chapter 93

word count: 1982

adam had tried, unsuccessfully,, to leave his hospital room a number of times under a number of guises.. fresh air,, exercise,, a drink of water,, wanting to talk to the nurse because his stomach hurt,, none of which seemed to draw the least bit of sympathy from the uniformed patrol that hovered just outside his door.. 

he had resigned himself hours ago,, that there was no escape.. he was being held prisoner here,, and he was just going to have to make the best of it.. he had tried to call elliot ,, but that too was to no avail.. seems his hospital room telephone had been rerouted.. every time he tried to dial out,, he got the nurses’ station,, and every time he got the nurses’ station it ended up in more prodding and probing on their part,, and truth be told,, he had had more of that than he could stomach.. 

he couldn’t imagine why no one was calling to check on him.. not his father,, although he was eternally grateful for that.. not mrs. dunn,, but then,, she might still be in the hospital herself.. not even elliot.. and he called himself his best friend? not even john, or lisa,, who had both maintained they had adam’s safety and best interests at heart..  didn’t anybody care that he was stuck in here,, all alone??

not long after he had resigned himself to the fact that he was long forgotten by everyone he thought should be interested in his well-being,, and laid down on the bed to surf through the channels of the limited cable tv provided by the hospital,, there was a sharp double tap on the wall outside his door.. 

knock!! knock!!

“adam?? it’s ms. beaumont!! i am here with dr. travis we need to speak to you.. can we come in??” alas, a familiar voice.. even if it was only that meddling social worker.. 

“sure, come on in.” adam replied trying to hide his exuberance at having someone, anyone,, come to visit him.. 

ms. beaumont preceded dr. travis into the room and pulled the beige privacy curtain tight around the bed as they stepped up close,, both hovering just above adam.. 

“hey there adam,, you remember me?? dr. travis??” the good doctor extended his hand to adam in greeting..

adam did not return the gesture.. “yeah.. i remember you..” 

and he did.. he remembered pouring his heart out to the doctor,, as well as ms. beaumont,, in hopes that one of them would take pity on him and let him out of this god awful place.. maybe,, just maybe,, that was why they were here now.. 

as dr. travis,, and ms. beaumont pulled up a chair and took a seat close to the bed,, adam turned down the volume on the tv and sat upright. something felt good about towering over them as they sat huddled behind the beige privacy screen.. it gave adam a feeling of superiority he did not have when they were standing.. they didn’t seem so intimidating this way.. 

they both smiled weak,, almost mechanical smiles,, and then ms. beaumont spoke. 

“adam, we have been in contact with your father,, and it is after careful  consideration that both dr. travis,, and myself believe it would be in your best interest that you not be returned to his home. it seems your father’s life is in a state of upheaval at the present…”

adam allowed ms. beaumonts voice to trail off.. 

‘yes!!’ he couldn’t help but thinking to himself,, that was excellent news.. the last person he wanted to be around right now was his father!!!

“…into foster care,, until your trial and subsequent sentencing…”

“wait a minute!!” adam interrupted.. “what does that mean?? subsequent sentencing?” this was beginning to sound like an episode of law and order..

“what that means,, is that a juvenile referee has been assigned to hear out your case.. and in the end,, he or she will decide what, if any punishment you will receive for the accidental poisoning of both your mother, and mrs. dunn,, as well as the intentional poisoning of your father, on several occasions’.. you see things like this are not dealt lightly with by the courts..”

‘by the courts?’ adam thought to himself.. what did they need a court for? he had already admitted to both ms. beaumont,, and dr. travis that he had done it.. that he had wanted to hurt his dad, sure,, but he had not meant to hurt his mrs. dunn,, and certainly never did he mean to play any part in his mother’s death.. he loved her..

“so you see,” dr. travis interjected,, "it has been determined by the social services,, and myself that the best thing for you at this point in time is that you be placed in the hands of ms. beaumont here until a suitable foster home can be found.”

“foster home??” queried adam. “ you're gonna send me to live with strangers?”

“in essence, “ began ms. beaumont, “ we would like to be able to say that we will first try and place you with a family that knows you, but so far no one has come forward.. while we continue our search,, you will be placed in the new albany home for displaced children..”

“but, i’m not a displaced children!!” adam cried out.. this was beginning to sound more and more like a law and order nightmare.. “i don’t even know what that means!”

“now simmer down,, it is not as bad as it sounds, “ ms beaumont continued,, as she assumed her most comforting, yet authoritative tone, “all this means is that the board of child services will assume responsibility for you while we seek out a temporary placement for you until a decision has been made by the courts…”

adam was dumbfounded.. he found himself speechless.. his mind racing,, but no words would form in his own defense.. 

