Chapter 13

A Mother's Love

…days later

Drake fell asleep on the living room sofa. He barely touched his lunch, which was what

he asked for a turkey sandwich on seedless rye bread with the mild no-flavor generic

yellow mustard and a cup of chicken broth. At least he drank the broth and his apple

juice.

Before Audrey took the tray back into the kitchen she made sure he had enough

blanket and she kissed Drake on the forehead.

She saved her tears at nighttime in bed with her husband at least with Walter's arms

around her she wouldn't break entirely and she did believe him when he told her that

"Drake was a strong kid. He would be okay."

He had to be. He was her beautiful not-so-little boy anymore. Drake was growing up to

be a fine young man. None of this seemed particularly fair.

What if they lost him? She didn't want to think about losing her first-born child. To hear

him breathing was the most beautiful sound. What she wouldn't give to be telling him to

turn down that loud guitar playing, "it's past ten o'clock, people are trying to sleep."

Drake hardly picked up his guitars anymore; he said that it felt "different" and "odd". No

long rambling thoughts, because that was not Drake Parker's style, but just a rare

personal insight inside his soul.

Audrey thought she would just wash the dishes by hand instead of using the

dishwasher. She didn't want the noise from the machine to wake him up. The phone

rang and she almost tripped over her own ankles to answer it that wouldn't wake her

son either.

"Hello, is this Audrey Nichols?"

"Yes and this is?"

She closed the wooden privacy blinds. Drake looked so content sleeping that Audrey

hoped that he was having a good dream. Even if it were the standard young man

making out at the Playboy Mansion with the centerfolds in the grotto dream. Anything

that would put a smile on his face nowadays was fine with her.

"I'm Beverly Watson, Emme's mother. I hope you don't mind me calling you."

"I have to admit I don't know what to say." Drake didn't tell her everything, but a few

nights ago he did confide in her somewhat about how he and Josh went out of the

house on Drake's insistence to see Emme Jessica Watson and the results of the

locked door experiment. Which made her and Walter briefly think of suing Clipboard

Ted or least report him to his superiors, but that wouldn't be fair to anyone. Especially

for the other kids in the support group.

Audrey did have a nice phone conversation with him though reminding him that it

wasn't a good idea to be locking cancer patients in offices no matter how good the

intentions were they did not justify the means.

"I'd like to apologize for my daughter's actions. I advised her to send out cards to

everyone in the group because at this point she doesn't want to attend another

meeting, but this was something that I wanted to do."

A card wasn't going to make things right. Once he received it, Drake would probably

throw it in the trash. Audrey couldn't blame him if he did.

"I appreciate the gesture, but to be quite frank, Beverly, I don't understand the reason

for this call." She kept her voice even toned.

"I was hoping that maybe I could throw a dinner party at my house for the group. You

are the first one I called because of the problems between Emme and Drake."

They were problems that your own daughter created for herself and had inflicted her on

others.

"I cannot speak for the other parents, but I don't think this is a good idea for us. I know

you are trying to do the right things. Well so am I. I love all my children. Drake is not the

kind of kid that confides in anyone often and he means the world to me that I cannot do

anything that will jeopardize our relationship. Whatever happens between Drake and

your daughter should be between them. It's really not our place to decide."

"I'll respect your decision, Audrey. I love my daughter the way you love your son. She

hasn't been happy in a long time and I've been blind to a great deal of things. Maybe,

we can have lunch sometime? I really could use a parents support group."

Audrey thought that was a good idea. Her co-workers were supported but with the

exception of two people there that had to deal with cancer in their families no one else

truly understood her families plight.

"Sure. As long as you understand that I'm not forcing our kids to be together even as

friends. It's up to them."

"Of course. I have to go now and check on Emme. It was good talking to you, Audrey."

Their wealth couldn't fix this and Mrs. Watson wished it were that simple a remedy as

to write a check and make the bad feelings go away.

"Same here, Beverly."

That was interesting. The truth was that Audrey would like another parent to talk to who

was going through the same things, but she wouldn't keep this from Drake. She lost

interest in washing the dishes and wrapping up Drake's half eaten sandwich, she

thought she could work on her knitting until her son woke up from his afternoon nap.

I know, I'm dreaming but this feels right.

The illusion of the unknown was shattered when a noise came from outside and woke

the teenage boy up from his sleep.

"Wha--?"

"Drake, you can go back to sleep. It's just the moving men from across the street."

Did they drop a piano?

"No," He stretched, "I have to get up." He decided to sit up he did enough lying down

for the day.

"Do you need anything, honey?"

How about my life back?

But Drake wouldn't have said that to his mother considering she was concerned about

him and asked the question out of a pure place.

"Not right now, thanks."

Audrey was torn of staying in her chair or joining Drake on the sofa. She figured it

might have been selfish and cloying if she sat with her son at that moment.

"Drake, I had a very interesting phone call while you were sleeping that I'd like to

discuss with you."

Was it Dr. Jennings?

It couldn't have been Dr. Jennings if his mother used the word 'interesting' to describe

it.

OH NO.

Did SHE call?

"Mrs. Watson wanted to talk to me about throwing a party for all of you kids in the

support group. I didn't think that was a good idea. She also apologized for Emme's

actions."

"Sorry doesn't make it right."

Boy did Audrey know her son or what? And was glad she didn't cave into Mrs.

Watson's well-intended suggestion regarding that group party.

"I explained anything that happens is really between you two."

Drake was glad that he had a mother who understood him. He would have been

mortified and angry if she had gone behind his back to try and make things "right".

"I appreciate that." Drake got up.

"There's one more thing. It's not directly about you or Emme." She could see the

tension in Drake's shoulders, which was why she added that part to put his mind at

ease.

"Yeah?"

"Would it bother you if me and Mrs. Watson had lunch together and had our own little

cancer parents support group?"

"No, it doesn't bother me at all. I'm going to take a shower before Josh and Megan

come home." Drake kissed his mother on the cheek and gave her a short hug, "Thank

you, Mom."

It really doesn't bother me.

Everyone needs someone to talk to.

Except me.

And Mrs. Watson is certainly nicer than Emme.

Damn her.

I love you--Mom.