told you already this was an accident.
You are not to blame for what happened. Imagine if your sister
hadn’t pushed you out of the way. Imagine how your mother and I
would feel if both of our precious children were in the hospital.
You are not at fault son. Your grandfather told me the car left the
scene, and he was unable to see the license plate. Did you see
anything?”
“No, Dad. I was still on the ground
when the car took off. I hope the bastard rots in hell.”
Adam agreed with his son.
Gail was awake and watching television
when Adam and Lydia walked into her room. Her face lit up when they
sat next to her on the bed. Adam reached out to hold her hand. “How
is my munchkin feeling today? How’s the pain in your
leg?”
“It doesn’t hurt too much as long as
they keep pumping whatever it is into this IV. Did Dr. David say
when I can go home?”
“Why don’t I leave you
alone with mommy for a few minutes and I’ll ask him.” Adam reached
over to the foot of the bed and grabbed her patient chart. He
quickly scanned her vitals, which all looked good. Her cognitive
responses were normal , and there were no signs
of a severe concussion. “Well, from what I can see, all of
your vitals look normal, which I find hard to believe because we all know you are far from normal.”
Gail laughed as she held a pillow
against her chest. “Don’t make me laugh Daddy, you know my ribs
hurt!”
Adam patted her good leg.
“Sorry sweetheart, I couldn’t help myself. Sit tight, and I’ll be
back in a few minutes.”
As soon as Adam left the room, Gail
sagged against the pillow. Her eyes grew moist with tears. “It
hurts Mom, knowing he is not my real father. How am I supposed to
live with the truth that I was an accident? Why did Uncle John do
this to you? I hate him!”
Taken aback by her
questions, Lydia swore to herself that she would put the past
behind her, and focus on the health and happiness of her daughter.
“I have been asking myself that same question for the past few
days. For me, this just happened. The drug took away the memory. On
some level, I have been trying to remember. Nightmares plagued me
for years, and it was always the same dream. It wasn’t until I knew
the truth that the dream became apparent .”
When Adam was unable to
speak to David because he was in a meeting, he returned to his
daughter’s room and stood by the door, giving Lydia time alone
to talk with Gail. Her words stabbed his heart.
“I don’t know why he did
this to me. We were friends for a long time before I married Daddy.
You heard what he said yesterday, however; his explanation does
nothing to resolve the anger I feel towards him. He took something
precious from me, Gail. I looked forward to our first night as
husband and wife. It meant something to me knowing that Adam would
be the only man to touch my body.”
Lydia took hold of Gail’s
hand. “I want you to look at me honey, and I want you to
remember what I am about to say. Will you do this for me, Gail?”
“Yes, Mom, I will.”
“I remember the look on
your father’s face when the doctor placed you in his arms for the
very first time. You were so tiny and fragile. Adam was afraid to
hold you and tried to give you back to the doctor.” Lydia
laughed at the memory. “Every night he sat in your nursery and
watched you while you slept. He was still completing his
residency, and he never complained about being tired. He ran home
after a long day and walked around the house with your tiny body
cradled against his chest. He refused to put you down.”
“Honey, the definition of
‘father’ means many different things. For Adam, it means loving
your child so completely; you would give your life to protect this
precious life. Your dad loves you with every fiber of his
being. Who sat with you when you were sick? Who took you to the
park, the zoo, and all of the other places you dragged him to every
weekend? Who cried when you started first grade? Who sat
You are not to blame for what happened. Imagine if your sister
hadn’t pushed you out of the way. Imagine how your mother and I
would feel if both of our precious children were in the hospital.
You are not at fault son. Your grandfather told me the car left the
scene, and he was unable to see the license plate. Did you see
anything?”
“No, Dad. I was still on the ground
when the car took off. I hope the bastard rots in hell.”
Adam agreed with his son.
Gail was awake and watching television
when Adam and Lydia walked into her room. Her face lit up when they
sat next to her on the bed. Adam reached out to hold her hand. “How
is my munchkin feeling today? How’s the pain in your
leg?”
“It doesn’t hurt too much as long as
they keep pumping whatever it is into this IV. Did Dr. David say
when I can go home?”
“Why don’t I leave you
alone with mommy for a few minutes and I’ll ask him.” Adam reached
over to the foot of the bed and grabbed her patient chart. He
quickly scanned her vitals, which all looked good. Her cognitive
responses were normal , and there were no signs
of a severe concussion. “Well, from what I can see, all of
your vitals look normal, which I find hard to believe because we all know you are far from normal.”
Gail laughed as she held a pillow
against her chest. “Don’t make me laugh Daddy, you know my ribs
hurt!”
Adam patted her good leg.
“Sorry sweetheart, I couldn’t help myself. Sit tight, and I’ll be
back in a few minutes.”
As soon as Adam left the room, Gail
sagged against the pillow. Her eyes grew moist with tears. “It
hurts Mom, knowing he is not my real father. How am I supposed to
live with the truth that I was an accident? Why did Uncle John do
this to you? I hate him!”
Taken aback by her
questions, Lydia swore to herself that she would put the past
behind her, and focus on the health and happiness of her daughter.
“I have been asking myself that same question for the past few
days. For me, this just happened. The drug took away the memory. On
some level, I have been trying to remember. Nightmares plagued me
for years, and it was always the same dream. It wasn’t until I knew
the truth that the dream became apparent .”
When Adam was unable to
speak to David because he was in a meeting, he returned to his
daughter’s room and stood by the door, giving Lydia time alone
to talk with Gail. Her words stabbed his heart.
“I don’t know why he did
this to me. We were friends for a long time before I married Daddy.
You heard what he said yesterday, however; his explanation does
nothing to resolve the anger I feel towards him. He took something
precious from me, Gail. I looked forward to our first night as
husband and wife. It meant something to me knowing that Adam would
be the only man to touch my body.”
Lydia took hold of Gail’s
hand. “I want you to look at me honey, and I want you to
remember what I am about to say. Will you do this for me, Gail?”
“Yes, Mom, I will.”
“I remember the look on
your father’s face when the doctor placed you in his arms for the
very first time. You were so tiny and fragile. Adam was afraid to
hold you and tried to give you back to the doctor.” Lydia
laughed at the memory. “Every night he sat in your nursery and
watched you while you slept. He was still completing his
residency, and he never complained about being tired. He ran home
after a long day and walked around the house with your tiny body
cradled against his chest. He refused to put you down.”
“Honey, the definition of
‘father’ means many different things. For Adam, it means loving
your child so completely; you would give your life to protect this
precious life. Your dad loves you with every fiber of his
being. Who sat with you when you were sick? Who took you to the
park, the zoo, and all of the other places you dragged him to every
weekend? Who cried when you started first grade? Who sat
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