Crossfire Series Questions for SYLVIA

[Kirsten]

This thread is being started so we can all have a place to put our questions that we want Sylvia to answer. Obviously she will not be able to answer all since we have two more book to go... YAY!

 

 

My question still is what was with the back and forth between Gideon and Elizabeth regarding Cary at the garden party?

 

 

It is obvious that Gideon and Angus have a very close relationship, will we find out more about it, it book 4 or 5?

[Sharonm745]

And I think the same can be said for the Krav Maga; it can be considered a weapon of sorts and it is only a matter of time before Eva uses it and it won't be on Gideon...

 

I really want to see Eva use her Krav Maga skills.  It will make my day.

[Barb55]

I really want to see Eva use her Krav Maga skills.  It will make my day.

 

 

Me too  

[GiGi]

Hi Gigi,

I get where you are coming from and agree your theory is plausible, im just not convinced - but I'll certainly enjoy my large helping of Arnaldos crow pie if im wrong

Also just occured to me tho, no-one but Corinna could know (when Gideon finds out about the attempt) just how many pills she'd taken. We saw the Drs report to the family while Eva & Gideon were at the hospital so presume that was when they gave the most information.

Even if they found an empty pill bottle beside Corinne, no-one but her could know how many pills were left in that bottle when she began the suicide attempt. We have no idea if the number of pills she took caused her to lose consciousness / miscarry etc... it is implied that the treatment for the overdose caused the miscarriage and not the overdose itself.

Also if for example, JFG told Corinne about the engagement, she ran off to the bathroom, locked herself in and threatened to commit suicide. With someone else in the house who she knows will get her immediate medical attention, the risk (of death) is low (she may have only taken a few pills for effect) but the chances of getting Gideon back to her side are huge because of his past - it is the perfect manipulation.

Hi Rogue, 

I read your comments and I just wanted to clarify a few things.  Actually the doctors would have a good indication of how much medication Corinne would have ingested.  If Corinne was unconscious when she was taken to the hospital then as a matter of absolute protocol, they would have drawn blood and urine in order to identify and confirm which medications were used in suicide attempt.  Those test would also tell a doctor how much of the medication was in her system, had been absorbed and the pumping of her stomach may also have revealed how many pills she may have swallowed.   

 

If Corinne had only taken a few pills for show, it wouldn't have been classified as a serious suicide attempt.  She would have been given syrup of Ipicac (medication to make a person vomit) and then activated charcol (to absorb the effects of a few pills).  She would have gone from the emergency department straight up to the psychiatric ward.  She wouldn't have been up on one of the wards recovery rooms.  Once in the psychiatric ward, Corinne would have to meet with a Psychiatrist who would have to assess whether she was a danger to herself or to others. After an interview she would most likely have been released to out-patient care.  She would have been referred to a doctor or an appointment booked for her to see one of the resident psychiatrists in follow up.

 

One of our forum members clarrified how a miscarriage might occur and it is serious.  To the best of my knowledge, the actual physical act of pumping someone's stomach (i.e. inserting a nasogastric tube down into the stomach to suction out the contents of the stomach), wouldn't make someone lose consciousness.  Most people are gagging and retching because it is such an uncomfortable experience. 

 

You are correct.  We don't how Corinne was found.  We also don't know who called for help.  That will remain a mystery until Sylvia decides to enlighten all of us (hopefully sooner rather than later).  All I am saying is that thus far we know that Corinne was depressed, had sought treatment, was prescribed medication, attempted suicide and as a result had a miscarriage.    Those facts alone are serious.

 

I think for me, I will consider Corinne's miscarriage and loss of her freedom (because she is going to psychiatric ward of the hospital) enough of a punishment for her.  Whatever her motives were, I don't think it matters anymore.  Regardless where this woman started, she wound up seriously mentally ill and will have to live with the consequences fof what's she has done for  the rest of her life.

 

I just want to make sure that we don't confuse actual facts with theories and speculation.  If it's ok with you, I'd rather just skip this whole "crow pie" thing.  We all bring our own life experiences and understanding of this material to this forum and I'd like to think that we simply engage in lively debate. Therfore no "crow pie" is necessary.  What do you think? 

[GiGi]

It was going on about how good the book was and the romance to it and asking basically what the next book would entail without spoilers and SD informed the interviewer about it being a lot from Gideon but with Eva by his side and Gideon opening up to Eva much more, SD also said that she is in discussion with her publisher while in Australia about the publication dates and that they are working to get it out before Christmas and it will more or less be out before then, they did not go into details though as she could not discuss much about the new book apart from it being from Gideon's pov.

