The Affair

Chapter 27.1 - An Echo Calls for Fallon

After Dylan had ordered Amy back inside the hospital, she chose to make her way upstairs to see Fallon while Dylan remained outside and speaking with the bitch mother. She arrived on the 4th floor and immediately began to trot down the first hallway towards the nurses' desk. As she approached the desk, she was stopped by two nurses, who then went on to explain that Fallon had become miserably distraught upon the mother's departure and had once again begun to struggle against the nurse staff. They further explained to Amy that Fallon's tantrum had caused a few of her stitches to be ripped and thus she was in the process of being prepped to have her wound re-sutured in another room. Despite a spirited protest from Amy, the staff on duty remained steadfast in their decision to prevent any further visitation for Fallon for the rest of the day.

Amy left frustrated, and stood sulking by the elevator doors as she waited for a car to reach her floor. Before the doors could open, Amy's attention was caught by the same pleasant, older nurse that had requested for Amy and Dylan to leave Fallon's room for the mother's visit. She introduced herself as 'Deirdre', and then explained to Amy that, after Fallon's uproar could be heard, the nurses had rushed in as the mother made her quick exit. It was then that nurse Deirdre had learned that Fallon had grown unhinged and emotional because her mother had ripped her wolf, Falcor.

Having heard nurse Deirdre's account of what happened enraged Amy and she instantly regretted not stomping the mother while she was on the ground. Amy had asked the nurse if any pieces of Fallon's wolf had been left behind but was told no. Disappointed, Amy thanked the nurse and humbly requested that she be given a call as soon as Fallon was able to have visitors.

Amy was annoyed and ashamed with herself for, once again, not listening to her instincts and leaving Fallon alone. She pressed the down button and anxiously tapped her foot as the next elevator car made it's ascent to her floor. While she waited she saw a trashcan off to the corner, just six feet or so from where she stood. Curious, she walked over and examined the top layer of trash. Amy then stood in horror as nurse Deirdre's claim was confirmed. She had found Fallon's wolf; it's head had been ripped from its body and now both pieces were sitting among other various bits of paper trash and empty coffee cups.

She cried as she rode the elevator down to the first floor with both pieces of Fallon's wolf in her hands. In that moment she made a vow to spend the rest of the day watching videos online and figure out how to sew Falcor back together.

"I'm so sorry, Fallon... please forgive me," Amy thought to herself as she clutched the pieces of Falcor to her chest. "I swear, I'll figure this out... Come tomorrow, you'll have your wolf... And I won't let anyone take him from you..."

~

Monday, August 15, 2022, 6:12am

The following morning, William emerges from the upstairs hallway bathroom naked with damp hair and only a navy bath towel loosely wrapped around his waist. Though he was sleeping in the guest bedroom, most of his clothes and other necessities were still in he and his wife's bedroom, including all of his work clothes. He was still somewhat apprehensive to just walk into his own bedroom, preferring to avoid any awkward scowls or disgusted glares from his wife, but he needed to get dressed for work. Given the hour, William knew that his wife must have already gone into Zoe's bedroom to wake her up for school but he did not see her light on and did not hear any movement. He steps inside and, to his amusement, he sees Zoe sprawled across her bed and sleeping soundly.

"Zoe! Sweetheart, it's time to get up! I know mommy has already come in to get you up" he chuckles as he sees his daughter start to kick her legs. "Come on, it's the first day of school. You should be excited!"