517Chapter 96- The Missing
"How can her body just be gone?" Alexis demanded to know at the nurse's desk.
"I don't know, Ms. Davis," Nurse Amy explained. "The police are looking into it."
"What's going on?" Lucas walked over.
"Sam's body is gone," Alexis said.
"Oh no," Lucas said. "Nelle is gone too."
"You're not saying…."
"Nelle must have something to do with it," Lucas said. "She has a sick fascination with preserving the dead."
GHGHGH
Nina saw Willow get off the elevator and headed over to her, "Hi sweetie."
"Hi Nina…."
Nina's heart panged, missing when she'd call her mom. "How are you? How are the kids?"
"Amelia's fine. Michael's been letting me see her just about every day this past week. It's Wiley I'm worried about."
Nina nodded. "I'm worried about him too. I'm worried about all of you."
"And is Nelle included in that?" Willow asked.
"Yes. She's my daughter too. Of course she's included."
"I see. Well, I'll see you around then…." She started to walk around her.
"Willow, wait. I miss you. Can we please talk?"
"There's nothing to talk about," Willow said. "Nelle just terrorized a bunch of people, including my son. And she has temporary custody of him. But you're worried about her. There's nothing else to say."
Nina sighed. "Willow, you're a mom. You still worry about Wiley when his behaviour isn't the best."
Willow scoffed. "You mean when he does boy things? He's not out there trying to kill people."
"I know…. But if he were…. What would you do?"
Willow swallowed hard. "I guess I'd still worry. I'd want him to get help."
"And that's what I want for Nelle. If all of this true…" Nina choked up. "If she really attacked… and stole those bodies… she needs help. And I won't turn my back on her. Ever. You need to understand the position I'm in, Willow. I need to help her."
"I can see your dilemma. But I have two children to protect. So, how exactly are you planning to help her? Does that include helping her keep Wiley? What about your grandson's well-being? Does he matter to you? Or is psycho Nelle the only one who matters to you?"
"Of course, he does," Nina said. "You all matter to me. I think if I can help Nelle get healthy, then Wiley would benefit from having both of you."
Willow shook her head, then walked over to Wiley's room.
"Ms. Reeves…." Jordan came over to her. "Have you seen or heard from Nelle?"
"I last saw her about 30 minutes ago," Nina said. "I left her in her room."
"Okay, well she's gone."
GHGHGH
Elizabeth drew a sample of Kevin's blood from the inside of his elbow and he glanced up when Mac sat in the chair across from him.
"Hello, Mac."
"Hi Kevin, thank you for doing this," Mac said. "I just saw Felicia. She's a wreck right now. She's really worried about Esme."
"You don't have to thank me. Esme is my niece. I care about her. Did Felicia say what happened? I didn't get much from Robin over the phone."
"I offered to get tested too, even though blood relatives are the best shot. Esme has hemophilia apparently."
Kevin's face paled as Elizabeth gave him a band aid. "Hemophilia?"
Mac nodded. "They couldn't control her bleeding during surgery."
"That's what my father died from ten years ago," Kevin said.
Elizabeth sat beside Mac and cleaned the inside of his elbow.
"I remember when Victor died," Mac said. "But I couldn't remember from what. Is it genetic?"
"It is," Kevin said. "But I didn't inherit it. Esme might have though."
"Don't tell Felicia," Mac said. "She hears the words hemophilia, genetic, and died in the same sentence, her mind will go to the worst-case scenario. She's already freaking out. This could send her into a complete breakdown."
"Well, my father was in his 80s," Kevin said. "Esme is only 20. She has her age and her health on her side."
"Howdy boys." Frisco walked in and sat in one of the empty chairs.
GHGHGH
"Hey, Mom, I'm doing everything I can to get a sitter," Maxie said over the phone. "Spinelli's still not back yet."
"Georgie? Can—can she watch them?... for an hour even?" Felicia asked. "I know it's late but… Robin says she's getting worse. She's getting weaker…."
"Georgie's at a sleepover. I'll keep try—"
"Can you just bring the kids?" Felicia suggested. "They can sit with me while you go to the lab. I don't want to leave. And—and Mac's getting tested."
Maxie sighed. "They're sleeping, but okay. I'll wake them up."
"Thank you."
Maxie slipped her phone away and headed to the hallway when she heard a knock at the door. She groaned and answered it. "Oh hey, Dante. Sorry, this isn't a good time. Not unless you want to babysit three kids…. Wait… what's wrong?"
Dante sniffled back his tears. "Can I come in?"
"Um, yeah…. But I really have to get to the hospital. What's up?"
"It's Sam…" he cried. "She didn't make it."
Maxie's cheeks went white. "What do you mean?"
"She was at crazy Nelle's house tonight. Nelle stabbed her. She died. She's gone."
"What?" Maxie asked. "No. This doesn't make any sense. She's survived explosions, gun shots…. No. She can't be dead."
"I wish it wasn't true, but it is."
Maxie cried and hugged him.
GHGHGH
Cody chugged back a shot of tequila at Charlie's Pub and kept ordering more. His phone rang again and he saw Felicia's name on the screen, but he shut it off.
Spencer held the door open for Josslyn and they sat at a table.