 

I hope this helps

Sheens 

Hi Sheens, 

Thanks for the information.  Now all we have to do is wait and wait and wait and wait....well you get the picture. 

[GiGi]

It seemed like Anne Lucas was just fine at the fundraiser where she accosted Eva and proceeded to open her mouth and tell a blatant lie and also she seemed fine when she tried to seduce Cary ; as someone said above a person cannot be severely depressed and manipulative . Dr Anne Lucas is definitely manipulative; dangerously so SHE IS NOT DEPRESSED!!! LOL!!

Hi Sscrph, 

I just wanted to clarify that I never said that Anne  was depressed. One of the other forum members had asked if Anne was depressed would she be able to continue to practice medicine and I gave two different scenarios.  I don't know for a fact that Anne was depressed or that she was one of the women who had been affected after being in a relationship with Gideon.

 

I personally think that Anne played with fire and she got burned.  The lady is sucking on some seriously sour grapes.  She committed adultery all on her own.  She broke her marriage vows all on her own.  She chased Gideon all on her own.

 

Of all the characters in the book; next to Nathan, Anne concerns me the most.  She is potentially an extremely dangerous woman. She sought out Cary, entered into a se**al encounter with Eva's roommate all the while spewing crap out of her mouth.  As far as I am concerned, she is a person who needs to be watched very carefully!  What do you think?

[GiGi]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to clarify that there is a big difference between being manipulative and being mentally unstable.  Being mentally unstable is way WORSE!  It indicates that a person has an underlying psychiatric condition that has yet to be diagnosed!  That is worse!

[GiGi]

I think Dr. Lucas has other reasons for staying with Anne maybe SHE is blackmailing him by threatening to expose that he lied if he leaves her. Sometimes Gideon's speculations about things are way off due to his CLUELESSNESS about women . He thinks they are still together because Terry loves Anne as much as Gideon loves Eva... I do not believe this is the case.

Hi Sscrph, 

What does Anne really have over Dr. Lucas's head if there were no physical signs of se**al abuse?  It wouldn't make sense.  Dr. Lucas could have noted that in Gideon's chart and his nurse would have been able to confirm that because by law, there has to be a nurse present when an examination of this nature (or OB/GYN) is conducted. 

 

I guess she could hold it over his head that he never contacted the authorities about the allegations, but he would only face fines, and a supension from the medical board.  What else could she be holding over his head if Dr. Lucas didn't cover up the fact that Gideon presented with signs of se**al abuse? 

[GiGi]

I think Dr. Lucas has other reasons for staying with Anne maybe SHE is blackmailing him by threatening to expose that he lied if he leaves her. Sometimes Gideon's speculations about things are way off due to his CLUELESSNESS about women . He thinks they are still together because Terry loves Anne as much as Gideon loves Eva... I do not believe this is the case.

I think this is probably how it played out Gigi but we do need to know more about the second pediatrician How could Terry Lucas have gotten a second pediatrician to lie too ... This is the missing piece of this puzzle...

Hi Sscrph, 

You are correct in that the second pediatrician may actually be key to this entire scenario.  Could it be that Angus took Gideon to see a pediatrician because he had suspicions? Could it be that Christopher Sr. or Elizabeth Vidal was contacted because Gideon would have been covered under their insurance policies and that said second doctor relayed their findings to them and that they would have to contact the authorities?  I don't know.  Could it be that is where the scenario of bribary comes into play?

 

I can't believe for a second that Angus would knowingly cover up the abuse of a child.  I can believe that he suspected and that he did everything in his power to make sure that Gideon didn't face any further harm.  I could see Angus shadowing Gideon to make sure that no harm came to him.

 

That very little that Sylvia wrote in the book about the second pediatrician is a large piece of this missing puzzle.  I haven't been ablet to connect the dots (as the saying goes) so I am sitting in speculation mode. 

 

As for Anne and that whole bag of "crap" I don't think that we have even begun to scratch the surface with her and her ffed up issues.  What are your thoughts?  Everyone? 

