Me: Hey everybody..what's shakin?? I'm finally back with Ch. 21! I've
planned this out very carefully and decided that this chapter will be the
second to last one. Ch. 22 will be the finale of Chaos At Rittenhouse. This
chapter ends almost everything. If you don't get that, I'm sorry..you'll
have to read it. I don't own the characters...bye.
^^^
Lu and Jessie met half way to her office and Jessie told them the whole story, but she left out Sarah and Allyi. It would just do more damage. After that, Lu rushed off to meet Nick so they could treat Ana carefully. Andy helped her out some by calling Ana's family. Jessie sat in silence on the big black couch in her office waiting. She was sure her mother was going to flip out eventually and punish her, but Andy didn't. Instead, she sat at her desk also in silence. Ten minutes later, a woman knocked on the office door and came in.
"Where's Ana?!" She asked. Andy stood up and walked to her.
"Are you the woman I spoke with on the phone? Ana's grandmother?"
"Yes. What's happened to her? Where is she?"
"Follow me." Andy headed out the door leading the lady with motions.
"Mom?" Jessie called from the couch and Andy turned back to her. "Can I come?" After hesitation she nodded. The three made their way to Ana's hospital room. Lu was already in there with a nurse checking on the monitors.
"Delgado, this is Mrs. Gibler, Ana's grandmother and legal guardian." Andy introduced them and they shook hands. Ana was perfectly still on the hospital bed and Jessie couldn't help but stare at her.
"Call me Lu."
"What's happened to her...Lu?" She asked looking at her granddaughter.
"As you know Mrs. Gibler, Ana has Cystic Fibrosis. Unfortunately one of her attacks happened right after.....the rape."
"Rape? Are you sure?" There were tears rolling down her cheeks now.
"With what Jessie has told me about what happened and examining her myself, there are signs...there are a lot of them actually. With your consent we can do a rape kit but it would be difficult with her being unconscious."
"Wait...who's Jessie?"
"I am." Jessie said, speaking up from behind her. Andy wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.
"Is there anything else?" Mrs. Gibler asked and Lu nodded after a brief pause. "What is it?"
"Her blood alcohol level is too high for us to combine it with the proper medication for the CF attack. There was also Marijuana in her system, which also causes complications."
"Drinks and drugs?! Not my Ana.." The woman said, now balancing herself against the hospital bed.
"I know it comes as a shock. I'm sure Ana is a wonderful young lady but sometimes it happens. Peer pressure goes a long way with teenagers and that might not have even been the case. As Jessie has told me, the guy who did this to her, apparently forced her to smoke the Marijuana and he could have even given her the drinks."
"Is that true?" Mrs. Gibler asked, turning towards Jessie and she nodded in response. "What can you do to help her..Lu?"
"Nothing now. The best thing would be for her to sleep off the alcohol and the drugs and hopefully it won't be too late to get her the medication." The women walked to a chair and sat down in shock. Lu continued. "I've contacted her primary physician and she thinks that Ana will be able to pull threw this and she told me she would be here as soon as she possibly could." They all were silent for a few minutes. "Is there anything I can do for you Mrs. Gibler?"
"Could you just leave me alone with her for a minute, please?" Lu nodded in response and her, Andy and Jessie left the room and headed back to the receptionist desk where Lana sat typing on her computer.
"Mom, I don't feel so good." Jessie said holding her forehead.
"What is it?"
"I've got a pounding headache."
"It's probably the stress." Lu stated.
"You're probably right Delgado." Andy said. "Come on, I'll let you get some sleep in my office." Jessie walked in the office and collapsed on the couch. Her eyes closed slowly and Andy could see a few tears running down her cheeks as she pulled a blanket out of the exam room.
"I'm so sorry Mom. I'm so sorry."
"Hey, sweetie, it's not your fault." Andy said wrapping the blanket around Jessie and sitting down next to her. "You did the right thing getting Ana out of that place."
"But I went with that guy so easily. I could have been Ana tonight."
"Yes, you could have. But you're not and what would have happened to her if you hadn't gone with that guy so easily." Andy said. Jessie sighed and positioned herself around Andy's body so she could lie down.
"This really makes me think."
"It should."
"It does. It makes me think about what I might be getting myself into with Marc."
"What?" Andy asked.
"Chase was Marc, just in a different body. Maybe not as violent, who knows. But the alcohol and the drugs...he did all of that stuff."
"Don't judge him because of his past."
"You do..with dad."
"That's different. Your father never got help, Marc is." Andy said defensively and Jessie just shrugged. "Jessie, it doesn't matter to me what happens with Marc, just as long as you're happy. You're almost eighteen now and I think you can make some decisions on your own now."
"Really? Is that what I did tonight?" She asked plainly.
"It was a bad decision that turned out bad but also good. You saved another life and taught yourself an important lesson." They fell silent again. "Now, why don't you get some sleep ok? It's been a long night." Jessie nodded and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, Andy stood up and walked out of the office, turning the light off and closing the door behind her. Lana and Lu looked at her as she sighed and rubbed her face with exhaustion.
"She'll be ok, Dr. Campbell. She's got your strength." Lana stated.
"Thanks Hawkins."
"And what about you Andy? Are you going to be ok?"
"Delgado, I survived military academy, boot camp, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, two child births, fifteen moves, that inspector guy awhile back, deaths of patients, and a divorce....and many other small things, so what do you think?"
"I think Lana's right. She's got your strength." Lu responded referring to Jessie. "And apparently your attitude." She said under her breath. Andy sighed again.
"I'm sorry Delgado. I guess it's just all too much for me to handle right now. I snapped and I apologize."
"It's ok." Lu smiled.
"Let me see if I can help out here some." Lana said.
"Oh god." Lu rolled her eyes.
"Just hear me out, ok? Dr. Campbell, we all know what this is really about. Not Jessie, but the men in your life. Who has been there for you the most in the past and present? And I don't mean amount of years, I mean spiritually and emotionally, who's been there?"
"That's a hard question to answer."
"Only because you're making it hard. You know in your gut who is the right choice, but you are just to afraid to bring that gut feeling to the surface." Andy looked at Lana silently. "All you need to do is sit yourself down in a quiet room of that big house you own and ask yourself one question." Lana put both her hands in the air with the palms facing up. "Milo or Les?" She raised one hand up and one down and then switched them when she said this. Andy didn't respond, but she took in what Lana had said and nodded. A few minutes later the phone rang and Lana picked it up. "RWHC, how may I help you?" Andy looked at her watch and realized it was a little late for one of her patients to be calling. "Hey buddy! How's it going?.....good, good.....yeah she's right here. All right, bye-bye baby." Lana put down the phone and handed it to Lu. "It's Marc." Lu grabbed the phone.
"Marc?......hey honey, can you hold on?" Lu handed the phone back to Lana. "I'm going to take this in my office." Lana nodded and waited for Lu to get the phone inside her office until she hung up.
"I'm going to go walk around. Page me if anything happens, especially with Jessie." Andy said.
"Ok Dr. Campbell. I hope you take my advice. I may not be a full therapist yet but I have to say-"
"I will Lana...and you're going to make a great therapist." Andy interrupted and started to walk off.
