"Oh my God" Holly wailed, not knowing what had happened. She ran into the snowy parking lot and looked for Ed. What she saw terrified her. She felt nauseated, but swallowed the feeling. She turned, hands shaking to face Blake. "I am so sorry, but could you please go find Michelle and stay with her."
"That's Daddy!" Blake cried. "I'm not going anywhere, Mother."
In the snow Roger lay in an ever-growing pool of blood. Ed, and whatever car he was driving here long gone, leaving a trail of broken plastic and glass in its wake. Ross rushed back outside.
"Don't just stand there" He commanded.
He took off his coat and covered Roger with it.
"Don't move him" Holly called out, paralyzed with fear.
Blake slowly made her way to her new husband and father, kneeling on the ground beside them both. Her dress slowly turning red as Roger's blood made its way to the fabric. The side of his face that she could see was turning an eggplant purple. She wanted to stop the bleeding from the other side but she didn't dare turn his head.
Holly slowly made her way to him. "Oh Roger, what happened to you?" Of course, she knew the answer, or at leats the one she conjured in her head. Ed, in a drunken rage got behind the wheel of their car and slammed into Roger. That was the only scenario that made any sense. Like Blake, she got on her knees beside his twisted body. She laid a hand on his chest, both horrified and relieved to feel his heart still beating. She pulled it back when he groaned.
"Where is the ambulance?" Blake asked Ross.
"They should be here in a minute honey. Once they come, I will make my apologies to the remaining guests and I will get you to the hospital."
In the background they could hear sirens. "I want to go too. I need to find out whats happened to Ed."
Ross looked at Blake and then to Holly. "Holly, Ed wasn't here when I came upon Roger. He was alone"
Holly tipped her head, confused. "You were with him at the bar, how could you not have seen him get into the car and run him down?"
Ross sighed. "I'm sorry, to both of you, but Ed was already gone when I got to the bar. When I asked that punk bar tender, we hired where he had gone, he got an attitude. I'd like to run him down with my car! He actually told me it wasn't his job to be a GPS."
"Ross, darling, focus. "
"Sorry Blake, I checked the bathroom first, I thought maybe Ed had gone in there. Then I ran out here, found Roger, and then saw you and your mother coming outside." He shrugged.
"So, you have no idea where Ed is then?" Holly sounded frightened.
"No, I'm sorry, I don't"
The sirens got closer. They could both hear them and see the red and blue bouncing off the tree line.
"Hang on Daddy" Blake said standing up. She stood in the parking lot and waved her arms at the ambulance so that they wouldn't run him over, causing more damage.
A pair of EMT's jumped out. "What have we got?" He asked no one in particular.
"It appears to be a hit and run" Ross addressed them.
The pair grabbed a bag of medical gear from the back of their rig. "Does anyone know the victim's name?"
Holly cringed at the word victim. Roger Thorpe was never the victim; he was always the one victimizing. "His name is Roger Thorpe, he is 54 years old, his birthday is November 1st."
"That's helpful, does he have any known allergies?"
"None" Holly recalled.
"Thank you, we'll take it from here. Does he have any family nearby?"
Ross helped Blake stand up. She raised her hand as if she were in grade school. "He's, my father."
"Very well, you can ride in the ambulance if you'd like to, after we get him stable here on scene." With that the pair began working on Roger in earnest. They cut the shirt and legs of his tuxedo revealing what looked to be a badly broken leg. His chest was bruised, and his head was bleeding.
"Holly, you should go find Michelle and get her home."
Holly was in a daze. Worried about Roger, and Ed. She had completely forgotten about Michelle since she asked Blake to tend to her.
"What?" Holly asked.
"Michelle, she's going to need you. Blake and I will take care of Roger." Ross guided Holly by the arm to the door. She turned her head slightly to see what was happening with Roger. The EMT's had slid a board under his back and had secured his neck with a collar.
"Holly, are you ok to drive?"
As if in trance, Holly shook her head, bringing her out of it. "Ross, thank you. You stay with Blake, I need to go to Michelle." She laid a hand on his. "Call me when you know anything about Roger, and if you hear anything about Ed."
