Reaching Out

Chapter 20

Magda knocked before she stuck her head into the room where Lindsey, Sara, and Catherine were waiting for Megan to come back from the MRI. "Hey guys," she greeted.

"Hey, Magda," Sara said as she walked over to the Latina. "Thanks for lending us your Jeep," she said as she handed the other woman her key back.

"No problem," Magda replied, pocketing her key. "Have you heard anything yet?"

Sara shook her head. "No. They're doing another scan. Have you seen Sam?"

"Yeah, she said her shift would start soon," the Latina said, looking past the brunette towards the . Sara noticed the distant look on Magda's face. "And?"

Magda shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "And what?"

"Any progress?" Sara asked.

The Latina raised an eyebrow at Sara's question. "How do you…"

Sara shrugged. "I'm an investigator, usually working with evidence, though also with people. Dead or alive. The look on your face tells me there's more. I'm sorry for my bluntness, but you were a couple once?" Sara stated rather than asked.

Magda nodded, shifting her weight from one foot to the other in a nervous manner. "Yes. A while ago." She checked her watch before speaking up again. "Listen, I've got to get going. I'll see you around at the Inn." And with that said she turned and headed off.

*-*-*-*-*

Once a nurse had rolled Megan's bed back into the room, Doctor Fredricks, who also walked in, motioned for the other women to gather around Megan's bed. Lindsey leaned in and pecked the brunette's lips. Sara and Catherine both smiled as they watched the sweet scene before them.

Doctor Fredricks took Megan's chart and started scribbling on it. "The MRI showed that the swelling's gone down noticeably and Megan's eyesight is back to normal again. I think that a few more days for observation will be enough. As long as your recovery keeps on going like it is, you'll be out of here in no time."

Lindsey immediately noticed that the curly-haired brunette didn't seem too happy. Megan merely nodded at the doctors words, silently seeking Lindsey's hand. The blonde settled on the edge of the bed and took her girlfriend's hand, her thumbs caressing Megan's palm. When Doctor Fredricks walked off, Lindsey squeezed Megan's hand, making the brunette meet her eyes. "You don't look too happy about this…Aren't you glad you can go home soon?"

Megan shrugged. "I'm glad I get to leave the hospital, yes. But I'm not glad to go home. While we were walking back from the MRI Doc told me that even if I get to go home soon, I'll still need someone to help me around."

"So? You can go home to your mother, right?" Lindsey asked, an eyebrow raised as she didn't really see the brunette's problem.

"Yeah," Megan replied. "But that's the problem. I don't want to go back there…not after grandma-"

"Shh," Lindsey silenced her before carefully pulling her into a hug. "We'll think of something." As Megan hid her face in the blonde's neck, Lindsey looked over Megan's shoulder and met Sara's eyes.

The older Sidle nodded silently. Sara knew that Megan was worried about going back to her mother, even for the few weeks till she'd be fully recovered. One look at the two girls and Sara knew what to do. She reached for Catherine's had and pulled her along, heading for the hallway.

"I think that you should go with her to your sister-in-law," Catherine said as she looked through the window back into the room. Sara shook her head. "No," she replied. "We're not going there. I don't want her there. I think it's best for Megan if she and Lindsey could stay together."

Catherine spun on her heels, her sapphire eyes locking on Sara's dark brown eyes as soon as they faced one another. "I don't think tha-"

"They are old and wise enough to take care of themselves. They need to know we trust them enough to let them go their own way. They'll always have us, but they also need space of their own." Sara led Catherine to the chairs at the back of the hallway,

"This way we give them that space, and Megan has someone who'll help her out the first few weeks.

Catherine let out a big sigh, her shoulders slumping. "I guess you're right. And at least that way we'll know where they are."

"Exactly." Sara took the strawberry blonde's hand again. "We'll talk this through with them, see what they think about it."

*-*-*-*-*

Magda sat in front of her computer, not really paying attention to the system booting up, but staring at a photo standing next to the screen. She reached out and let her fingers slide along the smooth surface of the frame.

Why did I have to wreck this? Magda silently thought as she traced Sam's lips which were curled up in a smile. Why did I have to ruin us? Magda now knew what she didn't realize back then…Or rather didn't want to realize back then. She now understood that Sam was only trying to help her get through. She now understood Sam did everything she could to help her get off her addiction.

She knew how it had started…It had started as a way to release some of the stress that working at Les Amis brought with it. She would join the rest of the kitchen-staff in a few drinks after closing time, the alcohol giving her a nice buzz to forget about the hectic evening in the kitchen.

She reached for her bottle of water and gulped down last of it. She was so glad Sam finally wanted to talk to her. Glad, but also nervous. She was trying to find a way how to explain everything to the paramedic. She hoped that Sam would find the heart to listen to her and forgive her.

"Guess I'll find that out later tonight," Magda said to herself as she twisted the cap back onto the bottle, then threw it into the bin.

*-*-*-*-*

"So I can go home today?" Megan asked softly.

The doctor nodded as he put a pen back into the breast pocket of his white lab coat. "As long as you have someone around who can give you a hand. I see no reason to keep you here any longer."

"Thanks Doc," Sara said as she shook the man's hand. "Yeah," Megan chimed in. "Sorry for being a bitch sometimes."

"It's all right," Doctor Fredricks said. "I hope you'll recover soon. Take care," he added as he shook the girl's hand. After saying their goodbyes the doctor headed off for his rounds.

*-*-*-*-*

Later that day…

Sara handed Lindsey a bag containing some of her own clothes. "These'll fit. Will you please help her?"

The young Willows nodded. "Of course," she said as she looked back at Megan, a loving smile on her lips.

"Sara and I think it is a good idea if the two of you find a place to stay together," Catherine started. Sara smirked as she listened to Catherine talking to her daughter as if what she was telling her was her own idea.

"Maybe Sam knows a place?" Lindsey said, smiling brightly at the paramedic who just walked in.

*-*-*-*-*
Magda wiped her hands clean on a towel. Tonight's dinner crowd had been taken care of and the only thing left to do was dishes. Nate and Paula had two other people who helped out in the kitchen, so often there was still lots of cleaning to do after the dinner crowd had left.

The Latina just started cleaning the last pile of plates when she heard the kitchen door open. "I'm glad you came," Magda started without turning round, thinking that the person who just walked in was Sam.

"Oh?" Paula said. "You need help with cleaning or something?"

Magda spun on her heels, a light blush settling on her face. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else."

Paula raised an eyebrow. "You and Sam on speaking terms again?"

Magda shrugged. Are we? "Don't know yet. She said she'd be here tonight. To talk."

"Good," Paula said as she patted the Latina's shoulder. "It's a start."

"Yeah," Magda sighed nervously. "A start."

Continued…

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