Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (27 page)

“Is Reginald coming with us?” I inquire.

“Yes, we are going to have Marlena moved as
well and James is even going to come up for a while to see if they
can get some answers.”

While Andrew tends to the wounded, there is
someone I have to thank and say good-bye to. “Jacob, come and take
a walk with me to see Kenneth and say good-bye.”

As we rise, so does Damian. His features
appear concerned. “Jacob, can you throw away your trash and then
we’ll leave.” When he reaches the receptacle, I turn to Damian.
“What’s wrong?”

“Would you mind if I came with you. Look, I
know that I’m being over cautious and that the ones who escaped
would probably not suspect that we would come back here, but as far
as they are concerned, we did something to David...” Jacob is
almost back with us. “I would feel better accompanying you.”

Outside, nervous butterflies spread their
wings and I hold Jacob’s hand tightly as my eyes dart in all
directions straining to see if there is anyone in the shadows.
Arriving at St. Ann’s, I knock on the rectory door, there is no
answer, but I see a light on in the church. Entering, I hear
Grant’s voice.

“I think that we will go and see Jeff. I was
always hoping that I could mend some of the damage I did before he
left. I can understand now why he felt the need to go. I only hope
that he can forgive me for staying.”

“He already has forgiven you. This could be a
new start for all of you, just be honest with him. Let him in. You
were both suffering and blaming yourselves so much, that you could
not reach out to each other.”

“But how can I ever explain to him that I
allowed him, my only surviving son to suffer through his pain alone
because I couldn’t let go of the dead. How do I tell him that I
couldn’t leave because Gwyneth and Joshua were still with me and I
just couldn’t let them go? I let him try to forge ahead knowing
that he was in pain. What type of person am I that I sent a
grieving young man who needed his father off alone while I stayed
to communicate with the spirits of the dead?”

“Grant, he understands that you were hurting
too and that each of you had to deal it in your own way. I’m not
saying that he understood that right away or that he wasn’t angry
for a long time, but that changed when he was in medical school. He
learned that loss affects people in different ways and how
circumstances impact people. He saw how people sometimes shut down,
despite someone’s best efforts and withdraw from those closest to
them. We have been in touch and I know that if you are honest with
him about what happened, I’m sure you will have an opportunity to
forge a new and stronger relationship. Maybe you should consider
going to Sanctuary as Andrew and Mia offered, it will give you both
an opportunity to meet on neutral ground where no words have been
spoken and no hard feelings can be remembered. Give yourselves
every opportunity to forge ahead on equal footing and allow him to
get close to his siblings while you get to know your new
grandchildren.”

I hear him giggle and know as he looks at
Grant, whose features are frozen at twenty-one, the thought of his
being a grandfather is just too humorous.

As our footsteps echo, Grant looks up and
moves down the aisle. Reaching us, “I hope I didn’t disturb your
talk.”

“No, I was just leaving anyway. I have to get
back to the hospital and see what my children would like to do.
Will you be returning there?”

“Yes, Andrew is still there with his siblings
taking care of the others, I just wanted to talk to Ken and thank
him.”

“Well then, I will see you back there.” He
exits quickly.

Damian and Jacob go over to the statutes
while I walk down to Ken.

“Mia, how are you feeling? Grant told me that
your sight returned.”

“I am feeling much better now that my family
is safe and home. We are getting ready to head back ourselves, but
I wanted to come by and thank you for everything that you did to
help us and for allowing Jacob to stay with you when they got him
off of the estate.”

“You are very welcome. I am glad that
everything worked out for you. Mia, can I ask a favor of you?”

“Anything, what is it?”

