Chapter 4
Not Alone
Abby was on the plane home to Chicago. She sighed. She
thought that she would be coming back with Eric and Maggie, but it didn't turn
out that way. She started to remember what happened yesterday.
*Flashback*
"Abby, we don't need to come home to Chicago with you. Eric is going to be fine in Minnesota."
"Mom, how can Eric be fine with you? He needs stability and I don't
think you have that. You just need to stay in Chicago with me for a while until
Eric gets used to the disease and knows what he needs to do about it."
"No, I'm taking him home with me," Maggie said, as she and Eric left,
leaving Abby alone.
"Miss, do you want a drink?" said the flight attendant, interrupting
Abby's thoughts.
"No, thanks."
Abby looked at the old married couple next to her.
"Going on vacation?" the old woman asked.
"No, actually I'm going home."
"Oh, that would be nice. You miss your
boyfriend, don't you?" the woman asked. Abby looked up at the woman, and
smiled.
"How did you know?"
"I can see it in your eyes. So how long have you been
away?"
"2 days."
The woman laughed. "I remember when my husband and I were like that. We've been married for 25 years now."
"Really? That is a long time!" Abby said. Will John and I ever be like that?
Will we still be together in 25 years? Abby hoped that John and her could end up like that, but she knew that they couldn't.
Carter deserves better than her, as her family is always going to be a problem,
always needing her help.
***
A few hours later,
Abby walked into the ER. "Is John here?" Susan looked up. "Abby, you're
back. How did everything work out?"
"I don't really want to talk about it; do you know where John is?" Abby
asked, with this sad look on her face.
"He's in the lounge."
"Thanks," Abby said, as she walked into the lounge. She called out
Carter's name. He turned around with this big smile on his face.
"You're home!!" he said, excited as he went up to her, and hugged her.
It felt so good to be in his arms again, she thought to herself as she rested
her head on his chest. If only he could make all the problems go away.
Carter looked at Abby. He was so glad that she was home, but he could
sense that there was something different about her, that there was more
sadness. Carter leaned over and kissed her. "I'm so glad that you are home."
"It has only been two days since you last saw me. It hasn't been
months."
"I know, but I still miss you," Carter smiled, as they sat down on the
couch. "So what happened with Eric?" Carter asked.
Abby just looked at him, got up from the couch, and walked towards the
lockers, looking down on the ground. Carter got up from the couch and walked up
to her.
"What's wrong?"
She turned around. "He went home with her," she said with this sad tone
in her voice. She paused for a moment. "The one person that
can't help him. He needs stability, but he isn't going to get it with
her."
Carter took her hand and
intertwined it with his. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to see you go through
this. But you just have to hope that he's going to be okay. Because
he is, Abby. He's going to be okay." Abby looked up at him and saw only
reassurance in his eyes, daring her to believe that everything was going to
turn out alright. She slowly slipped her arms around him and drew him into a
tight embrace.
"I wish you were right."
Carter's pager went off. "I have to go back to work. Are you going to
be okay?" Carter asked, concerned. "I can get Susan to cover for me, and we can
go out for coffee and pie."
"No, I'll be fine. I'm going to go home, I'll see you later," she said,
as she leaned over and kissed him, and then walked out of the lounge into the
night.
A few weeks later,
Abby walked into her apartment and was making herself something to eat
when the phone rang.
"Hello," she said, as she picked up the phone.
"Abby, its mom."
"Hi," Abby said in no more than a whisper.
"Eric wants to talk to you."
"Hi, Abby. I am sorry about leaving you like that, but I just couldn't
let you see me like mom was in our childhood."
"I know, but you are my brother. I love you."
"I know, you do, Abby. I'm fine, I'm taking my meds, everything
will be okay.
Everything will be okay until the next time, Abby thought to herself.
"I'll give you back to Mom," Eric said. Abby sighed. She didn't want to
deal with her family anymore.
"Abby, are you still there?"
"Yes, mom. I have to go now. I have an early shift," she lied as she
hung up the phone.
Abby went, sat on the couch and just sighed. She looked at the clock,
and saw that it read 9:00. John will be home
soon, she thought to herself as she turned on the TV and flipped through the channels
aimlessly.
**
Later that night.
Abby was lying in bed next to Carter. "Is everything okay?" Carter
asked, concerned. She turned around and faced Carter. "I talked to Eric today."
"That is great news," Carter said, as he leaned and put his arms around
her. "I told you that he just need some time and then he would talk to you
again."
Abby looked at Carter. She knew that he was trying to help and
understand her family. But nobody could, not now or ever.
Abby smiled. "For now, he is okay…until the next time. What happens if
both of them go off the meds, who is going to help them?"
"Abby, I know it is hard, but just try to let go and forget everything.
Try to get some sleep."
"Okay, I'll try," Abby said. "Goodnight John." Carter leaned over and
kissed her.
"Goodnight Abby," he said, as he turned off the light.
Abby waited until she was sure that Carter was sleep before she got out
of the bed and got dressed. She walked into the living room and had to do the
hardest thing she ever had to do. She picked up a piece of paper and started to
write. It took about half an hour before she finished it; she had to rewrite
tons of times. She never thought it could be this hard to write a note.
She walked into the room, went up to Carter, leaned over, and softly
kissed him on the forehead.
"I have to do this," she whispered to Carter before she left the room.
Then she was gone.
To be continued!!
Author's Note: Sorry it took me months to update this story, but I decided to start writing the story again.So for those that read this before, please review again, and people just reading it, please review. The more reviews I can, the faster I will update!!
