Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 17
A short time later, John, Marlena, Belle and Shawn arrived at Salem University Hospital. They found Brady in the waiting room. They were immediately concerned by his appearance. He was a wreck; his jacket was gone and his shirt was untucked, the top buttons undone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was pacing nervously. He looked up in surprise to see his family. His usually tan face was pale and drawn, his eyes bloodshot.
"How is she, son?" John asked, throwing his arms around him in a deep hug. More than anything he wanted to make things better for Brady, to take the pain away.
"They're.... examining her right now." Brady melted in his father's embrace. Brady prided himself on his strength, his independance. But right now he was reminded of how much he needed his family. He broke away and looked at John and everyone.
"What are you....How did you?" He found talking difficult. He couldn't focus enough to complete a sentence.
"Maggie called me. She said that something serious had happened to Chloe, and that you were here."
Belle gave Brady a big hug. She was so scared for her big brother. She had never seen him like this. Brady was always the strong one, her hero. Now he looked lost, alone. And it scared her.
Marlena looked uncomfortable for a moment. She wanted to be there for Brady, but their relationship in the past had been very rocky. They were only now becoming close again, and she was unsure of how to approach him.
"I'm going to get us some coffee." She turned and left. She spotted Nancy Wesley at the registrar station. Nancy was busy filing forms and entering insurance information on patient charts. She appeared to be running on automatic - her mind was not in her work. Marlena knew that any minute now she would completely break down.
Marlena hesitated a minute before going up to her. They had once been happy coworkers, even friends. But their radioshow had driven a wedge between them. That's in the past, she decided.
"Nancy, you shouldn't be working at a time like this. Get someone else to do this." She said gently.
"There is no one else." Nancy replied simply. "We were short staffed to begin with. And the train wreck has us overloaded with patients. I came in to help with the paperwork so we could treat them faster.... We've called in additional staff, but they won't get here for an hour or more. Besides," Nancy gave a small smile. "It helps me to keep my mind off Chloe. Otherwise, I'd be an emotional wreck."
Marlena nodded in agreement, remembering when her own daughter Belle had been in a coma just 2 years earlier. She had thought she would lose her mind with worry.
"How is Craig holding up?" Marlena asked.
"He's keeping busy also, treating all the new patients. Dr. Collin Murphy volunteered to examine Chloe, she's in with him now. He's running several tests - CAT scan and the like." Nancy replied, her eyes losing their focus while she thought about Chloe.
Marlena reached out to take Nancy's hand. "I'm sure Chloe will be just fine. She's a very strong young woman, and Brady got her here quickly. I'm just wondering, what happened?"
Nancy looked at Marlena and quietly filled her in on the events at Tuscany. Marlena couldn't believe her ears. She had always known Phillip to be a very sweet, kind young man.
"Maggie had called us and let us know that Chloe was coming in. She said Chloe had a bad head injury. But nothing prepared us for the shock when we first saw her. Brady was carrying her in his arms and she kept losing consciousness. She was spitting up blood, and bleeding heavily on the back of her head. Collin immediately began to treat her. She's been there for awhile now." Nancy looked at the door of the nearby examining room worriedly.
At that moment Craig came up behind her and hugged her. She put her head on his shoulder. Marlena left them alone and went to get coffee.
She made her way back to Brady who was sitting with his head in his hands.
"Here you go sweetie." She handed him a steaming cup.
He smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, Marlena. Thanks for being here."
"Don't mention it, Brady. I just wish there was something I could do." She smiled gently at him.
"Son, do you think you're calm enough now to tell us what happened?" John asked.
Brady's gaze hardened as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Phillip... Phillip happened." He said angrily.
"Maybe you should tell us from the beginning." John prompted.
Brady's eyes lost focus as he remembered the evening.
"Tonight was everything I'd hoped for and more. We were dancing together, getting close." He paused, tried to focus.
"Well... shortly after we were seated at Tuscany I saw Phillip and Victor at a table in the corner. Chloe never saw them. Phillip had been staring at us the entire time we were there - such hatred in his eyes, he was livid. Well, Chloe went to the ladies' room and Victor came over. We talked for a few minutes and I began to wonder what was keeping Chloe. I glanced over at their table and Phillip was gone. I walked over to the restrooms to find Chloe. It's wierd, Dad. I just kinda knew she was in trouble."
Brady stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself. "In front of me, I saw that Phillip had Chloe backed into a corner. He was yelling at her, but I couldn't make out what he said. I just know that Chloe looked very frightened, she was terrified of Phillip. He was just out of control. Like the night of Lexie's party, only 10 times worse. I still can't believe he did it."
He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. His face paled even more.
"Did what, son?" John asked, slowly.
Brady looked up at John. Angry tears were visible in his eyes as he cried out, "He HIT her, Dad! The son of a bitch hit her." He said furiously.
