Chapter 22
A/N Sadness
Ok another bonus chapter. This is the last of what I have edited so that will be on my agenda for the next few days. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. I Love all the positive reviews.
Another week had passed and Suzanne had still not heard from Benjamin. She was officially worried and starting to panic. Why had he not written or called as he said he would?
Her worry was written all over her face when she had dinner with her family on Sunday. Joe did not like to see the stress on his daughter's face. He decided to call William and see what the 2 of them could do to remedy the situation.
"William Adams here, he said as he answered the phone."
"William it is Joe, I called to talk to you about Benjamin. Suzanne is worried sick because she hasn't heard from him and it has been over a month. Is there something we can do to find out what is going on with him? Why he hasn't called or written,"
"Emma and I were just discussing that tonight. I have a contact who might be able to get some information from Parris Island. I am going to call him in the morning and see what I can find out," William told him.
"Please call and let me know when you find out something, Suzanne is beyond scared and it is not good for her to be this way while pregnant," Joe told him.
William agreed and promised he would have an update soon.
The next day William reached out to an old Marine buddy who was stationed at Parris Island. He told him Benjamin had not made contact since he left 4 weeks ago and his wife was worried sick. The friend promised to make some inquiries and he would get back to him as soon as he had some information. William told him day or night to contact him when he knew something.
The next day the call William was waiting for came in.
"William, I don't know how to tell you this, but Benjamin was sent home 24 days ago. He was rejected due to a medical condition. Apparently he has hemophilia. He left here the day he was told. He was taken to the train station. I don't know what happened to him after that," he said.
William was in a state of shock. Benjamin had been missing for 24 days and no one even knew. He thanked his friend and hung up.
Benjamin, where are you and what is going on? William thought. This would not be welcomed news to Suzanne or the family. He needed to quietly find his son and find out what was going on.
He reached out to the head of security at his firm and asked him to come to his office immediately.
"John, we have a situation and I need you to handle it personally and quietly. Benjamin was rejected from the Marines almost a month ago and had disappeared. I need you to find him and bring him home immediately," William told him.
"Mr. Adams, I will start on it right away. Do you have any more information that you can give me? Any place that Benjamin would have gone to or someone he may have contacted?" John asked.
"That is all I know, you might try the cabin in the Catskills other than that I have no idea. I know he took a train out of Parris Island and that is the last time anyone had seen him," William said.
John left the office and immediately left to go and check the cabin.
Benjamin had gotten off the train and walked the mile and a half to the cabin and had been holed up since. He was ashamed to face his family and wife. He felt he was not worthy of them and he decided it would be best just not to be around them.
He spent his days drowning his sorrows in alcohol and cheap wine. He had not shaved or bathed in several days.
John arrived at the cabin a few hours later and once he walked in it was obvious that Benjamin was there. The place was a wreck, empty liquor bottles sat on every surface and dirty dishes littered the table. He walked out on the sun porch and found him passed out on a chair.
He tried to wake him, but he was passed out cold. John walked in and called William to tell him he had found him.
"Looks like he came straight here and hasn't left. He has been doing some heavy drinking and is passed out on the sun porch right now. What do you want me to do with him?" John asked.
"Leave him where he is, I am leaving now and should be there in a few hours. He has a lot of explaining to do," William said.
A few hours passed and Benjamin started to rouse from his sleep. He jumped when he saw John sitting across from him with a scowl on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Benjamin asked.
"Well, your Dad sent me to find you, since you haven't contacted your family since you left for Parris Island over a month ago. Once he found out you were rejected from the Marines, and had not come home, you can imagine what worry that set off. Your wife is worried sick and her Dad called your Dad and that set off a whole chain of events. You might want to shower and get cleaned up before your Dad gets here," John told him.
Benjamin groaned as he set up and rubbed his face. He had not shaved in over a while and his facial hair was quite unruly. He stunk and had not changed his clothes in several days. The hangover he had was slowing him down and he reached for the bottle sitting on the table.
John got to it first and said, "Not sure you want to be drunk when your Dad gets here."
"I don't care what my Dad thinks, I am a grown man and I can drink if I want to," he rose and stomped towards the house.
John cut him off with a hand to his chest. "Yes you are a grown ass man, with responsibilities that you are obviously neglecting. Have you forgotten that you left a wife back in Charlottesville? She is worried sick and you are up here just living it up."
Benjamin pushed him off of him and stepped into the house. He headed upstairs to get away from him. He walked straight into the bathroom in his room. He had not looked in a mirror and was shocked to see the man looking back at him. John was right, I need to pull it together.
He started the shower and peeled off his clothes. The hot water seemed to revive him and being clean was raising his spirit.
He stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. Walking over to the sink he decided the beard had to go.
He finished and once he was dressed he headed back downstairs. At the base of the stairs he looked around and started to see what a mess he had made. Cleaning the house would be the first step then cleaning his life would be next.
He was just finishing up when he heard a car drive up. He took a deep breath knowing it would be his Dad. He heard voices and knew John was probably telling him what he found when he arrived.
William walked in the door and saw Benjamin standing by the couch. He immediately walked over and pulled him into a tight hug. Benjamin seemed to be relieved to see him and melted into him.
William released him and walked over and sat on the couch. "Son, what is going on, why are you hiding out here?"
Benjamin took a deep breath and sat down beside his Dad. "Dad, I am a failure. The Marines would not take me and I can not go back home. Everyone will think I am a coward. Suzanne will not love me anymore if I am not a whole man."
William leaned back and took a long look at his beaten down son. "Benjamin, you are not a coward. Having an unknown medical condition does not make you half a man. Lots of people have medical conditions and live full lives. No one will think less of you least of all Suzanne. She has been worried sick about you. You running away from this makes you a coward, but not being able to serve your country does not."
Benjamin dropped his head and let his Dad's words sink in. "I never thought about it like that. I guess I have a lot of making up to do, especially to her."
"Let's get back home, your Mom is pretty worried too. You can spend a few days at home, but you are calling Suzanne when we get back," William told him.
They arrived home later that evening and his Mom was beyond happy to see him. William had told her everything and she had contacted their family Dr. to see Benjamin about his condition. It was too late to call Suzanne so he decided to wait until morning.
William had called Joe and told him what was going on. He was not sure what Suzanne had been told. He hoped finally hearing from Benjamin would ease her worries. Benjamin didn't know about the baby yet and he wanted to make sure Suzanne was the one that told him.
Meanwhile back in Charlottesville, the evening sickness was getting worse for Suzanne. She spent most of every night with her head in the toilet throwing up. Once it subsided she tried to get as much sleep as she could. The pregnancy was really taking a toll on her and she was exhausted all the time.
Around 3am, she woke to her stomach cramping and in considerable pain. She tried to get out of bed and that is when she noticed the blood. She yelled for her Mom and Ellen came running into the room. Joe was with her and when they saw the blood they knew that something was wrong and they had to get her to the hospital.
Three hours later, they were sitting in her hospital room Dr. Mathis was telling them that she had lost the baby.
Her Mom was trying to console her as best she could. Suzanne was a wreck and Dr. Mathis decided to give her a mild sedative and pain killers. She would need to rest, they would need to do a D&C to ensure that she didn't get an infection. Sometimes the body doesn't expel all the tissue and it is necessary to make sure they get it all.
Suzanne was sure that her working and worrying over Benjamin had caused the miscarriage. It was all her fault she lost the baby.
Dr. Mathis tried to assure her that nothing she did caused this. Sometimes these things just happen.
The next day the procedure was performed. Suzanne would need to stay in the hospital for a few days and recover. Her mental recovery over losing the baby would take longer.