A/N: Let's try this again…
::Coughs:: so, um, the uh, errors, yeah…I fixed them! (blushes). Thanks for pointing them out. I do proofread, but little things always slip through. I'm good with fixing them though.
Okay, so, thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed! I've got lots planned and I hope you'll stay with me. For now I'll leave the rating as PG-13, but I think later it will indeed go to R. I never think my writing is good enough to be really disturbing, but I guess the topic in general is. Thanks again!
***
The phone brought Laura out of her dreamless—she'd been taking sleeping pills again—rest. She lay with her arm over her eyes, hoping Fenton or Gertrude would answer it, but she didn't hear any stirring in the house. What time was it anyway? She glanced over at the alarm and saw it was exactly noon as the message tape clicked on.
"Hi, Mrs. Hardy, this is Vanessa...I was just wondering if you were all right. Joe and I haven't seen in each other lately, but...well, I just wanted to—"
Laura reached over and snatched the phone off the hook. "Hello, dear."
"Oh! You're there! Sorry, I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, of course not," she lied, not wanting her to know she'd been on medication again. Laura sat up and caught sight of a note from Fenton on her nightstand:
Laura;
I've gone to speak with some psychiatrists about Joe. Gertrude is at the market. Take it easy. I'll call you as soon as I'm done.
Love,
Fenton
She sighed and rubbed her eyes. At least she knew why no one had answered the phone.
"Is this a bad time, Mrs. Hardy?"
"No, no. I'm sorry dear. I appreciate you calling. It's sweet of you to worry."
"Well...I know it sounds silly, but...I mean, Joe and I never really broke up. It's just...having a girlfriend wasn't important to him after...I mean, two months ago, and I understand! I really do, it's just..."
"I know," Laura smiled to herself at the girl's nervous rambling. But she really did care about her son, although Joe had made it clear to his girlfriend that no one—not even Vanessa—was going to help him through this when he moved to Bayport University (his back-up school) instead of University of Delaware where he'd originally planned on attending with his old friends.
Still his friends, if he'd let anyone in.
"I understand, dear. You still care about him." She swallowed, hard, making up her mind. "Vanessa...I think I ought to tell you something, and you can decide who to share it with, although I'd appreciate it if you only told those who really need to know."
There was a pause on the other side of the line. "Is Joe all right?" she nearly whispered. Laura sighed again. Will it ever end? I remember having this conversation, oh so similar, with Callie.
"Is Frank all right?"
"I'm afraid not, dear..."
"He's not..."
"They tried to save him, honey, but he'd lost so much blood..."
"Oh my God...no! I'm sorry, I just...I can't...MOM!"
Laura bit her lip to stop it from shaking. Then she spoke, almost mechanically. So many times her men had been hurt. So many times she'd dreaded the call that finally came the night Frank lost his life. Her parents had warned her when she'd gotten engaged to Fenton, cautioned her about his dangerous lifestyle. "It's in his blood, dear," her mother had said, "he'll pass it on to your children."
But she hadn't cared; been too in love to, and enjoyed sharing his cases, posing new angles, hearing about the exciting adventures and being the calm he always sought in the middle of his turbulent life. Although she feared for him, and later her sons—
"Guess what, Mommy? I'm gonna be a detective, just like Daddy!"
"No fair, Mommy, I wanted to be one first! Not Frankie..."
"You can both be detectives, loves."
"Hey, yeah! We could be partners, Joey!"
—she'd never desired any other life.
That is, until she buried her eldest son.
"Oh my God," Vanessa's sudden sobs brought her back to reality. "Oh, Mrs. Hardy, that's terrible, I'm so sorry...if...there's anything I can ever do...if you need...I mean, anything..."
Yes, you can help me, you can help me figure out how to drag my stubborn, wild younger son back to his senses. You were the only other person he ever turned to, who could ever break through to him. He needs balance; that's the problem. He's lost his grounded side and he's spinning around and around in a helpless circle.
"He'll be all right, dear," she murmured, fighting her own tears. "I have faith in him, and I need you to as well. All you have to do is what you've always done; love him, whether as a friend or more, it doesn't matter. He needs you, although he won't admit needing anyone or anything right now."
"I'll do everything I can," Vanessa vowed, but both women were thinking the same thing: what he needs is unattainable, because what he needs is a counterbalance.
What he needs is Frank.
