As Time Flies.....Chapter 15
Last time: Lindsay took a shower. Bo and Sam had it out in Nora's hospital room. Bo asked Sam to consider a new DNA test. Nora called out for Bo. Ben gets a check-up.
The Gallery
Lindsay woke up early and made coffee. She had already gotten dressed, and she was getting ready to go out. She had a lot to do. She had just put on her shoes when she heard the front door buzzer.
"Coming!" She hoped it was Bo. That would be such a good sign! In her excitement, she threw open the door, only to find Melanie on the other side.
"Oh, it's you. Hi, Lanie. Want some coffee?" Lindsay motioned her to come in.
"Sure, Lindsay, that would be great. How are you doing today?" Melanie didn't even notice that Lindsay didn't seem to be too thrilled to see her.
"I'm fine, Lanie. How are you?" Lindsay wasn't really paying attention as she fixed Melanie a cup of coffee. She was humming.
"Well, I'm not as fine as you are, I suppose. You seem awfully calm, Lindsay, for a woman who just got released from jail." Melanie was surprised to see Lindsay acting so normally. She had thought that Lindsay would go to pieces and hide her head in the sand like an ostrich. But here she was, all dressed and made-up, looking like she was going out to conquer the world. Good. She hoped that would make the next question a little easier.
"Oh, I'm fine, too. Here you go." Lindsay set the cup of coffee in front of Melanie. "What were you saying?"
Melanie thought Lindsay seemed distracted. Maybe it was just plain denial. One never knew with Lindsay! "I was saying that you seemed to be very chipper today, and I was surprised. How are you really doing? Being in jail must have been rough."
"Oh, I'm just fine, thanks. How are you doing? It must be rough for you, too, having Colin in jail."
"It is. You know, Lindsay, I was wondering. Do you think you can afford to give me a loan for Colin's bail bond? I'll use the house as collateral, if you'd like, but I'd much rather keep it private than have to get a mortgage." Melanie hated asking her sister for money. Melanie had inherited the bulk of their father's estate, but Colin had pissed most of it away on bogus real estate deals and other women. Melanie hoped she wouldn't get a lecture from Lindsay.
To Melanie's surprise, Lindsay laughed. "What makes you think I have that kind of money?"
"Well, you paid for your own bail, quite a hefty sum, if you ask me. I just thought if you could afford five hundred thousand, you could afford fifty thousand. That's all. I guess your bail bond must have tapped you out, right?"
"Actually, Lanie, a friend bailed me out. A very good friend. Maybe you know him, Bo Buchanan." Lindsay looked Melanie directly in the eye.
"Bo bailed you out? No way, Lindsay. I find that hard to believe. Okay, nice joke. Who was it, really?" Melanie laughed, but she was on guard. Could it be true? She had thought so much of Bo. Would he really bail Lindsay out? She didn't think so, especially after what she had witnessed the night before. Bo seemed to hate Lindsay. What was Lindsay trying to pull?
"It's not a joke. Bo bailed me out. What's so hard to believe about that? Bo loves me!" Melanie didn't think Lindsay was kidding anymore. Her voice had a razor-sharp edge.
"Lindsay, honey, I don't mean to upset you, but Bo was very angry last night. I don't think he would have changed his mind that fast." Lindsay looked like she was getting agitated, and Melanie didn't want to pry. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me who bailed you out, and I'll just get a mortgage on the house. I don't want to see Colin in jail, even if we are getting divorced. Don't worry, it's my problem."
"I'd say your problem is you don't listen, Lanie! I told you Bo bailed me out! Why is that so unbelievable to you? Colin may not be faithful and love you the way Bo loves me! Bo is wonderful, not like your stupid moron of a husband! He may get angry with me, but he always forgives me. I'm his whole world, and don't you forget it! Bo could never look at another woman. Not even for one second! You just don't know what real love is. Maybe Colin runs around because there's something wrong with you!" Lindsay was screaming now. Her sister was such a bitch, always acting so superior because Daddy loved her best.
Melanie had said she thought Lindsay deserved to be loved, but she obviously didn't mean it. Lindsay was suddenly 10 years old again, feeling that same horrible feeling when her father and stepmother had come home with a little pink bundle and life had never been the same. She had wanted to smash the little pink bundle until it was just a puddle of ooze, just like she wanted to do to her sister's face now. She hated Melanie. Her own sister didn't even think Bo could love her!
"Lindsay, just calm down! You're out of control! What is the matter with you?" Melanie was very angry. How dare Lindsay say those things! Who did she think she was? "You're demented, Lindsay! You really are! Bo can't stand you! You're a kidnapper and almost a murderer! How could he love you? Bo is way too sweet and loving to fall for a manipulator like you! If he was so in love with you, why does he still love Nora? And why did he have a one night stand?"
Melanie regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. She had had no intention of ever telling Lindsay she had slept with Bo. She treasured her time with Bo, but once she found out that Bo and Lindsay were involved, she knew Bo was off-limits. And she could see that Bo very obviously still had feelings for his ex-wife. Poor Lindsay. First Sam, now this. Melanie knew how desperate Lindsay was to come first with people, and she never wanted to hurt her sister by telling her that at least for one night, she hadn't come first with Bo.
