Saved By Her Guitar
Chapter Eight
It had been five weeks since the incident. She’d been in jail for a month and had missed Christmas and New Year’s.
She accepted no visits, no calls, no nothing. She’d stayed to herself. She hadn’t gotten into trouble which was out of the ordinary but had served her well. There were girls who’d tried to provoke her but she’d always thought better of it.
When she was released, she’d been told that her father would continue to pay her tuition until she graduated and when she got outside her car was waiting for her. Her first day back at school she’d managed to keep a low profile but Rome had spotted her car in the lot.
“Where ya’ been?”
She really didn’t want to talk about it.
“Jail.”
“I can see that.”
She smiled softly.
“You don’t look too good.”
“Right back at ya.”
“Seriously,” he said putting his hands on her shoulders.
“I’m fine.”
“If you say so. Well, it’s good to have you back.”
“Thanks.”
He hugged her and she headed to the shop.
When she got there, she went straight to Wesley’s office and closed the door behind her.
Martin called Dillan over from the separate garage.
“What’s up, Martin?”
“Morgan just went into Wes’s office.”
“What?”
“Yeah. She came in and went straight up there.”
“Where do you think she was?” James asked.
“For the thousandth time, I don’t know.”
Dillan went back into the garage.
When Morgan emerged from the office, Caleb stopped her.
“Where were you?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Dillan is my business and he’s very into you. So if-
Caleb,” she growled, “I have a lot of pent up frustration and I don’t like you.”
“Yeah, well, he’s my best friend-
She shook her head and moved pass him.
Dillan was in the process of painting glossy red racing stripes on the M3. She sighed and decided it would be best to let him finish.
Removing the seats from the Lancer kept her busy until he was done.
“Hey, there.”
She turned and smiled.
“Hey.”
He hugged her mercilessly and kissed her fiercely. Then he pulled back and looked at her. His smile faded.
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look sick. Your eyes are faded, it’s dark underneath them and you look pale somehow.”
“I think it’s just stress. I’m dealing with so much right now.”
“You look like you have the world on your shoulders.”
“It feels like it, too.”
“Share it with me.”
She smiled weakly.
“I don’t like this. You don’t look well. I think you should see a doctor.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Please. Humor me.”
She looked unsure. Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone.
She scowled then answered. “What do you want?”
“I want you to come home. I know you got out today.”
“Screw you.”
“I’ll report you a runaway.”
“And I’ll tell them why I’m not. Besides, you don’t want me there.”
“We should be together at a time like this.”
“A time like what?”
“Your mother’s in the hospital, Morgan. She has cancer.”
She dropped her phone and her breathing became scattered. Dillan caught her phone and watched her color grow worse before his eyes.
“Morgan?”
Her eyes closed and she fell into him.
“Hospital it is.”
He put her phone to his ear, “Hello?”
“This is Morgan’s father.”
“Well, this is Dillan and I’m taking her to General Hospital.”
He hung up, picked up Morgan and headed out the door.
When Shelton arrived at the hospital, Morgan was resting and Dillan was sitting next to her.
He was about to enter when a doctor stopped him.
“Can I help you?”
Dillan came out into the hallway.
“My name’s Shelton McCall. That’s my daughter.”
“Good, perhaps you can shed some light.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“She collapsed due to extreme exhaustion and starvation.”
“Alright?”
“Also, she was very tense in the shoulders and back. Usually tension is a symptom of stress. Do you have any idea how this might have come about?”
“Absolutely not.”
The doctor looked at him curiously.
“She lives under your roof. I haven’t seen her in 35 days. She hasn’t been at school. You know something.”
“I haven’t seen her either. I know she hasn’t been in school. She’s been in jail for the past 31 days.”
“Jail?”
“They say she behaved quite well. I did kick her out after she attacked my girlfriend before she went to jail. But I want her to come home now because her mother-
“Your wife,” Dillan pointed out.
“She’s in hospital with cancer and my younger daughter is coming to live with me until my wife is well. Melanie may not warm up to Michelle without Morgan’s influence.”
“Then she’ll never warm up.”
“Dillan,” Morgan wailed.
He was at her side instantly.
“Where-
“The hospital.”
“Why?”