[GiGi]

It's also key to remember that this probably isn't the first time Corinne has seen Gideon ignore her / stop dead in his tracks at the sight of Eva. A week or so previously, at the end of RIY (and possibly the night Gideon told Corinne they could no longer spend time together) Gideon spotted Eva on the street and froze. Now we know Corinne continued on into the car, but I'm sure she was confused when Gideon didn't immediately climb in beside her. It's likely she looked out, saw him frozen, staring across the street. Naturally she would have looked to see what had caught his attention and seen Eva flipping him the bird. She was probably thrilled if she witnessed this encounter believing she had won once and for all. Until later that night/a few days later Gideon told her they could no longer be anything more than long distance friends.

This is possibly the point at which Corinne snapped because while I doubt Gideon mentioned Eva while cutting off contact with Corinne, if she witnessed this encounter, she'd have known his aim was to reconcile with Eva.

Hi Rogue, 

I just wanted to clarify with you that if someone snaps, that usually means that they become mentally unstable and can be a potential danger to themselves or others.  I just want to understand what you mean by Corinne snapping?  Thanks for clarifying this for me. 

[GiGi]

Hi Gigi,

I have a slightly different version of events - let me know what you think.

Hugh is left alone more and more with Gideon as the shrink is distracted by Elizabeth.

He starts the abuse with masturbation - something that will leave no evidence.

Fairly quickly, Gideon approaches his mother and tells her about Hugh touching him.

She asks Pediatrician #1 to examine Gideon for signs of abuse - none are found.

Hugh's abuse of Gideon increases because he knows the mother doesn't believe the kid, he's been given access even after the accusations. He feels secure enough to escalate the abuse to anal rape.

Gideon tells his mother again, and maybe because Gideon's claims sound more extreme this time, she seeks a second opinion.

Enter Dr Terry Lucas - he does find evidence of abuse but lies and covers it up because Hugh is his brother-in-law.

Gideon's mother really doesn't believe him now. He's been branded a liar by his family and ostracised further, also the abuse likely continues as it did before when Elizabeth didn't believe Gideon.

After her pregnancy, Elizabeth decides she no longer needs to see the shrink, and Gideon's therapy clearly isn't working. This is how the abuse ends.

Gideon felt the need to get revenge on those who had wronged him - Hugh and Terry. As he has not mentioned pediatrician#1 in anyhing more than passing, I can only assume that he doesn't consider him responsible for what happened to him.

Sure, as a kid he probably hated him just as much as the other 2. But as an adult out to aftually get revenge, he likely figured out that the man didn't have any evidence to suggest Gideon was telling the truth.

What do you think?

  

Hi Rogue,

I read your scenario and a few things came to mind (ok so a lot of thoughts came to mind):

