Four Days After the Baby's Birth:
Dr. Lucas enters Shirley's hospital room. "How would you like to take this little one home?"
"Yes!" She exclaims, as she dresses Christi. "We want to go home, don't we, Christi?"
"She's healthy and you're healed up enough to go home."
"You hear that, Christi? We're going home!"
The doctor smiles at the sight before him. "You take care of that sweet baby."
"Oh, I will. And, thank you."
"You're welcome."
With Christi in her arms, Shirley reflects on the events these past few days and what things were like this time last year:
I feel so mixed up right now! Am I supposed to be mourning Chris and Tracy or celebrating Christanna Mae's birth? Both? On the one hand, I am so glad Christi was born on that anniversary. It turned it from a sad day to a happy day. On the other hand, I wish she had her own birthday, apart from the anniversary. Her birth will forever be linked to her older brother and sister's deaths, and that's not fair. Oh! It makes my head hurt! I've tried to tell the kids that we can and should remember both, and that it's okay to be happy that Christi's here, and sad that Chris and Tracy are not. Although I'll always miss them, I am so happy that I get to experience being a new parent for the sixth time. I know Chris and Tracy would be happy for us.
In Laurie's hospital room (nearly two weeks after the accident):
Shirley and Chuck sleep in each other's arms, in the other bed. Laurie quietly weeps, tears soaking into her pillow. Shirley hears her daughter's cries and awakens. She crawls out of bed and is by her side. "Laurie, are you okay?"
"No," she sniffs.
Alarmed, her brain goes into hyperdrive. "Are you hurting? Are you thirsty? Do I need to call the nurse?"
Chuck, noticing his beloved is no longer in bed, awakens, "Is everything okay?"
Laurie continues to cry.
"Honey," Shirley begins, as she strokes her daughter's hair, "I can't help if you won't tell me."
"You can't help," she sobs, "no one can."
"Why don't you try? I might be able to help."
She sits up as best she can, which is more like leaning back on her right arm, and hisses, "Then make me walk!"
"I wish I could," the Partridge matriarch sighs.
Laurie lays back down, replying, "I told you that you couldn't help." She turns her head away and spits, "Just go back to bed with your boy toy!"
Shirley's jaw hits the floor.
"I'm going to go see if there's any coffee," Chuck coughs, excusing himself from the room.
"Laurie Lynn Partridge! What has gotten into you?"
"What has gotten into me?" she barks. "I can tell you what's gotten into me. The accident! That's what's gotten into me!"
Shirley sighs.
"I'm stuck in this stupid bed! You, Keith and Danny can walk wherever you want, but I can't! Keith and Danny look great and other than the stitches in your head, you're fine. I've got this hot and itchy cast on me, these pins that hurt like crazy, and I can only feel part of the bed and this back brace!"
"You're alive!" she yells, having enough at the moment. "Chris and Tracy are dead! Have you thought about that? Huh?" She walks away, back towards her daughter, hiding her tears. "I didn't think so."
"Mom!"
Laurie sees her mother's shoulders drop and hears her sigh. "Did you ever stop to think maybe Chris and Tracy would gladly trade places with you?" She whips around, anger written all over her face, "They're lying in a refrigerator in the city morgue!" Suddenly she stops short, as she sees her daughter in a full-blown wail. "Oh baby!" she sighs, repentant, "I didn't mean to make you upset. Tell me. What's going on?"
"I'm sorry!" she bawls. "All I hear is Chris and Tracy are dead. I know they are." She inhales as she continues, "But what about me? I'm never going to walk again!"
"You don't know that," Shirley continues, matter-of-fact.
"Yes, I do!"
"Fine," she responds, giving up the argument. "Please, tell me what's wrong? What is it like for you?"
"It's awful, mom!" She sniffs. "Mom, can you get in bed with me and hold me?"
Although she doesn't want to, Shirley crawls in bed, the way the doctor instructed a week ago, and cradles her daughter. She kisses her on the cheek. "Tell me."
"Everything feels so different."
"How so?"
"I can feel things from the waist up. Besides the cast and pins, everything feels the same as it did before the accident."
"Okay?" she replies, not really understanding.
"But from the waist down, everything's numb. You know when you sit on your foot and it goes to sleep?"
"Yes?"
"That's kind of how it feels... or doesn't feel."
"Ugh!"
"I know I'm lying in the bed, and I know you're beside me... I can feel your arms around me, but I can sorta feel my hips on the bed, but not really anything else."
Shirley rubs one of Laurie's legs. "Anything?"
"No."
She sits up and massages Laurie's right foot. "Anything?"
"No."
Shirley sighs in defeat and lies back down. "Honey, I'm so sorry." She strokes her daughter's face. "I can't even begin to know how difficult this is for you."
"I'm sorry I said that stuff earlier, especially about Chuck." Tears roll down her cheeks and soak her gown. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I think you did." Shirley regroups, "I don't want to start another argument, but I believe you meant to hurt me, and you did."
"I'm sorry."
"I know you are. You're hurting, not just physically, but you're hurting inside too, and you want someone else to hurt as badly as you do."
Laurie just sobs.
"I'm going to take a stab here, but I suspect you feel caught in the middle."
"What do you mean?" the younger woman asks, curious.
"Keith, Danny and I are basically unhurt."
"Yes?"
Shirley sighs, "and Chris and Tracy are dead."
"Uh-huh?"
"And here you are, alive but hurt very badly."
"Yeah?"
"And while Keith, Danny and I will heal, and Chris and Tracy are no longer alive, you don't know whether or not you'll make a full recovery."
"Mom," Laurie chimes in, a bit annoyed, "Say it. It's doubtful I'll recover. I'm never going to walk again!"
"Okay," she repeats, giving in, "And while Keith, Danny and I will heal, and Chris and Tracy are no longer alive, it's not very likely that you'll ever walk again."
"Exactly!" Laurie mourns.
Shirley's face falls as she realizes what her daughter's experiencing. "Oh Laurie! My baby girl! I am so very sorry." She kisses the tears from her cheeks.
"Mom, you hit the nail on the head. I am sorry I hurt you. I did mean to hurt you, and I'm sorry." Laurie exhales, relieved, "thank you for understanding me."
"I'm your mother. Don't ever be afraid to tell me how you're feeling."
"Okay, I won't."
"Now," the blonde woman soothes, "close your eyes and relax. We both need to get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."
"Can you sing to me? Not a song we sang in our band, but my favourite song from when I was little?"
"Anything you want. You are my sunshine?"
"Yes."
"All right." She sings and by the second verse, Laurie is sound asleep.
About half an hour later, Chuck returns, almost afraid of what may be transpiring in the room. However, when he returns, the room is quiet. Shirley and Laurie are asleep. He walks to Shirley's side of the bed and kisses his beloved on the cheek. Shirley awakens. "I didn't mean to wake you up," he whispers.
"It's okay," she replies. "I'm going to sleep here."
"Everything all right?"
"It will be."
"Okay. Good night." He kisses her again before climbing into the other bed.
Laurie awakens. "Chuck?" she whispers.
"Yes?" he responds, getting out of bed and approaching Laurie's side of the bed.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about earlier. I meant to hurt you and mom, and I'm sorry about that." She inhales and continues, "You're good for mom. I'm glad you're here."
"Thanks, Laurie. I really appreciate that."
"Anyway, good night, Chuck. And, thanks."
"Good night." He kisses her on the cheek and climbs back into his bed.
Shirley, unbeknownst to Laurie, heard their conversation and smiles.