Roman drove straight to the hospital to look for Daniel Jonas. He walked up to the nurse's station where Maxine was showing Melanie Layton how to fill out some paper work.
"Afternoon Ladies."
"Hello Commander Brady, What can we do for you?" Maxine said as she and Melanie looked up from the paperwork. Hope, just within earshot, peaked around the corner watching Roman.
"I'm looking for Daniel Jonas."
"He's just finished with a surgery. He should be out of Post-Op in a few minutes." Maxine informed Roman.
"Great. I'm just going to wait for him over there. If you see him let him know I need to talk with him as soon as possible."
"Of Course."
"Thanks." Roman walked over to the blue plastic chairs that lined the walls of the waiting area and sat down, hoping that Daniel wouldn't be too long.
Hope ducked back around the corner and waited also. She was burning with curiosity as to why Roman needed Daniel and what he had to do with whoever this woman with Bo was.
Roman watched as Maxine took Melanie and their paperwork and left the nurse's station. Just as they disappeared around the corner opposite to the one Hope was hiding behind Roman heard the ding of the elevator and looked over just in time to see the doors open and Daniel Jonas step out.
"Daniel!" Roman called as he stood and waived Daniel over.
"Hey, Roman. What's up?"
"I have a favor to ask of you."
"Shoot."
"Well it's really a favor to Bo."
"OK. What is it?"
"Well you see it's hard to explain."
"Don't think I like the sound of that."
"Don't worry it's nothing bad, it's just a very sensitive and complicated situation."
"Roman, it's been a really long day, so can you just tell me already."
"OK. Here's the deal." Roman lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Daniel. "Bo has been taking care of a…friend. And now he needs a doctor to come check her over."
Daniel was intrigued by the secrecy that Roman was hinting at with his tone and body language. And his curiosity was more than piqued when Roman said that Bo's 'friend' was a her.
"So he wants me to make a house call?"
"Yeah. Sort of. He wants me to bring you to where they are."
"Why are you whispering and why all this cloak and dagger stuff."
"Because it can mean the difference between life or death for her. Just trust me on that one."
"OK."
"Bo just asked me to bring you out to check her over."
"Why me?"
"Honestly because he thinks you will be able to keep this quiet and I think it is because you don't have any history with her."
"OK. I'll need to grab my medical bag from my car."
"Yeah. Oh and Bo asked me to let you know you will need to bring something to check her eyes with."
"Check her eyes? For what?"
"From what he told me she can't see."
"She's blind?"
"Not exactly. She can see light, shadow, that type of stuff. But she can't focus her eyes."
"What exactly is wrong with this woman?"
Roman looked around before answering in a whisper so low that Daniel barely heard him.
"Her husband beat the crap out of her. She's been unconscious for two weeks and she woke up today. That's why Bo needs a doctor to come look at her. No one can know where they are or her husband could find them."
Daniel took one look at Roman's face and gave a quick nod of acceptance and understanding. He knew Roman was being truthful about the abusive husband if nothing else.
"OK then, let me sign out and we can stop by my car to get my bag and be on our way."
"Great thanks man."
As Daniel walked over to the computer at the Nurse's station to sign out, Hope turned to go back to her car and wait for them to leave so she could follow them. She had missed almost the entire conversation because Roman and Daniel had been whispering and she was too far away to be able to hear. When she turned around she was Face to Face with Lexie Carver and her Aunt Maggie.
"Hope!" Maggie Horton exclaimed upon seeing her niece. "I'm glad you're here."
"Hi Aunt Maggie. Hi Lexie."
Roman had looked up when he heard Maggie call Hope's name and walked across the waiting room so he could look around the corner. When he was able to see around the corner he saw Hope standing close enough to where he and Daniel had been to be within earshot and was very glad he had been whispering. He could also tell by the way Hope was looking around that she was trying to figure out how to get away from her aunt and her best friend and he had to wonder why.
"We need to talk to you about the benefit for Autism awareness." He heard Lexie say. "you said you wanted to help, right?"
"Yes, of course I do, Lexie." Hope began.
"Great, because Maggie and I had some wonderful ideas." Lexie said cutting off Hope's attempt to continue speaking.
Roman almost had to laugh at the way Lexie was plowing over every effort Hope made to talk because that was what Hope usually did to everyone she was in contact with. Roman had noticed a while back that every time Hope was part of a conversation she took over whatever topic they were discussing and made it all about her. She plowed over everyone's attempts to say anything and if they were actually talking she would just talk over them. So it amused him to see Lexie doing that same thing to Hope.
"Come with us dear," Maggie said to Hope. "Lexie and I were just going to sit down over a cup of tea and discuss the benefit."
Lexie linked her arm with Hope's and led her friend and Maggie right past Roman towards the elevators. Hope pretended to be thrilled at the prospect of tea in the hospital cafeteria as she walked by Roman, hoping he hadn't figured out that she had been following them. Unfortunately by the time Hope managed to extricate herself from Lexie and Maggie, a half hour had passed and Roman and Daniel were long gone.
