Chapter Two:
Zach shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic chair and tried to ignore the people surrounding him. It had been hours since his arrival at the hospital and Kendall was still in surgery. He didn't know whether to take that as a sign that the doctors were experiencing success or that the damage was more extensive than he had hoped. He was tired and hungry and no one wanted him here, but he refused to leave. Sitting there Zach was struck by the irony of the situation - had anyone asked him earlier that day for his opinion of his wife, Zach would not have painted a glowing picture. He would have called her annoying at best, a ditz, a bitch, said she was selfish and bitter - and now . . . Now for the first time in years he found himself praying. Praying to a God that he wasn't even sure that he believed in that Kendall might live and be whole. Even if she hated him, divorced him. He could accept that as just penance for his sins. But he didn't know how he would bear it if she died.
He rubbed a hand over his face and slumped a little further down in his seat, but then abruptly sat up straighter when Joe Martin entered the waiting room. He saw Martin look around the room until their eyes met and the doctor began to walk in his direction. When he saw Erica with Jackson hovering by her side go to intercept the man, Zach rose and went to meet them himself. He got to them just as Erica demanded that Joe reveal Kendall's condition.
Seeing Zach nod his consent from his position behind Erica, Joe began to speak. "Kendall is out of surgery and is stable. We were able to repair most of the damage so there is every reason to hope that with time, she'll make a full recovery." Zach's closed his eyes and let out a quick breath as he struggled to contain his relief. He was not in the habit of showing his emotions, but this ordeal had brought a lot of feelings closer to the surface than he liked. He opened his eyes to see Erica hugging Jackson and demanding to see her daughter, while Joe Martin's sympathetic gaze remained fixed on Zach. Zach turned his head away, knowing how little he deserved anyone's sympathy.
Finally turning back to Erica, Joe continued, "I can let you see her one at a time, but I must insist that you let her rest. It's very important that Kendall remain completely still during this critical time right after her surgery, so we have given her drugs to induce a light coma to prevent her from moving around too much and injuring herself further." He looked at Erica and his tone was very stern, "You may be able to rouse her from this, but you shouldn't."
Confident that his lecture about Kendall's condition had been heard, Joe looked to Zach to determine who would be the first to visit Kendall. Seeing Erica bristle at the implication that she might not be the first to see Kendall and unwilling to antagonize her at this point, Zach wordlessly gestured her forward. He wasn't prepared to see her yet anyway.
Zach returned to his chair, overcome by a mixture of relief and fear. Kendall would live - that was one sin that wouldn't yet stain his soul. But would she be whole? And whether she was or not, how would he face her? What could he say to her recriminations? She would blame him for what she was enduring, and she would be right.
Zach watched as one at a time Kendall's family went in to see her and then returned to the waiting room to commiserate with each other over her condition and the "terrible tragedy" of the situation. He allowed himself a sardonic smile at their hypocrisy - Kendall's loving family. He knew about them, all of them had turned their backs on her at one time or another. None of them had been there for her when she truly needed them, but now when she was unconscious and unable to appreciate their show of devotion they flocked to her side. He wondered absently if any of them would even bother to stick around until she woke up.
Greenlee Lavery - Kendall's "best friend," her step-sister she was more than ready to take advantage of Kendall's devotion now. But last year when someone was drugging Greenlee, she had been one of the first to accuse Kendall. She had married Ryan knowing how much Kendall loved him. He remembered the tapes from Michael's trial. She had ripped Kendall's dress of in the middle of the court room, knowing that exposing Kendall's lie could very easily lead to Kendall's execution.
Erica Kane - Kendall's not-so-sainted mother, she had spent years playing on Kendall's emotions - her need for her mother's love and acceptance. Love and acceptance that Erica continuously denied her daughter. Each time Kendall tried to move on Erica would present her approval as a lure, holding it just out of Kendall's reach until she'd brought her daughter back into line and then Erica would withdraw it again.
Jackson Montgomery - Kendall's stepfather, the patriarch. He preached about uniting their families and yet at the slightest sign that Greenlee might be upset he was ready rip Kendall to shreds to support 'his' daughter.
Zach's cynicism threatened to overwhelm him as he watched Jack comfort Erica and Greenlee - both crying loudly about how devastated they were by Kendall's injury, how much they cared about her and how worried they were. After a moment, however, his attention was diverted by another display. This one was less flamboyant, but far more genuine. He heard Reggie and Lily talking. Lily, who didn't know how to dissemble, was frowning as she asked about the odds for Kendall's recovery. Despite Reggie's assurances that Kendall would be fine Lily looked upset. More disturbed by Lily's heartfelt fears than Erica and Greenlee's tears, Zach finally rose from his chair and made his way to the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Erica's voice stopped him in the doorway.
"To sit with my wife," Zach answered turning around to confront her. "I've been very patient. I waited so that all of you would have a chance to see her first, but now it's my turn and I will see her." Zach quickly turned and strode away, not in the mood to argue with the diva. Let Jackson explain the situation to her, the man had married her, so he'd basically volunteered for responsibilities like that.
Zach followed Anita silently as she led him to Kendall's room. When he didn't immediately go in she gave him an encouraging smile. "You can go on in," she said. "The doctor said it was fine, to let her rest but that a few family visitors would be alright." Zach continued to hesitate outside the door so she tried again to reassure him, "She's out cold and if Erica's sobbing didn't wake her I don't think that you need to worry about disturbing her."
Zach nodded to let her know that he'd heard her and then raised his hand to the door. He fought hard to still the trembling that would betray his nerves, and steeled himself for whatever he would see on the other side of that door. He had to face this, to see what his arrogance had cost the woman that he - He broke of unable to even think that right now, she was his wife in name only. His business partner. Maybe, sometimes, his friend. But certainly nothing more. And once she woke up probably not even that much. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the room.
"Betraying bitch" the words echoed in his head as he looked down at Kendall lying so pale against the white sheets. He'd been cruel to her over the last few days, he'd been lying to her for months about Ryan and now here they were. She'd almost died because of him. He stared down at her still form and knew that he'd never forgive himself for this, and that she would likely never forgive him either. "I'm sorry, Kendall," he whispered.
Zach settled down into the chair next to her bed and fought off the temptation to take her hand - he had no right to touch her, no right to take comfort from the warmth of her skin. Warmth that would assure him that despite her stillness, despite how pale she looked did live. He allowed himself to graze a knuckle across her cheek, just that barest of touches to feel that blood still flowed through her veins.
Hours later Zach still sat there beside Kendall's bed. Nothing, not even Erica's tantrums, had been able to convince him to leave Kendall's side once he'd found his way there. He'd called Edie, told her to handle the casino without him, he didn't know when he'd be able to come in, asked her to bring him a few things and to find him a phone number.
Zach stared down at the phone number on the slip of paper in front of him, knowing that this was a step he had sworn a long time ago not to take. His gaze wandered back to his wife, she looked so small and pale lying unconscious on the hospital bed, and he flipped his phone open. He dialed and waited for someone to pick up. When he heard a terse greeting on the other end he spoke, "This is Zach Slater, you said if I ever needed a favor . . ."