Death of a Waterfall (The Hayden Falls Saga) (25 page)

Rob rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, Teghan, but the doctor wasn't able to save the baby. You had a miscarriage."

Her heart stopped. "No," she shook her head violently and sobbed. "No." Teghan clutched her stomach and felt that familiar emptiness in her gut. "It can't... Oh God, please, no." The sudden pain was indescribable. She didn't want to breathe. Teghan rolled to her side, away from her father and that smug look on his face.

"Get some rest."

"I want to see Donnie," Teghan said.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. You need to rest," her father said.

Teghan sat up and glared at her father. That bastard was happy she'd lost the baby. She could see it in his face. Son of a bitch! It was slowly coming back to her. The way her father had threatened her, her trust fund, her position in the family. Teghan forced herself to get angry because if she let herself break down now, she'd never get the answers she needed. "How long have I been here?"

"Just under two weeks."

Two weeks! That couldn't be right. How could she have lost so much time? "Why did I collapse?"

"I don't know, Teghan," he said getting up and pacing the room.

"Cut the shit, Dad. Healthy women don't just collapse for no reason." And she was healthy. Her doctor had said so.

"You've been under a lot of stress."

"Why can't I remember anything?" That wasn't completely true. Certain things were coming back to her, but not enough and not fast enough.

"The doctor has been keeping you sedated."

"Why?"

"You really don't remember?"

"If I remembered, I wouldn't be asking you," she shouted in frustration.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. The day after it happened, your mother and I told you about the miscarriage and you were inconsolable, so the doctor sedated you. It was for your own good, Teghan."

That made no sense to her. How could she have forgotten that? If her parents had told her the truth, wouldn't she have remembered? It was her baby. It was a part of her. What kind of woman forgot she had a miscarriage? She loved her baby. There was no way she could've forgotten about it. God, she felt like dying. She had to get out of there, out of her bed, out of her room, and out of that damn house. "I want to go back to my dorm," she said.

"You're not strong enough yet. Get some rest. Your mother will be up with your medicine shortly."

"What medicine?"

"Just something to help you sleep," Rob said.

"No." Teghan shook her head. "I don't want any more sleeping pills. I won't take them." She'd been sleeping non-stop for almost two weeks. It would be a small miracle if she ever slept again after this.

"Suit yourself. If you need anything..." he trailed off and Teghan didn't bother asking. She didn't care.

~ * ~

Rob sat in his den, a half empty bottle of whiskey in his hands. It wasn't supposed to be like this. That damn doctor had assured him, a few days, maybe a week and Teghan would be back to herself minus a few memories. Not that she'd actually forget them, but the drugs would leave her feeling so confused and disoriented Rob could convince her she'd been sick. He hadn't done a very good job though. There was no doubt she was suspicious. It had been in her eyes and in the tone of her voice. He sighed with frustration. The thought of doing what he did to his daughter without concrete proof nagged at him. Unfortunately, he'd had a very limited window of time to act and he couldn't risk his past coming back to hurt his daughter. And if he was wrong--well, he wasn't willing to consider that scenario. Jim had never been wrong before, and Rob had no reason not to believe him this time. And now that the baby issue had been resolved, all Rob had to do was keep Donnie as far away from his daughter as possible. He had a feeling Teghan wouldn't be so willing to listen to reason though. In fact, he'd bet anything that the second she left here, she'd go running straight to Donnie. Maybe it was time to get some eyes and ears on both Donnie and Teghan. Rob just couldn't chance something like this happening again.

~ * ~

Teghan got out of bed and walked to her window. It had been a little over three hours since her father had told her about the miscarriage. She put her hand on her stomach and stifled a sob. She'd done nothing but cry. Her head was constantly aching, her hands shook all the time, and she was so damn jumpy the sound of her own breathing frightened her. God, how was she going to tell Donnie? That was the only reason she hadn't rushed out of this damn house the moment she'd learned the truth. Donnie was going to be devastated, and she couldn't bring herself to tell him. He'd wanted the baby so much and she'd gone and lost it. Teghan rubbed her arms, trying to wipe away the chill that crawled up her body. Something still wasn't right. If she could only remember... She closed her eyes.

It was dark and she was moving. She was riding in the back of a car. The sight of the trees and buildings whizzing by her made her nauseous. She leaned over the seat and threw up. 'Fucking Christ,' her father said. Where was he taking her?

Teghan blew out a breath and opened her eyes. She knew where he'd taken her--to the hospital. And she remembered lying on the hard bed, the light hovering above her, the doctor, and something cold and hard poking her. A needle maybe? Her father had said they'd run a bunch of tests. No, she would've remembered the pinch of the needle. Wouldn't she? There had been none of that.

"Teghan?"

She turned around and smiled. "Annie," she said.

Annabelle gave her a hug. "I'm so glad to see you out of that damn bed."

Teghan laughed half-heartedly. "I'm glad to be out of it, trust me."

"How're you feeling?"

"Shaky, confused, and believe it or not, tired," Teghan said.

Annabelle laughed. "Tired?" She shook her head. "I don't believe it. Wait, why are you confused?"

Shit! Annabelle didn't know. Teghan hadn't had a chance to tell her about the baby, and until Teghan could make sense of what happened, she wasn't about to go telling Annabelle. "I don't remember much of anything that happened. It's like the last couple of weeks are just missing."

"Alex and I have been taking turns coming to see you. We've been worried sick. Your father said it was some sort of virus."

"So I've been told," Teghan lied. "How is Alex?"

"Good, but why don't you ask me what you really want to know."

Teghan smiled a genuine smile. Annabelle knew her too well. And as much as Teghan wanted to know, she didn't want to know. It had been in the back of her mind, gnawing at her, and she'd been reluctant to actually voice her fears. She took a deep breath. "Donnie?"

