Chapter 6
"Hello Mr. Plum" a deep low voice came from the corner of the room, which caught him by surprise.
"Ranger! You just about gave me a heart attack. I didn't know anyone was here." Frank said as he walked toward the side of the bed where his daughter still lay unconscious.
"Sorry Mr. Plum, I didn't mean to startle you. I've been here all day." It was the truth. He had no other place he'd rather be.
"Thank you for being here. I know you must have put a lot of business aside to be here."
"It's not a problem at all. I didn't want her to be alone in case she woke up again."
"You can go if you need to be anywhere. I'll be here for the next few hours."
"If it's all the same to you sir. I'll stay here with her. If you want I can step outside and give you some privacy."
"Don't be silly. We can keep each other company. Has there been any news?" Frank asked even though he already knew the answer.
"No sir, the Dr. stopped by to see her this morning and all is the same. The therapist came by in the afternoon to move her around a bit and massage her muscles, and the new CT scan was done about 2pm. Results should be back later on tonight."
"It has been too long… I'm a… afraid she's not going to wake up." His voice cracked.
"Sir, she'll be fine, she's resting. Steph is a fighter, she'll get through it." He wished he believed the words he was saying himself. But the truth was that he was just as scared as Steph's father was, if not more.
He had been praying from the moment he was told about Steph's accident, and when he first saw her lying in that bed, he had started praying around the clock. He had made promises to God, promises he intended to keep if she woke up from her coma.
"You know when she was a little girl she used to play house like any other girl her age… I used to laugh because she wanted to have babies so much when she grew up. Then when she married Dickie, she told me that she wasn't sure she was good mother material. After the divorce she spoke to me about not wanting to marry again… some how I know she wasn't kidding. And now after this, I'm just afraid what she is going to think about her future."
"Sir, it's understandable that she might feel depressed after this. We'll just have to be by her side and let time heal her pain." He was trying to be as calm as possible. Every time he thought about all the pain the men in her life had submitted her to, he felt sick… mostly because he included himself in the list. He had made a mistake by sending her back to Morelli. He had wronged her by not admitting he had feelings for her and by not being brave enough to show her.
After a few minutes of silence. Frank looked up at him. "Have you heard from Morelli?"
"No, sir." He didn't want to tell him that he had a task force out looking for him.
"I don't understand. He should be here too. I know he loves her. I'll never forgive him for cheating on Steph. But the accident is just that… it's not really his fault." He stood and stared a Steph. She looked so pale, so thin and fragile. "To tell you the truth, I don't want to see them get back together. He doesn't deserve her. But it was his child and he should be here by her side."
"Sir, I agree with you. He should be here. But maybe we should think about Steph. I'm not sure it'll be easy for her to see him right now. In my opinion it's probably better if she wakes up and has time to swallow the news about the baby."
"You're right son. I'm sure it's going to be real hard for Steph to get through the loss of her baby. She's lucky to have friends like you. Thank you for being here." He walked up to Ranger and hugged him. A thankful embrace.
"Mr. Plum I'm not going to leave her side. I'll help her anyway I can to get through her mourning and what ever else after that. You can have my word on that." It was the least he can do for her. She was going to need him more that anything now and he'll be dammed if he was going to let Joe hurt her again.
"Well then I'll go. Ellen is babysitting the girls and she said she needed help before supper. You know son, you are welcomed to stop by and have dinner with us anytime you please. There'll always be a place at our table for you."
"Thank you Mr. Plum. Maybe when Steph wakes up I'll take you up on that offer."
"See you tomorrow. I'll be by in the morning. Take care of yourself." As Frank walked out of the dim room he truly did thank God that his daughter had a man who loved her as much as he did.
The moment he was left alone in the room he let out a deep sigh. He felt like a teenager in love talking to his father-in-law for the first time. He knew that this was anything from the truth. He wished and hoped so deeply that one day he would be this man's son-in-law… but before that Stephanie had to get better, she just had to. And when she did it would be the second chance he had been asking God to give him. He promised himself he wasn't going to waste any time; he wasn't going to play games anymore. He was going after his babe once and for all.