No More Games

Chapter Thirty Six

Lee got Amanda to Galilee and Dr. Craig examined her while Lee was in the waiting area. Dotty arrived shortly after and found Lee. "Where's Amanda? Is she going to be all right? "

Lee sat her down with him and shook his head. "I don't know yet. Dr. Craig's still in there with her. Now, about the nightmare. How bad was it?"

Dotty sighed. "Lee, I don't know! The boys and I were awakened early this morning by a crash we heard and ran to her room, and she was on the floor sobbing with her dresser mirror smashed around her! It must have frightened her very badly. She looked like she was in a daze after that- I couldn't snap her out of it."

Lee put an arm around her and said gently, "I-I'm sorry. It must have been hell seeing her like that. And you said her hands were cut? "

Dotty nodded. "They gave her stitches at the E.R. Oh, and they had this doctor who needed a lesson in bedside manners-ooh! But the nurse wasn't much better! I'm going to write or call someone when I get home! "

Lee shook his head knowing Dotty was going to go off on one of her tangents and soothed her saying, "Take it easy, huh? We're at the right place this time and she'll get the help she needs, okay? How are the boys? "

Dotty sighed. "They're worried for Amanda of course but I told them they needed to be at school. There wouldn't be anything for them to do except worry and that they needed to keep busy. Amanda would want that."

Lee patted her hand. "You're a terrific grandmother. Wish I'd known mine. "

Dotty said, "Your grandparents are gone? "

Lee nodded. "I don't remember them anyway. My parents were killed when I was young and I was raised by my uncle who's in the Air Force. "

Dotty took Lee's hand. "Now I'm sorry. But from here on out, you can consider us as your family-whether you and Amanda stay together or not. "

Lee hugged her warmly. "Thank you. And I intend to stay so please don't ever worry about that, all right? "

Dotty chuckled lightly. "All right."

Just then, Dr. Craig came out. Lee and Dotty both stood up. Dotty said, "How is Amanda? "

Dr. Craig said, "Well, I'm sensing the stress from her marina accident is what's causing her catatonia. With your permission, I'd like to begin ECT treatments as soon as possible."

Lee said, "Shock therapy? Can't you just give her meds, Doc? "

Dr. Craig said," It's the combination of both that helps patients with this kind of mental trauma recover faster than just one or the other treatment. "

Lee looked at Dotty. "What do you think? "

Dotty sat down and shook her head. "My poor girl's been through so much already. Will it really help her, Dr. Craig? "

Dr. Craig said, "Your daughter's healthy and strong. That's a plus for her. It's different for every patient, but I have a feeling Amanda will come out of this all right. It's just going to take time. Will you consider it, Mrs. West? "

Dotty thought about the daughter she raised who's raising her own two boys and then thought that if she didn't do this...

She then stood up and said, "I need my daughter back! Are there forms I have to sign? "

Dr. Craig nodded and said, "Of course. This way..."

Dotty said, "Wait a moment. Lee? Are you all right with this? "

Lee swallowed hard. "Do you even have to ask? I want her back too! Doc, can I go see her? "

Dr. Craig nodded. "Yes. Visits help as well. Go right ahead. Stay as long as you like."

Lee went into Amanda's room and saw her with her I.V. and sat down in the chair near her bed and joked, "We gotta stop meeting like this, honey. It's getting old. "

Taking her hand, he kissed it and said, "I know you're in there somewhere sweetheart and believe me, your mom and I are gonna fight like hell to get you home again. But you have to fight and give it all you got too! We all love you and want you back again. "

He then saw Dotty enter the room and got up kissing Amanda's temple saying, " You need time with your mom now. I've gotta take care of some things, but I'll be back later, okay? I love you. "

He hugged Dotty on the way out saying, "I'll pick the boys up after school if you'd like and we can talk to them later about this but it's up to you what you think they can handle. "

Dotty nodded and said, "I knew you were a good fit for my daughter. She's very lucky to have found you. See you at the house later."

Lee got out of the hospital and got into his car closing his door and dialed Billy. "I- I'm coming in. Can we talk? "

When he got to the Agency he got to Billy's office and Billy closed the blinds as Francine came in, and then Billy locked the door and got on his phone and said, "No calls. "

Billy then saw what once was a strong young man crumple up on the couch and begin sobbing! "I-I don't know what to do! Please help me!"

Francine went to hold him and looked at Billy stunned! What happened?!

Billy brought the chair over near Lee and sat down and patted Lee's shoulder. "Son, it's going to be all right. Just calm down and tell us what happened? "

Lee finally spent sat up slowly and gasped saying slowly, "I'm-I'm sorry. I guess I haven't cried like that since my folks died. It-it's Amanda. She had one of the worst setbacks last night. She had a nightmare of some sort from what Dotty told me. When she and the kids found her, she was crying on the floor and had broken her dresser mirror and cut her hands badly. They took her first to the E.R. and then we had to go to Galilee again."

Francine shook her head, "How bad is it, Lee? "

Lee looked at his two friends and said, "She's catatonic and they want to start shock therapy..."

TBC