Saving Molly - Chapter 4 (RTL prelude)

Well....... I warned you that chapter four was intense!  I decided that I needed to release it today instead of Christmas.  I hope you enjoy and have a great, wonderful, fantastic amazing Christmas! Love & Hugs to you all!


Chapter 4
James stood behind Karen lightly rubbing her shoulders.  She’d been sitting in the same chair for three days, holding the frail hand of the angel in the hospital bed.  The only exception to that was when she quickly changed into the clothes that he had had delivered from the nearest department store.  Not something they normally did probably, but under the circumstances and the amount of money he gave them, the store assured him that they were more than happy to oblige, and freely offered their services for anything the Nolands might need. 
Seeing his wife without a trace of makeup and her hair pulled up into a messy bun of sorts, she looked as young as she did the first day he’d laid eyes on her.  He only wished she didn’t have the dark purple smudges painted on the delicate skin under her eyes.  James had reserved two rooms at the nearest hotel for the four of them.  Luckily it was just across the parking lot and a road that he had yet to see a car drive down.  While George and Eileen sat all day, the two of them had been leaving when visitor hours were over. 
Karen however, refused to move.
She wouldn’t even go as far as the cafeteria to eat, and what he brought up for her, she barely touched.  Sitting on Molly’s left side, since her right hand was bandaged from surgery, Karen would softly stroke her leg, hold her left hand or sometimes James would even catch her laying her forehead on the bed with her arm draped around Molly’s waist.  As far as he knew, those were the only times he saw Karen shut her eyes.  He was worried about both of the girls in his life, so that meant he himself had only left the hospital long enough to shower in the barely used hotel room.
Every once in a while the machines running in and out of the young girl would sound off differently.  After spending as much time around them as they had, the four adults had quickly learned what alarms would have the nurses rushing in, and it was time to worry, or if it was something as simple as the IV fluids had run out.  The doctors had set them down the moment they arrived, along with George, Eileen, a lawyer and two local police officers, they had given the group a grim outlook, therefore when the nurses came running, it was nothing short of heart stopping.  
In all his life, James had never had something leave him so angry, scared as hell, reeling, pissed and upset as that conversation had left him.  They had been given the specifics of what George had found when he entered the West’s RV, as well as what the doctors found during their initial surgery.  Surgeons had gone ahead and pinned both her right wrist and left shoulder at the same time, but let them know that it was very possible Molly would be back in surgery again.  Scans had shown two broken ribs along with a punctured left lung and multiple contusions over her face, back, arms and collar bone.  She’d lost a fair amount of blood, although not a dangerous amount, and to top it off, they were very concerned about the extent of her internal injuries.
It was simple.  At that point—she either lived or died.   
There were no guarantees.  That afternoon the doctors had said it was touch and go, and the first twenty-four hours would give them an idea.  No one asked what they meant, the unspoken truth was better left unsaid.  She was just a young girl…an innocent young girl.  A girl their son’s age that had a life so drastically different from Brody’s that it nearly killed her—literally.
That meeting had been just over seventy-two hours prior.  James had kept track of every hour and every minute.  Each moment of time that she was still with them, gave them all more hope.  They just needed her to open her eyes.  Over and over they’d been reassured that the doctors weren’t worried about the coma…yet.  Another statement left hanging.  James knew what they weren’t saying, but he could feel the petite little thing was a fighter.  She might have been barely five foot at fourteen, and couldn’t have weighed more than seventy pounds soaking wet, but James felt it when he would caress her cheek or whisper softly to her—she was a fighter. 
The deep sleep was helping to heal her broken body, but God help them, they needed her to wake up.  They needed to tell her it was over, that she was safe from now on. 
They needed her to live.
A psychiatrist, two social workers and a physical therapist had all been by the room multiple times to check on her.  It seemed her story had spread through the hospital.  The professionals all agreed it was going to be a long, rough road of healing for Molly, both physically as well as mentally.  He and Karen had been given names and contact information for anybody and everybody the staff thought they might need in Pennsylvania once they got her home.  Eileen had shopped and brought back a couple of outfits that would be comfortable to travel in, shoes and a lightweight jacket she would need for the cooler Pennsylvania temperatures that Brody swore was what all the girls were wearing.  Everything was in place.  All they needed was for Molly to wake up so she could get dressed, sign the emancipation documents and start her life over. 
When James had returned from showering at the hotel early that morning, what he found nearly stole his breath.  Karen was alone in the room, sitting in the same chair as she’d been in day in and day out with tears streaming down her face.  Glancing at Molly, he saw that Karen was holding her cell phone to her ear.  Confused, he turned back to Karen.  Through the tears she mouthed one word.
“Brody.”
Given the least amount of information that would appease him, still had Brody growing up in ways they had never intended him to.  Compassion and empathy yes, every parent wants their child to possess those traits for others, but to learn firsthand the depth of how ugly the world could be was something they’d tried to keep him from.  From the first conversation they had with him once they were in Florida, Brody had referred to Molly as his sister.  James had been caught off-guard by the reference the first time, pausing during their phone conversation.  Their son continued on, supplying his answer without being prompted. 
