AN: Here's a weekend treat for my awesome readers...hope you enjoy and thank you for the feedback I've received! I just love hearing your thoughts, predictions and musings.
To answer some of your questions: Yes, Steve's laundromat friend will return to the story and so will the case involving the homicide case at the warehouse. Whitney's dad will certainly return to the story too.
Also, I have made a reference marked with ** to "Seeing is Believing" - author's note is at the bottom of the chapter.
Tanith
Chapter 10
Mike followed his daughter as she made her way to the front of the house and answered the door.
Sure enough, Whitney's grinning face lit up his blue eyes as he stood on the doorstep. "Hey Princess," he greeted, giving Jeannie what he had intended to be a long, passionate kiss but she drew away and cut it short.
Mike rolled his eyes and cleared his throat loudly.
Whitney looked over Jeannie's shoulder and saw Mike Stone giving him a disapproving look that could have equaled his own father's. "Mike. I didn't realize you were home."
"I figured that," Mike said bluntly.
An awkward silence filled the entrance hallway before Whitney spoke again, "Well, er...Jeannie and I are heading out for a quick bite. Would you like to join us?"
Mike's appetite suddenly disappeared. "I already ate." You schmuck. Forcing a smile he added somewhat politely, "Thanks."
Whitney had the distinct feeling that he had just walked in at a bad time. He was sure he could feel tension in the air between father and daughter but he decided to ignore it and returned his attention to Jeannie. "Shall we?"
"Whitney, would you mind if we made a pit stop to General Hospital first? Steve's been hurt and I'd really like to see him," said Jeannie.
Whitney err'ed and um'ed his way into a response. "Yeah, sure, if that's what you really want. We can stop by for a few minutes."
If Mike's opinion of Whitney had reached an all-time low when Jeannie announced their premarital arrangements, they now hit rock bottom. The young man's disinterest in his fiancée's request to be with a family friend who'd just been injured, stuck out like a sore thumb. He wished Jeannie would see it and if she did, it annoyed him that she didn't speak her mind then and there.
"Thanks," Jeannie simply replied and hooked her arm through Whitney's as the trio headed out of the house.
Mike paid close attention to the body language of the so-called happy couple as they walked to their cars. He was mildly relieved that Jeannie seemed less buoyant. Maybe her senses were finally kicking in, or so he hoped.
The drive to General Hospital was filled with silence until Whitney broke it. "Is everything okay? I couldn't help but notice things looked a little intense between you and your dad."
"I told him about us moving in together," said Jeannie quietly.
"Oh. I guess that didn't go down too well." When Jeannie continued to stare out the window, Whitney added, "Hey, you're not having second thoughts are you?"
"I don't know," Jeannie finally turned her head and caught Whitney's eye. "Whitney, I think I need more time to think about this. Maybe we should wait until after the wedding like we originally planned?"
Now it was Whitney's turn to avoid Jeannie's gaze as he returned his eyes onto the road ahead. "What's there to think about? If your father's so old fashioned, how is that our problem? You're an adult, Jeannie. You need to start making your own decisions."
"He's my father!" Jeannie snapped. She was hurt by Whitney's words and the manner in which he spoke them.
A nerve twitched in Whitney's jaw and his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"Look, can we talk about this later?" Jeannie added.
"Sure, babe. Whatever you say. Let's just park here. It's not like we'll be staying longer than a few minutes anyway," said Whitney in a bored tone as he parked the car in a limited parking time zone. Removing his seat belt, he leaned across the seat and tilted Jeannie's chin toward him. "Hey, let's not fight okay? I love you." He kissed Jeannie on the lips but she didn't respond.
Although the couple walked hand in hand to meet up with Mike at the entrance of the hospital, one party felt she would have rather the other had not been present right at that moment.
Steve shifted himself into a semi-sitting position with his back supported against the pillows when Jeannie entered the room brightening up his day.
The college girl walked over to the bed, leaned forward and gave Steve a hug but quickly withdrew when she felt him tensing up.
Between clenched teeth Steve gasped, "Ribs…ribs."
"Oh Steve, I'm so sorry!" Jeannie apologized.
Steve released a shaky breath and gave Jeannie a reassuring look. "It's okay, don't worry 'bout it."
"What happened?"
"I got jumped last night by someone who broke into my garage," Steve explained.
"How badly are you hurt?" Jeannie's eyes roamed over Steve's body, trying to take stock of his injuries but apart from the bandaged hand and the markings on his arms, the rest of his injuries were concealed beneath his hospital gown.
"Just some cuts and bruises. I'll live," Steve downplayed.
"You're as bad as Whitney!" Jeannie laid her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Steve was about to comment when he caught Whitney standing at the doorway, scowling, with his arms crossed while he watched the interaction. "Whitney," He greeted. Suddenly the bright ray of sunshine that had filled the room a short time ago was shrouded by a dark cloud.
"Steve," Whitney nodded.
The young inspector faced Jeannie once more. "Where's Mike?"
"He should be here any minute. He said he wanted to talk to your doctor first," Jeannie replied.
Right on cue, Stone poked his head into the room.
"Mike, please tell me you arranged for my release papers?" Steve said by way of greeting.
"Nice try, Buddy Boy but it looks like you're gonna be staying here for at least another day. Listen, why don't I go with Whitney to get some coffee while you two kids catch-up? suggested Mike.
"That'll be nice. I haven't had my dose of caffeine yet today," Steve grinned cheekily.
"And it's going to stay that way until Doctor Edwards says otherwise. I'll get you some juice on my way back," Mike said then he gestured for Whitney to follow him to the cafeteria.
Once the two men had left the room, Jeannie pulled up a chair and sat by Steve's bed. "How many of them were there? The jerks who attacked you?"
"Only one but it was enough to put me in here," Steve's wry laughter was cut short when pain radiated through his torso and he clutched his midsection.
"Hey, you okay?" Jeannie reached out and placed her hand over Steve's.
"Yeah. I just gotta remember not to laugh," Steve said, smiling weakly. Despite the pain he was in, he tried to make light of the situation so as to not cause Jeannie to worry any more than she already was. "Really, it's okay. I'm just waiting for the pain killers to kick in which won't be long now. They really do work wonders."
Jeannie nodded, and returned his smile with one of her own but it was one that was tinged with sadness. "I just hate seeing you hurt like this. Brings back memories, you know? When Cain Larson…when he….when you got hurt because you were protecting me from him." She brushed her fingers over Steve's left side where an old wound had been. She wondered if there was now an impressive scar hidden beneath his gown. One that served as a constant reminder of how close they both were to losing their lives two years ago. **
"And I'd do it again in a heart-beat." Steve gave Jeannie's hand a light squeeze and held it briefly before letting it slide out of his grasp to rest on the folds of the blanket.
Jeannie pulled herself out of her reverie when a more recent matter took precedent over her reminiscing. "Steve, there's something I have to tell you."
AN: Cain Larson was a villain who hunted down Jeannie in my story "Seeing Is Believing". Steve was wounded in the side with a knife among other injuries.
