Amanda walked up to the main doors of Boston General where her father was
standing waiting for her. She ran her hand through her hair as she
approached him. Immediately Scott wrapped his arms around her pulling her
into a hug, he had no idea how Amanda was taking the news.
Quietly as they parted Scott looked down at her with concern. Amanda nodded at him to follow her into the hospital. Silently they walked in towards the front desk.
"I know where she is,"said Scott. Amanda nodded and let him lead her to the elevators. As they waited for one Amanda looked over at him.
"What state is she in?"asked Amanda.
"She's alive, barely consious though,"said Scott. Amanda shook her head in disbelief and walked into the elevator that opened it's doors. Scott followed her and pushed the button for the fifth floor.
Once they were out of the elevator they went to the main desk and Scott asked which way her room was. The nurse gave them directions after confirming they were family. Amanda briskfully walked ahead of her father to the room as the nurse told them. The door she was looking for was slightly jarred and she could hear soft voices inside. Pushing the door open Amanda walked in to find Gavin and Jamie sitting next to the bed her mother was in. All three of them looked at her as she looked at her mother in almost disbelief.
"You?"questioned her mother in a scratchy voice.
"What the hell is your problem?"asked Amanda almost yelling at her mother,"What in your fucking mind made you pull this stunt?" Scott walked into the room as Gavin and Jamie both stood up.
"AJ,"said Scott softly putting his hand on her shoulder. Amanda shrugged him off as she moved closer to the bed.
"I seriously can't believe you,"said Amanda,"Overdosing?"
"Don't speak to her like that,"said Gavin sternly,"She's in pain."
"I don't give a fuck if she's mutating,"spat Amanda,"Cause now signing the papers to have you die will be the sweetest thing I ever do."
"And it wasn't before?"asked Cate sarcastically,"Oh look and you brought your father."
"Ya know for all your shit, I oughta belt you one in face,"said Amanda.
"Don't you dare touch her,"said Gavin moving closer to Amanda. Amanda looked at him cocking her eyebrows.
"Get any closer to me and I'll be belting you,"said Amanda.
"If you don't care so much why did you come?"asked Cate.
"I came to tell you next you wanna down a bunch of medication, finish it off with a bottle of booze,"said Amanda,"Maybe it'll work."
"Amanda calm down,"said Scott. Amanda turned and walked out of the room leaving Scott alone. Cate looked at him with her signature self satisfied looked.
"You hurt her so much,"said Scott.
"Oh don't feed me that,"said Cate,"She couldn't give a shit."
"You know I'd be able to sleep better if she didn't care,"said Scott,"But I have to watch as you do this to her, she has a child at home whom she'd probably be thrilled to have a grandmother for him but you made sure twenty three years ago Aiden would never had that."
"She knows why I did what I did,"said Cate.
"And so do I, and if you didn't want her why didn't you give her to me,"said Scott,"At least she would've grown up with one caring parent around."
"Why so she could jump into bed with a teacher sooner,"said Cate,"Don't dance around like you are the greatest parent to ever live, within a year of moving in with you she was sleeping with a man almost ten years her senior who was none the less her teacher and then she was on a plane away from you." Scott stood there holding on to his dignity as he tried to ignore Cate's bitter words.
"I hate to say it, but maybe you should take her words to heart and have a bottle of booze next time,"said Scott bitterly as he turned and left the room. He walked out and seen Amanda sitting a few yards down with her head in her hands. Slowly he walked over and sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her.
"I never want to see her again,"said Amanda softly as she sat up straightly and put her head on his shoulder,"She can do what she wants, I just can't do this anymore."
"You don't have to,"said Scott softly rubbing her shoulder comfortingly,"Let's leave here." Amanda nodded and stood up with him.
The two of them found themselves in a Starbucks fifteen minutes later sitting in the back having a coffee. Amanda had been silently as well had Scott, the two of them emerged in their own thoughts. Finally Scott broke their silence with a question of something that Cate had said.
"AJ, where you and Harry?" Amanda looked up at her father who was having difficulty putting his words together with the question,"Where you and Harry together before that day?"
"You've already asked that,"said Amanda.
"Were you being honest?"asked Scott.
"Would it matter now?"asked Amanda not knowing if she should actually just come out and tell her father the truth or continue having him think nothing had ever happened.
"I don't suppose so,"said Scott,"Not with the events that have happened."
"Dad can we just drop this subject, neither of us like it,"said Amanda.
"I would like to know,"said Scott.
"Why? Either way you lose, if I say we were together before then you feel bad for it happening without you know and I say we weren't then you still feel bad,"said Amanda.
"You mother, she made implications that you two were,"said Scott.
"That woman knows nothing,"snipped Amanda,"but anyways, you have to come over sometime, see Aide."
"You know he's amazing,"said Scott,"I'm so proud of you." Amanda smiled as she sipped her coffee. It was hard at times with Aiden, she played it by hand sometimes with setting boundaries for him and with being an involved mother, she didn't want to baby over him too much but she didn't want to neglect him. And being the only one out of all her friends with a child she didn't really have anyone to turn to for advice.
"So how's school?"asked Amanda.
