A Fresh Start
Chapter Nine
Jeffrey pulls into his parking place. And as he parks, he scans the parking lot for Olivia's car. It is parked in its usual place. "Great." He thought as he got of the car. "Maybe I can get through the lobby without running into her."
No such luck the minute he walks through the door he hears her calling his name. "Jeffrey."
Stopping he turns and waits as she walks across the lobby, he can tell that she is angry, just in the way she carries herself. "Yes, Olivia." He says, as she stops in front of him.
"What was this afternoon about?"
"I'm sorry." He replies, trying to pretend like he didn't know what she is talking about.
"This afternoon, the meeting at City Hall, I scheduled a meeting with you and I go one of your flunkies. If I wanted that, why waste my time scheduling the meeting in the first place."
"That's a good question Olivia. We both know that you didn't schedule that meeting to discuss the rezoning of the land around the Beacon. One of my 'flunkies' as you say can handle that. As my assistant probably told you, I had some personal business to take care of."
"What personal business?"
"It's none of your business Olivia. That's why it's called personal business. It's personal."
"Does this business have anything to do with Cassie?"
"Again, that's none of your business, now I need to go." Jeffrey says, turning towards the stairs. He half expected Olivia to follow him, when she didn't he is more than relieved. When he reaches his room and closes the door behind him, he breathes a sigh of relief. "She's acting like we dated for months." He thought as he walks across the room to the phone on his desk. Picking it up he dials the number to the palace, after a couple rings someone comes on the line.
"Yes, hello." A lady answers the call.
"Yes, this is Jeffrey O'Neill I need to speak with his Highness please."
"I'm sorry Prince William is out of the office taking care of some personal business in another part of the palace. Could I take a message, Mr. O'Neill?" Jodi asks.
"Yes, could you tell him to call me it's very important?"
"Yes Sir, I'll be sure to tell him the moment he returns."
"Do you have any idea when that will be?" Jeffrey asks, sitting down at the desk
"It shouldn't be more than an hour. He's questioning a prisoner."
"Okay, thank you." Jeffrey said, hanging up a couple seconds later. He then dials the number to Cassie's villa. It rang a couple times before Ms Chitwood answers the phone.
"Hello, Winslow residence." Jeffrey recognized Mrs. Chitwood's voice immediately.
"Ms. Chitwood, its Jeffrey O'Neill. Is Cassie home?'
"No, she's not. She went out to dinner with a couple of her and Mr. Winslow's friends."
"Did she say when she would be back?"
"I'm sorry Sir, but no. She's been busy with the boys and the children's museum. I convinced her to take a break and go out for a change."
"I'll call back later. If she comes home…"
"I'll tell her you called. Mr. O'Neill."
"Thank you." Jeffrey says, smiling as he hangs up the phone. He had always liked her.
Rebeca stays at the hospital for a couple more hours after Noah left before she leaves for the day with instructions to page her if there are any changes in Richard's condition. Not that she expected any. Now that he was awake, he seemed to be growing stronger by the minute. His temperature was back down to normal the last time she check it which was a very good sign.
He was still too weak to get out of bed, but with a few days of solid food he would regain some of his strength back. Right now, she had him on lots of liquids. But she suspected within the next few weeks if not days, he'd be on strictly solid foods. It amazed her every time how quickly a human body could recoup after a major injury.
She had seen patients that were near the brink of death pull through and live another day and she had seen patients that were not seriously hurt die from the lack of will to live. And when a patient survived it always made her feel like she was doing her part to carry her mother's spirit on. It still made her angry to think about all the months that were wasted because they refused to accept what was happening to her mother, believing that in prayer, her mother would be healed. Prayer was important when someone was ill, she doesn't deny that but it isn't the only solution and definitely not the only treatment available.
This was the first evening in a long time that she was actually going to spend the evening at home, most times she didn't get home till well past midnight, if she came home at all and she was usually gone again by five am when she did come home. Walking into her apartment, she tosses her keys on the table by her purse as she kicks her tennis shoes off, rubbing her feet on the carpet as she walks through to the kitchen.
Opening the cabinets she quickly realized that if she was going to eat she was either going have to go to the store or call for take out. She didn't want to leave the house again, so she pulls her phone from her purse, scrolled through her contacts and calls her favorite pizza place, ordering a large thin crust pizza as she walks into her bedroom. About twenty minutes later, the door bell buzzed.
