Mending Pieces
A Roswell Alternate Universe Story
By Andrea Sinisterra
Romance/Drama
Standard Disclaimers Apply
* * *
I want to roll my darkness into a million suns
I need to find forgiveness when all the pain is done
I want to hear I'm sorry; I want to let you go
I have to find my own life; I want to learn to grow
"Take Me As I Am"
- Tonic
* * *
Part 10
The week had come and gone swiftly in an overwhelming feast of tears and solitary lament for the Evans family. The news about the accident had faded away, leaving a family in the grips of faith and in the wishing for a miracle to occur.
Diane Evans sat in the far corner of the room, her blue eyes intent on the still form of her daughter lying in the nauseous white bed. She had cried so much during the last week that she felt she had cried all the tears she would ever hope to cry. Her eyes frowned at the wheelchair beside the bed, angry with herself for not being able to help her only daughter.
It had been devastating when they told her that Isabel couldn't move her legs, though they still had hope of recovery. Diane felt ashamed of the lack of faith she had in this 'possible recovery'. Her daughter was a paraplegic, an invalid doomed to a wheelchair for eternity. And Diane felt ashamed at the thoughts that had gone through her head when she found out. How would she tell her friends in their social circle that her daughter, the beautiful butterfly they had cherished for so long, the successful businesswoman, Isabel Evans, was a paraplegic?
Yes, she was ashamed. She was ashamed of her daughter. No, that didn't come out right. She was ashamed of the situation her daughter was in. Yes. She felt remorse creep into her bones, churning her insides. Her beautiful daughter, her best friend, her accomplice in crime... her only daughter. Her fingers felt numb from gripping the chair too tightly, trying to hold her pain.
And as Diane's eyes rested on the angelic face, littered with cuts and bruises, the memories of that same face, came to her mind. She remembered Isabel, a beautiful sun-kissed child, with the deepest brown eyes, and the shiniest golden halo of hair. The cheeriness and laughter of that child ripped away by a fatalistic car accident that will forever conceal her in a pathetic wheelchair.
Impossible that that same child, that little girl with the perpetual smile on her lips, that child with the endless laugh and the truest heart, was the same pale woman lying in the bed before her eyes.
And at that moment, when she saw Isabel stir, her brown eyes opening heavily, Diane Evans hated herself more than anything in the world.
* * *
Robert Evans felt guilty when he saw his wife laugh heartily at one of Sally's jokes. Her worn, yet beautiful face alive with laughter and mirth. Robert didn't have the heart to tell his wife of Isabel's accident. A week had gone by, and he still couldn't figure out how to tell her. Her health was very weak, he couldn't tell what her reaction would be if he told her.
Still, he couldn't leave her in the dark any longer, it just wasn't fair. So he gathered his will, wishing to God that she would take it easy.
* * *
"So, I see you and Max are getting pre-tty close, aren't ya?"
"Yes, we are. Nosey."
Maria laughed, and then gasping at the magazine she was looking at, "Oh my God! Look, wouldn't this look great?"
Liz smiled, "I liked the first one. That's too big."
"Oh, no it's not. Besides, Michael would love it."
"Michael would tell you *anything* to get you to bed, Maria."
"Liz! That's awful! He really doesn't have to tell me anything to *get* me to bed, actually."
"Maria!" Liz slapped Maria lightly, "anyways, it's just hair. Just pull it up and let loose some curls, it makes you look angelic. It really doesn't matter since you're going to wear that veil." Liz leaned in close, as if conspiring, "have you decided what you're going to wear *under* that wedding gown?"
"No." She said dejectedly. "I don't even know what color I want it!"
"Maria! That's the most important thing! You want my opinion?"
"Do I even have to ask?"
Liz glanced at their surroundings, the coffee shop packed with people at brunch hour, "I suggest black."
"I was thinking red."
Liz shook her head; "red will make you look sluttish for your first time." She stopped, "it *is* your first time, right?"
"I don't kiss and tell." Maria laughed, "Kidding, no, we haven't done it yet."
"You know what, forget about black, use white. He'll fall in love with you all over again. Trust me."
The two fell in silence, sipping their coffees. A waitress came by, placing the cheesecakes on the table.
"It's so sad what happened to Isabel..." Maria's voice trailed away, a sigh of sadness wavering in her voice.
"Tell me about it. Max is so silent about it. But I don't think Isabel thought much about it, you know. When Dr. Whitman told her, she just stayed there silent. I didn't even see her that sad."
"I think she likes this Dr. Whitman, you know."
"She does?"
"Yeah, yesterday I went for a visit, and we were talking, and laughing, and when Dr. Whitman entered the room, she went so silent, I think she even blushed!"
"That's so cute! Max told me the other day that Isabel was involved with someone until a few weeks ago. He cheated on her. But I'm so happy that she's taking her condition so well."
"Yeah, after that... that..."
"Pulmonary embolism." Liz supplied.
"That! I didn't think she would make it."