“When you return to the hospital, would you
speak with Grant about returning with you? I know that you probably
overheard some of our conversation and are aware that Grant had a
son who left after his first wife and elder son were brutally
murdered. He and Jeff may not realize how much they need each other
and how much time they lost blaming themselves for something which
sounds like was well beyond their power to stop. I met Jeff once,
when he was in the area for a conference and he spoke of losing
Gwyneth and Joshua. Although I wasn’t aware of the true
circumstances surrounding the loss, I could see how devastated Jeff
still felt that Grant couldn’t leave with him. We kept in touch and
even though Jeff has gotten past that now, I know how much he still
needs his father and how much Grant needs to reconnect to his
son.”

“I will speak to him as soon as we return and
do my best to convince him to come back with us. If you could
contact his son and let me know if he would be willing to come to
Sanctuary to spend some time with his dad that may help.”

“Do you have enough room for that? I know
that Jeff doesn’t like to leave his family alone because he said
his children get sick easily, although now I suspect I know the
true nature of what he meant.”

“We have plenty of space and you could let
him know that he has nothing to be concerned about regarding the
children changing, we have many special families there.” His eyes
widen.

Hugging him, my voice fills with gratitude.
“Thank you again for everything that you did. If there is ever
anything I can do for you, please call me.” I hand him my card. “I
will never forget how you helped me.”

His eyes shift to Jacob. “I had an
opportunity to speak with him. Although he was shy about sharing
information concerning your family, he seems like a very good boy
and loves your brother-in-law and family a lot. You are very lucky
to have such a close knit family, don’t ever lose that.”

“We won’t and as soon as we get back, I’ll
speak with Grant about reuniting with his son and not shutting out
the rest of his family in trying to deal with this new loss. I know
how devastating loss can be and how certain events can forever
change your life.”

Jacob comes over and says good-bye before we
return to the hospital.

Walking back, I take the opportunity to speak
with Jacob about his shutting down when they were trapped in the
dungeon. “Jacob, can we talk about something?”

“Sure mom.”

“When you were in the dungeon, I could feel
you closing yourself off, trying very hard not to feel afraid. I
was wondering if you could tell me what you were doing in order to
do that.”

His eyes shift from mine. Stopping, I place
my hand under his chin, lifting it, forcing him to look at me.
“Mom, do I have to tell you?”

“I wish that you would.”

“You’ll get mad at me.”

“I promise you that I won’t get mad, but I
know how bad it can be when you don’t feel as if you can talk about
bad things that have happened or the way you cope with them. The
fear and impact stay with you much longer.”

He smiles widely. “Mom, you sound like a
doctor.”

I ruffle his hair. “I may be a doctor, but
more importantly I’m your mom and I want to do all that I can to
help you. What happened to you was awful, you saw, heard and
experienced things that I always hoped to shield you from, so I
promise you that I won’t get mad and that whatever you say, I will
try my best to understand your feelings about it.”

“Well, at first, all I thought about was how
I wished that they would all go away and that we could be home, but
then as they became angrier and we realized what they did and were,
I wanted them destroyed. I hoped that because they were bad that
what they were would destroy them and that we could just be left
alone. I hoped they would keep fighting and turn on each other,
maybe even killing each other.” His voice trails off. “But then, I
thought about how you always said that wishing badly upon others is
a slippery slope that brings us down to their level and could lead
us down a very dark path. I knew you were right and how bad people
eventually get theirs in the end, so I tried desperately to change
my thoughts to make myself go to a place where I wouldn’t feel rage
against them so that I could think rationally. I even remembered
the story that you told me about the prisoner who drove his
captures crazy because he would shut himself off by creating every
aspect of a clock and how they were never able to touch him or
reach him when he was doing that. Since I never removed the back of
a watch, I decided to think about my favorite thing.”

I laugh knowing he is talking about a roller
coaster.

“You know what I constructed, don’t you?”

“You constructed a coaster like the one your
dad and I took you to last year.”

“Yep, but mine had better drops, twists and
turns. I even constructed a surrounding. I bet you can’t guess what
that is.”

“If I can what do I get?”

“How about I let you win for once at swimming
when we go home?”

