Chapter Seventeen
Alan had cleaned the dining room, cleaned the living room, had started on the kitchen. Anything to keep himself busy, Charlie was in the garage, working on some equation of some kind. He'd assured Alan that there was no P and there was certainly no verses NP. They had tried to relax over a cup of coffee, tried to talk about what movie to watch together later on that evening. When they were all back together again, all safe under the one roof. It had been no good though. Neither really listened to the other so they had gone their separate ways.
Alan cleaned the kitchen surface for the second time in less than an hour. He had understood Don's need to face his fear, but did he have to do it without his family, did he have to do it so soon?
He almost dropped the detergent when the phone rang. Trying to not run Alan had walked at his fastest pace fearing the worst.
"Hello, Donnie?"
"Alan it's Sandy, everything ok?" The concern in her voice warmed Alan's nerves and he forced himself to try to relax, try to sound happy and normal.
"Don's out, seeing the man that took him" He'd tried and failed. The panic evident.
"Oh Alan, why didn't you call me, I could have come and waited with you"
"Thank you, but I feel like all I do is call on you. Plus it's rude to clean while there's visitors in the house"
"Is that what you've been doing? Has Charlie gone with Don?"
"No, no he's here, working on something or another in the garage. Don went with his team"
"Alan do you want me to come over?"
Alan could feel himself falling in love with this woman. He felt guilty though, in the ten days he had known her he felt like all he had done was call on her for help.
"No it's ok, I don't want to keep you from anything. We're just waiting for Don to get back"
"In that case I'll come and wait with you"
Before Alan could protest the line went dead. He stood looking at the receiver, a smile spreading across his face.
When Sandy arrived she'd appointed herself the drinks and sandwich maker. Charlie had been surprised to see her walk in with a sandwich and cup of tea, surprised and touched by the gesture. They'd all sat around the dining table and eaten, each trying to keep the casual talk going.
"Are you working today Sandy?" Charlie took her cup and went to the kitchen to refill her coffee.
"No not today, I have a few days off. I was supposed to be spring cleaning my house but I seem to have found every distraction under the sun to keep from doing it."
"I'm sorry Sandy"
"No Alan, I didn't mean you. Seriously, everything I can think of to do besides clean the house I'm doing. I might get you round soon though. You seem quite the dab hand with a cloth"
"You should see me in the kitchen then, I cook a very good duck. You do like duck, in the eating sense of the word don't you?"
"I love it. It's my favourite meat next to rib eye"
"Oh good" Alan smiled warmly at Sandy, ignored Charlie's snicker from the kitchen. His brother had told him the duck story, relayed with such glee that Alan had left the room to escape the mocking from his sons.
"See, now you've given me another distraction from my cleaning. You cook dinner and I'll wash up, how's that sound?"
"Good to me" Charlie called from the kitchen.
"I can't imagine your house being that dirty that you'd need to clean it so urgently"
"It's not too bad, I guess, but I like to clean it before the boys come home from College in the summer. I don't know why, they always seem to mess the place up within minutes of being home"
"Boys can be like that I'm afraid"
Both Alan and Charlie jumped as the front door opened. Don stepped inside slowly. Alan gasped at the paleness of his boy.
"Donnie?"
"He's ok Mr Eppes" Megan moved aside as David tried to lead Don to the couch but he refused to budge. Instead he turned to them both and thanked them again.
"That's ok Don, we'll see you soon"
Alan walked with Megan and David out to the car. Sandy followed, she had some questions to ask.
"It's ok Mr Eppes. It went well, really" Megan smiled her most reassuring smile. She knew he appreciated the gesture, as much as she knew he saw right through her. He was one smart man and no push over. Not in the slightest.
"How was Don afterward?" Sandy directed her question to Megan when David ducked his head, not wanting to get Don in trouble for over doing it. He'd much rather Megan was the one to snitch on him. Don had asked them both to keep to themselves his little bathroom incident. The look the two had shared when they pulled into the driveway held only one question. Who was going to tell Alan? Megan knew David would find a way to make her be the one.
"He threw up, almost passed out"
"What?" Alan's concern had reached new levels. He was sure Don was going to be the cause of the rest of his hair turning grey.
"It's ok Alan, that would be a natural response to the stress Don has been through. Did he pass out at all? Did he throw up any blood?"
"He didn't pass out but he didn't look like he was totally with us." David answered, avoiding Alan's eyes. "He didn't throw up any blood but I'm pretty sure he aggravated all his injuries."
