Holly was packing her bag when Ed reappeared from the bathroom. She didn't turn to face him or stop her activity when he addressed her.
"Holly, I know I screwed up." He wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. "I want to tell you why, but…"
Holly stopped putting clothing in her bag and stood straighter. "Do you think I care why, Ed? You're an alcoholic. There is no absolute healing. I am not surprised you fell off the wagon, I just can't believe that it was so swift, and with no warning." She turned to face him, collapsing onto the bed covered in clothes when she did.
"Do you have any idea where I was all night?"
Ed looked at the floor. "I seem to recall an ambulance." His face went white. He rushed to her side. He fell to his knees and looked up at her. "Holly, the baby. God, I'm an ass."
Holly laid a hand on the top of his head. She was ready to absolve him of his guilt but quickly remembered he needed to feel every ounce of it in order to understand her abdication from their life.
"You are, I will not argue that. You scared your daughter, Ed. She is so incredibly fragile as it is."
Ed looked around the room as if he had temporarily forgotten that Michelle was absent. "Where is she? I need to talk to her, to apologize"
Holly pushed herself off the bed. "She's safe. Vanessa came for her. In fact, I owe them both a phone call." She noted with a pointer finger in the air as if accentuating the remark.
"I'd like to talk to her too." Ed said quietly.
Holly slammed the suit case lid, latching it shut. "Fine, then you call her yourself. I will call when I get home."
Ed shook his head a bit. "Home? Holly, you are home."
"No Ed, I'm not. Home is where I feel safe, where I don't have to worry about coming in and finding you drunk or worse, drunk and hurt, or even more defeating, finding that you've hurt someone else. I can't trust you right now."
Ed jutted a finger in her face. "You want to talk about trust, let's do that, Holly. I wasn't going to say anything, but what in the hell is going on between you and Roger Thorpe?"
Holly winced at the mention of his name.
"You said you were done with him. When he started running Spaulding with Jenna you were relieved that you wouldn't have to deal with him at WSPR anymore. Tell me Holly, were those late-night meetings really at the station or were you meeting with him for a quickie at the old house?"
Holly slapped him across the face with such force that her hand print quickly formed in red on his cheek. She pulled the same hand into her lips to stifle a scream.
"Ok" He whispered. "I deserved that."
Holly grabbed her suit case and pulled it along behind her.
"Holly" Ed called out behind her. "I am sorry what happened. I never meant for any of it to happen. I love you, and your baby."
Holly stopped for a moment, debating responding, but continued along her way.
When she climbed into her car, she lay her head on the steering wheel and allowed every emotion to come spilling out. If she wasn't yelling, she was crying, and if she wasn't crying, she was debating within her own head. When she pulled into her old drive way, she took a deep breath. Slowly, with suit case in hand she climbed the stairs leading to her wide porch, and pulled the screen door open. The real estate agent had left a key box on the knob. She made a mental note that after she called Michelle and took a much-needed rest that she needed to call and have it taken off the market.
She could hear phone ringing as she shoved her key into the door. She dropped her suitcase on the floor and rushed to answer it.
" Hello" Holly answered breathlessly.
"I just wanted to make sure you go there ok" It was Ed.
"I told you I do not want to talk to you. Just leave me alone" She yelled.
"I will do that for now Holly and I will, but understand that I will be in touch. We have a lot to talk about."
Holly slammed the phone down. Her hand trembled. She sucked her top lip between her teeth. She knew what she had to do. No one else would. It was up to her. She picked up the phone and dialed.
"Springfield Police Department how may I direct your call?" An unnamed, over worked body answered the phone.
"I'd like to speak to the officer assigned to the Thorpe case, please"
Holly paced the living room as she waited.
"Detective Leavy, how may I assist you?"
"Detective, I have some information regarding the hit and run of Roger Thorpe."
Holly could hear him pushing papers on his desk. "Ok hang on one second, I have the file right here."
Holly rolled her eyes. The case was less than a day old and was already covered with more pressing matters. Typical, she realized.
"I've got it. What would you like me to add to it?"
"I know who did it." Holly said solidly. "Dr. William Edward Bauer. He is the person responsible for nearly killing Roger Thorpe."