John was stunned, while Belle and Shawn were horrified.
"No," Belle breathed. It wasn't possible. Phillip was a good friend of theirs. They'd practically grown up together. How could he do this?
"Chloe had moved to get around him, and he just lost it." Brady continued, clenching his fist at the memory. "He backhanded her with his fist across her jaw. I think he broke it; she's been spitting up blood. She fell backwards and hit her head on the wall behind her. She was immediately out cold." Brady's face was deathly white. "I can still hear the noise her head made when it hit that wall. Those walls are solid brick, Dad!" he exclaimed. "Who knows what kind of damage she's sustained? Her head was bleeding heavily."
"It can't be." Belle cried softly, struggling to comprehend. Shawn had cradled her in his arms, lending her his strength. "Phillip loves Chloe, he would never..."
"Never what? Hurt her?!" Brady sneered harshly. He softened when he saw her face. He felt bad for Belle; she was losing some of her innocence tonight. "Yeah, I used to think that too." he said softly.
"What did you do then?" John asked, hoping to keep Brady's mind occupied by recalling the events.
Brady shook his head. "The rest is a blur. I vaguely remember knocking Phillip off his feet. If Chloe hadn't been in such dire need of help, I wouldn't have stopped hitting him. I wanted to kill him, Dad." He added softly. "I still do."
He sighed to clear his mind of the anger. "Maggie came over, we wrapped her head with towels and bandages and then I drove here. Chloe kept coming in and out. I felt so helpless. The last time I was this scared was when Belle hit her head on the train tracks and went into a coma." Brady looked down at the floor and ran his hands through his hair. John gave him another deep hug.
Belle was overcome with worry for Chloe and shock at Phillip's actions. She couldn't understand how anyone could hurt someone they claim to love. Chloe, she thought, You have to be okay. You're my best friend. What will I do without you?
Shawn continued to hold Belle while they waited for news on Chloe. He stroked her hair, to calm himself as much as Belle. He was shaking with rage. He wanted to pound on Phillip. Chloe's sweet, smiling face kept flashing before his eyes. He remembered how she was when she first came to town. He had been one of the first people to befriend her even though she was a social outcast. He had seen something special in her, and even had a slight crush on her once. Now, she was one of his closest friends.
Brady was thinking about Chloe, remembering all their special times together. Please, God. Let her be okay.
Chapter 17
A short time later, John, Marlena, Belle and Shawn arrived at Salem University Hospital. They found Brady in the waiting room. They were immediately concerned by his appearance. He was a wreck; his jacket was gone and his shirt was untucked, the top buttons undone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was pacing nervously. He looked up in surprise to see his family. His usually tan face was pale and drawn, his eyes bloodshot.
"How is she, son?" John asked, throwing his arms around him in a deep hug. More than anything he wanted to make things better for Brady, to take the pain away.
"They're.... examining her right now." Brady melted in his father's embrace. Brady prided himself on his strength, his independance. But right now he was reminded of how much he needed his family. He broke away and looked at John and everyone.
"What are you....How did you?" He found talking difficult. He couldn't focus enough to complete a sentence.
"Maggie called me. She said that something serious had happened to Chloe, and that you were here."
Belle gave Brady a big hug. She was so scared for her big brother. She had never seen him like this. Brady was always the strong one, her hero. Now he looked lost, alone. And it scared her.
Marlena looked uncomfortable for a moment. She wanted to be there for Brady, but their relationship in the past had been very rocky. They were only now becoming close again, and she was unsure of how to approach him.
"I'm going to get us some coffee." She turned and left. She spotted Nancy Wesley at the registrar station. Nancy was busy filing forms and entering insurance information on patient charts. She appeared to be running on automatic - her mind was not in her work. Marlena knew that any minute now she would completely break down.
Marlena hesitated a minute before going up to her. They had once been happy coworkers, even friends. But their radioshow had driven a wedge between them. That's in the past, she decided.
"Nancy, you shouldn't be working at a time like this. Get someone else to do this." She said gently.
"There is no one else." Nancy replied simply. "We were short staffed to begin with. And the train wreck has us overloaded with patients. I came in to help with the paperwork so we could treat them faster.... We've called in additional staff, but they won't get here for an hour or more. Besides," Nancy gave a small smile. "It helps me to keep my mind off Chloe. Otherwise, I'd be an emotional wreck."
Marlena nodded in agreement, remembering when her own daughter Belle had been in a coma just 2 years earlier. She had thought she would lose her mind with worry.
"How is Craig holding up?" Marlena asked.
"He's keeping busy also, treating all the new patients. Dr. Collin Murphy volunteered to examine Chloe, she's in with him now. He's running several tests - CAT scan and the like." Nancy replied, her eyes losing their focus while she thought about Chloe.
