Chapter 37

Stephanie drove Grace back to Angie's in the morning to get her car. Heather took the bus home from the hospital after exchanging numbers with Mishka.

Ed was no longer in the ICU. His heart rate and blood pressure were back to normal and the swelling had gone down but he hadn't woken up yet. The doctors weren't sure why so they were keeping an eye on him. His insurance from work was thankfully covering the bill and Mr. Drakos had stopped by first thing in the morning after Grace sent him a note letting him know where they were. Rachel, Angie, and Carolyn had stayed behind. Stephanie had to relieve the babysitter but when she could arrange for another one she was heading back.

Grace wanted to grab a quick shower, put on some fresh clothes and get some clothes for Ed for when he could leave the hospital. She hugged Stephanie then got in her car and drove home. As she turned onto her street her eyes went wide with shock. There was a moving van in the driveway and a 'For Sale' sign on the front lawn with a large 'SOLD' sticker across it.

She parked on the street and ran up to the front door. She had to move to the side as two burley men carried the couch out the door.

Once the way was clear she ducked inside. She saw Shirley standing in the living room.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Grace yelled.

"You have until Friday to get your room cleared out. Ed too." Shirley said coldly.

"What did you do?" Grace sputtered in shock.

"Something I should have done a long time ago. You two will never learn the value of money if you continue to sponge off me. You have to get out there on your own. I sold the house to that developer who keeps nosing around. I'm leaving and moving in with Jerry," she explained.

"You can't do this! Ed's in the fucking hospital in a coma!" Grace gasped.

Shirley looked shocked then her face closed up. "That's hardly my doing. This is for your own good. Both of you."

Grace stared at the woman in shock. She didn't know her at all. More, she didn't want to know her. "You really are a monster," she murmured.

"GET OUT!" Shirley screamed.

"You said I have a week. I'm taking a shower, getting dressed and I'm going back to the hospital as that's what a human with compassion would do." Grace said calmly.

"LIKE YOU'VE SHOWN ME COMPASSION." Shirley continued to yell.

Grace blinked at her mother, shook her head and went upstairs. She unlocked her door and entered. She grabbed a change of clothes and locked her door again as she left. She went into the bathroom and saw Shirley had dumped all of her products into the trash bin. Getting a clean shopping bag from under the counter she salvaged what she could from the trash. The shampoo, soap, and towels were gone so she couldn't take a shower. There was Ed's shower downstairs. She headed down, spotted Shirley outside on the front lawn, and went to Ed's room. The door was open and she saw Shirley had taken the sheets from his bed. The pillow top mattress had been torn and ripped.

Grace went into Ed's closet and pulled out a large duffle bag. She packed the clothes that still fit Ed into it, setting aside some for him to wear when he left the hospital, then collected all of his personal items. There really weren't many. Once she had his life packed into the bag she carried it upstairs and locked it in her room. She went back downstairs and found Ed's big towel hanging behind his door. She took the clothes and the towel into the small washroom and locked the door. Ed's products were still there so she took a hot shower and wrapped herself in the towel afterwards. It smelled like Ed and she spent a few moments just taking it in.

Getting dressed she made sure she had everything and went back to her room. She locked Ed's towel and cleaning products inside and then carried his clothes out to her car. As she pulled away from the curb she took one last look at Shirley standing on the lawn. The woman turned her back on her daughter so she just drove away.

When she walked back into the waiting room there was a new woman standing with the four from last night. A petite Spanish beauty with long, straight black hair. And curves! The woman looked horrified as Rachel described what Sophia had done to Ed. Her head turned when the others noticed Grace enter the area. The woman rushed up to her.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry for what my daughter did to Ed. She has the devil inside her, planted there by her father but I didn't do enough to counter his evil. I take responsibility for what she did to him!" Tears were running down her face. After the cold and callous behavior of her mother, this woman's genuine remorse and compassion was a soothing balm for her soul. She gathered the beauty in her arms and they cried together.

