Garrett stands outside of Autopsy One as the sun begins to shine through
the hallway windows. Just a few hours ago he was laughing with Jacqueline
about the time she washed her brand new red shirt in a load of his white
underwear. Now she's sitting in the conference room with Lily making
arrangements to take her son's body home. Life can change in a blink of an
eye.
Woody walks up the hallway toward Garrett. His hair a mess and his suit wrinkled beyond repair from the last 24 hours. Woody says "I just got off the phone with the officer in charge. The driver of the other car is going to be released from the hospital later this morning and he'll be taken to lock up. The tests came back conclusive; his blood alcohol level was up there."
"It doesn't seem fair does it?" Garrett says looking down the hallway toward the conference room.
"Third DUI for him and tag on Vehicular Homicide ...he's looking at life without parole, if that's any consolation."
"Would it be for you?" Garrett asks.
"No"
Jordan pushes open the door of the examination room and steps into the hallway. She hands Garrett the report. "Massive internal damage, He had to of died instantly."
Jordan stands leaning with her back against the wall as Garrett looks over the report.
"Are you alright?" Woody asks her.
"That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do." she says pushing back a lose strand of hair. "He was too young and too damn gifted to go like this..."
Garrett looks up from the report "I'll get this sent over to the D.A.'s immediately. Have you got the death certificate ready yet?"
"No, Nigel is taking care of that for me. Garrett, you want me to take care of getting it Jack?"
"No Jordan, I'll handle it." Garrett turns and walks down the hallway in search for Nigel
Woody leans against the wall next to Jordan waiting for her to say something. Jordan just looks at the floor willing herself not to cry.
After a few seconds Woody says "Let's get some coffee, you look like you could use some."
"Is it too early to put a shot of whiskey in it?" Jordan says, trying to smile.
"When you're still on the clock it is." Woody replies.
"Always following the rules, huh?" Jordan says wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"Not always Jordan..." Woody puts his arms around her and pulls her close. Jordan buries her face in his shoulder and cries. She cries for Jack and her lose. She cries for her father who's an ocean away. She cries for her mother who death was also as senseless.
Meanwhile life was going on around them, doors opening and closing, people going on about the business of the Coroner's Office. But the two just stand in the hallway until Jordan is cried out.
"Damn Hoyt, you need a shower." Jordan mutters as she finally lifts her face.
"You're welcome, Jordan" Woody says with an arched eyebrow waiting for her response.
"Thank you, Woody" Jordan says with a smile, getting the hint. "You know, I think I could use that coffee now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett finds Nigel walking up the hallway.
"Dr. Macy, I was just looking for you. Here's the death certificate for Michael Bonner" Nigel says.
"Thanks Nigel" Garrett looks down at the form.
"It's a shame. He was only 24. Jack was saying he'd have his PHD by the end of the year. Just last night she was telling us how exciting it was to have a "doctor" as a son, even if it was for music" Nigel turns and walks back to his office.
Garrett walks back to his own office and sits down at his desk. He sits Michael's death certificate on his desk and looks at it, specifically the birth date.
OCTOBER 4, 1979
"He's older than he looks, but then again his mother....Damn" After a quick calculation Garrett runs his hand down his face. Jacqueline could have become pregnant while she was living with the Cavanaugh's. He didn't want to think of the possibilities. Suddenly the sound of a John Coltrane song flashes into his mind with the taste of cheap champagne on his tongue.
Jacqueline had spent that New Year's Eve with him...
Garrett walks to the crypt and pulls out the drawer containing the remains of Michael Bonner. He pulls down the sheet and looks into his face. Michael looked just like his mother: blonde and fair. But the set of his jaw....
"Can I help you Dr. Macy?"
The sound of Peter's voice makes Garrett jump.
"No, I was just paying my respects..." Garrett says
"I'll leave you alone then" Peter says as he backs out the door.
Once Peter was gone Garrett pulls a syringe out of his pocket and proceeds to draw blood from the body. Before he covers Michael up again he takes a long look at his face. Regrouping Garrett closes the drawer and heads towards Trace.