Getting up, she pulls a twenty from her wallet and opens the door to the pizza boy. Giving him the twenty and telling him to keep change as she takes the pizza and closes the door. Putting the box, on the coffee table, she walks into the kitchen, grabs the parmesan cheese and then goes back to the living room, opening the box as she reaches for the remote.
Turning the TV on as she sprinkles the cheese on her pizza and flips through the channels, by passing the kids shows, and the news channels it was too good a day to be brought down by current events as much as she liked to stay update on what was going on she didn't feel like listening to the rhetoric about the coming campaign year. She finally settled for a movie on Lifetime and sit back to eat dinner.
Jeffrey hasn't been home long when someone knocks on his door, peeking through the peephole he realized it is Ava and from the look on her face, she isn't happy. Opening the door quickly, he is about to ask what was wrong when she runs into his arms crying. He holds her for a few minutes before he is able to get her to let him go long enough to close the door. Walking over to the couch, she sits down while Jeffrey closes the door and follows her over. "So, what happened?" He asks
"Mike and I broke up." Ava says, reaching up to wipe away a tear.
"Why, you just got together?"
"I did something while I was in San Cristobel."
"Does this have to do with whatever was going on with you and William?"
"You knew about that?" Ava asks, surprised.
"I guessed; you want to tell me what happened."
"Do I need too? Let's just say that William and I became closer than friends last weekend. I wasn't going to say anything to Mike but then I changed my mind. So when he came to get me from Spaulding this afternoon for lunch I told him what happened. He was furious. I didn't think he would get that mad, especially since I was coming out and telling him and like you said, we just got together. But he was really mad. He said some really nasty stuff."
"Like what?"
"That doesn't really matter, but he said that he never wanted to see me again. Said I was just like my mother. I didn't even know he knew Olivia."
"They dated a couple years ago, but from what I remember it didn't last very long and she dumped him. It was right after Emma was born and she was trying to deal with Phillip and the Spaulding's."
"Well, he's definitely furious now."
"Did you really want a relationship with him?"
"Of course, I did." Ava replies looking at Jeffrey shocked.
"The reason I ask, is because I have to wonder with what happened with William."
"William's fun, and he's charming and I like him, but…"
"You don't know if you could love him."
"Well, yeah. He's a prince. He runs a country. I don't know if I'm cut out for that."
"Aren't you putting the cart before the horse a little bit? You guys aren't even dating. You had one weekend together."
"One very good weekend together."
"I don't want to know the details, but still you're not together as a couple."
"So, you're saying I shouldn't've told Mike about it."
"No, I think that took guts." Jeffrey says, as his phone rings. Getting up, he goes to answer it. "Hello, Jeffrey O'Neill." He says.
"Jeffrey, its William."
"Oh yes, thanks for calling me back, can you hang on a minute?" "Sure."
Taking the phone away from his ear he turns to Ava "I need to take this call.
"Sure." Ava says, standing up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes.".
"I've got William on the other line, do you want…"
"No, there's no need to tell him. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay." Ava leaves and Jeffrey returns to the phone call. "William, are you still there?"
"Yes, I'm here. Jodi said you needed to speak to me."
"Yes, I got a call from Washington earlier this evening."
"Is he alright?"
"He's fine, in fact he's awake."
"Awake, you mean like…"
"He's out of the coma. He woke up sometime this afternoon Noah said."
"Oh my god! He's awake. Have you told Cassie?"
"No, I called the villa but she wasn't in. I left a message with Ms. Chitwood for her to call me."
"I'll see if I can track her down. What did his doctor say?"
"He woke up sometime his afternoon and that all the tests seem to indicate that he's out of the coma for good."
"What about the infection?"
"He's still recovering from that, but Noah did say that his temperature was almost back to normal."
"So they think he'll make a full recovery."
"Yes, he's weak right now from being in the bed for so long, but he should be up and about in a few months, according to Noah."
"I can't wait till Cassie."
"Noah said that he's asking for her."
"Then we need to find her immediately."
"Ms. Chitwood said she was out with a couple of friends of her and Richard's, but she didn't say when she would be in.'
