Chapter Twenty- Guilt Runs Deep
The Camden's rushed as fast as they could to the hospital, but it was around midnight before Jennifer was stable enough for anyone to visit. Everyone agreed Eric and Annie should be the first to go in. The kids waited anxiously outside as their parents went in. Eric and Annie thought they were prepared, but nothing could prepare them for the Jen they saw before them. Earlier in the day the doctor had explained the extent of her injuries.
"Jennifer came to us severely dehydrated and pretty beat up. She has a broken cheekbone, broken nose and 2 black eyes. Almost all of her ribs are broken and very bruised. She has a very nasty fracture to her left leg that will probably require surgery when she's strong enough to handle it. She's a very lucky girl."
Now as Annie and Eric stood beside her, they fought back tears. Jen opened her eyes she saw their tears, instantly her heart jumped in her chest.
"I'm so sorry," were the first words she managed to say.
"What on earth would you have to be sorry for? We are both just glad your safe!" Annie said, taking the girl's hand.
"We will always be here for you, always. I don't want you to ever doubt it. Whatever you need, just call." Eric added, feeling strong paternal love towards the girl.
"I love you both." Jen said, then she added seriously, "How are the others holding up?"
"Fairly well. Would you like to see them?" Jennifer nodded. Robbie and Matt went in first, and tried their best to make her smile. Ruthie decided to go next. Her eyes welled up when she saw Jennifer lying there.
"Ruthie, I'm doing just fine. You don't need to get so upset." Jennifer said, taking the young girl's hand.
"He hurt you so bad. It's just not fair."
"Life sometimes isn't fair Ruthie, but I promise you that I'll be fine, okay?" Ruthie smiled.
"Good, because I wouldn't settle for any less. I'll send the next victim in." She said, smiling as she walked out. She looked at her family and wiped away the tears.
"It's your turn to go in Simon." Annie said, looking at him.
"I...I don't know if I want to...I mean she needs her rest and everything." Simon stammered, looking at the floor. No one had the heart to scold him for being so stubborn. Lucy looked at her mom, then at Simon, and walked into the room.
"Oh no!" Lucy hadn't known she said it till her own hand covered her mouth. Tears came to her eyes, although she willed them back.
"Lucy, please," Jennifer pleaded, she could see how much pain Lucy had gone through, she couldn't stand to see her best friend so hurt.
"Jennifer I'm so sorry! If I had said something sooner this wouldn't have happened! I can't imagine what you went through, I would do anything to stop it, I..." Jennifer didn't let her finish. She took Lucy's hand and squeezed it.
"This is not your fault Lucy; I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again. Do you hear me? My mom and Duke are to blame, not you or me. There is nothing we can do to change it, we just have to accept it. Time heals all wounds." Tears began to fall as she spoke, then she added, "You don't hate me, for what I did. What I said to you that last day?" Lucy had expected that and was glad that Jen didn't wait longer to ask. She wanted to erase all doubt.
"Jennifer, I could never hate you. You were right about a lot of things. I don't know how it feels to be you, I never will. I'm lucky that I have a family who cares about me and I realize that now more than ever. I just hope that we can still be friends, even though I betrayed your trust." She looked Jen straight in the eye.
"I wish you had betrayed it sooner! No one would have looked for me if you hadn't told them the truth. I would have been just another run-away prostitute. Lucy, your my best friend and I love you. We will always be friends, as long as I can keep it that way." Jen pulled Lucy into a hug, being careful to not hurt her ribs. The girls cried together for a few minutes, then Jen spoke again.
"Simon's not coming in here is he?"
"Jen, I really don't think he's mad. It's a lot for him to handle. Mom and Dad just said to give him time. I'm sure he will come around." Lucy saw Jen's eyes closing slowly, and stood up. "I'm gonna go and let you have your rest. We'll all come back tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, and Luce?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. For everything."
"No problem." Lucy said, closing the door gently.