"Hmm, well, thank you for being with him today, and for being honest. I've already had to ground one son this week, I'm not above having to ground their friends if they lie"
"No Mr Eppes" laughed David "I'll bet you're not"
"Honestly Mr Eppes, Don did well. Facing Bruton the way he did. He stood his ground. Never flinched. You would have been proud"
"Thank you Megan, and I am proud. Proud and glad he's back. Thank you both"
"You're welcome Sir" David walked toward the car. Megan placed her hand on Alan's arm.
"He got a name. The girls name was Jessica."
"Does that help with your investigation?"
"Bruton refused to give a surname, in all honesty I don't think he knows it." Megan turned and joined David in the car, the two waved good bye and drove away.
Alan stood facing the street. Sandy stood silently next to him. Offering quiet support, one arm around his waist, the other on his arm.
Charlie tried to coax Don to the couch while his father spoke outside with Megan and David.
He refused to move, seemed to have a distant look in his eyes.
Don had started to feel very strange in the car on the way back. He'd answered Megan's questions, spoken to David, but he felt like he was slipping away. His thoughts had started to become jumbled and difficult to keep hold of.
He stood in the hallway, barely aware of Charlie's presence. His legs moved him toward the kitchen, his mind seemed lost somewhere inside the depths of his emotions. So many to chose from. The fear he'd kept at bay in the room with Bruton was erupting through his defences, taking over every other emotion like a plague in his soul. He walked toward the kitchen. Trying to concentrate on his need for water. His mouth had become so dry again. Why? Why had that happened? He was home? How'd that happen? So tired, so very, very tired.
Charlie followed his brother toward the kitchen. Don wasn't acting like himself. Charlie's concern reached a peak when he laid his hand on Don's shoulder and his brother turned abruptly with a look of panic on his face, like a rabbit cornered by wolves he backed away, knocked into the table and seemed unsure of what to do, where to go. Charlie stood like a deer in headlights, his own uncertainty as to Don's next move cementing him to the spot. He watched his brother, became discerned by his appearance. He was sweating profusely, his body trembling with a cold Charlie couldn't perceive. His eyes seemed vacant yet the fear within them was so real. He forced himself into action, forced his feet forward but Don backed away again.
"Don?"
Another step forward, another step back.
"Don it's me, it's Charlie, you're home"
The sound of his brother's voice brought some sense of awareness back to Don. His senses had gone haywire but his hearing stayed under his command. Home. Charlie. The world was spinning again but this time there was no hand on his shoulder keeping him grounded. This time gravity would claim it's victim.
Charlie moved forward as quickly as he could but Don fell heavily to the floor, landed in a heap by the dining table. Luckily his head had missed the corner , but his shoulder took the full impact of the fall.
Alan and Sandy came running back into the house, Charlie's shouts for help fuelling the worry inside Alan's heart. As they entered the house Alan quickened his pace and rushed to Don's side. Charlie had his brother's head in his lap, trying to rouse him.
"Oh my god, what happened? Charlie what happened?"
"He fell, he didn't know where he was, I couldn't get to him, I couldn't get to him in time dad"
"It's ok son, you have him now. Donnie? Donnie?"
Alan tried to coax Don awake, his concern reached new levels when he felt Don's forehead, brushed the sweat from him brow. Don was trembling with a fever.
"Alan. Alan?" Sandy forcefully turned his head to look at her.
"Get a blanket and keep Don warm, keep talking to him , I'm going to call the hospital"
Alan nodded and went to the living room to retrieve a blanket. Charlie kept caressing his brother's head, running his fingers through the dark hair, trying to wake him. He listened to Sandy on the phone, tried to take in all she was saying.
"Dr McLeary? Hi it's Sandy, Don Eppes has collapsed , seems to be showing signs of a relapse………yes………………exhaustion, definitely…………..I will………..you'll call them?…………that's great……….thank you"
Sandy came back to the men and helped Alan wrap a blanket around Don, his trembles had increased along with the sweating. His breathing was becoming laboured .She felt his forehead and took hold of his left wrist, timed the beats.
"An ambulance is on it's way , won't be long"
"He won't want to go back to the hospital." Sandy placed a reassuring hand on Charlie's shoulder.
"He probably won't have to stay too long. Dr McLeary will meet us in the ER. Listen to me, both of you, I think Don's relapsed with exhaustion. After today I'm not surprised. He'll be ok though, do you understand me?"
Both men nodded, neither looked away from Don.
Sandy opened the door for the paramedics, explained the situation to them. Alan moved out of the way as one placed an oxygen mask over his son's face, another inserted an IV. This was all too familiar for Alan's liking. So not fair, his family had been through enough, when did it stop?
Charlie watched as Don was lifted from his arms and placed on the stretcher.
"I'm going with him"
"Ok, I'll bring your father. See you there"
Alan allowed himself to be led to Sandy's car. How could this be happening? His boy was supposed to be getting better. How could this be happening? As they drove to the hospital Alan's mind replayed the events from the week prior. He shivered despite the heat in the car. All the while Sandy kept her hand on his thigh, telling him everything would be ok. Don would be ok.