“you see adam, “ continued ms. beaumont,, “in a situation like this,, more often than not the  defendant,, that being you in this case,, will be placed in protective custody,, but due to your tender age…”

ms. beaumont’s cell phone began to ring,, and she paused to look at the display.. 

“i have to take this. dr. could you take over from here??” she said as she stepped outside of the privacy curtain..

“beaumont” she could be herd barking into the phone as her footsteps trailed off out the door and into the hallway.. 

“i know all of this must be a little bit over whelming, adam, but just keep in mind it is all temporary.. just until your case is heard by the courts..” dr travis tried to soothe him..

“but i already told you,, you and ms beaumont that i did it.. i told you the truth,, that i put the flowers in the mayonnaise to hurt my dad.. i never meant to hurt my mom!! i told you the truth!!” adam shouted at dr. travis,, as he fell back on the bed in utter confusion and defeat.. 

“i understand that adam,, and so does ms. beaumont.. now don’t be getting too upset.. this is all just a matter of procedure at this point.. you see it is more or less out of all of our hands,, when a crime has been committed…”

adam could no longer wrap his little mind around all the big words that were being shot at him.. he rolled over into his pillow and sobbed.. dr. travis reached out,, to try and reassure him,, but adam sloughed off his touch,, and moved farther away from the doctor.. he clung to the bed rail,, and pulled himself as far away from the doctors outstretched hand as he could get.. 

dr. travis evidently decided it was better to just let adam have his space,, and sat back down.. he sat in silence,, as adam cries were muffled into this pillow.. the two of them sat separated by a wall of tears until ms. beaumont reentered the room..  

“well,," stated ms. beaumont in what seemed to be an almost cheery tone, “ it looks as if a family has come forward.. they have petitioned the court for your release into their custody throughout the trial..”

adam stopped crying,, but didn’t release his grip on the bed rail nor turn toward the sound of ms. beaumonts voice.. 

“excellent news!!” dr. travis exclaimed.. “see that adam..”

ms. beaumont continued.. 

“it seems as though the hunt family has come forward.. you know the hunt family don’t you adam?” she tried to soften her tone,, in hopes that adam would turn around and she could share the good news with him face to face.. 

adam, stayed glued to the bed rail.. elliots family.. thank god they had come thru.. he had all but lost  faith in elliot since he hadn’t come to see him,, hadn’t even called.. he was more than relived to hear that his best friend had finally come thru for him.. 

and then it hit him.. the hunt family included elliot’s mom.. how could he live with her?? after what she had done?? after she had just moved right in on his dad as soon as his mother had died.. she had helped herself to his mother’s clothes,, picking through them as if she had a right to.. as if she had no respect for her even in death..  she was the reason he was here right now!! the reason he had cut himself so deeply,, the reason the pain had become so unbearable that he had not used any caution,, the reason that he had struck out at himself.. had nearly killed himself.. how could it ever be in his best interest to be placed with her??

adam visibly tightened his grip on the bed rail,, as ms. beaumont continued.. 

“it seems as though, mr. and mrs. hunt have separated,, and mr. hunt,, and your best friend elliot have moved in with a miss lisa bowers?? together they have petitioned the court for you to come and live with them.. let me see here.. it says that in addition to your friend elliot,, it looks like lisa’s son erik is also in the home.."

adam sighed audibly with relief,, loosened his grip on the bed rail,, and tentatively rolled over to face the doctor and ms. beaumont.. 

“you mean elliot’s mom is not gonna be there?” he asked sheepishly.. 

“no.” responded dr. travis.. “in fact,, when i went to speak to your father about all of this,, mrs. hunt was there with him,, so i don’t think you have to worry about coming in contact with either mrs. hunt,, or your father.. you’ll see adam,, it will all be alright..”

the three sat in a momentary silence,, as adam pulled himself up into a seated position,, still keeping his distance,, but lessening the barrier between them.. 

“when?” asked adam. “when do i get to go?”

“soon.” stated ms. beaumont.. “as soon as the doctors here release you,, and the court has signed off on the temporary custody.. i would say tomorrow,, or the next day at the latest.. but in the meantime,, you will be happy to know that your friend elliot will be able to visit you.. in fact,, my office said they were on their way over here now,, elliot and his father,, and ms. bowers and her son erik.. they want to do whatever they can to make the transition as smooth as possible..”

something that resembled a smile nearly graced adam’s face when he heard the news.. but he reigned it in before it could completely register.. 

the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard in the hallway.. 

“knock!! knock!!” a familiar voice rang out from behind the privacy screen..  it was elliots dad.. 

“i hear we can find adam miller here.. and oh boy is my eliiot looking forward to seeing him!!”