Reconstruction - Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
Reid walked into Noah’s room and saw the tall brunette sitting on his bed trying to read a magazine. He had told him to take it easy, but he was afraid that he was pushing himself too hard.
“Good morning Noah.”
“Dr. Oliver,” Reid opened his chart and readied his pen.
“How are you today?”
“Pretty good. It’s getting easier to see and not to sound ungrateful or anything, but is this the best it’s going to get?”
“Well, you’ve been responding well to treatment. I have a few more ideas, but yes I think that your vision will get much better. As long as you follow all of my directions.” Reid was about to detail the next round of therapies when there was a knock on the door. As both men looked up, the door opened and Luke entered. He stopped and started to apologize.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I can come back.”
“Luke. No, stay. I need to talk to you. Dr. Oliver was just about to tell me about the new treatment he wanted to try.” Reid felt his mouth go dry as soon as Luke entered the room fully. He was wearing his black suit with a crisp white shirt and his dark blue plaid tie. His hair looked even more golden against the black suit.
“A new therapy?”
“Yeah. If he follows my directions, everything should be close to normal again. I’ll just go and let you too talk. I’ll be back in a few minutes and we can get the next round started.” Reid said and stepped out into the hallway. He just didn’t want to be in the same room with them. He wanted Luke to find a relationship that he deserved and if that was Noah, what else could he do? He had already tried to prop Luke up and let him know that whatever he and Noah had was not normal. Reid was still going to try to help Luke see that, but there was only so much he could do without telling him everything. Noah started those therapies later that day and Reid didn’t see Luke, that was until the following week.
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Reid walked into the next board meeting and stopped in his tracks when he saw Luke sitting at the table; opposite the door. Reid nearly choked on the gum he had been chewing when he saw him. Luke had been MIA from the meetings for weeks. He quickly shook off the nervousness he felt and continued into the room. He took a seat across from Luke and waited for the meeting to start. All of the heads from the various departments were already there and they were just waiting for Bob. Reid wondered how Bob was doing. It had been nearly a week since he tricked Bob into going to the exam room Chris was using to draw his own blood. The rumor mill had just started to churn over this one. None of them were getting it right yet, but Chris’ health was only going to get worse. Bob couldn’t keep it hushed for long.
Reid looked up and saw Luke typing away on his Blackberry. When he and Luke were together, at times it was like was Luke was cheating on Reid with his Blackberry. He was always checking in with his office, tracking shipments through customs, emailing notes to the foundation, or simply texting with loved ones. Towards the end of their relationship, many moments were ruined by that damn phone. Reid fantasized about throwing it out a window or shoving it down the garbage disposal. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was a defense mechanism; like a shield. He was using it to keep people back, to protect himself. They sat in the board room for another ten minutes and Reid was just about to leave when Bob came in.
“I’m sorry everyone. I had a situation. Let’s get this started.” He said as he sat in his chair and settled in for an update on the wing and other projects the hospital was working on. Reid looked over and saw that he was haggard; tired. He looked twenty years older than his years. Chris was his youngest and now he was faced with a health crisis. Reid remembered all the times that Luke got sick while they were together. A few cold, several bouts with the flu, and a very scary few weeks when Luke contracted a virus that developed into a kidney infection. Reid remembered that helpless feeling he had when he knew that there was nothing he could do for Luke. Watching him get weaker and weaker before the treatments kicked in. Reid looked back towards and caught the man staring at him. They shared a long look before Luke broke away. The rest of the meeting continued like this. Luke sneaking glances at Reid; Reid sneaking right back and occasionally the one would catch the other.
“If there’s nothing else to discuss, I think I’ll call this meeting closed.” Bob said to the assembled party.
“I have something. Bob and I have already discussed this, but soon I won’t be as hands on as I have been, I assure the board that this wing is still very important to me and my foundation. I will continue to participate in as many meetings as I can from Los Angeles.”
