Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~40~

Brighid was allowed into Dan's room once he was out of surgery. She anxiously waited for someone to show up. Her foot tapping a mile a minute against the floor.

"Hey I came as soon I got your message" a voice said from the doorway. Brighid popped up grabbing her mother in a hug.

"Are you okay?" She asked examining the girl.

"I'm fine. It's dad. He was passed out on the floor clinging to his chest. If I didn't move in with him, he could be dead now" Brighid expressed. Deb sighed looking at Brighid.

A nurse walked in to check on him.

"Are you his wife?" The nurse asked. Deb shook her head yes. The two stepped outside to talk. Brighid once again was left alone in the room.

"Hey" Nathan said softly walking in with Haley by his side.

"I called you" Brighid said slightly mean. She was mad he hadn't come sooner.

"I got here as fast as I could. What happened?"

"He had a stroke or a heart attack. I can't really remember what the EMT told me this morning. Nathan you left him. No matter how mad we get at him. He's going to need us" Brighid explained.

"I won't come back" Nathan said sternly.

"I'm leaving. You can spend time with him" Brighid said leaving the room to go sit in the chapel.

She sat down bursting into tears. She felt extremely guilty. She almost didn't move in with him. If she didn't what would have happened?

"Are you okay?" Deb asked sitting next to her daughter.

"Fine feeling guilty"

"Guilty? For what?"

"Let him move back mom. It's not fair"

"It's called divorce Brig. Life isn't fair at all" Deb said. The two sat silently in the chapel.

Haley and Nathan soon after joined them with Nathan sitting in between Deb and Brighid and Haley in the back pew.

"We are here for you Mrs. Scott" Haley softly stated. Deb's hand was on top of Haley's when she pulled back. She grabbed Nathan's hand giving him a funny look.

"We were going to tell you today. Both of you" Nathan said exchanging a look between Deb and then Brighid.

"I love your son very much" Haley began. 

"Tell me what Nathan?" Deb asked sternly.

"We got married" Nathan said. Deb began to laugh and Brighid looked at Nathan crazily.

"Married? Nathan this is a joke right?" Brighid asked. Nathan shook his head no. 

"I must be losing my mind" Deb muttered getting up.

"Mom we'll talk about this later. When dad's better" Nathan said.

"You father is lying in a hospital bed. You know when Brighid told me she was pregnant I nearly died. Doubted where I went wrong as a parent. This is- this is insane. It has to be a joke"

"It's not a joke" Nathan muttered.

"Mrs. Scott-"

"Shut up Haley" Deb snapped.

"Mom" Brighid responded.

"Oh Brighid shut up. You said it yourself. You both did this to your father. You two are the reason he's here" Deb continued. Brighid began to cry while Nathan remained silent.

"Mrs. Scott-" Haley tried again.

"I said shut up! Shut your selfish little mouth"

"Mom!" Nathan countered.

"You walked away from him. Haley helped you do it. Brighid, you just couldn't follow his rules. Maybe you know being a parent isn't all that it's cracked up to be. You just could love basketball and stick with it right? You three are all to blame!" Deb lectured before walking out.

Brighid sobbed even more. Nathan and Haley tried to comfort her but she walked out as well.

She collapsed down the wall of one of the halls.

"Brighid?" Karen asked coming to her aide.

"What's happened?"

"My dad, Dan. He's going to die. It's all my fault" Brighid muttered. Karen grabbed her in a hug before taking her to the cafe.