Marlena reached out to take Nancy's hand. "I'm sure Chloe will be just fine. She's a very strong young woman, and Brady got her here quickly. I'm just wondering, what happened?"
Nancy looked at Marlena and quietly filled her in on the events at Tuscany. Marlena couldn't believe her ears. She had always known Phillip to be a very sweet, kind young man.
"Maggie had called us and let us know that Chloe was coming in. She said Chloe had a bad head injury. But nothing prepared us for the shock when we first saw her. Brady was carrying her in his arms and she kept losing consciousness. She was spitting up blood, and bleeding heavily on the back of her head. Collin immediately began to treat her. She's been there for awhile now." Nancy looked at the door of the nearby examining room worriedly.
At that moment Craig came up behind her and hugged her. She put her head on his shoulder. Marlena left them alone and went to get coffee.
She made her way back to Brady who was sitting with his head in his hands.
"Here you go sweetie." She handed him a steaming cup.
He smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, Marlena. Thanks for being here."
"Don't mention it, Brady. I just wish there was something I could do." She smiled gently at him.
"Son, do you think you're calm enough now to tell us what happened?" John asked.
Brady's gaze hardened as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Phillip... Phillip happened." He said angrily.
"Maybe you should tell us from the beginning." John prompted.
Brady's eyes lost focus as he remembered the evening.
"Tonight was everything I'd hoped for and more. We were dancing together, getting close." He paused, tried to focus.
"Well... shortly after we were seated at Tuscany I saw Phillip and Victor at a table in the corner. Chloe never saw them. Phillip had been staring at us the entire time we were there - such hatred in his eyes, he was livid. Well, Chloe went to the ladies' room and Victor came over. We talked for a few minutes and I began to wonder what was keeping Chloe. I glanced over at their table and Phillip was gone. I walked over to the restrooms to find Chloe. It's wierd, Dad. I just kinda knew she was in trouble."
Brady stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself. "In front of me, I saw that Phillip had Chloe backed into a corner. He was yelling at her, but I couldn't make out what he said. I just know that Chloe looked very frightened, she was terrified of Phillip. He was just out of control. Like the night of Lexie's party, only 10 times worse. I still can't believe he did it."
He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. His face paled even more.
"Did what, son?" John asked, slowly.
Brady looked up at John. Angry tears were visible in his eyes as he cried out, "He HIT her, Dad! The son of a bitch hit her." He said furiously.
John was stunned, while Belle and Shawn were horrified.
"No," Belle breathed. It wasn't possible. Phillip was a good friend of theirs. They'd practically grown up together. How could he do this?
"Chloe had moved to get around him, and he just lost it." Brady continued, clenching his fist at the memory. "He backhanded her with his fist across her jaw. I think he broke it; she's been spitting up blood. She fell backwards and hit her head on the wall behind her. She was immediately out cold." Brady's face was deathly white. "I can still hear the noise her head made when it hit that wall. Those walls are solid brick, Dad!" he exclaimed. "Who knows what kind of damage she's sustained? Her head was bleeding heavily."
"It can't be." Belle cried softly, struggling to comprehend. Shawn had cradled her in his arms, lending her his strength. "Phillip loves Chloe, he would never..."
"Never what? Hurt her?!" Brady sneered harshly. He softened when he saw her face. He felt bad for Belle; she was losing some of her innocence tonight. "Yeah, I used to think that too." he said softly.
"What did you do then?" John asked, hoping to keep Brady's mind occupied by recalling the events.
Brady shook his head. "The rest is a blur. I vaguely remember knocking Phillip off his feet. If Chloe hadn't been in such dire need of help, I wouldn't have stopped hitting him. I wanted to kill him, Dad." He added softly. "I still do."
He sighed to clear his mind of the anger. "Maggie came over, we wrapped her head with towels and bandages and then I drove here. Chloe kept coming in and out. I felt so helpless. The last time I was this scared was when Belle hit her head on the train tracks and went into a coma." Brady looked down at the floor and ran his hands through his hair. John gave him another deep hug.
Belle was overcome with worry for Chloe and shock at Phillip's actions. She couldn't understand how anyone could hurt someone they claim to love. Chloe, she thought, You have to be okay. You're my best friend. What will I do without you?
Shawn continued to hold Belle while they waited for news on Chloe. He stroked her hair, to calm himself as much as Belle. He was shaking with rage. He wanted to pound on Phillip. Chloe's sweet, smiling face kept flashing before his eyes. He remembered how she was when she first came to town. He had been one of the first people to befriend her even though she was a social outcast. He had seen something special in her, and even had a slight crush on her once. Now, she was one of his closest friends.
Brady was thinking about Chloe, remembering all their special times together. Please, God. Let her be okay.