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Mafia Connections Part 2
by Chris
Rated: PG-13
Silvia was standing in front of the window, staring at her mother. She was lying there, nearly lifeless, hooked to many instruments. She felt like a little child who had done something bad and she was afraid to open the door. She had only to push down the handle and step through the door. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see at a nurse. She was pushed through the door and was now standing beside her mother. Her little sister didn't want to come she was too afraid. Jarod had to persuade her to come with them into the building itself. She had agreed to go with Dr. Partridge to the pediatric section and Silvia was sure that he would persuade her to see her mother as well.
"She needs you now. I know you’re afraid to go in, it looks worse than it is. Please be quiet, but talk to her. I don’t know if she can hear you, but she can feel that someone’s with her. If you need me, just press the button over there," a nurse said who passed by.
"Thank you."
Silvia opened the door and went inside. She tried to be silent when pulling a chair up beside the bed. She took her mother's hand and a shiver ran down her spine when she found her mother's skin to be cold. Tears started running down her cheeks and she wasn't afraid to show them because they were tears of fear and desperation.
* * *
A woman passed by the woman of Olga's room and she stopped in mid-walk. The woman sitting next to the bed looked familiar to her and she thought that she also knew the patient. Slowly she opened the door and entered the room. She put one hand on Silvia's shoulder and mentioned her to be silent when she looked up.
"Micky? Is it really you?"
Micky nodded and put a finger onto her lips.
"You have to be quiet. How is she?"
Silvia wanted to answer but she started sobbing. Micky took her into her arms and rocked her gently. Silvia tried to calm down but she couldn't stop crying. She seemed to be in a world of her own. She didn't answer to Mickey's questions. She kept clutching her mother's hand and cried. Micky held her in a tight embrace trying hard not to cry herself. When Silvia had calmed down they left the room together walking towards the cafeteria.
When they looked out of the window they found that the weather had changed rapidly. It had started to rain and even though it was early in the afternoon it was nearly dark outside. They sat down at a table and Silvia held her coffee cup as if it would run away every minute.
"Can you answer me some questions??"
"Sure, whatever you wanna know?"
"What are you doing in a hospital?"
"You won't believe it but I have done what I wanted to do since primary school. I'm a child's psychologist and I'm working in this hospital."
"How is it possible that I've never seen you here before? Why didn't you say that you're back in LA? We were best friends when we were younger."
"I was afraid to call. When I heard that you - Silvia Franklin - had become a famous prosecution attorney it seemed to me that wanting to be friends with you again was something like -- like, I don't know how to say that."
"It's alright. We've met again and that's all that counts."
Micky smiled and Silvia turned towards the window.
"Do you know exactly what happened to my mother? I haven't had time to ask. There was a doctor at our house to tell us everything but my father suffered from a heart attack and we haven't had time to talk about it again."
I don't know but if you go back upstairs again I'll see what I can do to find out. I'll be there with that doctor as soon as I've found him."
Silvia nodded and took the cup with her. She sat down beside her mother's bed again. She hoped that Micky would find Dr. Partridge soon and that her sister would be with him. Minutes went by and Silvia started pacing the room. She switched on the lights and sat down again. Still nothing happened. Her mother didn't move and the machines kept beeping. She wanted to get up and walk around again when the door opened and Mickey entered the room. She smiled and stepped inside.
"I have found him. He will be with us soon. The girl who was with him - that wasn't Carolyn, was it?"
Silvia nodded.
"She has grown since I last saw her!"
"You haven't seen her in eleven years, I guess."
"I think you're right. Is it that long ago? When we were younger we said that we would stay in touch for the rest of our lives. So much for that."
"We've also promised to call each other at least once a week," Silvia said with a weak smile on her lips. "Do you know anything about my mother's condition?"
Micky only shook her head and sat down on the chair beside the bed. Silvia stood beside the window and looked into the rainy afternoon.
"We have to wait for Dr. Partridge. He knows everything."
"The one who was at our house?"
"Yes, he saw what happened to your mother. That man is a mystery to me. Suddenly he's at the hospital, working like everybody else but I haven't heard from him before, have never seen a picture but nevertheless he seems familiar. I don't know why he's working here. Dr. Miller said that he has saved your mother's life. He said that he was a medical doctor and now he's working here. No idea what happened behind the scenes."
