Chapter 25

Thursday, June 11, 1987- Morning

Filled with flowers, balloons and cards, Julie's overcrowded room started to resemble a funeral parlor. She'd received well wishes from ex-resistance members and former college professors. With such a massive quantity of flowers and balloons, Connie offered to take some back to Steve's apartment. Julie reluctantly agreed, knowing additional gifts would continue to arrive and crowd her in.

By eleven that morning she was behind a walker, taking several steps from her bedside, to the doorway and back. After Julie settled in bed, Connie presented her with an envelope.

"I bought this one for you."

Julie thumbed the envelope open revealing a card with a teary-eyed mouse on it, along with the word "PLEASE" written in bold. She opened the card. In much larger print were the words "FORGIVE ME." Surrounding the imprinted words, filling both inner-sides of the card were Connie's own sentiments handwritten in fine print.

Dear Juliet,

While we've had our differences through the years, I've found it in my heart to forgive you. I ask you to forgive me as well. You see, all I ever asked was that you stay close to me when you became of age and could be out on your own. Instead, you didn't care how I felt and you moved far away where I could hardly ever see you. Over the years, I have considered these actions of yours to be selfish. I could have used your help raising your brothers and sisters. There is no reason why you had to move all the way out to Los Angeles to go to college. You knew you could've stayed in New York. It was no secret your Dad and I couldn't afford to visit you, certainly not with four other children to look after! I've found it in my heart to let bygones be bygones. I was hoping that since you decided to let me into your life again last summer, those things between us had changed. But I'm beginning to have my doubts. I can see you're just as stubborn as you always were. Yet I've decided to forgive you and give you another chance. I ask you to give me another chance as well.

Love always,

Mom

Julie glared at her mother. "That's not an… apol…ogy!"

"I'm trying the best I know how." Connie brought her fist to her mouth. A few tears escaped from her eyes.

A rap on the doorframe diverted Julie's attention away from her mother.

Julie looked up to see a man dressed in a black suit and tie standing there. "H-Hi."

The man gestured to Connie. "Mrs. Parrish, have you spoken to her about the issue with-"

"-I didn't think it was my place."

You know your place? Julie thought, stuffing the card back in the envelope and handed it to Connie.

"You're giving it back?" Connie seemed appalled.

The strange man stood there quietly, as if waiting for permission to speak.

Julie drew a breath. "No, mother. Put it… with the others so everyone can read it."

Connie rolled her eyes as she shoved the envelope in her purse.

Julie tilted her head toward the man. "Sorry… what?"

He walked closer to her bed and extended his hand. "Dr. Parrish, my name is Adam Sanderson. I'm in charge of patient accounts." He paused. "I'm sorry. Your mother and I've been wrangling with your insurance company these past few days, trying to buy you some more time here in the hospital."

Limited benefits… Julie had taken it for granted she'd never need to use them.

"I h…have to leave?"

"They'd only approve your stay through Monday," he said. "I know you don't have a lot of strength yet. But hopefully by then, you will. And with your mother to help, I think you'll be in great hands."

Yes that's what I need… her babying me…

"Stevie said you could move back in with him for a while," said Connie. "And I'll help him look after you."

Julie bore her eyes into Connie. "No."

"What are you going to do, Juliet? Go home? You can barely get up out of that bed!"

"Yes… I am." She flashed a sarcastic smile. Donovan and Maggie will help me.

"You're going to need a great deal of assistance," the accounts representative said.

"Even if you are up and about by Monday, there's going to be a long list of things you can't do yet," Connie explained. "It's going to be that way for a while."

"Your mother is right," said the man. "You'll need help to care for yourself. Dr. Graham is requesting you continue respiratory sessions at his office. Will you have someone to take you?"

Remembering that she wouldn't be able to drive for a while yet, Julie said, "I'll… find some…one."

"You're being ridiculous!" Connie snapped.

"No… y-you are."

#

Maggie was glad for Chris' day off from the security agency. It gave her a much needed break from CJ and a chance to visit Julie. On the way to the hospital, she'd stopped at a toy store, picking up one very special present, a teddy bear identical to the one CJ owned.

344…346…348… Maggie read third floor room numbers as the sound of Julie and Connie yelling at each other intensified.

"I didn't ask… you to come… here!" Julie stammered.

A man dressed in a dark suit slipped out into the hallway and shook his head at Maggie. "You might not want to go in there."

Wordlessly, Maggie slipped past him into the room as Connie stormed out, nearly knocking Maggie down. The teddy bear fell to the floor. Snatching him up, Maggie cast a worried glance at Julie.

"Is this a bad time?"

Julie's eyes were red and glassy. "Nnn-o." She cleared her throat.

Maggie approached the bed with caution.

"Mr. Bobo." Julie smiled, reaching for the teddy.

"CJ's idea." Maggie offered it.

"How is…he? I miss him."

Studying her face, Maggie wiped one of Julie's tears away. "What's going on with your mom?"

Julie frowned. "The usual. Have you… heard… from Donovan? I haven't seen either of you in a while."

"Yesterday. I helped him get the car."

"At Science… Frontiers?"

"Yeah."

"Flower delivery," said a female. The woman's face was obscured by a hideously large vase containing at least two dozen red roses. She placed them on Julie's tray table.

"Wow!" Maggie beamed at Julie.

"Steve?" Julie whispered, plucking a small card from the flowers.

"You're not back together are you?" Maggie asked as the candy striper slipped out the door.

"No!" Julie pushed the card back in the flowers.

"I can't believe he'd send roses," Maggie said. "He's really in denial, isn't he?"

Julie swiped more tears away.

"Do you want me to get rid of the flowers for you?"

Pursing her lips into a look of disgust, Julie ordered, "Just stick them… behind the curt..ain."