"Mom, can I go to Tommie's house?" Vena asks.
"No."
"But why?"
"Because it's already 8."
"But it's a Friday night."
"I said no."
"I'm going." She said, grabbing her keys.
"Don't you leave."
"I am." She said walking out the door.
Patrick called Vena 2 times before she picked up.
"You better come home right now." He said as soon as she answered.
"Why? So I can be grounded?"
"No, Dammit. Just come home now."
"Why?"
"I can't tell you over the phone. Please come home." His voice breaks.
"Ok, I'm on my way." She said, realizing he's in pain.
Patrick got both kids into the car. He sighed buckling in Vana. Vena came blazing into the driveway. She stormed out of the car.
"Why did you want me home so bad?" Pat looked at the white SUV with the two kids sleeping in it.
"It's your mom."
"What about mom?" Patrick began to tear up.
"She left to go grab out scripts from James' house. Well she never came home. I called, and called, and called. She never picked up. I got a call from the hospital." He stopped to wipe his eyes. "She was in a car accident."
"Oh my god. This is all my fault!"
"No it's not."
"Mom and I got into a fight. Then I left, and she was probably crying."
"It's not your fault. Let's get into the car." Vena got in the car and Pat stood there for a minute, thinking, and looking at what the pair created together. They had a nice life, a big house, three wonderful kids, the careers of a lifetime. Everything they both ever wanted.
"It's not your fault. Come here." He hugged her. Vena started sobbing. "She's going to be okay." "I hope." Pat thinks.
He sat down in the chair in the waiting room. And stared at the floor til his eyes stared to water.
"She's going to be ok. She has to be, she's mom." He nods, still staring. "You know she told me how you proposed to her?"
"No."
"She did."
"I liked your mom before she even knew who I was." He said slowly, wiping his eyes with a soft smile. "But once I actually met her and she came with me to the bar. I knew she was the one." He smiles. "The first night I saw her eyes, and I just got so lost in them." Vena started to rub his back in comfort. "After so many crappy girlfriends, your mom finally appreciated me, liked me, and didn't care."
"Mom loves you because you are a gentleman. You take time for her, like dancing with her from time to time, opening doors for her, you treat her with respect and kindness, and most importantly you love her, and you make sure she always knows it. You always know how to make her happy, and cheer her up." He smiles.
"I do all those things because I love her. You're right. She deserves all those things." He looks at Vena. "You want to know something about your mom?"
"Sure."
"Before she met me, she told me about all the bad boyfriends she had. You know, one of her boyfriends was abusive." Vena shook her head no. "Yeah he was, how could someone be like that to her."
"I don't know. Some people can just be like that. But I had no idea that she went through that."
"On one of our first dates she showed me what he had done. I couldn't believe the bruises she had." he pauses. "You want to know what she told me on our wedding night?"
"Of course."
"She told me what she wanted in life. Settle down, have three kids, and a big house." He sniffles. "I was the one who could finally give her everything she wanted. Other than the big house. We all know she could afford that on her own." They share a laugh together. "I told her I would do everything in my power to do that. I couldn't even get myself to stop her from getting in that car."
"What?"
"I told her not to go. I didn't want her to go. But she went anyway. I wanted to find something to blame this on. But I think that I should be the one to blame."
"Dad, it's not your fault, it's not my fault, it's not anyone's fault." He nods.
"Are you Mr. Wilson?" A man in a white coat came up to Patrick and asked.
"Yes."
"Sorry for the wait, Vera shattered her right radius in her arm which needed surgery, she's got bruising on her upper body from her seat belt, and a minor concussion but she is so lucky that she only broke just her arm. She's in room 118, and she will be ready to go home right away in the morning."
"Thank you so much!"
Vena picked up Vana from the couch she was sleeping on and followed her father down the hallway to find her mom's room. They found the door with 118 and walked in. The kids sat down in the chairs. Patrick stood in the doorway, staring at the bed. He made his way over to Vera, slowly. He picked her hand up and gave it a squeeze.
"Hey." She said softly.
"Vera." He said, gazing down.
"I should have listened to you. You told me not to go." She said, starting to cry.
"It's ok, V." Patrick looked around in the room and realized the kids were sleeping.
"Come hold me." She said moving over in bed. He got in and wrapped her up.
"I love you and I don't know what life would be like without you."
"I remember waking up when they got me to the hospital. All our memories came flooding back, of us, and the kids. I remember telling myself that I was not ready to leave. Leave them or you." Pat leaned and kissed her on the forehead.
"I'm just so glad that you are here."
"Me too." she pauses. "If I ever need to hit you in the next month I got a club I can do it with." She said talking about her cast.
"Promise me you won't do that." They laugh.
"Uh, it hurts to laugh." She said.