"Grace! The doctor!" Rachel called out.

Grace released the woman and they all turned to see him approach.

"I'm looking for a family member for Edward Walters," he said.

"That's me." Grace squeaked nervously.

"He's coming out of it. He's beginning to move voluntarily and we think he'll be waking soon," the man smiled. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and smiled back at him.

"Can I go see him?" Grace asked.

"I believe that would be fine. Maybe limit it to just one… of… you," he began then six pairs of eyes almost burned him alive. "…or all of you. Sure. Room three oh three."

Grace headed off down the hall with the others following. She led them into the room the doctor mentioned. There was a second bed in the room but it was currently empty. Grace leaned over Ed's sleeping form and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"hello grace…" said a quiet voice.

She looked down and smiled at his half lidded eyes. "How did you know it was me?"

There was a sleepy pause. "Your lips are unforgettable and unmistakable," he breathed.

"Awwww!"

Ed's eyes opened a little wider and he saw where that sound had come from. Five beautiful faces were at the end of his hospital bed. "Did I say that out loud?" he said and they chuckled and smiled at him. Grace's smile was the widest and she had quite the blush.

He looked up at Grace. "I'm in the hospital?" She nodded. "What happened? Why is everyone here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Grace asked and after a moment Ed's eyes snapped to Zoe who grinned back at him and licked her lips.

He cleared his throat and Grace helped him take a sip of water. He glanced at Zoe once more. "I was at Mrs. Sandoval-"

"Zoe," she interrupted.

"I was at Zoe's house and… I was really tired. I… fell asleep." Ed's eyes took on a haunted look. "I had the worst nightmares but I couldn't wake up. It was like I was trapped in my own body." His body shook and Grace took his hand. "Then I woke up here."

"You were drugged but they're wearing off. It took all night and we were all worried. The drugs are mostly gone. You're better now." Grace explained.

Ed looked around. "Where's Shirley?" he asked.

Grace's jaw clenched and she looked away so she could get control of her anger. "She- she's not coming," she was finally able to say.

"Is she ok?" Ed asked with concern, misreading Grace's emotions.

"Oh Ed, you are so sweet. She is- well, she's not coming because she sold the house and kicked us out on the street. We're homeless, Ed."

Ed's eyes widened and his mouth opened but he was horrified. "Oh god! It's my fault! I'm so sorry Grace! I'll talk with her. I'll get her to take you back in!" Ed said frantically.

"NO!" Grace growled. Faces looked at Grace in confusion.

"Ed, tell them what she was making you do," she said quietly.

"You know?" he said in dread.

"It's ok Ed. She told me. You're not to blame. You were the victim of her abuse." Grace said gently and she heard gasps from the other women.

Ed looked at the faces of the women standing at the end of the bed. He looked back at Grace but he couldn't say it.

"I'll do it, ok?" she said looking him in the eye. He nodded. "When was she doing it?" she asked.

"In the middle of the night," he said quietly.

"How long has it been happening?"

Ed hung his head. "Since the night I fixed her back."

Grace rocked back. That was over a year ago! She got control over her expression and looked at the curious women. "My mother was 'milking' Ed for his cum. She used it as face cream. She'd wake him and get what she wanted from him."

Rachel gasped and looked like she wanted to hug Ed. Grace liked this woman.

"I overheard you and Shirley arguing Saturday morning and I confronted her when you left. All she kept saying was that we were selfish for not letting her have what she needed. I slapped her. That's when she left and made arrangements to sell the house I suppose. We have until Friday to get our stuff out. My room is locked but she slashed your mattress. I moved a lot of your stuff into my room. We can get it later. I'm sorry Ed. We'll have to find an apartment. Quickly."

"You can move in with me!" Rachel exclaimed. The other ladies all looked at Rachel in surprise though Angie looked like she was a little jealous.

"What?" Grace blinked looking at the woman.

