Turning her back to the closed door Victoria looked at Stacy, wide eyed and shook her head.
"Why is she doing this, why now?"
"Maybe she thinks she is doing the right thing?"
"No doubt she is down on her luck, between boyfriends and thought she might pass some time with her little forgotten daughter. Eleven years Stacy, that's how long it's been."
"The nurse told me Emily is responding well to treatment. Just one more operation to relieve pressure and she will be in recovery. Things are looking up for her," said Stacey.
The fire went out of Victoria's eyes and she looked at the crib again and placed her outstretched palms over it.
"I just want her to be alight, that's all."
"She will be. I have spoken to the nurse and I will get daily updates, so I will tell you how things go after her operation tomorrow."
"Thank you Stacy, you really have been so good to me, more than is required in your job description, I'm sure!"
"This isn't about my job description Victoria, do you know why I become a lawyer?"
"The pay?" said Victoria half smiling.
"No, I become a lawyer because I see it as a stepping stone. We can't change the world all by ourselves, but we can change a small part of the world for the better. Before my dad died he always told me that the world was full of kind people...but if I couldn't find one, it was up to me to be that person."
"Your dad sounds like a special person, I'm sorry for your loss."
"Me too Victoria, but I was so lucky to have had him to begin with. I think it's time you gave your mum another chance too, people change."
"Your right Stacy, I will encourage her a little bit more."
Stacy smiled and put her arm around Victoria and they both leaned over Emily's crib.
"She is beautiful Vic."
"We will get through this and I will hold her in my arms again. Nobody will stop us," whispered Victoria as she snuggled in a little closer to Stacy.
"That's the spirit Vic."
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Marilyn wiped away the tears in her eyes and lingered at the door for a few moments as Victoria sat beside the small crib that contained her granddaughter.
She sighed then slowly walked off. Getting Victoria back wouldn't be easy, then deep down she had already known that.
Marilyn wandered slowly around the maze of corridors and eventually found herself in the hospital's cafeteria. It wasn't open, except for a few vending machines. She fed in coins and pressed a few buttons ordering a strong black coffee and sat down at a nearby set of plastic tables and chairs.
Not ready to drink it, she peered into the dark liquid, letting the steam reach her face and the aroma of fresh ground coffee beans comfort her.
Maybe coming back hadn't been such a good idea after all, she screwed everything up. She left Gino without a word. She was so guilty about what she done in her past, especially to Victoria that she sabotaged her own happiness with Gino for it. Why didn't she just tell him, she was such a fool!
Then there was Victoria. If she did the right thing by Victoria in the first place, she wouldn't have been here now making things even more complicated for her daughter.
"Can you blame her for hating you?" she whispered into her coffee.
As she sat staring into her coffee a tap on her shoulder made her glance up with a start, Stacy stood beside her.
"Marilyn is it?"
"Yes, please sit; are you my daughter's friend?"
Stacy put her jacket and black briefcase on a vacant chair before pulling up another and sat down next to Marilyn.
"Well at the moment I may be only friend she has, but I am Stacy Dylan, her lawyer."
"Well thank you for being there for her, is there something I can help you with, Ms Dylan?"
"Actually yes, well possibly.... your daughter is in a lot of trouble, things don't look good for her."
Marilyn looked up at Stacy wide eyed.
"She is, what sort of trouble?"
"Well unless there is some sort of miracle....she will go to jail for no less than two years for abusing Emily."
"Abuse? Oh my god, I was in Adelaide 2 days ago and saw a newspaper article," reciting it she said, three-month-old Emily Jacobs daughter of Victoria Thorne and Daniel Jacobs, is in critical condition at Albany Hospital. I thought Emily was sick."
"Court proceedings are going on as we speak. Marilyn, I really feel sorry for your daughter she has nobody, her husband has turned on her, her best friend is Daniel's sister. She has been locked up for the last two weeks. Tonight is the first time she had the chance to see Emily since the morning they rushed her to hospital and arrested Victoria. They have just taken her back a few moments ago..."
Marilyn cried and shook her head.
"And here I am crashing into her life making things even harder for her, I - what can I do?"
"You can start by telling me a bit about your relationship with Victoria, could you be a character witness for her?"
"You heard what she said, she hates me for what I have done. I dumped her with her Nana and took off. I was 17 when I had her, my mother, Victoria's Nan made me sign forms to adopt her to a nice family. They would have given Victoria a happy life, but I looked into her eyes and fell in love with her. I wanted to be that little girl's mother more than anything in the world. By the time I realized I was too immature to be taking on a baby, it was too late, so I left her with my mother and ran away."
Dabbing her eyes with a napkin Marilyn sniffed.
"I would come home every now and again, when I broke up with a boyfriend, or was down on my luck. Every time I did my little girl was a bit older. When I come home we had so much fun and every time I left she begged me to take her. I would leave knowing I was breaking her heart all over again. The last time when Victoria was 16, her Nana told me never to come back. I wasn't welcome anymore - they would be better off without me... she was probably right."
Marilyn shrugged, "So you see Stacy I would do anything to help my daughter, but the truth is, I don't even know her."
Stacy rubbed Marilyn's arm kindly.
"There is something you can do..."
"What, anything?"
"Be there for her like you promised she needs you now more than ever. But if you can't keep that promise you should leave now before you beak her heart all over again."
"Thank you," said Marilyn with a sigh.
"I hope we will see you in court tomorrow," said Stacy and nodded politely as she got up from the chair and collected her jacket and briefcase.
Marilyn watched the young red headed lady leave and looking back into her coffee imagining Victoria's face in it she whispered quietly, "I will be there, I promise!"
"Excuse me ma'am, I was sitting over there and couldn't take my eyes off of you, do I know you form somewhere?"
A tall handsome man in his early thirties, stood beside Marilyn, she flashed him a brilliant smile, thinking he was as good looking as he was charming.
"Well I don't think we have met, but I get that a lot, so, tell me about yourself mister mysterious."
"I like hot cars and hot women and not necessarily in that order," he said winking at her mischievously, "say, there is a fantastic little bar and grill just down the road, would you care to join me for a meal. You seem like you could do with a little cheering up?"
"Well aren't you the sweetest thing, I was worried I may never find my way out of this terrible place, I would be delighted, lead the way! "said Marilyn, discarding her untouched coffee and flashing him another one of her best smiles.
She took his arm and forgot all of her troubles as they walked out of the hospital.
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Hmm I bet you weren't expecting that! Ben and Marilyn...Let me just tell you the fun is just about to start ! Let me know what you think and don't forget to like and vote if you think it deserves it ;)