Lindsay was over the top of the table before Melanie knew what hit her. "What are you talking about?" She was screaming so loud the coffee cups were vibrating. She grabbed a fistful of Melanie's hair. "How do you know Bo had a one night stand? You're lying!" Lindsay started pulling. One of the coffee cups went flying off the table.
Melanie was infuriated and in pain. She grabbed Lindsay by the arms and threw her to the floor. She had the physical advantage, but she wasn't interested in a fistfight. Melanie knew she could hurt Lindsay far more verbally. She went in for the kill.
"I'm not lying, Lindsay. It's true. Bo had a one night stand not too long ago, when he took his motorcycle for a road trip. Do you remember? Maybe you do. Just so you know I'm telling you the truth, I can even tell you that his motorcycle came back to Llanview in pieces. Am I right?"
Lindsay just stared at Melanie. She felt like she swallowed an anvil. Her stomach was in her shoes. She knew Melanie was telling the truth. She just kept staring at Melanie with hatred. "Go on, please! I know you're dying to tell me. Go ahead, twist the knife!"
"If you insist!" Melanie was actually enjoying this. "I spent the night at a little inn that I like to go to when I need to get away. I met Bo there, and we had a night of incredible passion. He was looking to run away from his problems, and so was I. We just ran away together, for one beautiful night. It was fabulous, Lindsay. He's great in bed! Too bad you'll probably never get to experience it ever again!"
Lindsay leapt from the floor in one swift motion. She pounced on Melanie like a cheetah. Melanie shook her off like a fly and walked to the front door. She had just opened it when Lindsay took her coffee cup and slammed it in Melanie's direction. The door closed just as the cup shattered against it. Lindsay dissolved into a heap of sobs. One way or another, she was gonna get them all!
Llanview Hospital
Ben waited in Larry's office. Larry had called and said that his test results were back, but he wanted Ben to come in so they could discuss them. Ben was a doctor, and he wasn't stupid. He wasn't kidding himself, either. He had known for a while that something was wrong. Ever since he found out about Viki's breast cancer, he had been feeling off. If he thought about it more carefully, he'd probably say that it was even before then that he'd noticed, but in his mind Viki's cancer was the marker. That was a couple of months ago.
Ben felt constantly achy and fatigued. His left leg was always bothering him, but he'd managed to hide the way he favored it. He had been running a low-grade fever for months that he couldn't seem to get rid of. He had a feeling he knew what was wrong with him, but without the test results he couldn't be sure. He prayed it wasn't that.
He didn't share his suspicions with Larry, but he thought Larry suspected the same thing. Larry had first ordered an x-ray, then when he'd seen the films, he sent Ben for a CAT scan and an MRI. Ben hoped that the results were clean. He didn't want to worry Viki or Sam. They had far too much to worry about already.
Larry shut his office door and the noise startled Ben from his thoughts. "Hey, Ben. How are you feeling today?" Larry smiled.
"Larry, no offense, but cut the crap. I know why I'm here. What do the results show? Do me a favor and tell me like a colleague, not like a patient, okay?" Ben smiled to take the edge off his words.
Larry understood. "Okay, no beating around the bush. You have a tumor behind your left patella. I also found one on your lower left femur. From the MRI, it looks like they might be cancerous. Whether benign or malignant, they certainly explain the discomfort you've been feeling in your leg."
Larry pulled out the report to show Ben. "As you can see, from the shape and density they fit malignancy characteristics. And I don't like the fever you've been running. However, these tumors could very easily be benign, too. I want to do a biopsy and a bone scan to be sure. If they're malignant, the biopsy will tell me, and the bone scan will tell me where the problem is. Depending upon the problem, we'll decide how best to treat you."
Larry hated giving news like this to anyone, colleague or patient. Especially after everything Ben had gone through with this hospital. Larry had great respect for Ben. He was a terrific doctor. It was too bad that his troubles with Asa had prevented him from helping other people. At least Ben still trusted him.
Ben was floored. He was hoping upon hope that he wouldn't get news like this, but in his heart he had known he was going to. He wasn't really thinking of himself so much as he was Viki. He didn't know how she would take the news, and he was worried. He needed to be healthy and strong to be able to take care of her. She really needed him, and he didn't want to let her down. He loved her so much!
"Ben, I want to schedule the biopsy and the bone scan for the same time, if that's all right with you, and I don't want to wait. I'm sure you know with things like this the earlier you catch it, the better. I happen to have an opening in the OR this afternoon. Can you be ready?"
Ben panicked for a moment. He'd have to spend the night here, maybe two. He'd have to tell Viki immediately. God, he dreaded that worse than the actual procedures. He knew he had to do it if he was going to be there for Viki in the long run. If he was dead, he wouldn't be much use to her, would he?
"Count me in, Larry, it's a date." Ben grimaced.
"Don't eat or drink anything for the rest of the day. Be here at 3:00, okay? See you then, Ben." Larry patted Ben on the back. This couldn't be easy for anyone.
Ben knew he had to get home. He hadn't told Viki anything yet, and it was going to take a while to break the news to her. He didn't have much time.
To Be Continued...
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