Righteous Obsession (36 page)

Visiting hours were almost over by the time Jeff
returned to the hospital.  “I’m sorry, Colin,” he apologized.  “I was so tired
that I slept much longer than I intended to.”  He’d also called Caitlin who had
told him Kathleen was still very angry and had so far refused her requests to
talk reasonably about Colin.

“It’s okay.”  Colin replied.  A nurse came in,
carrying a tray holding his evening medication.  She frowned when she saw Jeff was
still there after the floor lights had flashed to signal that visiting hours
were over, but said nothing about his flouting of the rules.

“I don’t need those tonight,” Colin said.  “I’m tired
enough to fall asleep on my own and I’m not in any pain at the moment.”

She nodded.  “Doctor Trumbull has your medication down
to take as needed so you can skip it if you want to.  If you need something
later push your call button and we’ll be right in.”

“I will.  Thanks.”  He lowered his bed and dimmed the
lights.  He glanced at Jeff who was seated beside his bed.  “I want to
apologize for the way I acted earlier.  I guess I had some feeling I wasn’t
aware I had.”

“It’s okay.  I shouldn’t have been expecting you to
greet me with open arms.”

“Mom and dad never said anything against you.  It was
Grandma Eileen who was always railing on about you.  She told me about you
abandoning mom when I was fourteen.  She was still mad about it after all that
time even!”

“I don’t think your grandparents ever really liked me
and God knows I never gave them any reason to.”

“I still shouldn’t have gotten on my high horse and
assumed I knew the whole story!”

“We’ve both made mistakes, Colin,” Jeff replied.  “Why
don’t you get some sleep and we can talk more about this tomorrow.”

“Okay, I am tired, but …”

Jeff took the initiative.  “Would you like me to stay
until you fall asleep?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

“It isn’t,” Jeff assured him.  Colin closed his eyes
and was asleep within a few minutes.  Jeff tucked the blanket around him and
turned off the light.  He sat down again and stretched out his long legs.  It
wasn’t going to be very comfortable sleeping in the chair, but he wasn’t going
to leave after having made this much progress with Colin.  He leaned back and
closed his eyes.  He didn’t know how long he’d been asleep when he suddenly got
jolted into wakefulness by a loud scream from Colin.  Jeff shot to his feet to
see that Colin was apparently in the midst of another horrific nightmare.  Jeff
bent over him and very gently shook him, speaking to him in a soothing tone as
he did so, “Colin?  Colin, everything is all right.  You’re all right.”

Colin awoke with a jerk, sweating and shaking with
fright, nauseated by the waves of pain, coursing through his body.  He held on
to Jeff tightly.

The door to his room flew open and the lights came on
as a nurse, followed by the police officer who was guarding Colin that night,
rushed into the room.  “We heard a scream!  Is Colin all right?”

“He had a nightmare and he’s in quite a bit of pain,”
Jeff answered, looking up at them.

“I’ll be right back with some medication for his
pain,” The nurse replied, hurrying out of the room.  She was back in a minute
with a syringe that she quickly administered to Colin.  He was in too much pain
to tense up at the sight of the needle.  He just wanted the pain to go away.

“This will take effect very quickly,” she promised
him.  Together she and Jeff calmed Colin and got him to lie back down, but he
still held tightly to Jeff’s hand.

“He should be all right now,” The nurse assured Jeff. 
“If there are any other problems, just press the call button and somebody will
be right in.”

“I will.  Thank you.”  Jeff looked down at Colin and
asked, “Would you like me to dim the lights?”

Colin nodded.  He watched as the light grew dim.  Jeff
seated himself again and asked, “Is your pain starting to go away?”

“Yes.”

Jeff cleared his throat, wondering how far he should
go, but decided to chance it even if Colin told him it was none of his
business.  “Do you want to tell me about your nightmare?”

“We were in this room together and it had no door –
there was no way to escape from him!”  Colin’s voice shook.

“I assume you must remember him quite vividly?”

“Yes!  He looked insane!”  He shuddered.  “He had the
coldest and most unforgiving eyes!”

“What do you mean?”  Jeff asked.  A note of unease had
crept into his voice.

