Chapter 10
"I don't know why you bothered to make the trip."
"Ma, I was worried about you."
"They say I'm fine. No reason for you to drive all the way up here."
Bobby studied her carefully. She did look like she was experiencing some kind of pain. "You're still achy?"
"What do you care?"
"I care, Ma! I care." His voice was stern. He was tired of her games.
"Yes, achy," she finally answered.
Bobby stepped forward and placed his hand on her forehead. "You don't feel feverish."
"You think I'm lying, too."
"No! Ma, I didn't say you're lying. I just don't know why you would feel that way if you're not sick."
"I'm probably dying and these people are too stupid to realize it."
He made a sour face. "Ma. You're not dying."
"And what's kept you away so long? You said it wasn't work."
He broke into a sweat. Of course she would remember that. "My, uh… my partner and I… we had a particularly bad case recently. She was, uh, abducted."
"She's missing? Dear God, Bobby! Go find her!"
He grinned slightly, glad to hear her compassion. "It's okay, Ma, we found her."
"There's more you're not telling me."
He nodded. "A lot more."
The room filled with a heavy silence, broken by the rumble of Bobby's voice. "She was hurt, and traumatized, and I… I've been helping her… recover."
"You'll never change your selfish ways."
"Ma! I just told you I'm taking care of her."
"You're sleeping with her, aren't you?"
"Ma!"
"No wonder you didn't have time for your sick mother."
Bobby wanted to cry out, to tell her the horrors Eames had suffered, but he stopped himself. His mother couldn't handle that. It would surely send her off the deep end.
"I'm here now, Ma."
"I'm going to be sick." She got up and hurried to the bathroom, and Bobby heard her gag and vomit. His own worry grew, and he scratched his head. He went out in the hall to find one of the nurses.
Bobby told her of his mother's complaints, that she'd gotten sick.
"Was she upset? Sometimes she does that when she's upset."
With a regretful look, he nodded. He went back to his mother's room and found her back in her bed. "I thought you'd gone back to the city," she said.
"No, Ma. I'm here for you today."
When Bobby arrived at Alex's place that night, he felt completely drained. She had complained of symptoms all day. She'd barely eaten. And the staff continued to assure him that it was all in her head.
And his mother had managed to prickle his every nerve with comments that ranged from how he was failing her as a son to how he should take a lesson from his brother on how to be successful in life.
He used his key to let himself in. He'd called her when he left Carmel Ridge, so she wouldn't be frightened by his arrival, but they'd both agreed it would be better for him to come in rather than spook her by knocking.
Johnny was on her couch, but Alex was nowhere in sight. "Hey," Johnny said in greeting.
"Is she all right?" Bobby asked. Alex hadn't mentioned anyone was with her.
"She had a bad day," Johnny said.
Bobby sighed. "Well, uh, thanks for staying."
Johnny didn't make a move to leave. He stared at Bobby. "You've been staying here every night?"
Bobby nodded. "Yeah. She asked me to." He could see the burst of anger that coursed through Alex's brother.
Johnny got up and walked all the way over to Bobby. He got very close, too close, and said "If you're taking advantage, I swear to God, you'll regret it."
"I'm not t-taking advantage," Bobby said, aggravated that his stutter had worked its way in. It made him sound like a liar.
Johnny gave him a smoldering look before grabbing a jacket and heading out the door. Bobby locked it after him and let his forehead bump against the wood.
"Are you all right?" Alex asked him.
He turned and couldn't manage a smile. "I'm okay, I guess," he said.
Alex frowned at him. She could tell. "It didn't go well."
"It was hard. Tiring." Bobby took off his shoes and moved closer. "Johnny said you had a bad day."
Alex shrugged, another milestone as her shoulders healed. "It wasn't great," she admitted.
Bobby opened his arms and she leaned into his embrace. "What happened?" he asked.
"It started when I put my shirt on, and it all went downhill from there."
He rubbed his hands up and down her back, fully aware of the effect her touch was having on him. "Angry?" he asked her, and she nodded. "Crying?" he asked, and she nodded again, her cheek rubbing against the fabric of his shirt. "Why didn't you call me?"
"It was your day to be with your mom."
"But I could have taken the time."
"I've taken too much of your time already. How is she?"
"She's fine, I guess. They still say it's all in her head."
"But you're still worried."
Bobby let out a long sigh. "I saw the pain in her eyes, Alex. Whether there's really something wrong or not, she's hurting."
Alex's arms tightened around him. "I'm sorry, Bobby."
After a few more minutes, their arms slipped free and she led him to the bedroom. After changing, Bobby climbed into the bed with his back against the headboard and she nestled against him.
"I shouldn't have left you," Bobby said.
"No. do not feel guilty about this. It was my call. I thought I was ready, and I guess I just wasn't."
"Alex, do you want me to call Ross?"
She leaned back so she could look up into his eyes. "No, Bobby. I've got to do this. I can't get better if I can't be alone."
"Were you alone today?"
She resumed her position with her head against his chest. "Liz left after dinner, and I tried…"
"Something happened, and you called Johnny."
"I guess it was a panic attack? I just… I felt like I couldn't breathe, and I was so scared, I was shaking."
He held her close for a moment, then relaxed his arms again. "Olivet, tomorrow. Maybe she can help."
Alex sighed. "Maybe."