Impatiently standing next to Stacey and McGuinty Victoria listened to the nurse as she briefed them, wanting nothing more than to be close enough to touch Emily. Even if she couldn't touch her, she wanted Emily to know that her mother was there for her.
Victoria rushed into the dimly lit hospital room and stopped at the sight of the tiny child sleeping in an enclosed plastic crib.
Emily looked nothing like she expected her to. She was so fragile and thin wrapped up in plasters. One bandage covered her little leg, on the same side one of her arms, and a soft bandage had been rolled around her head.
There were so many tubes and cords attached to her, each one running to a different machine or apparatus. They beeped and hissed rhythmically announcing they were doing their job.
Victoria put her hand over her throat and gasped. It was hard to believe under all of those tubes and bandaged was her baby. The beautiful baby girl she hadn't cradled in her arms for so long it physically hurt.
"You poor little thing," she sobbed moving closer placing her palms over the plastic casing of the crib that separated them.
Stacy, who had been in the corner of the room with McGuinty walked toward Victoria and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ok?"
"No Stacy I'm not, all I want to do is rip all of these cords and tubes away from her, hold her in my arms and make the world go away. I just want my baby back," said Victoria shaking her head as she wiped the tears from her face.
"I know you do."
"I will never see her again, what a sad way to remember the most important person in your life," said Victoria turning away from Stacey, "that judge, has already made up her mind. You heard what they were saying today, I even hate myself."
Turning her around Stacy looked hard into Victoria's eyes.
"Victoria, get control of yourself, you didn't do this to her, you tried to save her life. Stop beating yourself up and fight back, you need to be strong for Emily."
"Don't you get it, I can't Stacy I have nothing left."
Both women jumped a little and looked up as the door swung open and two people entered the room. The first was a nurse.
"Oh I'm sorry to disturb you ladies, Emily's grandmother has come to visit her," she said and stepped aside to reveal the other person.
"Vikki, thank god," she breathed through her mask.
"Marilyn?"
"I will leave you all to it, if you need anything press the buzzer," looking at Marilyn the nurse said, "and remember what I told you!" as she turned on her heel and left.
Marilyn and Victoria stood frozen looking at each other, not daring to say a word.
"My mother and I would like to talk outside in the corridor, please come along if you need to," said Victoria turning to Stacy.
Stacy nodded and motioned for McGuinty to follow as they all left the room. They removed their masks and stood side by side outside Emily's door. Victoria and Marilyn regarded each other.
"What are you doing here, why?" accused Victoria.
"I come for you of course, and little Emily."
"Why, what makes you think that after a decade you can come crashing into our lives unannounced like nothing ever happened, what gives you the right!"
"It isn't like that love; I come to help you, to mend things between us, to tell you I'm sorry!"
"Do you remember the last time I saw you Marilyn? I was 16, you were dumping me with Nan again for the hundredth time. You sat in that fancy car with some greasy old fart, and promised me you were coming back to get me as soon as you got settled. Where were you then because that's when I needed you?"
"Honey..."begged Marilyn.
Victoria put her hand up, silencing her, "I idolized you, and I wanted to be just like you, I trusted you..."
"I'm sorry love, really I am. Life took me in another direction - away from you."
"You never come back for me, you never wrote, you didn't care."
"Of course I cared..."
"I wish I knew that while I waited out on Nan's front porch every day for you to come back. And now you think you can just say sorry and I will fall into your arms and tell you I'm glad you are home. I hate what you did to me, you broke my heart!"
"I know I did Vikki, I was so selfish and stupid, and I had no right to do that to you. I was such a mess, I thought the best place for you was with Nan, at least she could bring you up properly."
"Thank god for Nan hey, at least she was there for me. How did you thank her for everything she did for you? And for bringing me up while you were out living the high life with a new bloke every week? You didn't even come back for her funeral, you didn't give a damn before, why now Marilyn!"
"Vikki I'm sorry love, I'm sorry for what I did to you, I'm sorry for what I did to Nan, I'm plain sorry for everything."
"What so you can gain my trust and leave me in the dust again when the first loaded fool comes along and notices you!"
"I won't, I promise, I will be here for you from now on through this whole thing... please Vikki. I'm sorry, let me make it up to you."
"That's a tall order for someone who could never stay in one place for more than 5 minutes. You're wasting your time here, go back to your slimy car yard ads!"
Stacy tugged on Victoria's arm, "It's time to go soon, say goodbye to Emily, before you have to go."
"Please," said Marilyn as she opened her arms to hug Victoria.
"No, don't touch me," she said and walked back into the small room where Emily lay sleeping and closed the door on Marilyn.
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Wow, that was intense! Hope you enjoyed :)