Thirty minutes later, she came back and Lu and Lana were standing at the receptionist desk again.
"You were gone a while? Where'd you go?"
"Everywhere, checked on some patients, went up to the garden outside even though it's freezing. So, what did I miss here?"
"Well, Marc gave me some wonderful news." Lu said and Andy turned her attention to her smiling. "He's coming home next week!"
"I thought he wasn't getting out until right before Christmas?"
"They think and he thinks that he's ready to go. He's better, he's healed. My baby's coming home."
"I'm happy for you Delgado, I am." Andy smiled at her partner and the great relationship she had with her son.
"Thanks."
"Are you picking him up or what?" Lana asked.
"No, but he's meeting me for dinner the night he gets back to talk about his plans and everything. I hope he decides to go to college but if he doesn't I'm ok with it."
"You are?"
"Yeah, it's totally his decision. I can't make it for him." Lu said and Andy nodded. Thoughts flashed through her head: ones about Jessie, ones about Milo, ones about Les, and everything that's happened. Later that night she went home and up to her room after tucking Jessie in carefully, making she was ok. There was a jewelry box sitting on her dresser drawers that she glanced at while changing into her pajamas. Hesitantly, she opened the box and pulled out a diamond ring and a wedding band. They were the ones she wore when she was married to Les and now she wore the beautiful diamond Milo gave her on her left hand, ring finger. Slowly she pulled it off and held both of them up to the light. Andy examined each one of them carefully. Not just what they looked like or which one was better but what they symbolized. After a few minutes she placed her old ones back in the jewelry box and then after deciding that she was still unsure, slipped her new one on her right hand, ring finger.
*****
The next day Andy and Lana were standing around the receptionist desk once again discussing a patients file on the computer. Lu was in chat room when Peter came in carrying folded boxes. Andy and Lana ignored him walking past with them but Lu didn't. Five minutes later he came back but Dr. Jackson was with him this time. They stopped near Lana and Andy at first and then continued into Peter's exam room.
"Lu? Lu?"
"Huh? What?" She turned her attention back to the girls in the chat room.
"What's up with you Lu? You don't usually daze like that." One girl said across from her.
"I'm sorry. I just got a lot on my mind right now, you know." They all nodded and some of them said 'yes'.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, I don't want to burden you with my problems."
"But isn't that what the chat room is for?"
"Well..yeah. I guess it is."
"Then spill it Doctor!" The girl next to her said.
"Ok...first of all, most of you know that Peter is moving to Nevada right?" The girls nodded. "Well that's what's bothering me. He's my buddy....my pal. He's been there since the beginning. The beginning of all of this." She looked around the chat room. "And I don't know what I'm going to do without him. It's not so much the dating thing that hurts, it's the friendship thing."
"You and Peter will still be friends Lu, even if he's in Nevada."
"I know, but it just won't be the same."
"Of course it won't but you'll get on with your life. And besides, didn't you say that he wasn't going to be gone permanently?"
"Yes."
"Then there you go. Sometimes in life you have to live without somebody or something for awhile." The girl beside her said.
"I lived without my boyfriend for nine months while he was overseas because of the military and I was pregnant!" Another girl across the room stated.
"I've lived without a man for a long period of time but not in the way you guys are talking about." Another girl said and everybody laughed. Outside Peter came back outside the office with the boxes now full of stuff from the exam room and Dr. Jackson was still by his side. Lu looked at her watch.
"Times up ladies." She stood up and everybody else did to. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time, same place." She trashed what was left of her coffee and made her way outside the chat room and to the rest of them just in time to hear their conversation.
"Like I've said Nurse Riggs, it has been a pleasure having you here at the Rittenhouse Women's Health Center and I'm looking forward to your return." Dr. Jackson said.
"Thank you Dr. J." Peter answered, setting the boxes down. "I just hope for my mothers sake that I'm gone for awhile."
"I understand. But we will be waiting for your return along with your position here."
"And I thank you again for allowing me to come back to a job." Peter said.
"What are you two talking about?" Lana asked. Peter looked around at the three women standing there.
"I'm leaving."
"What?! But you weren't supposed to leave for another two weeks Peter!" Lana said.
"I know, but my mother is worse off then I thought and I have to get to her as soon as I can."
"But we were going to give you a going away party and all that stuff."
"Oh." Peter said. He looked at Lu who was silent but her looks said everything. "I'm sorry. I just don't have time guys."
"When are you going?" Andy asked.
"I head out tonight." Everybody looked sad at his response.
"You're not even going to work one last day?" Andy asked.
"Like I said, I don't have time." Peter answered.
"So this is goodbye?" Lana asked with tears rolling down her cheeks slowly.
"I guess so." He answered quietly.
"Well, I'm going to miss you kid." She said and grabbed him into a hug. "You call us when you can ok." He nodded and turned to Andy.
"Colonel." She laughed.
"You're a fine solider Riggs. Keep up the good work." They all laughed at her and she smiled again with tears also forming in the corner of her eyes. "In translation that would be, you're a great man Peter, don't ever change, and I'm going to miss you greatly. We all will." It was Andy's turn to hug him now and she did it quickly because she hated good-byes.
"I'll be back for the wedding, I promise." He added.
"If there is one." Andy said under her breath while nodding. They fell silent for a second but then Peter spoke up again.
"Dr. Jackson." He turned to him and shook his hand. "I'll be back."
"We'll be waiting." He nodded and then Peter turned to Lu.
"This isn't good-bye forever Lu." He said and she nodded trying to hold back tears of her own. "I'll be back."
"And I'll be here when you do." She finally said but couldn't fight back the tears. "You're one of my best friends Peter and nothing can change that. I'm going to miss you so much while you're gone."
"I'm going to miss you to. I'm going to miss all of you but I'll stay in touch, I promise." He said and embraced Lu in a hug. "I have to go now." She nodded but didn't let go of him. Then after a few more seconds she did.
"Good-bye Peter Riggs." Lu said looking into his eyes. Peter grabbed the box he had and walked towards the entrance looking back at the entire clinic. The mural on the waiting room wall, the many offices and desks, the patients, and the employees and employer.
"Good-bye." He said and turned around and headed out of the clinic.
*****
Later that day, Andy was sitting in her office researching on her computer when Lana walked in.
"Jessie's on line one Dr. Campbell."
"Thank you Hawkins." Andy responded and picked up the phone as Lana turned around and headed back to her own desk.
"Hello?"
"Hey Mom."
"Is something wrong Jessie?"
"No, I was just wondering....if I could go somewhere. I feel better and I need to talk to someone."
"Jessie."
"Please Mom, I promise, I'm just going to this one place and then I'm coming straight home and going back up to my room for more rest."
"Who do you have to talk to?"
"Someone."
"Who is it Jessica?"
"Dad. Ok? I need to go talk to Dad about some things." Jessie blurted out while twirling the phone cord around her finger. Andy didn't respond right away. "Mom?"
"I'm here."
"Well can I go?"
"Ok, but straight to his apartment and then back home and in your bed or couch or where ever you're resting."