* * *
Jarod had tried everything to convince Carolyn that her mother needed her right now and that she really should come with him but she had refused again and again. Finally he left her in the cafeteria and went upstairs. Dr. Patchett had told him more about Silvia than he could possibly have found out on his own. He had sworn to himself that he would take care of Silvia's problems as well and try to comfort her as well. He also wanted to see what he could do to make Dr. Patchett's burden lighter, she seemed to have problems as well.
The hospital building had more of the Centre than he liked to admit. It was not only the color of the outside walls, also the corridors looked vaguely familiar: High ceilings, many doors, many people. It was the same as back there: Nearly silent even though many people were walking around. But nevertheless he liked the place.
He forced a little smile onto his lips when he entered the room. Silvia turned towards him.
"Will she be alright?" Silvia asked before Jarod could utter a word.
"I hope she will."
"What about the baby?"
"They hope that the baby's alright. We will try to keep the pregnancy as normal as possible. The bullet hit her near the uterus and there were some complications while trying to get it out of there but the other doctors believe that everything will be alright."
"Why do you say 'the other doctors'?"
"I haven't been there when they have performed the operation. They have told me roughly what they have done and from that I can't judge whether everything will be alright or not. I can only hope so."
Micky looked at Jarod with her piercing brown eyes. Her brown curly hair framed her small face and Jarod couldn't help but stare at her. Distant memories came to his mind and somehow he felt reminded of Miss Parker once more. She didn't resemble her at all maybe it was the way she stared at him.
"I have to leave again," he said and turned towards the door.
"Dr. Partridge, before you leave, can you tell me exactly what happened to my mother?"
"I was watching only from far away so I can tell you only what I've seen from the distance."
"Rumor has it that you've shot the man."
"That's right," Jarod sighed.
"You're a doctor how come it that you're wearing a gun under your jacket?"
"We're in private now, you don't have to act as if we were in a trial. Let's just say that I need the gun to protect myself from certain people. To return to your question. She wanted to go shopping and I have only seen many people running from the supermarket. The next time I saw her, a man has helt her hostage. I saw his gun pointed at her when she walked again and I fired the same moment he did. I was further away from him than he was from your mother but they fell almost simultaneously. Then I went to help your mother."
"Why did you help my mother first and not him?"
"Your mother was the first one in my way," Jarod only said and went out of the room. He hadn't explained why he had been there the first place or why he was wearing a gun. He hadn't told them the whole story and he hadn't told Silvia that it had been Coleman who had tried to kill Mrs. Franklin and why he had done so. Silvia and Micky Patchett only stared after him.
"Don't you have work to do?" Silvia asked.
"I should be working, yes, but I've asked to be relieved of duty for a few days."
"You better go. Go and ask your boss if you can stay with us. I don't wanna be responsible if you lose your job."
"Alright. Do you need something to eat or to drink? Or something else?"
"Maybe some water. I don't need anything else." She hesitated then she whispered, "Micky, you're a wonderful friend," and hugged her childhood friend.
"You only want a bottle of water, are you sure?"
Silvia nodded and sat down on the chair beside her mother's bed. She took her hand and closed her eyes, trying to imagine that her mother was only sleeping.
Micky was standing in front of the window watching the whole scene. She adored Silvia for being so quiet and controlled. She turned a when she heard someone walking towards her. It was Jarod Partridge.
"I wanted to talk to you in private," Jarod said and Micky nodded. He had decided that it was best to tell someone, in this case Micky, another part of his story. He didn't tell her the part with the Centre or why he was here, trying to save Mrs. Franklin. Micky seemed to understand him and now it was up to her to tell Silvia what she thought important.
"But why are you telling me this? Why don't you go to the local newspaper or every news agency in the whole US and tell them the story? They would pay a lot of money for this and Mrs. Franklin would be a lot safer."
"I don't think that she would be safer. The news people would benefit from her death and the story would pay itself much better. I have to go now. It's up to you to do with the story whatever you please. If you feel it is necessary to include the press people it is your decision but please don't make me the hero of this story. There are some people who would like to see me dead as well and they would benefit from that."
"Are you a criminal, Dr. Partridge?"
"Why do you ask such a question?"
"You're wearing a gun and you've shot the man from quite a distance - as you said. Your bullet blew out his brains. Your aim's good."
