Untitled Chapter

SECOND CHANCES

        CHAPTER 35

     The time slowly passed and to Carly it seemed like it was moving a thousand times slower than normal.Ten minutes seemed to last forever and she felt like she had been transported into another universe.Even her father's pacing began to make her more nervous that she had to ask him to sit down eventually. Her mother remained seated,her face expressionless.Each one of them was lost in their own world,none of them speaking to the other.Lacking anything else to do,she stood up and went to an open window on the other side of the room.She pulled her father's jacket closer to her and looked outside. It was still dark and silent except for an early rising bird chirping in the distance.Looking at her watch,it would be a few more minutes until the first streaks of the morning sun rays appeared.She wasn't one to care about all those things people consider romantic and mind relaxing but she remembered enjoying walking along the beach with Dylan all those years ago,waiting for the sun to set.A good memory was welcome in a situation like this but she scolded herself inwardly for thinking about that.What bothered her about it was that it was Dylan she remembered. Why couldn't it be anyone else?She could try to push the thoughts away but they always brought some kind of peace to her.She had caught herself smiling  at some memories through out all her life in Australia. Especially when she remembered when they used to sneak around, hiding from everyone. Their relationship had been a secret for a long time but it had definitely been the best.None of her college relationships had felt like that one.She had tried,both girls and guys but they never measured up to what she had had with Dylan. Maybe with Gavin,it had felt better and right but then,what happened after that proved just how she had been wrong,once again.Since their divorce, she hadn't  even looked at another person morethan just a brief conversation.Not even friendship. She not only had her heart and mental health to consider but also her son's. She didn't care if she would spend the rest of her life alone.As long as she had Teddy, none of the other things mattered.The thought brought her back to the present. She turned around and looked at her parents. Her father had moved closer to her mother and they were holding hands. That was knew. The last thing she remembered before leaving home was that her father never left even as least as a goodbye kiss to her mother while leaving every morning to his former work in town.Her mother could even spend more than half of a week outside, covering other people's shifts at the hospital without a bother.But now looking at them,they seemed closer and more affectionate with each other.Maybe it was true that old people grow back together in their old age.It makes them affectionate and caring for each other knowing that they only had each other.It pleased her to see them like that.

     Just then,the doctor came back to the waiting bay with a file. She moved quickly towards her parents who also stood up immediately they saw the doctor.

    After confirming they were the ones who had brought him in,he asked,"Who are his parents?"

         "It's just me,I am his mother," she replied then quickly added when the doctor gave her parents a questioning look. "These are his grandparents," she explained pointing at them and the doctor nodded.

       "That's okay.Has he by any chance travelled?"

       "Yeah,we just came back from Australia a day ago.Why,what's the problem."

 The doctor furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back into the file.

       "We think that travelling might have had a hand with what happened to your son.His heart is not functioning the way it is supposed to.". Carly felt a tightness creep into her stomach and a sudden fever attacked her head.She felt a sickly lightness wash over her and almost knocked her off balance. She gripped her forehead with her hand and faced upwards lacking anything to say.She knew that she had made a mistake by not following through, pushing until her son was treated and now,it sounded like it was much worse.The heart meant that she could lose him.She turned, not wanting to let that thought into her head.

         "Can it be treated?" she heard her mother ask  but she sounded like she was miles away.

        "Luckily yes.Apart from being in the air for too long,it is not hard to treat.He might require surgery though." Carly didn't hear anything that was said after that because her mind travelled thousands of miles away working out every word that the doctor had said,each registering slowly in her head.But surgery?What if her son couldn't handle it?What if she lost him?

        "Carly?"

   It was when she was shaken that she looked up and found the three of them looking at her in confusion.

      "I wanted to know if had were aware that your son is asthmatic?" It must have been what she had missed the first time the doctor asked.

          "No but I started guessing so some time back.He was never treated."

        "Okay then.He's gonna stay for observation today. I will release him tonight or tomorrow and he's gonna use an inhaler for the time being, that is in case the attack occurs again. You will leave me with your contacts and I will call you when we have scheduled the surgery."

         "Can't it be performed right away?" this time it was her father.

        "No.I'm afraid he's gonna need some days for the effects of the flight to wear off so he can be relaxed and ready for the procedure."

         "Okay."

          "Can we see him now?" Carly asked.

         "Sure, room one hundred and eight down this hallway," he replied. "You go ahead,I want to have a word with your parents."

