Chapter 366 – Nathan and Allie
Frank hung up the phone and shook his head.
"What was all that about?" Nathan asked.
"I think they might have been otherwise engaged in something." Frank said.
Nathan laughed as Frank's words dawned on him.
"Well." Nathan said. "We all knew it."
"True." Frank said. "There is knowing and actually knowing. Please don't embarrass Elizabeth any more when we go over."
"No problem." Nathan said.
Nathan and Frank took their time getting the stuff ready to take over to Jack and Elizabeth's cabin. Even taking their time, Nathan and Frank were relieved to see Jack outside on the deck getting the grill going. Jack looked up and when he saw Nathan, he immediately knew that something was wrong. Jack froze as he saw Nathan's long face.
"What happened?" Jack asked.
"Let me make supper while you guys sit and talk." Frank said.
Jack nodded. Jack and Nathan went inside. Frank finished getting the grill going. Once he had a good fire going, he covered the grill to let it heat while he got the rest of their supper going.
… … … …
Jack and Nathan walked in the cabin and Elizabeth also immediately saw something was wrong with Nathan.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked.
"Let's sit and talk." Nathan said. "I will explain everything."
The group sat down and it took Nathan a little bit to gather himself. Jack and Elizabeth held hands and were going to give him time. While they were waiting for Nathan to speak, Frank came in and Jack nodded to him. Frank immediately went to get supper going while everyone else sat at the table. Elizabeth went to get up and Frank stopped her.
"You guys sit and talk." Frank said. "I have supper."
"Okay." Jack said. "Thank you."
Jack was really worried. He took Elizabeth's hand and squeezed it as they looked at Nathan and waited for him to speak. Frank went about working in the kitchen.
"I want to preface this by saying things will be fine." Nathan said. "But Dylan assaulted Colleen. She has been taken to the hospital and will be there for several for a while, maybe weeks. Allie has been taken to the Burkes."
"Do you want to go back?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Nathan said.
"Why don't you tell us what you know?" Elizabeth said.
Nathan told Jack and Elizabeth everything that he knew. While Nathan shared what he knew, Frank made supper. Frank had prepared the steaks with some seasonings while he waited for the grill. He also made up the salad and plates of the fresh fruit and veggies. He sliced some of the onion sourdough bread, butter it and added garlic. He then wrapped it all up in aluminum foil to put on the grill. He also made up the corn on the cob to cook on the grill. He was in and out of the cabin as Nathan spoke, but he knew what was going on.
Nathan was having trouble relaying everything that he had been told, but Jack and Elizabeth were just letting him talk without interrupting as they knew it was hard for him and his emotions were still raw. Jack and Elizabeth were also visibly upset as they listened to Nathan talk about what happened to his sister. Elizabeth stopped Nathan at one point when his emotions were getting too much.
"Nathan." Elizabeth said. "Tell us what you need. Do you need to go to your sister and Allie? I am sure she is fine with Trish and the Chief, but still. Just tell us what you need."
"I really don't know." Nathan said.
As they were talking, Jack's tablet rang. Seeing it was Trish, he answered the facetime call.
"Hey Trish." Jack said.
("I tried calling Nathan's tablet, but there was no answer." Trish said. "So I thought he must be with you and thought I would try and call. I have someone here who wants to talk to him.")
"Just a moment." Jack said.
Jack handed the tablet over to Nathan.
"Hi Trish." Nathan said.
("Allie." Trish said. "Look who I have on the tablet?")
Trish turned the tablet so Allie could see Nathan.
("Unca Nate, Unca Nate." Allie squealed, running over and grabbing the tablet.)
"Hey Allie-girl." Nathan said. "Are you having fun with my friends?"
("Yeah. I rode." Allie said. "Can I have a horse too?")
"We can talk about that." Nathan said. "So it sounds like you had fun this afternoon."
Allie nodded and was jumping around with the tablet because she was so excited.
"Allie." Nathan said. "Can you sit with Miss Trish, because I have something important to talk to you about?"
Trish picked up Allie and put her on her lap, helping her to hold the tablet.
"Thank you." Nathan said. "So Allie, Mommy is sick and has to stay in the hospital for a while. Now, I am a long way away. But I can come back tomorrow if you want. Otherwise I won't be home for five sleeps. So Miss Trish said that you could stay at her house until I come back. Are you okay with that?"
("Will she make me mac and cheese and nuggies like Mommy?" Allie asked. "We had McDonald's tonight.)
"I bet she can do that." Nathan said. "So are you okay staying with Miss Trish for a few days."
("Yeah." Allie said, bouncing in Trish's lap. "I play with M .")
