Chapter 20

Frankie jumped from Michael’s car before he came to a complete stop in the Emergency Room parking lot and ran toward the hospital.

“Frankie, wait!”

She ignored Michael’s call and ran to the building. The large glass doors made a whoosh as they slid open upon her approach, allowing her entrance into the hospital. A blast of warm air assaulted her senses, blowing hair from her tear-streaked face. The smell of disinfectant tingled her nose and made her eyes burn.

“My Mother, Rachel Montgomery, was life-flighted here from Holly Springs a few minutes ago. She was in a car accident. Can I see her?” Frankie wrung her hands together and bounced on her heels.

A plump nurse shuffled to the reception desk and pecked on a keyboard but did not acknowledge Frankie’s request. Reading glasses were perched on the tip of her nose, and her hair was in a severe bun with an ink pen stuck in it. Her nametag read “Glinda,” with no last name. She didn’t look like the Good Witch of the North to Frankie.

“Excuse me?” Frankie tapped on the glass partition. “Can I see my mom?”

Glinda looked down her nose at Frankie and peered over her readers, “She is in triage. Have a seat in the waiting room, and someone will call you once she has been evaluated.”

“How long will that take?”

“Just have a seat, Miss.” Glinda said in a nasal voice, “Someone will be with you as soon as they can.”

Frankie plopped her butt in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the ER waiting room, drew her knees to her chest, and lifted a silent prayer Heavenward for her mom. Tears slid down her cheeks as the remorse of the horrible treatment she had directed toward her mother these past few months settled in her heart. She had been a spoiled brat.

“What did they say at the desk?” Michael sat beside Frankie, “Did they have any news on her condition?”

“No, they told me someone would be out once she was evaluated.”

“I am so sorry, Frankie.”

“How did you know what happened?”

“I was on the phone with her when the accident occurred” Michael hung his head as he spoke, “She was upset and crying when….”

“It was bad?” Frankie’s heart was in her throat, and she found it hard to speak.

“Let’s just wait and see what the doctors say. Okay?”

Frankie retrieved her phone and sent texts to Steve and Faith, giving them the Cliffnotes version of what she knew and asking them to pray for her mom. It was all so surreal.

She was in a hospital, sitting beside her dad. It was all so surreal. After hating the thought of him being her father and taking it out on her mother, she wanted his comfort and support at that moment.

She pushed the idea aside and slumped in her chair. Pastor Chris’s words and advice on forgiveness flooded her brain. “Jesus flat-out states that if we forgive others, God will also forgive us. And conversely, if we refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive us. When we refuse to forgive others, we believe we’re better, or more deserving of God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness than the other person.” Frankie knew in her heart that her Youth Pastor’s words were valid, which made her unforgiveness toward her mom even worse. “Many refuse to forgive the injustices of the past, even when they’re not directly connected to the injustice itself. Instead, many would much rather allow the stain of the past to remain and poison the present.” She sighed deeply and wiped the newest batch of tears from her cheek.

“Mr. Winters?” Frankie turned to her father, ready to confess all to him, even the part where she had forged his signature, and beg his forgiveness. She prayed she would also be able to ask her mom’s forgiveness.

“Michael.”

“Okay, Michael,” she cleared her throat and pulled the test results out of her back pocket, “There is something I need to tell you.”

“Frankie!” Steve burst into the Emergency Room waiting room and ran to her side. “How/s your mom? Have you heard anything?”

“Steve! I didn’t expect you to drive all the way over here,” she quickly shoved the paperwork into her pocket again. Thankful he was there.

“Of course, I came. Faith is on her way too.”

“I haven’t heard a word since we’ve been here,” she gestured toward Michael. “It’s been about an hour, I guess.”

“No news is good news, right?” Steve kissed her forehead and held her tightly.

"I guess…”

“I’m going to get a cup of coffee. Would you two like anything?” Michael offered.

“No, thank you,” they replied in unison.

“Very well. I will be right back.”

“What’s he doing here?” Steve questioned as they watched their English teacher’s back retreat down the hall in search of the cafeteria.

“He was on the phone with Mom when the wreck happened,” Frankie explained. Her voice was shaky as she spoke. “He brought me here.”

“Uhm,” Steve quirked an eyebrow. “Why were they on the phone?”

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“I don’t know. Mom and I got into a huge fight. She got the mail before I got home and opened the test results. She was furious!”

“Oh, man…”

“Yeah, it wasn’t good. She was upset with me, obviously, and left. I don’t know where she was going, but apparently, she called Michael.”

