AN: Again a little thank you for your comments.
The Rainbow After The Storm
Chapter Thirteen
Carter walked down the landing to Abby's room, he tentatively knocked the door, but she didn't answer. Hesitantly he opened it and walked over to the bed where she lay. He could hear her sniffling as if she was crying.
'Hey' he said sitting on the bed
'Carter?' she asked
'What?' he replied
'Could you stay? Talk?' she asked
'Sure, I can do that' he answered and made himself more comfortable by propping his body against the headboard, next to where she lay.
'What do you want to talk about?' he asked
'I don't know, not today though'
'Maybe that's what we should talk about'
'I don't know'
'We need to talk about what to do next, when Maggie arrives' he clarified
She sniffed and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which he gave her.
'I suggested she stay at the apartment with Eric' Carter continued
'Uh huh. I'm sorry I couldn't go back there, not with him, not after yesterday'
'It's okay you don't have to explain, there's plenty of room here' he added with a smile and she couldn't help but return it slightly.
'I don't think I can go back there 'til he's gone. Wherever he's going, back with Mom, off somewhere else. I don't really care'
'Yes you do, you know you do' he said
She looked back at him the tears glistening in her eyes once more and suddenly he felt bad for her.
'You should get some sleep' he added thinking that things often looked clearer in the morning, although this was more complicated than most things.
She nodded.
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There was a light tapping on the door and Carter open his eyes and wondered why he couldn't move his body. Then he realised that sometime during the night he must have climbed under the covers and now Abby was sleeping in his arms. Which felt good, right somehow. The knocking came again, more urgently this time and he edged Abby off him gently and got up to see who was at the door.
'Dr Carter' said Martha the housekeeper
'Yes' he said still trying to wake fully
'There's a Maggie Wyczenski on the telephone for your friend Abby'
'Thank you I'll take the call' he replied walking into his room and picking up the handset.
'Maggie' he said
'Oh John'
'You here already?' he asked
'No, we're just on a stop' she replied
'Okay call me when you get into Chicago and I'll come pick you up'
'John, she's okay isn't she?' Maggie asked 'My daughter'
'She will be' he answered
'But you didn't admit here into the hospital?'
'No, but she's not good either'
'And Eric, he's okay'
'Not really, it'll be better when you get here, you can see for yourself'
'Yes, yes I'm sure you're right, I'm running out of change, I have to go, send Abby my love' and sure enough the money credit expired and she was cut off.
Carter sighed he had a feeling that it was going to be a very long and tiring day. So to set himself up for it he headed into the bathroom for a long relaxing shower.
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Carter was drinking coffee in the kitchen when the phone rang again.
'Hi' he said answering it almost immediately
'Carter' said Susan 'I heard what happened, is she okay?'
'What do you think? Actually she's still sleeping'
'Is there anything I can do?'
'Not right now'
'Look if you need me, if she needs me, call right?'
'Uh huh'
'Promise me Carter?'
'Yes Susan I promise'
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Abby and Carter finally met up with Maggie afternoon, as they decided that the sooner something was sorted out the better.
Maggie make the error of hugging Abby when she first saw her, causing Abby to yelp in pain, Maggie was very contrite, she had been so pleased to see her daughter, she had forgotten about her injuries.
After spending a couple of hours with her daughter Carter took Maggie to the apartment to see Eric who was surprisingly sober. Carter left them as they had a lot to discuss.
The following day Carter had a shift and it was during this time that Maggie and Eric paid Abby a visit. Abby was not overly happy to see them and thought about asking Martha to stay in the room, but decided against it as she couldn't do much in an emergency except dial 911.
It was tense, a traumatic air hung in the room and Abby refused to look at her brother, who was sitting next to Maggie looking rather like a small child.
Maggie broke the silence talking for Eric who for once didn't mind. He had reached a point where he realised that he needed help badly, for if in his right frame of mind he would never have hurt Abby for the world and being sober the past two days had clarified that somewhat. That and talking to his mother, she had shared some of her feelings that she had as a younger woman with him, a younger woman with an illness she didn't want or wasn't sure how to control.
This had helped the pair of them somewhat and Maggie knew more now of how to approach her daughter. Maggie had been surprised that Carter was not there, but in a way was glad as she felt that what she was going to say might be easier if Abby was alone. She, Maggie was happy that Abby still had Carter to talk to especially as she felt that right now her main priority was Eric. Abby couldn't wait to see the back of them at the present time, she needed time to comes to terms with everything that had occurred the past couple of days.
When they finally left it was decided that Eric was to go back with Maggie. Eric agreed to enrol himself on a programme and Abby felt that that was a start. Although she couldn't quite find it within herself to forgive him, everything was still too raw, but she knew that trying a programme again was a good step forward and at least he would be away from Chicago so that she could get back to her apartment and normality again. Part of her worried that it was only a matter of time before Eric and Maggie fell out again, she really hoped that this time Eric would make it work, would try hard to stay on his meds.
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Carter felt sad a week or so later when Abby finally moved out back into her apartment, he had gotten used to having her around. She had insisted that although Eric was now back with Maggie that she wouldn't feel safe until the locks had been changed, just in case any of Eric's 'friends' had a key or something.
'You want someone to stay tonight? I can ask Susan?' Carter asked dropping her off home
'No I have to do this' she replied
'I'll help you with your stuff' he said and they walked to her apartment together.
'You could stay for a coffee?' she suggested not really wanting to be on her own right away.
'Sure, but my shifts starts in an hour'
'Okay'
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As he was leaving she stopped him 'John?'
'What?'
She nervously bit her lip 'I just wanted to say thank you, for everything'
He smiled turned back into the apartment and gave her a gentle hug before leaving saying 'You're welcome'
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She couldn't sleep; she looked at the clock, ten minutes since the last time she had looked. She got up.
She found herself in a 24/7 store looking at the gin and vodka. She reached out and touched a bottle. Then she thought of Eric and what the drinking did to him. She thought of herself, before and she turned on her heel and walked out of the store.
She sat in the room, there were not many people there it was late. She sat and listened as people stood up and told their stories and was pleased that she hadn't given in and bought a bottle of drink.
She walked home from the meeting feeling better about herself, let herself in and went to bed. She slept.
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