Chapter 51
Ashley and Aiden are scrubbing for surgery. "Ashley how are you doing?" Aiden asked.
"I'm nervous as hell Aiden. Look… my hands are still shaking. I don't think I can do this."
"Ashley you've operated on Spencer before, twice as a matter of fact. What's the problem now?"
"She's my fiancée now, we live together. I am so into her I can't even think straight sometimes."
"Ashley you were emotionally involved with Spencer when you did those first two surgeries whether you realized it or not and you did a brilliant job, both times. She's walking now. No one would have thought she would be doing that and you're part of the reason. You can do this Ash. You have to do this. You are a surgeon and Spencer needs your skills if she's going to survive."
"Doctors what's the hold up? The patient is prepped and ready," the surgical nurse stressed.
"Okay thank you Anita, just give us another minute," Aiden stated.
Ashley closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. "You're right Aiden. I need to push my emotions aside and get in there and do what I was trained to do. Save lives."
"I would hug you Ashley but we're both sterile," he said laughing.
Ashley also laughed, "yeah but I'll expect my hug after the surgery, come on lets get in there and save Spencer's life," she said.
"That's what I want to hear… my girl." "Don't let Spencer hear you calling me your girl Aiden, she might just kick your ass."
"Ha! In hers and your dreams," he said.
///
While Ashley and Aiden were in surgery Spencer's family and some of their close friends waited, praying that the surgery would go well. "Excuse me I'm looking for the Carlin family."
Arthur gets up, "I'm Arthur Carlin and this is my family," he said pointing in the direction of the table they were all sitting at.
"Mr. Carlin I'm Detective Barnes, I'm investigating the attack on your son Spencer Carlin. It is Spencer correct?" "Spencer is my daughter."
"Sorry. Mr. Carlin can you tell me why would a… Ms. Alexandra Van Der Meir attack Ms. Carlin?" He asked looking at his notes.
"No detective I can't tell you why, but her parents are sitting over there. They, along with my daughter's fiancée Dr. Davies could probably tell you."
"Okay so where is Dr. Davies?" he asked.
"She is performing surgery on her fiancée."
"Oh, Dr. Davies is female and she operating on her fiancée, you're kidding right?" He asked surprised.
"No I'm not."
"I'm sorry, I truly apologize Mr. Carlin if I seem a little shocked. Please don't be offended, the street cops who arrested Ms. Van Der Meir and wrote their reports were lacking a lot of details when they were given to me. I wasn't sure about the genders of the people involved because they gave no descriptions. So Ms. Carlin and Dr. Davies are gay?"
"Yes and so is Ms. Van Der Meir," Arthur replied.
"Okay so I'm going to assume temporarily that this is a crime of unrequited love."
"Why would you assume that Detective Barnes?" Arthur asked.
"The officers did put in their report that it seem like a lover's quarrel that had gotten out of hand."
"I'll take you over to Mr. and Mrs. Van Der Meir. Alexandra is their daughter. Wardell this detective would like to talk to you about the attack," Arthur said then left to sit back down by his wife.
"Mr. Van Der Meir, I'm Detective Barnes. Can you tell me why your daughter would attack Ms. Carlin?"
"My daughter was obsessed with Dr. Davies. She and Dr. Davies were lovers for a brief period, until Dr. Davies met Ms. Carlin. When Dr. Davies realized she had fallen in love with Ms. Carlin she severed her relationship with my daughter."
"And how did your daughter take the breakup?"
"Very badly, she was obsessed with getting Dr. Davies back into her life. She even elicited the help of Ms. Carlin's ex-girlfriend, which ended tragically."
"Yes I read that report, the ex-girlfriend of Ms. Carlin was running away from the police and she crashed her vehicle into an embankment."
"After that incident, I realized my daughter needed professional help so I packed her off to Switzerland to a clinic for the mentally disturbed. She was there until last week. The doctors there said she was fine and could come home."
"Did she make contact with Dr. Davies at anytime when she came back from Switzerland?"
"Yes she called her to congratulate her on her upcoming nuptial. That was the end of that, I thought."
"Did your daughter give you any indication that she was going to harm Ms. Carlin?"
"No, none whatsoever. She did tell me she wanted to go to the wedding but her mother and I told her it would not be a good idea for her to attend."
"Was your daughter on any kind of medication for her mental condition, Mr. Van Der Meir?" "Yes."
"And was she taking it?"
