Thank you again for reading and reviewing! I'm giving you guys an extra long chapter to make up for how long it's been since I've posted one. However, you might not like me once you get to the end of it, lol . . . Enjoy! :)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next half hour was a blur. Betty quickly changed and threw some of Daniel's clothes in a duffel bag while she waited for the paramedics to arrive. So many questions were asked as they tried to assess Daniel's condition. Before Betty knew it, she was riding next to him in the ambulance, holding onto his hand so tight, afraid of letting go.
As he was wheeled into the ER on a stretcher, she was forced to break her grasp and entrust the doctors with the one person who mattered most in her life: her soul mate. The trauma room doors slammed shut in her face and she was left alone, sitting in confusion.
Had she done something wrong? She had followed the doctor's specific instructions. Did she miss something? She woke him up every two hours until morning. She made sure he took his medication. She iced his wounds. She didn't allow him to bathe alone. She watched that he didn't pull any stitches. She made sure he didn't drink any alcohol. She continued to go over this in her mind, obsessing until she couldn't take it anymore.
What was taking so long? It had been over an hour. Shouldn't the doctors have treated him by now – at least have some information for her? He had to be okay. He couldn't not be okay. He was her whole world; they just made up and were working things out; they were getting married . . . She couldn't lose him – not now. Not ever. He couldn't be – she didn't even want to think about it . . .
Daniel's phone rang. She took it outside, and absently answered without noticing the caller ID.
"Hello?" "Betty? Is that you?" the female voice on the other end asked.
"Yes . . . Claire?" she guessed.
"Yes. Hello, dear. I'm so glad to hear from you! So I take it the rumors are false?" Claire inquired.
"I-it's a long story, but I'll explain later. I was meaning to call you – everything's such a mess . . ." she trailed off, trying not to cry.
"What is it, Betty?" Claire asked, concerned.
"Daniel's in the hospital. He – he had a concussion yesterday and the doctor told me to watch him overnight. He was fine this morning. I checked on him just like she said - every 2 hours until morning. He was supposed to be okay after that. But we fell back asleep and I woke up and – and . . . Oh god . . .!" Betty started crying, she couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Shhh . . . Calm down, sweetheart. It will be alright. Tell me which hospital you're at and I'll be there right away," Claire assured her.
"Raines Memorial. You mean by tonight, right?" she asked between sniffles, confused.
"I'm already in London. I flew in on the family plane early this morning and was just recovering in my suite from the jet lag. I will talk to you more when I get there, dear. Goodbye," Claire hung up.
It was a good thing she had made that call to Ignacio and got Hilda's number. She knew those two had to be in some sort of trouble if the media was already involved. And how in the world did her son wind up with a concussion? She prayed that he is alright, and called for a car service.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Betty?" Claire startled her out of her thoughts.
Betty got up and immediately threw her arms around Claire. She was so relieved to see a familiar face, someone who understood her apprehensiveness and who cared about Daniel as much as she did. Claire had always been like a second mother to Betty.
Ever since Betty had taken her to the spa a few years ago as a favor to Daniel, Claire had shown Betty guidance, respect, affection, and had cared for her and her family as if Betty were a part of her own. She felt comfort in knowing Claire was there. She was so scared for Daniel and knew he would need all the support he could get, especially from his mother.
"I'm so sorry - I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around!" Betty apologized, while wiping her tear-stained face. They both sat down in the waiting room chairs.
"Nonsense, dear. I know how much my son means to you – how much he's always meant to you," Claire gave her a perceptive look.
Betty questioned her with her eyes.
"Oh, come on Betty, don't play dumb with me. You have done anything and everything for that boy since the moment you met him. Granted, part of it was your job, but most of it was out of love, friendship, and loyalty. And my son was the same. No matter how much you two denied, ignored, or were just plain oblivious to it, you loved each other. I always knew you two would end up together – it just took a lot more time than I thought it would for the both of you to own up to it," Claire mused. "Now, tell me what happened – from the beginning," she insisted.
Betty took a deep breath and began to speak when a doctor approached them.
"Ms. Suarez?" he asked.
"Yes?" Betty answered as she and Claire nervously stood up.
"I'm Dr. Michaels," Betty offered him her hand.
"Betty," she told him. He looked hesitantly at Claire.
"This is Daniel's mother, Claire Meade. Obviously, whatever you have to tell me, you can tell her," Betty assured him, while Claire offered him her hand.
"Daniel's head trauma was exacerbated by what we assume to be incorrect medication. After running a blood test, he appeared to be taking large dosages of an anticoagulant – we're assuming it may have been coumadin – which aggravated his brain injury and resulted in a subdural hematoma, or bleeding in his brain. His ICP, or intracranial pressure, level was elevated too high to prep him for surgery. Therefore, we had to drill burr holes in his temples in order to temporarily alleviate the pressure," the doctor explained.
