Truth be told

Chapter 17

My mother was in the ICU. She was brought into hospital. After her initial assessment, she had internal injuries. Her liver and spleen had sustained lacerations.
She was given emergency surgery. The police wanted to question my mother ASAP, but she was in no state to answer anything. Anyway, she was in the ICU post surgery. She stopped breathing. I have never been more frightened in all my life than I was right then and there.
They managed to stabilise her. More tests were performed, and it was detected that Mom had sustained damage to her heart as well. So now she needed open heart surgery to repair the damage.
Aaron had laid the blame solely with my mother. He said she had stabbed him first and that he was defending himself. I know my mother, and she is not a violent person. If she did stab Aaron, then it was because he pushed until she eventually snapped. Aaron kept trying to talk to me. I told him to stay away from me. I wanted him arrested, but the police were slow to act until all evidence was gathered.
I had to juggle the hospital with college and work. I found myself doing college homework at the hospital. Brendon was at work, so usually it was just me at the hospital. I didn't want to see Aaron, so I told him to come when I wasn't there.
After the heart surgery, my mother was put back into ICU. The Dr decided to put her in an induced coma to rest her body so it could heal properly.
I looked at my mothers notes and found something that completely shocked me.
"Mom was pregnant." I told Brendon.
"Was?"
"Yea." I nodded sadly. "It's in her hospital notes that she also had a miscarriage. Obviously, she doesn't know yet. Oh, well fuck. This means I have to tell her."
"The Dr could do that Lizzie."
"No, I will tell her. She won't want a stranger telling her." I felt tears rolling down my face. Brendon held me.
When I was at college, it really took my mind off what happened with my mother. I found that channelling the emotion into songwriting helped. I was in an instrument booth playing out melodies for the song I wrote, when my phone went. It was the hospital.
"Hello?" I said, my heart immediately thumping.
"Hello Miss Dixon, this is Nurse Karev, one of your mothers nurses.."
"Ok." I said, closing my eyes and bracing myself for bad news.
"Your mother is awake." He said.
"Ok. Thank you for telling me. I will be there ASAP." I hung up the phone and collected my things. I called Brendon on the way to the car.
"Babe, that's brilliant news." He said. "I will meet you there." I looked at the clock and realised that he would be done for the day.
I got into Franny, started her up, and drove to the hospital. I was feeling a little more positive, and now Mom was awake.
I pulled into the hospital grounds and parked up. I went straight to the ICU. I turned the corner towards my mothers room when I saw Aaron being restrained by 2 security guards.
"What the fuck....?" I muttered to myself. I walked past them and into the room. My mother was laid there. She looked so small and frail.
"Liz." She whispered.
"Mom." I said and started to cry with relief. I sat at her bedside and held her hand. I stroked her head and kissed her hand.
"Liz, I I n-need to tell you something." She managed to say.
"Mom, just rest. You can tell me when you are stronger." Mom went back to sleep. Aaron was trying desperately to get into Mom's ICU room. Brendon arrived. I gently let go of Mom's hand and went to talk to him.
"Hi, darlin," He said and kissed my forehead.
"Hey." I looked at Aaron. I spoke to the security guard who had put Aaron in handcuffs to detain him until the police arrived. "Why is he in handcuffs?"
"He tried to get into your mothers room. The hospital filed a restraining order on him because he was trying to tell the nurses what to do regarding your mothers care. He was also making suggestive remarks to some of them and actually assaulted one of them." He explained. I scoffed and shook my head.
"Elizabeth, tell them to let me go!" Aaron demanded. " I mean no harm and those nurses are all stuck up bitches who look down their noses at me. They are making this shit up."
I looked at Aaron in the eye. "My one and only parent, Mom, taught me not to tell lies. To let the truth be told. So no, I won't put others at risk because of you."
Aaron looked at me with such venom in his face. He lunged forward towards me. I stood there and didn't flinch at all. Brendon was about to step in.
"It's ok, Bren." I said. The police turned up and took Aaron away. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
A few days later, Mom was moved from the ICU into a regular room.
The police came and asked my mother some questions about what happened. I was in shock about what Mom told the police.
It was insane to comprehend what my mother had been going through all this time. I felt so guilty that I didn't know or couldn't help her. My mother said that she kept everything hidden to protect me. When I moved out, she was brokenhearted but also relieved that I was away from all of it.