ACCIDENTS HAPPEN (part 2)
LAST INSTALLMENT
1) Bo and Nora plan for a night alone.
2) Bo and Asa argue.
3) Nora is involved in a car accident.
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LLANVIEW HIGHWAY
Bo: "Come on John, give it to
me straight."
John looked down. "Where is she?"
John: "Bo, she's been taken to the hospital, but...."
Bo ran back to his car not hearing
the rest of John's sentence.
Bo had his sirens going at full speed
as he made his way to the hospital. Okay, so she has some scraps
and bruises. Nothing serious. I'll just go get her at the hospital
and take her home, a bowl of chicken noodle soup from a can and
she will be just fine. Nora is just fine. Bo continued to speed
down the highway, cars in front of him quickly moving out of the
way. Who's car was that on the road? I've seen it before. I'll
have John look into it. Bo pulled into the emergency room parking
lot and entered the ER. As Bo headed towards the nurses station
he spotted Asa sitting in the small waiting area.
Bo: Pa, what are you doing here?
Asa: "Bo." Asa looked up. "Son, I'm sorry."
Bo: About what?
Asa: Nora..
Bo: Have you seen her? Someone hit her and she was brought in
a little while ago.
Asa: I know. I called for an ambulance.
Bo: "Yea and I..." Bo thought about Asa's last statement.
"You called for the ambulance?
Asa, what are you doing here?" Bo stared at Asa who was at
a loss for words. "That was
your car on the side of the road wasn't it?"
Asa: Yes.
Bo: I don't believe this.
Asa: Bo, it was an accident, I was just so damn mad at you and...
Bo: "Save it," Bo interrupted Asa. "I'll deal with
that later, I just want to make sure
that Nora is alright." Larry walked out of an ICU room. "Larry!"
Bo ran over to his
old friend. "Is Nora in there? Is she okay? Can I see her?
Larry: Bo, I'm sorry.
Bo: No, no, Nora's not.....she's not.
Larry: No. She's not dead. But Bo, there was a lot of internal
bleeding....
Bo: So what, what does that mean? You stopped it right?
Larry: We tried, we really did, but there's nothing we can do."
Bo stepped back. "Bo.."
Bo: "What are trying to tell me Larry?" Bo was unable
to say anything else.
Larry: "I'm sorry, she doesn't have long and she's been asking
for you."
Bo: You know Larry, you're a great doctor, but you're wrong about
this one, you're just
wrong." His voice started to rise. "Nora is going to
be just fine!" Bo tried to calm
himself down again. "There's gotta be something that you
can do."
Larry: I'm sorry Bo.
Bo looked at Larry in utter disbelief, then at Asa. Bo slowly walked over to Nora's door, unable to open it. After a minute of trying to collect himself Bo cracked the door open enough to hear Nora speaking on the phone.
Nora: "I love you so much Rachel."
Nora struggled to speak. "I want you to look
after your baby brother, and Hank, and Bo for me okay?" Nora
wiped away tears with the
back of her hand.
Bo quickly closed the door and fought
back tears. Bo stared at the floor until he felt
Asa's hand on his shoulder and nodded. Bo shook Asa's hand off
and opened Nora's door. Nora lay on her bed, eyes closed and didn't
see Bo enter. Nora was extremely pale, her hair lay damp on her
face, she slowly shifted uncomfortably in her bed, every breath
a painful struggle.
Bo: "Nora?" Bo asked softly.
Nora slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Bo.
Nora opened her arms for a hug as Bo ran over to her, holding
her tightly.
Nora: Tighter Bo, tighter.
Bo did as he was asked, trying not to hurt her. As Bo held on to Nora he could hear her cry harder. He closed his eyes tightly to prevent his own tears from falling, but it was to no avail. Bo reluctantly pulled away and held Nora's face in his hands, wiping away her tears.
Bo: Hey, you're going to be just fine.
Nora: "You're a terrible liar." Nora smiled. "I
know I'm not going to make it Bo."
Bo: Don't say that.
Nora: It's true.
Bo: You know what's true? The fact that Matthew loves his mommie,
and I love her too.
I love you so much Nora.
Nora: I love you.
Bo: "All the months we spent apart...."
Nora: Bo.
Bo: "And you're breaking your promise counselor." Nora
looked at Bo slightly
confused. "You and I are supposed to grow old and grey haired
together."
Nora: Oh Bo, I want to so much. I don't want to leave you. I'd
give anything just to
have one more day with you, one more dance, a kiss, a look. There's
so much we haven't
done.
Bo: "Like roller blading in the park or skydiving?"
Nora looked down. "But hey,
we've had some good times together haven't we?" Bo smiled
and lifted Nora's chin.
"Remember when you wanted to practice all those yoga moves
that night and I helped you
do a headstand..."
Nora: "And Rachel walked in." Nora finished. "Rachel.....will
you make sure she doesn't
drive Hank crazy for me?"
