided Heather out of the room and into the kitchen.
"Why are you here Heather?" Grissom asked again.
"You didn't come home, I was worried."
Grissom looked deflated, "I'm sorry". He paused before adding "This is my home Heather."
"Hank has been whining around the house looking for you. I wouldn't have thought that you would leave Hank at mine if you were moving back into your apartment."
"I'm sorry." Grissom repeated and looked apologetic. "I have just been distracted recently."
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Heather walked over to the large pile of letters that were building up on the table. "You should open these letters you know."
"I know, while staying at yours I forgot the important things I had to do here."
"It was necessary to stay away from here…to move on from Sara; which you have done remarkably well. I'm very proud." Heather leaned over to rub his forearm.
At the mention of Sara the sadness washed over his face and he moved to begin to look through the letters and pick out junk mail to be put in the trash.
Heather noticing this defence technique questioned intensively, "Has Sara been in contact Gil? Is this why you have been distant?"
Gil however was took intent on the letter in front of him. The date stated it was sent a month ago and it was from California. Quickly tearing apart the envelope and scanning the letter, he was shocked at the coincidence.
"Gil?" Heather asked impatiently.
The letter was from the Forensic Academy Association inviting him to participate as a guest speaker promoting entomology within forensics at a four day conference in San Francisco.
It was the same conference he had met Sara at all those years ago.
Realising the letter was sent a month ago and the conference was to be held in two weeks' time he began to panic. He had to go to this conference. He quickly reached for his home phone and began to dial the number provided.
"Gil?" Heather demanded again as she watched his frantic movements.
While the phone was ringing, Gil spoke "I've been asked to do a lecture in a couple of weeks at forensic conference."
Realising this was about work, Heather nodded and moved round to his kitchen appliances and turned on the kettle.
Gil had walked back into his bedroom, and while Heather was alone, she waited on the kettle boiling before pouring out two cups of tea and sitting them at the breakfast table. A few minutes later Grissom walked back into the kitchen area with a smile on his face.
"I take it you received welcomed news?" Heather added before taking a sip of her tea.
Grissom walked over to the empty chair and sat down. "Yes. Although I have replied later than they hoped, they have been able to provide two one hour slots for me to speak in two weeks' time."
"And where is this conference?"
Grissom took a large gulp of tea and murmured from the edge of the cup, "San Francisco."
"Where Sara is?" Heather looked surprised.
Grissom just nodded.
Heather looked alarmed. "Gil, it took you a long time to finally recover from Sara's rejection. Going back to the place where there are memories of her may hinder your emotional state…"
"Heather. I am a grown man; I am capable of distinguishing between what is good or not for me."
"Sara has been back on your thoughts again hasn't she?"
At this, Grissom just stayed silent and took another sip of his drink.
"Gil, she sent you a video message explaining how she considered you both to be finished and that she was moving on. She will just hurt you again."
Grissom considered Heather's words. It is true that he deciphered this from her video message but he was too conflicted over what he had overheard Greg saying and also the text message. It was if he was so in tune with Sara that he knew something was bothering her and he had to help. Furthermore, he knew that he still loved Sara, even though she had hurt him. And just hearing her say his name again awakened him to the realisation of how much he missed her presence.
He took a deep sigh before relaying what has been on his mind. He trusted Heather and knew she would give him support like he had done for her. "Greg suddenly took a few days off his work, called in a family emergency. I then find out he went to see Sara. During that time she called me briefly, but hung up after saying my name. I sent her a message asking if everything was alright last night and she replied but what she wrote is puzzling me."
Grissom reached for his mobile phone which was sitting on the counter. He opened his inbox and passed the phone to Heather to allow her to read it.
"I know you told me you didn't want contact, but I had a moment of weakness. Everything is fine… sorry to bother you, Sara."
"You said not making a decision is making a decision. And I understand that. But I do not think Sara would assume that no contact meant that I didn't want contact. I can't make sense of it."
Heather took a few moments before replying. "Gil. I think you should lose all contact with Sara. This isn't good for you. You weren't lonely with me and you know that I will not leave…." A sudden anger appeared over her face yet quickly disappeared as she took a deep breath and added, "I have to go. If you are planning on staying here, please remember that you have left things behind at my house."
Grissom sat in silence. He didn't know what to say to make her realise how he feels. "Heather you have been a great friend to me-"
The ringing of his cell phone interrupted his words. Heather looked back at him from the door, and watched as he answered the call.
Knowing it was a work related call; Heather looked sadly back at the apartment and closed the door.
A/N:
I hope everyone enjoyed the CSI premiere on Wednesday, I know I did. Let me know what you think of this chapter...as you can probably tell it isn't long until Grissom finds out! x
Oh, PS, I had a problem with the formatting while uploading this chapter so I apologise in advance for any errors.