ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON TEN

Episode 78

" Son. "

DuBuis turned around in the room with the blazing white walls. They were so bright white he had to shield his eyes with his hand. Where was he at ? Where was Spencer? The kids? His family? Where was he?

" Son. "

He fought to see who was calling his name. He tried to focus his eyes on the face that was starting to look familiar yet oddly not familiar.

It had been so long.

Finally he saw who it was.

He couldn't believe it.

" Pop ? ," he said in disbelief. " Is it really you?"

Then it hit him hard and harsh as he stood before his father.

His dead father.

Was he dead ? No. He couldn't be dead.

Spencer......

He couldn't leave Spencer.......

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" Is this what it was like when I was in surgery? ," Spencer asked with trembling lips. He felt empty as he waited in the hospital waiting room for word of his husband who had just had what they called a moderate stroke.  " After I was shot ? "

A moderate stroke.

His husband was being operated on. His baby and all the kids were at Nigel and Richard's house being watched over by Nigel.

He was there at the hospital with his father, stepmother, stepbrother, DuBuis' family and his  brother as well as family friends Lyle and Angel and Gerald. And the pastor woman. Yet he felt so alone.

He needed his husband. His best friend. He wanted him.

He couldn't live without the man.

Richard said gently," I wouldn't know. I wasn't here. " He bit his lip and put his hand on his brother's stiff tense shoulder. " I'm sorry I was not there then for you, Spencer. I will be now."

Richard's phone rang and he answered it , saying," Yes , baby ? "

Nigel asked, " Any word? How is your brother doing? "

Richard looked at Spencer and replied," No word yet. He's still in surgery. And not good. How are the kids. "

Nigel said softly," Not good as well. Especially Luci. They can't lose him. What happens to them without him ? "

Richard didn't have an answer for his own husband. He didn't have any answers at all.

Nigel said while fighting back tears ," What a fucked up holiday this is. All because of...... "

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Faith stood outside the hospital, smoking a cigarette with trembling hands and looking at pictures of herself with her brother on her phone. She remembered all the times when she had trashed her brother and told him she hated him. While drunk.

But it wasn't true. Dear God. It wasn't true.

She shoved her phone in her pocket of her jeans and dropped the lit cigarette on the ground where she put it out with the bottom of her sneaker. She wished she was stomping out her sister's head the way she was the cigarette. Or Harvey's.

Why was this happening? , she thought as she dropped down to her knees. She hadn't prayed in so long that God wouldn't recognize her if she did but in that moment she prayed.

" Please, God , don't take him ," she begged. " He's a good man. He's needed so much by so many people. He's loved by so many people. It's not his time. Please. Spencer needs him ! His kids need him ! That baby needs him ! " She sobbed as she rocked back and forth against the outside wall. " I need him. "

" Amen ," she heard from beside her and she looked over into the kind eyes of Joy Jones.

The pastor reached out and took her hand , squeezing it firmly. " Keep the faith. Faith. " When she realized what she had just said Joy smiled sadly. Faith squeezed her hand back wordlessly.

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In the cafeteria Jenessa approached the table where her daughter Sylvia sat with her husband Harvey. Nicholas was by his fiancee's side with a concerned look on his face.

Sylvia looked at her mother and actually seemed scared. Her lips were trembling as well as puffy from where her sister had hit her earlier that fateful day. Harvey held her hand. " Mama ," she started to say.

Jenessa stopped her by coldly saying," I don't want to hear it , child. I want you and your family to go back to New Jersey. I was wrong having you here. If your brother..... if he doesn't make it..... I'll never forgive you. "

" Mama ," she cried out in much despair as her mother slowly turned her back on her pleading word and walked away with a quiet Nicholas.

Nicholas said strongly," Do not worry, my precious one. Your son will be fine. Anything he and his family need during his recovery will be taken care of by me. He is going to be my stepson after all. Family is everything to me. "