"You're certain? You saw Dr. Bauer behind the wheel?" Leavy was skeptical.
"I am certain that a very drunk, very angry Dr. Bauer is responsible. If you go to his home right now you will find that his wife and child have left him and have sought refuge elsewhere. I'm also certain that if you were to call Cedars Hospital that you would Mr. Thorpe in the intensive care unit recovering from surgery as a result."
"I have one more question ma'am" Leavy said "What is your name?"
Holly slammed the phone down. She had done her civic duty. Ed would be arrested, and Roger would be vindicated.
Her next phone call was to Vanessa to check on Michelle.
"Hi Vanessa, it's Holly. I was wondering if I could speak to Michelle."
"Holly, hello. Unfortunately, Michelle isn't here"
Holly immediately began to panic. "Has Ed got her?" Holly's mind spun a tale where the police pulled them over and Ed was arrested in front of his young daughter.
"No, Daddy took her and Bill to lunch and then to a movie. I expect them home in a few hours. Holly, is everything alright? Do you need something?" Vanessa asked curiously.
"Vanessa, you and I aren't exactly friends, but thank you for what you did for me last night. Well, for Michelle really. I guess I should apologize for taking advantage of you but I had no one else to trust."
"Don't apologize. I was Maureen's best friend, and I promised her that I'd always look out for Michelle."
"Maureen was lucky to have you as a friend."
"Holly, what's wrong. What's happened? I can't get a clear answer out of Michelle. Every time I'd get her to sit, she'd spring back up like a coiled Jack in the Box. She just couldn't sit still. That's why I thought a movie would distract her. Why I don't think she slept more than a few hours last night."
"Her and me both" Holly muttered.
"What?" Vanessa implored.
"Nothing, it's not important. Vanessa, I have a favor to ask of you. Should Ed try to take Michelle back to the house please do not let him. I know I am over stepping, but it's imperative that she not be alone with him." Holly begged.
"Holly, Ed is her father and unless you give me a very good reason to interfere, I can't exactly keep his child from him."
"He's drinking again Vanessa, and he may very well have nearly killed Roger as a result."
Her intake of breath was sharp. "Oh Holly, I don't believe it. He didn't even drink when Maureen died. He wanted to, but he was always able to come through the other side."
"Vanessa, I wouldn't make this up. He's drinking, believe me or don't. Just don't let Michelle be alone with him please."
The gravity of her voice made Vanessa agree. "Ok Holly, I won't. Can I have her call you when she gets in. I know she was very worried about you."
"I'm not at home, but please tell her that everyone is fine, and that I love her. Thank you, Vanessa," Holly hung up the phone before she could respond.
Holly knew she should call Blake, check on Roger, but she was emotionally and physically exhausted. She went to the sink and filled a glass with water. In the living room she set it on the coffee table before lying on the couch. She intended to sleep only for an hour, but by the time she reopened her eyes it was the following morning. She had managed to sleep through dinner, and the entire night. She was both starving and in need of the bathroom.
As soon as Holly had woken and met her personal needs, she picked up the phone and dialed Ed's house. She expected the voice mail to pick up, but instead was greeted by his voice. Immediately she hung up without saying a word.
"Why aren't you in jail?" She wondered.
Her next call was to the police station.
"I'd like to speak to Officer Leavy." She requested. There was a pause.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but Detective Leavy is not at the station today. Might I take a message or forward your call to another detective?"
Again, Holly slammed the phone down. She was living in the twilight zone, nothing made sense, and it wouldn't any time soon she surmised.
Grabbing her keys, she decided to head to Blake and Ross', but first she stopped and picked up breakfast for herself, and coffee for Blake. She held it one hand as she knocked on the door. The temperature had dropped considerably since the day before. She could see the steam plumes from the holes in the coffee lids, and her breath from her nose as she waited. She knocked again, harder this time. Finally, after several minutes she saw a light go on in the living room. A robe clad Ross answered the door.
"Holly, we weren't expecting company" he said putting his glasses on before tying his robe tighter.
"I'm not company, I'm Blake's mother. I came by to see if she had heard anything about Roger." She pushed passed him and took up residence in a wing back chair.
"Holly, I don't mean to be rude, but we live in an era where a telephone call before just coming by is considered polite. Blake just got to sleep a few hours ago, and I don't think I want to wake her."
