Chapter 38

Patrick left the hospital room to give Gabby some time alone with Olivia. She’d just gotten into Chicago this morning and he knew that Gabrielle was going to need to talk to her. He got onto the elevator and took it down to the first floor before walking outside and pulling out his phone. He’d been granted time off from practice today and tomorrow at least to stay with Gabrielle while she was in the hospital. He’d promised to give an update and he left a message on Tazer’s phone.

It was cold outside so he made his way back inside and went to the cafeteria. He wasn’t hungry, but he grabbed a coffee and sat down to drink it before he’d start to make his way back to Gabrielle’s room. It had been hard for him to see her lying in bed looking the way she did. That bastard Vince had done this to her a second time. He wanted to kill him. However, he knew that he needed to leave this to the police. If Quentin was telling the truth, Vince wasn’t going to be getting out of jail when they caught him and sent him back.

There was however, some people that he could blame. He had half a mind to go to St. Louis right now and knock on their door to tell them exactly what he thought of them. He knew he couldn’t, but it didn’t stop him from wishing. He just couldn’t imagine cutting your child out of your life to the point that you hide something that could potentially end in their death. Then again, he supposed they had already killed her once already.

He finished his coffee and made his way back upstairs to Gabby’s room. If her and Olivia were still talking, then he’d just wait in the lounge that was provided on the floor until they were done. When he reached the door he saw that there were more people than just Olivia in the room. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Paige, Isaiah, Gia, and Nathan.

“And see, I got a B on my English essay,” he heard Nathan announce as he handed something over to Gabrielle.

“That’s great Nathan. I’m glad your grades are going up in that class, but are you enjoying reading any of the books you’ve been writing about?” she asked him.

“We’re reading Heart of Darkness right now, and I actually really like it,” he told her. She smiled at him.

“Heart of Darkness is a great book. I’m not surprised that you like it. And what have you been up to?” Gabby asked, turning to Gia.

“I think I’ve got most of my portfolio done for college applications,” Gia said. Gabrielle’s smile grew when she heard that.

“Any chance you have it with you and I can look at it?” Gia beamed at Gabby’s interest and produced the portfolio from a bag she was carrying.

Gabby started to flip through the pages, offering up encouragement and praise as she went. It was amazing to him. Gabby had just nearly died, she was stuck in bed in a hospital, and she was still finding ways to be there for her kids. He just didn’t know anyone else that would do something like that.

The sight in front of him spoke volumes. He knew if she had the choice she wouldn’t want the kids to see her like this in the hospital, yet she cared enough to swallow her own pride so they could come and see her. It was also telling that teenagers were even making time to go to the hospital to visit her. She obviously meant a lot to them too.

He didn’t really need to see this scene to know that. The fact that her room was filled to the brim with stuffed animals, cards, and bouquets of flowers from his teammates and their families, faculty from the school, and even parents of students who had come to see her showed him how much she was loved. It made him even angrier at her family.

“I have some stuff to do today. Are you going to be okay without me here until tonight?” Patrick asked her early the next morning. She gave him a look that told him his concern was unnecessary.

“I have Paige and Olivia to stay with me, along with all the hospital staff, and the rotating cast of police at my door,” she assured him.

“Okay, I’ll be back tonight.”

He turned and walked out of her room and then the hospital. He got into his car and drove straight to the airport. Gabrielle would kill him if she knew what he was doing today, but he had to do it. He couldn’t just sit by and let her be treated the way she had been. He checked in, went through security, and then waited at the gate for the plane to St. Louis to board.

He’d practically begged Quentin for Gabby’s parents’ address. He’d finally caved and found it for him. Patrick had immediately booked a flight with the information in hand. The flight was only about an hour, so he had plenty of time to get to St. Louis, talk to her family, and then fly home in one day.

The plane touched down and he headed straight for the line of taxis. He rattled off the Tunney’s address and went over what he wanted to say in his head for the billionth time. It was all he’d been able to think about since yesterday afternoon. He was dropped off at an enormous estate. Gabby wasn’t kidding when she said she came from money. He walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. It was answered by a housekeeper.

“Hi, I was wondering if Mr. and Mrs. Tunney were at home,” he told her.

“Can I ask who’s calling?” the women questioned him with a wary eye.

“My name is Patrick Sharp. I’m a friend of their daughter’s.”

At the mention of a relationship to one of their children, he was ushered inside and led into a room that probably was only used as a formal sitting area to entertain guests. He almost felt like he should be taking his shoes off and not sitting on the furniture. The housekeeper told him the Tunney’s would be with him shortly before she left him alone in the room.

