DISCLAMER: The only thing I own from this story is the plot. Everything else belongs to Mark Cherry and ABC.
CHAPTER 5
Tom pulled up to the coffee shop still confused as to why she was so adamant on meeting him half way across town. She had sounded so strange on the phone, so unlike herself. She wanted to meet him, had something to tell him and said it was important, but insisted on telling him in person. Tom got out of the car and went inside. He didn't know why he had agreed to meet her. Yes, they were still friends but meeting her alone like this felt wrong. Maybe it was the tone of her voice. She had sounded so serious, almost desperate. He couldn't help but agree to see her. Tom looked around until he saw her waving at him. "Ok, I'm here" he said as he took a seat across from her. "What the emergency?"
Gaby motioned for Tom to move to the seat beside her. "I'm worried about Lynette."
"And you couldn't just tell me this over the phone?" Tom said, slightly frustrated.
"I could have but not really." Gaby took a drink of her coffee. "When was the last time you saw her?"
Tom frowned "I don't know. Does it matter?"
"Yes."
They sat for a moment. Tom waited for Gaby to say something. "Well?"
"She jogs up and down the river trail every day. Then she stops in here for a bottle of water before going back home."
"That's nice to know but what does any of this have to do with why you had us meet here?"
"You need to see her. Just wait." Gaby said as she drained the last of her coffee.
Ten minutes later Lynette jogged up to the coffee shop and stopped just outside of the doors to catch her breath. Tom looked from Lynette to Gaby and back to Lynette again. He stood up but Gaby grabbed his arm and shook her head no. Lynette came in, paid for her water and left. She never noticed Tom and Gaby sitting at the table in the corner. "What the hell was that?" Tom almost yelled as soon as the door closed.
Gaby frowned. "I told you I was worried."
"What happened to her?"
"Is that a serious question?"
"Yes…no. Why didn't anyone do anything? Why hasn't anyone done anything?"
"We tried. I've tried. I've done everything I can think of and I just can't get through to her." Gaby looked at her hands. "I…I don't know what else to do."
Tom put his head in his hands. "I'll talk to her. I'll try and talk to her."
Lynette stepped onto the scale and smiled. Two pounds lost. She was now 89 pounds and while it wasn't perfection it was another step in the right direction. Just as she finished getting dressed the doorbell rang.
"Tom!" She said as she opened the door. "W-w-what are you doing here? The kids are at school."
Tom did his best to smile. "I know, I was hoping to talk to you. May I come in?"
"Of course" Tom sat down at the kitchen table.
"Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Juice?" Lynette asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"No thank you."
Lynette sat down across from him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Ah uhm well…I wanted to talk to you about…" He stopped and fidgeted with his shirt sleeve for a moment before starting again. "You see the kids have been worried about you and your friends are worried." He stopped again and looked around the room nervously. "I'm worried about you too." He looked at her, gauging her reaction. "It's just; you've lost so much weight and you don't look very good. Gaby says you're not eating."
Lynette shivered. "Gaby's a liar."
"Are you cold?" Tom got up and grabbed a blanket off of the couch and gave it to her.
Lynette wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. "Thank you."
Tom stood up and walked around the kitchen obviously uncomfortable. "Lynette, I've known you for a very long time…over half of my life." He sat back down this time in the chair right next to her. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
Lynette gave a small, sarcastic laugh. "Why would I do that?"
"Ok, fine. Maybe you don't want to tell me, but you need to talk to somebody."
"I have nothing to say."
Tom put his hand on her shoulder, "why are you doing this? Why won't you let anyone help you?"
"Help me with what?" She rolled her shoulders and leaned away effectively removing his hand.
"Why do you always have to be so complicated?"
"Why do you care?" Lynette stood up and walked over to the door. "The kids will be home soon and I have things to do. You should go."
He followed her to the door. "If that's what you want."
"It is."
"I'll see you around then." Tom looked at Lynette wistfully for a moment before he turned and left.
He had almost made it to his car when he heard the sound of breaking glass coming from inside the house. Tom ran back and pounded on the door. "LYNETTE! ARE YOU OK?" There was no response. "LYNETTE, SAY SOMETHING." He waited for a moment, listening, but still heard nothing. "Ok" he said to himself "LYNETTE, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME I'M GOING TO BREAK DOWN THE DOOR." He reared back, counted to three and threw himself shoulder first at the door. Luckily it gave easily on his first attempt. Tom stood up and called out again. "LYNETTE?" He waited but was still only answered by silence. A feeling of panic set in and Tom began to search for Lynette. After a few minutes he found her lying on the kitchen floor. "Oh Lynette" he said as he knelt beside her. "Lynette, can you hear me?" Tom gently shook her but she was unresponsive. He pulled out his phone and dialed 911.
"nine one one what is the nature of your emergency?"
"It's my wife; she's fallen or…or passed out. I don't know what happened. She's unresponsive. I need an ambulance."
"It's alright sir, I have an ambulance on the way and it will arrive in a few minutes. Can you tell me if she is breathing?"
Tom put the phone down and leaned his ear just above Lynette's mouth. He gasped and picked the phone back up. "No" he said his throat suddenly tight, "she's not."
NOTE: Ok, so I'm not sure where I'm going to go w/ Tom and Lynette. I can't make up my mind on whether to get them back together or not. I guess we'll see how it goes. If you have any suggestions or ideas you can PM them to me and if I use them I'll give you credit. :). As always, I'll post another chapter after a few reviews.