"Good,"nodded Scott,"It's been pretty quiet."
"That's good,"nodded Amanda.
"Are you okay over what happened tonight?"asked Scott.
"Yeah,"sighed Amanda,"I shouldn't expect anymore from her, she's been doing this for twenty three years I shoulda seen it coming."
"Are you accepting her money?"asked Scott.
"At first I wasn't but ya know what if that's all I can get as compensation then I'll take it because in the end it's all I'm going to get,"said Amanda shrugging,"I'll use it to spoil Aiden, get Harry upset."
"Upset over what?"asked Scott.
"Harry thinks I spend too much,"said Amanda,"He gets upset cause I paid a maid to come in and clean up the other day, and I've been on a couple of shopping sprees. I don't understand the value of money apparently."
"Well, too be honest you've never actually held a nine to five job,"said Scott.
"I value money,"said Amanda smirking,"I value that I have a lot of it and Harry doesn't."
"Then maybe he's not mad over the fact you spend the money, maybe he's upset that even though he's the one with the job his wife still overrides him with money,"said Scott.
"Words of wisdom,"said Amanda laughing,"Yeah I took that into consideration, but it's okay we solved the problem, we got seperate accounts today. He's got his and I've got mine."
"Sounds fair,"said Scott.
*******
Later that night Amanda walked back into her apartment, all the lights were off except for the kitchen light. Quietly she closed the door and dropped her keys on the counter and walked in. Sighing she took a seat at the kitchen table. Closing her eyes she silently berated herself for wanting to come back to Boston, none of these problems were in Paris.
"God I wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to come here,"whispered Amanda to herself. She slipped her shoes off and jacket leaving them in the kitchen as she got up and wandered over to one of the drawers. Opening it she pulled out what was now an ancient pack of cigarettes. She took one out and grabbed a book of matches. Wandering out to the balcony she leaned against the railing and lit her cigarette. She jumped slightly at the sound of the door opening behind her. Turning she seen Harry closing the glass sliding door behind him.
"Bad night?"asked Harry softly nodding towards the cigarette in Amanda's hand.
"Oh life's boot came looking for my ass tonight,"sighed Amanda.
"How did things go with your mom?"asked Harry.
"I told her next time she overdosed that she should wash it down with a bottle of booze,"said Amanda shaking her head at her own comment.
"Well that's always a good tibit of information,"said Harry as he leaned against the rail with her.
"My dad told her off too,"said Amanda smiling,"Kinda felt bad for him, he'll probably never know the real joy of just screaming at her and tearing a strip off of her."
"Are you okay?"asked Harry. Amanda nodded.
"I just gotta let go,"said Amanda,"Stop letting her shit affect me."
Quietly as they parted Scott looked down at her with concern. Amanda nodded at him to follow her into the hospital. Silently they walked in towards the front desk.
"I know where she is,"said Scott. Amanda nodded and let him lead her to the elevators. As they waited for one Amanda looked over at him.
"What state is she in?"asked Amanda.
"She's alive, barely consious though,"said Scott. Amanda shook her head in disbelief and walked into the elevator that opened it's doors. Scott followed her and pushed the button for the fifth floor.
Once they were out of the elevator they went to the main desk and Scott asked which way her room was. The nurse gave them directions after confirming they were family. Amanda briskfully walked ahead of her father to the room as the nurse told them. The door she was looking for was slightly jarred and she could hear soft voices inside. Pushing the door open Amanda walked in to find Gavin and Jamie sitting next to the bed her mother was in. All three of them looked at her as she looked at her mother in almost disbelief.
"You?"questioned her mother in a scratchy voice.
"What the hell is your problem?"asked Amanda almost yelling at her mother,"What in your fucking mind made you pull this stunt?" Scott walked into the room as Gavin and Jamie both stood up.
"AJ,"said Scott softly putting his hand on her shoulder. Amanda shrugged him off as she moved closer to the bed.
"I seriously can't believe you,"said Amanda,"Overdosing?"
"Don't speak to her like that,"said Gavin sternly,"She's in pain."
"I don't give a fuck if she's mutating,"spat Amanda,"Cause now signing the papers to have you die will be the sweetest thing I ever do."
"And it wasn't before?"asked Cate sarcastically,"Oh look and you brought your father."
"Ya know for all your shit, I oughta belt you one in face,"said Amanda.
"Don't you dare touch her,"said Gavin moving closer to Amanda. Amanda looked at him cocking her eyebrows.
"Get any closer to me and I'll be belting you,"said Amanda.
"If you don't care so much why did you come?"asked Cate.
"I came to tell you next you wanna down a bunch of medication, finish it off with a bottle of booze,"said Amanda,"Maybe it'll work."
"Amanda calm down,"said Scott. Amanda turned and walked out of the room leaving Scott alone. Cate looked at him with her signature self satisfied looked.
"You hurt her so much,"said Scott.
"Oh don't feed me that,"said Cate,"She couldn't give a shit."
"You know I'd be able to sleep better if she didn't care,"said Scott,"But I have to watch as you do this to her, she has a child at home whom she'd probably be thrilled to have a grandmother for him but you made sure twenty three years ago Aiden would never had that."