He took the opportunity to look around him. There were many pictures along the mantle of a fireplace in the room. Most looked like pictures of Gabrielle’s sisters. Not a single one held Gabby’s image. He clenched his jaw and had to force himself to calm down. It was then that he heard footsteps coming into the room.

“Mr. Sharp, I’m Sam and this is my wife Vanessa,” Gabrielle’s father introduced them as he walked in. Patrick shook both of their hands and forced a smile onto his face.

“Please, call me Patrick.”

“Okay, Patrick. Please, have a seat,” Sam said, gesturing to the chair behind him.

Patrick obliged and sat down opposite the Tunneys. He got the impression just looking at them, that Gabrielle’s father took control and her mother simply stood there smiling in silent support of her husband. She seemed more a trophy than a spouse.

“Thank you for inviting me into your home despite never having met me before.” Patrick figured it was best to start off on the right foot so he’d be able to say all he planned on saying before he was asked to leave.

“That’s not a problem. Can we get you anything? A drink perhaps?” Vanessa asked, speaking up for the first time. Patrick assumed that it was her job to offer the comforts a guest might want.

“No, thank you.” Before the conversation could continue, a white blur sped into the room.

“I finished my spelling. Can I please go and paint now?” a little girl asked.

Patrick was taken aback by the sight of the young girl. It didn’t take a genius to know that he was looking at Quinn. She was the spitting image of Gabrielle. They had the same hair color, the same eyes, nose, and mouth. Even the little giggle she emitted after asking was identical to a laugh he’d heard come out of Gabrielle. And she liked to paint.

“Quinn, honey, we have company,” Sam prodded. Quinn turned her eyes to Patrick and gave him a polite smile. “This is Mr. Sharp.”

“Hello, Mr. Sharp,” she greeted him. It seemed too formal. She seemed too formal.

“Hello, Quinn.” She then turned her eager attention back to her grandparents.

“Why don’t you go on up and change into your art clothes. I’ll come up when I’m done down here to get your supplies,” Vanessa told Quinn. She let out a little squeal of delight before turning and bolting from the room.

“That was our granddaughter, Quinn,” Sam announced.

“She’s beautiful,” Patrick responded truthfully. Part of his heart ached knowing that he’d seen and spoken to Quinn when Gabrielle hadn’t since she’d left 10 years ago.

“So did you say that you knew Rachel or Bailey?” Sam asked. Here we go, Patrick thought.

“Actually, I know Gabrielle,” he replied. He watched as the smiles faded off of both of their faces. He knew he’d caught them completely offguard, and he felt a little satisfaction in that.

“We haven’t spoken to Gabrielle in 10 years now,” Sam told him, his expression dark.

“I know that. Gabby told me all about her past,” Patrick responded.

“So what can we do for you?” Sam questioned. Just get it out, before they have a chance to kick you out, Patrick told himself.

“I just thought that despite not speaking to her, and going so far as to kill her in a false obituary that you would want to know that she’s in the hospital. She almost died the other day, for real this time.” He could see that his little shot had gotten to both of them. His anger threatened to boil over, and he had to struggle to keep it under control.

“What happened?” Vanessa asked, a hint of a tremor in her voice. Based on that tremor, and the look on her face when he’d announced why he was here, he thought maybe Vanessa and Sam weren’t on the same page when it came to Gabby.

“Do you remember the name Vince Dodds?” Patrick asked. Vanessa let out a small gasp at the sound of his voice. “It seems that he was released from prison and despite being told she’d be notified, no one ever told Gabby. He found her, and raped and beat her, almost killing her in the process.”

“We’re very sorry to hear that. Thank you for letting us know,” Sam said.

Patrick understood a dismissal when he heard one. He got up from his seat and made a move to leave the room, and Gabrielle’s parents behind. When he reached the entryway to the room he paused and turned back. He wasn’t done, even if they didn’t want to hear it.

“She’s not the same person you kicked out 10 years ago. She got clean, went to school, and got a degree. She’s a school psychologist helping students in any way she can. She cares more about those kids than herself. She’s sweet, kind, funny, loving, and remorseful. Everyone who meets her loves her. She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met. It’s up to you what you do with this information. I just wanted you to know that she’s made amends. Have you?”

He didn’t wait to hear or see a reaction if there was any. Instead he headed for the front door and let himself out. He called another taxi and met it at the end of the street. The taxi dropped him off at the airport where he waited until he could board a plane back to Chicago. Once back he drove straight to the hospital and walked into Gabrielle’s room, feeling so much lighter than when he had left.

“Did you get everything done?” she asked him. He smiled before bending down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Yeah, I did.”