Michael was sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, his head in his hands. All he could think about was Meg and what had happened to her. It was the first time in a long time that he could admit to himself that he was terrified. When he saw Meg lying on the ground and thought about what that man could have done to her, it made him physically ill.
He didn't notice a woman rush past him, heading for the desk. Slowly he raised his head. Getting up, he decided to get a cup of coffee. As he walked by the desk, he heard someone say
"I need to find out about my daughter."
"What is her name?"
"Meg…Meg Pryor."
Michael stopped when he heard the name. Turning his attention to the desk, he saw the blond woman standing at the desk.
"Yes Mrs. Pryor. Let me find out what room she is in."
"Thank you."
The woman stood up and opened a door. Michael waited for a moment, then walked over to where she was standing.
"Mrs. Pryor?"
Helen turned to a young man that had just approached her.
"Yes?"
"My name is Michael Brooks. I work at the Bandstand studio. I brought Meg here."
"What happened?"
"Meg was attacked outside the studio." He said, "She was waiting for her brother outside. I guess he was running late."
"Meg's brother wasn't picking her up."
"I was standing right there when…" he stopped, shaking his head, "She told me her brother was going to pick her up. I was going to wait outside with her but the phone rang. She left while I was on the phone. When I got outside, I didn't see her. Mrs. Pryor I am so sorry. I…I never meant for this to happen."
A moment later, 2 men ran over to them
"Helen, what's going on."
Helen threw her arms around one of them.
"Jack, I don't know." She said, "They won't tell me anything."
"Mrs. Pryor?"
Helen turned as the nurse approached them.
"I can take you back to see Meg now."
"Thank you." She said, "Can my husband come too."
"Of course." She said, "The doctor will want to talk with you both."
"Will you be all right Mr. P?"
Jack turned to the man next o him.
"Yes Henry. Thank you for the ride."
"No problem. Call if you need anything else."
"Can you go back and make sure the store is closed up."
"I will. Night Mr. P, Mrs. P."
The man walked away, heading out the door. Slowly Helen and Jack followed the nurse to a door. Michael stood there as they disappeared through the door. After a moment, he turned and headed back for the waiting area. He dropped into one of the seats, his eyes staying fixed on the door.
Please let her be all right.
Meg's eyes opened slowly. She wasn't sure where she was but she knew it wasn't her room. Turning her head to the side, she saw a white curtain. Turning it to the other side, she saw a similar white curtain.
Where am I?
She tried to sit up but the room started to spin. Slowly she laid her head down, closing her eyes. She heard the curtain part. Opening her eyes, she saw a woman in a white uniform step inside.
"Meg, there's someone here to see you."
As she stepped aside, Helen and Jack stepped through the curtain.
"Mom…Dad? What are you…where am I?"
Helen walked over to the bed. Her eyes widened as she saw the cut on her daughter's forehand, the large bruise on her cheek. Meg started to sit up but Helen stopped her.
"Stay still. The doctor will be in to see you in a moment."
"Doctor? Why am I…" her voice trailed off as her eyes widened.
"Meg? Meg, what's wrong."
"He…he grabbed me…." She managed as tears filled her eyes.
"Who grabbed you?" Jack asked
"The…the man."
"Do you know who he was."
"N…no." she said, her eyes filling with tears, "I was so scared."
Helen wrapped an arm around her daughter. Meg winced, causing Helen to release her. The curtain parted again. A man holding a chart stepped inside. Meg pulled away from her mother.
"Meg Pryor?"
"That's me." She said, sitting up slightly
"I'm Doctor Harrison." He said, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"
"I…I…" she looked up at her parents, "I…"
"Mr. and Mrs. Pryor, would you mind stepping outside with me for a moment."
He pulled back the curtain and they stepped outside. Closing the curtain, he turned to them. Speaking quietly, he said
"Would you mind if I spoke with Meg in private?"
"We have a right to know what happened to our daughter." Jack said
"And I am sure she will tell you." Dr. Harrison said, "But right now she is scared and confused."
"Jack, let him talk to her." Helen said
Jack looked at his wife. Slowly he turned to the doctor.
