TJ's Journey to Marriage - 5. Chapter 5

I looked at Grayson and said we needed to go; We ran out of the house with Trace and JC trailing that we nearly ran Tracy and Jack over.

“What’s the hurry boy’s?” Jack said

“Mom’s in the hospital” I said

“Oh shit! Let’s go boys” Jack said. I paused and called Beau

“Hey bro, I’m a bit busy.” Beau said

“If you are doing that don’t answer the phone but Mom’s in the hospital.” I said

“What? Which hospital?” he said

“Mount Sinai” I replied as a SUV pulled up to the curb

“Boys, I called in a favor; hop in” Jack said

“Beau meet us there.” I said ending the call

“I hope mom’s ok” Grayson said leaning into me

“Me too bud. We may not agree a lot but she’s our mom.” I said and put my arm around him.

“Jack you should call Emily and Murray.” Tracy said

“Good idea, we need to let them know.” Jack said and started making calls.

We pulled up to the hospital and Grayson and I ran for the emergency room. I walked up to the desk.

“I’m Tristan Michaels, I got a call from Dr. Fitzgerald.”

“Ah, one moment and I’ll let him know you are here.” The nurse said. I started to pace when Lucas, Beau and Kat came through the door. Beau ran up and hugged me

“We don’t know anything yet, I’m waiting on the doctor.” I said

“Tristan Michaels” A tall handsome man called out

“Yes, I am Tristan.” I replied.

“Hello, I am Dr. Fitzgerald one of the Emergency Doctors. I need to speak with you and any of your family members.”

“Well we are all family.” I said and pointed at everyone

“Immediate family only.” He said

“I am Katie Collins, Mr. Michaels attorney and aunt.”

“Well, Ms. Collins, you may join us.” He said

“Do you guys mind waiting?” I asked

“We will wait for you TJ.” Jack said

“I wish I could go but I understand” J said and I nodded.

“Ms. Michaels, immediate family follow me please” Dr. Fitzgerald said and led the way followed by Kat and us. We were led to a room and asked to sit

“There is no easy way to say this, Ms. Michaels was in a terrible car crash and is in surgery and in serious condition.” He said

“Do you know what happened?” Kat asked

“No, the police will want to speak with you. Her companion in the vehicle did not survive.”

“Do you know who it was” she asked

“A Nathan Hopkins.” He said

“Thank you, when will we know more?”

“She’s in surgery and we will let you know when there is an update but was ask that you remain here in case we need you.”

“Can the others come in?” I asked

“Yes now that I’ve made you aware.” The doctor said.

“I’ll go get them” Kat said and left

“Are you guys ok?” I asked

“No” They both said and came and sat on either side of me and I put an arm around each of them and pulled them in and we began to cry.

“Oh my boys” Kat said as she came back in with the others in tow.

“I spoke with Murray and Kelly and they are on the way here.” Jack said

“Ok” was all I get out.

“Someone has to tell the Grandpas’.” Grayson said

“I made the call and they are on the way” Tracy said

“What about Grandpa Joe?” Beau said

“I called the home and they said they will wait for any updates.” Jack said Trace said with Grayson, Lucas squeezed next to Beau and JC sat on my lap.

“You guys look ridiculous all on the one couch. You should spread out” Kat said

“Kat thank you for stepping in as the lawyer, I know family law isn’t your expertise.” Jack said

“Actually, I did family law before I got into medical. It was harder doing family law and moving around all the time so I just changed my area of expertise.” Kat said

“Ms. Collins, Mr. Michaels, the NYPD is here to speak with you.” The nurse said

“Is there somewhere quiet we can go to?” Kat asked

“Yes, we have another room you can use” she said and walked us down to the room where two cops stood

“Good afternoon gentleman, I’m Katie Collins and this is Tristan Michaels.” Kat said and we shook hands with the cops

“Good afternoon ma’am. I would like to talk with you about the accident. It appears Mr. Hopkins was driving the vehicle registered to Mrs. Michaels at a high rate of speed when he lost control and crashed into the Jersey walls coming out of the Holland tunnel. We interviewed numerous people who said he was weaving in and out of traffic and tail gaiting.” The officer said

“Were there any other individuals involved in the accident?” Kat asked

“No, it was a single vehicle accident. We would like to speak with Ms. Michaels when she is able too.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Also based on what was found at the scene a full tox screen and other things are being performed on Mrs. Michaels.”

“I fully understand, here is my card. Please call me with any question or concerns.”

“Thank you Ms. Collins” the officers said and left

“TJ, you understand what they said?” Kat asked

“Yeah sounds like mom and Nathan were doing something illegal.” I said angrily

“It does sound that way. Look TJ, you know I love you and if you need to talk I am here.” She said pulling me into a hug and that’s when the dam broke.