Bo: I'll do anything for you.
Nora: "And Matthew..." Nora covered her mouth, her voice
cracking. "Don't use anymore
masking tape okay?"
Bo: "Deal." Bo held Nora's damp hand. "I'm not
going to make it without you Red, you can't
leave."
Nora: "You'll be just fine." Nora said slowly before
closing her eyes.
Bo: Nora?
Nora: "Hmm." Nora awoke.
Bo: "You got to stay with me honey. Okay?" Bo kissed
her hand. "You've always been there
for me when I needed you. Even when I didn't want your help or
didn't think I needed it, you were right there, with that determined
look in your eye. You can't....what about Matthew? He needs his
mom."
Nora: "He's going to have his dad." Nora's breathing
became increasingly shallow. "You
have to be strong for our son." Nora caressed her husbands
face. "I wish I
could see him grow up, he's going to look just like you, a real
lady killer." Nora
smiled, her eyes closing again.
Bo: Nora. Honey, stay with me okay.
Nora: "It's too hard Bo." Bo began to cry. Nora struggled
to keep her eyes open. "Do you
remember.....what you said to me right before we made love for
the first time?" Bo
nodded his head.
Bo: Here's looking at you kid.
Nora: Here's looking right back atcha.
Bo leaned forward and gently kissed Nora on the lips.
Bo: "This dance will never end.
Never." Nora struggled to smile before closing her eyes.
"Nora? Nora honey?" Bo looked at Nora with hopeful,
pleading eyes, waiting for his wife
to wake up once more. "Okay Red, you sleep....you sleep,
sweet dreams."
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor steadied as Bo stared at his wife. Slowly, he stood up from her bedside as a nurse came in to turn off the monitor. He walked out of the room into the hallway, where Hank was sitting, his head bowed. Renee and Asa, who was holding Matthew were next to the nurses station. Hank stood up when he saw Bo, who backed up against a wall. As Hank approached him, Bo shook his head as Hank grabbed him. The two men hugged as Bo slid down the wall, unable to hold back his emotions, the reality of Nora's death finally taking over. After a few minutes Matthew began to cry, which caused Bo to finally notice that Asa was holding his son. Anger quickly replaced his sadness as Bo stood up.
Bo: "Get your hands off my son."
Bo angrily pointed at Asa.
Asa: Bo, I know you're upset....
Bo: Don't you dare tell me how I feel. I don't want my son in
the hands of the man who
murdered his mother.
Asa: "It was an accident Bo." Asa said sadly, taken
back by Bo's harsh words.
Bo: "I don't want to hear it." Bo walked over to Asa
and took Matthew. "I have to go."
Hank: Bo, I don't think you should be alone.
Renee: Hank is right, darling.
Bo: "I'm not alone!" Bo yelled. "I have Matthew,
I have to look after Matthew, I
promised Nora."
Renee: Let us take you home.
Bo: I'm fine.
Bo grabbed the baby bag, which Renee had brought, and walked over to Nora's window, where a doctor was busy scribbling notes. A calm Matthew placed his small hand on the glass.
Bo: "No slugger, mom isn't," Bo paused. "Mom isn't coming home with us this time."
Bo walked away from the window and out of the hospital, struggling to stay in the present. When they arrived home Bo found a package at the front door. What is this? Bo managed to wedge the package between him and Matthew and opened the door. A cool air hit Bo, preventing him from entering. A wet Matthew began to whine as his father stood in front of the door. Bo looked at Matthew and reluctantly back at the house.
Bo: "I guess we have to do this."
Bo managed to say with heavy sadness in his voice. Bo
walked into the house, closing the door behind him. His eyes remained
glued to the
floor as he went upstairs to Matthew's room. "Okay, Matthew,
mom said no more
masking tape." Bo forced a smile. "What about scotch
tape?" Bo tore off two small
pieces of tape and placed them where the tabs once were.
Matthew was then placed in his crib where he quickly fell asleep. Bo kissed his son and walked into the hallway, numbly holding the package. He slowly opened it to find Nora's new charm bracelet. Bo dropped the bracelet, causing the heart charm to pop off. He bent down to pick it up and held it tightly in his hand as Matthew began to cry. Bo picked up Matthew and looked at the clock which read 2 A.M.
Bo: "I guess you're hungry."
Bo carried Matthew downstairs for a bottle and settled down on
the couch. Matthew immediately started to drain the bottle. "You
have your mother's
nose you know that. It even turns red at the tip when you cry."
A tear rolled down
Bo's cheek. "Your mom loved you so much. And I bet you that
she's looking down at us
right now, with that big grin of hers," Bo paused. "and
knows just how much we miss
her. So much it hurts."
TO BE CONTINUED.......
Next installment
1) You'll find out what happens when Llanview hears of Nora's
death if you don't kill the writer.
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