Our Daughter- A DEMPEO Story.

Sadness

That night, they spent on the night in a hotel room.

Just the two of them.

It had been a while since they were together so not much sleep was had during the night.

11:30am

"Good morning" Patrick said softly as he rubbed his thumb on her cheek.

Ellen was starting to wake up. She opened her eyes and saw Patrick staring at her.

"Mmmmm no, not yet" She closed her eyes again as she turned closer to Patrick.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Tired?" He ask.

"Mmmmhmmm" Ellen replied. Her face buried on his chest.

"Does it hurt?" He whispered to her.

"No" She said.

"I'm a little sore" He replied.

She turned to look at him. " Really?" She narrowed her eyes, she was skeptical.

"Yeah" He ran his fingers through her hair.

"You know I struggle with her" He said softly. "It's not the same" He slumped his shoulders.

He leaned forward. Steady eye contact.

"I am a little sore too" She smiled. She raised her eyebrows, bit her tongue. She giggled

By 1pm they were barely ordering breakfast.

On the bed, with the food tray, she sat in between his legs.

Once they finished, she leaned back and wrapped her hands back on his neck. He wrapped himself around her.

He kissed her on her neck, making sure to touch and feel beneath too.

She laughed and moaned.

"I missed you" She said. Her breath and heart beating fast.

"I've actually been missing you a lot more lately" She turned to him.

He stopped.

"Why" He said as they locked eyes.

"I don't know if its seeing you again, feeling you (she looked down) or what but I've been having these nightmares and all I want is you" She tilted her head back, furrowed brow. Looking at the ceiling then to him.

"And her too" She said softly. She buried herself in his neck.

He held her tighter.

"I need to tell you something" He whispered towards her.

Silence.

"I think something is wrong with her" He finally spoke.

"Actually, I know something is wrong with her but I think there's more" He said with hesitation.

She was still leaning back on him. She sat up and looked at him.

"What... what do you mean" She asked. Her lips tightened and she narrowed her eyes.

"Come" He grabbed her, turned her around and she sat on top of him, facing each other.

He leaned back on the headboard.

"I gave her my bone marrow, a month ago" He said slowly.

She stared at him with wide eyes.

"My attorney was contacted by a social worker in Minnesota" He lowered his head.

A sting of melancholy and confusion overcame her.

"They couldn't tell me much, other than she was really sick and they unsealed the documents, which is how they found my name" He said with sadness in his voice. Tears filling his eyes.

"I didn't see her, even tough we were in the same hospital" "She was there but I couldn't see her" He finished and stared at her for a reaction.

He watched her eyes widen and rim with tears.

She threw herself on to him. He held her tightly. Her cries turned to whimpers.

They both cried, hugging each other.

Two hours later, she still had her face buried on his chest.

20 mins after that she got up and began picking her clothes and putting them on.

Her face contorted as though she was struggling not to cry.

Patrick stayed on the bed. His look was desolate.

She went into the bathroom and began fixing her hair. She grabbed her phone as she stood in front of the mirror.

"I think she is hurting and not from her procedure" Patrick stood in the doorway. The words strangled his throat.

She looked up and continued on her phone.

Sadness flitted across her face.

"I was told that if I wanted more information I needed to make a case. I am meeting with a judge Monday morning to see if they can tell me more about her" Painful sadness in his face.

"Do you want to go with me?" He stared at her.

"I have to go" She quickly passed him and left.

He turned around to see her slam the hotel's entry door. He sighted deeply and sat on the floor.