Author's Notes: Hey, thank you for reading and for your reviews! : ) I am glad you like the story so far! Here is finally chapter 5. Sorry for the delay, but ffn was not working for quite some time. : (
I hope you'll like this one. I'd love to know what you think about this chapter … Abby's father especially of course! : ) Thanks!
Chapter 5: "Hello, Goodbye"
The ride to the café flew by. Abby was distracted with reading the card since they both not exactly knew where that café was. But she still checked the time every 10 minutes to make sure they'd arrive in time.
***
It was 3.30 pm when they arrived.
Abby reached out for Carter's hand before they entered "Larry's". For her it was like she got a little bit of his strength when they held hands. And she knew he was near her.
He took her hand and led her inside. Abby looked around nervously to see if he was there already. But she couldn't find him anywhere.
"What if he's gone already? Or what if he won't come at all?", she asked anxiously, looking up at Carter.
"Abby, it's 3.30 pm. He's probably not here yet since you said 5 pm.", he tried to reassure her while he was searching for a table to sit at.
"You're probably right.", she answered while sitting down next to him on a bench in a corner near the window.
They ordered some water and waited for her father to arrive, both hardly taking their eyes away from the entrance.
"There he is.", Abby suddenly whispered.
Even though she did not see him for 25 years, she knew that it was him.
He seemed to remember her, too, since he went straight over to their table.
"Hello.", he greeted them.
"Hello, I'm John, Abby's husband.", Carter answered him. Abby couldn't say a thing. Her body was like paralysed.
George Wyczenski was amazed what a beautiful woman his little girl had become.
"You're beautiful, Abby.", he blurted out.
Both Carter and Abby didn't know how to react. They both didn't have any positive feelings for that man. For Abby he was the father who left her when she was little and for Carter he was the man that hurt his wife.
"How are Eric and your mother?", he added when he got no answer and sat down at the other side of the table.
Abby still couldn't say a thing. She just stared at the man in front of her. Carter squeezed her knee lightly to let her know that everything was okay and that he'd do the talking.
"Listen, we need your help." He sighed deeply before he continued to speak. "Abby has Leukaemia. She might need a donor. Neither me, nor Maggie or Eric can be that for her. You are the only close relative left. We need you to get your blood tested."
George was looking at them, not sure about what to say. He wasn't prepared for this. He thought his daughter just wanted to see him. Not that she was sick.
He looked at her and tried to reach out for her hands, but she pulled them away. She didn't need his pity. He wasn't there all her life, so she didn't need him now either.
"Abby, listen. I am sorry to hear that. But I can't help you." There was no way that he put his life on risk, his new family. "I have a new life now. My wife Megan and my kids Anna and Rick don't know about my former life. I don't want to upset them."
Carter could hardly believe his ears. He had trouble to control himself and not to lose his temper. He felt Abby flinch under his words and tears forming in her eyes. He was hurting her again. He put his arm around her protectively. He wanted to form a shield around her to keep away all the harsh words her father said. But that was not possible.
"You are kidding me, right?", he spat out. "You don't want to upset them? You left Abby, her brother and her mother 25 years ago without a word. Now she takes all her strength and contacts you, asks for your help. And instead of trying to make it better, instead of helping her, you have the guts to say that to her? Do you even have a heart?"
Carter knew he was almost shouting, but he didn't care. He just couldn't believe how that man could be so heartless. How could he be the father of such a wonderful person like Abby?
And he saw their last hope slip away. He was their only real chance. He couldn't let him off that easily. But he also didn't want to beg for his help. They'd find another way somehow.
Abby was still just sitting there, staring at the man that was supposed to be her father. She thought he hurt her when he left the little girl she once was, but this was almost hurting even more. She was glad that Carter was with her, that he put his arm around her to protect her. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
It was hard not to cry, but there was no way she'd let that man see her cry over him.
"So you are not going to help her?", Carter asked him again.
George looked at them both. "Listen, I am really sorry. I didn't expect that. I did only come here to tell Abby that I can't see her again. I was thinking about not coming here, but I thought it was not fair. I wanted to see her once and tell her that it's not possible for us to keep contact because of my family. I can't do what you want from me."
"Not fair?"
That made Carter even more angry. So he let her come here, full of hopes, just to tell her that he can't see her and that he has a better family now. A family that is worth more.
"You better go now, before I forget myself.", Carter said to him. He was not the one who thought violence was a way to solve things, but that man made him mad, as mad as he had never been before.
"And don't worry, we will find a way to help her.", he added sarcastically.
"Okay.", George simply said before he got up from his chair. He looked one last time at Abby, "I'm really sorry."
But she didn't even look at him. She was just staring at the table, holding Carter's hand tightly.
He was just a few steps away when Abby finally found her voice. She couldn't let him go without an answer to her question.