"Oh my god! Is he going to be okay?" Betty asked, freaking out at the thought of a power tool being driven through her fiancé's head. She winced, imagining it, and just hoped that Daniel was alright. If she hadn't gotten him there in time, she'd never forgive herself.
"He has been stabilized, is receiving protamine – a drug used to reverse coumadin's effects. He is also undergoing a plasma transfusion, and is currently being prepped for a craniotomy – a procedure where we temporarily remove part of his skull and suction out the excessive blood in his brain that is causing the problem. I just need you to sign these forms for approval," Dr. Michaels finished his extensive report and held out a clipboard and pen.
When Claire didn't reach for it, Betty did, and immediately handed it to her.
"No, dear, he will be your husband soon enough," she insisted, still trying to absorb all of the information, giving Betty full responsibility of her son.
"Technically, unless you and Daniel are married or have his health power of attorney, I'm afraid his mother will have to authorize the procedure," Dr. Michaels informed Betty.
She incredulously handed the clipboard back to Claire. Thank god she was already in town! What would she have done if she hadn't been? Daniel's entire family lived either in New York or Paris. What if she hadn't been able to get in touch with someone? Would the doctors really have refused to properly care for him, even with knowing she was his fiancée? Betty shuddered at the thought.
Claire's hand shook like a leaf as she signed the papers. Betty's mind raced, watching her. Surgery? Brain surgery? Oh god! She went numb and felt as if she was going to throw up and faint at the same time. While she was sure she'd think of a ton of questions to ask later on, right then, she was finding it extremely hard to take everything in.
"One more thing – do you happen to have the medication prescribed to him?" Dr. Michaels asked Betty as he took the forms from Claire.
Betty frantically searched her bag and handed the bottle over.
"Th – they were just painkillers - Tylenol. Nothing was ever mentioned about an anticoagulant," Betty commented, puzzled.
The doctor opened up the bottle and studies the pills.
"These aren't painkillers. I'll have the lab take a look at these, but I am almost positive these are a generic form of Coumadin," he informed them.
"How the hell did this happen? What kind of hospital is this that the god damned pharmacy can't tell the difference between a pain killer and a blood thinner? My son's life is on the line because of you people! And don't doubt for a second that I won't sue your incompetent asses off!" Claire suddenly became enraged.
Betty took a deep breath and pulled herself together. She put her hand on Claire's arm and tried to calm her down.
"Claire, I'm extremely upset, too – infuriated, actually. But Dr. Michaels didn't cause this. Let's just let him do his job in treating Daniel and worry about making whoever did this pay, later. Daniel's who we should be focusing on right now – he's all that matters," she reasoned, her voice cracking as she held back tears of her own shock, frustration, and anger.
Claire reluctantly backed off.
"We promise we'll do everything possible to save your son," Dr. Michaels sincerely assured her and left.
"Oh, Betty, I can't lose my baby boy . . ." a usually calm and collected Claire broke down in her arms.
Betty began to cry along with her.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Is she gone?" The female voice asked.
"She arrived here early this morning," Matt answered.
"Perfect. While the bitch is away, I'll make sure she pays . . ." the woman remarked and abruptly hung up the phone.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Claire searched through her purse for a tissue and stumbled across a small photo album. She must have forgotten to unpack it when she got to the hotel. She pulled the book out, deciding then was as good a time as any to look through it.
"Betty, I want to show something to you. I was planning on showing it to both you and Daniel, but I think it might make both of us feel better if we look at it now," Claire opened the book and moved closer to Betty, so they could both see it.
"Oh my god – is that Daniel?" she asked, viewing a photo of a tiny infant with a red crinkled up face and a touch of blond fuzz on his head.
"Yes, that's his first picture, right after they cleaned him up. He definitely wasn't in a very good mood," Claire smiled as they continued to flip through the photos.
"Aww . . ." Betty noticed a picture of Daniel and Alex asleep in the car, their heads on top of each other's.
"Yes, that was on our trip to Vermont. Bradford and I had decided to give them a different experience by driving instead of flying. The boys had tired themselves out, being in the car for practically eight hours straight – Bradford was not one for pit-stops. They fought like cats and dogs over an insignificant Transformer and whether Superman or Spiderman was the best superhero," she rolled her eyes.
