Chapter 20 The Consequences of Choices Part 3 of 3
General Hospital Wednesday 8:30 AM
Taylor is lying in bed staring up at the ceiling. The conversation that she had overheard between Shelby and the doctor is playing over and over again in her head. She is so lost in thought that she does not hear Grant entering her room. Grant walks over quietly and sits down on the bed; he leans over and whispers into Taylor's ear. Taylor nearly hits the roof when Grant does this.
"What are you doing here?" She says standing and moving away from him.
"I'm here to pick you up and take you back to school."
"I'm not going with you."
"You have no choice, your father is going to sign custody over to me today. You'll finally be mine." Grant gets a sly mischievous smile on his face.
"I will never be yours." Taylor spits back with great anger.
"Your will never tell about what goes on. If you were to tell anyone, what would people think of you?" Grant gets the satisfaction of being dominating over Taylor. "You are so good at keeping secrets that I have another one for you." Grant walks over and holds Taylor up against the wall. He leans down near her ear. He nuzzles his nose in her hair and then whispers. "I had your new friend." He stands back to see Taylor's reaction. "And she was better than you. I was thinking that the three of us could get together. You'd like that wouldn't you?"
"You bastard!" Taylor pushes him away and takes a swing. Grant knowing martial arts as well is able to deflect Taylor's advances. He gets one arm behind Taylor and holds her against him. "LET ME GO!!!"
Taylor cries and screaming draws the attention of nurses and orderlies. She also draws the attention of Sophie and Shelby. Sophie gets up to investigate. Shelby goes to follow.
"Stay here." Sophie orders Shelby.
When Sophie leaves the room and is down the hall, Shelby disobeys. Shelby runs down to Taylor's room. Taylor is standing in the corner in fighting stances. Thee nurses and orderlies are standing around wondering what to do. Grant is getting looked over by one of the nurses. Sophie arrives to see what was happening. Sophie goes to go over by Taylor, but one of the orderlies stops her.
"She's not letting anyone by her."
"I'll take my chances." Sophie approaches cautiously with her hands up. "Taylor, calm down."
Shelby arrives to see Sophie approaching Taylor and everyone around her. Grant smiles when he sees Shelby. He walks over to her.
"She knows about us."
"There is no us! You drugged me, then took advantage of me."
"You came looking." Grant pulls Shelby's hair out of her face. "I just provided what you wanted." Shelby smacks his hand away. "Bitch."
Shelby ignores Grant and walks over by Sophie, who is now a few feet from Taylor. Taylor looks Sophie in the eyes. Fear and anxiety written all over Taylor's face. Taylor falls to the floor in the corner. She sits in the fetal position and begins to sob. Sophie instinctively goes over to comfort her. Sophie puts a hand on Taylor's should, but Taylor knocks it away.
"Don't touch me." Taylor screams.
Taylor's screams draw the attention of Dr. Miller from the hall. Dr. Miller runs to the room. Dr. Miller enters to find Taylor against the wall mumbling 'don't let them take me, don't let them hurt me' over and over again. Sophie has Shelby in her arms. Shelby has sat down on the floor next to Taylor.
"Is everything okay in here?" Doctor Miller finally arrives. She looks at Sophie, who is holding a shaking, sobbing Shelby and then to Taylor in the corner. She accesses the situation. "Everybody clear the room. Let's leave them alone." Grant doesn't go. "Mr. Tarrant, I'd like you to give them sometime as well."
Grant reluctantly follows the nurses and orderlies out of the room. He makes his way down to the waiting room. Dr. Miller pulls a nurse aside.
"I'm going to write an order stating that Mr. Tarrant is not to be left alone with Miss McPhearson or Miss Merrick. I'm ordering a psych. consult on Miss McPhearson. I'm also going to call Senator McPhearson down to straighten everything out. Finally, I want to call CYS on this one." The nurse gives her a weird look. "I don't care if her father is a saint or Senator, something is going on with that girl. Maybe they can get it out of her."
"Yes ma'am."
Dr. Miller then pulls another orderly aside.
"Please do not let Mr. Tarrant out of your sight."
