Chapter 24

Wednesday, June 8, 1987 -Evening

Settled in her new hospital room, Julie tried to rest for most of the afternoon. Steve and her mother took turns at her bedside while she wished neither were there. She wondered how Steve didn't feel guilty about missing so much work. He left for short periods of time, claiming he'd went to work, but never seemed to stay gone long enough to accomplish anything. Wasn't he concerned about their young patients in Seattle? Had he received updates on their conditions? Shouldn't he continue to work on their project in spite of Julie's absence? He certainly didn't need to stay at her side, adding to the stress her mother caused.

Around five that evening, Steve sat at Julie's bedside when a nurse delivered dinner, a covered bowl of Cream of Potato soup. Julie watched the woman adjust her tray table and scooted it toward her. Grimacing, Julie inched up the mattress, trying to sit up.

"Do you need some help eating?" the nurse asked.

"I've got it," Steve said.

"Okay. Just buzz if you need anything." The nurse exited.

Julie glared at Steve as he reached for her spoon.

She shook her head. "Nn… thanks."

"Are you certain?" He gave a semi-smile.

She wasn't going to let him dote on her the way her mother had, lest he continue to think his status in her life had evolved to something higher than "lab partner."

"I'm not a child," she said.

He tugged a braid playfully. "But you're as cute as one."

Irritated, she waved his hand away.

Steve settled back in his chair as Julie lifted the spoon. With her first attempt at feeding herself, soup spilled onto the blanket. Steve glanced at her then looked at the napkin on her tray table. She grabbed it before he could, and carefully dabbed at the soft fabric covering her chest wound. She spooned in another mouthful, not missing her lips this time. The soup tasted watered-down and bland.

"Uggh." She wanted to spit it out. She swallowed, and laid her spoon on the tray.

"Best to eat it while it's hot," Steve said.

"You … t…try…" She forced the last word out. "It."

Her thoughts wondered if Donovan had discovered anything new in his investigation, or had retrieved her car. She wondered if he'd stopped by today while she was asleep. When she'd asked Steve earlier, he'd acted irritated and said he didn't know.

"T-turn … on the… news," she said.

Steve clicked on the set, and seemed to purposely bypass Donovan's image, KDHB, and go to the CBS affiliate.

"Back… up," Julie said.

Steve rolled his eyes and turned it to channel six.

Julie recognized the Carlton Laboratory building Nathan Bates had once sent her on an errand to. Why is Donovan there?

"Police were called to this location by an anonymous tip early this afternoon. Upon arrival, they discovered four bodies, one belonging to the late Dr. William Pico," Donovan said.

Julie sat up straighter. What happened? Who killed them?

Steve turned up the volume.

"Autopsies are scheduled to be performed on all four men," Donovan continued. "Sources say, this building, once owned by Science Frontiers mogul, Nathan Bates, was abandoned in eighty-five, but the police stated it appears to have been in recent operation."

"By… wh-who?" Julie questioned.

Steve looked at her like he was about to say something when Connie stormed in the room.

"Steven, I told you, no TV!" She snatched the remote out of Steve's hand. She clicked off the set.

"Moth… er!" Julie shrieked.

"She was watching that," Steve protested.

"She doesn't need to know what's going on out there," Connie yelled.

What? Julie wondered. It's about me. Why shouldn't I?

"Why… n…ot?"

Connie looked at her, then her tray. "Honey, you've hardly touched your soup."

Julie shoved the tray forcefully, knocking her cup of ice water over, sending it crashing to the floor. Water splashed on her mother's shoes, while soup sloshed on the tray.

Connie stood there for a few seconds looking stunned, then jabbed the call button.

"Yes?" The nurse asked.

"I need you to come to the room. My daughter's made a mess."

Julie looked at Steve and mouthed, "Get rid of her."

He shrugged.

Julie drilled him with an icy stare.

Steve cleared his throat. "Connie, don't you need to go have a smoke or something?"

"No," she said. "I want to make sure my baby girl has her dinner. She needs to get her strength back." She jerked her chin at Julie. "And don't think just because you had a temper tantrum, you're going to get out of eating, Missy."

"I'm tired… moth…" Julie lied, knowing that pretending to sleep seemed to be the only effective method of getting her mother and Steve to leave her alone.

The nurse came in carrying an armload of towels. Steve started to help mop up the liquid and Julie closed her eyes. She listened to Steve and her mother's low chatter for the next half hour and was relieved when Connie demanded Steve take her somewhere for dinner.

Not long after six, the bedside telephone rang, but Julie was too immobile to reach it. She hoped it was Donovan or Maggie calling to check on her. It stopped ringing and Julie closed her eyes again, thinking of Donovan, and how she wished she could talk to him again, find out if he knew anything more about Pico and the other men's deaths than he could share on the news.

Maybe he'll stop by between broadcasts, she thought. KDHB isn't that far away. She reflected on her early days at Science Frontiers, how she'd meet Donovan for lunch, and the plans they'd made back then. Things had changed. He'd become jealous of Nathan and ever determined to rescue Sean from the Visitors. Julie pondered Sean's confinement in O'Brien State Hospital. What did he do to get there? Did Donovan have a chance to visit him since Saturday? He'd soon give her an update about the car, of that, she was certain. Then, she'd be sure to ask about Sean. Julie dozed off, only to wake a while later to the feel of a woman's hand lightly wrapped around her wrist. Julie opened her eyes as Tiffany took her pulse.

