When Kat Came Back

Chapter 55

Patrick and Andy picked Patricia up the next morning. Patricia had packed a bag for Ashlynn and carried it out to Patrick's car. She looked like she hadn't slept well the night before. None of them had, if they were all honest.

"Morning, Mom," Patrick said, as Andy moved into the back seat so Patricia could sit in the front. She smiled a thanks to Andy.

"Good morning," Patricia said, trying to sound upbeat.

Patrick pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the hospital. No one spoke. The drive was silent.

When they pulled up at the hospital, Patrick took the bag from Patricia and put his arm around his mother. She smiled sadly at him. Andy followed just behind.

They went into the hospital and up to the floor the Emergency Room doctor had told them Ashlynn would be transferred to. They followed the signs that pointed to the 'Pediatric Psychiatry - In-Patient Program.' They were faced with a locked door and a frosted glass window beside it. Patricia knocked gently on the window.

After a heartbeat, the frosted glass slid open and a handsome face looked out onto the group.

"Good morning," he said, cheerfully. "I believe you are the parents of our new guest?"

Patricia felt a little out of sorts and didn't quite catch what the nurse meant.

"Uh, we're here for Ashlynn Stumph," she said. The nurse nodded.

"I just need to see some IDs, and give you your visitor badges and you'll be all set," the nurse said.

"We're supposed to meet a Dr. Atkins at one, apparently?" Patrick said.

The nurse looked at his computer.

"Yep. Looks like you're meeting Dr. Jacobson at nine and then Dr. Atkins during her rounds at one."

He looked at the IDs and looked at Patrick.

"Are you really Patrick Stump?"

Patrick nodded as he took his license back.

"Cool. Big fan. Here's your badge," the nurse smiled. Patrick looked at Andy and shrugged.

They were let onto the unit and found their way to Ashlynn's room. Patricia knocked before the three of them walked in.

Ashlynn was laying, curled up, on the bed, her eyes closed. Patricia wasn't sure if she was awake or not, so she quietly pulled a chair up to the bed and gently took Ashlynn's hand. Ashlynn's eyes opened. She looked around the room and frowned. Then she looked at Patricia and looked away.

"Hi, Ash. Good morning, sweetheart," Patricia said, smoothing some hair down on Ashlynn's head.

Andy sat on the foot of the bed and Patrick sat on the bed on Ashlynn's other side.

"Ash, honey? You're okay. You're going to be okay. We just wish we'd known how hurt you were. We could have helped you maybe. Maybe we could have kept things from getting to this point?"

Ashlynn didn't look at Patricia. She wouldn't look at anyone.

Just then the doctor from the Emergency Room, Dr. Jacobson, came in.

"Good morning," he said, standing at the foot of Ashlynn's bed. She didn't acknowledge the doctor.

"So, Ashlynn had a good night. She slept through with no issues. I'm told, however, she didn't eat her breakfast."

Patricia looked at Ashlynn sadly. Ashlynn didn't look at anyone.

"Ashlynn," the doctor said. "Do you know why you're here?"