"I don't know I haven't been home yet to check medicines. Her mother and I assumed she was. When we ask her if she was taking her medication she would tell us she was."
"I see and you didn't check her bottles? You just took her word that she was taking her medicine?"
"Detective Barnes my daughter is a grown woman, capable of taking her medicines without being monitored or having her parents acting like pill popping cops," Wardell said angrily. "Look I need to go and take my wife home if that's alright with you."
"Yes of course but I may have some more questions later. Thank you Mr. Van Der Meir."
"Detective Barnes… what's going to happen to my daughter?"
"She'll be arraigned than put through some psychological tests to determine if she's fit to stand trial for her attempts to harm Ms. Carlin. Your daughter has committed a serious crime today. She'll more than likely be spending a very long time in a mental institution or prison. I noticed an old restraining order against your daughter in a file we have at police headquarters and I can tell you Mr. Van Der Meir your money will not get her out of her mess this time, the detective said with a snide attitude."
"I understand Detective Barnes. I have no intentions of using my influence to get my daughter out of her situation. She needs help," Wardell said sadly.
"Mr. Carlin do you know how long the surgery is suppose to last?" "No, Dr. Davies didn't say."
"Well I'll have to come back later. I'll be back in a couple of hours."
After Detective Barnes left, everyone went back to waiting quietly.
"Arthur, Clarice and I are leaving. I need to get her home so she can rest. Again I apologize for my daughter's actions. I take full responsibility and don't worry about Spencer's hospital bill. I'll take care of it."
"Wardell it's okay. I need you to do me a favor old friend." "Anything Arthur."
"Please stop taking the blame for what Alexandra does in her life. Like you told the detective, she's a grown woman. Let her start taking responsibility for her own actions," Arthur said. "I'll call you later and let you know how Spencer is doing."
"Thanks Arthur but that won't be necessary. I'm going to stay in constant touch with the hospital while I'm at home with Clarice."
"Paula I'm so sorry," Clarice said.
"It's okay Clarice, I'll call you later and we can talk. We haven't done that in a long time." Paula said squeezing her hands. "Yes that would be nice."
///
"It's been three hours dad, what's going on?" Glen whined.
"I don't know Glen," Arthur said.
"Glen come and sit down. You're wearing a hole in the carpet and with your cheap self you're not going to pay the hospital so they can fix it," Clay said jokingly.
"Hey, I am not cheap," Glen said.
"Yes you are," they all said laughing.
"Ashley is going to take good care of Baby Sis," Clay said ruffling his brother's hair.
///
Forty-five minutes later Ashley appears in the waiting room. Arthur jumps up, "how's Spencer?"
"She's fine so far. There was a clot and some swelling had begun. We removed it, relieving the pressure, now we wait."
"Is she still in a coma," Paula asked.
"Yes," Ashley replied. "Well when will she wake up?" Paula asked again.
"I don't know Paula," she said with tears threatening to spill.
Paula sees the glistening of Ashley's eyes and hugs her tightly. "You did good Ashley. I'm sorry I don't mean to badger you I just need to know what to expect."
"Ashley there was a detective here wanting to ask you some questions," Kyla said. "He said he would come back later."
"Okay thanks I'll watch out for him."
"Paula, Arthur, Spencer is going to be in ICU for at least twenty-four hours, if no complications occur than they'll move her to a private room. You'll be able to see her then. Why don't you go home, rest up and I'll see you guys sometime tomorrow," Ashley said. "I'll call you if anything changes."
"Ashley you need to get some rest yourself. You look exhausted," Paula said.
"I'm going to stay here with Spencer. I won't be able to rest at home. I need to be near her. I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up."
"Thank you Ashley… for everything," Arthur said.
"I'm going to change clothes now so I can sit with Spencer. I don't want her to wake up and I'm still in these scrubs."
///
Twenty minutes later Aiden finds Kyla still at the hospital. "Kyla why are you still here?" He asked.
"I wanted to know how you were doing. I know how close you are to Ashley."
"I'm fine," he replied.
"Ashley's not doing so well but the surgery she performed was amazing. She was her old self in that operating room. If Spencer doesn't come out of the coma it won't be because of Ashley."
"You look tired Aiden, let me take you home."
"Thanks Kyla will you stay with me?" Kyla smiles, "yes I will."
///
Three days later…. Ashley is at Spencer's bedside.
"Spencer, please I know you can hear me. Please wake up I need to see those beautiful blue eyes that I fell in love with. I'm so lost without you please come back to me. I love you so much."