"She's probably down at Pierre's or the Rusty Anchor."
"The Rusty Anchor! She can't go in there."
"They've cleaned the place up since you were in there last." William replies. "Let me go see if I can track her down, and we'll be on the royal jet to Washington."
"Call me when you find her. I need to call Washington and get both of you clearance to come." Jeffrey says.
"Of course. I'll let you know as soon as I find her."
"Thank you."
They hang up a few seconds later, with William calling the villa and finding out that Cassie had just walked in the door. A couple seconds later, Cassie came on the line.
"Alo… William. What's going on?" She asks. "Ms. Chitwood said it was an emergency. Has something happened to Will?"
"No, Will's fine." William replies. "Jeffrey called however."
"Okay, how is he?"
"He's fine. Are you going to be home?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to come over there. I need to tell you this in person."
"In person!"
"Yes, in person. I'll be there in a few minutes."
About five minutes later, there is a knock at Cassie's door. Opening it, she lets him in and then closes the door behind him before walking into the living room. "What's going on?"
"First, I think you need to sit down."
"No, just tell me." Cassie says, clearly thinking she is going to hear the worst.
"He's awake, Cassie."
"Richard, Richard's awake. I have to go." She says, turning to go upstairs.
"Wait we have to get clearance from Jeffrey first."
"Why?"
"He's still at the agency hospital. They have to approve us coming."
"How long is that going to take?"
"I don't know."
"I thought he was fighting an infection of some kind. How can this happen? Jeffrey seemed to think it might be weeks before we would be able to see him."
"I don't know all the details. All Jeffrey said, was that Noah called him this afternoon and told him that he was awake. As to the infection, he's still fighting it, but his temperature is closer to normal."
"So, they're sure that he's going to be okay?"
"He's weak from lying in the bed for so long, but the tests are all showing that he's getting better."
"Okay, call Jeffrey and see if he can get us clearance for tonight. I need to see him now." Cassie says, her tone impatient
"Alright, I'll give him a call." William says, smiling while pulling his phone from his pocket. A few seconds later, Jeffrey phone rings. Reaching for it, he answers as he looks over some of the papers he had brought home from City hall. "Hello."
"Jeffrey, its William. I found Cassie."
"Did you tell her?"
"Yes, I told her. She wants to know if we can have clearance to see him tomorrow."
"I spoke with Noah after I got off the phone with you, and that's fine."
"Good. We'll be there. Are you coming down?"
"Yes, but I can't stay long."
"I think you need to be there too. I'll call the pilot and we'll be on our way within the hour."
"Okay."
"We'll see you soon." They hang up as William turns to Cassie.
"We're cleared?"
"Yes, for tomorrow morning. So go get packed while I call the palace and have them call the pilot and we'll..." He didn't even get to finish Cassie was already upstairs. A few minutes later, she is back downstairs with her suitcase in her hand.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. What about RJ?"
"I explain things to Ms. Chitwood."
"Okay, come on. I have to stop at the palace to get some stuff and then we'll be on our way." William says, following Cassie through the house and out to his car.
They stop for a couple minutes at the palace to get William's suitcase and some papers from his office before they are on their way to the private airstrip and the royal jet. Ten minutes later, they are in the air and on their way to Washington DC.
After hanging up with William, Jeffrey calls City Hall and leaves a message for Stacey that he would be out of the office for the rest of the week. And then grabbing an overnight bag, he threw some clothes inside and heads for the airport. He is about to leave the lobby when he runs into Olivia. "Where are you going this late?"
"It's none of your business Olivia." Jeffrey barks. "When are you going to get it threw your head, we are not together. I don't answer to you." He says, before he steps around her and walks out of the Beacon. Catching the redeye, Jeffrey lands in Washington around three am. Checking into the hotel that he and Ava stayed in the weekend before, he finally crashes
He woke the next morning to his cell phone ringing. Pulling it from his pants pocket, he pushes talk while he tries to wake up. "Hello." He says sleepily.
"Jeffrey, its Cassie."
"Hello." He says, sounding a little more awake.
"I was wondering if we could go to the agency now."
"What time is it?'
"It's just after eight."
"Let me get a shower and I'll call the agency." Jeffrey says, sitting up "I'll call you back in thirty minutes."