"I have a huge house all to myself. I was just telling Edward. It feels so empty! You two could move in with me! There are plenty of rooms and they're already furnished!"

"That's extremely generous of you but you hardly know us! Me, anyway." Grace muttered.

"I know Edward and I know what a good person he is. He obviously vouches for you so that's good enough for me!" Rachel was getting excited about the idea of having company in the house again, especially Edward. She didn't see the growing concern on the faces of the others.

Grace looked at Ed who was struggling to comprehend what was happening. "What do you think, Ed? Would you like to live at Rachel's?"

Ed looked into the hopeful eyes of the beautiful redhead and blinked. "If you'll have us that would be very nice."

Rachel's face had a wide grin and Angie snorted.

"Will- will Ed still visit us?" Stephanie quietly voiced the worry of the remaining ladies.

Grace smiled, understanding completely. She looked down at Ed's innocent face. "I'm sure Ed would love to visit all of his new friends." He smiled and the women's smiles returned.

Ed gestured for Grace to move closer.

He moved his lips closer to her ear and whispered. "I don't want there to be any more secrets between us. It was painful and I never want that to happen again. I have to tell you… I've been… intimate with them." He looked up at Grace with worry in his eyes.

"I worked that out on my own. It's not a problem. These women are really nice people." Grace whispered back with a smile.

"And I love you. More… more than brother and sister." Ed forced out, fearing her response.

She turned her head and took his lips with hers and kissed him deeply. After the initial shock Ed's big arms wrapped around Grace and held her tightly against him as they shared the kiss.

The ladies were staring in shock at the two on the bed.

"I- I thought- Didn't she say she was his sister?" Angie sputtered.

"I heard that too." Rachel gasped.

Only Carolyn seemed unfazed by the display. With what she'd seen and experienced as an anthropologist in the field this was nothing.

Grace pulled back from the kiss. Her heart was soaring and Ed looked so beautiful resting below her.

"Second cousin. She's my second cousin." Ed replied to Angie's question as he gazed into Grace's eyes. He turned to look at the women. "I've lived with her since I was six but I've always loved her."

The unease disappeared as they saw the love in his eyes. Second cousin. That wasn't THAT close.

Ed face began to show discomfort. "What's wrong?" Grace asked.

"It… it hurts… down there."

"That's my cue to ask you all to leave and let my patient relax, 'down there'." Mishka said with a smile as she walked further into the room. She'd been listening from the open doorway. "He's had enough trauma to that region and it needs to stay dormant so it may heal."

"There's no permanent damage though, is there?" Grace asked as Ed locked a nervous stare on the doctor.

"No, you may think of it as a bruise or an overworked muscle… which may be a more accurate analogy," she explained. "Now that the other medications are clear of your system we will be giving you something to suppress the ability to rise 'down there'. This will let it heal. You should only be on this for a short time, less than a week. No driving, no operating heavy equipment. The medication will leave you light headed. Then you'll be good as new."

Ed sighed with relief as did a few others in the room. They waved at Ed and Rachel took Grace's arm as they left together. A nurse came in with a little paper cup. In it was a pill.

"This is the medication you need to take for the next four days. After that you can stop. It will take a few more days after that before this medication is clear of your system and you'll return to being able to have erections," Mishka explained. "We'll give you another pill tomorrow before you head home and you'll get more to take over the following days, one a day. Is that clear?"

Ed nodded then took the pill and rested back on the bed.

"Are you friends with Heather?" she asked as he settled into his pillow.

"Heather? Grace's best friend? We've hung out a few times," he replied.

"Do you know if she has a girlfriend? Boyfriend?" Mishka asked softly.

"I don't think so. You'd have to ask Grace… or Heather," Ed responded.

"Do you like her?"

"Yeah, she's a good friend to Grace and I love seeing Grace smile." Ed's face showed his joy then he yawned hugely. "Sorry, I'm just a little tired I guess."

"That's ok. You get some rest and I will see you later," she smiled and left.

Ed was asleep before the door closed.