Chapter 34

 

Megan was sitting in bed, propped up against the pillows.  “Hey there,”  I greeted her, smiling.

 

“Hi,” she said, returning my smile.  “Hey, where are my parents?  What’s taking so long?”

 

“Well, Megan,” I started, sitting in the chair pulled up next to her bed.  “They’re up in my office right now.  But there’s someone else here to see you.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Megan, have you ever wondered about your real parents?” I asked.

 

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with wonderment.  “Sure I have,” she whispered.  “Why?”

 

“Your mother is here,” I said, my voice catching.

 

Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened with surprised.  “Right now?  My real mother?!”

 

I nodded.  “You see, she’s one of my good friends.  She thought she lost you when you were just a little girl.  I was the one who figured out who you were and called her.  She’s here now, and she’s dying to see you.”

 

“She wants to see me?” Megan asked.  “I always thought my parents had abandoned me.”

 

I shook my head.  “Your dad has never been in your life, but your mother was.  She loved you so much, and she still does.  She never abandoned you.”

 

“Then what happened to me?” Megan asked.

”That’s a long story,” I said.  “Your mother can tell you that one.”

 

Megan nodded.  “Can you bring her in now?” she asked.

 

“Sure,” I said, flashing her a smile.

 

“Wait,” she said suddenly.  “What’s her name?”

 

“Samantha Peter,” I said.  “But everyone calls her Sammy.”

 

“Sammy,” Megan murmured. 

 

“Are you ready?”  I asked.

 

She nodded, grinning.   I grinned back and headed out into the hall.

 

***

 

Sammy was anxiously waiting for me.  “Is she ready?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.

 

I nodded.  “Go on in.  I’ll wait out here.  And good luck.”

 

“Thanks, Julie,” Sammy said, grinning.   She gave me a quick hug, and then she slowly walked into the room.

 

***

 

“Mom?” Megan asked, as Sammy walked in.

 

“Megan,” Sammy murmured, her eyes growing bright with tears, as she stepped up to admire her daughter.  She perched on the edge of the bed.   Megan sat up further and shyly held out her arms.  Sammy’s tears spilled over as she wrapped her arms around her daughter and rocked her back and forth. 

 

When they pulled back, Megan was crying as well.  “I don’t even remember you, Mom,” she said, “but I missed you.”

 

“I missed you too, baby,” Sammy said, hugging Megan to her again.  “I love you so much.”

 

“What happened to me, Mom?” Megan asked, as they pulled away once again.

 

“Well, sweetie, that’s a long story,” Sammy said, sighing.  Then she began to tell the story of what had happened those ten long years ago.

 

***

 

At the end of the day, I returned home exhausted, but happy.  Sammy was with me.  Megan was not.  She had gone home with Amy and Doug.  Sammy was going to stay two more days, long enough to let Megan have some time with Amy and Doug and get packed, and then she and Megan were flying back to Florida. 

 

“Hey, baby,” Josh said, when I entered the living room.  He was sitting in the recliner. 

 

“Hi, sweetie,” I said, walking over to him and kissing his cheek.  Sammy came in behind me.

 

“Sammy?” Josh asked incredulously.  “What are you doing here?”

 

“That’s a long story,” Sammy said, with a slight giggle.  She took a seat, and we began to tell Josh of all that had happened that day.

 

***

 

Awhile later, Josh and Sammy had both gone to bed.  I was tired too, but I wanted to check my email before I went to bed.  I got on the internet and got into my mail account.  I logged onto Instant Messenger too, just to see if anyone was on.  Heidi’s screen name popped up on my list.  I smiled and IM’d her right away.  I hadn’t talked to her for awhile, so it was nice to see her on. 

 

DocJBenton85: Hey! J

 

No one replied.  I sat there, impatiently waiting for her to IM me back.  Finally, she did.

 

HokieChick03: hey

 

DocJBenton85: how ya doin?