"Okay."
After putting on a pot of coffee, Jeffrey jumps into the shower. Fifteen minutes later, he is out, dressed and on the phone to Noah.
"Noah Chase."
"Noah, its Jeffrey. Cassie just called. She wants to know if we can come to see him."
"I don't see why not? Dr. Whitley is in with him now, but by the time you get here she should be finished."
"Alright, let me call Cassie and William and we'll be on our way."
"I'll let Dr. Whitley know."
"Thanks." Jeffrey replies. Hanging up he calls Cassie as he was pouring himself a cup of coffee. When William answers Jeffrey tells him "We can go as soon as your both ready."
"Cassie went downstairs. She should be back any minute."
"Okay, I'm on my way to the embassy."
"We can meet you at the agency."
"No, I have to be with you or the guards won't let you on the property."
"I'll tell Cassie you're on your way."
"Okay." Jeffrey replies flipping off the coffee pot as he grabs his room key as he walks out of the room, hailing a cab when he reaches the street. "The embassy for San Cristobel." Jeffrey says, as he close the car door behind him. Twenty minutes later, William and Cassie are waiting when Jeffrey walks in to the embassy.
"Jeffrey." Cassie calls, standing up.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'm a little nervous though."
"You'll be fine." Jeffrey says, putting and arm around her and giving her a quick squeeze before he turns to William. Holding out his hand, Jeffrey shakes it before they turn to leave.
Noah is waiting in the lobby of the agency when Jeffrey, Cassie and William arrive, shaking Jeffrey and William's hand he gives Cassie a hug. "It's been along time."
"I know. How are you feeling?"
"Nervous, I can't believe he's alive, that he's been alive all this time."
"I know, if we could have told you that he was alive we would have, but we had to protect him and you, until we caught Camille."
"I can't believe she tried to kill him."
"It wasn't about Richard, she wanted to get back at you and what better way than to take him away from you."
"Has he said anything?"
"He's been asking for you since he woke up."
"Is that normal? I mean he's been in a coma for a long time."
"It's normal, patients react differently to coma's some wake up and they don't remember anything, some remember everything."
"How much did he remember?"
"He remember you. He was a little confused about San Cristobel."
"How do you mean?"
"He thought he was still the prince." Noah says, looking over at William. "But I explained everything to him, at least that much. We don't want to over whelm him, but if he asks questions we need to answer them."
"Does he know about Tammy or Jonathan?"
"No, I didn't tell him that. We'll tell him when the time is right."
As they are talking, Noah is leading him through the lobby to the elevators.
"What did the doctor say about the infection?" William asks.
"Actually, his fever broke last evening and he's doing better. They still have him on strong antibiotics to make sure they killed the staph, but we're no longer in danger of contracting the infection if we see him."
"How is, he doing, physically I mean." Cassie asks as they step onto the elevator.
"He's very weak right now. They have him on plenty of liquids, but right now he can't get out of bed."
"Is that normal?"
"Yes, he's been in a coma for five years, and although the nurse came in and moved him and gave him physical therapy, what they could, his muscles are weak and it's going to take some time to get his strength back."
"But he will get it back?" Cassie asks
"Yes, he'll get it back with time and more therapy. He's going to be in here for a several more weeks before he can be released." Noah replies, as the doors open and they walk into a brightly lit hospital floor. The hospital resembles an ICU ward with one central nurse's station and several rooms off to the side around the room.
Richard's room is at the far end of the ward, and Rebeca is just walking out of his room when Noah, Jeffrey, Cassie, and William walk up.
"Dr. Whitley, there are some people here I would like you to meet." Noah says as Sam walks over to him. "This is Richard's wife, Cassie Winslow, his brother William Winslow and their good friend Jeffrey O'Neill."
That name caught her attention but she tries to hide her surprise as she looks up and realizes she is looking into Richard's face. "It had to be a coincidence that they had the same name." She thought as she sticks out her hand and shakes everyone's hand, lingering with Jeffrey. "Hi." She says softly "I'm Dr. Samantha Whitley." She says. "But you can call me Sam." There was something familiar about her touch when Jeffrey shook her hand but he didn't commit on it.
"You're Richard's doctor." Cassie says, drawing Sam's attention away from Jeffrey.