"Okay." Nathan said. "Miss Trish can call me if you need. I love you."
("Love you." Allie said, kissing the tablet.)
"Thank you, Trish." Nathan said.
("Allie, why don't you go back and play with Maddie while I talk to your uncle." Trish said.)
("Bye Unca Nate." Allie said.)
"Bye Allie-girl." Nathan said.
Nathan watched Allie run off and plopped down in Maddie's lap to play with something.
"Thank you so much, Trish." Nathan said.
("It is no problem." Trish said. "She had a blast this afternoon with Maddie and Missy. They walked her around the arena on Bubbles and she was so excited. I will send you the video later. So what is this about mac and cheese and nuggets?")
"Usually on Tuesday." Nathan said. "Colleen would make them easy mac with crumbled bacon on top. But if you have already eaten, it will be fine. Colleen uses whole milk because it is the only type the Allie will typically drink. She then gets that packaged bacon crumbles to put on top. It is something special she makes Allie, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays after dance class."
("I can do that." Trish said. "If it is something that she usually does, I want her to feel comfortable in all of this. Tell me more about what she likes.")
"Thank you." Nathan said. "Allie is generally not a picky eater and I am sure will copy whatever Maddie and Missy are having as she does it with me. The nuggets are the ones with veggies in them and are shaped like dinosaurs. She will have those with ranch. It is Colleen's sneaky way of getting Allie to eat veggies as she generally won't otherwise.
Allie loves juice, except orange, but you need to water it down. Colleen usually gets that Juicy Juice variety box and will open a cartoon and mix it about half and half with water in a sippy cup for Allie. She will make up two cups and just put one in the fridge for later. I know that Allie likes cinnamon toast, but it has to be cut into triangles. I usually never have a problem with getting Allie to eat as she wants what I have.
She loves the bath and will stay in the water all night if you let her. She needs a pull-up for bed still, but is pretty good about going during the day. She might need a reminder since she is in a new environment. She should have a bear that she sleeps with. Beyond that I can't think of anything."
("The neighbor sent a bag." Trish said. "It has a couple changes of clothes and a couple pull-ups in it. As well as a sippy cup and a juice box with a thing of goldfish crackers. There is no bear, but we have plenty of stuffed animals around here, we can find something that will work. Because I wasn't sure what she ate, I took the girls to McDonald's and she shared nuggets and apple slices with the girls. My mother is coming over in a bit so I can run to the store and get stuff for Allie. That was why I wanted to connect with you first.")
"Yes, Allie loves goldfish and will eat the whole bag if you let her." Nathan said. "Again, thank you so much for this. I will pay you back."
("We got this." Trish said. "I will just include her in what we are doing with the girls. She will be fine and there is no need to pay me back. I am glad to be able to help out. I will make sure to get the things that you mentioned, but if she seemed fine to eat what my girls were eating today. I will keep an eye on things and make sure she is eating.")
"Thank you." Nathan said. "And I will pay you back, I promise."
("I said don't worry about it." Trish said.)
"Trish." Jack said.
Jack turned the tablet so Trish could see Jack.
"Call Katie if you need." Jack said. "Her kids love those dino nuggets as well. I am sure she also might have clothes from Harper that will fit Allie. We will be in touch."
("I will touch base with Katie." Trish said. "Nathan, try not to worry. I know it's easier said than done. The girls absolutely adore Allie and she seems to love them. She has been their little shadow since I picked her up earlier. Like I told your sister, I will protect her like she was my own. If Dylan tries anything, it will be the end of him. Between the entire NYPD looking for him, there is no way he is coming on this property and harming those in my care.")
"Thank you so much." Nathan said. "I will talk to you tomorrow. I am waiting to talk to Colleen."
("Tomorrow." Trish said.)
Trish hung up the facetime call and Nathan broke down crying. Elizabeth nudged Jack and he grabbed some Kleenex and went over to Nathan.
"See Allie is fine." Jack said. "She is having fun with Maddie and Missy. She is completely unbothered by what happened."
"I was so scared." Nathan said. "When Chief called and told me Colleen had been beaten, I was terrified he had gotten to Allie. He doesn't love her, he just doesn't want Colleen to have her. God knows what he would do to her."
"Allie is fine." Jack said. "He will never get Allie, you have my word about that. Not only because of this, but because he will never get past Trish. She will go full mama bear on him and she doesn't miss when she aims."
Nathan nodded.
"Allie is going to be fine." Jack said, rubbing Nathan's back. "She sounded like she was having a blast with Maddie and Missy. But if you want or need to go home, it is not a problem. We all understand. Family first."