"Nigel, I need you to run a check on this and" he pulls another vial out of his pocket "this one."
"What am I checking for?"
"I want to know if these two are related" Garrett says.
"Does this have to do with that double homicide over in Chelsea?"
"Ah...Yes. And if I can get that by the end of the day..."
"Aye, aye boss."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lily stops by Garrett's office on her way to the Crypt.
"Ms. Bonner just left about twenty minutes ago. She said she needed to get some rest and finish making some arrangements. She'll be back this evening to sign the death certificate and claim Michael's body."
"Thanks Lily"
"Oh and Garrett, she told me to tell everyone, she wants to be alone for awhile."
"Ok"
As Lily walked back out of the door, Garrett sat there thinking of a thousand reasons he should be heading over to the Cavanaugh house to see her. But he chooses to stay at his desk and make sure all the T's were crossed and the I's doted so that the DA had a perfect case to nail the drunk driver to the wall.
Later on that day Garrett calls Jordan into his office.
"Go home Garrett, you look like hell."
"You would win Miss America right now either Jordan, When was the last time you slept?"
"Probably the last time you did."
"It's been a long day for all of us..."
"Woody called earlier and said he stopped by the house to see Jack."
"How is she?"
"Woody said, she took one look at him and sent him on his way, saying something about calling on a woman without having a proper shave."
"That sounds like something she'd say." Garrett chuckles.
"What's going to happen now Garrett?" Jordan says
"I wish I knew Jordan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside the conference room later that evening, Garrett hands Jack the copy of Michael's death certificate, which she calmly puts inside her purse.
"Well, I guess that's it." she says. "As soon as Michael's ready to go..."
Garrett takes her hand and says, "Jacqueline, are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"Garrett we talked about that this morning, I need to do this myself. I need to take Michael back to New York."
"You don't need to go through this alone." Garrett points out.
"I'm not alone Garrett, I have friends and 'Manny's' on Thursday nights, I'll be fine."
There a quiet knock on the door, one of the morticians from the funeral home Jack hired to take Michael's body back to New York, leaned into the room and says "Ms. Bonner, we're ready to go, whenever you are."
"Well, Garrett that's my ride." Jack says picking her purse up off the table.
Garrett admits defeat and says "If you need anything, anything at all call me...it's only a hour flight."
"I'll remember that." Jack says as she turns to leave. She stops short and turns back lifting her hand to Garrett's cheek.
Garrett turns his head and kisses her palm and then says "Let me walk you out."
"No, I'd rather go myself. If your ever in New York..." she stops as her voice catches, then she says, "Good bye Garrett."
"Good bye Jacqueline."
Jack walks out to the hallway were Jordan is standing. She takes the younger woman into her arms.
"I'm going to miss you" Jordan says through her tears.
"Oh baby" Jack says stroking Jordan's hair. "Your father will be home in two days."
Jordan pulls back and says "Call me when you get in."
"Of course, you take care." Jack kisses her cheek and then begins to walk down the hallway.
Woody is standing by the elevator. Jack gives him a watery smile and says "You take care of my Jordanbaby"
""Yes ma'am, I will." Woody replies.
"You're a good boy Handsome." she says as she touches his freshly shaved cheek.
"May I walk you out?" Woody asks offering her an arm.
"Yes, I'd like that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett makes his way back to his office and stands looking out his window.
Nigel peers into his office and says "Here's that report you wanted."
"Thanks Nigel" Garrett says as he reaches out for the folder.
After Nigel leaves Garrett shuts his office door and looks at the closed file burning in his hands. At a few moments, he turns and opens the bottom drawer in the file cabinet closest to him. He then shoves the file deep in the back. Slowly closing the drawer he retreats to his desk and retrieves a brand new bottle of scotch from his desk. After pouring a glass he picks up the phone.
"Yea, this is Macy. Please hold my calls; I don't want to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. Just take a message and I'll get back to them in the morning."
He knew he was taking the easy way out. Maybe someday he's open the file and know the truth, but for now he'd just like think about 'what is' and not 'what could have been'.
