Chapter Twenty
Monday, 8:30 AM
Lucky Spencer lay weakly on his side, curled up in utter humiliation. He was still hooked up to an IV and heart monitor, and he wore an oxygen mask over his face. They told him that he still wasn't receiving enough oxygen in his lungs. The nurse had already been in to grab him and pound him to death on his back - postural drainage therapy they called it. Lucky reached for a pillow and held it to his chest, coughing and grimacing. His chest hurt so badly, and he felt like he was dying, not to mention the green gunk he kept spitting out. They had tried to feed him some cold toast and jam earlier for breakfast. Of course, he'd puked it all over the place and then they had to clean him up. They wouldn't even let him go to the bathroom by himself. He was supposed to call for a nurse to come and help him up and push his IV pole with him. He wondered how long he could hold it before he'd burst. Lucky didn't want anyone touching him, looking at him or talking to him. He just wanted to go somewhere and hide.
Tony Jones poked his head in the doorway. He'd decided to visit Lucky before starting his own hospital rounds. Tony had stayed at the hospital late last night until he knew that Lucky would be okay. He'd sat next to Lucky's bed for hours, watching him sleep and struggle to breathe. Lucky never awakened again after his last sedative, so the two hadn't talked. Last night, Tony had brushed Lucky's hair from his face and held his hand. He doubted that Lucky would let him do that now that he was awake.
"Hey, Lucky," Tony said softly as he sat in a chair by the bed. "How's my favorite nephew?"
Lucky raised his head weakly and promptly fell back onto the pillow. "Uncle Tony," he said through his mask with a very small smile. His eyes closed again, and he grimaced in pain.
"I'm happy to see that you're finally awake," Tony said with concern. "You really had us worried there, pal."
Lucky pulled the mask off of his face and turned toward Tony. "I don't want to be here," he stated firmly with a gritty, breathy voice. "I don't like it. I want everybody to just leave me alone." His eyes glittered with anger.
"Well, nobody likes hospitals, Lucky, even us doctors," Tony laughed. "But, you need to be here awhile so you can recover. We almost lost you yesterday. You can't get better living on the streets."
"I don't care," Lucky asserted, gripping his pillow tighter and coughing. He placed the mask back on his face and closed his eyes.
Tony had hoped that Lucky's attitude would have changed since his ordeal, but maybe that was naïve. "Why don't you care, Lucky?" he asked gently. Lucky didn't respond. "Even if you don't care, I do," he replied. "I want you to get better and help me with some of my computer problems."
Lucky opened an eye, then shut it again.
"I'll be in the hospital all day. If you need anything or want to talk, have the nurse give me a call. Okay? I'll check in with you again before I leave tonight." Tony patted Lucky on his leg and left to make his rounds.
~*~*~*~
Bobbie stopped by Kelly's before her shift started at GH. She sat at a table alone and
deep in thought. Bobbie sipped her coffee and made a face. Things sure had changed since
she'd lost Elizabeth as an employee. She never even saw her around anymore. Too much in
love with that Brad jerk - and his money, she thought. Bobbie remembered how devastated
Lucky had been when Elizabeth had dumped him.
*** Bobbie stopped by Kelly's on her way home from work to close up for the night, and she opened the front door with her key. The place was dark and deserted, and she jumped with a racing heart when she heard an odd sound in the back supply room. Grabbing a large kitchen knife for protection, she slowly advanced toward the supply room door. The banging and muffled sounds became louder. She cautiously pushed open the door with the knife raised, ready to attack if necessary.
She gasped and lowered her knife, placing it on a nearby rack. Bobbie swiftly knelt by the figure huddled in a corner banging his head on a metal shelf. "Lucky?" she asked in a surprised, worried voice. Lucky's tear-streaked face raised to look at his aunt. He sobbed and placed his head on his knees. Bobbie stroked his arm, and tried again. "What's happened to you, Lucky, can you tell me?"
"She left, she's gone," he mumbled.
"Who left?" Bobbie questioned.
"Elizabeth. She said I'm not good enough for her. I'm no good. I hate myself!" Lucky started sobbing again.
"Lucky, I'm sure she didn't say that. What exactly happened between you two?" asked Bobbie as she rubbed her hand on his back.
"She showed up here with her new boyfriend, Brad," he sneered. "She told me that she didn't want to see me anymore and that we were officially broken up. She said we had nothing in common. I'm not good enough for her," he added softly.
