Of Course, Mrs. Ellington
Chapter 3
Pushing his hair back, she used a washcloth to wipe his perspiring face. He grimaced slightly. The pain was back.
"Relax now," she whispered.
This shouldn't be. The treachery that drew him here was beyond her imagination. Mozzie was down the hall shivering in the bathroom, no more to be done here. Elizabeth slipped out to find Peter.
The sounds of carts being pushed along the halls broke the quiet of the sleeping hospital. Machines meant to support life hummed in unison unaware anything was wrong. The nurse came in and adjusted the IV tubing. She said Mr. Caffrey's doctor would be in shortly to speak to the family.
Agent Berrigan stood at the door, all her frustration present. "How's he doing?"
"The same, I'm afraid. Dr. Kaplan will be here shortly. Would you let Peter and the others know. Thank you."
They gathered in the small waiting room. No one spoke. Peter stood, despite Elizabeth's urging him to stay by her side. He couldn't shake the fleeting image of his friend dying at his feet, the panic to restart his heart. Filled with the details of everything that had gone wrong, earlier he got lost in the maze of corridors beyond the ICU. He made himself take deep breaths as Dr. Kaplan walked in.
"Hi folks, I know it's been a long day. So let me get right to it. He's stable but still critical. The good news is with the FBI's labs we isolated the poison, a highly refined derivative of Ricin. Fortunately for Neal, after 911 this hospital was designated a CDC emergency response treatment center. An aggressive protocol allowed us to remove the majority of the toxin from his blood stream."
"And the bad news?" Peter asked.
"His organs were severely compromised. Now we have to support those vital functions, until his body can take over on its own. The next 36 to 72 hours are key. If he survives the night, the chances for a full recovery are good. Tonight Neal literally is in the fight of his life. It's all up to him now."
The door to the waiting room closed. No one moved. A machine beeped in the distance as the night shift took the desk. Visiting hours will be over in 15 minutes, the announcement came over the PA system. Elizabeth laid her hand on Mozzie's knee, he couldn't keep it still. "Neal's strong. If anyone can beat this thing it's him." Her reassurance hung in the air.
"There's no reason why we all should stay. Why don't the rest of you go home. I'll stay with Neal," Peter offered.
"Boss, Jones thinks he might have a lead on the lab that manufactured the Ricin. I'm going back to the office to help. If anything..."
"I'll call you. Thanks, Diana."
"Honey, you're exhausted. Are you sure? We can stay with Neal," she nodded toward the small man on the couch.
"Yeah, I"m sure, he pushed his hand through his hair. He kissed her softly, then looked at Mozzie. Take care of the little guy, I promise as soon as I hear anything, I'll call you."
"June, can I have someone take you home?"
"I'm not going home. Sit with me Peter," she motioned for him to join her on the small couch.
"I know things have been complicated between you two, but I have no doubt you love Neal. But what Neal needs now can't be complicated."
"I don't understand what you mean."
"Do you believe Neal trusts you?"
"For the most part, yes."
"And do you trust him?
"For the most part, yes. I see where you are going with this. It's complicated, yes. But I believe he's making progress and so am I."
"Beyond the fact you're an agent of the law and Neal's a con man, do you ever ask yourself
why he goes behind your back, bends the rules, keeps things from you?"
"I could give a master class. Of course, I think about it. You think I don't want to trust him, it's not easy. You more than anyone should know that." Frustrated and scared, he immediately regretted bringing June's husband into it.
"Life is difficult for people like us," she seemed unfazed by his outburst.
He looked into her eyes and only saw compassion, he was looking into himself as well.
"June, Neal told me the heart of our problem is I don't trust him."
"He was wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not that you don't trust him, it's that he trusts you. That's the heart of his problem and yours. Neal grew up with a father taken from him physically and a mother taken emotionally. The people supposed to protect him, didn't."
"Yeah, I gathered from Ellen that his mom was really non functional after his father was convicted."
"Imagine a young child not only having to fend for himself, but having to rely on someone that at any moment was completely unreliable. His trust betrayed at every turn, forced to cover up her messes, support her lies."
"I can't imagine." But he could and it twisted his heart.
"He had to lie to have any chance at a life. You lie to your teachers when you're late for school, you lie to your friends when you don't show up for the game, you lie to your self that everything is okay. Lies become the currency of survival."
Peter thinks of all those times when the truth intersected with misdirections, partial truths and deflections.
"When he feels he's failed or he can't rely on you ...it's like being that scared little boy all over again. The little boy who has to clean up all his messes alone, who has to lie and hide. But among the lies were a few true things. Neal never gave up on people, never gave up on trying."
Peter took a breath as tears burned his eyes. "If he would only let me help him."
"He will," she placed her hand on his as the tears he was holding fell. Even a tree with the deepest roots takes time to bear fruit. This is the long game. The path to the truth sometimes is important as the truth itself."
Torn between his desire to protect him and the fear he might place him at risk, his natural confidence was shaken.
"What do I do?"
"Tonight Neal needs every ounce of strength concentrated on himself. No guilt, no worry, no pretending to be okay or fear of being anything but who he is. Someone deserving to be protected, cared for and loved just as he is. Go home Peter. Rest. Then find the people who did this to our Neal."
wcwcwcwc
Seven years ago she kept watch of another kind. Fate could be cruel. She walked these halls, sat in these chairs, waited on good news that never came, desperate for a cure that was not to be. With nothing left to be done, she took Byron home.