The End
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok ok, I know I took the cop out. But I didn't want to open THAT can of worms....Next time I'll try to do better!
Woody walks up the hallway toward Garrett. His hair a mess and his suit wrinkled beyond repair from the last 24 hours. Woody says "I just got off the phone with the officer in charge. The driver of the other car is going to be released from the hospital later this morning and he'll be taken to lock up. The tests came back conclusive; his blood alcohol level was up there."
"It doesn't seem fair does it?" Garrett says looking down the hallway toward the conference room.
"Third DUI for him and tag on Vehicular Homicide ...he's looking at life without parole, if that's any consolation."
"Would it be for you?" Garrett asks.
"No"
Jordan pushes open the door of the examination room and steps into the hallway. She hands Garrett the report. "Massive internal damage, He had to of died instantly."
Jordan stands leaning with her back against the wall as Garrett looks over the report.
"Are you alright?" Woody asks her.
"That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do." she says pushing back a lose strand of hair. "He was too young and too damn gifted to go like this..."
Garrett looks up from the report "I'll get this sent over to the D.A.'s immediately. Have you got the death certificate ready yet?"
"No, Nigel is taking care of that for me. Garrett, you want me to take care of getting it Jack?"
"No Jordan, I'll handle it." Garrett turns and walks down the hallway in search for Nigel
Woody leans against the wall next to Jordan waiting for her to say something. Jordan just looks at the floor willing herself not to cry.
After a few seconds Woody says "Let's get some coffee, you look like you could use some."
"Is it too early to put a shot of whiskey in it?" Jordan says, trying to smile.
"When you're still on the clock it is." Woody replies.
"Always following the rules, huh?" Jordan says wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"Not always Jordan..." Woody puts his arms around her and pulls her close. Jordan buries her face in his shoulder and cries. She cries for Jack and her lose. She cries for her father who's an ocean away. She cries for her mother who death was also as senseless.
Meanwhile life was going on around them, doors opening and closing, people going on about the business of the Coroner's Office. But the two just stand in the hallway until Jordan is cried out.
"Damn Hoyt, you need a shower." Jordan mutters as she finally lifts her face.
"You're welcome, Jordan" Woody says with an arched eyebrow waiting for her response.
"Thank you, Woody" Jordan says with a smile, getting the hint. "You know, I think I could use that coffee now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett finds Nigel walking up the hallway.
"Dr. Macy, I was just looking for you. Here's the death certificate for Michael Bonner" Nigel says.
"Thanks Nigel" Garrett looks down at the form.
"It's a shame. He was only 24. Jack was saying he'd have his PHD by the end of the year. Just last night she was telling us how exciting it was to have a "doctor" as a son, even if it was for music" Nigel turns and walks back to his office.
Garrett walks back to his own office and sits down at his desk. He sits Michael's death certificate on his desk and looks at it, specifically the birth date.
OCTOBER 4, 1979
"He's older than he looks, but then again his mother....Damn" After a quick calculation Garrett runs his hand down his face. Jacqueline could have become pregnant while she was living with the Cavanaugh's. He didn't want to think of the possibilities. Suddenly the sound of a John Coltrane song flashes into his mind with the taste of cheap champagne on his tongue.
Jacqueline had spent that New Year's Eve with him...
Garrett walks to the crypt and pulls out the drawer containing the remains of Michael Bonner. He pulls down the sheet and looks into his face. Michael looked just like his mother: blonde and fair. But the set of his jaw....
"Can I help you Dr. Macy?"
The sound of Peter's voice makes Garrett jump.
"No, I was just paying my respects..." Garrett says
"I'll leave you alone then" Peter says as he backs out the door.
Once Peter was gone Garrett pulls a syringe out of his pocket and proceeds to draw blood from the body. Before he covers Michael up again he takes a long look at his face. Regrouping Garrett closes the drawer and heads towards Trace.
"Nigel, I need you to run a check on this and" he pulls another vial out of his pocket "this one."
"What am I checking for?"