"Are you sure you should be at a pub right now?" Spencer asked.
"I won't order any alcohol," Josslyn grumbled. "I'm fine. I needed to get out. We've gone through so much lately, we need a change. That social worker got on my nerves. The triplets should be with Mom. And if they can't be with her, they should be with me."
"Yeah, I don't understand the justice system. Look at Esme."
Cody turned at Esme's name as he took another shot.
"After everything she put us through," Spencer continued. "She destroyed my entire world. She hurt all of us. Including Cameron and Trina who have now sided with her."
"I'm furious too," Josslyn agreed. "And now we have charges against us."
"If Esme were in prison right now, we'd all be at peace," Spencer said. "If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be at risk of losing our child."
Josslyn shook her head. "I still can't believe Cam and Trina though."
"If you ask me, Esme, Cameron, and Trina need to pay for what they did to us," Spencer said. "Esme will never be anything but a puppet for her psychotic father. And then she manipulated Cameron and Trina into taking her side. I think you were right before, Joss. She made up that sob story about her father supposedly raping her to manipulate the judge and the Scorpios. But I know better. She seduced my father, so she probably seduced her own father too—"
Cody grabbed the collar of Spencer's shirt, punched him square in the nose, then threw him across the table onto the floor. Josslyn screamed. Cody made his way around the table. He kicked Spencer before jumping on him. He punched him repeatedly until his face bled.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Josslyn tried pulling Cody off him, then yanked out her phone.
"WHO ARE YOU TO TALK CRAP ABOUT MY SISTER?" Cody pounded him again before the bartender rushed over and pulled him off Spencer.
GHGHGH
Felicia paced the hallway as she tried calling Maxie again.
"Hi Mrs. Scorpio." Cameron walked over to her.
"Cameron, hi. Please, call me Felicia."
He smiled. "Felicia…. I hope you don't mind me being here. My mom is working tonight and she told me about Esme. I just got tested. I know it's a long shot, but Mom said it doesn't have to be a blood relative."
"That's wonderful. Thank you. She's right. You don't have to be related, even though that would be better. That's why I'm calling everyone I can."
"How's she doing?" Cameron asked.
Felicia frowned. "Not good. I'm really worried, Cameron. She's so pale and weak. She woke up for me once but was very confused."
"Would it be all right if I visited her?"
"Yes, that would be great." Felicia squeezed his shoulder. "Thank you for being such a good friend to my daughter."
Cameron entered Esme's room and sighed. "Friend…."
GHGHGH
Mac, Kevin, and Frisco hopped off the elevator and found Felicia sitting outside of Esme's room with her face buried in her hands. Mac sat beside her and pulled her into his arms.
"I can't get a hold of Cody or Maxie…" Felicia cried. "Maxie said she was coming. But she's not here…. I tried Lucy and Anna too. But it's the middle of the night. What should I expect?"
"I'll try calling them," Mac said. "But we all got tested." He gritted his teeth. "Even Frisco did."
"That's right," Frisco said. "I'm here for both of you. And I just checked on Georgie right before I got tested. She's sleeping peacefully."
"I should've just gone to get her," Felicia said. "My instincts told me to ignore the text and go get them, but I didn't. If I did, then this wouldn't have happened."
"Felicia, that is not a fair assessment," Kevin said. "Nelle is the one who held her prisoner. And Esme had a pre-existing condition that could've flared up at any point in her life. Besides, she is the one who chose to stay in Nelle's home, you didn't choose it for her."
"Felicia?" They glanced up when Griffin Munroe walked over to them. "I heard about Esme. Can I pray with you?"
GHGHGH
Cameron stared at Esme lying there, then he pulled up a chair and held her hand. "Esme, it's me, Cameron. You're so pale. Why did you have to go to Nelle's?" He tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Even like this you're still beautiful. You've got to beat this, okay? I know we agreed to be friends, but I was hoping it would lead to more. You see… even though I don't agree with you on everything… like going to Nelle's for instance…" he choked up. "I'm developing feelings for you. I loved having you and Ace stay with us and I missed texting you this week. If you wake up, then maybe… maybe we can be more than friends… when you're ready. I know you've been through a lot and you're probably not ready yet, but we could build up to it." He kissed her forehead.
GHGHGH
"Just remember that Esme is in God's hands," Griffin said. "God works through the doctors but ultimately, He is Esme's healer. Isaiah 53:5 "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
Felicia kept staring at her lap but nodded.
"I can call Maxie," Frisco offered.
"And I'll try Cody," Mac said.
"No need." Robin walked over to them. "We already have a match. In fact, we have two."
Felicia jumped up and Mac rose beside her.
"Is it Felicia?" Kevin asked.
"Felicia doesn't have the same blood type as Esme," Robin said. "But Uncle Mac and Kevin do. They are both a match, so we'll have plenty of blood on hand for her."
Felicia sighed in relief and hugged Mac and Kevin. "Thank God."
GHGHGH
Sam slowly opened her heavy eyes and squinted around the blurry, white room. A hazy figure sat across from her.
"Hello, Sam, sweetheart," Nelle's voice said. "Don't you worry. Your mother is taking good care of you."