Colin didn’t notice and continued, “It was…” He paused
a moment, recalling.  “Like if you made a mistake he’d never forgive you no
matter whatever else you did or how long you lived. In his eyes you were
damned!  I’ll never forget the look of pure pleasure on his face when he
stabbed me!  He was really getting off on killing me!”

Jeff could see that Colin was fighting to stay awake. 
“Why don’t you try and go back to sleep?”

“I don’t want to – I don’t want to have another
nightmare.”

“I’ll be here and if it looks like you’re having one
I’ll wake you immediately,” Jeff promised.

“That would make it easier,” Colin conceded.

“Then that’s what I’ll do.”  After Colin had fallen
asleep again, Jeff found himself watching him as he slept.  He had to concede
that Amanda and Peter had done an excellent job, raising Colin.  As he made
himself comfortable, he allowed himself to fantasize briefly what Colin might
have been like if he and Amanda had raised him together.

Father Michaels drove on the interstate, keeping
exactly to the posted speed limit.  He breathed easier once he saw the skyline
of New Orleans fade behind him.  He’d left at dusk in order to drive to Baton
Rouge to catch a plane home.  His flight didn’t leave until almost five-thirty
the following morning so he had plenty of time.  He shifted uncomfortably as
the wound in his arm began throbbing indicating that the painkiller he’s taken
earlier was losing its effectiveness.  He couldn’t stop to take another pill. 
There was no rest stop in sight at the moment and he didn’t want to pull over
to the side of the road for fear of attracting unwanted attention.  He tried to
position his arm so it didn’t hurt so much, but in the close confines of the
car, there wasn’t really much he could do to lessen his pain.  He reviewed the
events of the past few days in order to take his mind off his pain.

After Colin’s bodyguard had shot him and he’d escaped,
bleeding heavily, but he’d found refuge with some members of a pro-life group,
Abortion Is Murder whose members resided across the river in Algiers.  Theresa Simpson
had started a chapter in Brunsville and had been in contact with the members
here and that was how he knew of them.  He thanked God for their existence and for
their courage.  They had taken him in without question, contacted a doctor, who
was a pro-life sympathizer to treat his wound and gave him shelter until he was
strong enough to leave.  One of their members was an admitting clerk in the
hospital where Colin was.  She had reported his condition as being critical,
adding that his doctor did not expect him to survive.  He had managed to catch
the late-afternoon press conference held by Colin’s doctor and his manager. 
While neither of them came right out and said he was dying, it was an obvious
conclusion from their constant refusal to state clearly that he would recover. 
He allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction.  Colin was getting exactly
what he deserved! Not only was he dying, but he was apparently suffering
greatly before he died and he would continue to suffer after death as he burned
in the everlasting flames of hell!

A tremendous throb of pain brought Father Michaels
back to the present.  He gritted his teeth against it, but he didn’t want to
take any pain medication yet.  He feared it would diminish his alertness, but
he knew he couldn’t be in such intense pain and still drive.  Just ahead he
spotted a rest area and pulled into it.  Before he’d left New Orleans one of
the members of the group had provided him with thermoses of soup and coffee and
some sandwiches.  He took a couple of the painkillers, washing them down with
the strong coffee and then devoured the warm soup and the sandwiches.  He
hadn’t realized how hungry he’d been until he finished eating.  He drank the
last of the coffee and started the car, feeling refreshed and the pain in his
arm quieted.  He reached Baton Rouge in plenty of time and drove straight to
the airport.  He turned in his rental car, praying that the faint bloodstains
that remained would escape notice.  A bored-looking agent did a cursory
inspection of the car and accepted the keys from him.  He paid what he owed on
the car then purchased his ticket to Minneapolis.  The money was from the
donated funds of Abortion Is Murder.  Sitting in the waiting area by his gate,
he resolved he was going to offer a Mass for this courageous group, for their
continued success in their fight against the evil of abortion.  He spent his
time alternately reading his breviary and napping.  He boarded his plane
without incident.  As he stared out the window during takeoff another thought
occurred to him that made him smile again.  When Colin died, the
pro-baby-killers would lose one of their biggest supporters!  By the time his
plane landed in Minneapolis, Father Michaels felt exhausted and his arm was
starting to throb again.  He still had to collect his luggage and find his
car.  He decided to rent a cart for his luggage then he could wheel it out to
his car and save the wear and tear on his arm.  He quickly loaded his luggage
into his trunk, left the airport, and then drove home.  He pulled into the
driveway and saw only Caitlin’s car in the garage which meant his father was
not at home.  He wondered what his father’s reaction had been when he heard
about Colin.  He took his carryon bag out of the car and placed the strap carefully
over his shoulder and then walked to the door.  He searched unsuccessfully for
his key then gave up and rang the doorbell.