Holly went to the dining room where Michelle was obliviously sitting at the table, spinning the butter knife on her finger, trying to balance it. When she locked eyes with Holly her mouth formed a pout. She dropped the knife, leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"Where have you been? I haven't seen you or my father in forever." She scowled.
Holly landed heavily in the chair beside her. Only then did she realize she didn't have her hand bag. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
"Holly, what's wrong, and don't lie to me. I know something happened. All of the other guests have practically left, and Blake never threw her bouquet and Ross didn't try to find her garter belt."
"We need to go home, honey, but first I need to find my hand bag."
"Fine" Michelle said in a huff. She shoved her chair back so hard that it fell.
Holly stood; she felt a twinge in her abdomen. She laid a hand on it. "Easy there little guy. I can't handle any more tonight" She plastered a fake smile on her face and grabbed Michelle's hand. She guided her slowly to the bar area where she stopped suddenly.
"Michelle, we may have to take a cab home. Now, I will explain everything when we get there, but for right now, I need you to just be cooperative, alright."
"Did you and Dad have some kind of fight? What's going on?"
"Michelle, please, I said I'd explain when we get home." Holly was on the verge of a full-blown emotional break down.
The pair walked to the bar, Michelle at least 3 steps behind Holly. With relief Holly saw that her clutch was where she had thrown it when she found Ed. She opened it, but it was empty, save for her driver's license. Her keys were gone. Her shoulders slumped but she quickly pulled herself upright.
"Come on Michelle, we need to see a man about a taxi."
"Where is Dad? Why can't he drive?"
"I'm not sure Michelle, but when we get home, we'll find out" Holly tried to act nonchalant, but the reality was she was a nervous wreck. Not only was she worried about Roger, but also about Ed. They went to the valet stand and waited for the attendant to return with another guest's car. When he did, he smiled at Holly and winked at Michelle. Ordinarily Holly would have put a protective arm around her step-daughter, but she simply leaned heavily on the podium.
"Mrs. Bauer, that was some reception. Did you hear about the accident in the back parking lot. That was something, huh?"
Holly's head was starting to throb. "I need a taxi for my daughter and me please. "
"A taxi? Why not take your car? I can get it for you if you give me a few minutes."
Holly cocked her head. "My car is still here?"
"Yes ma'am." He looked around and leaned in. "We did have a theft tonight, but fortunately it wasn't any of the guests. It was a van that belonged to the hotel." He looked around again. "Don't tell anyone, but it was involved in the accident."
Holly inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. Her stomach cramped again. She leaned more heavily on the podium. "Please just get my car."
Michelle kicked the curb with the point of her shoe. "What's going on Holly? Where is my father? And what's wrong with you? You look awful."
"It's been a very long day, and I'm getting a migraine." Holly mused, putting a hand on the back of her neck to rub it.
"Oh, I thought maybe it was that baby you insist on having"
"Michelle Bauer, what a rotten thing to say!" Holly yelled, something she rarely did.
"It's not rotten. Ever since you and Dad got married that's all he talks about, and you don't spend nearly the time with me that you did before. You don't even see Blake much anymore. You just go to work. Come home, Dad asks how his little family is, and then we have dinner before I'm made to go do my homework and get ready for bed"
Holly reached a hand out, but Michelle refused to take it. "Oh honey, I am so sorry. Why didn't you tell me you were feeling this way?" Holly asked. Michelle shrugged. "Well, I promise. When we get home, I will explain everything that's been going on tonight and we will spend more time together."
Her car arrived, the valet hopped out, leaving the driver's side door open. "Will Dr. Bauer be out soon, ma'am?" He asked.
"No, Dr. Bauer will not be, thank you." She handed him a folded bill and climbed into the car, waiting for Michelle to climb in the seat behind her. When she didn't Holly rolled down a window. "Michelle, please. I really need to get home and make some phone calls."
"Screw you" Michelle said. "I'm waiting for my father."
Holly had not seen a reaction from her like this since the early weeks of her and Ed's marriage. Holly pounded on the steering wheel. She couldn't leave the little girl, but she also couldn't keep arguing with her either. What would she have done if it were Blake? She realized this wouldn't have happened. Blake would have either walked home or reminded her that she wanted to go to boarding school. In this case all Holly could do was play her bluff. She left the car in park and got out.