Charlie sat next to his brother, watched the mask over his face mist with each breath. He looked so pale, so fragile. The paramedic was placing another dressing over his shoulder. The colour drained from Charlie's own face as he realised his brother was bleeding again. Hadn't he bled enough already?
As Don was wheeled away from them for the second time father and son stood side by side. Resolute in their shared need to have Don back home, as soon as possible. Sandy stayed with Don, stayed with him and relayed the events to Dr McLeary. As blood was taken and his heart monitored Sandy kept her hand on his arm. Reassuring the unconscious agent that he wasn't alone. As the nurses slipped him into the gown Sandy felt Don move beneath her touch.
"Don?"
His eyes flickered as he tried to will them to open. Where was he? Shouldn't he be home?
"Don it's ok, I'm here with you, your father and brother are outside. It's ok. We've just got to give you the once over then I promise, we'll leave you alone to sleep, but I need you to keep your eyes open until then ok? Don? Open your eyes honey, come on."
Don forced his eyes open and looked up at Sandy. He tried to smile but from the look on her face it must have come out as more of a grimace.
"Hey"
She carefully removed the oxygen mask once Dr McLeary had checked Don's lungs.
"Seems he tore some stitches in his shoulder from the fall, other than that he hasn't managed to cause any more damage. You've over done it Don. I'm not a happy lady having to see you here again."
Don looked to Sandy for help but she merely winked at him and continued to stroke his arm. As his eyes drooped again Sandy lightly tapped his cheek.
"Come on Don, stay awake ok?"
"You never let me sleep" He smiled up at her again, this time he must have succeeded as she returned with her own warm smile.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't keep getting yourself into bother, then I wouldn't have to keep you from your sleep."
"Dad?"
"He's outside. You can see him in a bit, you need to be checked out first."
"Don are you feeling dizzy?"
Dr McLeary leant forward with her penlight and checked his pupil responses.
"Mmm, a little."
"Ok, well you're not going to fall far this time so try not to worry"
"Home?"
"Not tonight Don, maybe tomorrow"
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Sandy walked toward Charlie and Alan, she smiled and they visibly relaxed. This poor family had been through hell. She was determined that Alan allow her to help more this time. Another reason to keep her from her cleaning. At least this reason was a genuine one.
"He's going to be ok, sit down"
"He's really ok?"
"Charlie honestly, he's going to be ok. He's torn some of the stitches in his shoulder. Nothing bad, they're being repaired as we speak. The x-ray of his shoulder doesn't show any further damage. He's suffering from exhaustion. It's a relapse, brought about by the events of today I suspect."
"He hasn't been sleeping well for days. I should have made him sleep more"
"That didn't help him Alan but there was nothing you could have done to prevent this. With what Don's been through and what he went through today I'm surprised he made it this far without his body rebelling."
"I should have insisted he wait to speak to that man, should have insisted."
"Dad, Don was gonna do what he was gonna do. You know that as well as I do. He had to speak to him and better he did it now , or this could have been worse. Right Sandy?"
"That's right Charlie. Relapses are always more severe if built up for longer periods of time. He's not well, not by a long shot. But this could have been worse Alan."
Alan took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down.
"So what happens now?"
"He stays here overnight. His breathing is fine and his temperature has come down, but he's completely exhausted. He'll be taken up to a room for the night, and yes you can stay"
Both men closed their mouths, their request answered before it was asked.
"He's going to have to be confined to his bed when he's allowed home. I'm not guaranteeing it'll be tomorrow he's allowed out. It will all depend on his temperature and blood work. Complete rest is the only cure for this."
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Sandy led Alan and Charlie to the room on the fifth floor which held Don, he was still awake, much to Sandy's dissatisfaction . Alan and Charlie sat either side of Don, Alan with his hand on Don's forehead, Charlie with his hand on Don's arm.
"Sorry about that"
His voice was a whisper, he was so tired but needing his family, needing to feel them close before he gave in to sleep. Don felt as if he could sleep for days. He hoped he'd awaken back home.
"Shhh Donnie, it's ok. But from now on you are to not even sneeze without help from Charlie or myself. Understand?"
"Yeah. You staying?"
"Of course"
"Charlie?"
"Couldn't make me leave if they tried"
Sandy leant forward into Don's field of vision.
"Time to go to sleep Don"
"Thought you'd never say that"
They watched as Don's smile slowly faded as he fell into sleep. The shadows of the smile remained at the corners of his mouth. For the first time since the whole ordeal had began Don slept peacefully. Silently, the sound of his family the only noise echoing within his mind.