Lillian lied in the dark hospital room, her breathing light and her chest
feeling heavy. She had asked for Kelly almost 20 minutes ago, yet there
was still no sign of her. She was afraid that she had just called for the
ambulance, and then had gone home, not caring what happened. Before she
could lose all hope, however, the door to the room opened a crack, and she
could see someone walk in, and stand in the back of the room for a few
seconds.
"Kelly?"
"Yes."
She wanted to tell her to come closer, to forgive her for everything she had put her through, but she knew all of that might cause her to leave. Instead, she forced herself to find the strength to sit up a little more, and starred at Kelly in the shadows. One of the first things Lillian noticed when she first met Kelly was how beautiful she was. Somewhere out there, there was a mother who would be very proud of the little girl she never knew. Lillian could only wish now that it were her.
"I'm sorry Kelly. I never meant to hurt you. I figured it had been so long since your real mother had left you, that you would have given up all hope of finding her. That was part of the reason why I had chosen you, because you were an adult with a life of your own."
"I had lost hope, but then you showed up on my doorstep one day, and claimed to be her. I knew I shouldn't believe you, that the odds were just too poor, but there's this child locked inside of me that always wonders what if.what if you were for real? My profession doesn't help me to ignore that child, it only helps me to see through things before I get hurt."
"I hope my daughter grew up to be as strong as you are. To have the same success, courage and love that you have found."
After Lillian said that, she noticed Kelly begin to walk towards the bed. She seemed unsure, but nevertheless, she was standing next to her, her hand placed on top of her hand.
"What was your daughter's name?"
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"What was her name?"
"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Noel." It was the one name that Lillian would never forget. Why Kelly wanted to know it however, she wasn't sure.
"I'm sure Elizabeth is just fine Lillian. After all, the kids I grew up with did, including me." Kelly knew that was a lie. Many of the kids that she had grown up with had developed drug addictions, and an inability to be close to others. Even she had had her dark days, especially around the time she turned 18, and to this day she struggled with relationships and getting close to people. Lillian didn't have to know any of that though, especially if not knowing would help her to rest easier.
"Thank you Kelly. That was just what I needed to hear."
"Come on now, get some rest. I'll stay right here in case you need anything." With that, Kelly pulled a near by chair over and sat down, not letting go of Lillian's hand. Her entire life, Kelly had feared dying alone, and she could only imagine that Lillian had the same fear. She could still remember the night after she had been shot by the kid, how comforting it was to feel Sabrina's hand holding hers, and to have Jill and Bosley by her side. She could have died that night, and if she had, she was glad to know that she wouldn't have been alone. Despite being the bad guy in all of this, Lillian deserved that same comfort. She had never intentionally tried to hurt Kelly, she was just trying to help the both of them out. Somewhere out there, Elizabeth Noel was going through a normal day, with no idea that her mother was dying. Kelly wasn't Elizabeth Noel, but she found no harm in pretending to be so, if only so that Lillian could die in peace. She would want someone to do the same for whoever her mother was, even if it would mean that she would never find Kelly. After all, Kelly had given up hope that she would ever meet her mother, and if the event ever did take place, then she would deal with that then. As of now, there was a woman who needed someone to hold her hand, and although Lillian's methods were unusual, Kelly was willing to look beyond that, and be that person.
"Kelly?"
"Yes."
She wanted to tell her to come closer, to forgive her for everything she had put her through, but she knew all of that might cause her to leave. Instead, she forced herself to find the strength to sit up a little more, and starred at Kelly in the shadows. One of the first things Lillian noticed when she first met Kelly was how beautiful she was. Somewhere out there, there was a mother who would be very proud of the little girl she never knew. Lillian could only wish now that it were her.
"I'm sorry Kelly. I never meant to hurt you. I figured it had been so long since your real mother had left you, that you would have given up all hope of finding her. That was part of the reason why I had chosen you, because you were an adult with a life of your own."
"I had lost hope, but then you showed up on my doorstep one day, and claimed to be her. I knew I shouldn't believe you, that the odds were just too poor, but there's this child locked inside of me that always wonders what if.what if you were for real? My profession doesn't help me to ignore that child, it only helps me to see through things before I get hurt."
"I hope my daughter grew up to be as strong as you are. To have the same success, courage and love that you have found."
After Lillian said that, she noticed Kelly begin to walk towards the bed. She seemed unsure, but nevertheless, she was standing next to her, her hand placed on top of her hand.
"What was your daughter's name?"
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"What was her name?"
"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Noel." It was the one name that Lillian would never forget. Why Kelly wanted to know it however, she wasn't sure.
"I'm sure Elizabeth is just fine Lillian. After all, the kids I grew up with did, including me." Kelly knew that was a lie. Many of the kids that she had grown up with had developed drug addictions, and an inability to be close to others. Even she had had her dark days, especially around the time she turned 18, and to this day she struggled with relationships and getting close to people. Lillian didn't have to know any of that though, especially if not knowing would help her to rest easier.
"Thank you Kelly. That was just what I needed to hear."
"Come on now, get some rest. I'll stay right here in case you need anything." With that, Kelly pulled a near by chair over and sat down, not letting go of Lillian's hand. Her entire life, Kelly had feared dying alone, and she could only imagine that Lillian had the same fear. She could still remember the night after she had been shot by the kid, how comforting it was to feel Sabrina's hand holding hers, and to have Jill and Bosley by her side. She could have died that night, and if she had, she was glad to know that she wouldn't have been alone. Despite being the bad guy in all of this, Lillian deserved that same comfort. She had never intentionally tried to hurt Kelly, she was just trying to help the both of them out. Somewhere out there, Elizabeth Noel was going through a normal day, with no idea that her mother was dying. Kelly wasn't Elizabeth Noel, but she found no harm in pretending to be so, if only so that Lillian could die in peace. She would want someone to do the same for whoever her mother was, even if it would mean that she would never find Kelly. After all, Kelly had given up hope that she would ever meet her mother, and if the event ever did take place, then she would deal with that then. As of now, there was a woman who needed someone to hold her hand, and although Lillian's methods were unusual, Kelly was willing to look beyond that, and be that person.