"Thanks Mom. I promise I will come right back." Jessie said.
"You better. Be careful! Use good judgement."
"Mom I'm just going to Dads."
"And last night you were just going to a party and looked what happened." Andy said but regretted it. Her daughter didn't need comments on her judgement from the night before. "Jessie I.."
"You're right. I'll be careful. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone. She had been thinking about everything all day and felt like talking to her father about it, but first she had to make another phone call. She picked up the phone again and dialed a number that she had memorized.
"Hello?" A girl answered. It was Allyi.
"Hey, It's Jess."
"Oh, hold on." Allyi said and motioned for her sister to come to the phone also. Sarah picked up the other cordless phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sarah." Jessie responded.
"Oh Jessie. What's up?"
"I was just wondering how you guys are?"
"Hangover." They said at the same time.
"That sucks. Did your parents find out?"
"No, we hid it this morning and they've been gone all day so......" Allyi answered.
"Well that's good. That way you won't get in trouble."
"Yeah, it's a good thing they didn't find out or else we wouldn't be allowed to go to the party tonight." Sarah added.
"Another party?" Jessie asked.
"Totally, it's going to be a blast. I just wish this headache would go away so I could pick out what to wear." Allyi said.
"I can't believe you guys."
"What?" They asked together.
"You got drunk off your asses last night and you're going to do it again tonight?"
"Jessie." Sarah said defensively.
"Who's going to be there to bail you out this time? Who's going to be there to sneak you into your house after midnight so your parents won't find out while you're too drunk to even know where you are?"
"Well, we were hoping you would come again but I guess you're not up to with what you just said to us." Sarah said.
"No, I'm not up to it because last night was one of the worst nights of my life and it really has changed me. I've been thinking about it the whole day: the alcohol, the drugs, the partying and dancing and the guys. It's not for me and you guys need to know that. Quite frankly, I think you party too much but you're not going to listen to me so what's the use. I'll give you words of advice before I go, stay home once in a while and just hang out together. Things happen out in the world and they are scary. They are scary as shit and one of those things I just happen to experience last night but if you twins weren't so drunk off of god knows what, you would have known that already. I don't want to be friends with people like you because it's dangerous and I'm not 'up to it' as you put it Sarah, so I'll talk to you later. Oh wait, no I won't. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone leaving Sarah and Allyi shocked. She couldn't believe what she just did. It reminded her of her mother's strength but it was like Lu wrote the words. Next thing she knew she was getting into her car which still kind of smelled of alcohol from the night before and driving to her Dad's apartment. She remember exactly which roads to take and which apartment it was. She walked towards the elevator but stopped when she saw her Dad entering it. She would have just caught up with him but his arm was wrapped around a women she didn't know and it made her suspicious. Jessie flew towards the stairs and jolted up to the second floor where her Dad's apartment was and where he was going with that women. Jessie got her sneaky methods from her mother, which made her realize she gets a lot of her mother's traits. She looked out the door of the stairs and had the perfect view of her Dad's apartment door. Next, she saw Les and the strange woman heading towards it. She was kissing his neck, which made Jessie wince. She felt it was gross to see her parents or parent doing anything that had to do with the opposite sex. Les slowly unlocked the door to his apartment and led the woman inside. Jessie ran towards the door and caught it before it shut completely. She waited a few seconds and listened to see where they had gone inside the apartment. When she could tell that they were no longer anywhere near the door she cracked it open and peered her head inside. Jessie didn't really want to see what was going on but she couldn't help it. Curiosity overwhelmed her because this involved her mother. If Les were dating somebody else, Andy needed to know about it. Jessie could hear voiced towards the back of the apartment so she walked in quietly and stood out of sight in the foyer. Les and this mystery woman were in the kitchen drinking wine and talking so Jessie listened carefully.
"Tell me about her baby." The woman said.
"Why?"
"Because, I want to know what happened. What she was like and why it ended."
"She just changed. Andy wasn't the same person in the last five years of our marriage."
"That's it?"
"Eventually I couldn't handle her making me do everything in the relationship and the parenting so I left. I told her it was over and left." Les said. Jessie jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her dad had said that. "Andy was like a machine, it was as if she didn't have any feelings anymore." Jessie panted heavily with rage. Les had never made her so mad. "I'm glad I found you now Jane." Les grabbed the woman's hand and kissed her gently. Jessie burst out from the foyer.
"That's a lie and you know it." She said in anger.
"Jessica!" Les stood up wide-eyed.
"I have never been so angry at you, EVER! You've lied and hurt people when you did it. You used to be such a good Dad, what happened?!" Jessie asked and ran out the door. Instead of using the elevator because it was too slow she ran down the stairs and out to her car. Les was minutes behind her because of such shock. Jessie started the car while quickly putting on her seat belt and racing away. Ten minutes later she was at Rittenhouse. Andy was standing near Lana's desk talking about Peter.
"Mom."
"Jessie?!" Andy turned around and walked to her daughter. "What's wrong?"
"There's something you need to know. Something about Dad." Jessie said. Lu had walked up right as she has said this, so now Jessie had three women staring at her in concern.
"Jessie, what happened?" Andy asked holding both her daughter's shoulders. "Is he hurt? Is he dead? Is he ok? What?"
"He's not hurt but he's hurting other people."
"What?" Andy asked. She realized Lu and Lana standing there, listening to them but didn't really care since she would eventually tell them what happened. She also realized the patients staring at them all so she lead Jessie into her office and Lu and Lana followed.
"He was there with some Jane woman. And he was lying! He was saying how you had changed and how you became the machine and he was saying that he told you it was over and that he left. He lied....and said that he was glad that he had found this other woman to be in love with!" Jessie blurted out. They all calmly waited for her response. Andy said nothing, but just sat herself down on the couch near by.
"Are you sure?" Lana asked as if it was her business and not Andy's.
"I heard him loud and clear and I told him off about it...kind of, so-"
"He's probably out looking for you. He'll check the house first and then come here because I'm sure he knows that I've told you everything that has happened." Andy said staring at a spot on the floor. She knew Les well enough to know what he would do in a situation like this. "But of course, that's what the old Les would do. The Les that I fell in love with as a teenager and the Les that I married so long ago. The Les I thought I knew, the-"
"Andy, don't cause yourself more pain by repeating everything that that man has done to you." Lu said calmly looking at her partner and seeing the pain she was in already.
"I'm not going to hurt myself. I'm going to relieve myself of him. If...when he gets here, Jessie I don't want you to talk to him. Don't even be anywhere he can see you. Delgado, send him in here, I don't care how. It's time we settle this once and for all." She said with a final note and went to sit behind her computer. The three other girls stared at her. After a minute, they all nodded and headed out of her office. Lana and Lu returned to the receptionist desk and Jessie went and sat in Lu's office waiting impatiently. Her cell phone rang seconds later. Jessie looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Les so she didn't answer it and just went back to waiting. Fifteen minutes later, Les walked into the clinic in a hurry.
"Can I help you Mr. Campbell?" Lana said nervously.
"Have you seen my daughter, Jessie?"
