* * * * *

Glen was awake again. The nurse had come in to put a fresh ice pack on his knee. He closed his eyes as the dull throbbing began again. “Clay, where’s mom?” Clay woke up at the sound of his brother’s voice. He couldn’t believe that he had dozed off with everything that was happening. He rubbed his stinging eyes, trying wake up completely. Glen opened his eyes and looked at his brother, Clay looked exhausted, “Hey, Clay if you need to go home its okay, you have to sleep sometime. I’ll be okay.” Clay smiled at his brother, “I’m okay, look I’ll stay until dad gets back and then I’ll go home for a little while, ok?” Clay’s phone started ringing making them both jump, Glen laughed. Clay looked at the phone and saw it was Aiden. “Glen, look I’m going to take this in the hallway, I’ll be right back.” Glen looked at his brother smiling mischievously, “Hey man, its not like I’ve never heard you talking dirty with Chelsea before.”

* * * * *

Arthur held his daughter tightly. He never wanted to let her go again. He could feel Spencer’s body shaking as she sobbed, “Dad I’m so sorry”. Arthur pulled Spencer back looking into her eyes, “Spence, stop!. None of this is your fault. Your mother made the decision to go to Ashley’s house. She made the decision to hurt Ashley’s mom and she made the decision to try and hurt Ashley. I made the decision to try and stop your mother. None of this, I repeat none of this is your fault!” Spencer tried to listen to her father, but one thought keep echoing in her mind, “Dad, none of this would have happened if I hadn’t gone to Ashley’s house last night!” Arthur looked down at his daughter, his eyes brimming with tears.

* * * * *

“Aiden, what did you find out?” Aiden tried to think of a way to break the news gently to Clay, “Hey, look man, um…I found out what happened.” Aiden took a deep breath, ”I don’t know how to tell you this, but apparently your dad went berserk or something and he hurt your mom, Ashley’s mom and Ashley. It’s pretty bad, they were all rushed to your mom’s hospital.” Clay felt his mouth open in surprise, “What? There must be some kind of mistake! Dad could never hurt anyone…” Aiden interrupted, “Clay I asked the officer at least five times and he said the guy who did it was named Arthur Carlin.  Clay, your dad’s been arrested, he’s in jail now.”  Clay was speechless, this did not make any sense; he had to know for sure. “Aiden, hold on for just a minute.” Clay ran over to the nurse’s station, “Excuse me ma’am, can you tell me if Paula Carlin has been brought into the hospital?” The nurse looked confused, “There’s a Dr. Paula Carlin who works here?”

“I know, I’m her son, but I have reason to believe that she was brought here as a patient. Can you tell me if she’s here?” The nurse checked the hospital’s admittance log, “Yes”, the nurse replied, shocked, “She is here! The log says that she was taken into surgery about an hour and a half ago.” Clay’s hand was shaking as he brought the cell phone back up to his ear, “Oh my God! Aiden, she’s here, my mom is here!”