Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The following morning, Mia cooked a simple breakfast for her and Erin. She handed Erin the fork and pushed the plate closer to her “It’s right under your chin.” She advised before taking her own seat.
“Thanks mommy.” Erin joked “So…how did you sleep last night?”
Mia frowned at her friend “What’s with the hidden questions? If you have something to ask, just ask.”
“Okay, I won’t beat around the bush. I sensed that you weren’t exactly comfortable last night with Ethan by your side.” Erin could almost see the uncomfortable look on her face.
“You’re sixth sense is so screwed up!” Mia laughed “I was fine, Ethan was fine and we were all happy.”
“Denial.” Erin rubbed her eyes when they itched.
Mia was in disbelief “I am not in denial. You’re sounding more like Ethan each day. That’s all he wants to do to me…analyze everything I do and say.”
“Aww, so you don’t believe a doctor?” Erin asked.
“Not if he’s my boyfriend.” Mia dug into her food. When she looked up, she saw that Erin was rubbing her eyes roughly “What’s wrong?”
“It itches.” Erin said while the corner of her fingers continued to rub her eyes.
Mia grew worried instantly as she got up and knelt down next to her friend “Stop, you’re making it red.” She pointed out.
“But it really itches.” Erin continued to rub it. But the more she did, the more it began to itch.
“That’s it, I’m taking you to the doctors.” She pulled Erin up by the arm and grabbed her keys and purse.
The two entered the hospital and were admitted to a room right away “The many perks of having the head doctor as a boyfriend.” Erin joked. Her finger was still rubbing her eye.
Mia shook her head “It’s not a time to be funny.” She scolded while yanking Erin’s hand away from her eyes “You’re going to rub your eyeball out!”
The nurses took Erin in for examination while Mia sat outside waiting. She called Chuck and Ted to tell him they were at the hospital. Before she even told them that it wasn’t important, they hung up and were on their way. Within minutes, Ted showed up “How is she?” he asked hurriedly.
Mia put up her hand to calm him “She’s fine. Her eye was itching.”
“That’s not good.” Ted shook his head worriedly.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were a doctor?” Mia said sarcastically and she quickly felt guilty when he began to wring his fingers together “Ted, she’ll be fine. I’m sure it’s nothing life threatening…I mean how worse can it be? She’s already blind.”
He nodded slowly “I guess you’re right.”
Chuck came in after a few minutes “Mia, Ted, what did the doctors say?”
“We just got here about 15 minutes. She’s okay, I’m sure.” Mia assured him.
Erin was inside a private room while the optometrist checked out her eyes “Is it serious?” Erin asked; she too was worried.
“No. It’s just a side effect of the smoke and soot during the fire. I’ll just prescribe you some drops, the itching should go away after that.” The elder man smiled warmly.
“Thank you.” She nodded.
“You can leave after I come back.” He left the room to find a nurse to get her the drops.
Minutes later Mia, Ted and Chuck entered her room “Erin! Are you okay?” Ted asked worriedly.
She laughed “Did you bring the whole gang?” Erin asked Mia.
“I just called to tell them but before I got to finish, they were on their way.” Mia explained.
“What did the doctor say?” Chuck asked more calmly after seeing her smile.
Erin shrugged “He said it was a side effect. He’s getting me drops and then I could leave.”
“You think it’s a sign that her vision is returning?” Mia was thinking the same thing as Chuck.
“Maybe.” Chuck replied shortly. He was no doctor and surely he wasn’t capable of making that kind of a judgment “Is it the first time it’s happened?”
Erin nodded “Yes, but I still can’t see. Maybe you guys are thinking too far into this.”
“We’re just trying to be positive.” Ted patted her hand.
The door opened and the doctor looked up at the new faces “I just left for two minutes and you’ve got a party going on.” He joked.
“Dr., is this side effect a good sign?” Ted wasted no time in asking.
“Yes and no.” he nodded for Ted to move aside while he put some drops in Erin’s eyes “The good part is that her eyes is making an effort to fight off the blindness, the bad part is that the effect is tiring out her eyes.”
“Are you saying there’s a chance she’ll recover completely?” Mia was hopeful.
The man turned to them “I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see.” He smiled at them “But it doesn’t hurt to be positive.” He shifted his vision to Erin “Miss Yeung, you can leave now. Here are the drops and make sure you do them twice a day, it doesn’t matter what time of day. Don’t lose the bag.” He warned her carefully. Erin’s brows furrowed slightly but she nodded instead of asking the question in her mind.
Ted was quick to help her to her feet “I’ll meet you guys in the front, I want to see Ethan.” Mia smiled while the guys looked at her with teasing eyes. She was a few yards away from Ethan’s office door and noticed a male nurse leaving the room She shook the eerie thought away and entered the office “Guess who!” she greeted him playfully.
Ethan jumped back in his chair as he clutched his heart “Dear Lord, you scared me!”
Mia frowned “What’s wrong?” she hurried to his side “Why do you look so pale?”
He rubbed his face “I do?”
She looked at him strangely and then turned her head to the door as she recalled the male nurse that left his office “Was he just here?” Ethan nodded and Mia was on her feet “I’ll catch him.”