"Yeah, the nurse said that complications are harder to fix than the initial problem."
"But she's okay now." Maria smiled, taking a bite on her cheesecake, "and how's Aaron?"
"He's the happiest, most excited cast plastered person I've ever met!"
Maria laughed, "hey, don't mock. When I had my first cast, I was very, *very* excited about it. I even bought special markers, neon ones that glowed in the dark."
* * *
Alex Whitman was a man who always thought that things happened for predestined reasons. And now, he was in serious doubt of the veracity of that philosophy. It was amazing the amount of horrendous accidents he'd seen in his 29 years. Though, ever since he'd been transferred from New York to New Mexico, the rates had lowered considerably. It was to be expected since New Mexico was a peck of dust compared to the turbulence and fast paced life New York had.
The patient's name lingered in his mind, the solitude of those eyes haunting him. He gripped the plastic chart harder in his hand; the hopes of recovery were slim, so very slim. He hated lying to his patients; he hated to see their families loosing hope. This Isabel Evans had her life changed drastically, and perhaps, to forever stay that way. He winced.
Why did he care so much about her? He's had worse cases, like for instance the man who had his spinal cord lacerated by a knife, or the woman who was a first chair violinist at Julliard who totally lost the sense of touch on both arms. Or the girl who lost both her parents in a car accident... Alex cared a lot for that little girl, Katie. Poor child.
"Dr. Whitman, your daughter's on the phone."
Alex rushed to the phone at the nurse's station, thanking Margaret. "Hey, precious."
"Hi Alex! When are you going to come home?" The child whined, "I miss you."
"Soon, sweetie. Soon. Have you eaten yet?"
"Yeah, Laura bought burgers. She bought you one!"
"I won't take long. Katie, did you do your homework?"
"Who do you think you're talking to? Of course I did!! I'm a very responsible girl."
Alex laughed at the girl's excitement, "O.K., I'll see you in a while."
So now, Alex found himself walking aimlessly around the halls, pondering. Amazingly, of all doors, of all the hallways, of ANY of the floors in the building, he ended up in HER floor, in HER hallway, in front of HER door.
* * *
For the fifth time in one day, Tess found herself in front of the hospital her son was staying at. They were supposed to release him today. She had been lucky so far, that when every time she visited, Max wasn't around. She found that weird, though. What could possibly take Max's attention away from his injured son?
The jealousy that crept inside of her at that thought was unworthy of her; she knew it. Still, she couldn't help herself. That after so many years she still felt attracted to Max, was beyond her, especially after how things had gone.
Taking a very deep breath, she headed for her son, not caring if Max was or wasn't there. She had made a resolution: she would stick to her son, loyal to her son. And if that meant being at the other end of the insult thread, so be it.
Her pace was brisk when she entered the elevator, and grew slower once she reached the floor. It halted completely when she came face to face with Max Evans... and a brunette with her son.
When Tess' blue eyes settled on this brunette, it almost seemed that the room had dropped -20°C. The woman she recognized almost immediately as Elizabeth Parker-Carson. She had appeared numerous times in the Union Club, a magazine showing only the very cream of high society. The magazine where she always had craved to appear on.
She hated her. Hated everything she represented. Because everything that she represented was everything she would never have... and she was touching her son. Fury rose inside of Tess like a rush of liquid lava to the head. But she tried to maintain her cool, calming appearance that would help her convince Max that indeed she had changed, and wanted what was best for Aaron.
No one said a word. Elizabeth and Max shared a glance that did not go unnoticed by Tess, and she inwardly kicked herself for caring. Like in mutual agreement, they both left the room, hand in hand, leaving her alone with Aaron. Tess stopped herself from going after them, from hauling that woman out of Max's arms and reclaiming what was rightfully hers... only, it really wasn't true.
She sighed heavily, and in that sigh, she captured Aaron's full attention.
"Hey there," she said softly, afraid of the reaction her son would give her, "how're you feeling?"
Aaron's look was deadly cold, as he stared at her, as though she were someone completely unknown to him, "I'm fine. It hurts a little, but I'm a fast healer."
"Just like your dad." She smiled, but her smile died midway when Aaron didn't reciprocate, "how are you?"
They sat in silence for a few seconds that easily stretched to a minute; all the while Tess fidgeted uneasily. It was strange, that she could feel afraid of such a little kid. Her eyes traveled from the straight tips of his golden hair, down his blue eyes, to expand over his face. So angelic, and still could reach such cold and apathetic postures.
"I don't hate you." he said simply, as if reading her mind.
Her eyes filled up with tears, "I didn't mean to leave you."
"Yes, you did."
"I didn't plan for things to work out this way. I never meant to hurt you." She stopped, feeling more secure, "I just wish you could give me another chance..."
Something completely unexpected happened then. Aaron smiled. A pure, sincere smile that lighted his eyes. And reaching over, he hung his arms around her neck, and held on for dear life, tears falling onto her shoulder. "Will you sign my cast, too?"
To be continued...
Chapter 11: Our lives together