Yours Lovingly, Mer(on hold)

Chapter 10 - Part III

8 hours ago

Jeremy was fast asleep on the floor. The phone was still in his hand, and Susan decided not to disturb him. She looked around and found a piece of paper. Placing it on the ground, she began scribbling something.

J,

You dad's out on a business trip. He won't be back for quite sometime. I have some important work. Don't keep calling me. Finish that book of yours.

S.

She hurriedly placed it in on the pile of books kept in front of him. As she turned around to leave, her phone began to vibrate. She looked back at Jeremy, to see whether he was still asleep or awake. To her luck, he was still in the same position; his chest going up and own in a perfect rhythm.

Quickening her pace as she left his house, Susan picked up the call with much hesitation.

"Lucas? What do you want?"

"Nothing, sista. Called to tell you that I got a call from the hospital just now."

"The hospital? Why would the hospital call you?"

"It's about Patrick."

"Oh god, don't we know enough about him already?! He met with an accident years ago that resulted in amnesia. He now lives abroad with his wife, Katie. He is the cause of Meredith's depression; though I don't get that part."

"Yeah, yeah. But this is something entirely different."

"Alright, shoot."

"They say that he arrived in the hospital with many people by his side. They mean to say that there were quite a few people who wanted to see him just before he was rushed to the ER."

"That is pretty obvious, Lucas. Of course his family would want to see him."

"You don't understand, Sue. His dress, his people, they were all ...."

"They were all what? Just get to the point!" desperation evident in Susan's voice.

"It was the day of his wedding, Susan. Patrick met with an accident the same day he was supposed to get married."

"But he is married, to ..."

Lucas cut her sentence midway.

"To Meredith. Patrick and Meredith were supposed to get married. But his accident caused unexpected damage."

"Wait. What?! Repeat that."

"Patrick and Meredith were supposed to get married ..."

"Say it again." Said Susan, this time closing her eyes; as if trying to digest the information.

"Patrick and Meredith were to get married. But he met with an accident while going to the place where they were supposed to get married. You know the place, right?"

"No, I don't. Why, should I?"

"Interesting. I though you'd know. Why, it's the place near her father's grave. Walk a little to the north of that very grave, you'll find this huge and beautiful altar. That's where they were supposed to get married."

Susan didn't reply. All that was going through her mind were various images - flashing like the films of a movie. Meredith's letters to her father, Jeremy picking up those letters. The screaming and yelling that she overheard at her house and Agatha telling Jeremy not to be bad to her.

She shook her head in desperation, trying to clear her mind.

"Susan? You there?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I got carried away."

"No kidding. Shall I go on?"

"Yeah, sure. Absolutely."

"Okay, so it turns out that just before going into the ER, Meredith held Patrick's hand for one last time. Nurses even report that she kissed him on his forehead. That's when the doctors urged her to move away because they had to save him."

"Okay, okay. That is just way too sad. Go on, what else?"

"Nothing more, really. Just that Meredith visited the hospital's resident psychiatrist many times. I guess she was in depression. But the doc certified her medically fit after two years of therapy. He also asked her to do whatever she wants to do to let out her sorrow. She chose to write letters to her deceased father."

"That's why she writes so much to him. I guess she's not completely healed, eh?"

"I feel that the letters no more work. It's such a big risk, if you ask me. The writing part is fine. If she kept them to herself, even then it would be fine. But to place them out openly? Isn't that really a risk? How does she know who will read her letters? J's a sweet dude. He wouldn't hurt her knowingly. But what if some stalker picked it up? She would be in big danger, you know."

"For the first time in history, I agree with you Lucas. She did take a big risk by doing so. So you're telling me that they were engaged once upon a time, and that she writes letters only to console herself?"

"Pretty much, yeah. But there's something else that troubles me."

"What's that?"

"What if she's using J? What if the letter thing doesn't work and she's using J just to be happy once again?"

"What nonsense, Lucas! She likes him, alright. Don't you dare say something like that!"

"Just saying, Susan. Think about it. She didn't get even a tad bit angry that he read her letters? Yeah, I know that she would've expected someone to read it. But still. I have a very bad feeling that she's using him as an emotional pillar or something like that."

"Since when do you get feelings, Lucas?! Whoa, you've really changed since high school."

"Susan. I'm serious, okay? Maybe you should really talk to her. Ask her what her intentions really are."

"I understand and appreciate your concern, man. But Jeremy's grown up now. We don't have to necessarily save his arse like we did in high school."

"A valid point. But as his close friends, I say we give it a try. Talk to Meredith. See if she breaks. For all you know, she might be waiting to take revenge on Patrick when he returns."

"Now you make her sound like she's a devil, Lucas." Replied Susan, getting into her car parked right outside Jeremy's house.

"Susan. I'm just saying."

"Alright, alright. I'm going in a few hours."

"See ya later."

"Bye, Lucas."

Susan half threw her phone on the seat beside hers. Hands on the steering wheel, she stared straight ahead and sighed.

What are you really thinking, Meredith?