*************************************************************************** Thanks again to all my reviewers. 5 or so chapters to go, and most of them will be short. Thanks to Steph, Megan and Alyssa for their continued support!!! You guys rock!!! ;)
The Camden's rushed as fast as they could to the hospital, but it was around midnight before Jennifer was stable enough for anyone to visit. Everyone agreed Eric and Annie should be the first to go in. The kids waited anxiously outside as their parents went in. Eric and Annie thought they were prepared, but nothing could prepare them for the Jen they saw before them. Earlier in the day the doctor had explained the extent of her injuries.
"Jennifer came to us severely dehydrated and pretty beat up. She has a broken cheekbone, broken nose and 2 black eyes. Almost all of her ribs are broken and very bruised. She has a very nasty fracture to her left leg that will probably require surgery when she's strong enough to handle it. She's a very lucky girl."
Now as Annie and Eric stood beside her, they fought back tears. Jen opened her eyes she saw their tears, instantly her heart jumped in her chest.
"I'm so sorry," were the first words she managed to say.
"What on earth would you have to be sorry for? We are both just glad your safe!" Annie said, taking the girl's hand.
"We will always be here for you, always. I don't want you to ever doubt it. Whatever you need, just call." Eric added, feeling strong paternal love towards the girl.
"I love you both." Jen said, then she added seriously, "How are the others holding up?"
"Fairly well. Would you like to see them?" Jennifer nodded. Robbie and Matt went in first, and tried their best to make her smile. Ruthie decided to go next. Her eyes welled up when she saw Jennifer lying there.
"Ruthie, I'm doing just fine. You don't need to get so upset." Jennifer said, taking the young girl's hand.
"He hurt you so bad. It's just not fair."
"Life sometimes isn't fair Ruthie, but I promise you that I'll be fine, okay?" Ruthie smiled.
"Good, because I wouldn't settle for any less. I'll send the next victim in." She said, smiling as she walked out. She looked at her family and wiped away the tears.
"It's your turn to go in Simon." Annie said, looking at him.
"I...I don't know if I want to...I mean she needs her rest and everything." Simon stammered, looking at the floor. No one had the heart to scold him for being so stubborn. Lucy looked at her mom, then at Simon, and walked into the room.
"Oh no!" Lucy hadn't known she said it till her own hand covered her mouth. Tears came to her eyes, although she willed them back.
"Lucy, please," Jennifer pleaded, she could see how much pain Lucy had gone through, she couldn't stand to see her best friend so hurt.
"Jennifer I'm so sorry! If I had said something sooner this wouldn't have happened! I can't imagine what you went through, I would do anything to stop it, I..." Jennifer didn't let her finish. She took Lucy's hand and squeezed it.
"This is not your fault Lucy; I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again. Do you hear me? My mom and Duke are to blame, not you or me. There is nothing we can do to change it, we just have to accept it. Time heals all wounds." Tears began to fall as she spoke, then she added, "You don't hate me, for what I did. What I said to you that last day?" Lucy had expected that and was glad that Jen didn't wait longer to ask. She wanted to erase all doubt.
"Jennifer, I could never hate you. You were right about a lot of things. I don't know how it feels to be you, I never will. I'm lucky that I have a family who cares about me and I realize that now more than ever. I just hope that we can still be friends, even though I betrayed your trust." She looked Jen straight in the eye.
"I wish you had betrayed it sooner! No one would have looked for me if you hadn't told them the truth. I would have been just another run-away prostitute. Lucy, your my best friend and I love you. We will always be friends, as long as I can keep it that way." Jen pulled Lucy into a hug, being careful to not hurt her ribs. The girls cried together for a few minutes, then Jen spoke again.
"Simon's not coming in here is he?"
"Jen, I really don't think he's mad. It's a lot for him to handle. Mom and Dad just said to give him time. I'm sure he will come around." Lucy saw Jen's eyes closing slowly, and stood up. "I'm gonna go and let you have your rest. We'll all come back tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, and Luce?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. For everything."
"No problem." Lucy said, closing the door gently.
*************************************************************************** Thanks again to all my reviewers. 5 or so chapters to go, and most of them will be short. Thanks to Steph, Megan and Alyssa for their continued support!!! You guys rock!!! ;)