"No, but Dr. Campbell would like to speak with you. She thought you might be coming by." Lu said. "I think you remember where her office is?" She nodded at the door to Andy's office. The blinds were closed but inside Andy was acting normal, just playing with the computer. Les hesitated and then went in the office without knocking.
"Les."
"Andy." He said not sure why she wanted to see him. He was hoping that Jessie hadn't been there and told her everything.
"I wish I could say that it's nice to see you." She said and this made him realize that Jessie had been by and obviously told her.
"Andy." He said with a plead in his voice. She held up her hand to stop him.
"Don't talk, just listen." Outside the office, Lana, Lu, and Jessie gathered at the exam room door next to Andy's office so they could hear the conversation even though they couldn't see it. "It's a shame on you if you fool me once Les. But shame on me if you fool me twice. You've lied to me repeatedly. And you know what....I hardly feel the pain anymore. That cannot be a good thing! I can't believe you....no wait...I can't believe myself. I can't even begin to imagine what the hell I was thinking by even getting the least bit involved with you again. I should have known you would do something like this, that you would trick me into thinking you had changed when you really hadn't. After you hit me, you lied to me about getting help and then you used Jessie's back surgery to trick me into a relationship. And now, you're using me again. And you're using that Jane woman or who ever the hell was in your apartment when Jessie found you. And you used to call me the bad parent. The machine.....have you looked in the mirror lately Les?! Have you?!! Because I'm not the one who's hurt this family by actions, you are. I'm not the one who talks badly about an ex-spouse right in front of our daughter." There was a brief pause as Andy tried to keep back her tears. "Because of you, I've ruined a perfectly loving relationship with the most wonderful man. Because of you, my life has been turned upside down for the past weeks. Because of you, I've almost lost my job and my children and I'm not going to sit by and let you walk all over me and control my life like this again Les! I'm not....I want you out, out of my life now! I told you a long time ago that it was over but obviously you didn't get it threw that thick, sandy blonde head of yours. IT'S OVER LES!!! GET OUT!!!!!!!" Andy yelled. She was breathing pretty heavily now because of pure anger at him. Les was angry but Andy wasn't afraid. He got closer to her and raised his hand quickly to do what he did long ago. What he did that was the turning point of their relationship. He was going to hit her but Andy responded by grabbing his wrist and stopping him. "Don't.... even..... think....about it." She said in between her teeth. She threw his hand back down by his side and he looked at her with a glare. "I said, get out. Now." Les gave her one last glare and ran out of the clinic. She wasn't sure what would happen next. If he would stay gone or if she's see him the next day. Most likely he would always be around for his daughters but her feelings toward him were now gone. Lana, Lu and Jessie opened the door to the office from the exam room. All threes jaws were dropped and Andy stood there glaring out the door.
"Wow." Lu said.
"Damn." Lana said next.
"Mom?"
"Jessie, you shouldn't have been listening to that."
"Did he try to...." Jessie tried to ask but there were no words.
"Yes. He tried to hit me again but I stopped him. He'll be back. I'll see him again because he's always going to be here for you girls but I'm not going to worry about feelings or thoughts towards that man anymore because they are dead. Gone...for good." She said.
"Well it looks like you don't need to sit down in a quiet room and decide which guy."
"Yeah, Les pretty much did that for me." Andy said nodding her head.
"What are you going to do?" Lu asked.
"I don't know." Now the tears were forming in Andy's eyes again. She hurt Milo. She hurt him bad and she didn't know if he would ever forgive her.
*****
Andy had gotten off work a couple hours after Les had been there but she didn't go home. Instead she sat in her office in the dark thinking. Lu was still there working and so was Lana but she hadn't talked to them since after she gave that big speech to Les. It was quiet for awhile out there. Lana was working quietly at her desk and Lu was in the ER. All of a sudden a voice caught her attention. It was Milo's. Andy looked up from her desk and outside the office. Her mini-blinds were still open from the day so she could see everything. He was standing with Lu and they were obviously talking about a patient or something that had something to do with medicine. When they stopped talking he walked away going past her office. Quickly, he glanced in at her and noticed that she was watching him but then kept walking. Andy could feel the tears coming to her and didn't stop them. After a few minutes of crying and getting it out of her system, she wiped away the tears and headed out of her office.
"Dr. Campbell? Nice to see you surface. It's been a couple of hours. Where are you headed?" Lana asked curiously but Andy didn't respond. Instead she headed off in the direction of the elevators. Within minutes she was knocking on Milo's office door.
"Come in?" He said from inside. His blinds were shut and the door was closed so he couldn't see who it was. Andy nervously slid her hand on the doorknob and opened the door. Milo looked up to see who it was. "Andy." He put down the paper he was reading and stood up. Tears started to come to her again. She thought she had let them all out but she hadn't. They were silent, just looking at each other.
"I'm sorry." She finally said. "I don't think there are enough words to tell you how much I truly apologize and how much I regret doing what I did."
"I know you are." He responded. The tears finally spilt from her eyes as she continued.
"Les is out of the picture completely. There is no question about it. I loved him for the first half of my life but I don't anymore. I want to love you for the second half Milo. I love you so much and I pray to god that you can forgive me for the pain I've caused....to you and to myself. I'm sorry." Once again she was breathing heavily but it wasn't because of anger. It was out of nervousness on how he was going to respond.
"Completely out of the picture, no question about it?" He asked and Andy nodded clearly. There was a long pause. "I can't...." Her heart started to sink at the beginning of the sentence. "Stay angry at you. I love you to Andy and I always will." Her heart rose again at the end of the sentence and more tears spilled from her eyes. Milo walked towards her and grabbed her around her waist. Andy placed her hands on his chest and he glanced down at them and shook his head. "That's on the wrong hand." He said and took the engagement ring she had placed on her right hand, ring finger the night before and slowly slid it back onto her left hand, ring finger. After he did this, he slowly wiped away the tears that stained her pink cheeks and then cupped that cheek with his hand. Andy was still breathing heavily but this time is was out of love and happiness. His face got inches away from hers and his lips finally touched hers. Andy kissed him back and felt something she hadn't felt since before Les moved back to Philly. The kiss was very slow and still. Very romantic and delicate and they both loved its. After a few minutes of standing up and kissing, they moved to the couch and kissed some more. Andy broke away from him finally and rested her head on his chest. Then, after a few moments of silence, she changed the subject. "Did you know that Peter Riggs left today?"
"Actually I did. He came up here to say goodbye and tell me that he'd be back for the wedding."
"Yeah, he told me that to. So........I guess that means we need to start putting the final touches on that wedding of ours."
"Yes, we do. Because we are getting married and you know why?"
"Why?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.
"Because we love each other and now that we know that we can pull through really hard times, we're ready."
"Yeah, I guess we do know that now. And I do love you Milo. So much....." She said looking back up at him.
"I love you to Andy." He said and they met again for endless kissing and endless love.
^^^
Me: Aww!! *Tear, tear* I think I'm going to cry...wait I already am.....ohh! I need a tissue!!
*Seconds later*
Me: Uh, yeah ok anyway.......that was it folks. Thoughts: Part 2 is now complete and that means that there is only one chapter left to go. I know you're probably wondering, "What else does she have to write about?" You'll see....it's going to be great and I know this already! Anyway!! I hope you liked it and I really hope you review it and express your thoughts. Thanks.
