More Jason and Mary Ellen (also of the Whitakers) – 7

Jason sat for long seconds, feeling the tears on his cheeks, angry that they were there but unable to keep them from coming.  He wiped them away, glancing around to see if anyone was watching him, realizing also that tears, at a hospital, were not unusual, despite the fact that they were unusual for him.  How had a time that was nothing by joy and happiness suddenly turned into this – fear, uncertainty and anger?1

Slowly, still wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he stood up and warily approached the black phone mounted on the wall.  Lifting the received he dialed 784 and waited as it rang once and then twice.2

“Hello.”3

“This is Jason – I was paged for this number.”4

“Oh, hi Jason.  This is Dr. Huntington.  It wasn’t me that paged you but I know what they wanted with you.  Nothing bad,” he added quickly, hoping to quell any anxiety that Jason might have.  “They’ve sort of found Mary Ellen’s parents.  I say ‘sort of’ because they know they’re somewhere in the Australian Out Back – but don’t know exactly where.  Hopefully they’ll be able to find them soon so they can get back here.”5

“Thanks,” Jason replied, a dull flatness to his voice.6

There was a pause on the other end of the line.  “You okay, Jason?”  Dr. Huntington asked, intuitively sensing the change in Jason’s voice and invisible demeanor.7

“I’m okay,” he said softly, “just a little upset.”8

“Mary Ellen is awake now,” Dr. Huntington added.  “She was asking for you – not by name yet but it seemed that she sensed that you were someone special and is anxious to have you around.”  There was a hopeful sound to his words.9

“I’ll be right then,” Jason answered, the hope of Mary Ellen’s recovery buoying him a little.10

“Great!” was the brief response and the phone went dead, Dr. Huntington always being thorough in his explanations and his interest, but never wasting time on small talk.11

As Jason walked through the medicinal smells of the hospital, his mood matched the atmosphere – a need for healing.  He was angry and frustrated, tempered by a fear and wariness that was overwhelming him more and more with each passing moment.  He felt like everyone was looking at him, pointing a finger at him, somehow aware of the hateful thoughts that were filling his mind.  He despised violence but that was all he could think of now as he pictured Bart, beaten and bloody and begging for mercy, vowing never to bother Jason again.  Could he do that?  Was he capable of violence?  Could his tennis aggression be translated and transformed into physical aggression against another person, most notably a stepbrother.  He realized that if he could picture it in his mind, he could probably actually do it – and the thought terrified him.12

Trembling, he was at the door to Mary Ellen’s room and he paused there, taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly, then doing it one more time.  It seemed to help slightly and he shook his hands trying to relax, then stepped through the door.13

“Hi,” greeted him immediately, the melodic single word somehow soothing him almost immediately as he realized the grip this girl had on every facet of his being. He was amazed at how her very presence and every single word she uttered were precious things to be savored and . . . and . . . his mind failed him at this point and he just gazed into those gorgeous green eyes and let himself go.14

“Hi,” he said back to her, his face dissolving into a warm smile.15

“You know,” she continued, “when I see you something makes me feel warm all over, like I know you, even though I don’t know your name except that they’ve told me what it is.  Jason,” she said softly.  “I’m going to remember that soon, the doctor assured me of that and this time is going to seem really silly, I’m sure.”  She took a deep breath and held Jason’s eyes with hers, hesitating for a moment.  “Caroline was here – she said we were related.  And she told me some things too.”  Again she paused and seemed to be studying Jason carefully.  There was a glorious beauty and softness in that face that wrenched at Jason's heart.16

Not able to help himself he said, “What did she tell you?”17

“That you’re in love with me and I’m in love with you.”  Jason started to reply but Mary Ellen held up her hand to stop him.  “I’d have to be blind not to see that too, just in the way you’re sitting there now looking at me.  And, I can feel it in my heart too, even if it’s not in the part of my brain that’s awake at this moment.  She held out her arms to him.18

It seemed so normal but still he said, “Are you sure?”19

“Oh yes,” was the quick reply, and she felt his arms around her as this guy named Jason held her close.  She sensed his uncertainty and squeezed him hard.  “I just know this is right,” she said softly, “in my heart.”  20

She couldn’t see the tears welling up in Jason’s eyes but did feel the returned squeeze as he hugged her harder, his face in her hair.  And, she couldn’t know that, despite the warmth racing from his own heart to fill his body, in his mind he could only picture Bret’s face, looking over his shoulder and sneering at Jason’s obvious helplessness.21