Madison walks into Spencer's room as Ashley is talking to her. "Dr. Davies you have been here for three days straight. You need to go home and rest."
"I'll rest when Spencer wakes up Madison. I can't leave her, she's my life."
"I understand doctor. I just need to check her vitals and I'll leave you alone with her."
"Thanks Madison."
Arthur walks into Spencer's room, "Ashley how's Spencer today?"
"The same Arthur, I'm just waiting for her to wake up. It's been three days since the surgery, I know she hears me. Maybe I missed something during the surgery, maybe there was another clot."
"Ashley I'm as anxious as you are for her to wake up. She will, when her body's ready. She's been through a lot in the past year. Why don't you go and get some coffee, I'll sit with Spencer," Arthur suggested.
"If you don't mind Arthur I want to stay here."
"Okay well than I'll go get us both some coffee," he said squeezing her shoulder.
"Thanks Arthur."
Taking hold of Spencer's hand Ashley caresses it. "Spencer I love you. I love you so much. You're going to be alright. Come back to me."
///
Five days later…
Ashley is still at Spencer's beside. "I don't know Aiden it's been five days and Spencer is still in a coma. Did I miss something," she asked herself.
"Ash you did everything possible. It's up to Spencer now. We did another CT scan and an EEG. The results were normal no bleeding, no swelling, her brain waves are normal, we just don't know why she's still in the coma. Why don't you try talking to her?"
"I've been doing that Aiden," Ashley snapped frustrated.
"No Ash, talk to her. Let her hear your love not your fear. I'll come back later."
"Thanks Aiden."
With a sigh, Ashley takes her shoes off and climbs into the bed with Spencer. She wrapped her arms around Spencer as best she could due to the wires of the monitor and IV pump still attached to her. "Spencer you mean everything to me and when you get better we'll going to go away and get married, as soon as you're physically able to. I'm not going to wait for us to arrange anything we're going to hop on a plane and go somewhere exotic."
"Hey you remember when we were in your room at the Center making out and Mr. Patrick came bursting in complaining he couldn't sleep. Not because we were too loud but because we weren't loud enough," Ashley said laughing. "And remember when you ran into the kitchen buck naked because you thought I was in trouble, oh God Spence everytime I think of that it puts a smile on my face and makes me so horny at the same time, remembering the way your body looked. I would have made love to you right then and there if your father hadn't been standing there. And that look of horror on his face seeing his daughter naked… priceless," she said laughing again. "I'm going to learn to cook Spencer, you know I was watching the food network but when your father was living next door to us it wasn't necessary for me to use my newfound culinary skills with two cooks in the house."
"But now that your dad's gone back home I'm going to start cooking as soon as you get home. I'm going to cook you a candlelight dinner, nothing but the best for my baby," Ashley said with tears streaming down her face. "I love you babe, if you die, I die, please wake up. Dear God bring her back to me."
"Spence I know you can hear me, squeeze my hand. Spence concentrate on my voice, let my voice guide you out."
Ashley puts Spencer's hand on her heart, "Spence feel my heart. It beats only for you. Spence feel my heart and listen to my voice, let them carry you out of your sleep. I'm here waiting for you."
Ashley pulls Spencer closer to her and begins to softly sing near her ear…
"When I first saw you, you had sparkle in your eye
Like the stars at night, High in the sky.
How I wish, that you were mine
Cause to me, you're one of a kind.
When I look at you, it seems so untrue
How someone like you, can make me feel the way you do.
Sparkle in your eye, Sparkle in your eye."
Ashley holds the hand pressed against her chest while she sings softly and feels movement. Spencer's fingers move than tighten around Ashley's hand.
"Oh my God, Spencer… wake up. Wake up Spencer," Ashley said loudly.
Spencer's eyes fluttered open than closed, "Spencer open your eyes." They fluttered open again, "that's it Spence you can do it babe open your eyes. Spencer, oh God you're awake." She squeezes Ashley's hand tighter. Ashley leans over to kiss her forehead. "I'm going to ring the nurse so she can have Aiden paged, he's your doctor… again," she said smiling down at Spencer. Ashley pushes the call button.
'Yes, Dr. Davies," the nurse answered.
"Ms. Carlin is awake please page Dr. Dennison." "Yes doctor right away."
A/N: Here is my disclaimer: the song partially sung by Ashley does not belong to me. It belongs to whomever. The name of the song was Sparkle sung by Cameo. I own nothing but this storyline.
