Collision Course, Chapter 69
Gwen was sitting in her room.
“ I never knew I could be poked and prodded like this.”
“ Honey, it’ll be fine.”
“ Oh, I know it will be, Ethan. I have the easy part of the transplant.
Whitney’s going to have the hard time. What if…”
“ Gwen, you can’t think like that. No ‘ what ifs’. This procedure will
go well, and Whitney will get better, and then, we can take it from there.”
“ I hope so. “
“ I know so. Gwen, it’ll be fine.”
Gwen sighed. “ Oh Ethan…. I wish….”
“ You can’t go back, Gwen. Back to the time of ignorance.”
“ It WAS bliss, you know?”
“ I don’t think so. Look at it this way – you’ve gained a sister.”
“ But, lost my mother.”, Gwen replied sadly.
“ Only if you choose that.”
“ Ethan..”
“ Time…give it time, Gwen.”
Whitney was in her room when there was a knock on the door.
“ Come in.”
“ Hello.”
“ Hi.”
“ I’m Robert Hotchkiss.”
“ Oh.”
“ Yes. Oh. It’s good to meet you, Whitney.”, Robbie said, sticking out
his hand. Whitney took it.
“ I would say ‘how are you’, but that’s a dumb question.”
Whitney laughed. “ Yeah, I guess it is.”
“ I looked for a card, but Hallmark doesn’t yet put out one that says,
‘ Oops, you’re my new sister.’”
Whitney laughed again. “ Are you always this funny?”
“ Gwen thinks so, but she doesn’t fully appreciate my humor all the time.”
“ Oh.”
“ I came by..because I wanted to see you in the flesh. And, to let you
know that I hope you pull through all of this, because I’d love to get to
know you.”
“ Why?”
“ Why?”
“ You have a sister. You have a family. Why bother getting to know me?”
“ Because you’re my sister. Because of what Rebecca did.”
Whitney put up her hand. “ Oh no. I’ve been through this already with
Gwen today. Whatever relationship you have with your mother, leave me out
of it. I want NO choices made about that relationship because of me. “
“ But..”
“ Uh uh. I have enough on my plate than to feel guilty that the two of
you have thrown away the relationship with your mother over me. Whatever
conflicts or problems I have with Mrs. Hotchkiss will be between me and Mrs.
Hotchkiss. I’m not some ‘ Poor Black Child’ whose life was damaged because
the rich, White woman threw me away. “
“ I didn’t mean to imply..”
“ I honestly can’t get into this now. I have more important things on
my mind. Thank you for coming by, Robert.”
“ Call me Robbie.”
“ Ok, Robbie. Thanks.”
Gwen was reading when TC and Eve came into her room.
“ Hello, Dr. Russell. Coach Russell.”
“ Gwen, we just came by to thank you for coming in and helping Whitney.”,
Eve said.
“ It’s no problem. “
“ Whitney means the world to us.”, TC replied.
“ I’m glad that Whitney had such loving parents, after what my mo….Rebecca
did.”
“ Gwen, please don’t be too hard on Rebecca. She made a loving choice.”,
TC replied.
Eve rolled her eyes, as Gwen spat back, “ Oh yeah, throwing away your
child is SUCH a loving choice.”
“ Rebecca didn’t throw Whitney away!”
“ She sure in hell didn’t keep her!”
“ Rebecca made the most loving choice possible.”
“ Why are YOU defending her, TC?”, Eve asked.
“ Because, I’m tired of people beating up on Rebecca. She was a married
woman who made a mistake. Should she have to pay for it for the rest of
her life?”
“ From where I’m sitting, she didn’t ‘ pay’ for it at all!”, Gwen snarked.
“ Young lady, you and your brother grew up in a two-parent, affluent home.
From everything I’ve heard Jonathan Hotchkiss was a devoted father to you
and your brother. Well, Whitney grew up the same. Eve and I might not have
had the money your father had, but I doubt any other child could say that
they had more love and devotion from their parents. Eve and I ADORED Whitney,
and she never wanted for ANYTHING: materially or emotionally. And, your mother’s
sacrifice made that happen. Rebecca has her faults; I know them well, but
she loves ALL her children. Walk some in her shoes before you so blithely
condemn her.”
Eve was seething. This defending Rebecca garbage was going to stop.
“ TC. Gwen needs her rest before the procedure. Once again, we thank you,
Gwen. Bye.”