“So, does he know about the test?”

“I don’t think so. He hasn’t mentioned anything. I was about to confess all when you walked in.”

She handed Steve the folded envelope that contained evidence that Michael Winters was her father. He opened it slowly and read the results. He let out a long, slow breath.

“What will you do now?” he asked her quietly.

“I’m going to tell him the truth,” she shrugged and chewed on her thumbnail. Steve didn’t respond one way or the other. He simply wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

Michael returned and gave each one a can of soda and a bag of chips from the vending machine. “The cafeteria was closed,” he muttered and sat beside Frankie. It gave her an odd sensation, being so close to her father. Comforting but odd. “Have you heard anything yet?”

“Not yet,” Frankie jumped to her feet and began pacing before her dad and Steve. “What is taking so long?”

“It takes time to make sure they don’t miss any injuries she might have,” Michael remarked, but Frankie could hear the worry in his voice. He stared into his cup of coffee blankly.

“Babe, I need to call my folks and let them know I am here. I will be right back, okay?” Steve informed Frankie, kissed her forehead, and stepped outside the Emergency Room entrance to use his cell phone. She watched him through the glass.

Frankie sat down beside Michael, comforted by his presence. She wasn’t alone in this tragedy; he seemed almost as concerned as she was. She knew she had Steve to lean on, but having her father there made all the difference in the world. Hesitantly, she edged, “So, what is going on with you and my mom?”

“Uhm,” he cleared his throat and turned to look at her. “Your mom and I have been dating since October.”

“October, and nobody bothered to tell me?” Strangely, she wasn’t upset; it seemed the right thing to ask.

“We were going to tell you when I stopped by Thanksgiving evening, but Mrs. Hubert stayed longer than expected. The timing wasn’t right, I guess.”

Frankie remembered that was the night she snagged the hair sample from his coat collar and felt a little nauseous.

“I guess.”

“Are you upset, Frankie?” he asked tentatively, crossing and uncrossing his ankles. “We didn’t want to hide it from you, but your mom thought it was best. She said you had some… things to sort out before we told you.” He sat up and looked her in the eye.

“I have been dealing with a pretty big issue and didn’t know how to handle it, and I haven’t been very kind to Mom lately,” a sob escaped her throat. “I have been a terrible daughter, and now I might not get the chance to tell her how sorry I am.” tears cascaded down her cheeks uncontrollably. Michael gently put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

“You can’t think like that. Your mom is in one of the best hospitals in North Carolina and is in good hands.”

“I know,” she sniffled. “I just want to see her and tell her I’m sorry.”

“You will. I have no doubt.” his words were reassuring. “Do you want to talk about what has upset you lately? Maybe an outsider’s perspective and offer some clarity.”

Frankie sat up straight, pulled the DNA paternity test results from her back pocket, and handed it to Michael. “Mom found this today,” she began meekly. “This is what caused today’s fight. I didn’t believe her when she told me, so I did this….”

Michael cocked an eyebrow as he unfolded the paper. He sat in silence for several moments. “So, it is true,” he mumbled under his breath.

“She told you that I am your daughter? She promised she wouldn’t.”

“No, she didn’t tell me, but I had my suspicions.” He smiles at her, his eyes glistening with tears held back by his long lashes. “You have my eyes and my - “

“Nose,” they said in unison and grinned at each other.

“The fact that your mom disappeared from Tulsa coupled with your age and our similar features… I hoped but wasn’t sure.”

“You hoped?” Frankie was unprepared to hear those words from him. She always figured he would run if and when he found out she was his daughter. That was why she wanted to disprove her mom’s claim. That and she was afraid he would reject her.

‘I more than hoped, Frankie. I have prayed about it for months.” his smile was so genuine it made her heart melt. “God answered my prayers.” Frankie’s dad pulled her into a tight hug that she didn’t resist. She felt all of the anger she was harboring dissolve within her. She returned his hug just as tightly.

Steve reappeared in the waiting room with Faith by his side. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the embrace between Frankie and Michael. “Uhm, hey, Chickadee,” Faith broke the silence. “I got here as fast as I could. Pickle wouldn’t start!”

Frankie pulled out of her dad’s hug and ran to her best friend, flinging herself into her outstretched arms, “I am so glad you are here!” Frankie sobbed on Faith’s shoulder. “I need to see Mom.”

“You will, soon. I’m sure. Let’s sit down,” Faith indicated some chairs across the room, “Tell me what you know so far.”

