VII
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
Let It Be, The Beatles
Edna Garrett and Bailey Warner were becoming anxious. Blair, Tootie, and little David were supposed to have arrived forty-five minute earlier. "Well, it is rush hour coming out of New York, so maybe they got hung up in traffic." It wouldn't be unusual for such an occurrence.
Another thirty minutes went by, Edna starting to really worry when the phone rang. It was a number she hadn't seen in ages, but it looked familiar. It has a Washington, D.C area code. "Hello, this is Edna Garrett?"
"Edna", a breathless voice on the other end-a voice that jobs Edna's memory-a voice that she has never heard excited or upset, "it's Diane Ramsey."
"Judge Ramsey", Edna began, feeling chills on her skin, "what can I do for you?"
"Edna, I just received a call from New York-Presbyterian in Peekskill that Dorothy was involved in an accident there. Has...has she visited you today?"
"Oh, my God", Edna said, sitting down, lest she get sick. "No, Diane, but...well Dorothy, Blair, and Blair's little son David were coming up here to visit me and Blair's sister."
"Oh, dear God", Diane said with horror. "They told me Dorothy has a concussion, a broken wrist, and scratches and bruises, but they mentioned nothing about Blair and the baby."
"Did the hospital tell you anything about the accident, Diane?"
"They...oh, God, they said an SUV T-boned the vehicle Dorothy was in...right on the driver's door. Oh, Jesus!"
"Diane", Edna all but ordered, "calm down. I know I can't do much when I get to the hospital, but obviously you know more than me. I assume you're making your way to New York?"
"As a Justice on the Supreme Court, I have some perks, one being a helicopter that can get me there in ninety minutes. I'm just about to leave."
"OK, you make it down here, and I'll head to the hospital."
"Edna, do you know if Blair's mother or Jo have been notified?"
Edna closed her eyes. "Monica lives in Paris, and Jo's working today. I'll call both immediately. You get down here as fast and as safe as you can."
It was almost 9pm outside of Paris, Monica Warner sipping a wine, and reading the latest email from Bailey. She couldn't have guessed it when she made the decision, but Bailey attending Eastland had greatly improved the relationship between mother and daughter. She had already made flight and hotel reservations to spend Thanksgiving in New York with Bailey, and, hopefully Blair. She know Jo would probably be there as well, but tried not to think about that.
Bailey, even just over a month into her new school, gushed about her teachers, and the new friends she was making, and how Blair and DC visited her as much as they could. She even advised her mother that Jo made it up once in a while.
She would never admit it outside her own mind, but Jo had struck gold mentioning the possibility of sending Bailey to Peekskill, and, for once, Monica had senses no ulterior motive from Jo. She had to admit, it had been a perfect solution. Bailey was making new friends, getting a first-class education, Monica was able to travel guilt-free if she liked, and to top it off, they were getting along better.
Closing the email after reading it, Monica prepared to send a return email to her daughter when the phone rang. She huffed. "Who in God's name could be calling at this hour." She grabbed her cell phone that was on the coffee table, the name on the screen filling her with sudden fear: Edna Garrett.
"Edna, dear?" Monica knew Edna would not call if it were important. "How can I help you this evening."
"Monica", Edna replied in a shaky voice. "There was...was an auto accident in Peekskill today."
"Bailey?" Her heart literally stopped.
"No, Bailey is with me, Monica", she assured the woman. "However, Blair, and Tootie were driving up to visit us today, and...their SUV was hit broadside."
"Oh, dear lord! Blair? DC, Dorothy...Edna, any word on them?"
"I heard from Judge Ramsey a few minutes ago, all she knew about is Dorothy. I have no information on Blair or David."
"Oh, my babies", Monica cried. "Have you contacted Jo? I know we don't get along, but the girl has to know."
"I'm calling her next. You're next of kin, so you might be getting a call any time now. But when Jo arrives...they won't give her any information about Blair or the baby, because..."
"Because of the laws against such things." For the first time, perhaps, Monica understood why it bothered Jo and Blair so much that they couldn't get married-it was this very scenario that scared both of them to death. "Edna, I'm going to hang up and make a reservation to fly to New York as soon as I can. I don't live very far from de Gaulle. I will text you my itinerary when I know it."
"That will work, Monica. Get here as fast and as safe as you can. I need to call Jo."
"I understand, Edna. Edna?" Monica almost broke down. "Say a prayer for my daughter and grandson?"
"Way ahead of you, Monica", Edna assured her.
Jo had thought about going up to Peekskill on just her bike, but the optimist in her told her that she'd be driving Blair and DC home that night, that all was okay. Never mind that Mrs. Garrett had sounded more frightened than she had ever heard her, telling her that Tootie would be okay, but there was no word on her family. She pushed everything else out of her mind as she drove north.
She didn't speed, although she wanted to gun the Camaro to 100 mph, so desperate was she to get there. She kept her emotions under control until she entered Peekskill...and, taking the same route Blair had, saw the accident scene, still being attended to by law enforcement. Jo stopped on the side of the road, whipping her helmet off, looking at utter disbelief: both SUV's were almost beyond recognition, both simply pieces of mangled and twisted steel.
"Oh, my fucking God, no!" She put the helmet back on, tears now streaming down her face. How the hell could anyone survive that? She knew Tootie had. It was only 25 mph on the damned street, each minute feeling like ten hours.