“Alright” I laugh. “You constructed it around
the lake didn’t you?”

His shocked face tells me I’m right.

Throwing his arms around me, he hugs me
tightly. We are laughing as we enter the hospital.

Andrew is still in with patients, but Eva,
Jackson, Gabriel and Emma appear ready to go. Paul and Julianne are
sitting in the corner, but Grant’s other children are nowhere in
the lobby. Gabriel approaches us. “Jacob, come and sit with me,
while your mom sees if she can get Grant to come with us for a
visit.”

Walking down the hall, Ken calls and lets me
know that Jeff would come to Sanctuary to see Grant and is worried
about him. Grant is pacing outside of Amelia’s room. Seeing me, he
stops. “Are you looking for Andrew, he is just checking Amelia, she
had a setback while you were with Ken.”

“What happened?”

“Her heart stopped. They revived her and
Andrew is trying to convince her to allow them to place the
monitors back on so that they can see what is going on, but she
refuses to let anyone near her. She has always been so stubborn.”
He sounds exasperated.

“Grant, while you’re waiting, could we speak
a moment?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

“I heard you speaking to Ken earlier and he
is very concerned about you. You have so much to deal with in
losing your family and now your home, you helped me so much, I wish
that you would let me reciprocate and come back to Sanctuary with
us. Your son, Jeff, would love to see you and would come up there
with his family.”

“You spoke to him and he would come?”
Surprise and hope ring in his voice.

“I didn’t speak with him, but Ken did. Jeff
said he would come up with his family so that the two of you could
spend some time together. He is worried about you.”

“Really?”

“He is looking forward to it in fact.”

“But Mia, my family, his family, that is too
much to impose upon you. You are going to have enough to deal with
when you get home with everything that happened.”

“It is not an imposition at all and we would
love to have you. I know how bad things can get when you don’t feel
as if you can talk to people about what happened to you and having
to hide yourselves and your family’s nature while trying to settle
in a place and dealing with the unbelievable loss that you have
just suffered and suffered in the past, is too much for you to deal
with now. Where our special families reside, you would not have to
worry about hiding your nature.” I smile reassuringly. “We have
more than enough room for you and your family. In fact, one of our
families has recently moved out to help in the hospital in Rome
that we have friends at. They were quite a large family and the
house they occupied has five bedrooms. I think it would be a
perfect place for you and your family.”

He shakes his head in disbelief before
smiling widely. “If it wouldn’t be too much of an imposition, maybe
we could meet you there. I’m sure that you are ready to go and my
other children went back to pack up some things and speak with
their uncle about shipping us the rest when we get settled.”

Reaching into my bag, I take out one of my
cards. “Why don’t you call your children and give them this address
so that he can ship your items there. Andrew still needs a few
hours before we leave, so we can meet in the lobby and leave
together.”

“Thank you for this.”

“Don’t give it a second thought. I’m just
glad you are coming and for everything you did to help me.”

Andrew opens the door and appears very
weary.

“How is Amelia?”

“She is alert, but she is still refusing to
allow us to monitor her again or reinsert the intravenous. I would
like to run more tests, but she categorically refuses. If she keeps
refusing, the hospital cannot hold her.”

“I’ll speak with her. Excuse me.”

As Grant enters, I caress Andrew’s cheek.
“You look exhausted.”

He chuckles. “You have known me long enough
to know that we can’t get tired.”

Moving my hand to his, I pull him down the
hall toward the reception area. “I know healing drains you and on
top of the situation we faced, you really should relax a
moment.”

“I can do that in about two hours when we are
on the plane home. Reginald is just preparing the organs.”

Passing a door marked physicians’ lounge, I
can see Jacob talking with Paul and Gabriel, so I turn Andrew
around and duck inside for a moment. There is a small day bed in
the corner. “Sit down and try to relax a few moments then.” Sitting
on the back, I place my hands on his shoulders.