^^^
Lu and Jessie met half way to her office and Jessie told them the whole story, but she left out Sarah and Allyi. It would just do more damage. After that, Lu rushed off to meet Nick so they could treat Ana carefully. Andy helped her out some by calling Ana's family. Jessie sat in silence on the big black couch in her office waiting. She was sure her mother was going to flip out eventually and punish her, but Andy didn't. Instead, she sat at her desk also in silence. Ten minutes later, a woman knocked on the office door and came in.
"Where's Ana?!" She asked. Andy stood up and walked to her.
"Are you the woman I spoke with on the phone? Ana's grandmother?"
"Yes. What's happened to her? Where is she?"
"Follow me." Andy headed out the door leading the lady with motions.
"Mom?" Jessie called from the couch and Andy turned back to her. "Can I come?" After hesitation she nodded. The three made their way to Ana's hospital room. Lu was already in there with a nurse checking on the monitors.
"Delgado, this is Mrs. Gibler, Ana's grandmother and legal guardian." Andy introduced them and they shook hands. Ana was perfectly still on the hospital bed and Jessie couldn't help but stare at her.
"Call me Lu."
"What's happened to her...Lu?" She asked looking at her granddaughter.
"As you know Mrs. Gibler, Ana has Cystic Fibrosis. Unfortunately one of her attacks happened right after.....the rape."
"Rape? Are you sure?" There were tears rolling down her cheeks now.
"With what Jessie has told me about what happened and examining her myself, there are signs...there are a lot of them actually. With your consent we can do a rape kit but it would be difficult with her being unconscious."
"Wait...who's Jessie?"
"I am." Jessie said, speaking up from behind her. Andy wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.
"Is there anything else?" Mrs. Gibler asked and Lu nodded after a brief pause. "What is it?"
"Her blood alcohol level is too high for us to combine it with the proper medication for the CF attack. There was also Marijuana in her system, which also causes complications."
"Drinks and drugs?! Not my Ana.." The woman said, now balancing herself against the hospital bed.
"I know it comes as a shock. I'm sure Ana is a wonderful young lady but sometimes it happens. Peer pressure goes a long way with teenagers and that might not have even been the case. As Jessie has told me, the guy who did this to her, apparently forced her to smoke the Marijuana and he could have even given her the drinks."
"Is that true?" Mrs. Gibler asked, turning towards Jessie and she nodded in response. "What can you do to help her..Lu?"
"Nothing now. The best thing would be for her to sleep off the alcohol and the drugs and hopefully it won't be too late to get her the medication." The women walked to a chair and sat down in shock. Lu continued. "I've contacted her primary physician and she thinks that Ana will be able to pull threw this and she told me she would be here as soon as she possibly could." They all were silent for a few minutes. "Is there anything I can do for you Mrs. Gibler?"
"Could you just leave me alone with her for a minute, please?" Lu nodded in response and her, Andy and Jessie left the room and headed back to the receptionist desk where Lana sat typing on her computer.
"Mom, I don't feel so good." Jessie said holding her forehead.
"What is it?"
"I've got a pounding headache."
"It's probably the stress." Lu stated.
"You're probably right Delgado." Andy said. "Come on, I'll let you get some sleep in my office." Jessie walked in the office and collapsed on the couch. Her eyes closed slowly and Andy could see a few tears running down her cheeks as she pulled a blanket out of the exam room.
"I'm so sorry Mom. I'm so sorry."
"Hey, sweetie, it's not your fault." Andy said wrapping the blanket around Jessie and sitting down next to her. "You did the right thing getting Ana out of that place."
"But I went with that guy so easily. I could have been Ana tonight."
"Yes, you could have. But you're not and what would have happened to her if you hadn't gone with that guy so easily." Andy said. Jessie sighed and positioned herself around Andy's body so she could lie down.
"This really makes me think."
"It should."
"It does. It makes me think about what I might be getting myself into with Marc."
"What?" Andy asked.
"Chase was Marc, just in a different body. Maybe not as violent, who knows. But the alcohol and the drugs...he did all of that stuff."
"Don't judge him because of his past."
"You do..with dad."
"That's different. Your father never got help, Marc is." Andy said defensively and Jessie just shrugged. "Jessie, it doesn't matter to me what happens with Marc, just as long as you're happy. You're almost eighteen now and I think you can make some decisions on your own now."
"Really? Is that what I did tonight?" She asked plainly.
"It was a bad decision that turned out bad but also good. You saved another life and taught yourself an important lesson." They fell silent again. "Now, why don't you get some sleep ok? It's been a long night." Jessie nodded and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, Andy stood up and walked out of the office, turning the light off and closing the door behind her. Lana and Lu looked at her as she sighed and rubbed her face with exhaustion.
"She'll be ok, Dr. Campbell. She's got your strength." Lana stated.
"Thanks Hawkins."
"And what about you Andy? Are you going to be ok?"
"Delgado, I survived military academy, boot camp, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, two child births, fifteen moves, that inspector guy awhile back, deaths of patients, and a divorce....and many other small things, so what do you think?"
"I think Lana's right. She's got your strength." Lu responded referring to Jessie. "And apparently your attitude." She said under her breath. Andy sighed again.
"I'm sorry Delgado. I guess it's just all too much for me to handle right now. I snapped and I apologize."
"It's ok." Lu smiled.
"Let me see if I can help out here some." Lana said.
"Oh god." Lu rolled her eyes.
"Just hear me out, ok? Dr. Campbell, we all know what this is really about. Not Jessie, but the men in your life. Who has been there for you the most in the past and present? And I don't mean amount of years, I mean spiritually and emotionally, who's been there?"
"That's a hard question to answer."
"Only because you're making it hard. You know in your gut who is the right choice, but you are just to afraid to bring that gut feeling to the surface." Andy looked at Lana silently. "All you need to do is sit yourself down in a quiet room of that big house you own and ask yourself one question." Lana put both her hands in the air with the palms facing up. "Milo or Les?" She raised one hand up and one down and then switched them when she said this. Andy didn't respond, but she took in what Lana had said and nodded. A few minutes later the phone rang and Lana picked it up. "RWHC, how may I help you?" Andy looked at her watch and realized it was a little late for one of her patients to be calling. "Hey buddy! How's it going?.....good, good.....yeah she's right here. All right, bye-bye baby." Lana put down the phone and handed it to Lu. "It's Marc." Lu grabbed the phone.
"Marc?......hey honey, can you hold on?" Lu handed the phone back to Lana. "I'm going to take this in my office." Lana nodded and waited for Lu to get the phone inside her office until she hung up.
"I'm going to go walk around. Page me if anything happens, especially with Jessie." Andy said.
"Ok Dr. Campbell. I hope you take my advice. I may not be a full therapist yet but I have to say-"
"I will Lana...and you're going to make a great therapist." Andy interrupted and started to walk off.
Thirty minutes later, she came back and Lu and Lana were standing at the receptionist desk again.
"You were gone a while? Where'd you go?"
