"Coup de Foudre" 92
At Brian's bedside.
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
“Sorry I’m so late,” said Ted. “Blake is tied up at the center, so I decided to come over myself and spell you. How’s it going?”
“Not too badly,” said Garrett, closing his thick book. “He’s dozing now, but he’s been awake on and off most of the afternoon. We were even able to have a chat… of a sort.”
“Really?” said Ted in surprise. He didn’t know Garrett very well, but he seemed trustworthy. At least Justin thought so. “From what Justin said I thought he’d be pretty much out of it.”
“He’s certainly confused,” Garrett confirmed. “But he’s not out of it by any means. Of course he didn’t remember who I was, but Justin prepared me for that possibility. Brian? Are you awake? Your friend Theodore is here.”
“Hey, Bri. How’s it going?”
Brian stirred. “Lousy. What… fuck… do you think?” Then he lifted his head slowly. “Water?”
“Certainly.” Garrett took a plastic cup from the bedside stand and brought the straw to Brian’s lips. “Go easily, Brian.”
Brian sipped and then his head fell back against the pillow. “So tired.”
“Why don’t you rest a bit?” Garrett suggested.
“No,” Brian mumbled. “No sleep. Dark. Too dark.”
“He says that, but then he usually falls right back to sleep,” Garrett told Ted. And a moment later Brian seemed to be sleeping, his chest rising and falling softly.
“How long have you been here?” Ted asked.
“Oh, most of the day. When Justin called me I came over as swiftly as I could. I didn’t even know Brian had been injured until this morning.”
“Must be pretty boring,” said Ted, glancing around. There wasn’t even a television in the room for distraction, just the CD player. Luckily, Ted had brought more of his favorite opera CDs.
Garrett shrugged and tapped his copy of ‘Middlemarch.’ “As long as I have a good book, I’m quite content. And the nurses have been brilliant.”
“Really?” Ted was surprised. The nurse he and Justin had dealt with was a dragon, for sure.
“Oh, yes,” Garrett confirmed. “They’re ever so sweet to me. And quite informative. Those ladies know everything there is to know about brain injuries and they assure me that Brian may be ready to leave here soon and move into the rehabilitation unit.”
“But he’s barely functioning!” said Ted, incredulously.
“Apparently they like to get them up and moving as fast as possible. Now that he’s no longer in a coma, things should progress rapidly.” Garrett frowned. “Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to go back to work or even get along without a lot of assistance, but with Justin and all of his friends about…”
“Yeah,” said Ted. “Speaking of Justin… has that doctor been around? And have they said anything about letting Justin back into the hospital? Or Michael? Both of them have been calling and texting me non-stop since this morning. Both of them are freaking out.”
“And that’s why I don’t have a smartphone,” said Garrett. “Peace and quiet reigns. I think now that some hours have passed, they may relent and allow at least Justin to come back. Poor Brian seems to attract the most dramatic people and that’s not good in a hospital.”
“You’re telling me,” said Ted.
The door was pushed open and Mrs. Williams, the charge nurse, came in. Ted stiffened. This woman scared him shitless! And, according to Justin, she’d been the one who banned him. Or at least the one who reported him. The woman glared at Ted, but then she smiled sweetly at Garrett.
“I just came in to see if you’d like some coffee, Dr. Smithson. I was just going to make a fresh pot.”
“Why how delightful, Myrlene,” said Garrett, standing up and taking her hand. “You are truly an angel of mercy. May my friend, Theodore, have some, too? He’s here to sit with Brian while I go home to feed and walk my doggies.”
“I guess,” Mrs. Williams grumbled. “You weren’t here this morning when all that fuss went down, were you?”
“Oh, no, ma’am,” said Ted. “I was at work. Brian… Mr. Kinney is my boss.”
Mrs. Williams considered that information. “Well all right then. You can have a cup as long as you behave yourself.”
“I will, ma’am,” Ted gulped. “I promise.”