“No!” he raised his hand to stop her “He’s armed. I don’t want you to be in danger. I’m fine now.”
“What did he want?” Mia returned to her seat.
“He wants me to continue the session with Erin. Mia, he’s crazy. He wants me to convince Erin that she’s in love with him. I can’t do that.” Ethan shook his head.
Mia walked around the desk and knelt down in front of him “We’re not going to give him a chance. I think we need to talk to Joe about this. He’ll know what to do.”
“But the more I pull into this circle, the more will be in danger. I’m already risking it with you knowing. I don’t want another life to be in danger because of me.” Ethan refused “No. I’ll find a way to deal with him. But I don’t want you to breathe this to another soul.”
“But-”
“Promise me.” Ethan interrupted.
She understood his fears as she nodded reluctantly “I promise.”
**************
The following day, while the team were called into a meeting; Erin was home alone. She decided to take a walk. She had grown use to being alone with her red and white cane. She easily found her way out to the streets, people were more careful as they walked around her. With the help of a policeman on patrol, she was able to get a cab. Erin had an urge to go out to the beach.
She stumbled her way out to the sand. Being blind had too many disadvantages but she had learned to live with them. She followed the sound of the waves crashing “I didn’t know you like the beach.”
Erin tilted her head to the familiar voice “TK?”.
“Have a seat.” He stepped over and pulled her down to the sand “What brings you here?”
She smiled contently “I use to come here when I was unhappy.”
“Use to?” he looked at her with interest.
“I haven’t been here for months. Because each time I come here, it’s usually because there is an unfixable problem that I can’t stop thinking about. I don’t want to be afraid of coming here.” She let out a sigh.
“I see.” His eyes turned to the waters “I come here to forget about everything.”
“Everything?” Erin asked.
“Yeah. It’s my escape. I hate my life!” he blurted out suddenly “I wish I was dead.”
“Don’t say that!” Erin scolded “What about your little girl?”
TK lowered his head into his knees “Who am I kidding Erin? I haven’t seen her in years…she’s probably dead! How am I supposed to face Ellie’s grave?”
“You’ll find her.” Erin insisted “I’ll help you.”
He dared to reach out and touch her hands “Thank you.”
Erin pulled away “I want to help.” She said softly.
“Are you afraid of me?” TK asked hurtfully.
She shook her head “No…it’s just…it’s hard for me to be close to another man… after Brad. Anyways, I still have doubts about you.”
“I don’t blame you.” TK said understandingly “It’s getting late, maybe you should go home before they send out a search party.”
Erin nodded as she allowed him to help her up “You should rest too. How do I contact you if I want to see you?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find you.” TK said it casually yet his eyes were threatening.
“Did you follow me here?” Erin asked forwardly.
TK laughed “No. But when I do see you in the streets, I follow to make sure that you get to your destination safely.”
She smiled kindly “Thank you. But you should be careful, the team is looking for you.”
“I know.” He took her arm and led her out to the streets where he called a cab “Waverly Lane, apartment building 320.” he said to the driver and prepaid for the ride.
Erin’s smile faded as she turned to the driver “Can you take me to somewhere else first?” she asked the driver. After a long drive, the car stopped in front of a home. She got out of the car before paying him the extra amount for the longer driver. She was careful with the steps up the driveway. She’s only been to the home a few times but it was enough for her to remember what it looked like. Erin found the doorbell after feeling the walls around the door.
Matt’s wheelchair could be heard from outside when he opened the door “Erin?” he was surprised to see her “Shelly and Ryan are out.”
“I know, I came to see you.” She smiled.
**************
Erin returned that night with Ted and Mia pacing the floors “Erin!!” Ted cried as he took a hold of her the minute she walked through the apartment door “Where have you been? We were about to put in a missing report.”
She laughed “Don’t be silly. I’m okay. I just took a walk that’s all.”
“Where to?” Mia asked.
“The beach.” Erin replied nonchalantly. She covered a yawn with her hand “Its late guys and I’m pooped. I want to rest.”
“Is the beach the only place you visited?” Ted asked suspiciously. He could tell she was not being completely honest.
She sighed “I don’t feel like playing 21 questions right now. Can this wait for tomorrow?”
Ted was about to argue when Mia shook her head at him “It is late. You should go home Ted. I’ll make sure she’s safe in bed.”
He hesitantly nodded “Okay. Good night.”
“Night.” Erin muttered.
Mia walked him to the door and after she shut it, she turned to Erin “Who else did you see?”
She let out a sigh “If you must know…I went to see Shelly. But she wasn’t home so I talked to Matt instead.”
“That’s all?” Mia asked unsurely.
“Yes.” Erin replied curtly “I feel like a prisoner.” She sighed.
“I’m sorry.” Mia said sympathetically “We’re just worried.”
Erin shook her head “I’m fine. How many times do I have to tell you?”
“I just don’t want TK putting crap in your head. You’re very vulnerable at this time.” Mia reminded her friend.
“He could never convince me of forgetting Brad’s death. Trust me.” With that said, she returned to her room quietly, leaving Mia following her with a worried look.