"She knows why I did what I did,"said Cate.
"And so do I, and if you didn't want her why didn't you give her to me,"said Scott,"At least she would've grown up with one caring parent around."
"Why so she could jump into bed with a teacher sooner,"said Cate,"Don't dance around like you are the greatest parent to ever live, within a year of moving in with you she was sleeping with a man almost ten years her senior who was none the less her teacher and then she was on a plane away from you." Scott stood there holding on to his dignity as he tried to ignore Cate's bitter words.
"I hate to say it, but maybe you should take her words to heart and have a bottle of booze next time,"said Scott bitterly as he turned and left the room. He walked out and seen Amanda sitting a few yards down with her head in her hands. Slowly he walked over and sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her.
"I never want to see her again,"said Amanda softly as she sat up straightly and put her head on his shoulder,"She can do what she wants, I just can't do this anymore."
"You don't have to,"said Scott softly rubbing her shoulder comfortingly,"Let's leave here." Amanda nodded and stood up with him.
The two of them found themselves in a Starbucks fifteen minutes later sitting in the back having a coffee. Amanda had been silently as well had Scott, the two of them emerged in their own thoughts. Finally Scott broke their silence with a question of something that Cate had said.
"AJ, where you and Harry?" Amanda looked up at her father who was having difficulty putting his words together with the question,"Where you and Harry together before that day?"
"You've already asked that,"said Amanda.
"Were you being honest?"asked Scott.
"Would it matter now?"asked Amanda not knowing if she should actually just come out and tell her father the truth or continue having him think nothing had ever happened.
"I don't suppose so,"said Scott,"Not with the events that have happened."
"Dad can we just drop this subject, neither of us like it,"said Amanda.
"I would like to know,"said Scott.
"Why? Either way you lose, if I say we were together before then you feel bad for it happening without you know and I say we weren't then you still feel bad,"said Amanda.
"You mother, she made implications that you two were,"said Scott.
"That woman knows nothing,"snipped Amanda,"but anyways, you have to come over sometime, see Aide."
"You know he's amazing,"said Scott,"I'm so proud of you." Amanda smiled as she sipped her coffee. It was hard at times with Aiden, she played it by hand sometimes with setting boundaries for him and with being an involved mother, she didn't want to baby over him too much but she didn't want to neglect him. And being the only one out of all her friends with a child she didn't really have anyone to turn to for advice.
"So how's school?"asked Amanda.
"Good,"nodded Scott,"It's been pretty quiet."
"That's good,"nodded Amanda.
"Are you okay over what happened tonight?"asked Scott.
"Yeah,"sighed Amanda,"I shouldn't expect anymore from her, she's been doing this for twenty three years I shoulda seen it coming."
"Are you accepting her money?"asked Scott.
"At first I wasn't but ya know what if that's all I can get as compensation then I'll take it because in the end it's all I'm going to get,"said Amanda shrugging,"I'll use it to spoil Aiden, get Harry upset."
"Upset over what?"asked Scott.
"Harry thinks I spend too much,"said Amanda,"He gets upset cause I paid a maid to come in and clean up the other day, and I've been on a couple of shopping sprees. I don't understand the value of money apparently."
"Well, too be honest you've never actually held a nine to five job,"said Scott.
"I value money,"said Amanda smirking,"I value that I have a lot of it and Harry doesn't."
"Then maybe he's not mad over the fact you spend the money, maybe he's upset that even though he's the one with the job his wife still overrides him with money,"said Scott.
"Words of wisdom,"said Amanda laughing,"Yeah I took that into consideration, but it's okay we solved the problem, we got seperate accounts today. He's got his and I've got mine."
"Sounds fair,"said Scott.
*******
Later that night Amanda walked back into her apartment, all the lights were off except for the kitchen light. Quietly she closed the door and dropped her keys on the counter and walked in. Sighing she took a seat at the kitchen table. Closing her eyes she silently berated herself for wanting to come back to Boston, none of these problems were in Paris.
"God I wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to come here,"whispered Amanda to herself. She slipped her shoes off and jacket leaving them in the kitchen as she got up and wandered over to one of the drawers. Opening it she pulled out what was now an ancient pack of cigarettes. She took one out and grabbed a book of matches. Wandering out to the balcony she leaned against the railing and lit her cigarette. She jumped slightly at the sound of the door opening behind her. Turning she seen Harry closing the glass sliding door behind him.
"Bad night?"asked Harry softly nodding towards the cigarette in Amanda's hand.
"Oh life's boot came looking for my ass tonight,"sighed Amanda.
"How did things go with your mom?"asked Harry.
"I told her next time she overdosed that she should wash it down with a bottle of booze,"said Amanda shaking her head at her own comment.
"Well that's always a good tibit of information,"said Harry as he leaned against the rail with her.
"My dad told her off too,"said Amanda smiling,"Kinda felt bad for him, he'll probably never know the real joy of just screaming at her and tearing a strip off of her."
"Are you okay?"asked Harry. Amanda nodded.
"I just gotta let go,"said Amanda,"Stop letting her shit affect me."