“You fainted.”
“Morgan?”
She turned to the door.
“Have you been skipping meals and not sleeping?” the doctor questioned.
“Jail food is nasty. And sleep would imply comfort and a sense of security.”
“How many days has it bee since you’ve done either?”
“I have lunch today and a nap.”
“Prior to today.”
“Two weeks without eating and a week without sleep.”
“What?! Those irresponsible-
“They couldn’t force feed me or make me sleep. It’s not like you care anyway.”
“You know I do.”
“Do I?”
“I want you home for Melanie.”
“Home? I don’t—Melanie?”
“While your mother’s in the hospital, Melanie will be in New York.”
“Is this just to get me back in the house?” she asked through narrowed eyes.
“Contrary to what you may believe, I do love you girls.”
“Sure. You’re going to move her into a residence with a woman whom openly traduced my name to her; very inducing.”
“Michelle-
“Got that piece of info from you? Could you think any less of me, dad?”
“I didn’t know what was wrong with you. You were coming in late all the time. You were always tired and disrespectful to-
“She’s shagging my mother’s husband!” she shouted.
“I didn’t know what to do with this rebellious girl that I didn’t know anything about; nothing useful at least.”
“You handled it quite proficiently.”
“Likewise.”
“You’re in no position to be insinuating anything.”
“And more disrespect from your end.”
“And continuous infidelity from yours.”
“I want you to come back for Mel.”
“Whatever. You knew you had me but don’t expect me to have a miraculous renewed attitude toward this individual with whom I feel much virulence for.”
“Love the vernacular. I had to comment.”
“You’re only complimenting yourself.”
“Well,” the doctor interjected, “when ever you’re ready, you can go home.”
“Excuse me.”
She got up to get dressed in the bathroom.
“So I guess she would’ve been living with you.”
“Of course,” Dillan responded holding Shelton’s gaze.
“If you hurt her-
“I can’t hurt her any more than you already have.”
Shelton’s eyes narrowed at the implication.
“Alright. I’m ready. When is Melanie arriving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Great. I’ll go get her.”
“I’ll go get her.”
“So you can pressure her into putting on a happy face for Barbie? I don’t think so. Momma taught us not to be phony. Besides, Mel may look up to me but she isn’t blatantly disrespectful. She only mimics me three quarters of the time. She is capable of making her own assessments.”
“I’m going to get her-
“And that’s final,” she said mocking him. “Whatever.”
They all left the hospital together.
“I’ll see you later,” Dillan said hugging her.
She kissed him, “Call me.”
“Morgan.”
“Coming. I love you,” she called back to Dillan.
He waved.
She ran and jumped into the passenger side of her father’s truck. He watched it disappear around a corner.
He got in his own car and thought, 35 days. He was in love with her but he didn’t realize how much until she’d disappeared. Initially, he’d worried. She wasn’t answering his calls, wasn’t coming to work on her cars, wasn’t showing up at school. She’d fallen off the face of the earth.
It’d been 35 days since he’d hugged or kissed her. He’d almost forgotten the depth of her eyes. He’d missed her laugh and her smile. Everyone around him had told him he moped like a puppy with an owner. Caleb had called him depressed but it all just rolled off of him.
How could he argue? With Morgan out of the picture he did feel deprived. When Martin called him over and told him that she was there, his heart threatened to destroy his rib cage, his hands clammed up, his mouth went dry and his breathing shallow. He had to gather himself before approaching her. He’d felt like an insecure teenage boy again.
“What have you done to me?” he asked his steering wheel.
Morgan slowly walked into the apartment behind her father. Her eyes locked with Michelle’s who was sitting on the couch.
“Morgan,” Shelton began.
“Just keep her away from me.”
She walked off to the right to her room.
“You have to eat?”
“In my room?”
He sighed, “Fine.”
She headed for the kitchen and he sat next to Michelle, leaning his head on her shoulder.
“Am I safe with her here?”
“Of course. She won’t fight in front of Mel so she’s going to break her neck to keep away from you.”
“But?”
“Try not to badmouth her to Mel. They’d die for each other. It’s them against the world, unfortunately.”
“So I might as well stay away from Melanie, too.”
“Do what makes you most comfortable.”