• I don’t think that Hugh spent weeks or months grooming Gideon.  I think that this man tried escalating the abuse as quickly as humanly possible.  He wasn’t going to have an indeterminate amount of time with Gideon (i.e. seeing Gideon for years).  Elizabeth Vidal sought counseling for her children because they were acting out and she was having a difficult pregnancy. 
• Once Elizabeth Vidal’s pregnancy was over; her hormones would have eventually come back into a normal balance or she would have been diagnosed with post-partum depression/psychosis or such and she would have been prescribed medications to help her.
• I think that Hugh probably came into the home and assessed Gideon and his younger brother to see whom might be the more vulnerable of the two and probably sought out a way to familiarize him with both or either boys.
• Once Hugh decided on his victim (one or both boys), he would have begun the grooming process.  This process doesn’t take years or months.  Hugh wouldn’t have had that long.  Elizabeth was already pregnant and a pregnancy only lasts 37-40 weeks maximum and we don’t know how many months pregnant she was at the time (so we can subtract those weeks from due date).
• The abuse may have started with Hugh “copping feel†and he would have been assessing and gauging Gideon’s reactions to see how much Gideon would tolerate before escalating the contact.   
• If Gideon were to tell it most likely would have been during that phase.  If Gideon’s boundaries were crossed and his instinct for self-preservation were to kick in; he would have run either to his mom or maybe Angus if he trusted him or felt safe.
• I don’t think that Gideon did.  I don’t know how much Gideon knew about se* and puberty or about masturbation and Hugh may have used that as a lure or a way to introduce “masturbation†to Gideon.
• At some stage either Gideon or Hugh masturbated individually or Hugh masturbated Gideon or vise versa.  I think at that point, Gideon realized something was wrong (cold prickly feelings for kids) and that Hugh most likely manipulated Gideon into thinking that this entire situation was his fault.  He allowed Hugh to touch him.  He so therefore he must have liked the experience, right?  Wrong!!!
• Hugh would have had his psychological hooks in Gideon.  He had a way to emotionally manipulate, blackmail and twist facts on an ten/eleven year old boy who may not have had any previous se**al knowledge and felt very guilty because of what transpired.
• Hugh may have also threatened Gideon to comply or that Hugh would do to Christopher Jr. what he had done to Gideon (he would use his love of his brother to control Gideon).  Gideon may have complied for fear that if he didn’t that Hugh would se***lly abuse Christopher Jr. as well which would make Gideon feel like he was responsible for protecting his younger brother.
• I think Gideon kept his mouth shut and the abuse escalated.
• Each and every contact that Hugh had with Gideon, he had an ultimate goal or objective in mind.  All pedophiles do!!  They either want oral se*, ana* se*, vag***l se*.  Each and every one of them has an agenda!!
• I think that as soon as Hugh started ana**y raping Gideon, the situation became intolerable!! 
• Hugh most likely would have torn Gideon’s rectum (young boy’s body versus a full grown mans’ pen** no contest there).  Gideon may have had rectal tears or fissures because of the penetration and if Hugh was rough with him or there was no lubrication. 
• There would have also been a lot blood coming from his rectum and a lot of blood in Gideon’s underwear subsequent to that and any other rapes.
• Gideon would have had difficulty walking and sitting and bathing would have been painful.  He may also have had loss of bowel control because of damage to his rectal sphincter.  There would have been evidence in Gideon’s underwear, or maybe on his bed sheets or even in his pants (if the rape had been severe enough).
• I believe it would be at that moment that Gideon would have confessed to his mother what was going on.  This was a situation that a child couldn’t handle on their own and it had become so intolerable that Gideon would most likely have been looking for every single out humanly possible to avoid Hugh to no avail.
• I think Gideon would have picked fights at school, feigned illness, tried to get detentions or even invitations to friends’ houses (if he had any) in order to avoid going home and having therapy sessions.  I think he would have tried every trick in the book to avoid this man and his mother.  Again to no avail.
• As a last desperate act, Gideon would have told his mother about the abuse.  The question would be; whether Elizabeth Vidal asked her son; who touched him?  How did this man touch him?  What exactly did he do?  She would have needed to ask open-ended questions in order to get accurate answers.
• At that point Elizabeth Vidal would have taken Gideon to be examined.  Enter Dr. Lucas and his big fat lies!!  He lied and lied and lied and lied and lied…..and Elizabeth Vidal bought the entire scenario; hook, line, and sinker!!

 

 

If we go back and assume that your scenario is correct in that Gideon confessed this abuse (after the masturbation incident) to his mother, then wouldn’t his mother ask him what happened?  Wouldn’t his mother ask him what went on?  Wouldn’t his mother ask Gideon how Mr. Hugh touched him?  Wouldn’t Gideon have told his mother that Mr. Hugh put his hands on his pee pee or that Gideon had to put his hands on Mr. Hugh’s pee pee?

 

Any visit to a pediatrician at that point, would simply be to confirm that her child wasn’t further abused?  Elizabeth Vidal would have known that Gideon was touched and that Gideon was forced to touch someone else.  It would stand to reason that Elizabeth Vidal would know those acts wouldn’t leave lasting marks.  Any parent would know that.  Therefore Elizabeth Vidal would have absolutely no reason to doubt her son. 

 

The second point to this entire extremely odd scenario is that even if Gideon made a false claim again Mr. Hugh, Elizabeth Vidal  allowed her son to continue to see her child who made allegations against him for se**l abuse?!  There is something extremely wrong with that situation!!

 

Why didn’t Elizabeth Vidal fire the entire staff and hire new psychologists?  Why did she pit one child against the other?  Why wouldn’t she believe her son, even if there was no evidence?  Why did she put her own needs above her own child’s safety?

 

I again state and have stated in other posting and other threads, that if Dr. Lucas genuinely didn’t find any signs of abuse, then he wouldn’t have had to worry or be afraid of reprisal.  He would have had a nurse with him, who would have confirmed that she didn’t witness any physical signs of abuse and those findings would have been noted in the patient’s chart.  Yes Dr. Lucas would have faced stiff fines and a possible suspension of his license because he failed to report the allegations but he would have had his nurse and his legal documents (i.e. the patient’s chart) to back him up.

