Fractures

Foreward

Thanks for reading. I appreciate the criticism/comments.

This part ends what I consider book 2. My profile is updated for all works in progress.

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Previously on Daughter, Book One:

Sara is moving forward. With a new career move on the horizon and her marriage to Jon entering a more honest, emotionally intimate phase, she's determined not to let the shadow of her mother's choices define her.

As a backyard BBQ brings old friends and new sparks together, the afternoon hums with laughter, flirtation, and the promise of fresh beginnings, until a knock on the door upends everything.

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Daughter Bk 02 | Part 02 | Fractures

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Chapter 04 | Hospital

Saturday May 11 2024 |10PM

Sara's chest tightened, as the air was sucked out of the room. Words rumbled through her body, overtaking every thought.

"emergency room... emergency room... emergency room..."

Her feet rooted to the floor as voices swirled around her, and hands tugged at her sleeves. The noise of the house, silverware clinking, chairs scraping, overlapping conversations, muffled into a dull underwater hum.

She blinked once, slow and dry.

Her father and Scott waited by the door, waving her over, and someone thrust her coat into her hands.

Seconds stretched as she turned towards Jon, her vision blurring.

Then time snapped back, and the sounds of chaos jolted her.

"Jon! Go! We'll take care of the apartment. I'll make sure everyone gets home safe. Just go!" Stephen's voice broke through the haze.

"Sara, come on," Jon urged, his hand on her arm, trying to guide her toward the door.

"I need my purse, my phone.... Let go of me!" She yanked her arm free with a sharp tug, her eyes blazing as she glared at him.

"Just... just give me a second!" screamed Sara.

Jon froze, his brows pulling together as he watched her unravel. He knew that look, panic, not anger. He resisted the urge to reach for her again. She needed space. Not pressure. He stepped back.

"Where's my phone!" said Sara.

Em appeared at Sara's side, placing her cell in her hands. "Here, it's right here. Just go. I'll help Stephen cleanup. Love you."

Sara hugged her tightly, then turned to leave. Jon stepped out of the way to let her pass, then gave Stephen a quick handshake before closing the door and following his family to the elevator.

A shiver ran down Sara's spine as they stepped into the parking garage, but she trudged toward the car.

"Let's take one car," said Jon.

"Okay. I'll pick mine up tomorrow." Said Tony.

Sara heard the words, but... words, actions... even the clatter of Jon fumbling the keys barely registered. The door handle felt cold and stiff in her hand as she slid into the backseat with Scott, leaving the front for her father.

She bundled tighter into her coat, staring out the window. The streetlights soon blurred into streaks of white and orange.

The men kept talking.

"Cassie said she collapsed earlier tonight," Tony said, his voice tight. "That's all I know."

"Where did Aunt Cassie call from?" Scott asked.

"Northshore. Jon, you need directions?"

"No, I know where it is," Jon replied.

"I'll text her we're on our way. See if there's any update on Mom," Scott said, fingers tapping on his phone.

"Dad, have you spoken to her since she left...?"

Sara tuned out. The trip would take about an hour, depending on traffic. She didn't need to hear more.

How had she become this way?

Before her mother's infidelity, they spoke every other day. But now, their only interaction in the last two, three weeks was one heated phone call... and a text.

A complete 180 since she'd thrown herself into helping her father heal. But no matter how this broke down, the fingerprints of her choices were, once again, all over the wrong side of her parents' issue.

And tonight? She'd been so caught up with the party, the guests, that she hadn't even asked Scott about their mother. How could she switch so easily, from caring too much to not caring at all?

The lights outside slowed. Traffic. Late-night construction on the bridge. Typical. Like it would ever end...

Only delaying the inevitable...

11 PM | ER

Sara pulled herself together as they turned off Community Drive and into an ER parking spot. Gripping her phone tightly, she followed Scott and her father through the revolving doors into the chaotic buzz of the emergency check-in.

"Hi, can you..." Scott began.

"One second, please..." the attendant interrupted, typing quickly. "Thank you. Patient's name?"

"We're here to see Julie Williams. She came in earlier this evening," Scott said.

