623 First and Foremost
Alone in the room with a sleeping Corrine, Fiona sat quietly, staring at her old friend. She had stayed with her all night, waiting for any sign she would wake.
Fiona pulled her chair closer to the bed and held Corrine’s hand.
“You’ve been napping an awfully long time, my dear,” Fiona smiled. “Your children are waiting for you.”
She swallowed, looking down as the hollow feeling inside of her grew heavier. Then, finally, she took a deep breath and put a smile on her face.
“Axel is still being treated, but he is so strong,” she whispered. “He will make it through. Of that, I have no doubt. But I know you won’t believe me unless you confirm that with your own eyes, so… wake up.”
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Taking another deep breath through her nose, Fiona licked her lips and tried again.
“Ashleigh hasn’t woken either,” she said softly. “But all of her vitals are improving. Her body is healing from the injuries she came home with. I know she would really love to wake up and see you smiling down at her.”
Fiona paused, chewing her lip.
“She’s going to need her mother,” she whispered, swallowing. “Caleb… he’s gone.”
Fiona closed her eyes, clenching her jaw as her stomach lurched. Saying the words made her nauseous, angry, and sad.
“I will do my best to help her,” Fiona sniffled. “But she will need her mother to help her through this.”
Again, she looked at her friend and at the monitors. But nothing changed. Fiona clenched her jaw, the frustration growing in her. The hollow feeling in her chest filled with the anger and bitterness of all that had happened.
“Oh, come on, Corrine!” Fiona yelled, angry tears burning in her eyes. “Stop being so selfish!”
She dropped her head as a sob stole her breath.
“I need you….” she whispered with a pained breath. “You’re all I have…. My boys….”
Fiona fell forward, dropping her head down to her knees as her shoulders shook with heavy tears. Then, taking a shaky breath, she whispered. “They’re gone.”
Anger and bitterness turned to sorrow and loneliness in an instant. Her heart was broken, her hopes gone. She wanted to be strong, but how could she? How could anyone?
“I’m all alone….” She whispered.
“No,” came a soft voice from the doorway.
Fiona gasped in surprise and turned to see Bell standing there, a gentle expression on her face.
“You’re not alone, Fiona,” Bell said, “you have us.”
Bell entered the room, holding Ren in her arms. She smiled at Fiona.
“You’ll always have us,” Bell smiled.
Fiona brought her hand to her mouth, tears filling her eyes as the warmth grew.
“Oh, you precious thing….” Fiona whispered. She opened her arms to them.
Bell came over and put Ren into Fiona’s waiting arms.
Fiona looked down at the sweet, sleeping baby and smiled, thinking of his father. Then, she looked up at Bell, reaching a hand to her, which Bell gladly took.
“Thank you,” Fiona said. “I needed this.”
Bell nodded.
“I know,” she said. “I heard you’ve been here all night. I thought it might help to breathe in a little of his sunshine.”
Fiona chuckled.
“It does.”
Bell smiled.
“I needed a little of it myself,” she said.
Fiona looked up. She could see that Bell held back her own pain.
“How are you doing?” Fiona whispered. “Really.”
Bell shrugged.
“My surrogate family is all in different states of medical emergencies,” she began. “With one of them being my own patient. My husband is missing and, from what I have heard, presumed gone.”
Fiona squeezed Bell’s hand; she regretted saying aloud that Galen was gone. They had no confirmation of that. The communication lines were cut before his team could report back. It was still very possible he was alive.
“I’m sorry,” Fiona whispered. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
Bell shook her head.
“It’s nothing I haven’t thought about already,” she replied, wiping the tear that escaped her eye.
Fiona didn’t know what to say. She knew nothing she could say would ease Bell’s mind. Especially not when she struggled with the same fears.
But she was worried. Bell was a person that struggled to share her burdens. When she and Galen got married, Corrine pulled Fiona aside to ensure she understood some of Bell’s habits. She told her to watch out for her, to protect her from herself.
In truth, Fiona wanted to be that person to Bell, but from what she had observed, only Galen could truly penetrate those sturdy walls of self-preservation.
“I’m here for you,” Fiona said, looking at Bell. “Anytime.”
Bell looked at Fiona, she swallowed, but then she smiled and nodded. Bell looked away and took a deep breath. Then, wiping her eyes, she turned back with a smile.
“It’s very late, and I have been banished to get some rest,” she said.
Fiona chuckled. She bent forward and kissed Ren’s forehead before returning him to Bell.
“That’s a good idea,” Fiona said.
Bell looked at Corrine, giving a gentle smile and her own wish for her to open her eyes before turning back to Fiona.
“Corrine is being closely monitored. Peter will let me know the moment she wakes up,” she said. “Why don’t you come back to the house with me? We can get some rest and come back in a few hours.”
Fiona looked over at Corrine and then back at Bell.
“That’s probably a good idea,” she said. “But, when she wakes up, I want to be with her. A lot has happened, and I just want to see that she’s all right. I also want to check on Ashleigh.”
Bell nodded.
“I understand,” she said. “But I am instructing someone to bring you a cot to lay down in.”
Fiona laughed and nodded.
“Thank you, you’re a sweet girl.”
“Of course,” Bell said, “how could I do any less for my mother-in-law.”
Fiona smiled softly.
“For many years, I have considered Galen my other son,” she sighed. “But I don’t think he has ever really been able to see past the Luna and accept me as a mother.”
She shrugged, but Bell could see the disappointment in her eyes.
“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Bell said, “Galen, as silly as he is, is very formal and respectful. He always refers to you as his Luna in public.”
Fiona nodded with a sigh.
“But at home,” Bell continued. “You are, first and foremost, his mother.”
Fiona looked up in surprise. She closed her eyes with a pained smile. Fresh tears escaped her closed lids as her chest felt a warm tug.
“Thank you,” she whispered.