FB - Australia, Sydney - St. George Private Hospital (2000)

[Hollywood Heidi]

St. George Private Hospital

Located in Sydney, Australia and taking place four years before the crash of Flight 815.

[Ariel]

Peering into the large glass window of the hospital's nursery, Linda gazed upon her niece sleeping soundly after her tiring journey into this big, new world. Peaceful and pure did the new babe look, swaddled in a pink blanket, almost porcelain like. The tiny human was of absolute perfection and Linda wanted nothing more than to be bursting with joy at the arrival of her new family member. Yet, Linda had been stewing quietly to herself in resentful thoughts for some time now as she stood silent next to her brother Charlie, the burning tension in the room thickening to the point of overflow.

"Thought you weren't going to show." Linda finally uttered under her breath to Charlie as she continued to glare forward into the glass window, arms folded tightly over her chest.

"...Of course I was going to show. We're family."

"Really?" Linda's voice quivered with anger as she remained to keep her voice low, "Because we haven't felt like a family in a really long time, Charlie. You don't call or contact us in months, and now here you are, proclaiming that we're family?!" Linda brought her hands down to rest on her hips as the build up continued, "Where is he, Charlie? Where's Liam?"

"I've told you, he missed his flight and he's on his way."

Linda finally tore her gaze from the window and looked at Charlie, her reddened eyes about to overflow with burning tears, "He's doped up, isn't he? Isn't he?"

Charlie looked back at his sister, but words couldn't come out. He couldn't speak, couldn't lie any longer.

"Charlie? Hey!"

Both Linda and Charlie's heads snapped around to find Liam's wife, Karen, entering the corridor dressed in hospital attire. Looking away to wipe her tears, she took a few steps backward to give Karen and Charlie some space. The last thing the new mother needed was more stress about her husband missing the birth of their first child.

"She's beautiful, Karen."

"I named her Megan."

Linda's eyes flickered upward at the sound of the familiar name. Their mother's name. Someone who hadn't been mentioned in quite some time.

"Where's Liam?"

"Karen, look, it wasn't his fault. We were leaving the club in Dresden -- I was in a cab --…."

Linda shook her head. Charlie was making excuses for Liam, and apart of Linda understood why he did this. But her rational side was gone, and she felt hurt and betrayed by these brothers of hers. Perhaps these feelings grew within her the moment they walked out of her life to pursue their fifteen minutes of fame. But the lifestyle changed them. Linda didn't know them anymore. These weren't her brothers, and they were no longer family. And she wouldn't be put through this heartache again. Unable to bear listening to the lies, Linda slipped away unnoticed and vowed to never speak to them again.






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