He kissed her.
“Not in front of Melly,” Morgan said on her way to her room.
She accepted no visits, no calls, no nothing. She’d stayed to herself. She hadn’t gotten into trouble which was out of the ordinary but had served her well. There were girls who’d tried to provoke her but she’d always thought better of it.
When she was released, she’d been told that her father would continue to pay her tuition until she graduated and when she got outside her car was waiting for her. Her first day back at school she’d managed to keep a low profile but Rome had spotted her car in the lot.
“Where ya’ been?”
She really didn’t want to talk about it.
“Jail.”
“I can see that.”
She smiled softly.
“You don’t look too good.”
“Right back at ya.”
“Seriously,” he said putting his hands on her shoulders.
“I’m fine.”
“If you say so. Well, it’s good to have you back.”
“Thanks.”
He hugged her and she headed to the shop.
When she got there, she went straight to Wesley’s office and closed the door behind her.
Martin called Dillan over from the separate garage.
“What’s up, Martin?”
“Morgan just went into Wes’s office.”
“What?”
“Yeah. She came in and went straight up there.”
“Where do you think she was?” James asked.
“For the thousandth time, I don’t know.”
Dillan went back into the garage.
When Morgan emerged from the office, Caleb stopped her.
“Where were you?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Dillan is my business and he’s very into you. So if-
Caleb,” she growled, “I have a lot of pent up frustration and I don’t like you.”
“Yeah, well, he’s my best friend-
She shook her head and moved pass him.
Dillan was in the process of painting glossy red racing stripes on the M3. She sighed and decided it would be best to let him finish.
Removing the seats from the Lancer kept her busy until he was done.
“Hey, there.”
She turned and smiled.
“Hey.”
He hugged her mercilessly and kissed her fiercely. Then he pulled back and looked at her. His smile faded.
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look sick. Your eyes are faded, it’s dark underneath them and you look pale somehow.”
“I think it’s just stress. I’m dealing with so much right now.”
“You look like you have the world on your shoulders.”
“It feels like it, too.”
“Share it with me.”
She smiled weakly.
“I don’t like this. You don’t look well. I think you should see a doctor.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Please. Humor me.”
She looked unsure. Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone.
She scowled then answered. “What do you want?”
“I want you to come home. I know you got out today.”
“Screw you.”
“I’ll report you a runaway.”
“And I’ll tell them why I’m not. Besides, you don’t want me there.”
“We should be together at a time like this.”
“A time like what?”
“Your mother’s in the hospital, Morgan. She has cancer.”
She dropped her phone and her breathing became scattered. Dillan caught her phone and watched her color grow worse before his eyes.
“Morgan?”
Her eyes closed and she fell into him.
“Hospital it is.”
He put her phone to his ear, “Hello?”
“This is Morgan’s father.”
“Well, this is Dillan and I’m taking her to General Hospital.”
He hung up, picked up Morgan and headed out the door.
When Shelton arrived at the hospital, Morgan was resting and Dillan was sitting next to her.
He was about to enter when a doctor stopped him.
“Can I help you?”
Dillan came out into the hallway.
“My name’s Shelton McCall. That’s my daughter.”
“Good, perhaps you can shed some light.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“She collapsed due to extreme exhaustion and starvation.”
“Alright?”
“Also, she was very tense in the shoulders and back. Usually tension is a symptom of stress. Do you have any idea how this might have come about?”
“Absolutely not.”
The doctor looked at him curiously.
“She lives under your roof. I haven’t seen her in 35 days. She hasn’t been at school. You know something.”
“I haven’t seen her either. I know she hasn’t been in school. She’s been in jail for the past 31 days.”
“Jail?”
“They say she behaved quite well. I did kick her out after she attacked my girlfriend before she went to jail. But I want her to come home now because her mother-
“Your wife,” Dillan pointed out.
“She’s in hospital with cancer and my younger daughter is coming to live with me until my wife is well. Melanie may not warm up to Michelle without Morgan’s influence.”
“Then she’ll never warm up.”
“Dillan,” Morgan wailed.
He was at her side instantly.
“Where-
“The hospital.”
“Why?”
“You fainted.”
“Morgan?”
She turned to the door.