“I just don’t understand.” I said through tears

“TJ, your mom lived a whole different life and I have something to tell you. She and Brayden were together a couple of times before and after your dad passed.”

“What? That’s insane”

“It’s part of why we separated. The boys don’t know, they think it was just my anger at Brayden for how he treated you.”

“I don’t know what to think anymore” I said crying

“Ms. Collins, Mr. Michaels” the nurse said

“Yes?” Kat replied

“Dr. Fitzgerald needs you to join the rest of the family” she said gloomily

“TJ, you will need to be strong for you brothers and I will be there to support you.” We walked back to the room where everyone else was and the doctor was waiting

“I am sorry to say that Mrs. Michaels didn’t make it.” Dr. Fitzgerald said and everyone started to cry. JC came over and pulled me into a hug and I cried so hard. At that moment the nurse said someone else was there.

“That should be their grandfathers, please bring them back” Kat said and the nurse nodded

“I sorry brudder, they had to be stopped” Tristan said

“What? You did this? I said to Tristan

“Yes, you fixed Jack and fixed yous mom”

“Tristan, you can’t go around killing people”

“I not kill, the bad man was doing drugs and driving. He just needed a push”

“A push?”

“If I not stop he would have killed more people down the road.”

“We will talk later.”

“TJ, you ok? You looked to be in a trance” Grandpa Ron said

“Yeah don’t worry about it” I replied

“Ok, we would usually allow you to see her but she’s banged up and it’s up to you guys if you want to see her.” Doctor Fitzgerald said

“I don’t want to” I said

“Well I do” Beau and Grayson said

“Trace and Lucas, will you go with them?”

“Yes” they both said and they were escorted back

“TJ, we will take care of everything” Grandpa Tony said and as he said that Jack’s phone rang and he didn’t look so good and then ended the call.

“Well this is a strange coincidence, apparently Joe has passed away. He was lying in bed and sat up and shouted EMILY and fell back and that was it.” Jack said

“Well that is strange.” Kat said

“I agree” I said and looked at JC

“Will you help me with everything?”

“You betcha, I will be your rock” he said and I hugged him

“Ok, well we got to funerals to plan. Don’t worry TJ, we are in good health” Grandpa Ron said. I saw my brothers coming down the hall with tear stained faces. I waited for them to get closer and then opened my arms and they both fell in and we hugged.

“Could you both stay with me tonight?” I asked my brothers

“Yes” They said in unison

“Guys also Grandpa Joe passed away”

“What? No way.” Grayson said

“Yeah apparently he called out Mom’s name and died”

“That’s freaky” Beau said

“I have an idea… let’s do a giant sleep over and your men can join us. I was thinking just us but then I would be putting JC out.”

“I could just stay with my brother” JC said

“No all of us should be together; I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. We will all be brothers soon enough” I said and smiled.

“Dad, Pop are you guys ok?” Trace asked

“We started to talk but we got side tracked; sometimes I speak before I think.”

“Sometimes” Tracy said laughing and was met with a glare from Jack

“Boys, pull yourselves together. Let’s all go back to the apartment and pizza is on us” Grandpa Tony said

“We would love to but we don’t want to intrude” Jack said

“Hey it’s your apartment, so why not” Ron said laughing

“Kat are you going to join us” I asked

“I would love too” she replied and we all left for the apartment. JC ordered the pizza on the way back so we wouldn’t have to wait too long. Jack said that Murray and Kelly would be arriving later that night. I stepped away and made a call

“Hey TJ” Jeff said answering the phone

“Hey Jeff, I wanted to tell you since you were friends of my mom that she passed away today.” I said

“Oh no! TJ I am so sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?”

“She was in a bad car accident and didn’t make it.”

“That is just so terrible, I will make arrangements for all of us to come out there.” He said

“I would appreciate that”

“Do you need to talk with Kevin?”

“Yeah I kind of do”

“One second.” I overheard Jeff filling Kevin in

“TJ I just heard I am so sorry, is there anything I can do?”

“Yes there is; Tristan said he did this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember how he took care of the Corses? He said took care of the evil”

“TJ, that is a bit disturbing but I don’t know what he is capable of.”

“Yeah that’s the hard part. I know he can also read minds and apparently I can too.”

“I am going to plan on staying with you in New York for a bit and we can work on this.”

“Please do I would like to figure things out.”

“Try to get some rest and I will let you know when we will be able to get out there.”

“Thanks Kevin” I said and ended the call

Everyone was sitting in the living room sharing memories of mom. I was thinking about times I was with her but was starting to questions my judgement. The mood was light and everyone was relaxing and Tracy and Jack looked to be on a better path.

My phone went off and I had a text from an unknown number:

“Meet me in Central Park at the bench by the Carousel. Come alone and tell no one”