"I want to know if these two are related" Garrett says.
"Does this have to do with that double homicide over in Chelsea?"
"Ah...Yes. And if I can get that by the end of the day..."
"Aye, aye boss."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lily stops by Garrett's office on her way to the Crypt.
"Ms. Bonner just left about twenty minutes ago. She said she needed to get some rest and finish making some arrangements. She'll be back this evening to sign the death certificate and claim Michael's body."
"Thanks Lily"
"Oh and Garrett, she told me to tell everyone, she wants to be alone for awhile."
"Ok"
As Lily walked back out of the door, Garrett sat there thinking of a thousand reasons he should be heading over to the Cavanaugh house to see her. But he chooses to stay at his desk and make sure all the T's were crossed and the I's doted so that the DA had a perfect case to nail the drunk driver to the wall.
Later on that day Garrett calls Jordan into his office.
"Go home Garrett, you look like hell."
"You would win Miss America right now either Jordan, When was the last time you slept?"
"Probably the last time you did."
"It's been a long day for all of us..."
"Woody called earlier and said he stopped by the house to see Jack."
"How is she?"
"Woody said, she took one look at him and sent him on his way, saying something about calling on a woman without having a proper shave."
"That sounds like something she'd say." Garrett chuckles.
"What's going to happen now Garrett?" Jordan says
"I wish I knew Jordan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside the conference room later that evening, Garrett hands Jack the copy of Michael's death certificate, which she calmly puts inside her purse.
"Well, I guess that's it." she says. "As soon as Michael's ready to go..."
Garrett takes her hand and says, "Jacqueline, are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"Garrett we talked about that this morning, I need to do this myself. I need to take Michael back to New York."
"You don't need to go through this alone." Garrett points out.
"I'm not alone Garrett, I have friends and 'Manny's' on Thursday nights, I'll be fine."
There a quiet knock on the door, one of the morticians from the funeral home Jack hired to take Michael's body back to New York, leaned into the room and says "Ms. Bonner, we're ready to go, whenever you are."
"Well, Garrett that's my ride." Jack says picking her purse up off the table.
Garrett admits defeat and says "If you need anything, anything at all call me...it's only a hour flight."
"I'll remember that." Jack says as she turns to leave. She stops short and turns back lifting her hand to Garrett's cheek.
Garrett turns his head and kisses her palm and then says "Let me walk you out."
"No, I'd rather go myself. If your ever in New York..." she stops as her voice catches, then she says, "Good bye Garrett."
"Good bye Jacqueline."
Jack walks out to the hallway were Jordan is standing. She takes the younger woman into her arms.
"I'm going to miss you" Jordan says through her tears.
"Oh baby" Jack says stroking Jordan's hair. "Your father will be home in two days."
Jordan pulls back and says "Call me when you get in."
"Of course, you take care." Jack kisses her cheek and then begins to walk down the hallway.
Woody is standing by the elevator. Jack gives him a watery smile and says "You take care of my Jordanbaby"
""Yes ma'am, I will." Woody replies.
"You're a good boy Handsome." she says as she touches his freshly shaved cheek.
"May I walk you out?" Woody asks offering her an arm.
"Yes, I'd like that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett makes his way back to his office and stands looking out his window.
Nigel peers into his office and says "Here's that report you wanted."
"Thanks Nigel" Garrett says as he reaches out for the folder.
After Nigel leaves Garrett shuts his office door and looks at the closed file burning in his hands. At a few moments, he turns and opens the bottom drawer in the file cabinet closest to him. He then shoves the file deep in the back. Slowly closing the drawer he retreats to his desk and retrieves a brand new bottle of scotch from his desk. After pouring a glass he picks up the phone.
"Yea, this is Macy. Please hold my calls; I don't want to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. Just take a message and I'll get back to them in the morning."
He knew he was taking the easy way out. Maybe someday he's open the file and know the truth, but for now he'd just like think about 'what is' and not 'what could have been'.
The End
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok ok, I know I took the cop out. But I didn't want to open THAT can of worms....Next time I'll try to do better!