The orderly nods in agreement. He goes and stands outside of the waiting room that Grant is in.
********* Few Hours Later. . .
Shelby is lying in her bed. Sophie is out in the hall talking to Dr. Miller. Grant is still sitting in the waiting room. Senator Alexander arrives at the hospital. He is alone without his wife. Taylor is sitting in her room with a Social Worker and the hospital psychiatrists. Following the Senator is Peter. He runs over to Sophie.
"I got a call from Shelby's mother. She won't be able to make it up till Friday." Peter says happily and relieved. He then notices Sophie's troubled affect. "How is everything going?"
"They're not letting anything out. Neither one will talk about what is going on. The pain is so great that they are withdrawing into themselves." Sophie looks at Peter, unsure of how to phrase what is next.
"What is it Sophie?"
"Shelby might be pregnant."
"What?" Peter can't believe what he is hearing.
"The hospital tests came back inconclusive. She's suppose to take another one in a few days."
" Soph?" Peter sits down on a nearby chair. "Where are we going wrong with the kids?"
"I don't know." Sophie sits down next to him.
The Social Worker and Psychiatrists come out of Taylor's room. Alexander approaches them. They are close enough for Peter and Sophie to hear their conversation.
"What have you found out?" He asks questioning rather annoyed.
"That your daughter is stubborn and untrusting of anyone. We've tried for over an hour to get her to talk. She has only spoken one word, Horizon?" The Psychiatrist reports.
"That was the school where she overdosed." Alexander explains. "It was supposed to be an emotional growth school. Actually the counselor's are sitting right over there. Would you like to speak with them?"
"Yes please, that would be very helpful." The Social Worker says.
"Let me introduce you then." The three walk over. "Mr. and Mrs. Scarbrow, I'd like you to meet, Katherine Smith, a social worker and, David Franks, hospital psychiatrists.
"Hi nice to meet you." Everyone exchanges handshakes.
"Alexandra overdosed at your school?" The social worker gets right to the point.
"Well, she had taken a handful of pills."
"Where did she get the pills?"
"From my safe in my office. I am the headmaster of the school. When new students arrive, we search their belongings and take any contraband. Any drugs, alcohol or other items are placed into a safe in my office until I can turn it over to the police or dispose of it. Taylor managed to break into my office and then into the safe. She took a handful of pills before two of our other students were able to stop her. We are not sure of her intentions." Peter explains.
"So you can't be sure it wasn't a suicide attempt?"
"I can not be sure it was."
"We are having trouble getting Miss McPhearson to open up. The only word she has said in past hour was Horizon. We were wondering if either of you would be able to talk to her? Does she feel comfortable opening up to you? Does she trust you?"
"I can try, but I can't promise that she will. She's not an easy person to gain trust from." Sophie speaks up.
Sophie enters Taylor's hospital room. Taylor glances over and takes a deep breath, relieved that it is not the social worker or psychiatrist.
"The other two get tired?" Taylor stares out the window.
"You can say that." Sophie looks at Taylor sitting on the bed. She gets a dismal look on her face. "Can you please tell what is going on?" Sophie sits on the bed, instead of on one of the chairs next to the bed.
"There's nothing to tell." Taylor remains staring out the window.
"Why don't you want to go with Grant?" Sophie pushes, hoping Taylor would break.
Taylor tenses up and refuses to look at Sophie. She pulls her knees to her chest and just sits on her bed. Sophie goes to move Taylor's hair out of the way, and Taylor tenses up even more.
"Would you feel better if I were to tell you that Peter and I are going to ask your father for custody?" Taylor doesn't move or say anything. "All you have to do is shake your head if you would feel safer with us." Taylor nods her head in the yes fashion.
"Okay, I will do that." Sophie gets up to leave, but stops at the door. "When the pain gets to much to handle, I hope in time you will feel like you can open up to us or someone."
Sophie goes out into the hospital hall. Grant has joined Alexander and Peter.
"Give us custody of Taylor." She commands to Alexander.
Peter gets a smile on his face. Alexander looks at her amusingly. Grant can't believe that his custody is being challenged.