"Bradford got so infuriated with them that he threw the Transformer out the window. I had to hand it to him, even though some of his parenting tactics could be considered cold, it did make the boys stop bickering with each other and bond over the loss of their beloved toy. But it was one of the most stressful family vacations ever. Understandably, it's the first and last time we drove on a trip that extensive," she fondly remembered.
Betty burst out laughing when she came across a couple more snapshots.
"Look at his hair – and those clothes! Daniel officially has no room to talk about the ridiculous outfits I wore anymore." she shook her head in amusement at a younger Daniel in a white dress shirt, briefs, white socks, and black shades, playing air-guitar. She could just picture him sliding across the floor, jamming to the music.
The next showed him with slightly longer, spiked hair, a tight t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, and snuggly-fitted, light faded jeans with holes cut in them, holding a guitar.
"Daniel never told me he played the guitar." Betty commented, intrigued.
"Yes, well he tried. He and his friends formed a band. They were convinced they would be the next Bon Jovi," Claire smiled.
"Aww . . . I'll have some great stuff to hold over him, now," Betty said, mischievously.
Claire chuckled.
But then Betty heard someone over the loudspeaker paging a doctor and is brought back to reality.
"If he makes it out of here . . ." her voice began to tremble, and then she realized what she just said.
"I'm sorry – I'm so sorry – I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't be thinking it! I – I'm just scared," Betty apologized to Claire. What was she thinking? His mother was probably worried enough as it was without her contributing.
"It's quite alright, dear. I don't expect you to hold your true fears inside and walk on eggshells. You know I'm tougher than that. I'm afraid, too. But I'm a fighter - and so are you, and so is Daniel. He's going to get through this – he's a Meade. And you will soon be one, too," Claire gave her a perceptive look and hugged her in reassurance.
"Can I get you some coffee or something to eat?" Betty offered Claire, after gaining her composure. She was unable to sit still any longer. Withstanding hours of torture in the private surgical waiting room had finally gotten to her.
"Perhaps a cup of coffee would help. I know I'm too nervous to eat anything right now. Thank you, sweetheart," Claire answered.
"Okay – I'm going to run down to the cafeteria. Call me if you hear anything," she squeezed her hand and left.
On her way to the cafeteria Betty simultaneously texted Hilda, Christina, Amanda, and Marc that Daniel was in the hospital having major emergency brain surgery. She knew that Hilda would contact Papi for her, and that she'd let everyone know all the details after she felt up to it and hopefully had better news.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Betty came back with an entire sack full of food and two cups of coffee.
"I called Alexis. She and DJ will be coming in as soon as they can book a flight," Claire informed Betty, while she put her phone away. When she noticed the sack, she just stared at her in disbelief.
"Betty, darling, did you go to the grocery store?" she wondered
"No . . ." Betty sighed, handing Claire her coffee and setting the heavy bag down.
"I just got a couple of sandwiches, a couple of salads, a raisin bagel, an onion bagel, some fruit, five bags of chips, half a dozen chocolate chip cookies, and some fudge brownies," Betty innocently answered as she started unwrapping one of the sandwiches and offered Claire the other one.
"No, thank you, dear," Claire politely refused.
Betty put it back in the bag and vigorously began to eat hers. Daniel's procedure was going to take multiple hours, and the distraction was the only thing keeping her from going off the deep end.
"So, Betty, you were about to tell me what really went on between you and Daniel," Claire inquired as she sipped her coffee.
Betty swallowed the rest of her sandwich and tried to think of how to start. So much had happened since then, that everything was beginning to run together.
She gathered her thoughts and proceeded to tell Claire the entire story, while nervously bingeing on more of the food she had purchased.
Claire was very understanding and was horrified that her other son might have done something like that to Betty and his own brother, or anyone for that matter.
"Do you have any proof yet?" she asked.
"No. All we have is the security tape from our apartment. And that doesn't prove anything as far as a possibility of him or someone else drugging me or something. I haven't really had a whole lot of time to dig any deeper," Betty answered.
"You mentioned you don't remember much after you had your first drink. Could one of the bartenders have slipped you something?" Claire wondered.
"It's definitely possible. Maybe I should check the security camera tape there," Betty agreed. She paused to contemplate all of the disasters that had happened for a moment. "You don't think the medication mix-up was part of it, do you?" Betty speculated.
"Betty, after hearing all that has occurred in yours and my son's lives within the past two weeks, I sadly wouldn't dismiss it as a possibility. I love my other son. However, after knowing Tyler's history with drinking and witnessing Wilhelmina's shooting, I unfortunately would not be surprised," she stated, hesitating before continuing.
"But I don't feel he could have done this strictly of his own volition. However, considering the issues he has with abandonment, which are unfortunately my fault, it wouldn't take much for Tyler to be influenced by someone out of vulnerability and the need for approval," Claire sighed, disappointed with herself for failing to be there for her youngest son.