Caitlin answered and smiled when she saw her brother. 
She turned and called over her shoulder, “Mom, Dave’s home!”

Kathleen hurried out of the kitchen and gave him a
hug.  “Dave, it’s so good to have you back home again!  Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I’m starving, Mother!”  He declared.

“Come out into the kitchen.  I’ll make you breakfast. 
The coffee’s fresh and I just baked some cinnamon rolls.”

As Father Michaels bent to pick up his carryon bag; he
groaned loudly and dropped it again.

“Dave!  What’s wrong?”  Caitlin asked.

“I tore some ligaments in my arm when I was deep-sea
fishing and it really hurts!”

“Do you have anything for it?”

“Yes.  I’ll take it just as soon as I bring in the
rest of my luggage.”

“Caitlin can do that.  You’d better take one of those
pills right away.”  Kathleen urged.  He followed her into the kitchen, got a
glass of water, and took his pill.  His mother immediately went to the stove
and began making his breakfast.  She set in on the table along with a fresh cup
of coffee and a cinnamon roll.  “Come sit down and eat before it gets cold.”

Caitlin came into the kitchen.  “I put your luggage in
your room, Dave.”  She poured herself a glass of milk, took a cinnamon roll and
sat down at the table.

“Dave, there’s something we need to discuss, but it
can wait until you’re through eating,” Kathleen said.

Father Michaels wiped his lips and placed his napkin
beside his plate.  “What is it, Mother?  You seem upset.”

Kathleen sighed and admitted, “I am!”  Her face
suddenly flushed and her lips folded tightly for a second then she announced,
“Your father’s left us and he won’t be coming back!”

“Mom, that’s not true!”  Caitlin protested.  “Daddy
said he’d be back!”

“Left us?”  Father Michaels repeated.  “Do you mean
he’s been carnally involved with another woman and has gone to be with her?”

“Your father had a child by another woman before we
married and if I’d known it I would have never consented to marry him! 
Granted, he claims they were married, but seeing what the fruit of that
relationship is like I think she was more likely a whore!”

The lies her mother was telling so shocked Caitlin
that she couldn’t even respond to defend her father.

“Who is it, Mother?”  He asked quietly.

“It’s that immoral, perverted rock star, Colin
Matthews!”  Kathleen replied, her face flushing in anger.

Caitlin watched Dave closely.  Somehow, he didn’t seem
as shocked by the news as she thought he’d be.

“Your father’s gone to New Orleans to be with him.”

“Mom, Colin’s dying!  Daddy has every right to be with
him!”  Caitlin argued.

Kathleen ignored her and continued, “Your father told
me I have no choice - I have to accept his bastard as a member of our family! 
I told him to leave and not come back!”

Father Michaels set down his coffee cup.  “You did the
right thing, Mother.  Father’s soul must be black with sin because he no longer
cares how immoral his actions are or who they hurt.  We’re better off without
him!”

Caitlin slammed down her glass and shot to her feet. 
“I won’t listen to anymore lies about daddy from either of you!”

“Sit down, Caitlin!”  Kathleen ordered.  “I know it’s
difficult for you to hear the truth about your father, but you’re nineteen and
it’s time to grow up and face certain truths.”

“What truths, Mom?  All I’ve heard are lies!  You’re
both sick if you can’t see what terrible lies you’re telling!”  She looked at
her mother and brother in disgust.  “You claim to be such good Catholics so you
should remember that Jesus Christ wasn’t real big on setting yourself up in
judgment over anybody else!”  She tore out of the room and upstairs.  She
couldn’t stay in the house another second with those two!  She phoned Jemma,
asking her to meet her at the mall and telling her she’d explain everything
when she got there.  She grabbed her purse and went back downstairs.

“Caitlin!  Where are you going?”  Her mother demanded.