        Carly nodded and walked away hurriedly. She literally ran the last few steps towards the room and when she got there,she flew inside without knocking.

     A nurse stood beside him and she immediately turned surprised by the sudden intrusion.

        "I am his mother, the doctor said I could see him."

         "That's okay.I was just keeping an eye on him in case he wakes up and needs something. I'm gonna leave you with him now."

         "Thank you," she replied and offered her a half smile.She walked up to the bed and knelt  beside him.She tookhis hand and kissed it softly. "Wake up baby," she whispered. "Mommy is here now."

              ★★★

      Dylan paced in front of the room her victim had just been admitted to. She still had no idea why she had been asked to go to the hospital. Nothing like that had  happened with any of the victims she had found before.She had tried asking the medic who had delivered the instructions but she hadn't been very forthcoming. Dylan had to work really hard not to snap at her because her temper at times went beyond the controllable range.Her normal soft and understanding character had slowly slipped away and before she could realize, she had reached the point no return even though she was the only one who thought so.Carl still believed she could be saved but she highly doubted that. She knew a part of her had been lost and completely buried years ago after her highschool graduation the moment her teen age sweetheart left her but the whole part was lost when she lost her mother. And speaking of Carly, her brother had told her that she was back already but they hadn't met.But then,it had only been a day.She wasn't even sure she was ready to see her or even if she wanted to.The line of her thoughts left her questioning what she really wanted.

       It wasn't until after another thirty minutes that she saw the chief approaching her across the hallway. She stood up from the seat she had taken earlier.

        "You must be wondering why I  said you should come here," he said to her.

         "I didn't even know it was you," she replied."But I'm still wondering why I am here."

         "Yeah,sorry for waking you up so early.I am assigning you on watch duty.You will be joining a detective to protect your victim for the next few days until a case he's involved in is closed."

        "Like hell I am!" she snapped. "Why does he need protection?"

        "I know you don't want him to die.That much is important to you and he will do just that if you don't take up this role."

          "Why me and not any of the other officers?And why am I on duty with a detective?"

         "The orders came from above me and I chose you because you are my best officer," he replied but Dylan shook her head not satisfied with the answer."I thought you would be pleased with doing something more than just police work?If I were you I would take this opportunity to prove that I am capable of much bigger responsibility. Like becoming a detective, isn't that what you want?"

       Dylan hadn't looked at it from that angle and when she ran it over her thoughts again, she knew that he was right and it would probably be the only chance to prove herself.  She nodded, "Okay."

        "Good.I will stand in for a while. Go get ready a come back in a few minutes."

              ★★★

         Carly watched as her son's eyes fluttered open. He look around for a moment before he settled his gaze on her.She lifted her face up and smiled at him.

         "Hi baby."

          "Mommy?"

              "Yes,I'm here.How are you feeling?"

          "What happened?"

          "Don't worry son.It's nothing to worry about.Just lay back and relax,it's gonna be over soon."

   The door behind her opened and her parents came into the room.Her brother followed behind them with a worried look on his face.He looked as if he had just come out of bed.

She rose up and met him,giving way to her parents. Carl took her into his arms and hugged her.

          "I thought he had gotten be better," he said.

          "He has been okay for a long while and I  thought so too."

   When she looked behind her,she saw him smiling with his grandparents and thought that now would be a good time as any to ask her brother about the thing that had been bothering her  all along even in the midst of her son's situation.She motioned from him to follow her outside.

           "Why didn't you tell me about Dylan's mother?" she asked as soon as they were outside alone.

  At first Carl looked at her in confusion as if he wasn't aware what she was talking about but started talking the moment she raised her eyebrow questioningly waiting for an explanation.

         '"Is this a good time for this confrontation? I mean..."

           "It is never going to be a good time and I want to know why I had to hear it if Emily Hill,two years later."

           "I though you didn't Want anything to do with her plus that time you were going through divorctha

          " That isn't enough Carl.You should have at least let me on.You of all people should know that I cared about Dylan  even after I broke up with her.I should have been there for her because what we had back then was enough to get over anything bad that might have happened to us."

       Just then,Dylan appeared around a corner past them across another hallway. She had her eyes glued on her phone but the moment she looked up, she froze mid step.Carly had her back toward her and continued talking to Carl not realizing what was happening until she noticed that Carl wasn't paying attention and was looking  past her.She turned and immediately froze,her last words hanging in her mouth.'Oh.my.God!' she said inwardly.