 

I don’t know how the abuse ended, other than the possibility that Elizabeth Vidal gave birth and maybe started feeling better.  Some women experience hormonal imbalances during pregnancies can start feeling better after the pregnancy ends and maybe that happened in this case.  I don’t have enough information to clearly state something. 

 

It could also be that Angus suspected something was wrong, but Gideon wouldn’t confirm anything because the last time he opened his mouth to his mother and Dr. Lucas he was branded a liar.  He most likely on had Angus on his side and maybe he didn’t say anything because he was afraid that Angus wouldn’t believe him either.  It almost seemed like Angus was Gideon’s only friend for a time.

 

I don’t know about the second pediatrician.  Nothing was mentioned other than Elizabeth Vidal saying that she had Gideon examined by two pediatricians.  I don’t know how valid Elizabeth Vidal’s claims would have been.  She was one seriously deplorable mother to not believe her child and also to pit one child against the other (i.e. when she asked Christopher Jr. if Gideon was being abused).  How would Christopher Jr. know unless he was in the room or if some kind of deal was made between the three of them?

 

Finally I just wanted to say that everything that Gideon said didn’t sound like revenge but of a man who wanted to ensure that this horrible experience never happened to another human being.  What I wonder is how many victims did Hugh get his hands on during the ten or so years before Gideon tracked him down? I don’t doubt it for a minute that this man had victims galore!!!!!  Pedophiles never stop at just one victim!!!!  This guy probably had a list of victims a mile long!!  If you combine with the fact that one of his first victims tracked him down, maybe Hugh started to worry that his victims would start coming out of the “woodwork†and that he would be disgraced and potentially face criminal charges that could land him behind bars for a lifetime!!

 

I think that what Gideon did was quite humane given the abhorrent treatment he received at this man’s hands!  He didn’t tear him limb from limb, he didn’t take a front page advertisement in the newspaper telling the world what a monster this man was.  He simply cut the man off at his knees; he would no longer be able to practice and therefore he would no longer have access to a fresh pool of victims!! 

 

Those are just some of my thoughts on what happened.  What do you think?  What does everyone think? 

[GiGi]

Do you really think that Gideon and Eva would let Tat move into with them. I don't think so.

I agree.  I think that Eva would rather Tatiana eat ground glass before she would ever concede to that woman moving into an apartment with any of them.   

[julie54]

Hi Sscrph, 

I just wanted to clarify that I never said that Anne  was depressed. One of the other forum members had asked if Anne was depressed would she be able to continue to practice medicine and I gave two different scenarios.  I don't know for a fact that Anne was depressed or that she was one of the women who had been affected after being in a relationship with Gideon.

 

I personally think that Anne played with fire and she got burned.  The lady is sucking on some seriously sour grapes.  She committed adultery all on her own.  She broke her marriage vows all on her own.  She chased Gideon all on her own.

 

Of all the characters in the book; next to Nathan, Anne concerns me the most.  She is potentially an extremely dangerous woman. She sought out Cary, entered into a se**al encounter with Eva's roommate all the while spewing crap out of her mouth.  As far as I am concerned, she is a person who needs to be watched very carefully!  What do you think?

Hi Gigi

It was me that said Anne was 1 of the women plus Corinne that was depressed. I think she became depressed after Gideon sent her back to Lucas. Now I think she is psychotic, and a very dangerous person to Eva and Gideon. Especially Eva.

[GiGi]

I had always thought that too. That Angus had caught Gideon's abuser and stopped the abuse. What doesn't make sense to me about that scenario though, is if Angus caught Gideon's abuser in the act surely he would have told the Vidals? It would be his job to do so and I don't see him letting the family continuing to believe Gideon was lying about the abuse even if he managed to scare Hugh off himself discreetly.

And if Angus a trusted member of their security staff told the Vidals that he caught Hugh abusing Gideon, how can Elizabeth still be denying that it happened all these years later. If they hadn't believed Angus why would he still be working for them all those years later when Gideon had enough money to hire him away from them?

I think Angus recognised that there was something wrong with Gideon, he may have even been aware of the accusations Gideon was making and believed them due to the changes in his behaviour. Im not convinced he had anything to do with the end of the abuse, but I think he started to teach Gideon some mixed martial arts and gave him a positive outlet for his anger and frustration, and this brought them closer.

