ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 172

Ethan Stone didn't particularly want to go upstairs to the psych ward at St. Paul's and visit the woman that had stabbed Zennis Dennis but what could he do? The man had asked him and Ethan had never been able to say no to Zipp and his puppy dog eyes.

Which was why he was sitting in  the   woefully understaffed mental health ward's common room with overstuffed sofas and armchairs that had a handful of other patients sitting in it watching cartoons on the wall mounted tv. Their eyes were oddly as vacant as the woman he had came to visit and Ethan sensed such despair seeping from their very pores.

" Zennis , Zipp , asked me to come and check on you. He's worried about you. " Too worried in Ethan's opinion. Although he knew that was Zipp's way. He was always concerned about everyone from his family to his employees at the company to homeless people he saw on the street. Like the one man that he had once given fifty dollars to on the street and then considered taking home for a bed to sleep in and a good meal to eat long before he had discovered the man was really a murderous rapist named Skip Sands. Zipp needed someone to take care of him , Ethan believed. He cared too much about others. He cared more about other people than the fact he might end up on dialysis if his one kidney didn't heal properly.

Flower looked up at him from across the round scratched on table they sat at. She was wearing a long lace trimmed pink and white nightgown with a big juice stain on the front of it and a matching robe that was missing its sash so it hung uselessly open. Her grey hair was hanging in a long tangled mess past her shoulders and her eyes were usually focused on the old worn out rag doll she cradled and cooed at. The one she called Diamond.

" Zippy ? He got hurt. He's so clumsy. I hope my Diamond's father comes to visit us. I saw him. At the house. That day they took her. But I found her again so I fooled them good. "

Ethan saw the strange light glowing within her eyes. Like she was there in the room talking to him but really wasn't. " I don't think Zipp is up to visiting you right now. Maybe once he heals more. "

Flower laughed. " No. Not Zippy. He just thinks he's Diamond's daddy. No. It was so tough to get pregnant with Zipp. We tried twice and neither of us really liked it. He wanted a baby and I wanted him to be happy so I went out to a bar. I met that man at the house. The White man who didn't talk. He seemed so nice at the bar. A little quiet and almost shy. I had to teach him so much that night. And then I went home. I took another test. It was positive. He gave us our Diamond. I want to thank him for the gift. "

Ethan blinked his eyes at the woman. What the hell was she saying? That Zipp wasn't the father of the beloved only daughter he was grieving so much for? It couldn't be possible. And , the man would never find out if it was true. Not if Ethan had a say in it.

He was about to ask her more about it when suddenly from behind him a pale pink belt from a bathrobe slipped around his throat and tightened slightly causing alarm in his heart and entire body. And he also felt the sharp end of a hospital syringe poking into the side of his neck.

His hands reached up to instinctively defend himself just as Pamela Perkins, in a baggy blue pullover sweater and denim jeans, purred in his ear," Don't struggle. The syringe is empty but sharp, isn't it? And , I'll strangle you right here if you fight. It's in your best interest to cooperate. You're my ticket out of here so get up nice and quiet. We need to chat with the dumb ass nurses here. " She laughed coldly. " They really thought a hospital could hold me. Any hospital. I planned it all at the other one. Now get up. If you're nice I'll let you live."

Flower smiled widely at Pamela. " Can Diamond and I go with you too ? We don't like it here. "

Pamela shrugged. " Sure. Why not? Just follow my lead. "