 

HokieChick03: crappy

 

I sighed.  Heidi had not been the same since Sonny’s death.  Not that I blamed her, but still, I was worried about her.  She always sounded depressed when I talked to her lately.

 

DocJBenton85: I’m sorry L

 

HokieChick03: You have nothing to be sorry for

 

I sighed, not knowing what to say to that.  I minimized the IM screen and pulled up my inbox.  I was reading an email when the IM beeped, signaling that Heidi had said something.  I pulled up the IM screen again, not prepared for what I would see.

 

HokieChick03: I don’t think I can do this anymore.

 

My eyes widened.

 

DocJBenton85: What do you mean??

 

DocJBenton85: Do what??

 

HokieChick03: live

 

I gasped.  She couldn’t be serious!  But I knew she must be.  Heidi wouldn’t pull a prank like this.

 

DocJBenton85: Heidi, don’t say that!!

 

She didn’t answer.

 

DocJBenton85: Look, I know it’s hard without Sonny, but you’ll get through it.  It will get easier over time.

 

HokieChick03: how would you know?  You’ve never been through it!

 

I didn’t know what to say.  She was right.  Her husband was dead, but mine was still alive.  I didn’t really know what she was going through.  I could only imagine it.

 

HokieChick03: Julie, I can’t take this pain anymore. 

 

HokieChick03: I’m holding a whole bottle of my seizure meds, and I have more pills if I need them.

 

I began to tremble with fear.

 

DocJBenton85: Heidi, NO!!

 

DocJBenton85: take a deep breath and relax.  You don’t really want to do this.

 

HokieChick03: yeah I do

 

HokieChick03: goodbye, Julie

 

I gasped and began to sob.

 

DocJBenton85: Heidi, damn it, don’t do this!  How could you put me in a position like this?!?!

 

DocJBenton85: Are you trying to reenact “You Go, I Go” or something??

 

(AN: If you haven’t read “You Go, I Go” before, click here to read it when you’re done with this chapter.  It’s a GREAT story!!)

 

She wasn’t answering, and I was getting worried.  Could she have already taken the pills?  I decided to make one last attempt to stop her.

 

DocJBenton85: Fine then.  You go, I go

 

HokieChick03: Julie, stop it!

 

I sighed, hoping it had worked.

 

DocJBenton85: Seriously, Heidi, I mean it.  You’re one of my best friends.  If you killed yourself, I would too. 

 

DocJBenton85: Josh has a bunch of pain meds here.  I’ll take them all if you take your pills

 

HokieChick03: Don’t say that!  You don’t have a reason to die! 

 

DocJBenton85: Neither do you!  I know you love Sonny, but if you care anything about me or the rest of us, you’d live, for us!

 

There was a pause.

 

HokieChick03: fine

 

DocJBenton85: What’s that supposed to mean? 

 

HokieChick03: I won’t take them

 

I sighed with relief, praying she meant what she said.

 

DocJBenton85: promise?

 

HokieChick03: promise

 

DocJBenton85: good *hug*

 

HokieChick03: *hug*

 

DocJBenton85: God, Heidi, you scared me shitless, you know that?

 

HokieChick03: I’m sorry, Jules

 

HokieChick03: would you really have taken those pills if I had??

 

DocJBenton85: of course I would have!

 

Of course, I really wouldn’t have.  That would have been idiotic.  But it had scared her out of taking those pills, and that was all that mattered.

 

HokieChick03: well, I gtg now.  I’m going to go to bed.

 

DocJBenton85: okay…

 

DocJBenton85: but if you ever need to talk to me, please call.  Don’t even consider taking your own life.  I know this is rough, but we’re all going to help you through it, ok?

 

HokieChick03: ok, Jules.  Thanks *hug*

 

DocJBenton85: welcome *hug*

 

DocJBenton85: goodnight

 

HokieChick03: night

 

I waited until her screen name disappeared from my buddy list, and then I got off the internet.  I was still shaky from the experience I had just gone through.  I just kept praying that Heidi was going to be okay.

 

***

 

 

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