Hi Rogue, 

Your scenario sounds plausible and quite frankly more palatable.  If Angus knew about the abuse then somewhere along the line he must have dropped the ball.  Hugh was scot free and in practice when Gideon tracked him down all those years later.  Anyone who gets accused of s**ual abuse of child would never get his license to practice medicine or psychiatry!!!  Period!!! Ever!!  He would be a potential danger to society and the Medical Licensing Board could face horrendous law suits.

 

I could see Angus suspecting and Gideon not confirming because of fear.  Angus seems like a very astute man and it wouldn't have taken an idiot to see Gideon's change in personality.  I think that he may have hovered and made himself available every time Gideon started acting out (like just before one of his scheduled sessions with Hugh).  I could also see Angus teaching Gideon self defense, but at the end of the day, I don't think that Angus walked in on Gideon being abused.

 

Angus seems like a very honourable man, as such he would have been directly responsible for having to make sure that Gideon got medical attention (i.e. taking Gideon to the hospital) and  to call the Police (to report the abuse that he had witnessed), which didn't occur thus far in Gideon's story.  Anything less than those actions would have been negligence on Angus's part and we love our Angus.  So my money is on Angus suspecting and not much more.  What does everyone think?

[GiGi]

Hi Gigi

It was me that said Anne was 1 of the women plus Corinne that was depressed. I think she became depressed after Gideon sent her back to Lucas. Now I think she is psychotic, and a very dangerous person to Eva and Gideon. Especially Eva.

Hi Julie, 

No worries.  It's all good.  I was just doing a clarifying to make sure that my point was understood. 

[GiGi]

I see the last bit you mentioned happening. I don't think he stopped the abuse because he would've had the responsibility to tell his employer. But like you said maybe he did help Gideon channel his anger, maybe Angus was to Gideon what Travis was to Eva.

Hi Claudine, 

I agree with you.  I would simply add that Angus would have been legally responsible for contacting the police because Gideon was his charge (i.e. he was his bodyguard and chauffeur) and would also have been responsible for making sure that Gideon got medical attention (i.e. a trip to the hospital).  It is for those reasons I too, don't think that Angus walked in on Gideon being raped.

 

Your corrleation between Angus and Gideon to Dr. Travis to Eva is a good one!  I never thought of it that way, but I can see it.  Thank you.

[GiGi]

Hi everybody!! =) I have been reading posts here and finally was able to log in.. I have a question,when did Gideon tell Eva that it was the assistant who abused him?which part was it? Thanks =)

Hi Cuddlygurl, 

Welcome to the forum.  I hope you enjoy yourself.

[GiGi]

And I think the same can be said for the Krav Maga; it can be considered a weapon of sorts and it is only a matter of time before Eva uses it and it won't be on Gideon...

So Sscrph, 

Who do you think will be the first recipient of Eva's Krav Maga skills?  Who will get to open the first can of "whoop a*s"? 

[GiGi]

I agree if Angus caught the abuser red handed he definitely would have told his employer. I think that after Gideon was examined by Dr . Lucas and Terry somehow concluded the abuser was Hugh ; Terry gave Hugh the heads up so he never touched Gideon again or the therapy ended by Hugh making some excuse he couldn't continue anymore...

Hi Sscrph, 

Your theory is plausible.  It is possible that Dr. Lucas gave Hugh the head's up, or it could have been a warning (keep your hands off the kids, etc.) which could also be another possible reason why Dr. Lucas kept his distance from his wife.  He wouldn't have wanted to explain to his wife why he did want to hang out with him at family functions, etc.  It could be possible.  Anything is possible.  What do you think?

[Sheens263]

Sylvia mentioned on Twitter that we may know the title of book 4 by Tuesday.

Also just on some of the comments, I seriously hope there is no shooting anywhere in the book unless it is to one of the crazies, you all know who I mean x

[Rogue]

Hi Rogue,

I read your comments and I just wanted to clarify a few things. Actually the doctors would have a good indication of how much medication Corinne would have ingested. If Corinne was unconscious when she was taken to the hospital then as a matter of absolute protocol, they would have drawn blood and urine in order to identify and confirm which medications were used in suicide attempt. Those test would also tell a doctor how much of the medication was in her system, had been absorbed and the pumping of her stomach may also have revealed how many pills she may have swallowed.

