Fic: The Day After Tomorrow - pt. 2 [Eli Stone]
As much as Matt liked the baby and was happy to look after him, he was still relieved when Liam slept through Jessica's doctor appointment. It gave him an opportunity to catch up on some work that he'd brought with him. When Jessica returned with a prescription for antibiotics and pastries from their favorite bakery he was ready to take a break from his godfatherly duties.
Though the offer was always there she rarely asked him to babysit. Jessica hardly went anywhere without Liam. Instead Matt would tag along with them when they went to the park, or wandered the weekend markets in search of baby clothes. It was as close as he ever got to domesticity, and he had to admit he didn't mind it. There was the complication of Jessica being gay and Liam not being his of course, but sometimes he caught sight of the three of them in a shop window or received smiles from people they passed in the street. During those moments it was like they were a real family, and Matt found himself playing along.
When Jessica asked him to help install some new bookshelves in her new apartment he even got to go shopping for supplies with all the other husbands and boyfriends who crowded into the local hardware store first thing on a Saturday morning.
"Why do you get to use the power tools?" Matt complained when he arrived at her place and was given the task of reading the assembly instructions.
"Because you're a disaster when it comes to anything requiring manual labor and you know it," said Jessica as she tested the drill with well-practiced ease.
"Scurrilous lies," he grumbled.
"Then how about it's because I'd like to get this finished before Liam wakes up. So stop whining and hand me those brackets, okay?"
"Fine." Matt did as he was asked and dutifully held the frame, but his puppy dog eyes were used to full effect.
0 0 0 0
"I'm sorry, okay? I thought you had it," Matt said as they sat waiting in the emergency room an hour later.
Jessica threw him a withering glance as she held the icepack to her hand.
"I'm sure it's not broken. You probably won't even need stitches on the cut."
"Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"Stop talking."
Matt smothered a smile as he adjusted Liam in his arms and offered him a soft toy to play with. "Mommy's cranky at Uncle Matt."
Jessica sighed with relief when her name was called but it was just to be given paperwork to fill in. Matt offered to write for her as it was her right hand that had been hurt, and they made quick work of the form.
"Okay, are you on any medication?" he asked, bouncing Liam in one arm.
"No. Although I just finished a course of Keflex, better put it down."
"That's an antibiotic, right?"
"Yes, doctor. For the mastitis."
"Still? That was a month ago."
"The first type he put me on didn't work, so we switched, nosy."
"Mommy is really cranky at Uncle Matt," he told Liam who looked at him and smiled. Matt grinned in response. "See, he knows."
Jessica smiled too in spite of her annoyance. She had always found it hard to stay mad at him.
It was another hour before she was seen by the doctor, during which Matt roamed the hospital corridors with Liam in his arms. There was no denying the appeal the baby had, as he received appreciative glances and smiles from a number of women he passed. He even struck up a conversation with one of the nurses who thought Liam was adorable. Matt had her phone number in his pocket by the time Jessica reappeared in the waiting room.
"What was the verdict?" he asked, feeling very pleased with himself but trying to sound sympathetic given he was the cause of her injury.
Jessica looked down at her bandaged hand, then stared mutely at him. Matt adjusted Liam in his arms, frowning.
"Jess? Are you alright?"
"They want me to stay and have an ultrasound," she said, her voice weak.
"What? Is it that serious?" Matt gulped guiltily.
"Not my hand. He asked why I'd been taking Keflex and when I told him about the mastitis he wanted to examine me."
"Why?"
"He said it's probably just an infection but seeing as how it hasn't cleared up he just wants to make sure it's nothing else."
Liam started fussing but Matt ignored him, still looking at Jessica. "Like what?"
"I'm sure it's fine," she said as she took the baby from him, careful to avoid jarring her bound wrist. She kissed Liam and hugged him close for a few moments. "I might be a while, could you take him home?"
"It's fine, we'll stay," said Matt.
"I don't know how long I'll be," she replied but she was looking at Liam.
"We'll stay," he repeated.
Jessica finally met his eyes and smiled but he could see she was worried.
0 0 0 0
It was more than four hours later when Jessica was able to go home. Liam had been fed and changed and was sleeping again in his stroller, but Matt was anything but restful when he saw her emerge from the elevator. She wanted to go straight home, and he had to wait until they were back at her apartment before she explained what tests she'd had.
Jessica sat beside him at her kitchen table, pale and quiet, as she spoke. She had been concerned when they had wanted to perform an ultrasound on her breast, but gotten scared when they'd sent her for a mammogram after that. Finally a biopsy had been taken and a follow up appointment made for Monday.
"They're trying to rule out cancer, Matt," she said, clearly shaken. "But I never felt a lump. I just thought I had an infection."
He shook his head. "No, it won't be that. You'll be fine. I'm sure they were just being cautious."
"I have been feeling run down," she admitted as if it were something to be ashamed of.
"You don't think taking care of a baby on your own is the likely cause of that?" he asked lightly.
She smiled sadly but was not comforted. "I can't believe I have to wait until Monday. I'm going to go out of my mind before then."
"Then let's get out of here." He squeezed her hand, making it all up on the spot. "We could drive to Napa. Maybe even stay at that little B&B that we found that time, remember? We were supposed to come visit your Mom and instead we ended up hiding out in that place overlooking the vineyard."
"I remember," she said. "We barely had enough money for gas to get back to college."
"Sadly I don't have my old Corolla anymore. This time we get to go in style."
"My car isn't exactly what I'd call stylish. And your Porsche doesn't have a back seat. Where do you propose to put a baby seat?"
"I'll hire a car. Safety first, I promise." He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to acquiesce. After a faint nod from her he grinned. "Pack a bag for you and Liam. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Jessica didn't get up as Matt found his keys. She was staring off into space, the sight of which caused his stomach to knot.
"Hey, Jess, listen to me. It'll be okay, you'll see," said Matt assuredly.
He moved quickly as he ran down the steps of her apartment to retrieve his car. He was trying to remember the name of the B&B so he could call ahead to make a reservation, and working out the closest car rental place to his apartment. He concentrated on these thoughts rather than the one he refused to acknowledge.