“Have you been skipping meals and not sleeping?” the doctor questioned.
“Jail food is nasty. And sleep would imply comfort and a sense of security.”
“How many days has it bee since you’ve done either?”
“I have lunch today and a nap.”
“Prior to today.”
“Two weeks without eating and a week without sleep.”
“What?! Those irresponsible-
“They couldn’t force feed me or make me sleep. It’s not like you care anyway.”
“You know I do.”
“Do I?”
“I want you home for Melanie.”
“Home? I don’t—Melanie?”
“While your mother’s in the hospital, Melanie will be in New York.”
“Is this just to get me back in the house?” she asked through narrowed eyes.
“Contrary to what you may believe, I do love you girls.”
“Sure. You’re going to move her into a residence with a woman whom openly traduced my name to her; very inducing.”
“Michelle-
“Got that piece of info from you? Could you think any less of me, dad?”
“I didn’t know what was wrong with you. You were coming in late all the time. You were always tired and disrespectful to-
“She’s shagging my mother’s husband!” she shouted.
“I didn’t know what to do with this rebellious girl that I didn’t know anything about; nothing useful at least.”
“You handled it quite proficiently.”
“Likewise.”
“You’re in no position to be insinuating anything.”
“And more disrespect from your end.”
“And continuous infidelity from yours.”
“I want you to come back for Mel.”
“Whatever. You knew you had me but don’t expect me to have a miraculous renewed attitude toward this individual with whom I feel much virulence for.”
“Love the vernacular. I had to comment.”
“You’re only complimenting yourself.”
“Well,” the doctor interjected, “when ever you’re ready, you can go home.”
“Excuse me.”
She got up to get dressed in the bathroom.
“So I guess she would’ve been living with you.”
“Of course,” Dillan responded holding Shelton’s gaze.
“If you hurt her-
“I can’t hurt her any more than you already have.”
Shelton’s eyes narrowed at the implication.
“Alright. I’m ready. When is Melanie arriving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Great. I’ll go get her.”
“I’ll go get her.”
“So you can pressure her into putting on a happy face for Barbie? I don’t think so. Momma taught us not to be phony. Besides, Mel may look up to me but she isn’t blatantly disrespectful. She only mimics me three quarters of the time. She is capable of making her own assessments.”
“I’m going to get her-
“And that’s final,” she said mocking him. “Whatever.”
They all left the hospital together.
“I’ll see you later,” Dillan said hugging her.
She kissed him, “Call me.”
“Morgan.”
“Coming. I love you,” she called back to Dillan.
He waved.
She ran and jumped into the passenger side of her father’s truck. He watched it disappear around a corner.
He got in his own car and thought, 35 days. He was in love with her but he didn’t realize how much until she’d disappeared. Initially, he’d worried. She wasn’t answering his calls, wasn’t coming to work on her cars, wasn’t showing up at school. She’d fallen off the face of the earth.
It’d been 35 days since he’d hugged or kissed her. He’d almost forgotten the depth of her eyes. He’d missed her laugh and her smile. Everyone around him had told him he moped like a puppy with an owner. Caleb had called him depressed but it all just rolled off of him.
How could he argue? With Morgan out of the picture he did feel deprived. When Martin called him over and told him that she was there, his heart threatened to destroy his rib cage, his hands clammed up, his mouth went dry and his breathing shallow. He had to gather himself before approaching her. He’d felt like an insecure teenage boy again.
“What have you done to me?” he asked his steering wheel.
Morgan slowly walked into the apartment behind her father. Her eyes locked with Michelle’s who was sitting on the couch.
“Morgan,” Shelton began.
“Just keep her away from me.”
She walked off to the right to her room.
“You have to eat?”
“In my room?”
He sighed, “Fine.”
She headed for the kitchen and he sat next to Michelle, leaning his head on her shoulder.
“Am I safe with her here?”
“Of course. She won’t fight in front of Mel so she’s going to break her neck to keep away from you.”
“But?”
“Try not to badmouth her to Mel. They’d die for each other. It’s them against the world, unfortunately.”
“So I might as well stay away from Melanie, too.”
“Do what makes you most comfortable.”
He kissed her.
“Not in front of Melly,” Morgan said on her way to her room.