If Corinne had only taken a few pills for show, it wouldn't have been classified as a serious suicide attempt. She would have been given syrup of Ipicac (medication to make a person vomit) and then activated charcol (to absorb the effects of a few pills). She would have gone from the emergency department straight up to the psychiatric ward. She wouldn't have been up on one of the wards recovery rooms. Once in the psychiatric ward, Corinne would have to meet with a Psychiatrist who would have to assess whether she was a danger to herself or to others. After an interview she would most likely have been released to out-patient care. She would have been referred to a doctor or an appointment booked for her to see one of the resident psychiatrists in follow up.

One of our forum members clarrified how a miscarriage might occur and it is serious. To the best of my knowledge, the actual physical act of pumping someone's stomach (i.e. inserting a nasogastric tube down into the stomach to suction out the contents of the stomach), wouldn't make someone lose consciousness. Most people are gagging and retching because it is such an uncomfortable experience.

You are correct. We don't how Corinne was found. We also don't know who called for help. That will remain a mystery until Sylvia decides to enlighten all of us (hopefully sooner rather than later). All I am saying is that thus far we know that Corinne was depressed, had sought treatment, was prescribed medication, attempted suicide and as a result had a miscarriage. Those facts alone are serious.

I think for me, I will consider Corinne's miscarriage and loss of her freedom (because she is going to psychiatric ward of the hospital) enough of a punishment for her. Whatever her motives were, I don't think it matters anymore. Regardless where this woman started, she wound up seriously mentally ill and will have to live with the consequences fof what's she has done for the rest of her life.

I just want to make sure that we don't confuse actual facts with theories and speculation. If it's ok with you, I'd rather just skip this whole "crow pie" thing. We all bring our own life experiences and understanding of this material to this forum and I'd like to think that we simply engage in lively debate. Therfore no "crow pie" is necessary. What do you think?

Hi Gigi,

I agree that the Drs would have a good idea of how many pills, Corinne took once they finished examining her. My point was the only time the number of pills is mentioned is when Gideon receives the initial phone call telling him Corinne is in the hospital.

As we see the Dr make a report to the family while Eva and Gideon are at the hospital, I think it is fairly safe to assume that no-one knew (but Corinne) at the time of that call just how many pills were taken.

At no time is Corinne's suicide attempt described as SERIOUS. Nor is there any mention of her losing consciousness.

The only specifics we have about the actual attempt is that Corinne took some pills and she lost her baby because of this suicide attempt. Like you said we dont want fo confuse actual facts with thoughts and speculations.

As for who found her, based on the other characters reactions to JFG, I find it difficult to believe any of them would have contacted him to inform him Corinne was in the hospital. They are all ignoring him and treating Gideon like the son-in-law!! Therefore I assume JFG was the one to find her. Complete speculation on my part but I can't figure out how else he would be there.

[GiGi]

Hi Gigi,

I agree that the Drs would have a good idea of how many pills, Corinne took once they finished examining her. My point was the only time the number of pills is mentioned is when Gideon receives the initial phone call telling him Corinne is in the hospital.

As we see the Dr make a report to the family while Eva and Gideon are at the hospital, I think it is fairly safe to assume that no-one knew (but Corinne) at the time of that call just how many pills were taken.

At no time is Corinne's suicide attempt described as SERIOUS. Nor is there any mention of her losing consciousness.

The only specifics we have about the actual attempt is that Corinne took some pills and she lost her baby because of this suicide attempt. Like you said we dont want fo confuse actual facts with thoughts and speculations.

As for who found her, based on the other characters reactions to JFG, I find it difficult to believe any of them would have contacted him to inform him Corinne was in the hospital. They are all ignoring him and treating Gideon like the son-in-law!! Therefore I assume JFG was the one to find her. Complete speculation on my part but I can't figure out how else he would be there.

Hi Rogue, 

I respect where you are coming from.  It was my understanding that Elizabeth Vidal made that phone call to Gideon, not Corinne.  Corinne wouldn't have been allowed to see anyone for seventy-two hours if she was placed on a psychiatric evaluation. 

 

My assessment of Corinne possibly losing consciousness had something to do with an expert opinion given by a member who explained how or why a miscarriage might occur in an individual.  That was mearly one of the possibilities.  I also just wanted to clarify that the loss of a baby (i.e. a miscarriage) would make this a serious suicide attempt that in conjunction with her swallowing a bottle of pills. Those are the facts; my interpretation is that this was serious.  I could be wrong and that would be more than ok.

