Meant To Be You And Me

CHAPTER 14 - The Aftermath

CHAPTER 14 - The Aftermath

After a couple of days, James, Jeff's father gets discharged from the hospital and moved to New York so James will be closure to his sons. Jeff stayed in Washington D.C. to help Camille's brother and Mia's condition. He didn't want to leave yet because it bothered him so much.

"George, is she awake, yet?" Jeff asked as he waits in his office. "By 'she' you mean Mia?" George clarified and Jeff nodded. "No, she hasn't woken up but I bear sad news." He said. "What's the sad news?" Jeff asked.

"Due to heart failure and pieces of metal that struck his spinal cord, I'm sorry to say that Peter Shaffer didn't make it." George said softly while rubbing his temples.

Jeff crashed on the couch and closed his eyes. "Does the family know?" He asked. "I'm on my way to tell them now." George replied. "Oh and I have the police report you asked me to get." He added and handed the files to Jeff before he left the room.

Jeff studied it and read a bystander's point of view, "I was walking to the grocery store when I saw the couple fighting in their car. He began driving and then I think he didn't look where he was going. Then suddenly a huge truck was speeding towards them, he lost control of the car and swerved..." The report read. And there were a bunch of reports that claimed that they were both arguing, etc. He wanted to know why; he wanted to know the real story.

After getting nowhere with the police report, he got out of George's office and went to the ICU to see how Mia was doing. When he entered he sees an old lady holding her hand, "Excuse me?" He asked. "Doctor, do you need to check up on her or something?" She asked seeing Jeff in a lab coat. "Uhm, I'm actually a friend of hers." He replied. "You are?" He asked. "I'm her mother, Sally Dupree." She replied.

"I'm so sorry." He said. She sighed, "I just hope she wakes up." She said. "Any day now." Jeff commented and started to slowly leave. "Where are you going?" She asked. Jeff turned to face her again, "Oh I was under the impression that you want to be alone with her." He said with a faint smile. "Nonsense." She said and Jeff went near Mia.

As he examined her, she had bruises on her arm, bandaged head which probably has a huge gash from the crash. "Say, you look familiar. Did you by any chance go to Rome a few months ago?" She asked while observing Jeff. He smiled at her and nodded, "I met Mia there." He replied. "Wow. I recognize you from the pictures." She commented. "Pictures?" He asked.

"Mia showed me the pictures she took in Rome and you were mostly in it." She said with a warm smile. "At first I thought you were the new boyfriend, but it was Peter she introduced me to." She added. "May he rest in peace." Jeff blurted out. Sally was surprised and lowered her head, she started to tear up. Jeff went to her and patted her back, and then she hugged him while she cried.

"Mrs. Dupree, I better go and check on Peter's family." He said and she let go. When Jeff left, he watched Sally hold Mia's hand and knew that she was safe as long as she was with her mother.

So Jeff walked straight into the waiting room where George was trying to explain as briefly as possible to the Shaffer family. Jeff entered and saw both Camille and Maude crying on each other's shoulder, while Roger on the other hand was teary eyed as he tried to compose himself. When Camille caught a glimpse of Jeff, she went to him crying. Maude cured up to Roger's arms as she continued to cry.

"Can we see him?" Roger asked as his voice breaks. "Sure." George answered as he brings them to where Peter's body was. Camille and Jeff follow. She held his hand tight and he didn't mind, all that mattered was that he was there for her.

When they saw Peter's body, battered, bruised and stitched up, they cried. Maude refused to get out of the room while Camille did her best to try to take it all in slowly. Her mother, Maude, couldn't quite let go yet. Roger was too hurt seeing his son not breathing again.