"No, my aim's miserable. I wanted to shoot him in the arm to make him drop the weapon. And no, I'm not a criminal. Many people in America are wearing a gun, I'm only one of them. It is just a precaution. I do not want to use it but I wouldn't want to be caught without one in a dangerous situation. Do you understand what I mean? This time my gun might have saved Mrs. Franklin or the life of many other people who were standing there and staring - they might have been shot as well."
"You don't have to defend yourself. It is alright. I was just wondering. What do you want me to tell Silvia? I'm not sure if she's fit to hear the whole story."
"That's up to you. You're the psychologist. I have to go, I have left Carolyn in the cafeteria. She's waiting for me."
"Do you mind if I join you? I haven't seen her in a long time. Silvia and I used to be close friends when we were young girls."
"You know her? Maybe you can convince her to see her mother. Mrs. Franklin needs her but she's afraid to see her."
"Carolyn's afraid to see her mother? That doesn't sound like the Carolyn I used to know. Would you mind if I see her alone? Maybe some ladies-talk can make her go. By the way, don't you have work to do?"
"I do, but Mrs. Franklin is my only patient so far. I hope you can convince her. Tell Carolyn that I have work to do and can't pick her up later. Thank you, Dr. Patchett."
"It's a pleasure, Dr. Partridge."
Micky walked towards the cafeteria to see Carolyn and Jarod made his way to the archives where he wanted to find some files about the Franklin family and Dr. Patchett. Maybe they would help him find out more about the family affairs and he could find a way to help them all - if the files weren't restricted.
* * *
Silvia was deep in her thoughts and didn't hear Micky enter the room again. She jumped when Micky put her hand on her shoulder.
"You should go outside to get some fresh air. I'll stay with your mother. There's a restroom at the end of the hallway if you need one."
Silvia nodded thankfully and got up. She left the room and Micky sat down on the chair Silvia had occupied before. She took Olga's hand. She knew that hand. It was a hand that had comforted her when she had been a girl. It had comforted her when she had had trouble, when she had fallen off the horse or when she had hurt herself while playing with Silvia. This hand had been warm and soft and had helped her getting through hard times. Now this very hand was cold and lifeless.
She jumped. There had been a noise. She looked up and into those familiar hazel eyes that rested on her. Micky couldn't believe that she had woken up now that she had sent Silvia outside and somehow she felt guilty.
Mafia Connections Part 2
by Chris
Rated: PG-13
Silvia was standing in front of the window, staring at her mother. She was lying there, nearly lifeless, hooked to many instruments. She felt like a little child who had done something bad and she was afraid to open the door. She had only to push down the handle and step through the door. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see at a nurse. She was pushed through the door and was now standing beside her mother. Her little sister didn't want to come she was too afraid. Jarod had to persuade her to come with them into the building itself. She had agreed to go with Dr. Partridge to the pediatric section and Silvia was sure that he would persuade her to see her mother as well.
"She needs you now. I know you’re afraid to go in, it looks worse than it is. Please be quiet, but talk to her. I don’t know if she can hear you, but she can feel that someone’s with her. If you need me, just press the button over there," a nurse said who passed by.
"Thank you."
Silvia opened the door and went inside. She tried to be silent when pulling a chair up beside the bed. She took her mother's hand and a shiver ran down her spine when she found her mother's skin to be cold. Tears started running down her cheeks and she wasn't afraid to show them because they were tears of fear and desperation.
* * *
A woman passed by the woman of Olga's room and she stopped in mid-walk. The woman sitting next to the bed looked familiar to her and she thought that she also knew the patient. Slowly she opened the door and entered the room. She put one hand on Silvia's shoulder and mentioned her to be silent when she looked up.
"Micky? Is it really you?"
Micky nodded and put a finger onto her lips.
"You have to be quiet. How is she?"
Silvia wanted to answer but she started sobbing. Micky took her into her arms and rocked her gently. Silvia tried to calm down but she couldn't stop crying. She seemed to be in a world of her own. She didn't answer to Mickey's questions. She kept clutching her mother's hand and cried. Micky held her in a tight embrace trying hard not to cry herself. When Silvia had calmed down they left the room together walking towards the cafeteria.
When they looked out of the window they found that the weather had changed rapidly. It had started to rain and even though it was early in the afternoon it was nearly dark outside. They sat down at a table and Silvia held her coffee cup as if it would run away every minute.
"Can you answer me some questions??"
"Sure, whatever you wanna know?"
"What are you doing in a hospital?"