"It wasn't your fault, Claire. You tried to do the right thing for Tyler, and he's still alive today because you didn't listen to Cal," Betty eased Claire's insecurities of having given her son up for adoption. "And now that I think about it, Tyler wouldn't have been involved in switching Daniel's medication, anyway. He might still hold a slight grudge against Daniel, but he did agree to drop the charges against him after their fight at the gym. I don't think he would have done that if he had intended on harming Daniel anymore," Betty said, encouragingly.
"So you honestly think it could have just been a natural error made by the hospital's pharmaceutical staff?" Claire asked.
"It could be. I wonder if they have cameras planted in the pharmacy as well?" Betty inquired.
"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out. Stay here just in case there is any news on Daniel. I'm going to go work my Meade charm and get us some answers," Claire told Betty and rushed off on a mission.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Betty nervously tried to open another bag of chips while she waited. It ended up exploding, the chips scattering all over the floor. She bent down and started picking them up, tears brimming in her eyes. It was just one more thing to add to her day.
"Need some help?" Betty noticed a pair of men's sneakers and jeans and looked up.
"Tyler! What are you doing here?" she asked, shocked and angered.
"Mom got a hold of me," he answered.
Betty tried to comprehend why Claire would contact him, knowing what he had more than likely done to her and Daniel. And why would Tyler want to be here – to revel in everyone's pain?
"Haven't you done enough damage to your brother already? Just go away – I can't stand to be in the same room with you right now!" Betty snapped.
"Wait – I came for a reason," Tyler stopped her. "I uh, have a confession to make," he began, gesturing for Betty to sit down.
"You're right. I was trying to get back at Daniel. He's always had everything, and wouldn't give me a chance. Did you know he tried to buy me off? And he kept Amanda from me when he didn't even want her - acted like I needed his permission to date her. I guess I just wanted to take something away from him – the one person who meant the most to him – make it even, you know?" he bowed his head in shame. "I'm really sorry," he quietly said.
Betty could see that he meant it.
"Well, I can't say that I forgive you or that Daniel will – if he even makes it out of here . . ." she trailed off, holding back more tears. "But I'm grateful for your honesty. How - how did you do it?" Betty tried to remain calm.
"I found out Daniel would be out of town. I got a job as a bartender at the same place I knew the gala would be held . . . secretly slipped something in your drink that would make you hallucinate. Then I went to your apartment and waited for you, made you think I was Daniel. Which wasn't hard since that drug could make you think I was Heidi Klum," he confessed.
"Did you – did we – you know?" she nervously asked, expecting the worst.
"No! No – I never would've gone that far. You tore off your own dress and then passed out on the bed. I immediately left," Tyler insisted.
Betty sighed in relief. But simply knowing what did happen made her shudder. He drugged her . . . stalked her . . . deceived her . . . seduced her in her own home – her and Daniel's home . . . saw her naked . . . exploited her . . . used her to get to Daniel . . . Tyler almost ruined her and Daniel's relationship – the best thing that had ever happened to her, the one thing that mattered most in her life.
And to think of what Daniel had gone through. If he hadn't been in that fight with Tyler over her, he wouldn't be battling for his life right now. This made her second guess her original instinct about Tyler and this entire situation. Maybe this had been part of his plan all along – to mentally torture Daniel with losing her to the brother he loathed and then physically torturing him one way or another to get rid of him.
Betty felt sick to her stomach again. Would Tyler really go that far to gain attention from his mother? Off Daniel to become Claire's only existing son? Could that really be true? Surely Claire and Cal couldn't have produced such a vile and twisted human being. He did confess to everything on his own and seemed to regret it. But she had to know about the medication.
"Did you drug Daniel, too?" she inquired.
"What? What do you mean?" Tyler asked, confused.
"Come on, Tyler, don't lie to me! You switched his medication, didn't you?" she accused him.
"What medication? I don't know what you're talking about – I swear!" Tyler insisted.
"He's telling the truth," Claire suddenly appeared in the waiting room.
"I just viewed the security tape from the pharmacy. It was a Hartley . . . but it wasn't Tyler," she informed Betty.
"Matt?" Betty deduced in disbelief. Claire nodded.
"Oh my god! But he – I – " Betty stuttered, struggling to find coherent words, a million thoughts running through her mind. However, she was interrupted.
"Ms. Suarez? Mrs. Meade? We have some news," Dr. Michaels approached them.
A surgeon was beside him with spots of blood still on her scrubs. Betty and Claire turned around and simultaneously grabbed each other's hands, preparing for the worst.