“Out!”  Caitlin snapped as she strode quickly out the
door, letting it slam behind her.

“Don’t worry, Mother, I’ll pray that she sees the
truth about her father.”  Father Michaels comforted her.  “But I fear his evil
influence is very strong.”

“I know you’re right about him and I mustn’t lose
Caitlin to him or his evil spawn!”

Alethea and McGregor got off the elevator and headed
down the hall to Colin’s room.  She carried a vase of roses from her mother’s
garden, to brighten his room.  McGregor stopped outside the door.  “I’m going
back to the house.  Call me there when you’re ready to leave and I’ll come back
and get you.”

“I will,” she promised him.  “Thanks Buck.”  Alethea
pushed open the door and went in, but stopped short in surprise when she saw
Jeff, half-reclining in the chair next to Colin’s bed, his long legs sprawled
out in front of him.  She set the vase down, walked over to Jeff and gently
shook his shoulder.

Jeff’s eyes flew open in alarm, but then he relaxed
and smiled when he saw it was Alethea.  He got to his feet and stretched, his
back cracking loudly.  “Whew!  I guess that’s proof positive I’m getting old!” 
He joked.

“Is Colin all right?”  She asked, glancing at Colin
who was still asleep.

“He had kind of a bad night, I’m afraid.  He had
another nightmare and his wound was giving him some pain.  They gave him a shot
and he finally got back to sleep.”

“It was nice of you to stay with him, Jeff.”

“I was happy to do it.  I’m going back to my hotel to
shower, change my clothes, and get some breakfast.  Would you please tell Colin
I’ll be back later?”

Alethea nodded.  After Jeff had left, she sat on the
bed beside Colin, leaned over and kissed him.  He woke up immediately and
smiled when he saw her.  “Hi!”  He stretched his legs and wiggled his toes.

She curled her legs underneath her then brushed his
hair out of his face.  “Jeff said you had a bad night.”

“Did he stay here the whole night?”

“Yes.  He’s coming back later.  Did you have another
nightmare?”

Colin shrugged.  “Yeah, but I guess you can’t go
through something like this and not have them.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, it wasn’t that bad,” he lied.  “I can’t really
remember it anyway.”

There was a knock and a male nurse looked in the
door.  “We have you down for a shower today.  Are you ready to take it?”

“Anytime you are,” Colin replied.  He grinned at
Alethea.  “Bet you’ll be glad!”

The nurse helped him get out of bed.  Alethea started
to giggle as he straightened.  He sighed then grinned and joked, “Good thing
‘Metal Now’ isn’t in the room or my posterior would probably be on the cover of
the next issue!”

While Colin was showering, Alethea went to get some
coffee.  When she returned, she helped him dry his hair and get dressed.  There
was another knock on the door and Doctor

Dr. Trumbull came in, carrying
Colin’s chart.  “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Colin replied.  “So, how am I today?”

“All your vital signs are exactly what they’re
supposed to be.  I want to check your wound though.”

“Alethea, would you see if mom and dad are here yet?”

Alethea knew that Colin was trying to protect her so
she wouldn’t see his wound.  She crossed her arms over her chest and with a
stubborn look on her face said, “I’m not going anywhere, Colin.  Unless you’re
going to sleep in the closet for the rest of our married life, I’m going to see
your wound sometime so it might as well be now.”

“You are one stubborn lady!”

“It’s part of my charm,” she teased him.

Doctor Trumbull removed the bandage, revealing the
wound.  Colin grimaced.  While it didn’t look as bad as the first time he’d
seen it, but it still wasn’t a pretty sight.  It still looked bad, but the
swelling was lessening and the bruises were now green and yellow rather than
red and purple.  He would, however, always have a noticeable scar.  Doctor
Trumbull finished with his exam and put a fresh bandage over the wound.  “Well,
everything looks fine.  Are you still having pain?”

“Occasionally when I move too fast or bend on this
side.”

“That will be the case for awhile yet.  It was a deep
wound and it’s going to be at least a month before it’s completely healed. It could
be as long as two months before your energy level is back up where it was
previously.  I see by your chart you’ve been having nightmares.”

Colin shrugged.  “Yeah, but I suppose that’s normal in
a situation like this?”