James had let him know her mother was deceased, as well as one set of grandparents.  Her paternal grandparents didn’t believe their son would do the things Molly had told them about.  George had let James know that from the very first phone conversation they had had two years ago, and it still to this day made him sick.  Even more so at the moment. 
Brody’s answer…they were her family now. 
Simple, concise, black and white.  Easy.  Done.  She was theirs now and they would take care of her.  James didn’t tell his son that he and Karen had felt the same way after George came to them the first time with Molly’s situation asking for help, but it was the truth.
As much as George and Eileen had loved the little girl since she started racing and they got to know her, they didn’t have the means to step in.  George traveled with the circuit and like Karen, Eileen was also a teacher.  George knew Molly was going to make it to the top, he just couldn’t afford to get her there.  Combined they made good money, but James also knew how expensive racing got at the level Molly was at.  The costs would eat his friends alive and no one wanted to hold her back, especially when riding was all she had.  Even more so, Molly had confided in George one weekend at a race several months prior, that being on a bike was the only place she felt safe.  She knew her father couldn’t get to her then.  They also weren’t in the position to pay for the legal fees to step in and save her.  But George had known where to turn.
James squeezed Karen’s shoulder gently, then walked around the bed to Molly’s other side.  Leaning over her, he curled one arm around her head laying his cheek against her forehead.  Gently running his fingers through her hair he began to whisper to her like he had so many times already.  “Molly.  It’s me, James.  We love you baby girl, you’re safe now…we’ve got you.  It’s time to wake up sweetheart, we need you to open your eyes baby girl.” 
“Oh my God, James!”  Karen whispered, her eyes opened wide.  “She squeezed my hand.  Keep talking to her.”
“Baby girl, you hear us don’t you?  You’re safe, it’s okay, please wake up, honey.”
“She did it again, James.”  Karen looked from him to Molly’s hand in hers, the tears of joy pouring over her cheeks.  “James, she’s with us.  Don’t stop.”
George and Eileen walked in the hospital door to catch the last words from Karen.  “I’m going to get the nurse.”  Eileen said, hurrying back out of the open door.
George walked to Karen’s side of the bed and maneuvered himself in between the monitors and Karen’s chair.  “Sugar, how’s my favorite girl?  You can believe James, Molly.  We’ve got you now, you’ll be safe from now on.  I promise with all my heart.  Wake up, honey.  It’s me, George.”
The face that had been still and unmoving for far too long—twitched.  The three of them watched as she squeezed her eyes tight, her brow furrowed and it looked like she was trying to swallow.  The moment they’d been waiting for was here, her eyes fluttered, barely opened, and then shut again.  Her struggle to open them was heartbreaking to watch.  James and George both continued to whisper to her as the nurse came in.
“I’ve let Dr. Golden know she’s coming around.  He’s on his way up.” 
In the quietest voice James had ever heard, but the sweetest sound in all the world, Molly spoke.  It was more of a hoarse whisper on a dry throat, but it sounded like Heaven to everyone in the room.  “G…George?”
“I’m right here baby, and so is Eileen.  And I’ve got some people I want you to meet, they’re good, good friends of mine, Mol.  You’re safe now, honey.  Can you open your eyes for me?”She started to cough and the pain from her broken ribs washed over her face, wincing and gritting her teeth.  James saw Karen biting her lip to keep her own emotional pain hidden from the young girl.  Grunting between short breaths, Molly settled back against the pillow again with her eyes still closed.  
“Molly.  How’s my favorite patient today?”  The nurse walked straight to the IV pole beside the bed.  “We didn’t want you under so much medicine you kept sleeping silly girl, but I’m going to give you something now that will make you feel better.” 
Her chipper voice could have been annoying, but James knew it was for Molly’s benefit alone.  Her normal speaking voice hadn’t been nearly that high-pitched, it was as if she was almost talking to Molly like she was a two year old.  “Just give that a couple of minutes and it’ll kick in and you’ll feel much better, I promise sweetie.”
“Thanks Donna.”  Karen smiled.
Slowly, Molly’s face relaxed.  After another long minute, her eyes parted, fluttering open, not even half way, but enough for them all to know they had turned a corner.  The deep sapphire blue was a shocking comparison to pale skin of her face. 
Softly James spoke again.  “Hi baby girl, we’re all here.  You’re gonna be just fine now…just fine.”  The corner of her mouth twitched.  Almost unnoticeable, but James saw it.  Then her eyes drifted closed once again.  Karen smiled through her tears at him.
“She squeezed my hand again, James.”  Lowering her lips to Molly’s hand that she wasn’t letting go of, she kissed the soft skin.  “We all love you so much, sweetheart.”
For the first time in days, James let out a deep breath.