"Everywhere, checked on some patients, went up to the garden outside even though it's freezing. So, what did I miss here?"
"Well, Marc gave me some wonderful news." Lu said and Andy turned her attention to her smiling. "He's coming home next week!"
"I thought he wasn't getting out until right before Christmas?"
"They think and he thinks that he's ready to go. He's better, he's healed. My baby's coming home."
"I'm happy for you Delgado, I am." Andy smiled at her partner and the great relationship she had with her son.
"Thanks."
"Are you picking him up or what?" Lana asked.
"No, but he's meeting me for dinner the night he gets back to talk about his plans and everything. I hope he decides to go to college but if he doesn't I'm ok with it."
"You are?"
"Yeah, it's totally his decision. I can't make it for him." Lu said and Andy nodded. Thoughts flashed through her head: ones about Jessie, ones about Milo, ones about Les, and everything that's happened. Later that night she went home and up to her room after tucking Jessie in carefully, making she was ok. There was a jewelry box sitting on her dresser drawers that she glanced at while changing into her pajamas. Hesitantly, she opened the box and pulled out a diamond ring and a wedding band. They were the ones she wore when she was married to Les and now she wore the beautiful diamond Milo gave her on her left hand, ring finger. Slowly she pulled it off and held both of them up to the light. Andy examined each one of them carefully. Not just what they looked like or which one was better but what they symbolized. After a few minutes she placed her old ones back in the jewelry box and then after deciding that she was still unsure, slipped her new one on her right hand, ring finger.
*****
The next day Andy and Lana were standing around the receptionist desk once again discussing a patients file on the computer. Lu was in chat room when Peter came in carrying folded boxes. Andy and Lana ignored him walking past with them but Lu didn't. Five minutes later he came back but Dr. Jackson was with him this time. They stopped near Lana and Andy at first and then continued into Peter's exam room.
"Lu? Lu?"
"Huh? What?" She turned her attention back to the girls in the chat room.
"What's up with you Lu? You don't usually daze like that." One girl said across from her.
"I'm sorry. I just got a lot on my mind right now, you know." They all nodded and some of them said 'yes'.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, I don't want to burden you with my problems."
"But isn't that what the chat room is for?"
"Well..yeah. I guess it is."
"Then spill it Doctor!" The girl next to her said.
"Ok...first of all, most of you know that Peter is moving to Nevada right?" The girls nodded. "Well that's what's bothering me. He's my buddy....my pal. He's been there since the beginning. The beginning of all of this." She looked around the chat room. "And I don't know what I'm going to do without him. It's not so much the dating thing that hurts, it's the friendship thing."
"You and Peter will still be friends Lu, even if he's in Nevada."
"I know, but it just won't be the same."
"Of course it won't but you'll get on with your life. And besides, didn't you say that he wasn't going to be gone permanently?"
"Yes."
"Then there you go. Sometimes in life you have to live without somebody or something for awhile." The girl beside her said.
"I lived without my boyfriend for nine months while he was overseas because of the military and I was pregnant!" Another girl across the room stated.
"I've lived without a man for a long period of time but not in the way you guys are talking about." Another girl said and everybody laughed. Outside Peter came back outside the office with the boxes now full of stuff from the exam room and Dr. Jackson was still by his side. Lu looked at her watch.
"Times up ladies." She stood up and everybody else did to. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time, same place." She trashed what was left of her coffee and made her way outside the chat room and to the rest of them just in time to hear their conversation.
"Like I've said Nurse Riggs, it has been a pleasure having you here at the Rittenhouse Women's Health Center and I'm looking forward to your return." Dr. Jackson said.
"Thank you Dr. J." Peter answered, setting the boxes down. "I just hope for my mothers sake that I'm gone for awhile."
"I understand. But we will be waiting for your return along with your position here."
"And I thank you again for allowing me to come back to a job." Peter said.
"What are you two talking about?" Lana asked. Peter looked around at the three women standing there.
"I'm leaving."
"What?! But you weren't supposed to leave for another two weeks Peter!" Lana said.
"I know, but my mother is worse off then I thought and I have to get to her as soon as I can."
"But we were going to give you a going away party and all that stuff."
"Oh." Peter said. He looked at Lu who was silent but her looks said everything. "I'm sorry. I just don't have time guys."
"When are you going?" Andy asked.
"I head out tonight." Everybody looked sad at his response.
"You're not even going to work one last day?" Andy asked.
"Like I said, I don't have time." Peter answered.
"So this is goodbye?" Lana asked with tears rolling down her cheeks slowly.
"I guess so." He answered quietly.
"Well, I'm going to miss you kid." She said and grabbed him into a hug. "You call us when you can ok." He nodded and turned to Andy.
"Colonel." She laughed.
"You're a fine solider Riggs. Keep up the good work." They all laughed at her and she smiled again with tears also forming in the corner of her eyes. "In translation that would be, you're a great man Peter, don't ever change, and I'm going to miss you greatly. We all will." It was Andy's turn to hug him now and she did it quickly because she hated good-byes.
"I'll be back for the wedding, I promise." He added.
"If there is one." Andy said under her breath while nodding. They fell silent for a second but then Peter spoke up again.
"Dr. Jackson." He turned to him and shook his hand. "I'll be back."
"We'll be waiting." He nodded and then Peter turned to Lu.
"This isn't good-bye forever Lu." He said and she nodded trying to hold back tears of her own. "I'll be back."
"And I'll be here when you do." She finally said but couldn't fight back the tears. "You're one of my best friends Peter and nothing can change that. I'm going to miss you so much while you're gone."
"I'm going to miss you to. I'm going to miss all of you but I'll stay in touch, I promise." He said and embraced Lu in a hug. "I have to go now." She nodded but didn't let go of him. Then after a few more seconds she did.
"Good-bye Peter Riggs." Lu said looking into his eyes. Peter grabbed the box he had and walked towards the entrance looking back at the entire clinic. The mural on the waiting room wall, the many offices and desks, the patients, and the employees and employer.
"Good-bye." He said and turned around and headed out of the clinic.
*****
Later that day, Andy was sitting in her office researching on her computer when Lana walked in.
"Jessie's on line one Dr. Campbell."
"Thank you Hawkins." Andy responded and picked up the phone as Lana turned around and headed back to her own desk.
"Hello?"
"Hey Mom."
"Is something wrong Jessie?"
"No, I was just wondering....if I could go somewhere. I feel better and I need to talk to someone."
"Jessie."
"Please Mom, I promise, I'm just going to this one place and then I'm coming straight home and going back up to my room for more rest."
"Who do you have to talk to?"
"Someone."
"Who is it Jessica?"
"Dad. Ok? I need to go talk to Dad about some things." Jessie blurted out while twirling the phone cord around her finger. Andy didn't respond right away. "Mom?"
"I'm here."
"Well can I go?"
"Ok, but straight to his apartment and then back home and in your bed or couch or where ever you're resting."
"Thanks Mom. I promise I will come right back." Jessie said.
"You better. Be careful! Use good judgement."
"Mom I'm just going to Dads."