Sara glanced around as the outdoor stillness dissolved into the cacophony of the busy hospital. It was a large emergency room with alcoves for waiting, but all she could see was pain. People hunched over, wincing as they moved; others coughed into tissues. Children clung to their parents, eyes wide with worry... everyone waiting for relief.

"Yes, she's no longer here. She's being admitted," the attendant said, scanning her computer. "You'll need to go to the main hospital entrance to check in. I can give you directions..."

"TONY!"

Scott turned at the sound of their aunt Cassie's voice. She hurried over from one of the side waiting rooms, wrapping her arms around Tony first, then Sara and Scott.

"Thanks for your help. We've got it from here," Scott said to the attendant, before turning to greet his aunt.

"What happened?" Scott asked, his voice tight as the hug broke.

"Let's sit in that alcove over there," Cassie suggested, pointing toward an empty bench. "We can't see her yet, anyway."

They followed her to the bench and sat down. Sara felt the hard seat beneath her, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

"She was despondent all week," Cassie began, her voice heavy with concern. "I didn't want to push her... She drank some, but was barely eating. I tried talking to her every day, but really, she spent most of the time just sitting in the garden room."

Cassie paused, exhaling slowly as she gathered her thoughts.

"This morning she started complaining about stomach pain and cramps," she said, voice tight. "But she kept brushing it off, saying she was fine. Then, out of nowhere, she collapsed by the dinner table."

She rubbed her hands together, before continuing.

"Luckily she could still walk. We got to the car, and I drove her straight here."

Cassie glanced between them. "They took her in right away, thank God. They said she's stable, and it's not serious, but... they're still running tests and want to keep her overnight for observation."

Her voice dropped slightly, the weight of the day creeping in.

"Tony, they want to talk to you. I told them you were on your way."

"Me?" Tony's voice wavered. "The insurance is up to date.. whatever. Let's go get some answers."

"Tony..." Cassie's hand gently gripped his wrist, her expression serious. "Julie's in a bad place, mentally. She thinks she deserves all the pain she's going through... because of what she's done."

Tony hesitated, the words heavy in the air. "Well... regardless, I don't want to see her hurt."

"Williams family?"

"Yes, doctor, right here," Cassie said, standing up quickly. "I'm her sister. These are her husband and children."

The doctor nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping over the family before lingering on Tony.

"Hello. Overall, she's stable and expected to make a full recovery." The doctor glanced at the chart.

"Mrs. Williams is being treated for a bacterial infection, which appears to have developed from lacerations in the vaginal area, likely sustained during a recent sexual encounter. Typically, these kinds of injuries heal with proper care, but in this case, they were left untreated and became infected. That explains the abdominal pain and other symptoms she was experiencing."

Sara's stomach turned. The words landed like a punch, each one louder than the last. Infection. Lacerations. Sex. Her mother wasn't just absent, she was in pain. And none of them knew.

Cassie gasped softly. "This was supposed to be a wake-up call, not a breakdown, oh Julie..."

The doctor continued, his voice steady but clinical.

"We've started her on oral antibiotics to treat the infection, and she's agreed to stay overnight for observation. We'll be running a few additional tests and monitoring her for any signs of complications. It's unlikely, but if the infection had progressed unchecked, it could have led to more serious issues, including surgery."

"Dear God," Cassie whispered, her hand going to her mouth. "Will we be able to see her?"

"Yes," the doctor replied, glancing back at his chart. "You'll need to go around to admissions to get everything set."

"Thank you, doctor," Cassie said, exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

The doctor nodded, but suddenly turned to Tony, his tone hardening. "She's been dealing with this infection for some time. Do you know if she mentioned anything about pain or discomfort before now?"

Tony looked confused. "I wouldn't know. We haven't spoken in weeks."

"I see. I only ask because we see similar cases where people ignore symptoms until they become serious."

Cassie quickly stepped between them, her voice firm but calm. "Doctor, I brought her in. My brother-in-law had nothing to do with my sister's condition."

The doctor hesitated, visibly embarrassed. "I see too many of these cases... more than I'd like. My apologies. I shouldn't have assumed."

With tension still lingering in the air, Sara hugged her father's arm tightly as they turned to head toward admissions, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and guilt.