"You won't believe it but I have done what I wanted to do since primary school. I'm a child's psychologist and I'm working in this hospital."
"How is it possible that I've never seen you here before? Why didn't you say that you're back in LA? We were best friends when we were younger."
"I was afraid to call. When I heard that you - Silvia Franklin - had become a famous prosecution attorney it seemed to me that wanting to be friends with you again was something like -- like, I don't know how to say that."
"It's alright. We've met again and that's all that counts."
Micky smiled and Silvia turned towards the window.
"Do you know exactly what happened to my mother? I haven't had time to ask. There was a doctor at our house to tell us everything but my father suffered from a heart attack and we haven't had time to talk about it again."
I don't know but if you go back upstairs again I'll see what I can do to find out. I'll be there with that doctor as soon as I've found him."
Silvia nodded and took the cup with her. She sat down beside her mother's bed again. She hoped that Micky would find Dr. Partridge soon and that her sister would be with him. Minutes went by and Silvia started pacing the room. She switched on the lights and sat down again. Still nothing happened. Her mother didn't move and the machines kept beeping. She wanted to get up and walk around again when the door opened and Mickey entered the room. She smiled and stepped inside.
"I have found him. He will be with us soon. The girl who was with him - that wasn't Carolyn, was it?"
Silvia nodded.
"She has grown since I last saw her!"
"You haven't seen her in eleven years, I guess."
"I think you're right. Is it that long ago? When we were younger we said that we would stay in touch for the rest of our lives. So much for that."
"We've also promised to call each other at least once a week," Silvia said with a weak smile on her lips. "Do you know anything about my mother's condition?"
Micky only shook her head and sat down on the chair beside the bed. Silvia stood beside the window and looked into the rainy afternoon.
"We have to wait for Dr. Partridge. He knows everything."
"The one who was at our house?"
"Yes, he saw what happened to your mother. That man is a mystery to me. Suddenly he's at the hospital, working like everybody else but I haven't heard from him before, have never seen a picture but nevertheless he seems familiar. I don't know why he's working here. Dr. Miller said that he has saved your mother's life. He said that he was a medical doctor and now he's working here. No idea what happened behind the scenes."
* * *
Jarod had tried everything to convince Carolyn that her mother needed her right now and that she really should come with him but she had refused again and again. Finally he left her in the cafeteria and went upstairs. Dr. Patchett had told him more about Silvia than he could possibly have found out on his own. He had sworn to himself that he would take care of Silvia's problems as well and try to comfort her as well. He also wanted to see what he could do to make Dr. Patchett's burden lighter, she seemed to have problems as well.
The hospital building had more of the Centre than he liked to admit. It was not only the color of the outside walls, also the corridors looked vaguely familiar: High ceilings, many doors, many people. It was the same as back there: Nearly silent even though many people were walking around. But nevertheless he liked the place.
He forced a little smile onto his lips when he entered the room. Silvia turned towards him.
"Will she be alright?" Silvia asked before Jarod could utter a word.
"I hope she will."
"What about the baby?"
"They hope that the baby's alright. We will try to keep the pregnancy as normal as possible. The bullet hit her near the uterus and there were some complications while trying to get it out of there but the other doctors believe that everything will be alright."
"Why do you say 'the other doctors'?"
"I haven't been there when they have performed the operation. They have told me roughly what they have done and from that I can't judge whether everything will be alright or not. I can only hope so."
Micky looked at Jarod with her piercing brown eyes. Her brown curly hair framed her small face and Jarod couldn't help but stare at her. Distant memories came to his mind and somehow he felt reminded of Miss Parker once more. She didn't resemble her at all maybe it was the way she stared at him.
"I have to leave again," he said and turned towards the door.
"Dr. Partridge, before you leave, can you tell me exactly what happened to my mother?"
"I was watching only from far away so I can tell you only what I've seen from the distance."
"Rumor has it that you've shot the man."
"That's right," Jarod sighed.
"You're a doctor how come it that you're wearing a gun under your jacket?"
"We're in private now, you don't have to act as if we were in a trial. Let's just say that I need the gun to protect myself from certain people. To return to your question. She wanted to go shopping and I have only seen many people running from the supermarket. The next time I saw her, a man has helt her hostage. I saw his gun pointed at her when she walked again and I fired the same moment he did. I was further away from him than he was from your mother but they fell almost simultaneously. Then I went to help your mother."
"Why did you help my mother first and not him?"
