Life - Message From The Past

14 - Hey Slugger

The Director opened the treatment room door as Jeremy and Madeline arrived.

"Carolynne! How is Gwen?"

"Madeline! You're on leave. Why are you at the clinic?" The Director spied Jeremy then folded her arms while leaning against the open door. "Mr. Fartham, you had better have a very good explanation for being here."

"I am here for my neighbor." Jeremy could not sound less convincing. Madeline elbowed him and it hurt. He changed his tune. "The thing is, Gwen and I have spent almost twenty years avoiding each other."

"Go on, Mr. Fartham." Carolynne unfolded her arms.

"And we became so good at it that we almost disappeared completely. But this last week, I have...I don't know how...but my eyes have finally seen what I have been overlooking all along." He shrugged.

"What has that been?" The Director softened her tone.

"What a gifted mother Gwen is. When I heard her ten year old daughter..."

Madeline reminded Jeremy of her name. "Harmony."

"Thanks, Maddie. Harmony speak to me with...with respect and I know that doesn't come out of thin air. This woman actually drove an hour to a hospital with a change of clothes for me just so I could go home. I don't know what that says to you, as a woman but...to me, it says she cared enough to be there for me."

Jeremy's eyes were glossing over realizing just why he was really there. "I guess I just want Gwen to know I cared enough to show up. For her." He twitched his shoulder and turned to walk away. "I...ah..."

Madeline noticed the Director nod to someone on the other side of the door. "Carolynne?"

Gwen stepped out of the treatment room in a clinic gown and called out to Jeremy. "You know, I once called you cute...in a caveman sort of way."

Jeremy turned to see her standing uneasily. "I think I called you a hot mom." He winced. "To Pumpkin."

Gwen's eyes glistened listening to her neighbor speak. "So what are you saying?"

"I don't want to avoid you anymore." Then Jeremy added. "Harmony is the cutest princess." He shrugged. "Chastity, is a cool one under pressure. Austin ~ that kid loves you so much!"

Gwen continued to nod and as tears filled her eyes, she reached out to Jeremy.

Madeline walked to Jeremy and whispered. "Hey slugger, you just hit a home run."

"Yeah?"

Madeline continued. "This is where you get to kiss the girl." She nudged Jeremy forward.

He quickly approached Gwen. It had been years since he had kissed a woman but Gwen took care of that. She held onto Jeremy tightly causing him to wince in pain from his injuries. Then he accidentally pressed against her wrist where the new intravenous port was just put in hours earlier causing her to howl.

"Ohhhh ow ow ow!" Both whimpered in pain.

"Not exactly how I envisioned this, Jeremy." Gwen chortled just before she fell limp in his arms.

"Gwen!" Jeremy looked to the Director as Madeline swooped in to help steady the patient.

"Michael!" The Director called out for reinforcements. "Patricia!"

The group moved quickly to stabilize Gwen as Jeremy stood listening to the frantic activity happening on the other side of the door. He paced like a nervous father for some time before taking a seat outside the door.