Sunday May 12 2024 |12 AM

It was a short walk to admissions, and Sara wished she'd grabbed her knit hat. She tugged her coat tighter, but the cold still slipped in. Jon followed closely behind, giving her space. His cell buzzed in his pocket.

Stopping just inside the hospital entrance, he glanced at his phone reading the text from Stephen:

Apartment clean. Girls are in rideshares back home. Em and I are sleeping over. Hope all is well. Was this Em thing a setup?

"Well, that should be interesting," Jon thought, shaking his head with a smile.

Thanks. Julie's going to be okay. Fam, trying to get in to see her. Extra pillows and blankets are in the bedroom closet. Kind of a setup by Sara. Em learned you were single and wanted a chance to reconnect. Enjoy!

He hesitated going inside, choosing to just breathe for a second. With his hands in his jacket pocket, images of the day flooded through. He had enjoyed the day. Feeding old and new friends gave him a satisfied feeling inside. He enjoyed the conversations with Alessia and loved watching his wife smile as she orchestrated the day.

He looked through admission center windows to see the family talking to a nurse. With a heavy heart, he turned to join them.

"Your mother is resting comfortably," the nurse explained. "She's still on a hydration drip, because she is dehydrated. If everything remains stable overnight, as we expect, she'll be released tomorrow.

"Can we see her? No one could see her once she went into the treatment rooms," Cassie asked, her voice thick with concern.

"Yes, she mentioned that and has been asking for you," the nurse said with a reassuring nod. "She's in a single room, so I can bring up two or three family members for about half an hour."

Tony's voice dropped. "Would I be able to stay overnight?"

"You can," the nurse replied with a small smile. "But all I've got is an uncomfortable chair and a pillow."

"I've had worse accommodations," Tony said, his tone firmer now. "Why don't you three go up first, then head home after?"

"Dad, I can drive back to pick you up tomorrow," Jon offered.

"No. Don't worry about me," Tony said, waving off the suggestion. "I'll make my way back and get my car tomorrow. Go on."

Jon gave Sara's hand a gentle squeeze. "Go ahead. I'll wait for you down here."

Sara's fingers tightened briefly around Jon's, a silent thank-you. Her gaze turned towards the elevator doors, but her mind was still in the ER, stuck on words she wished she'd said.

She, Scott, and Cassie followed the nurse into the elevator.

1 AM | Julie

It was quiet. Too quiet.

They walked past the nurse's station. The smell of coffee and antiseptic joined with the faint rustling of paperwork and the shallow beeps of machines filtering through the air. Open doors revealed other patients, but none of it was enough to break the thick silence between them.

Sara's fingers found her pendant. The familiar weight drawing her fingers like a magnet. Each circle of her thumb traced across the emerald etched tree. She steadied her breath, if not her heart, as the fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across their faces.

The nurse turned down another corridor, stopping in front of a half-open door.

"I'll be back in about twenty minutes to check in," she said softly before turning to leave.

Sara nodded numbly as Cassie entered the room.

Scott hesitated.

He wasn't sure what he expected when he saw his mother again. The last time had been over the phone, a call that offered nothing but small talk and pleasantries. Barely an apology. But standing here now, about to step into her hospital room, something twisted in his chest.

For a moment, just a moment, he didn't see the woman who had left. He saw the mom who used to fix his tie for school pictures, who made him grilled cheese when he was sick, who had once been the center of their home.

Then the moment passed, and he forced himself to move forward.

Sara stopped and held onto the threshold, her eyes locked on the figure lying in the hospital bed. Her mother, slightly raised, connected to an IV. Sara's breath caught in her throat as she studied Julie's face... older, worn. Her cheeks were sunken, and it was clear she had lost weight.

Is this what sexual freedom looked like? She thought. A broken old woman in a hospital bed. The sadness etched in her mother's face left Sara wondering what the other side of that freedom looked like. Tessa's screw them all mentality almost made sense in comparison.

Her mother's eyes fluttered open, her expression softening into a sad smile as Scott bent down to hug her. Whispers passed between them... Sara couldn't hear the words, but the tears were unmistakable.

Cassie stepped back, and as Scott parted, Julie's gaze shifted to Sara, locking onto her. Sara stood frozen, hands clasped in front of her, her makeup streaked with tears she hadn't realized were falling. The silence between them grew thick, uncomfortable.