"Why?", she shouted after him, her voice filled with all the emotions she felt. She felt rejected and like she was experiencing the same again as she did when she was little.
Carter was just watching her, then George, making sure he won't say anything that hurts her even more.
George turned around and stared at her.
"Why did you leave us?", she repeated.
"I … I don't know Abby, it was not because of you, that's for sure.", he said before he turned and left the café. He couldn't help his daughter, but he wanted her to know that she was not the reason why he left.
Carter and Abby were both staring at the door now. Carter was glad about his last words. He hoped that it would make Abby feel at least a little better.
He finally turned his head to look at her.
"Hey, are you okay?", he asked and kissed her forehead. He knew she was not okay, but he didn't know what else to say. He wanted to make her talk. He could see that her eyes were still teary, that she was holding back tears.
She just nodded and started to get up without a word.
Carter understood that she wanted to go and left $5 on the table for their water. He hoped he could talk to her outside, without all the strangers around. They gained quite some attention when they had their conversation with her father and he could feel that Abby felt embarrassed.
"Wanna go for a little walk?", he asked before they reached the car, hoping she'd say yes.
She nodded again. She didn't say a single word since she asked her father why he left them.
He put his arm around her again and they started to walk down the street.
It was early evening and the sun began to go down, giving the city a golden touch.
They walked a little until they reached a park with a lake. They stopped and watched the sun disappear at the horizon.
He turned his head to Abby. He could see the last bits of sunlight reflecting in her teary eyes.
He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to make her face him.
"Hey.", he said gently and stroked her cheek carefully. "Feel like talking about it?"
She wanted to get it off her chest, but she didn't know what to say. She was still in shock from the words she heard that man say earlier. Not only that all her hopes were gone now, but she was hurt again.
He put his finger under her chin to make her look into his eyes. He could see through hers right to her soul. And what he saw hurt him.
"I just want you to know that I am here to listen to whatever you have to say, okay? No matter if you feel like shouting, crying or whatever."
She looked up into his eyes and could feel his love.
"I know.", she said hardly above a whisper and paused. "He ... his words just hurt so much. He practically said that his new family is worth more for him than my life. He doesn't care about me at all."
We every word she was getting closer to tears and her voice trailed off until it was barely audible.
Carter let go of her shoulders and just opened his arms for her.
Abby just let herself fall into his arms, her body shaking under her sobs. She didn't even care about her disease anymore, all she could feel was her hurting heart.
Carter wrapped his arms around her and held her close to himself.
"I know it hurts. And I know it's not easy, but try not to let his words affect you too much. He's a fool. He doesn't deserve you. It's not your fault that he left, there was nothing the little girl could do. Do you hear me?", he said, trying to make her feel better.
Abby nodded and Carter kissed the top of her head. It helped to be loved by that wonderful man.
***
"Eric, do you have all your stuff packed?", Maggie called out to her son.
"Yes, Mom.", he answered, but not without the typical Wyczenski eye roll.
"I just want to make sure that you don't forget anything.", she defended herself.
"I know.", he answered and kissed her cheek. He didn't even try to object. He was annoyed when his mother tried to babysit him, but he knew she meant it well.
She pulled her son into a hug when John was coming in from the kitchen.
"Where's Abby?", Maggie asked him, looking around the living room.
"Not sure, I think she was in the bedroom when I saw her the last time. Want me to go and get her? I think he took a nap. She didn't sleep very well last night after our "meeting". But we still have some time before we have to be at the train station.", he answered, secretly hoping that Maggie would let her sleep a little longer.
"I will go and see if she's awake."
"Do that.", Carter said. He didn't have the right to tell Maggie not to disturb Abby. And maybe it was good for her if she talked to her mother. Both, Eric and Maggie let Abby meet him alone, so they didn't really know what George said. John only told Maggie when they came back, Eric was already asleep.
"Abby?", Maggie whispered when she entered the bedroom quietly. She could see her daughter lying on her side, with her back towards the door.
Abby was awake the whole time, she heard John, her mother and her brother talk next door. She just couldn't sleep. But to lie in silence for a while was good for her racing mind, too.
She turned around to face her mother. "Come in, I'm awake." She didn't feel like talking to her mother, but she felt like she avoided her enough already. And they'd take the train back today, Eric had to go back to his therapy, so she felt like she had to talk to her.
Maggie sat down next to her on the bed while Abby sat up in bed.
"John told me about yesterday. Abby, what your father said to you …"
"Don't Mom.", Abby cut her short. "He said clearly that he doesn't care about me.", she added bitterly.
"But maybe if I … "
"No, I don't want that. I don't want to get down on my knees and beg him to help me. He doesn't want to, that's fine. I have to live with that."