Nathan wiped his ace and blew out a harsh breath.
"Colleen is going to be so mad if I come home." Nathan said. "And I am going to worry, until I get there. I feel like no matter what I do, I am going to be letting someone down. I just want to talk to her and hear for myself that Colleen is okay."
"Didn't you say Chief was trying to get her a new phone?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yeah." Nathan said. "But she hasn't called, so I don't think she has it yet."
"Do you know what hospital she was taken to?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't think I even asked." Nathan said.
Jack pulled out his phone and texted Chief. It was only a few minutes and Chief texted back.
"She is at University Hospital." Jack said. "Chief says he is still working on getting her a phone and will probably be tomorrow. I can call Katie and have her go get one if it doesn't work out. I sent that message to Chief as well."
"Jack." Nathan said. "You don't need to do that. Colleen is not going to want charity."
"One, it is not charity." Jack said. "She needs something and we can provide it. Two, when she gets out of the hospital, she is going into a secure building. I will work to find her something. And I am not taking no for an answer. I will move away from where Dylan knows to look for her. I will get her a new job and make sure she has the things she needs. Again, I am not taking no for an answer."
"You won't get an argument out of me." Nathan said. "But you can bet that Colleen is going to put up one."
"She can try." Jack said. "But you know how well that goes."
Nathan shook his head and knew that Colleen might have met her match when it came to stubbornness.
"Are you feeling better now?" Jack asked.
"A little, I still want to talk to Colleen." Nathan said.
"It looks like Frank is going to put the steaks on." Elizabeth said. "Why don't you try calling the hospital and talking to her."
Nathan nodded and stood up. As Nathan stepped out onto the deck, he pulled up the number to the hospital and hit the call button. It took a bit, but Nathan was finally connected to Colleen's room.
"Hey Collie." Nathan said, when she picked up.
("I am fine, Nate." Colleen said. "Battered and bruised, but fine.")
"I can come home tomorrow." Nathan said.
("Don't you dare." Colleen threatened. "You committed to a job and you are going to do it.")
"Fine." Nathan said. "I have spoken to Allie. She is having a blast with Trish and her daughters."
("And you know this Trish?" Colleen asked.)
"Yes." Nathan said. "I have been with her and her daughters most of the summer. She is amazing and will keep Allie safe. The girls are great with Allie, were great with the little ones around the ranch this summer. Allie went riding with Trish's daughters after she picked her up this afternoon and now she is asking for a horse as well. Don't worry about it. I will deal with it. I am sure that Jack heard and is already looking for one to send to the city for her to ride. I just told her that you were sick and needed to be in the hospital for a few days. I asked if she wanted me to come home, but seemed fine with Trish as long as Trish was willing to make her mac and cheese and dino nuggets.
I told Trish about it and she said she would. Trish told me that she took Allie and her girls to McDonald's tonight and Allie shared a twenty piece nugget and bags of apple slices with Maddie and Missy. Trish was going to go to the store and get clothes, pull-ups and food for Allie when her mother got there to watch the girls. She was going to make sure that Allie had what she needed for however long she stayed."
("Thank you." Colleen said. "I will find a way to pay her back, I promise. I also don't want Allie to see me like this.")
"I agree that Allie shouldn't see you like that." Nathan said. "And I already offered to pay Trish back and she told me not to worry about it."
("Okay." Colleen said. "We can talk about it later.")
"You can try." Nathan said. "But both Trish and Jack are pretty stubborn and don't take no when they know they are right. Now, I say that because when you get out of the hospital, Jack is putting you and Allie into a secure building and will be finding you a new job and everything."
("Nate." Colleen said.)
"I said no argument." Nathan said. "Your apartment is trashed and is a crime scene and I have no idea when it will be released. It can't be fixed until it is released."
("Nathaniel Declan." Colleen said. "I don't take charity and you know I like to make my own way.")
"Colleen Evelyn Maise." Nathan said. "No argument. Yours and Allie's safety is more important than your pride."
("Fine, Nate." Colleen said. "I am agreeing just because of Allie, but you know I don't like it.")
"I know." Nathan said. "But you understand why."
("Yes." Colleen said.)
"You should have a new phone tonight or tomorrow." Nathan said. "I will see you when I get back. Call if you need anything and be nice to my friends. They truly just want to help because you are important to me and I am important to them."
("Yes, Nate." Colleen said.)
"I love you." Nathan said.
("To the moon and back." Colleen answered.)
"The nurses have my number." Nathan said. "Call me."
("I will." Colleen said. "Night.")
"Night." Nathan said.