Bobbie took Lucky into her arms and hugged him, her chin resting on his head. ***
Bobbie remembered that it was soon after that she'd noticed he was drinking. And, then,
there was Laura. Bobbie slammed down her coffee cup and shook her head in disgust at that
woman who first invaded her life twenty years ago. Lucky's drinking had grown
progressively worse after that one night. Bobbie had tried to intervene and help Lucky,
but he'd ignored her. Bobbie supposed that's when she started distancing herself from him.
*** Laura and Luke began having major problems again soon after Lucky returned from his kidnapping. Lucky hadn't stayed long home, instead choosing to live alone in the apartment above Jake's. He couldn't stand to be around any conflict or arguing or raised voices anymore, and he was easily spooked, almost paranoid. Lucky would show up at the house for the occasional family dinner, but only if other people were present to prevent some sort of scene from taking place.
Bobbie and Lucas arrived at the house on 24 Royal Street with a chocolate cake. Lucky was already there and looked relieved to see his aunt and cousin at the door. "Come on in," he said, smiling. "Mmmmm…is that what I think it is?" he asked, his eyes twinkling as he took the cake from her hands. Lucky went back to playing go-fish with Lulu, who was beating the pants off him, or so it seemed. Their laughter mingled, hers light and tinkly and his hearty and deep. Lucky grabbed Lulu and held her in his arms, kissing the top of her head.
Laura emerged from the kitchen with a steaming pot roast. She lowered the roast onto the table with a thud, and looked over at Bobbie with an annoyed look on her face as she noisily slapped the potholders together. "Luke's not here, and he won't be from now on," she stated firmly, implying that Bobbie and Lucas weren't really welcome either. Lucky shifted on the floor, an uneasy look crossing his face.
"Well, let's enjoy this wonderful dinner tonight," Bobbie graciously added in a bright tone of voice. "That roast smells absolutely delicious."
Laura raised an eyebrow and motioned to everyone to come and sit down. "Let's eat," she said tersely.
Even Lucas noticed that something was up and remained silent, looking down at his plate, although he usually tried to impress his older cousin Lucky with a silly story or two. Lucky didn't eat much and pushed his mashed potatoes around his plate to disguise his lack of appetite. Later on, he accepted a small piece of chocolate cake, but only ate half of it. Bobbie frowned at that. Lucky usually requested three slices of her chocolate cake.
Laura noisily cleared the dishes and refused Bobbie's help in the kitchen. Four people remained at the table not moving and not saying much. Laura poked her head out of the kitchen and ordered, "Lucky, get in here."
Lucky slowly moved his seat back and reluctantly walked into the kitchen. Bobbie noticed they were in there for a long time and that Laura's voice periodically rose in a sharp pitch. Bobbie moved away from her seat, walked a few steps and stood hesitantly in the kitchen doorway. Laura was at the far end of the kitchen with her back to Bobbie.
"I am so sick of you Spencers," she berated. "You're just like your father - coming and going as you please. I wish I'd never married him, and I wish you'd never been born!" she yelled. Lucky's face started to dissolve as his cheek muscles sagged and fell and his mouth turned down and started trembling.
Lucky's face soon turned to stone, and he pounded on a kitchen counter and shouted,
"Well, I wish I'd never been born, either!" He brushed past a shocked Bobbie and
ran out the front door, slamming it behind him. Lulu's sad blue eyes looked over at Lucas
and with a high, little girl voice said matter-of-factly, "Mommy don't like my daddy
or brother no more." ***
Bobbie sat shaking her head at the memories. She didn't even know how to get in touch with Laura, who'd left without giving anyone her new address and phone number. Bobbie supposed that she could do some research and find her through the Internet, but she wondered if it was worth it. Would Laura even care if her son died? "But maybe I'm not much better than Laura," she whispered to herself, full of regret.
Bobbie's thoughts turned to Roy and the conversation they'd had last night. Roy
confessed that he'd been running illegal poker games out of the back room of the club and
that Lucky had attended one game. He also said that Lucky had returned to rob them.
*** "I hate that damn kid, Bobbie!" Roy shouted. "He stole all of our money last night and now none of my regulars want to return. They're all worried that we're gonna be robbed again."
"I thought we agreed that you were going to stay clean - for us," Bobbie replied harshly.
"The point is," Roy yelled, "I don't want that deadbeat nephew of yours to be hanging around you or the club, is that clear?"
Bobbie looked at Roy with a saddened expression. "You don't even care if he needs help or if he dies?"
Roy shook his head, snorted and said, "Ah, hell, Bobbie. Do you have to go and rescue every stray?"
"Seems to me, I rescued you when you needed help," Bobbie replied hotly. Roy stared straight back at her with burning eyes. ***