“Thank you Luke. I and as well as the rest of the board appreciate all that you’ve done to get this unit off the ground. If there’s nothing else, I call this meeting closed.” Bob concluded the meeting and left rather quickly. He wanted to get back to Chris. He had managed to get a hold John Dixon and hoped that his old friend would be able to get to Oakdale as soon as possible. The other members left and it was just Reid and Luke. Reid was tucking his files together and Luke was doing the same.
“So, going away on business?” Reid just had to ask. He wanted to know what was going on his life. During the first time through this, he and Luke were just starting to get close. Luke wanted to share things with Reid.
“Ah, no. I’m moving. As soon as Noah is better, we’re moving to LA.” Luke said and then left the room. Reid had to sit down. This was not going as he had planned.
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Reid walked onto the fifth floor and saw Katie making herself a cup of lounge. He hadn’t had much time to spend with her the last week or so. Chris had been admitted after his dad found him drawing his own blood. They were giving him antibiotics and he was being put on the transplant list. They had been lucky to get him admitted when they did. If they waited any longer, he would have suffered much more damage to his heart. He quietly walked up to his friend and lightly tapped her shoulder. She turned around and he sighed when he saw her face. She looked so tired and he eyes were developing dark circles.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” She said in a soft voice. She fiddled with her cup, chipping her manicured nail at the cup’s lip.
“How is he?”
“His heart is still functioning, but it doesn’t look good.” He could hear her voice hitch. “I have never felt so helpless. I want to help, but what can I do. He could die.”
“No, he won’t.”
“You don’t know that.” Katie shook her head and started to walk away.
“Yes.” Reid grabbed her arm and stopped her. He looked her right in the eye to make sure she was listening. “I do know. He is not going to die.” He sounded to so sure and Reid never lied. He told it like it was and didn’t mince words. Katie wanted to believe him. She realized that she had to. She had to hang on to something. She reached out and Reid took her hand in his. She squeezed it for a moment before she released it and went back in to see Chris. Reid looked through the door’s small window and saw Katie sit next to Chris and ran her fingers through his hair. He hoped that what he had told her was true.
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Another week went by and Reid was so busy with his turns in the ER that he didn’t even realize it. He was on his way to see Noah and prayed that Luke was not around. He just didn’t want to see them all lovey dovey. He knew that Luke was going to make his own choices anyway. But there was no way that he had to watch it. He walked into Noah’s room and saw him watching something on his computer.
“Noah?”
“Oh, Dr. Oliver.” He quickly pulled off his headphones and closed the computer screen.
“What were you watching?’
“Oh, my movie. Luke had finished it for me after my accident and I finally got the nerve to watch it.”
“The nerve?”
“Yeah, ah, Luke did it behind my back and I was pretty mad about it. I took it out on him.” The room got quiet for a moment, until Reid started to talk again.
“Ready to get out of here?”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah, you have taken very well to all of the therapies that I have prescribed and I have a new medication for you, but I think you are ready to go home.”
Noah could not believe what he was hearing. He could not wait to go home. He was so grateful for all that Dr. Oliver and the staff at memorial had done, but he wanted to get out of here. Reid ordered a couple tests; we wanted to be sure that things were going the way they needed to go before he discharged Noah. Reid was just finishing up and Noah looked so anxious that he couldn’t sit still.
“So, do you want me to call anyone to come and pick you up?” It was a loaded question and Reid knew it.
“No, my friend Richard is coming to see me today. He can give me a ride home.” Noah said and Reid tried to cover his surprise. They were planning on moving to LA and Luke was not going to be picking him up.
“Ok. Well, a nurse will come in with your drops and will show how to use them. In the meantime, you can start packing.”
“Dr. Oliver. I don’t know how to thank you. Everything you’ve done.”
“You’re welcome.” He left the room and ran right into Richard as he was coming in. They shared polite smiles and Reid went on his way.
“Who was that?”
“That was Dr. Oliver. Why?”
“He is so hot!”
“Really? I wonder why Luke never said anything?”
Chapter Thirteen