"Yes." She says
"How is he doing?"
"He's getting stronger but he still has a long way to go."
"Noah said he's fever broke last night." William says.
"Yes, around six. We're still giving him antibiotics to make sure we kill all the staph but the worst of it is over." Sam replies, trying to concentrate on Cassie and William.
"Can I see him?" Cassie asks.
"You can, in a few minutes. The nurse is giving him a bath right now." Sam replies, and then notices Cassie's expression. "He's not paralyzed. His muscles are very weak and for a while he'll need help but eventually he'll be able to take care of himself and will be totally independent." Sam says, as the nurse walks out of Richard's room.
"He's ready." She tells Sam as she walks by, noticing Cassie, William and Jeffrey. She took a double take when she sees Jeffrey.
"You can go in and see him." Sam says, taking Cassie's hand and leading her over to the door.
"Cassie, do you want us to go with you?" William asks.
She shakes her head no, as she takes deep breath and opens the door. Richard is lying on his back, with his head turned away from the door and his eyes closed. When the door opens he turns his head but doesn't quite believe what he sees. "Cassie." He says softly, reaching to push the button to bring his bed up.
"Yes." She says just as softly, walking over to the bed. She has tears in her eyes as he reaches for her.
Sitting down on the bed, she wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and then she realizing that she might be hurting him, so she starts to let him go.
"No!" He says, holding her tightly for several minutes. "You're here, you're really here."
"Yes. I thought you were dead. If I had known you weren't I would have been here everyday."
"I know. I missed you so much." Richard says. "Even when I was in the coma, I knew you weren't with me. I missed your touch, your voice."
"I missed you, everyday I missed you." Cassie says, leaning back and looking at him, trying to memorize his face.
"It's me and I am alive." He says, as he reaches up, his hand shaking a little bit as he reaches out and touches her cheek.
"Are the kids with you?"
"No, I left them in San Cristobel."
"San Cristobel, did you move back?"
"No, we're down there on vacation. Will's living with William now."
"He is. I thought he was going to let him stay with you."
"He did until last summer and then his advisors wanted him to bring him back so he can start learning his duties. I can't believe you're here, you're alive. Richard a part of me died when they told me Reva had turned off your life support. I wasn't there that day to say good-bye. I didn't get to hold you, or tell you I loved you. I was so sure that you would get better and that you would come home to me and the kids and then they told me that Reva had turned off your life support at your request. I now realize it wasn't you, but then it nearly killed me. Everyday I missed you. I didn't realize how much until just here in the last few months." Cassie says, reaching up and wiping away a tear.
"What do you mean?" Richard asks, holding her hand and drinking in her beauty. "Even when she's crying she's beautiful." He thought.
"There has been so much that has happened over the last few years since you were gone. Choices I've made and things that I've done, but we won't get into that right now. I'm just so happy that you're alive. My world is right again."
Richard starts to press her about what she said, but the door opens and William sticks his head in. "Can we come in?" He asks.
"Yes, come on in." Cassie says, getting up "I forgot you guys were out there." She says, as Jeffrey and William walk into the room.
"Alonzo." Richard says, holding out his hand. William takes it quickly noticing the trembling in his arm. Shaking it, he looks down at his brother. "I'm so sorry Richard, if I had known what she'd done…"
"Camille; it's not your fault. None of us could have guess she'd come after Cassie and me like that. I don't blame you."
"I just keep thinking about the fact that I let her stay at the palace this summer to try and let her build a relationship with Will. I knew that she could be manipulative and conniving but I had no idea that she would come after you. If I had known I would have locked her up instead of banishing her back to Iowa."
"It's not your fault Alonzo."
"Richard, he goes by William now." Cassie says.
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm used to calling you Alonzo."
"No, it's okay."
"When did you start using your real name?" Richard asks.
"When Will came back to the island. I thought it was the appropriate time."
Jeffrey is standing just inside the door, behind William and Cassie. When Richard notices him he holds out his hand and says. "Jeffrey."
"Richard." Jeffrey said, walking over to the bed and shaking his hand.
Cassie is surprised that Richard remembers him. Jeffrey's time was only for the last year they were in San Cristobel. They talk for several minutes before William and Jeffrey leaves the room, to give Cassie and Richard some more time together.
9.11