"It's alright Ross, I'm awake. I wasn't really sleeping anyway" Blake said from the door by the fire place. "Good morning, Mom, is that coffee?" She asked spying the cups on the table.
"Well, I'm going back to bed." Ross announced. "Try to keep the pow wow to a dull roar please" He waved and disappeared.
Blake sat heavily on the couch, putting her feet up on the coffee table. She held the coffee under her nose and inhaled the scent deeply. "Thank you so much for bringing this mom. I was going to stop on the way to the hospital, but delivery is so much better." Her head lulled towards her mother.
"Have you heard anything about your father? Did you get a hold of Jenna?" Holly asked, ripping small hunks out of the muffin she chose for her breakfast.
Blake took a sip of coffee "No, it's quite odd. Daddy didn't mention her being away, but she never showed up for my wedding, she isn't answering the phone at the condo, why I even called over to Spaulding and they don't know where she is. "
Holly's brow furrowed. "That is odd. Your father generally keeps his women on a tight leash. Maybe she's come to her senses and left him."
"I could see her doing that, Mom, but what about Spaulding? If she left Daddy, she wouldn't leave the company unprotected."
"True enough I suppose, but I can't worry about that. Have you heard about your father?" Holly asked, reaching for another pastry.
"I called the hospital a few hours ago. They said he was resting comfortably and that he would be allowed visitors this afternoon."
"Wonderful, you go shower and I will drive us over there." Holly offered.
It was Blake's turn to resist. "Mom, do you think that's a good idea? The last time you were with Daddy he wound up needing brain surgery."
"I didn't cause that, Ed did by running him down, not me."
"I know you weren't the one driving Mom, but don't you think that if he wakes up and sees you there that it's not going upset him? You are after all married to Ed, and you are after all expecting his baby. If I were Daddy and you were in the room, I wouldn't be livid."
Holly chewed her upper lip. "Blake, there is something you need to know. I am pretty sure your father already does, and I am pretty sure that is why Ed ran him down."
Blake set her coffee on the table and began rubbing her temples. "Mom, please don't tell me that you and Daddy are having an affair." She threw her hands in the air. "That would make sense as to why you two have avoided each other so obviously since this summer. Is that it? Is that why you waited so long to try to sell your house?"
"Boy could you be Ed's daughter" Holly muttered. "Honey, you're partially responsible for what I'm about to tell you."
"Me? What did I do?"
"Do you remember telling your father I would be at the Cliffhouse over the fourth?"
Blake couldn't look at her. Her eyes were welded to the floor. "Yes, and I've apologized for that, Mom. I shouldn't have done it, but in my defense, you were still pretty mad that I was involved with Ross if you remember."
"You're forgiven, but had you not sent him up there you would be on your honeymoon right now, and I would still fit in a size 6."
Slowly Blake rose her head, locking eyes with her mother. "You and Daddy? Daddy is the father? But Mom, you said it was Ed."
Holly's eyes burned. "I know what I said, but I lied. There is no way that Ed can be this baby's father. I conceived over the Fourth of July weekend, and your father was the only man I was with that entire week. Ed and Michelle arrived after your father left, and then Michelle was angry, and Ed was being pulled in that direction. Needless to say, it was a very chaste weekend for he and I. Oh Blake, this is why I wanted to wait until after the wedding to tell you I was pregnant, but my body betrayed me, and Roger over heard me. I didn't want him to know about the baby at all.
"So you didn't tell Daddy about any of it? Then, how did Ed find out?"
Holly explained the interlude she had experienced with Roger on the back porch. She surmised that not only did Ed hear that they had slept together but had seen Roger pull her into a kiss. "It was after that when your father went off on foot and I found Ed already at the bar."
"Oh Mom, what are you going to do?" Blake asked.
"I already did it. I called the police" Holly said.
"On Ed? Oh Mom."
"I had to do something Blake, I couldn't allow him to walk around a free man while your father in fighting for his life."
"Are you going to stay with Ed or are you going to leave him?" Blake asked quietly.
"I don't know." She held Blake's hand "But what I do know is I can't allow either of them, Roger or Ed to be near this baby."
