CHAPTER FIVE

Jacob was walking along the beach, trying to clear his head. So much has happened and he was trying to absorb it all.

" Hey! Tate!" a voice yelled. He ignored it and kept on walking. A few minutes later, someone grabbed his arm.

" Are you deaf or something?" the voice demanded and he whirled around. It was troublemaker Tim Young. He was a well-known troublemaker in town and he and his friends had made him to do some stupid stunts to allow him to be part of the gang. One of the stupid stunts almost cost his mother her life…Jacob was never going to forgive himself for it.

" What?"

" I heard what happened," Tim said in a hushed voice, " With your dad and your mum. Really sick."

" How did you hear about it?" Jacob asked.

" It's on the front page of the newspaper…and everyone is talking about it. It all happened because you left town…pretty cool Jacob."

" It's not cool!" Jacob said, bristling with pent-up anger, " my dad is dead, my mum almost died and you think it's cool?" Jacob shook his head, " You're really sick Tim."

Tim narrowed his eyes, " You better watch your mouth Tate."

" Or what?" Jacob refused to be intimidated by this creep anymore, " listen, we both know you were the one who really caused Morag's accident." He raised his eyebrows knowingly and Tim got the hint.

" And besides, I won't be staying in the Bay after all." Jacob continued, " Me and my mother will be leaving-once she's better." They hadn't discussed it of course, but Jacob knew she would want to leave this place. It's caused nothing but heart ache.

A few days later, Dr, Armstrong entered Laura's hospital room and told her the good news, " With plenty of bed rest you'll recover quite nicely." She finished.

" Really? She can go home?" Jacob said excitedly.

" Yes. Everything is healing the way it should."

" Great." Laura said with relief, " I'm feeling much better. Can I go home today?"

" After a few more tests, then yes. You can go home." Rachel smiled and left the room.

" Mum, I need to talk to you about leaving."

" Leaving?"

" The Bay. We have to leave this place and go back to the city. It's caused nothing but heartache since we arrived."

" Oh honey…" she trailed off. She couldn't leave…she was in love with Morag Bellingham and she was pretty sure Morag loved her. But her son doesn't know that. Now that Sam was out of the picture, everything should settle down.

" You don't want to leave?"

" No…everything will go back to normal soon."

" But…everyone's talking about us, what happened."

" That will blow over. We'll be old news tomorrow. It happens in small towns. Give this place a chance and you'll get used to it."

Jacob opened his mouth to protest but his mother beat him to it, " Honey, I really don't want to move again. It's too expensive and we'll lose the bond to the apartment if we leave too soon. "

" Okay," Jacob said, trying to look as miserable as he felt.

Laura reached for the phone next to the bed, " I have to call Morag and tell her the good news…and arrange for her to pick me up."

Jacob nodded, " I think I'll get something to eat. Do you want anything?" Laura shook her head and he left the room.

Morag entered the hospital but didn't go straight to Laura's room. Instead, she took the lift to the second floor and to the ICU department. Dr. Armstrong and another doctor were there.

" Any change?" Morag asked them.

" Not since he other day you asked." The male doctor replied a little impatiently, " Look, we've already told you he has a 90 percent chance of never waking up. And if he did-"

" He'll be a vegetable. I know…you can't be too careful." Morag paused she didn't like this doctor and decided to put a bee under his bonnet, " but doctors are known to be wrong." She said and with that, headed for Laura's room.

" Hello." Morag greeted Laura and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

" They've done the tests," Laura said, she was out of bed and packing her bag, " so I'm ready to go."

" What's the rush?"

" I just don't want to stay here any longer than necessary." She zipped up her bag and followed Morag out of the room. As she did, she felt if she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder but no one was there.

Upstairs, Dr. Middleton finished checking Sam Tate's vitals and put the clipboard back in place. He was still bristling over Morag's parting shot, the nerve of that woman! He knew she was well known for her sharp tongue but still, it was rather rude. He left the room, shutting the door behind him…

Just as Sam Tate's eyelids began to flutter and his fingers flexed and moved ever so slightly…