Somebody

Chapter 37

Thursday morning Dave wasn't sure how much more he could handle. He'd been up all night, and was worried about the little babies back in Arlington, along with the two little girls here.

He hadn't wanted either Angel or Gracie to wake up without anyone familiar around so he spent much of the night going between their rooms. Grace had waked briefly, but went almost immediately back to sleep. He was worried about Angel who hadn't moved since he arrived almost 16 hours ago.

Finally, his stomach getting the better of him, he grudgingly headed to the cafeteria to at least get a cup of coffee. He needed to pull himself together for the sake of his girls. They needed him to prove that they would be fine, and to help them recuperate and recover from whatever emotion damage his ex-wife may have inflicted.

Just as he thought of her, he saw her coming his way. He'd learned the night before that Angie hadn't suffered as severe injuries as the girls and had obviously been released this morning as predicted. He didn't want to deal with her right now, but it looked as if fate had something else to say.

"Go back home and be with your other family. You know you want to," Angie taunted when she got to his table.

"Angie, I have four children in the hospital. Don't mess with me," Dave said hoping that she would get the message and move on.

"You want to be in Arlington with Melia, her daughter and sister, and your babies. Let me stay her with mine in peace," Angie continued.

"Angie, Angel and Gracie are our daughters. If I leave now you'll just disappear with them before I get a chanced to see them again," Dave said trying to keep his composure. He was determined not to let the woman in front of him get the best of him.

"I just want time with my girls," Angie said. "There isn't anything wrong with that."

"I've had cause to keep them from you, but, I have never once kept you from those girls. You always chose to walk in and out of their lives as you please. It's not my fault that you don't think you have enough time with them," Dave said.

"They treat her like their mother, and they don't want anything to do with me," Angie protested.

"Again, you walk in and out of their lives as you please paying no attention to what they want or need. Melia is a mother to them. She's always there. She holds them when they're scared and tucks them in at night. She drives them to school and helps them with homework. She does all the things you used to do before you became so obsessed with whatever it is that makes you put your own wants and needs before theirs," Dave said. He knew if he didn't get out of this conversation soon he would completely loose it and air all of their dirty laundry in public.

"I have two little girls who need me," Angie said getting up.

Dave grabbed her wrist before saying, "When they're ready to go home, don't think you'll be the one taking them."

After Angie had left Dave called Melia and gave her an update. He decided not to tell her about Randy coming in a few days. He didn't want her to think that he didn't have faith that she could handle everything.

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Melia realized that Dave had only been gone like 16 hours, but she was already about to loose it. She wanted to be at both hospitals and at home with Cammie. The stress was just getting too much. She knew Adam had been right about asking a friend to stay with her.

There was only a minor flaw with Adam's plan. No one was available. Trish was busier than ever with her career, Jay was at home helping Denise get ready for the baby, Jeff was with Beth and working, Matt was focused on getting back to work. She'd always had someone at her beck and call whenever even the smallest crisis came up, now she was trying to cope with probably the biggest crisis she ever had, and no one was here.

This was what she always told them she wanted, but now she wasn't so sure. She didn't think that she could do this alone, but she didn't have anyone left to call. She considered calling Adam and taking him up on his offer, even though she really still didn't want to be near him. The only good part was it would have a duel purpose. It would get him away from that wench and maybe make him realize how important family is.

She didn't though. She knew that Dave would either be home soon, or find some other arrangement. She knew he hasn't said anything but the wheels in his head were always turning. He was always looking out for his family and those he loved even when they weren't sure it was him.

'Deep breaths,' she mentally coached herself when she heard the screams coming from Cammie's room. She wasn't sure if the little girl had a nightmare at nap, or the little girl was just trying to get out of taking one all together. She hoped it was the latter for the sake of the little girl. She hated when her daughter had nightmares.

The first person Cammie asked for when Melia went into her room was Dave. Melia knew that would happen. She always wanted her "Daddy" when she woke up involuntarily. She was definitely a daddy's girl by nature.

After what seemed like forever, which was in actuality about 20 minutes, of holding and soothing Cammie calmed down. The little girl was ready to get up and play. Melia wished she had the same kind of resilience that the little girl had; however, that didn't seem to be the case.

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Kennedy didn't want to tell anyone, but she'd had a creepy feeling all day. She attributed it to being all the stress that was going on right now, though deep down she knew it was something else entirely. The moment the bell rang she pulled out her cell phone and called John. She thought about the near miss her sister had caught the month prior and almost had to laugh. She was actually glad Melia had caught that before it turned into something that she regretted later. Telling that to anyone else wasn't on her list of things to do though.

"Felix, what's goin' on?" She asked.

"Getting ready for the house show tonight. What are you doin?" John asked.

"Waiting for Melia to come pick me up. Things are an absolute mess around here without Dave. Melia's going crazy," Kennedy said. She didn't admit that she felt less secure without the big burly man she had come to think of as a second father around.

"Do you blame her? She's got a crazy ex on the loose, you and Cammie to look out for and all these people in the hospital. How are you holding up?" John asked.

"Trying not to think about it. I told Melia I would stay home today, but she said that my education was the most important thing right now. Let me tell you trying to keep my mind on what my teachers are saying was more than a trip. I think that I'll go crazy if things don't change soon," Kennedy told him.

"Dave, Angel, and Grace will be back in no time and then you'll be calling me telling me how unfair it is that you're the oldest and so much more is expected of you just like you used to," John said.

"I want it to be now. Sure they're brats, but I love them like I would little sisters. I don't want to think about them not ever coming back," Kennedy said.

"Talk to Dave or Melia. I'm sure one of them will let you in the loop enough to at least know how serious their injuries are. Keep talking to them," John said.

"This coming from the man who doesn't call me anymore or anything," Kennedy teased. "I honestly don't know what I would do without your friendship."

"Thanks I think, but I have to get back to work. I'll talk to you later," John said.

Kennedy saw Melia pull up and noticed something otuof the corner of her eye, but didn't think anything of it. She just hopped into the car and decided to heed John's advice about just talking and hoping they wouldn't treat her like some little girl.