"Your mother was the first one in my way," Jarod only said and went out of the room. He hadn't explained why he had been there the first place or why he was wearing a gun. He hadn't told them the whole story and he hadn't told Silvia that it had been Coleman who had tried to kill Mrs. Franklin and why he had done so. Silvia and Micky Patchett only stared after him.
"Don't you have work to do?" Silvia asked.
"I should be working, yes, but I've asked to be relieved of duty for a few days."
"You better go. Go and ask your boss if you can stay with us. I don't wanna be responsible if you lose your job."
"Alright. Do you need something to eat or to drink? Or something else?"
"Maybe some water. I don't need anything else." She hesitated then she whispered, "Micky, you're a wonderful friend," and hugged her childhood friend.
"You only want a bottle of water, are you sure?"
Silvia nodded and sat down on the chair beside her mother's bed. She took her hand and closed her eyes, trying to imagine that her mother was only sleeping.
Micky was standing in front of the window watching the whole scene. She adored Silvia for being so quiet and controlled. She turned a when she heard someone walking towards her. It was Jarod Partridge.
"I wanted to talk to you in private," Jarod said and Micky nodded. He had decided that it was best to tell someone, in this case Micky, another part of his story. He didn't tell her the part with the Centre or why he was here, trying to save Mrs. Franklin. Micky seemed to understand him and now it was up to her to tell Silvia what she thought important.
"But why are you telling me this? Why don't you go to the local newspaper or every news agency in the whole US and tell them the story? They would pay a lot of money for this and Mrs. Franklin would be a lot safer."
"I don't think that she would be safer. The news people would benefit from her death and the story would pay itself much better. I have to go now. It's up to you to do with the story whatever you please. If you feel it is necessary to include the press people it is your decision but please don't make me the hero of this story. There are some people who would like to see me dead as well and they would benefit from that."
"Are you a criminal, Dr. Partridge?"
"Why do you ask such a question?"
"You're wearing a gun and you've shot the man from quite a distance - as you said. Your bullet blew out his brains. Your aim's good."
"No, my aim's miserable. I wanted to shoot him in the arm to make him drop the weapon. And no, I'm not a criminal. Many people in America are wearing a gun, I'm only one of them. It is just a precaution. I do not want to use it but I wouldn't want to be caught without one in a dangerous situation. Do you understand what I mean? This time my gun might have saved Mrs. Franklin or the life of many other people who were standing there and staring - they might have been shot as well."
"You don't have to defend yourself. It is alright. I was just wondering. What do you want me to tell Silvia? I'm not sure if she's fit to hear the whole story."
"That's up to you. You're the psychologist. I have to go, I have left Carolyn in the cafeteria. She's waiting for me."
"Do you mind if I join you? I haven't seen her in a long time. Silvia and I used to be close friends when we were young girls."
"You know her? Maybe you can convince her to see her mother. Mrs. Franklin needs her but she's afraid to see her."
"Carolyn's afraid to see her mother? That doesn't sound like the Carolyn I used to know. Would you mind if I see her alone? Maybe some ladies-talk can make her go. By the way, don't you have work to do?"
"I do, but Mrs. Franklin is my only patient so far. I hope you can convince her. Tell Carolyn that I have work to do and can't pick her up later. Thank you, Dr. Patchett."
"It's a pleasure, Dr. Partridge."
Micky walked towards the cafeteria to see Carolyn and Jarod made his way to the archives where he wanted to find some files about the Franklin family and Dr. Patchett. Maybe they would help him find out more about the family affairs and he could find a way to help them all - if the files weren't restricted.
* * *
Silvia was deep in her thoughts and didn't hear Micky enter the room again. She jumped when Micky put her hand on her shoulder.
"You should go outside to get some fresh air. I'll stay with your mother. There's a restroom at the end of the hallway if you need one."
Silvia nodded thankfully and got up. She left the room and Micky sat down on the chair Silvia had occupied before. She took Olga's hand. She knew that hand. It was a hand that had comforted her when she had been a girl. It had comforted her when she had had trouble, when she had fallen off the horse or when she had hurt herself while playing with Silvia. This hand had been warm and soft and had helped her getting through hard times. Now this very hand was cold and lifeless.
She jumped. There had been a noise. She looked up and into those familiar hazel eyes that rested on her. Micky couldn't believe that she had woken up now that she had sent Silvia outside and somehow she felt guilty.