"All right."
The doctor parted the curtain and stepped inside. A nurse walked over to them a few minutes later.
"Mr. Pryor?"
Jack turned to the woman.
"Yes?"
"Sir, we need you to sign some papers. Would you come with me please?"
Jack looked at Helen.
"Its all right. Go on."
Jack followed the woman towards the desk. Helen looked around, waiting for the doctor to come out. The doctor opened the curtain a few minutes later.
"Mrs. Pryor?"
"How is she?"
"She seems to be fine. I asked her about reporting it to the police but she didn't want to."
"Did she say why?"
"No." he said, "There is one more thing. I would like to keep her overnight."
"Is everything all right."
"Its just a precaution." He said, "She hit her head when she fell. I'll make the arrangements for a room."
"Thank you doctor."
The doctor nodded and moved towards the desk. Helen pushed open the curtain to find Meg lying on the bed, her eyes closed.
"Meg?"
Meg's eyes opened slowly.
"Mom where's Michael?"
"Who's Michael." Jack asked, pulling open the curtain. "Is he the one who did this to you?"
"Michael works at the studio." Meg said, "If he didn't come along…"
Helen moved towards the bed. She slipped her arm around her daughter, trying to comfort her. Jack wasn't sure what to say. He had never imagined something like this would happen, at least not to one of his children. Meg slowly pulled away.
"Can we go home now?"
"Meg the doctors want you to stay." Helen said
"But…but I want to go home." Meg said, tears welling up in her eyes, "Why do I have to stay."
Helen was about to speak when Jack stepped forward.
"Meg the doctors want to make sure everything is all right." He said, "You hit you head when you fell."
Meg was about to say something when the curtain parted and the doctor stepped inside again.
"Meg we have a room ready for you." He said, "Someone will be along in a few minutes to take you upstairs."
"All right." Meg whispered
"Can we stay until they get here." Helen asked
"Of course."
The doctor parted the curtain, leaving them alone. Helen sat on the edge of the bed, slipping an arm around her daughter. Jack walked around to the other side of the bed.
"Meg, do you remember anything about what happened?" Jack asked
"I…I…" Meg whispered, looking at her father, "I can't…Not…not now."
"Jack can we have a minute." She said
Jack looked at Helen.
"Why don't you call home and let JJ know what's going on so he doesn't worry."
After a moment, Jack nodded. He pushed open the curtain and walked away. Turning back to Meg, Helen whispered
"Its all right. You don't have to tell us now."
"Thanks mom."
The curtain parted again a moment later. A girl pushing a wheelchair said
"Meg Pryor?"
"Yes."
"I'm Annie." She said, "I'm here to take you to your room."
Helen helped Meg off the bed and into the wheelchair. Once she was settled, Annie pulled the chair into the emergency room.
"Would you like to come with us Mrs. Pryor?"
"I should probably wait for my husband." She said, "He went to call our son."
"All right. I'll take Meg upstairs and get her settled in her room." She said, "She's going to be in room 213. Just take the elevator by the nurses station to the second floor. When you get off the elevator, the nurses station is on your left. Just go there and they will take you to the room."
"Thank you."
Annie nodded and pushed the chair towards a long hallway. As they traveled through the hallway, Annie looked down and saw Meg looking around.
"Is this your first time staying in a hospital?"
"No but I was only 7 the last time."
"So what happened?" Annie asked, "If you don't mind my asking?"
"I…I was waiting for the bus and a man grabbed me."
"You poor girl." She said, "How did you get away."
"I…I almost didn't." she said, "If Michael hadn't come along."
Annie stopped outside an elevator. She pushed the button and the door slid open. Pushing the wheelchair inside, she hit the button for the second floor. As the door slid shut, Annie asked
"Who's Michael, your boyfriend?"
"My boyfriend. No Michael is a guy who works at the tv studio downtown. He's a producer for American Bandstand." Meg said, "I'm one of the dancers."
"I thought I recognized you."
The elevator stopped on the second floor and the door slid open. Annie pushed the chair off the elevator and over towards the nurses' station. A woman behind the counter looked up.
