"Ty, I can't focus on work like this. I...I need to go see her, is that okay?" Amy asked.
"Of course it's okay, Amy. You don't have to ask me. I got everything under control here. You go see your sister," Ty consoled.
"How bad is it?" Amy asked fearfully.
"There's a few cuts and bruises on her arms and her face is a little bruised too. There's a bandage on her forehead and her lip is burst, but...don't let any of that scare you. It's still Lou under there. Strong and full of conviction. You go, and talk to her. Be there for her. And let her know she's safe."
"Okay Ty. I love you," Amy said, the pain evident in her voice.
"I love you too."
Amy drove to the hospital. She was extremely nervous. From what Ty described, Lou was in bad shape. This is all my fault…if I hadn't stormed out last night, she'd be okay. She would be safe.
She walked into the hospital room where Lou was, and she knocked.
Lou looked toward the door. "Amy?"
Lou's voice sounded broken and strained, as if she had been crying all night long. Her eyes had bags under them. They were red, and her face ashen.
Amy rushed over and threw her arms around Lou. Lou immediately began to cry. Amy hugged her tighter. "Hey, hey….it's okay. You're safe. He can't lay a finger on you. I'm here for you."
Lou continued to cry, not being able to say anything. Her body shook as the sobs rattled her. Amy hugged her tighter, trying to keep her sister together.
"No, don't cry, please. Lou, don't….This is all my fault. If I hadn't left…" Amy moved back and kissed Lou's forehead. She stroked her sister's hair gently. "If I hadn't left like that, you'd be okay right now. You wouldn't have lost so much blood, and you wouldn't have faced such a trauma. I'm so sorry about last night. I should never have left."
It took a few minutes for Lou to regain her resolve. She finally cleared her throat, finally found her voice. "Amy, it's not your fault. How could you have known? I hid it from everyone. Georgie only found out by accident. I didn't want her knowing either."
"Lou, you can't hide this sort of thing from us. Why...why didn't you say anything?"
"Because, Amy... Every time I thought about telling you, I'd stop because I was afraid...that you'd blame me for getting into a relationship with someone like him, and for putting my daughters in danger."
"No!" Amy said immediately. "This is not your fault! How could you think like that? I'd never blame you, Lou. This isn't your doing."
"But it is. It is, Amy. I've put Georgie through so much. After everything she's been through, and she's still healing from the separation; she didn't need this, Amy! And top of everything else, she—she came in with Ty this morning, and I sent her away, not wanting her to see me like this. What if she's mad at me?"
"No, she won't be, Lou. Come on."
"And look at me," Lou laughed wryly.
"Lou, none of this is funny."
"But it is, Amy. I went there thinking I could fix everything, that it'd all be over in no time, and what does he go and do? He makes everything ten times worse. What do I do now? How will I face everyone? And today when Georgie came in, and she saw me...You should've seen the look on her face, Amy. She looked so scared and worried out of her mind."
"Lou, it's okay, that's the only way a daughter could react to seeing her mother like that, so please don't worry too much on that, okay?"
Lou smiled a little. "I guess."
"Hey, did you want some sleep? Looks like you haven't slept all night."
"No, I can't…" Lou said, afraid of being alone again.
Amy realized what was weighing down on her. She went back to the time she had her accident, how she was so afraid of being alone. "What if I stay here with you while you napped? Would you be okay then?"
"Yeah, yeah I would be."
"Good. I'm right here with you then. I'm not leaving." Amy paused a moment, and then moved forward. She planted a kiss on Lou's temple. "I love you."