Frankie steered Faith back to where Michael and Steve sat and joined them. She filled Faith in on the argument with her mom and the accident. Then she informed Steve and Faith of the paternity test results and that Michael knew and was happy that she was his daughter. Faith plopped back in her chair and blew out a breath. “Whew, that’s a lot for one night,” she scoffed.

“We still need to talk about how you got my information,” Michael began, “but we can discuss that at a later time.” he winked at his daughter, and Frankie smiled bashfully.

“Montgomery Family,” a doctor dressed in green scrubs, a white surgical hat, and white booties covering his shoes scanned the waiting room looking for Frankie.

“I’m Frankie Montgomery,” she jumped from her seat. “Can I see my mom yet?”

“I am Dr. Anderson. I have been caring for your mother since she was brought in. We are prepping her for surgery. She has some paralysis in her legs, but that could be temporary, with a pretty severe head injury and internal bleeding. We will know more once we get her into the OR.”

Frankie felt the wind being knocked out of her, and her knees buckled. Her father caught her and held her on her feet. “It will be okay, Frankie,” he whispered in her ear.

“Can I see her?” Frankie asked anxiously.

“Yes, but I warn you, she is pretty banged up. I can only allow you a few minutes. She has a ventilator breathing for her and has been sedated to prep her for surgery. Follow me.”

Frankie turned to look at her best friend, boyfriend, and her dad with fear in her eyes. Then she followed Dr/Anderson through the security doors leading to the ICU.

☙☙☙

Frankie stepped into the unknown world of the Intensive Care Unit. The unit was vastly different than the rest of the hospital. All the patients were in private rooms, just like the typical floors, but the walls were glass. Patients were in various states of distress, from what Frankie could tell. She kept her head down and counted the floor tiles as she followed Dr. Anderson to her mom’s glass cubicle.

Frankie was unprepared to see her mother lying in the hospital bed. Tubes and wires connected to Rachel’s body everywhere. Machines beeped, gushes of air pumped oxygen into her mother’s lungs by a line attached to her mouth, and several IV bags were dripping medicine into her veins. Unlike the strong, robust woman Frankie knew her to be, her mother appeared small and frail Frankie stood against the wall twirling a strand of hair between her fingers, afraid to approach the woman lying in bed.

“You only have a few minutes, Ms. Montgomery, before they take her to surgery. Please be brief,” Dr. Anderson explained and exited the room.

She nodded and stepped toward her mother. Gently, she took her mom’s hand in hers and lowered her head in prayer. “God, please help my mom. Make her better,” tears slid down her cheek and landed on Rachel’s hand. Her mother did not respond; the only sound was the steady beep of the heart monitor and swooshing of the ventilator that kept her mom’s breathing steady.

“Mom, I am so sorry. I have been so mean to you and did not believe you. This whole thing is my fault, and now you are paying the price…for me. Mom, I am so sorry.” her sobs grew more violent as she confessed to her mother how wrong she had been. “I told Michael what I did and how stupid I was acting. He wasn’t mad. He said he had a feeling I was his daughter all along. He said he prayed about it, Mom. Can you believe that? He said God answered his prayers. He is happy that I am his daughter.”

Frankie wished, more than anything, her mom could open her eyes, but she remained motionless. Frankie’s heart was breaking, piece by piece, as she replayed the events and arguments of the past few months. She had been a horrible daughter. Disrespectful, Belligerent. Rebellious. She wanted to rewind the clock and do it all over again. Those were the wishes of a child.

“Mom, can you hear me?” she asked, waiting for a sign. None came. “Please, Mom, if you can hear me, I want to say I am so sorry. I am so very sorry for how I treated you and hurt you. Please forgive me. Please.” Frankie choked out the words. She prayed that somehow her mom heard and understood her heart.

Suddenly, ever so faintly, Rachel squeezed Frankie’s hand. “Mom!” Frankie gasped, “Mom!” she cried harder. She knew in her heart that her mom had heard her. Frankie smiled through the choking sobs. “I love you so much, Mom.”

Beep’ Beep. Beeeeeeeeepppppppppp.

Alarm bells sounded in Frankie’s ears. “CODE BLUE” rang out through the ICU intercom system. Nurses and doctors rushed into Rachel’s room and pushed Frankie into the hall. “Go back to the waiting room!” a nurse at her.

“CLEAR!” was the last thing Frankie heard before running back to Michael and her friends. Her face was ghostly white, her hands trembled, and her body shook violently as she ran into her father’s arms.

“Frankie, what’s wrong?” Michael questioned in a loud, frantic voice.

“Mom flatlined,” Frankie managed to say before she collapsed to the floor.