The phone started to ring again.

Julie drew a breath. "Can… get… tha…"

Frowning, Tiffany placed the handset next to Julie's face.

"Hh…hello?" Julie asked.

"Dr. Parrish." It was Julie's boss, Ross Templeton, on the other end. "It's good to hear your voice."

"H-hi." She inhaled sharply.

"Did you get our flowers?"

"Nno."

"They should arrive soon then," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"B…etter." She knew she sounded horrible. "I'm supposed to… st…art… walk… tomorrow."

"Walking?" Ross guessed.

"Y…es."

"That's wonderful."

"Can't… return to work… soon. Steve will… manage."

"It'll be good to have him back next week."

She gasped. "Next… week?"

"Yes. He called yesterday… said he's going to try to come in on Monday, but it might be half days at first. He mentioned helping your mother."

"Has… he… come to work… at all this week?"

"With you in the hospital?" Ross asked. "No, but we understand. Don't worry."

He lied to me, she thought. She strained to speak again. "An… any… news from…"

"Dr. Parrish, it sounds like you're getting winded."

"…Seattle?"

"Don't you worry about it. Just get well. I'm going to let you go now so you can rest."

Julie didn't have the breath to beg for an update. "Bye… Ross."

Tiffany took the phone from Julie, hung it up then proceeded to take her vitals. Moments later, a candy striper came in carrying a bouquet of brightly colored mums.

"Flowers for you, Miss," said the girl, placing the vase on Julie's nightstand.

Julie admired shades of orange, yellow and red. "They're beau…tiful."

"There are some cards at our station too," said Tiffany, attaching the pulse ox monitor to Julie's finger.

The readout of Julie's oxygen level was at eighty-five percent, which Julie knew was well below normal.

Tiffany reached for the oxygen mask. "You know what that means."

"Think… I'll… sleep," Julie said, hoping Donovan would wake her if he stopped by.

There was a rap on the doorpost, but Julie couldn't see around the privacy curtain to know who it was.

"Hey hey hey." Steve poked his smiling face around the curtain. "Look who's awake!"

"She was just about to rest," Tiffany said.

Thank you, Julie thought.

"I won't stay long," Steve said, eying the mums.

Tiffany nodded and then exited the room.

"Who are those from?" Steve asked, reaching for the flowers' card. He looked at it, smiled, and put it back in the vase. "Ross and Shelly." He chuckled. "For a minute there, I thought you had a secret admirer."

"Like… Dono…van?" Julie grinned.

"I don't find any humor in that, Julie."

"Oh..." She tried not to laugh since it caused her pain. "S-ssory. Wh-where'd you go… earlier?"

"McDonalds." He sat in the armchair then folded his arms across his knees.

"No… th…is… morn."

"Work."

"Don't… lie… to me."

"What?" He looked stunned.

"Why… lie…" She gasped. "You also lied… yes…ter… day."

"I had some things I needed to take care of."

"Wha…th…ings."

"Nothing you need to be concerned about."

She felt the tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to cry, she needed to be strong and in control. "I'm… tired… of th…" She couldn't get the words out. The tears flowed uncontrollably. She squinted to focus on Steve. He remained silent.

"You should be… work...ing," she said after a few seconds.

"I can't concentrate on that when I'm so concerned about you."

"Wh-what about Isabella, and the… others?" She would've named off more of their patients had she the breath to talk.

"Julie you were just shot and almost died. I think this is a little more important…"

"I'm not dying. They… could be."

He nodded. "Okay, I'll call the University Hospital tomorrow and get updates. I promise."

"And … go back to… work."

He nodded again while she wondered if he'd keep his word.

#

Hands in his jean pockets, Steve paced the lounge floor. Connie had made herself comfortable on the couch, crochet needle in hand, knitting a blue baby blanket for a soon-to-be grandchild.

"Don't let her get to you, Stevie. She's probably in a lot of pain."

It's all Donovan's fault, he thought.

"I want to confide in her, but I can't." He gazed at Connie. "Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Confide in her about what? You don't owe Julie an apology. You've done your best to protect her since this whole ordeal started."

He turned to Connie. "Maybe she's right. Perhaps I should lay off for a while. Maybe we both ought to… and let her find her bearings again. She's been through so much."

"No, I have to be here. I spoke to the director of finances, Mr. Sanderson today. We need to tell Julie she might be going home early next week. She needs to accept that we're going to help her through this."

Early next week? She'll never come live with me after what's transpired.

He plopped down near her. "I think she'll be angry with me if I don't check on our project tomorrow."

"She's already angry with you. She just doesn't know what or who's important right now. You'll sit in on the meeting with Mr. Sanderson and me, then you can go check on your project."

"I'm not certain if she'd desire to have me there."

"Of course you'll be there. After all, you're the one who's taking her in."

"Why don't you stay with her at her apartment instead?" He suggested.

"You're the only one of us who can drive. And she'll have appointments. Doctor says she'll need breathing treatments and evaluations for a while. It'd be rather inconvenient if you had to drive all the way to her apartment to come get us."

She has a point, he admitted to himself.

"I have an idea," Connie said. "Why don't you send some flowers with a nice little note? That will cheer her up."

"I'll let you select something from the gift shop tomorrow. It can be from both of us. See how well she receives it. Then I'll know whether it's safe to visit in the evening."

"Are you that frightened by her, Stevie?" She scowled.

"I just don't need her to be angry with me."