General Hospital Wednesday 8:30 AM
Taylor is lying in bed staring up at the ceiling. The conversation that she had overheard between Shelby and the doctor is playing over and over again in her head. She is so lost in thought that she does not hear Grant entering her room. Grant walks over quietly and sits down on the bed; he leans over and whispers into Taylor's ear. Taylor nearly hits the roof when Grant does this.
"What are you doing here?" She says standing and moving away from him.
"I'm here to pick you up and take you back to school."
"I'm not going with you."
"You have no choice, your father is going to sign custody over to me today. You'll finally be mine." Grant gets a sly mischievous smile on his face.
"I will never be yours." Taylor spits back with great anger.
"Your will never tell about what goes on. If you were to tell anyone, what would people think of you?" Grant gets the satisfaction of being dominating over Taylor. "You are so good at keeping secrets that I have another one for you." Grant walks over and holds Taylor up against the wall. He leans down near her ear. He nuzzles his nose in her hair and then whispers. "I had your new friend." He stands back to see Taylor's reaction. "And she was better than you. I was thinking that the three of us could get together. You'd like that wouldn't you?"
"You bastard!" Taylor pushes him away and takes a swing. Grant knowing martial arts as well is able to deflect Taylor's advances. He gets one arm behind Taylor and holds her against him. "LET ME GO!!!"
Taylor cries and screaming draws the attention of nurses and orderlies. She also draws the attention of Sophie and Shelby. Sophie gets up to investigate. Shelby goes to follow.
"Stay here." Sophie orders Shelby.
When Sophie leaves the room and is down the hall, Shelby disobeys. Shelby runs down to Taylor's room. Taylor is standing in the corner in fighting stances. Thee nurses and orderlies are standing around wondering what to do. Grant is getting looked over by one of the nurses. Sophie arrives to see what was happening. Sophie goes to go over by Taylor, but one of the orderlies stops her.
"She's not letting anyone by her."
"I'll take my chances." Sophie approaches cautiously with her hands up. "Taylor, calm down."
Shelby arrives to see Sophie approaching Taylor and everyone around her. Grant smiles when he sees Shelby. He walks over to her.
"She knows about us."
"There is no us! You drugged me, then took advantage of me."
"You came looking." Grant pulls Shelby's hair out of her face. "I just provided what you wanted." Shelby smacks his hand away. "Bitch."
Shelby ignores Grant and walks over by Sophie, who is now a few feet from Taylor. Taylor looks Sophie in the eyes. Fear and anxiety written all over Taylor's face. Taylor falls to the floor in the corner. She sits in the fetal position and begins to sob. Sophie instinctively goes over to comfort her. Sophie puts a hand on Taylor's should, but Taylor knocks it away.
"Don't touch me." Taylor screams.
Taylor's screams draw the attention of Dr. Miller from the hall. Dr. Miller runs to the room. Dr. Miller enters to find Taylor against the wall mumbling 'don't let them take me, don't let them hurt me' over and over again. Sophie has Shelby in her arms. Shelby has sat down on the floor next to Taylor.
"Is everything okay in here?" Doctor Miller finally arrives. She looks at Sophie, who is holding a shaking, sobbing Shelby and then to Taylor in the corner. She accesses the situation. "Everybody clear the room. Let's leave them alone." Grant doesn't go. "Mr. Tarrant, I'd like you to give them sometime as well."
Grant reluctantly follows the nurses and orderlies out of the room. He makes his way down to the waiting room. Dr. Miller pulls a nurse aside.
"I'm going to write an order stating that Mr. Tarrant is not to be left alone with Miss McPhearson or Miss Merrick. I'm ordering a psych. consult on Miss McPhearson. I'm also going to call Senator McPhearson down to straighten everything out. Finally, I want to call CYS on this one." The nurse gives her a weird look. "I don't care if her father is a saint or Senator, something is going on with that girl. Maybe they can get it out of her."
"Yes ma'am."
Dr. Miller then pulls another orderly aside.
"Please do not let Mr. Tarrant out of your sight."