"And last night you were just going to a party and looked what happened." Andy said but regretted it. Her daughter didn't need comments on her judgement from the night before. "Jessie I.."
"You're right. I'll be careful. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone. She had been thinking about everything all day and felt like talking to her father about it, but first she had to make another phone call. She picked up the phone again and dialed a number that she had memorized.
"Hello?" A girl answered. It was Allyi.
"Hey, It's Jess."
"Oh, hold on." Allyi said and motioned for her sister to come to the phone also. Sarah picked up the other cordless phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sarah." Jessie responded.
"Oh Jessie. What's up?"
"I was just wondering how you guys are?"
"Hangover." They said at the same time.
"That sucks. Did your parents find out?"
"No, we hid it this morning and they've been gone all day so......" Allyi answered.
"Well that's good. That way you won't get in trouble."
"Yeah, it's a good thing they didn't find out or else we wouldn't be allowed to go to the party tonight." Sarah added.
"Another party?" Jessie asked.
"Totally, it's going to be a blast. I just wish this headache would go away so I could pick out what to wear." Allyi said.
"I can't believe you guys."
"What?" They asked together.
"You got drunk off your asses last night and you're going to do it again tonight?"
"Jessie." Sarah said defensively.
"Who's going to be there to bail you out this time? Who's going to be there to sneak you into your house after midnight so your parents won't find out while you're too drunk to even know where you are?"
"Well, we were hoping you would come again but I guess you're not up to with what you just said to us." Sarah said.
"No, I'm not up to it because last night was one of the worst nights of my life and it really has changed me. I've been thinking about it the whole day: the alcohol, the drugs, the partying and dancing and the guys. It's not for me and you guys need to know that. Quite frankly, I think you party too much but you're not going to listen to me so what's the use. I'll give you words of advice before I go, stay home once in a while and just hang out together. Things happen out in the world and they are scary. They are scary as shit and one of those things I just happen to experience last night but if you twins weren't so drunk off of god knows what, you would have known that already. I don't want to be friends with people like you because it's dangerous and I'm not 'up to it' as you put it Sarah, so I'll talk to you later. Oh wait, no I won't. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone leaving Sarah and Allyi shocked. She couldn't believe what she just did. It reminded her of her mother's strength but it was like Lu wrote the words. Next thing she knew she was getting into her car which still kind of smelled of alcohol from the night before and driving to her Dad's apartment. She remember exactly which roads to take and which apartment it was. She walked towards the elevator but stopped when she saw her Dad entering it. She would have just caught up with him but his arm was wrapped around a women she didn't know and it made her suspicious. Jessie flew towards the stairs and jolted up to the second floor where her Dad's apartment was and where he was going with that women. Jessie got her sneaky methods from her mother, which made her realize she gets a lot of her mother's traits. She looked out the door of the stairs and had the perfect view of her Dad's apartment door. Next, she saw Les and the strange woman heading towards it. She was kissing his neck, which made Jessie wince. She felt it was gross to see her parents or parent doing anything that had to do with the opposite sex. Les slowly unlocked the door to his apartment and led the woman inside. Jessie ran towards the door and caught it before it shut completely. She waited a few seconds and listened to see where they had gone inside the apartment. When she could tell that they were no longer anywhere near the door she cracked it open and peered her head inside. Jessie didn't really want to see what was going on but she couldn't help it. Curiosity overwhelmed her because this involved her mother. If Les were dating somebody else, Andy needed to know about it. Jessie could hear voiced towards the back of the apartment so she walked in quietly and stood out of sight in the foyer. Les and this mystery woman were in the kitchen drinking wine and talking so Jessie listened carefully.
"Tell me about her baby." The woman said.
"Why?"
"Because, I want to know what happened. What she was like and why it ended."
"She just changed. Andy wasn't the same person in the last five years of our marriage."
"That's it?"
"Eventually I couldn't handle her making me do everything in the relationship and the parenting so I left. I told her it was over and left." Les said. Jessie jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her dad had said that. "Andy was like a machine, it was as if she didn't have any feelings anymore." Jessie panted heavily with rage. Les had never made her so mad. "I'm glad I found you now Jane." Les grabbed the woman's hand and kissed her gently. Jessie burst out from the foyer.
"That's a lie and you know it." She said in anger.
"Jessica!" Les stood up wide-eyed.
"I have never been so angry at you, EVER! You've lied and hurt people when you did it. You used to be such a good Dad, what happened?!" Jessie asked and ran out the door. Instead of using the elevator because it was too slow she ran down the stairs and out to her car. Les was minutes behind her because of such shock. Jessie started the car while quickly putting on her seat belt and racing away. Ten minutes later she was at Rittenhouse. Andy was standing near Lana's desk talking about Peter.
"Mom."
"Jessie?!" Andy turned around and walked to her daughter. "What's wrong?"
"There's something you need to know. Something about Dad." Jessie said. Lu had walked up right as she has said this, so now Jessie had three women staring at her in concern.
"Jessie, what happened?" Andy asked holding both her daughter's shoulders. "Is he hurt? Is he dead? Is he ok? What?"
"He's not hurt but he's hurting other people."
"What?" Andy asked. She realized Lu and Lana standing there, listening to them but didn't really care since she would eventually tell them what happened. She also realized the patients staring at them all so she lead Jessie into her office and Lu and Lana followed.
"He was there with some Jane woman. And he was lying! He was saying how you had changed and how you became the machine and he was saying that he told you it was over and that he left. He lied....and said that he was glad that he had found this other woman to be in love with!" Jessie blurted out. They all calmly waited for her response. Andy said nothing, but just sat herself down on the couch near by.
"Are you sure?" Lana asked as if it was her business and not Andy's.
"I heard him loud and clear and I told him off about it...kind of, so-"
"He's probably out looking for you. He'll check the house first and then come here because I'm sure he knows that I've told you everything that has happened." Andy said staring at a spot on the floor. She knew Les well enough to know what he would do in a situation like this. "But of course, that's what the old Les would do. The Les that I fell in love with as a teenager and the Les that I married so long ago. The Les I thought I knew, the-"
"Andy, don't cause yourself more pain by repeating everything that that man has done to you." Lu said calmly looking at her partner and seeing the pain she was in already.
"I'm not going to hurt myself. I'm going to relieve myself of him. If...when he gets here, Jessie I don't want you to talk to him. Don't even be anywhere he can see you. Delgado, send him in here, I don't care how. It's time we settle this once and for all." She said with a final note and went to sit behind her computer. The three other girls stared at her. After a minute, they all nodded and headed out of her office. Lana and Lu returned to the receptionist desk and Jessie went and sat in Lu's office waiting impatiently. Her cell phone rang seconds later. Jessie looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Les so she didn't answer it and just went back to waiting. Fifteen minutes later, Les walked into the clinic in a hurry.
"Can I help you Mr. Campbell?" Lana said nervously.
"Have you seen my daughter, Jessie?"
"No, but Dr. Campbell would like to speak with you. She thought you might be coming by." Lu said. "I think you remember where her office is?" She nodded at the door to Andy's office. The blinds were closed but inside Andy was acting normal, just playing with the computer. Les hesitated and then went in the office without knocking.
