Adaptation

Chapter 7

Anthony's POV

I was watching T.V with Tim cuddled into his side and my phone rings from the coffee table where I put it. Addie is in her room studying I think, she has been quiet for the past week. I pick it up to see that's it's Andy calling me. I answer it and he says "please tell me Addie is OK she just sent me a message saying that she can't do this anymore and I tried calling her and she won't answer". I jump up and ran up the stairs shouting to Addie but she doesn't answer. I open her door and see her on the bed and she looks like she is a sleep but I spot the pill packet beside her and I know what she did. I called for Tim to call an Ambulance and I say to Andy "she has taken an over dose I have to go and I will keep you informed". I hang up my phone just as Tim runs in and he too spots the pill packet. I run over to her and pull her into my arms and just cry as I think I have lost my daughter. Tim's comes over and sits beside me and pulls me into his arms and says "she will be OK I called an Ambulance and they will be here soon, you need to think positive babe". I hear the doorbell ring and I jump and run down to get it and usher them up to her room where Tim is crying and saying "please be OK". I touch his shoulder and he gets up and hugs me and I say "take you own advice babe she will be OK I know she will".

They take her to hospital and run tests but luckily there was no damage to her body or organs from the over dose. I call Andy and say "I think you should try and come home just to see her there has been no damage to her organs or anything so that is good news we just need to wait until she wakes up". He tells me he will try and get back and ring me once he knows.

We just sit by her bed and hold her hand and wait that's all we can do. I was sitting there holding her hand while Tim went to get us a coffee and I can't help the tears that come to my eyes as if I hadn't been spooked at the quarantine station then none of this would have happened. It's my fault that this has happened. I had a bad feeling before I went in there and I know I get like it and I shouldn't have gone in there but I wanted to make my daughter happy she is the best thing that has happened to me apart from meeting and marrying Tim. I love them both to bits and if I have to give up my career for those two then I would in an instant.

I was startled out of my dream by a hand on my shoulder and when I look up its Tim. I think he sees the tears in my eyes as he puts down both cups of coffee and gathers me in his arms and whispers in my ear "don't cry babe she will be OK". I look at him and says "it's my fault as if she hadn't seen me spooked after the ghost tour we did then this would never have happened, she was getting so much better she was never depressed or had panic attacks after she came to live with us. I knew I shouldn't have gone on the tour but I like to make her happy". He pulls me in tighter and says "babe please it's not your fault it's one of those things. These things happen OK". I nod my head and when I really think about it he is right but I can't help but blame myself. I pull away from him and stand on my tippy toes to kiss his lips as a thank you. He is always there for me whenever I need him I know that's what partners do but Tim always goes above and beyond. Every time I come back from tour or I have to go interstate he always picks me up at the airport and he will have chocolates or things like that for me.

We sit there for a bit longer until my phone rings and I look at it to see its Andy. I answer it and he says "sorry mate but I can't get down to see her I have tried everything". I see red when he says that and yell "if you really cared about her then you would find a way to get over here". Tim takes the phone off me and says to him "this is your girlfriend lying in a coma from an over dose and you won't come and see her. If you really love her like you say then you get over here". He hangs up after that and says to me "I don't like this I think there is something he is not telling us, Look at all the times that she tried to call him and he doesn't answer is total bullshit to me". I nod my head as I think the same thing but didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to believe it either but now that Tim voiced it I really think that the article we saw really was true and not his cousin like he wants us to believe.

We sit there for a bit until a guy comes walking in and goes to sit next to her but Tim grabs him and says "who the fuck do you think you are just waltzing into this room like you own it. He looks up at Tim and says "I'm her boyfriend who are you"? I look at him and say "we are her adoptive parents and you are not her boyfriend as we have met him and you are not him so I will repeat the question my husband just asked you. Who the fuck do you think you are waltzing in this room like you own it"? He looks at us and says "you are not her adoptive parents she doesn't have any I dumped her in that refuge and left when I could". I see red as he says that and it dawns on me who this scumbag is. I lunge at him and punch him square in the face and say "so you're the scum bag that dumped her in that refuge then broke up with her not long after. You left when the going got bad you piece of shit. I think you had better leave before I remove you myself". He looks at me and says "yeah right you're too short to hurt a fly so how can you". Tim moves him just out of my reach and I say to him "do you realize who this person this babe this is her ex-boyfriend that dumped her and he is not welcome in my daughters room". Tim looks at me and says "babe calm down I realized who he was as soon as he said he dumped her in the refuge. I'm pulling him away so I can push him outside and let security know that he is not to be let in this hospital as I don't want you to get hurt and I also don't want you to make matters worse if we see him on the street later on then by all means let him have it but not in a hospital room where our daughter can wake up any minute". Just as he says that I hear a moan and a voice "Andy is that you".

I run over to her and say "baby girl it's me Ant are you OK"? She looks at me then at Tim and starts screaming when she looks at Tim, I motion for Tim to take this scum bag out so I can settle her down. He does as I ask and he takes him out. I pull her into my arms and say "its OK he has gone Tim got rid him and he won't be allowed back into this hospital while you are a patient here. Sshh its OK I'm here and won't let anything happen to you". She pulls herself closer to me and rests her head in my neck.