 

Corinne wouldn't have been able to talk to any of her family members at all for the first 24 hours either (unless there were some extreme circumstances) and she most certainly wouldn't have been able to talk with Elizabeth Vidal.  She wasn't family.    Her next of kin, which probably would have been her husband may have been contacted if he gave a US phone number and if not her parents would be considered next of kin and they would have been contacted.  Unless the person is in critical condition (and may die), the patient is kept under watch and is evaluated during the hold period.Corinne wouldn't have been chatting with anyone.

 

I believe that the hospital would have gotten pertinent information on whom to contact from her insurance card or a donor card or some kind of indentification that may have been on her.  Whom ever found her may have been able to give basic information about her name, address, next of kin etc.  That is just speculation on my part.  Thus far we the readers don't know yet. It could also be that Corinne was have been conscious or was unconscious and then awoke.  Who know's?

 

The doctors would be busy trying to assess what Corinne's issues were and who might make her current situation worse.  Once they stabilize her, then they would talk about whom she would like to see and maybe possible visitors later on if aproved.  I guess we will have to wait and see what Sylvia writes in her next book to find out just exactly how this scenario played out.  Thank you for the discussion. 

[insideofclouds]

Hi Claudine, 

I agree with you.  I would simply add that Angus would have been legally responsible for contacting the police because Gideon was his charge (i.e. he was his bodyguard and chauffeur) and would also have been responsible for making sure that Gideon got medical attention (i.e. a trip to the hospital).  It is for those reasons I too, don't think that Angus walked in on Gideon being raped.

 

Your corrleation between Angus and Gideon to Dr. Travis to Eva is a good one!  I never thought of it that way, but I can see it.  Thank you.

I must say I was very proud of myself for that correlation lol! I read it back I was like wow... I came up with that?! Lol

[Sharonm745]

My guess is that Angus was aware of the accusations and the exams by the two doctors -- and was aware the Vidals concluded Gideon was lying. Hugh, the coast now being clear, further escalated the sexual assaults upon Gideon, and Angus caught him. And did something particularly nasty. But then, knowing Gideon's mother and stepfather had already failed -- twice -- to protect the child and were trying to avoid the involvement of outside authorities, Angus took the law into his own hands to deal with Hugh, then became Gideon's protector for the remainder of Gideon's childhood.

If I were Angus, I wouldn't trust Lizzie either. I'd do everything in my power to be able to stay close to Gideon in order to help him, to become an adult role model -- to let him know Hugh wouldn't ever --EVER -- touch him again.

 

I think Angus knew of the accusations too.  However, I think he found out after Hugh was assaulting Gideon.  Angus drove Gideon to school and, most likely, recognized changes in his behavior that indicated abuse.  My guess is at first he didn't suspect Hugh or Angus would have done something about it.  Let's face it the abuse could have been at school, friends' house, etc. I think Angus started his own investigation, figured out who the abuser was and connected the link between Hugh and Dr. Terry.  In my opinion, since Hugh wasn't a Lucas the connection was immediately obvious.  (I'm in the camp that doesn't think Dr. Demented was they psychiatrist.) Once Angus put 2 and 2 together he didn't allow Gideon to be alone with Hugh again. Once Hugh realized he was being monitored by Angus he either changed mentors or completed his doctorate and moved on. 

 

I agree that Angus doesn't trust the Lizard because if he recognized changes in Gideon his mother should too. 

[Shan]

I'm reading the series again, In Reflected in You on page 312, when Eva goes to see Corinne at her apartment. Eva asks Corinne, did you have a nooner with someone from one of the other offices? Or did you muss yourself up before you stepped outside? Because Eva feels that Corinne saw her coming from across the street. My question is, what was Corinne doing at Crossfire that day? Do you think she went to see Gideon but he was busy (with Nathan)?

[julie54]

I'm reading the series again, In Reflected in You on page 312, when Eva goes to see Corinne at her apartment. Eva asks Corinne, did you have a nooner with someone from one of the other offices? Or did you muss yourself up before you stepped outside? Because Eva feels that Corinne saw her coming from across the street. My question is, what was Corinne doing at Crossfire that day? Do you think she went to see Gideon but he was busy (with Nathan)?

Your correct Shan.

Gideon ran out on Corinne the night before, chasing after Eva. Corinne turned up at the Crossfire to see Gideon, who was having a meeting with the nasty Nathan.

Because Gideon was busy, and seeing Eva coming across the road, she thought she would mess with Eva's head by looking like she had had a nooner with Gideon.

Her manipulating plan worked, because Eva went up to Gideons office to chew him out.