"You know, I knew I'd find you here."
Jackson turned to see Kendall staring at him, her hands on her hips. She looked exhausted. But so much more herself than the woman he had seen shattered by grief a few months before. Jackson was at his usual post outside Erica's room.
"Why don't you go in and speak to her, she needs all the support she can get?" Kendall asked
Jackson sighed.
"It's not that easy. She hurt me. She really hurt me. Putting her own interests over everything else; her family; our future together. As always Erica chose to only think of Erica and I can't forgive her selfishness."
"But you come here every day." said Kendall putting her hand on his arm. "I know you still love her."
"Sweetheart," he said, putting his own hand over hers. "Of course I love her, I just can't forgive her."
Kendall gave him a sad smile.
"But how are you bearing up?" he asked, keen to change the subject, "I hear you have a house full of children."
"It's certainly keeping me busy. Francoise, Bianca's nanny is a godsend… I still miss Zack terribly…" Sorrow filled her eyes for a moment but she blinked it away, "No I'm surviving, I'm surviving."
Jackson smiled and pulled her into a hug which Kendall gratefully accepted.
They turned back to Erica's room side by side, Kendall not being able to quite stepping away from the fatherly embrace. Erica was still and pale and unchanged.
"Poor Miranda." said Kendall, after a moment. "She didn't even recognise her. She walked into the room a big smile on her face and within a few moments just burst into tears."
"Well Erica is hardly looking best." said Jackson, "No make-up, and… shock horror… a hospital gown. When she wakes up she's not going to be very impressed."
"Oh god I didn't think." said Kendall, suddenly holding her hands up to her cheeks in embarrassment. "I should probably bring some things in for her!"
"Why don't you let me," said Jackson, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "You go be with your mother."
…
Jackson stepped into Erica's penthouse, a place months ago he swore he'd never return to. He headed straight to the bedroom to get everything she would need for a hospital stay. There was a leopard print, hot pink negligee that Opal had given her few Christmases ago which Erica had tactfully designated as her hospital nightgown. Jackson knew she kept it in the bottom drawer in her second closet along with her emergency make-up bag.
He pulled out the clothing and began to stuff it into an overnight bag. When he pulled out the dressing gown a bundle of letters flew out with it, scattering across the floor. Jackson sighed and moved to pick them up; probably sordid love letters from one of Erica's long forgotten lovers.
A photograph fell out of the first letter he picked up. It was a picture of Kendall and Bianca and their children only every child's face was obliterated by a large red cross. Jackson curiously opened the letter in his hands. The message screamed out with letters clearly cut from some magazine –
'BITCH, I WILL KILL THEM ALL.'
…