"Mrs. Ellington? The voice shook her out of her reverie, she blinked and refocused to see a familiar face.
"Susan. Oh my, Susan Lewis. It's so good to see you again."
The women embraced, old friends. In her plain white nurse's uniform, she was still as pretty as when they first met. Fresh out of training she had an uncanny ability to inspire hope, far beyond her years. June looked forward to her shifts. Back then, Susan often sat with her when all the fanfare quieted down, all the medicines administered, dressings changed and machines re calibrated.
"Are you here for someone?" she asked her.
"Yes. Neal Caffrey."
"The young man in 1A. We just rounded on him. Ricin poisoning," her expression was tender.
"Can you tell me anything?"
"Well with HIPPA, we really can't.. she saw the submerged fear in the older woman's face much like she had all those years ago. Since your family."
June squeezed her hand.
"His vitals are fairly stable, we're monitoring his blood pressure carefully. The concern is for his kidneys shutting down."
"Can I see him?"
"Give them a minute, there finishing up the blood work. I think we have something for you though. They walked the few feet to the nurse's desk. These came on the 3 to 11 shift. They have your name on it." She offered the large bouquet of yellow roses to her. "These were your husband's favorites if I remember."
"Yes, they were," she smiled sadly.
"There's s a card. Would you like it?"
"Thank you Susan, Can I bring them in with me?"
"Of course, Mrs. Ellington."
The room was quiet. She listened to his breathing and took his hand. This is where she belonged tonight.
"Neal, if you can hear me sweetheart, you have to fight this. We're all here for you."
She settled down next to him and talked like that most of the night. She told him he would fall in love again, have children, grow to be an old man and die in his bed surrounded by family. This wasn't his time.
"How's he doing?" Susan came in.
"He's been restless the past half hour." She laid her hand on his forehead, it was slick with sweat.
"Ricin affects the nervous system. One of the side effects is agitation, hallucinations. Let me take a look."
"Do you think he's in pain?"
"His pulse is up. I'm going to turn him. Sometimes just repositioning someone can help."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Just hold that tubing away."
As Susan moved Neal on his side, his eyes opened and he looked directly at June.
"Mom."
"Yes baby,"she said instinctively.
"It hurts."
The innocence and the pain of his response made her heart ache. Susan immediately opened the small bag hanging on the IV poll, allowing the powerful analgesic drug to flow into his veins.
"I know sweetheart. I'm gonna make it go away. I'm gonna take care of you." June whispered to him.
The effect of the drug was immediate, his breathing evened and his eyes closed.
"Why would anyone do this?" Susan asked. She walked over and squeezed June's shoulder. You should get some rest. I'll be back soon."
A small shaft of light from the corridor lingered on the roses next to the bed. Her eyes trailed over the magnificent blooms, memories flooded her of another place and another time. She closed her eyes.
Byron was beautiful and reckless. He liked fast things, she liked being still. Everyone warned her off him. She was the careful one, he lived on the edges, the margins of life. He was a con man, plain and simple.
She felt nothing at first other than a passing interest. In her world you don't fall in love with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, on the wrong side of the law.
"What are you doing tonight? I got a table at Rao's. Come with me."
"I hardly know you." she said. But she wanted to, she had time for her life to be predictable.
"Why should I go out with you?"
"Because I can make you happy."
Two hours later they were seated at a table in the small restaurant. Rao's was a family restaurant in East Harlem. A place where respect was important, even more so with the mobsters who were frequent guests. Not just anyone got a table there. Byron obviously had friends, friends who felt better with a gun on them.
He was the best dressed guy in the room, impeccable suit, sparkling cuff links, pocket spot. He moved with a grace and ease that was intoxicating. No one could take their eyes off him and he never took his eyes off her.
"How can I trust you? You lie for a living."
"I'll never lie to you. You're going to marry me one day."
As improbable a proposition as she ever heard, but in her heart she knew it was true. So much of her life was spent in the remote places of her mind, she never expected anyone would discover them, certainly not him. It was frightening and exhilarating all at once.
"Byron, so this is the future Mrs. Ellington you've been going on about. You're one lucky guy."
"We make our luck," he smiled. He always bet on him.
'For you lovely lady, compliments of the house." Mr. Disomone offered her a long stem yellow rose, obviously part of a plan Byron instigated. He loved yellow roses.
Tony Disomone was an ex neighborhood guy. Rumor was, he headed up a crew for the Luccheses and he owed Byron a debt. The Luccheses always took care of their own. It was the beginning of a long friendship.
Neal stirred lightly and her attention was drawn back to the present. She fingered the card that came with the roses.
Dear June,
It's been a long time. Anything, anything at all.
Wcwcwcwc
"Diana," Peter breathed quickly as he cradled the phone to his ear.
"Boss, we got confirmation on the lab. She drew in a breath. It came out of Quantico. The Ricin came out of Quantico."
To be continued
Much thanks to all of you, for such kind comments and taking the time to review. Hope to be quicker with the next chapter.