"I'm coming, Blair, DC. They're not taking you away from me!"
Diane Ramsey had called from her helo and advised she would arrive at the hospital pad in twenty minutes, the hospital already clearing her to land. Edna hadn't heard back from Monica yet, which wasn't a shock. While waiting, she had called Natalie and broke the new to her, telling her what she knew and what she didn't know. Natalie talked to her Editor in Denver, then raced to Denver International Airport.
Diane Ramsey, Justice of the United States Supreme Court, arrived and was immediately taken to a waiting room near the ER. She insisted that the hospital allow Mrs. Garrett and a very frightened Bailey Warner to meet her.
Diane had mostly been a standoffish person in life: cold, aloof, very pragmatic as an individual and as first a trial lawyer, moving up to the highest court in the land. Along the way, she and Dorothy had had a falling out, but they had mended their relationship years ago. Diane had attended each of the three plays that her daughter had done professionally in New York, and was thankful she had finally let Tootie find her own way. She, like Rose Polniaczek, and Monica Warner, also had a lifetime of respect and love for Edna Garrett.
"Edna", Diane said, moving quickly to the woman, both of them hugging hard. "I want you to come with me when we talk to the staff about Dorothy." Diane turned to the young girl at Edna's side. "And you must be Bailey Warner, right?"
Bailey simply nodded, not having any word about her sister and nephew. She was not listed as next of kin, so she had to wait.
Diane knelt on one knee in front of her, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Your big sister is as strong as anyone I've ever known, Bailey. She and your nephew are gonna make it, you hear?"
Again Bailey nodded, Diane softly nodding at her, then standing up. "Edna, any word on Blair and the baby?"
Edna shook her head worriedly. "None. Monica is trying to get her from Paris, and I don't honestly know when Jo will arrive."
Diane looked sharply at Edna. "We need to stay close to Jo when she comes here. You know that despite the fact that you and I know they're life partners, the hospital won't release any information to her, not until Monica arrives."
Edna paled. "I hadn't even considered that, Diane. My, God, she's going to go crazy."
"And I don't blame her one bit", Diana added. "Let's go find out about Dorothy, then we'll watch for Jo."
Monica Warner was a hopeless mess. The next commercial nonstop between Paris and New York wouldn't leave until 8:45am the next morning, which was ten hours away. She couldn't wait that long. Out of desperation, she called Security at Warner International, wanting to talk to Dennis Levine, not knowing if the man would even take her call.
Surprisingly, she was put through in a matter of moments.
"Hello, Monica", Dennis said coolly.
No, he hasn't forgotten, Monica thought wryly, putting it aside for the moment. "Dennis, there's an emergency, and I need to get from Paris to New York as soon as possible. There isn't another commercial flight for ten hours."
"And, uh", the man started skeptically, "what is this...emergency."
"Blair and little David were involved in a terrible auto accident in Peekskill, along with one of Blair's friends. There's no word on either of their conditions."
That took the wind out of Dennis' righteous sails. "God Almighty", he exclaimed. "Is Jo headed to Peekskill?"
"As far as I know, yes, but you know as well as I do that with the laws as they are, no one there is going to give Joanna any information on Blair or DC."
"Jesus", he thought with alarm, "you're right. She's gonna go ballistic when she realizes that." The main stopped for a moment. "Wait, Blair mentioned to me your youngest daughter is at Eastland now, right?"
"Yes", Monica confirmed, "but they won't give any...bad information to an eleven year old girl, Dennis. I'm next of kin by law. They won't say anything until I arrive."
"I agree", he said rapidly. "Monica, let me put you on hold for a few minutes. I'm going to call Corporate Travel, they handle things like this for us 24/7/365. Let me see if I can arrange one of our corporate jets, or even a private jet, to get you here. Can you hang on?"
"I'm not going anywhere, Dennis", she said ominously.
"Judge Ramsey, Dr. Patricia Banfield, I'm glad you're here."
"Please, Doctor", Diane said gently, "call me Diane. I'm not here in an official capacity."
"Very well", the doctor said with a small smile. "Dorothy is in Stable condition. She has a level 2 concussion, a broken left wrist, and broken left forearm. She's received some contusions and cuts from shrapnel from the accident. Her injures are not life-threatening." Diane almost collapsed in her seat, Edna holding her hand in support.
"Is she awake? Can I visit her?"
"She's still unconscious, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, so you can peek in on her, but she won't be respondent."
"Thank you, Doctor", the judge said sincerely. She, Edna, and Bailey left the room, Diane pulling Edna aside quickly to whisper to her.
"I don't want this sweet, young girl to go through this without her family, Edna. That's no knock against you-you're family to all of us but...well, I think you know what I mean?"
"I do, Diane", Edna said with a reassuring smile and squeeze of her hand. "We're all family, as far as I'm concerned, but right now, she truly needs her mother here, and I know Monica will get here. I can tell you Bailey and Jo have become very close-Jo loves Bailey to pieces, and I think Bailey will be a little better when Joanna arrives."
Diane nodded. "We'll have to impress on Jo that she has to keep it together for Bailey's sake, until Monica shows up."
"That might be a tall order, but I'm with you on that, Diane."