Thank you for all of your thoughtful feedback...glad you are enjoying the story...won't be able to update until this weekend...so here is the next chapter to hold you over!
Chapter 5 – The Lady with the Lamp
Elizabeth ushered the remaining medical staff out of Dante's room until it was just the two of them. Everywhere she looked, Elizabeth saw the debris of the chaos that just ensued. She quietly began to pick up the discarded tubes, caps, and gauze strewn about when she looked at him. The offending bright overhead lights made Dante's skin look ghostly.
Completely unnerved, Elizabeth announced, "It is much too bright in here for my liking. How are you supposed to get any rest Dante when this room is lit up like Yankee Stadium?" Not waiting for him to respond, Elizabeth walked to the light switch beside the door and dimly light the room. The lamp above Dante's bed cast a warm glow on his battered body; giving her hope that he would get better.
Elizabeth set about to do her work. She methodically began checking each of the machines, writing the numbers in his chart. One by one, she gently adjusted the wires and tubes affixed to Dante's bruised body letting her fingers linger as if to let him know that he was not alone. Satisfied that everything was securely tethered, Elizabeth grasped the sheet haphazardly tossed aside in the commotion and gingerly laid it upon Dante's body.
Elizabeth's fingers felt the rough stitching in the seam of the cloth as she began to cover him. To cloak his body with a simple cotton sheet, to cover the hideous abuses his body endured just seemed wrong. There was no hiding what happened to him. Dante deserved better. Elizabeth wished she had a cloth worthy of shrouding this heroic man. As she moved the white sheet across his body she faltered. She could not bring herself to look at his face. Swelling or not, the man lying before her was unrecognizable, but Elizabeth knew it was Dante...Lucky's best friend and partner...Olivia's beloved son...and Lulu's husband.
Elizabeth gently tucked the sheet under Dante's chin. Casting aside her heartache, she gently stroked his cheek leaned forward and whispered, "Thank you Dante. Thank you for loving us...all of us...just rest...I will be back soon to check on you." Elizabeth straightened up, reached above Dante's head and shut off the light.
"Boys...Cam...Jake...come down here and pick up these toys. Hurry now...we don't want to be late. Spencer is waiting for us so you can go horseback riding," shouted Elizabeth. Sighing, Elizabeth bent down to pick up the coats tossed on the floor when the ring of her cell phone startled her. Picking up her phone, she read the screen, Dante Falconeri. Elizabeth thought, "That's odd...why would Dante be calling me? I hope Lucky is alright."
"Hey Dante, what's up?" said Elizabeth breathlessly. "Hmm, okay...I am not so sure Lulu would appreciate that...you do realize that I am not her favorite person. Well, if you think so... I am just about to meet Nikolas to drop off the boys at the boat launch. I can meet you at General Hospital in 30 minutes. Thanks...see you then."
Closing her phone shut, Elizabeth walked over to the stair case and shouted up, "Boys...come down here now...we don't have any time to waste...I have to go meet Uncle Dante and Aunt Lulu."
A water main break on Baker Street made traffic a nightmare and now Elizabeth was running late...really late. Bursting through the doors of General Hospital, she hurried down the hallway toward the elevators. "Hold the elevator, please," pleaded Elizabeth. Out of breath, she hustled into the elevator to a sea of disgruntled faces. "Thank you very much," she said as she reached across to punch the button for the 10th floor.
As people moved in and out of the elevator car, Elizabeth wondered, "Why did Dante want me to meet them at GH?" Before she could draw any conclusion, the elevator chimed and the door opened when she spied Dante smiling and waiting for her in the corridor.
Dante drew Elizabeth into a hug, kissed her on the check and said, "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. Lulu just went into the exam room with Dr. Lee." Before she could react Dante placed his hand on the small of her back to steer her down the hallway toward the exam room. Feeling like she was walking in wet cement, Elizabeth stammered, "Dr. Lee? Is Lulu? Are you?"
Dante stopped them just outside of examination room 5, smiled broadly and said, "With any luck Cam, Jake and Aiden will have a cousin in 7 months."
Elizabeth was filled with excitement but then the confusion set in. "Dante, I don't want to sound rude, but why am I here?"
"When Lulu and I suspected that she was pregnant, we both were excited to start our family. We have been talking about what this means for us...for all of us including you," Dante paused, gently placing his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders. He continued, "Lulu has reconciled with Nikolas...but not with you. We've talked a great deal about wanting our baby to be surrounded by his or her loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins...building those memories that last for a lifetime...But, Lulu realized that those family moments would not happen until she makes peace with you. Lulu admires the strength and courage you have as a mother. I think the two of you just need a nudge toward forgiveness... So considered yourself nudged," with that Dante grasped the door handle of the exam room and opened it to a surprised Dr. Lee and Lulu.
Lulu looked at Elizabeth and back to Dante somewhat confused, then slowly a broad smile fanned out across her face and she said, "Elizabeth, I am glad you are here." Dante gently pushed Elizabeth into the exam room and closed the door behind them.
Leaving Dante's room, Elizabeth paused momentarily in the corridor, leaned against the wall to get her bearings. She brought her hands up to her face wiping away the tears from her eyes. She knew she had to pull herself together before she found Lucky. How do you tell someone you love bad news? Elizabeth knew in heart that she did not cause Dante's accident, but she hated being cast in the role of the one who always gave Lucky heartbreaking news. And now for the second time in 2 days, she had to tell Lucky the unspeakable.
Elizabeth tentatively took a step toward the elevators. Lulu was on the 10th floor. There was no change in her condition when she checked on her an hour ago. The only reason she left was the promise she made to Lucky...to check on Dante so he could reassure Lulu.
She never imagined that she would be there when all hell broke loose in Dante's hospital room, but Elizabeth drew comfort in the fact that she bore witness to his stubborn determination to stay on this earth. She knew how much he had to live for and she was thankful that she could help Dante.
As Elizabeth pushed the elevator button her thoughts went back to Lucky. They had finally gotten to a place in their lives where the hurt she and Nikolas caused was no longer front and center. Lucky was adamant that the time for any romantic relationship between them was past. Accepting that the love they shared could not erase the hurt and anguish took Elizabeth time to come to terms with. Reluctantly, she was moving forward with a life without Lucky in it. Elizabeth knew that was the very least she could do for him.
Although they co-parented Cam and Jake, Lucky and Elizabeth had little contact with each other until a few days ago. When Lulu was brought into the ER, it was Elizabeth who was called upon to contact Lucky and break the news. She remembered how her hands shook as she struggled to dial his telephone number. Hearing the anguish in voice as she relayed the news was only rivaled by seeing the pain etched on Lucky's face when he rushed into the ER to find Lulu.
Elizabeth found herself once again in a position of delivering dire news. How was she going to tell him about Dante? The elevator doors opened and thankfully no one was inside...she could ride up to the 10th floor alone...giving Elizabeth little precious time to find the words that would not once again break Lucky's heart.