Annabelle plopped down in the chair. "That boy is driving me crazy. He hasn't stopped calling and showing up. Like I've been lying to him or something. You need to call him, Teeg. He's going crazy."

"I was worried maybe he'd given up on me, moved on with someone else."

"Not a chance. Donnie isn't going anywhere."

Teghan sighed with relief. He'd been waiting for her, worrying about her, and now she had to find a way to tell him she'd lost the one thing he wanted more than anything else. "I'm leaving tomorrow," she said. "I'll be coming back to the dorm, and I'll call him then. Why didn't he come see me?" That was the answer she really wanted. If he cared so much, if he was so worried, why hadn't he been by her side?

"Your father wouldn't let him. Both Alex and I asked every time we came to visit. He refused. Didn't stop Donnie from trying though. He showed up here a few times. Your father threatened to have him arrested and he always left."

Of course he did. Teghan should've known that. She also knew that it had been Donnie's voice she'd heard early and not just another dream. Donnie must be completely insane by now. She was going to make it a point to have a talk with her father about that.

"What's up with that anyway?" Annabelle asked.

"Donnie isn't Alex. My father doesn't approve," Teghan said, the anger in her voice rising.

"Well, I can assure you, your father's lack of approval hasn't fazed Donnie in the least."

"I'm glad," Teghan said with a soft smile. She sat cross-legged on her bed. "So, what's been going on with you?"

"I met someone," Annabelle said with a grin.

"I remember hearing you say that." Teghan had a vague recollection of Annabelle saying she was seeing one of Logan's friends, but Teghan hadn't been sure if it was real.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I have these flashes of things. Half the time I don't know if they're real or dreams, but I do remember hearing your voice."

"His name is Carter. He's a friend of Logan's and he's so nice, Teghan. I really can't wait for you to meet him."

Teghan adored the look on her friend's face. It was pure happiness and Lord knows Annabelle deserved some happiness. "Maybe this weekend...wait, what day is it?"

"Wednesday."

"Okay, maybe this weekend the four of us can go out or something." Teghan was anxious to get back to her life and resume some sort of normalcy. She had a feeling it was the only thing that would stop her from going crazy.

"That would be great. Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

"Yes, I'll be fine by Saturday. I promise." Teghan yawned.

"I guess that's my cue," Annabelle said with a giggle.

"No, please don't leave," Teghan said. She'd been so alone for so long, trapped in her dreams and her memories. She was desperate for real conversation.

"I promised your dad I wouldn't stay too long. Don't want him getting upset."

"No, of course we wouldn't," Teghan snapped. God only knows what he'd do next time if he was displeased with her. She froze. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Why had she just thought that? Her father had done nothing but help her and take care of her. Hadn't he? For reasons she didn't know and couldn't begin to explain, she knew that wasn't true. She was here because of him. All she had to do is figure out what the hell had happened.

"Teeg, sweetie, you okay?" Annabelle asked.

Teghan shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just another flash of something I can't make sense of."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No," Teghan said with a weak smile. "I'm just going to lie down for a while."

"Okay." Annabelle walked over to the bed and wrapped her arms around Teghan. "It's good to have you back."

"Thanks, Annie. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

Teghan waited until Annabelle left the room before she began shivering. She curled up in the fetal position, the blanket tucked under her chin, and she cried herself to sleep.

'I don't feel good, Dad,' Teghan mumbled as her father carried her in his arms.

'I know, Teghan. Don't worry. I'm going to take care of you,' her father said.

Teghan's eyes fluttered open then closed. Open then closed. The smell was unmistakable, but she knew she wasn't in a hospital. It was too quiet.

'Bring her in here,' a man's voice said. 'Lie her down on the table.'

Teghan felt her back on the table as her father's arms eased out from under her. She felt sick. The need to vomit washed over her senses.

'Is she still sedated?' the man asked.

'Barely. She was talking to me as I carried her in,' her father said.

'I'll have to give her something a little stronger before I can begin.'

'Do whatever you have to do.'

She rolled her head to one side and watched the man flick a needle before pressing it into her arm. Icy cool juice pulsated in her body and tingled in her veins.

'It should only be a few moments before she's out again,' the man said.

'Good. I don't want her to remember any of this,' her father said.

Teghan's lids got heavy. She tried to fight it. She didn't want to sleep. She wanted to know what was going on, but whatever had been injected into her arm was much, much stronger than she was.

'I'd suggest waiting outside,' the man said.

'Just get that
thing
out of my daughter,' her father said seconds before Teghan lost the fight, succumbing to her drug induced sleep.

Teghan awoke with a start, her heart racing, her stomach in knots, and drenched in sweat. She flung the covers off her, ran to the bathroom and threw up until there was nothing left but dry heaves. Slowly closing the lid on the toilet, she rested her head on it. She didn't want to believe it. But her gut didn't lie. And what was worse, she knew that her father was capable of it. What had been nagging at her was now free to run uninhibited though her mind. Part of her wished she'd never remembered, but she had, and now she had to face not only Donnie, but her father as well. Sadness quickly turned to anger. A deep seeded anger that burned through her like nothing she'd ever felt before. Teghan got off the floor and climbed into the shower, a feeble attempt to scrub away the ultimate betrayal she felt.

Half an hour later, Teghan was dressed, her purse and car keys in hand. Her parents were asleep upstairs, and that's exactly how she wanted it. She didn't want to have to explain why she was leaving, and she sure as hell didn't want to look her mother in the eye because Teghan knew without a doubt that her mother had no idea what Rob had done. She slipped into her father's den and shuffled around the stuff on his desk until she found a sheet of paper and a pen. She put the paper in a place she knew he'd find it and hastily scribbled: I remembered!