"Excuse me. Would you be able to order my daughter a taxi when she decides to act human and come home?" Unseen by Michelle, Holly winked at the young man. "I think I have some cash in here. Just tell them if it's not enough that she can walk home from where ever they drop her off."
She pretended to fish money from her purse. Michelle, turned around, lips pursed and eyes slotted.
"You wouldn't dare. Besides, I'm not allowed to take a taxi remember?" Michelle challenged her.
"Ordinarily you'd be right, but I don't have time to stand here and argue with you. So, you have one of two choices. You get in that car or you take a taxi home."
Reluctantly Michelle climbed into the back of the car slamming the door behind her. Holly smiled at the valet and thanked him again. "Have a pleasant evening" she said before climbing back in. She didn't even care at that point if Michelle wore her seat belt. When they got home Holly's head was pounding, and she was sure she was going to throw up. She felt positively awful. Her greatest desire would be to climb into a hot shower, and then into bed where she would remain until she felt better, but her priorities were Michelle, finding Ed, and then finding out how Roger was.
At Cedars Hospital, Blake, still wearing her blood covered wedding dress paced the waiting room of the ER. Having ridden with the ambulance with Ross behind her she was alone. When he finally arrived, he did so with a change of clothes, having changed himself before arriving.
"Blake" He cried out as he came through the doors. Blake, turned and crashed into him, kissing him heavily.
"I brought you a change of clothes. I didn't think you'd want to be compared to Jackie Kennedy." He said handing her the bag.
"Thanks" She said absently looking back at the doors. "I don't want to go far."
Ross, grabbed her free hand. "Honey, I will be right here. If the doctors come out, I will come and get you. I won't care if you're naked when I do, I will come and get you"
"Are you sure?" She looked bewildered.
"Yes, I'm sure. Go get changed." He pecked her temple and then sat down in one of the chairs that dotted the room. He looked at his watch and was somewhat annoyed.
"We should be on a plane right now, not sitting in this hospital. Damn you Ed, damn you Roger."
There was a flurry of activity coming in and out of the ER trauma bay. A nurse carrying blood products rushed in. Another ran out with her hand on her stereoscope, but none of them gave Ross as much as a sideways glance. Ross picked up a magazine that projected the winner for the presidency of the United States. He tossed it back in the pile. "The election was last year" He lamented.
Finally, Blake appeared in the jeans and oversized blouse Ross brought her. Despite the setting she looked beautiful. He wanted to slowly open each and every button and show her how happy he was to be her husband. He wore a lascivious smile as she walked towards him. He had to shake the thoughts he was having from his head. Just then there was a commotion at the ER entry.
"Can we get a hand here?" The voice came from a police officer who was struggling to hold an obviously intoxicated person in a standing position.
A nurse ran to him with a wheel chair. Blake and Ross watched as the officer dumped the man into it.
"I told you not to bring me here" The voice slurred. It was Ed.
Ross and Blake looked at each other.
"You wait here for news on your father, I'm going to go see if I can help over there."
Blake furrowed her brow catching Ross 'arm with her hand. "Help? What do you mean help?"
"Well honey, Ed might need an attorney. From the looks of it he tied one on before and after your father. Oh, and I will call Holly too."
"You will do no such thing. Ed can rot in a jail cell for all I care."
"Blake, I'm a lawyer. I have to offer council if I can."
"So, it has nothing to do with my father, or the fact that Ed is your best friend? What if the roles were reversed? What if it had been Roger who ran down Ed? Would you rush to my father's defense?"
Ross was in an impossible position. "Rush may be too strong of a word, but if Leo Flynn wasn't available, I'd be inclined to offer my service if he needed them."
Just then the doctor treating Roger came out of the room. "Is anyone here related to a Mr. Roger Thorpe?
Blake raised her hand. "I am. I'm Blake Thorpe"
"Marler" Ross volunteered.
She waved him off and went to see the doctor as Ross followed the nurse pushing Ed into an exam room not far away.