Maggie felt sorry for her daughter. She could see how hurt she was from the words her father said, though at the moment she only seemed bitter. And Maggie was worried. What about the transplant now? But she knew her daughter didn't have an answer either. So she didn't even start, she didn't want to upset Abby. But she couldn't help, tears started to well up in her eyes.
"Mom, please don't cry.", Abby said and hugged her mother.
"I don't.", she answered, tears rolling down her face.
"Sorry to interrupt.", Eric said, standing at the door. He had watched his mother and his sister for a few seconds. "Can I have a minute with my big sister?", he asked with a smile.
"Sure.", Maggie sniffled and pulled away from her daughter before she left the room. "See you in a few minutes."
"Hey."
"Hey."
Eric sat down where Maggie sat a minute before.
"I know you don't want to talk about it, but I have to ask how it was to meet our father. What did he say? What did he look like?"
Eric had a hundred questions. He was only 4 when he left her, he hardly remembered him. He was mad at him for leaving them. But he also couldn't deny that the need to have a father was there over the years.
Abby looked at him. She was glad Eric didn't look like their father at all. Otherwise she would be reminded of that man every time she saw her brother. She wasn't sure what to tell him. Should she tell him that he treated her like a stranger and didn't care? She didn't want to hurt him.
Abby swallowed hard before she started to speak. "You know, he still looks like on the pictures Mom showed us." She tried to force a smile, but wasn't really successful.
"What did he say to you? Will he help you?"
She shook her head. "No.", she simply said, before her emotions overwhelmed her and she couldn't speak.
"Did he say why?", Eric asked when he saw that she couldn't talk about that.
Abby knew exactly what he meant. "No, but he said it was not because of us."
They both just looked at each other before they hugged. There were no words they could say, just hold each other, both feeling the same pain of abandonment.
***
Maggie and Abby hugged each other good bye while John and Eric were bringing the bags to the train.
"I'm sorry that we didn't talk much. But I just couldn't. I hope next time we will meet will be for a happier reason."
"It's okay, Abby, I understand.
"Hey, the train will leave without us if we don't go now.", Eric said when him and John came back.
Maggie parted from her embrace to hug John next, while Eric hugged his sister.
"Make sure that Abby is alright.", she whispered into John's ear. "And call me, even if she only has a cold."
"I will."
John was glad that both, Eric and Maggie cared so much about Abby.
"Take care of my sister.", Eric told him when they hugged each other.
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her."
"We love you both.", Maggie said and waved while they entered the train.
"We love you, too.", Abby answered while she reached out to take Carter's hand.
All four waved until the train was out of sight.
John turned around to look at Abby. "You okay?"
Abby nodded. "Just a little weird now that they are gone. Like my hope to get better just left the town, you know?"
"I know. But don't worry, we will find another way to help you.", he said reassuringly and kissed the hand he held in his before he brought it close to his heart. "Let's go home now, okay?"
"Okay." She really wanted to believe him.
He put his arm around her to walk her over to the car and drive home. He didn't know how, but he was really convinced that he would find a way. He wouldn't give up, that was for sure.
***
"Go upstairs already, I will go and check the mailbox."
"Okay."
With all the hectic that day, they completely forgot to see if anything arrived that day.
Carter walked over to the mailboxes and opened Abby's and his. He grabbed the pile of paper, without taking a closer look at it. He would do that when he was upstairs.
When he entered the apartment, he found Abby sitting on the sofa, legs curled up.
He sat down next to her, flipping through the letters.
"A bill, oh, another bill. And another.", he started to say monotonously while putting each letter down on the table in front of the couch.
"Oh, a newspaper. And … a letter. It's addressed to you.", he said surprised since there was no hint who sent it, handing it to Abby.
She took the letter reluctantly, looking at Carter.
"Who sent this?"
"I have no idea, open it and we'll know."
He didn't have to say that twice. She ripped it open and found several pieces of paper in the envelope. The first was hand-written, the others were typed and looked formal. She couldn't tell who wrote it, so she took a look at the end of the letter to see who wrote it.
She just stared at the signature in disbelief.
Carter looked at her curiously. "So, who wrote it? Abby?"
She just handed him the letter, staring into his eyes now. "Could you please read it out loud?", she asked him, hardly above a whisper.
John took the letter and looked at the signature immediately. He didn't believe his eyes.
Then he started to read:
"Abby,
I just came home from the hospital. I am sorry for what I said earlier, though I can't take it all back. It is still not possible for me to have any contact with you. I don't want to lose another family. But I can't refuse my help, you are my flesh and blood after all. So, after we met, I went straight to the hospital to let them test my blood. I put the results in that letter. Show them to your doctor. If I can help you, let me know. I will help you with this.
I'm sorry if I hurt you, what I surely did. Please accept my help if our results match.
George."
They were both staring at the letter in disbelief, before John looked up at Abby. Both their eyes were teary and a sigh of relief escaped both their lungs.
He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. "It's going to be okay."