"Sarabelle... it's me. I'm back," Julie said softly, her arms outstretched.

That was all it took. Sara crossed the room in a few quick strides and threw her arms around her mother, hugging her fiercely. Both women broke into sobs, their words garbled and incoherent as they clung to each other.

Julie, still holding Sara tightly, reached for Scott with her other hand, pulling him closer to the bed. "I'm sorry... so sorry. I love you both so much..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

Julie closed her eyes, memorizing the feel of Sara's arms around her. She didn't deserve this grace. But for the first time in weeks, she believed she might want to.

They spent the next few minutes talking, their conversation brief but filled with meaning, as Julie explained how she felt. The nurse returned soon after, gently escorting them back downstairs, their tear-filled goodbyes lingering in the air.

Sara stepped out and walked straight to her father, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

"She's weak and tired. This isn't the time for a fight," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion.

Tony looked down at her, his eyes searching hers. "I'm not here to fight, Sara. I still love your mother... unfortunately."

His voice caught on the last word, and the weight of it hung in the air as he gently pushed away from her hug. He hesitated for half a second, his jaw tightening as if he had more to say, but he didn't. Instead, he turned toward the elevator and walked away, his steps slow, measured, final.

Sara watched him go, the hollow click of his shoes echoing down the hall.

She wasn't sure what she had expected from tonight. To feel... relief? Validation? To finally see her mother hurting the way they had all hurt?

Instead, all she felt was exhaustion.

For weeks, she had wanted to hate Julie. Had tried to hate her.

And yet...

Lying in that hospital bed, her mother hadn't looked like the woman who had blown up their family.

She looked... small. Broken. Like someone who didn't know how to pick up the pieces of her own destruction.

Sara clenched her jaw, her fingers curling around her pendant, squeezing hard, as if trying to crush the metal. It was the one anchor she still trusted.

She wasn't ready to forgive her.

But for the first time, she wondered if she even wanted to hate her anymore.

2 AM | First Contact

Julie dabbed her eyes with a tissue, sitting in her dimly lit hospital room. The pain in her chest had been constant, but seeing her children again... it was as if she were seeing them for the first time.

The image of Sara standing by the door, staring at her, replayed in her mind over and over. The six feet gap between them had felt like the farthest canyon, the deepest ocean... an unbridgeable distance.

Taking better care of herself and getting healthy, that part would be easy. But mending her relationship with her children? That would take the rest of her life. And then there was Tony. How could she even begin to fix that?

She turned her wrist slightly, fingers brushing against the plastic hospital bracelet. The band felt foreign against her skin, cheap, sterile. A far cry from the colorful bangles she used to wear, the ones Tony had bought her over the years. The ones she'd left behind.

Julie looked up as the nurse entered the room, placing a pillow and blanket on the chair across the room. Julie's brow furrowed; she hadn't asked for the additional items. "Were they short on space and she would be getting a roommate?"

Her breath caught as her eyes drifted to the door. There he was, standing just inside the threshold... Tony. His eyes boring into her, much like Sara's had earlier.

"No..." Julie whispered, her right foot shaking beneath the blanket as she looked into her husband's eyes for the first time in weeks.

"Like I said, it's the best I can do," the nurse's voice broke the tension.

"Thank you. I really appreciate your flexibility in letting us visit and letting me stay." Tony replied, his voice calm but distant.

"No worries. Everyone deserves to see their loved ones," the nurse said kindly. "Have a good night."

"Good night."

Julie's eyes followed Tony as he folded and placed his coat on a nearby table, and his shoes underneath it. His movements slow... mechanical. His usual warm, smiling face had been replaced by a hollow, blank stare.

It was all her fault.

The light sweater he wore did little to conceal the fact he had lost weight. His moves deliberate, setting himself up on the chair, pillow behind his head, blanket across his legs. Never once looking at her.

She remembered the way he used to undress at night, quietly, so as not to wake her. A gentleness so practiced, she took it for granted. Now every movement felt mechanical, unfamiliar, like watching a stranger wear her husband's skin.

Julie shifted uncomfortably on the bed, smoothing the blanket over her lap. She didn't dare look up. If she met his eyes, she'd see it. The indifference.