Nightmares (slow updates!)

Chapter 14

Peters POV (Poppy's father)

When I arrived in London, it was foggy, and rain fell quietly from the sky. After leaving my belongings at the house we still owned in Westminster London, I headed for the hospital.

I shuffled my feet against the dampened concrete, hailing a cab. Sliding inside, the smell of cigar smoke hit me like a train. "Westminster center for psychological well-being" I said bucking the seatbelt over myself with a click. The driver nodded, pulling into the road as we headed off. The drive was long and the rain tapped the windows quietly as we rattled down road.

When we finally made it to the destination I got out handing him the payment along with a tip. My skin crawled as I made my way towards the front steps of the concrete prison. I hated to see my wife there. A woman who was once filled with such light and laughter, but I was no idiot either. After what she had done to Poppy I don't know if I'd ever be able to bring her home again.

I pushed my way through the heavy door and made my way to the front desk, giving the nurse a strained smile. "I'm here to see Jane Moore" I said politely as the smell of sterile cleaning supply's entered my nose. She smiled a large toothy grin. "Why of course Mr. Moore, we've been expecting you. Got Jane all pretty to see you today." Her Welsh accent was thick and her palm was sweaty as she stood, tucking a clipboard under her arm as she reached out to shake my hand.

"We'll come right this way. She been up waiting for you sense early this morning." She continued guiding me down a hall. We entered a large room filled with people watching the television and playing board games. "Here we are. I'll sit you down with her and when the doctor is in I'll come back and grab the both of you. Sound alright?" her voice was so cheery as she led me to the table.

I looked to see Jane sat at a table alone. Ever sense the episodes began she preferred to be alone. She looked over and her face lit up. The nurse gave me one last grin before walking away to check on other patients.

"Hello peter" Jane said shyly. It was so strange to see her like this, her face was pale and her energy seemed low, but she was still just as beautiful as the day I met her. Her long copper hair lay down in messy waves against her frail shoulders. I never really noticed but Poppy was starting to look just like her.

"Hello Jane, how've you been darling?" I replied as I planted a kiss on her four head. "I've missed you, it's felt like ages sense I've seen you" she replied, the smile fading from her face. "I'm sorry darling, I got caught up in my work, a lot of new patients lately." I replied stroking my thumb against the back of her small hand. She nodded her head letting me know that it was ok.

When she was like this, when she was calm and on her medication it was like talking to a completely different person then when they had committed her. They had brought her in kicking and screaming. The last episode she had had before we had to commit her had been bad, there had been an incident.

I walked into the house, coming home from the office and found her in the kitchen standing over poppy's limp body. She was covered in blood, poppy's blood, and she had a kitchen knife in her hand. "What have I done" was all she kept saying over and over as I phoned the police. Poppy had to be rushed off to hospital and her mother as well, just not the same hospital.

"You know I love you, don't you Jane" I questioned scooting my chair closer to hers. "Of course, love" she replied with a smile, I fell in love with that smile so many years ago, when I was only just a boy. "The doctor will see you now" I almost jumped out of my skin hearing the nurse from behind me. "Yes, yes of course. Come along darling" I said standing up and taking Janes hand. She stood and hooked her arm in mine and we followed behind the nurse who lead us into an examination room. "Alright Mrs. Clark, have a seat now and we can get started" Jane complied calmly taking a seat on the table and waiting patiently for further instructions.

The doctor entered the room quickly and shook my hand. "Hello my name is doctor Williams and I am Janes primary physician. I've called you here to discuss starting new treatment on your wife" he said looking through the notes that were jotted down in his writing pad. "Due to the extreme nature of Janes psychosis I believe it would be beneficial to try ECT" the doctor continued as he checked Janes blood pressure. I stood there confused. "ECT?" I questioned, I had never heard of that before in all my years of practice. "Yes, it stands for Electroconvulsive therapy. It has proven to be very successful in many of our patients who experience this type of psychosis. Sometimes it can cause memory loss but the overall results have been astonishing." I was quiet for a moment.

I didn't want that for her. I didn't want them to shock her and make her lose her memory, but I did want my wife back. My real wife, the one I had married, not the woman to tried to murder our child. "As long as it's safe. I want her to be safe, always" I replied holding tightly onto her fragile hand. "Yes, yes of course. The patients safety always comes first." He assured me.

I was afraid, so afraid to leave the hospital that day. After our talk with the doctor I had spent the day with Jane. She showed me the garden and her room and explained everything about the hospital and what she did there during the day. The nurse had called me to the front when visiting hours were over. Jane had gripped my hand for dear life. I knew she didn't want me to leave. I knew she didn't want to be there, alone, without me, but it's what she needed. Tears had spilled out of her eyes as I gave her one last kiss and told her I loved her for the millionth time that day. "I'll be back tomorrow love, I promise" i called to her and they ushered me to the front doors.

When I got home that night I rang poppy. It took a while for her to answer the phone but when she did I was so relieved to hear her sweet voice through the speaker. "Hello father, how was your flight? I miss you" she had rushed as soon as she answered. "It was good. I miss you as well my love. I saw your mother today. She seems to be doing much better" there was a moment of silence. "That's wonderful to hear father." I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was hesitant to talk about Jane. Ever since what had happened she was so terrified of her that I tried to keep talk of her at a minimum. "Well I love you. Make sure your eating and getting enough sleep. I'll come back as soon as I can" I said hoping to relieve her stress with a subject change. "I love you too, and I will" she had replied. We took a while to hang up, both saying bye multiply time and laughing before the call finally ended.

I lay in my bed that night, feeling empty and anxious. The bed that I used to share with Jane was now lacking her presents. It was still made up just the way she liked it. All of her usual night time belongings still resting on the night table that sat on her side of the bed. I fell asleep hoping and praying that I would have her back someday.

Someday soon.