"Les."
"Andy." He said not sure why she wanted to see him. He was hoping that Jessie hadn't been there and told her everything.
"I wish I could say that it's nice to see you." She said and this made him realize that Jessie had been by and obviously told her.
"Andy." He said with a plead in his voice. She held up her hand to stop him.
"Don't talk, just listen." Outside the office, Lana, Lu, and Jessie gathered at the exam room door next to Andy's office so they could hear the conversation even though they couldn't see it. "It's a shame on you if you fool me once Les. But shame on me if you fool me twice. You've lied to me repeatedly. And you know what....I hardly feel the pain anymore. That cannot be a good thing! I can't believe you....no wait...I can't believe myself. I can't even begin to imagine what the hell I was thinking by even getting the least bit involved with you again. I should have known you would do something like this, that you would trick me into thinking you had changed when you really hadn't. After you hit me, you lied to me about getting help and then you used Jessie's back surgery to trick me into a relationship. And now, you're using me again. And you're using that Jane woman or who ever the hell was in your apartment when Jessie found you. And you used to call me the bad parent. The machine.....have you looked in the mirror lately Les?! Have you?!! Because I'm not the one who's hurt this family by actions, you are. I'm not the one who talks badly about an ex-spouse right in front of our daughter." There was a brief pause as Andy tried to keep back her tears. "Because of you, I've ruined a perfectly loving relationship with the most wonderful man. Because of you, my life has been turned upside down for the past weeks. Because of you, I've almost lost my job and my children and I'm not going to sit by and let you walk all over me and control my life like this again Les! I'm not....I want you out, out of my life now! I told you a long time ago that it was over but obviously you didn't get it threw that thick, sandy blonde head of yours. IT'S OVER LES!!! GET OUT!!!!!!!" Andy yelled. She was breathing pretty heavily now because of pure anger at him. Les was angry but Andy wasn't afraid. He got closer to her and raised his hand quickly to do what he did long ago. What he did that was the turning point of their relationship. He was going to hit her but Andy responded by grabbing his wrist and stopping him. "Don't.... even..... think....about it." She said in between her teeth. She threw his hand back down by his side and he looked at her with a glare. "I said, get out. Now." Les gave her one last glare and ran out of the clinic. She wasn't sure what would happen next. If he would stay gone or if she's see him the next day. Most likely he would always be around for his daughters but her feelings toward him were now gone. Lana, Lu and Jessie opened the door to the office from the exam room. All threes jaws were dropped and Andy stood there glaring out the door.
"Wow." Lu said.
"Damn." Lana said next.
"Mom?"
"Jessie, you shouldn't have been listening to that."
"Did he try to...." Jessie tried to ask but there were no words.
"Yes. He tried to hit me again but I stopped him. He'll be back. I'll see him again because he's always going to be here for you girls but I'm not going to worry about feelings or thoughts towards that man anymore because they are dead. Gone...for good." She said.
"Well it looks like you don't need to sit down in a quiet room and decide which guy."
"Yeah, Les pretty much did that for me." Andy said nodding her head.
"What are you going to do?" Lu asked.
"I don't know." Now the tears were forming in Andy's eyes again. She hurt Milo. She hurt him bad and she didn't know if he would ever forgive her.
*****
Andy had gotten off work a couple hours after Les had been there but she didn't go home. Instead she sat in her office in the dark thinking. Lu was still there working and so was Lana but she hadn't talked to them since after she gave that big speech to Les. It was quiet for awhile out there. Lana was working quietly at her desk and Lu was in the ER. All of a sudden a voice caught her attention. It was Milo's. Andy looked up from her desk and outside the office. Her mini-blinds were still open from the day so she could see everything. He was standing with Lu and they were obviously talking about a patient or something that had something to do with medicine. When they stopped talking he walked away going past her office. Quickly, he glanced in at her and noticed that she was watching him but then kept walking. Andy could feel the tears coming to her and didn't stop them. After a few minutes of crying and getting it out of her system, she wiped away the tears and headed out of her office.
"Dr. Campbell? Nice to see you surface. It's been a couple of hours. Where are you headed?" Lana asked curiously but Andy didn't respond. Instead she headed off in the direction of the elevators. Within minutes she was knocking on Milo's office door.
"Come in?" He said from inside. His blinds were shut and the door was closed so he couldn't see who it was. Andy nervously slid her hand on the doorknob and opened the door. Milo looked up to see who it was. "Andy." He put down the paper he was reading and stood up. Tears started to come to her again. She thought she had let them all out but she hadn't. They were silent, just looking at each other.
"I'm sorry." She finally said. "I don't think there are enough words to tell you how much I truly apologize and how much I regret doing what I did."
"I know you are." He responded. The tears finally spilt from her eyes as she continued.
"Les is out of the picture completely. There is no question about it. I loved him for the first half of my life but I don't anymore. I want to love you for the second half Milo. I love you so much and I pray to god that you can forgive me for the pain I've caused....to you and to myself. I'm sorry." Once again she was breathing heavily but it wasn't because of anger. It was out of nervousness on how he was going to respond.
"Completely out of the picture, no question about it?" He asked and Andy nodded clearly. There was a long pause. "I can't...." Her heart started to sink at the beginning of the sentence. "Stay angry at you. I love you to Andy and I always will." Her heart rose again at the end of the sentence and more tears spilled from her eyes. Milo walked towards her and grabbed her around her waist. Andy placed her hands on his chest and he glanced down at them and shook his head. "That's on the wrong hand." He said and took the engagement ring she had placed on her right hand, ring finger the night before and slowly slid it back onto her left hand, ring finger. After he did this, he slowly wiped away the tears that stained her pink cheeks and then cupped that cheek with his hand. Andy was still breathing heavily but this time is was out of love and happiness. His face got inches away from hers and his lips finally touched hers. Andy kissed him back and felt something she hadn't felt since before Les moved back to Philly. The kiss was very slow and still. Very romantic and delicate and they both loved its. After a few minutes of standing up and kissing, they moved to the couch and kissed some more. Andy broke away from him finally and rested her head on his chest. Then, after a few moments of silence, she changed the subject. "Did you know that Peter Riggs left today?"
"Actually I did. He came up here to say goodbye and tell me that he'd be back for the wedding."
"Yeah, he told me that to. So........I guess that means we need to start putting the final touches on that wedding of ours."
"Yes, we do. Because we are getting married and you know why?"
"Why?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.
"Because we love each other and now that we know that we can pull through really hard times, we're ready."
"Yeah, I guess we do know that now. And I do love you Milo. So much....." She said looking back up at him.
"I love you to Andy." He said and they met again for endless kissing and endless love.
^^^
Me: Aww!! *Tear, tear* I think I'm going to cry...wait I already am.....ohh! I need a tissue!!
*Seconds later*
Me: Uh, yeah ok anyway.......that was it folks. Thoughts: Part 2 is now complete and that means that there is only one chapter left to go. I know you're probably wondering, "What else does she have to write about?" You'll see....it's going to be great and I know this already! Anyway!! I hope you liked it and I really hope you review it and express your thoughts. Thanks.