"Hey Annie. What you got for us tonight."
"Julie, this is Meg." Annie said, "Meg this is Julie, the head nurse. She'll take you to your room and help you get settled."
"Okay." Meg whispered
Annie stepped back, releasing the wheelchair. She turned, heading back towards the elevator. Julie stepped around the counter and walked over to the wheelchair.
"Let's get you to your room." She said, "Then we can get you settled and you can get some sleep."
Meg nodded. Julie pushed the chair towards the room. She pushed the chair in the room, stopping to turn on the light. Pushing the chair over to the bed, she set the brakes on the chair. She pulled back the covers on the bed and helped Meg in.
"Is there anything you would like?"
"No thank you."
Julie walked out and a few minutes later, Helen and Jack arrived.
"Mom, Dad."
Helen walked over to the bed and began straightening the sheets. Jack hung back, still not coming too close. HE was still having a hard time with what had happened. He wasn't use to feeling this helpless when it came to his children.
"Dad?"
Jack moved towards the bed.
"Dad, I…I…I'm sorry." She managed to whisper
"Why are you sorry Meg?"
"I shouldn't have gone out there alone." She managed, "Its all my fault."
Jack felt his heart break. He moved towards his daughter, taking her in his arms.
"Its not your fault." He said, "Don't ever think that what that man did is in anyway your fault."
He pulled away slowly, Meg wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand. A moment later, Dr. Harrison walked in again.
"Hello Meg." He said, moving towards the bed.
He pulled a small penlight from his coat pocket and shined it in her eyes.
"How are you feeling." He said, "Any headaches or dizziness when you got up."
"No." she said, "My cheek and my arm are sore."
"They may be for a few days." He said, "Would you like me to give you something for the pain?"
Meg shook her head.
"I…I just want to sleep."
"That sounds like a good idea." He said, "A good night's sleep might be what you need."
"Meg would you like us to stay for a while." Helen asked
"No mom." She said, "Go home and make sure Patty and Will are okay."
Helen walked over to the bed and kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Call us if you need anything." She said, "We'll see you tomorrow."
"All right." She said, "Night mom, night dad."
Meg pulled the blanket up and closed her eyes. Slowly the three people crept out of the room. The doctor closed the door, turning to Helen and Jack.
"She's an extremely lucky young lady. This could have been much worse than it was."
"Did she tell you anything doctor?"
"Only that a man grabbed out when she was waiting for the bus." He said, "And that someone named Michael came to her rescue. Do you know who Michael is."
"He works at the TV studio where American Bandstand is broadcast." Helen said, "Meg was working on a project with him tonight."
"Well your daughter was lucky that he was there tonight." He said, "Is there anything I can do for you tonight."
"No thank you doctor." Jack said, holding out his hand
The doctor shook his hand and headed down the hall. Jack led Helen towards the elevator. Neither of them spoke as the elevator made its way towards the ground floor. They stepped off the elevator and moved towards the lobby. As Jack led her towards the exit, Helen stopped.
"What is it?"
She pointed to the waiting area where a man was sleeping.
"I…I think that's Michael."
She made her way over to where the man was sitting. Reaching out, she touched his shoulder. The man sat up, looking around.
"Excuse me for asking." He said, "Are you Michael?"
"Yes."
"In all the confusion we didn't get a chance to meet. I'm Helen Pryor and this is my husband Jack."
"Mr. Pryor, its an honor sir. Meg has told me so much about you. About both of you." He said "I wish we could have met under better circumstances."
"I know." Helen said, "Meg has told us about you too. Thank you for looking out for our daughter tonight."
"Meg's a special girl." He said, "Is she all right."
"She's fine. " Helen said, "The doctor wants her to stay overnight just to make sure everything is all right."
"Can I see her?"
"I don't think they will let anyone up there tonight." Helen said, "But you would probably be able to see her tomorrow. She's in room 213."
"213." He said, "Thank you Mrs, Pryor."
"No, thank you." Jack said, "Thank you for being there for our daughter."