Just as I Begin to Fade

Fifty Six. Closer to the Truth

Gwen had remained out in hallway, just outside her mother's door only so she could be aware of what was going on with her. She didn't want to leave her mother since she seemed to be a little wounded, but she didn't want to go in and make herself a target because she already felt guilty enough.

Stevie would stay in the hospital for one more night, more observation, because they didn't see anything wrong. The baby just seemed to be pushing whatever infection that might have been starting, but with her panic attack about her parents, it happened a little sooner.

In the room with her, Lindsey let her rest, but when she wanted to talk, they talked. However, she wasn't really in the mood that she wasn't as talkative as she normally would have been.

"Stevie, you know Gwen didn't do that on purpose..." he explained.

She kind of rolled her eyes.

"Don't do that, because it's not true. She wasn't trying to hurt you by telling you what happened. I know you're upset but you took it the wrong way. The girl has never met her grandparents---she's happy, she's excited."

"And she hasn't met them for good reasons."

"Well, can you be a little more specific? Why don't you want Gwen to have a relationship with her grandparents? In my eyes, I see nothing wrong..." he admitted.

As they were getting further into the subject, he realized that the blonde never spoke about her parents at all; the one and only time he remembered her saying anything was when she told the story about Andre and how she felt her parents should have seen the error of their sixteen year old daughter dating a man who was in college. Somebody who had his life started, when hers hadn't even begun yet. Other than that, he had heard nothing else about them. Though, at the time, she added that her resentment came from the fact that Andre manipulated her parents, or so she believed.

It wasn't hard to tell that she was bothered and he wasn't trying to push any buttons, but he really wanted her to talk because her angst to leave the beginning of her new life made him slightly uneasy.

"Stevie..."

"Because, she's mine. She's not anybody else's---she's my daughter."

"Stevie, even if she was close with her grandparents, she'd still be yours. Kids love their grandparents, but that doesn't mean they love their parents any less. I adored my grandparents, I know you adored your grandfather, but that could never change the love you had for your mother. There is nothing like a mother's love."

"I love my parents, they just weren't there for me when I needed them."

"That was the past."

"It doesn't matter."

"There were things you didn't do for Gwen, she forgave you. She loves you and stays around regardless of the fact that you weren't there for her, when she needed you."

She was slightly annoyed by the fact that he could make sense of everything---she almost hated that he was always right, because all she wanted was, was to feel sorry for herself and he wouldn't let her do it as he knew it wasn't healthy.

"Just think about it, okay? You might have a chance to reconnect with your parents, and even if you don't want to, at least Gwen will. She deserves to know them."

"Well, they don't deserve to know her."

He arched a brow to himself only because she really kept negating the situation. Not at all wanting to fight her while she was slightly more vulnerable than usual, he stood up. "Is there anything I can get you? Tea or something? I'm gonna go down to the cafeteria for some coffee."