The orderly nods in agreement. He goes and stands outside of the waiting room that Grant is in.
********* Few Hours Later. . .
Shelby is lying in her bed. Sophie is out in the hall talking to Dr. Miller. Grant is still sitting in the waiting room. Senator Alexander arrives at the hospital. He is alone without his wife. Taylor is sitting in her room with a Social Worker and the hospital psychiatrists. Following the Senator is Peter. He runs over to Sophie.
"I got a call from Shelby's mother. She won't be able to make it up till Friday." Peter says happily and relieved. He then notices Sophie's troubled affect. "How is everything going?"
"They're not letting anything out. Neither one will talk about what is going on. The pain is so great that they are withdrawing into themselves." Sophie looks at Peter, unsure of how to phrase what is next.
"What is it Sophie?"
"Shelby might be pregnant."
"What?" Peter can't believe what he is hearing.
"The hospital tests came back inconclusive. She's suppose to take another one in a few days."
" Soph?" Peter sits down on a nearby chair. "Where are we going wrong with the kids?"
"I don't know." Sophie sits down next to him.
The Social Worker and Psychiatrists come out of Taylor's room. Alexander approaches them. They are close enough for Peter and Sophie to hear their conversation.
"What have you found out?" He asks questioning rather annoyed.
"That your daughter is stubborn and untrusting of anyone. We've tried for over an hour to get her to talk. She has only spoken one word, Horizon?" The Psychiatrist reports.
"That was the school where she overdosed." Alexander explains. "It was supposed to be an emotional growth school. Actually the counselor's are sitting right over there. Would you like to speak with them?"
"Yes please, that would be very helpful." The Social Worker says.
"Let me introduce you then." The three walk over. "Mr. and Mrs. Scarbrow, I'd like you to meet, Katherine Smith, a social worker and, David Franks, hospital psychiatrists.
"Hi nice to meet you." Everyone exchanges handshakes.
"Alexandra overdosed at your school?" The social worker gets right to the point.
"Well, she had taken a handful of pills."
"Where did she get the pills?"
"From my safe in my office. I am the headmaster of the school. When new students arrive, we search their belongings and take any contraband. Any drugs, alcohol or other items are placed into a safe in my office until I can turn it over to the police or dispose of it. Taylor managed to break into my office and then into the safe. She took a handful of pills before two of our other students were able to stop her. We are not sure of her intentions." Peter explains.
"So you can't be sure it wasn't a suicide attempt?"
"I can not be sure it was."
"We are having trouble getting Miss McPhearson to open up. The only word she has said in past hour was Horizon. We were wondering if either of you would be able to talk to her? Does she feel comfortable opening up to you? Does she trust you?"
"I can try, but I can't promise that she will. She's not an easy person to gain trust from." Sophie speaks up.
Sophie enters Taylor's hospital room. Taylor glances over and takes a deep breath, relieved that it is not the social worker or psychiatrist.
"The other two get tired?" Taylor stares out the window.
"You can say that." Sophie looks at Taylor sitting on the bed. She gets a dismal look on her face. "Can you please tell what is going on?" Sophie sits on the bed, instead of on one of the chairs next to the bed.
"There's nothing to tell." Taylor remains staring out the window.
"Why don't you want to go with Grant?" Sophie pushes, hoping Taylor would break.
Taylor tenses up and refuses to look at Sophie. She pulls her knees to her chest and just sits on her bed. Sophie goes to move Taylor's hair out of the way, and Taylor tenses up even more.
"Would you feel better if I were to tell you that Peter and I are going to ask your father for custody?" Taylor doesn't move or say anything. "All you have to do is shake your head if you would feel safer with us." Taylor nods her head in the yes fashion.
"Okay, I will do that." Sophie gets up to leave, but stops at the door. "When the pain gets to much to handle, I hope in time you will feel like you can open up to us or someone."
Sophie goes out into the hospital hall. Grant has joined Alexander and Peter.
"Give us custody of Taylor." She commands to Alexander.
Peter gets a smile on his face. Alexander looks at her amusingly. Grant can't believe that his custody is being challenged.