Damaged Souls (Broken Man) - By Christopher Scott Page 0,29
to be fine,” Jack reassured her as he sat down and took her hand. “But look at me Susan, I need you to focus. We need to get to the hospital, and I need you to come with me. Do you understand.”
“Lets go,” Susan replied as she stood up and Jack realized his message had finally gotten through to her.
* * *
“I think he is going to be okay,” Jack provided Amanda relief when she finally heard back from him at four AM.
“What did the doctor say.”
“He has a concussion and a pretty serious laceration, but thank God, no skull fracture.”
“Have you talked to him.”
“Just for a minute. He is a little foggy and they have him on medication, but I think he knew I was there.”
Amanda became emotional as she thought of what could have happened. “Thank God, Jack. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him.”
“He’s very lucky. The doctors said it could have been much worse. They are going to keep him over night for observation.”
“I’m glad, let’s not take any chances,” Amanda replied as she started to plan Greg’s recovery. “How is his mother.”
“She’s okay, we can talk about her later. Is Delaney still sleeping.”
“Yes she is. She doesn’t know anything yet.”
“Delaney doesn’t need to know yet, we will talk to her in the morning.”
“When will you be home,” Amanda asked and hoped it would be soon.
“I’m going to stay here for a couple more hours, but I’ll be home before Delaney wakes up. Thanks for keeping your eye on her.”
“Of course,” she answered but suddenly felt insecure. “Jack, are we going to be okay.”
“We are all going to be fine,” he replied but for once Amanda didn’t believe him. “Please don’t worry, we will get through this.”
“I know we will Jack,” she started to feel a little better. “Look after him for me. Everything is under control here, do what you need to do. I love you.”
“I love you too, Amanda. I’ve got to go.”
* * *
Jack hung up his phone and breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he turned to walk back to Greg’s room. “Have I forgotten anything,” he whispered to himself as he went over his mental checklist and thought back over the night.
I’ve done all I can do for now, Jack realized as he entered Greg’s room. Too bad I didn’t do more earlier, he again blamed himself for what had happened. I failed Delaney. I failed Greg. I failed my entire family.
How did I let this happen, Jack asked himself as he looked at Greg sleeping. At least he was there for her, there to do what I failed to do.
He paid a heavy price, Jack felt himself getting choked up as he surveyed the damage.
Jack barely recognized him. They had shaved his head in order to stitch up his wound, and his face was swollen almost beyond recognition. Thank God he’s still breathing, he was thankful as he watched Greg breathe peacefully.
I let him down, Jack realized as he caught a glance of Greg’s mother passed out in the chair next to the bed. Because of some kind of stupid man code they had always maintained between then, never able to show any weakness, never able to show any vulnerability, never able to say what they were feeling. I’ve set a poor example, Jack kicked himself for not allowing Greg to talk about his problems at home and for letting him live in that terrible environment. I should have listened more closely, I should have helped.
I knew exactly what he was going through, growing up without a father and a mother who had basically checked out. I could have at least been there to talk to him about it, to let him know that he wasn’t alone in what he was feeling, in what he was going through. But, I chose to ignore the problem and hope that somehow it would magically disappear.
And I’ve done the same thing with Delaney. I thought I was helping her with my laissez faire father routine, but that’s not what she needed. She needed me to watch over her, she needed me to protect her, but I didn’t do any of those things. No, I failed her. I allowed her to leave the house with that animal. I sent her out with those wolves.
I knew what Mitch was, the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree. Why would I suddenly think it might, why would I