Happiness Is
Chapter 25"It's been six hours already, Dr. Greene said it would only be four hours what's going on? Something must have happened," Ashley said pacing the floor.
"Ashley come sit down," Chelsea said. Ashley sat down for a few minutes than she was back up again.
"Excuse me Mr. Carlin, there are reporters in the lobby of the hospital," the administrator said. "I hate to bother you but do you think you could tell them something so they will at least leave the lobby without me having to call security."
"I'm sorry yes of course," Arthur said.
"Dad, I'll take of it," Glen offered.
Glen and Chelsea go out to the lobby to meet the reporters. "Mr. Carlin can you tell us what's going on?" the reporters were asking.
"I'll give you a statement once we are out of the hospital lobby," Glen said. "On behalf of my wife, myself and the Carlin-Davies family we like to extend our most heart felted thanks to everyone for their concern. My sister is still in surgery. We know nothing as yet. We would appreciate it if you would no longer interrupt the routine of this hospital. There are other patients who are sick and families who are visiting them. When Mrs. Carlin-Davies is out of surgery we will have a statement for you. Thank you."
"Mr. Carlin one question please, is it true that the heart your sister is getting is your mother's?"
"Yes… we will have a statement for you when my sister comes out surgery. Thank you. Come on Chelsea let's go back upstairs," Glen said.
/
"Mrs. Garth it's Ashley, how is my baby treating you and Mrs. Bailey?"
"Oh, she's wonderful, Mrs. Bailey and I have been very entertained by her, she said laughing, "Ms. Ashley she's only three months old well almost four, how much trouble can she be?"
Ashley also laughing, "I guess you're right. How's her milk holding up?"
"She's has two six ounce bottles left."
"Okay I'll be there before she runs out. Mrs. Garth…" "Yes."
"Can you stay the night? I want to stay overnight in the hospital with Spencer."
"Of course Ms. Ashley, I felt you would want to do that so I told my family I'll be staying at the mansion for a few days. You know I don't have any kids but I do have nieces and nephews and they worry about me when I don't come home."
"Yes I can appreciate that thank you Mrs. Garth," Ashley said choking back tears. "I'll…I'll see you in a little while."
"Ashley…" Dr. Greene said.
"Dr. Greene…finally, how is my wife?"
Dr. Greene looks at Ashley raking his fingers through his hair. "Come sit down Ashley. It was a little rough for a minute but she's doing fine." "Oh! Thank God," Ashley said not realizing she had been holding her breath.
"She'll be in CCU for at least forty-eight hours. We have her on a respirator right now to help her breath, but we will take her off once she stabilizes."
"How is the heart functioning?" Arthur asks.
"The heart is fine, working perfectly. We'll see in forty-eight hours if Spencer's body is going to reject the organ. Why don't you go home, you can't see her for several hours."
"Alright I need to see about Sydney, than I coming right back. I would like to spend the night here with Spencer."
"Alright I'll let the nurses know you'll be staying with your wife."
"Thank you Dr. Greene, I'll be back in a couple of hours." Glen, are you and Chelsea staying? Arthur asked.
"No, we're going to go home and check on little Glen. But I'll be back in the morning."
"Okay, Heather and I will ride back with Ashley. Glen will you give another statement to the reporters before you leave?"
"Certainly dad, goodbye."
The reporters were still holding vigil outside the hospital waiting for some sort of statement that Glen had promised them. When they saw Ashley coming out to get into the limo they immediately rushed over to her. "Mrs. Carlin-Davies is your wife still alive?" One reporter asked.
"Is it true your wife had to kill her own mother to save you and your baby?" Another reporter asked. Ashley stopped to glared at the reporter.
"Get in the limo Ashley, Glen will take care of the reporters," Arthur said. "Heather let's go. I want to see how my granddaughter is doing," Arthur said smiling at Ashley.
In the limo ride home Arthur looks at his daughter-in-law and finally decides to ask her, still unsure if she was ready to talk about it, "Ashley… what happened, what was Paula doing in your bedroom?"
"You mean other than to kill Spencer," Ashley said. "Arthur I'm not sure, it all seems a blur to me."
By the time Ashley finished telling Arthur and Heather what happened they were home. Nick and Susan met them at the door. "How is Ms. Spencer," they both asked.
"She's stable and they did use Paula's heart," Ashley told them. "I'm going back to the hospital in a few hours. Nick if you can I would like to continue your services for a little while longer, just until everything settles down a bit."
"Of course, I was hoping you wouldn't release us from our duties too soon."
"Thank you Nick, Susan."
Mrs. Garth came down from the nursery with a wide eyed and wide awake Sydney. "Ah! there's my baby," both Ashley and Arthur said laughing.
"Momma's come first Arthur, than grandpa's."
"Come here my little munchkin," Ashley said reaching for her child.
"Mrs. Garth, thank you so much for being here and watching her."
"You are very welcome Ms. Ashley."
/
Ashley went to her bedroom, but it was cordon off by police tape. She heard a familiar voice behind her and turned around.
"Janice I'm so glad to see you."
"Ashley how are you, Paula didn't hurt you did she? Is Spencer going to be okay I heard they had to take her to the hospital by helicopter."
Ashley walked into Janice's arms and they hugged each other.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant Morgan we need a few more hours in the Carlin-Davies bedroom."
"Okay Phillips, I'll let Mrs. Carlin-Davies know."
"Janice are you in charge of this investigation."
"Yes déjà vu, huh! My superiors didn't blame me for losing Paula's body. They realized she had everyone fooled. I still question my officers every now and again. I don't understand why no one noticed the bullet proof vest she was wearing."
"I wished your father-in-law had told you she was still alive."
"He meant well Janice."
"It was reckless of Arthur to do what he did Ashley. I told him you two should know. At least you would have been aware that she was still on the loose, assuming someone didn't just walk off with a dead body. But we made the assumption she was still alive."
"But now she really is dead," Ashley said, "and… Spencer has her heart."
"WHAT!" Janice said shocked.
"Spencer was dying Janice. Paula was determined to kill her. If Spencer survived the initial injection, the poison lingering in her body would eventually weaken her heart and she would die. You know that bitch had a one million dollar policy on Spencer to collect when she died and she was going to kidnap Sydney and raise her as her own using the monies from the policy".
"I can't believe it," Janice said still shocked by what Ashley had just told her. "Was Spencer doing okay when you left?"
"Yes she was stable, I'm going back in a couple of hours. I want to spend some time with Sydney and take a shower, but I see I'm still unable to get into the bedroom."
"They'll be finished in a little while Ashley. Then you can go in."
"I just need a change of clothes. I can shower in one of the other rooms."
"Alright I'll take you in."
Ashley looks around the bedroom wondering if she and Spencer would be able to sleep in there again. The new memories overpowered the old ones. They were just too painful and for Ashley being in that room just getting a simple change of clothes made her want to puke. She would ask Spencer when she got well if they should close the room off.
Author's Note: Spencer's condition will be revealed in the next chapter. To Lexi: thanks for your well wish. I feel better today. And thanks to you all for reading and reviewing this story.