“Oh, Myrlene? Have you asked Dr. Sun when Justin might come back?” Garrett inquired. “Brian has been asking for him.”
And, as if on cue, Brian stirred and tried to sit up. “Justin? Justin!” Then he sank back down, exhausted.
“He’s been doing that all afternoon,” Garrett confirmed. “I think he’d be more at ease if his partner were allowed to sit with him. It wasn’t Justin’s fault that the others were… er… a tad loud and overly emotional.”
“Justin?” Brian said again. “Hurt… he’s hurt!”
“No, my dear,” said Garrett. “Justin isn’t hurt. I swear that he’s not.”
Mrs. Williams pressed her lips together. “I’ll call Dr. Sun about it. He’s the one who makes that decision. And then I’ll bring you that coffee.”
“Thanks so much,” said Garrett. “You are a treasure.” Mrs. Williams smiled happily and went out. “She’s a lovely woman.”
“I don’t care - that lady intimidates the hell out of me.” Ted leaned over and stared into Brian’s face. “Has he called for anyone else?”
“No,” said Garrett. “Only Justin.”
“Stop breathing… on me… Theodore,” Brian murmured. “Or I’ll have… your balls.”
“He certainly remembers you,” Garrett commented wryly.
“Yeah, he would.” Ted sat down in the second chair. “I brought more music.”
“No… fucking violins,” came the voice from the bed.
“What?” said Ted. “Why not?”
“No clue,” Garrett replied. “I had a CD with strings playing earlier and he was adamant that he did not care for it.”
“Well, I have a couple of new CDs right here.” Ted brought the CDs out of his briefcase. “Renata Tebaldi classic arias. Reneé Fleming. And this one - Maria Callas’ greatest hits!”
Brian groaned from the bed. “Fuck opera. Women… screaming. Head… hurts.”
Ted gasped. “Did he just say, ‘Fuck opera’? He must really be brain damaged!”
“I heard that… Theodore,” Brian croaked. “I’m keeping… track.”
Ted winced. “He won’t remember any of this, right?”
“I wouldn’t know,” said Garrett in amusement. “But don’t say anything to get his knickers in a twist.”
Mrs. Williams came in with a large mug of tea for Garrett. “I remembered that you prefer tea, so I made a pot 'specially for you. Earl Grey, two sugars, and a drop of milk, right?”
“Why how sweet of you, Myrlene,” said Garrett. “It smells marvelous.”
She turned to Ted. “If you want coffee, go out to the Nurses’ Station and ask Luis to pour you a cup.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that.” And Ted beat a retreat.
“I spoke to Dr. Sun,” said Mrs. Williams. “He said that Mr. Taylor can come back - but there better not be any more huffing and puffing. This man needs some quiet to heal.”
“Splendid!” said Garrett. “May I call Justin and tell him?”
“I suppose so,” she replied grudgingly. “But you tell him he better behave - and the rest of Mr. Kinney’s crowd needs to watch their step, too.”
“Justin?” Brian sat up again. “I need… to piss!”
“You lie down, Mr. Kinney,” Mrs. Williams urged. “You don’t need to get up to go to the bathroom.”
“Fuck… tubes…”
“He’s a feisty one,” Mrs. Williams said. “Those are the best and the worst patients. The best because they try hard to get better. The worst because they’re also a lot of trouble for the nurses.”
“Yes, he certainly is that,” Garrett agreed. “But that’s also what makes him so fascinating.”
“You a gay boy?” Mrs. Williams asked.
“Yes, I am,” said Garrett warily.
“I thought so. Luis said you were and he ought to know.” Mrs. Williams adjusted Brian’s blanket. “I don’t mind the gay boys as long as they behave themselves on my floor. But I don’t need that mother coming around and yelling about religion. I’m a church-going woman myself, but I draw the line at upsetting my sick patients. You’re going to the Rehab Unit soon, you hear that, honey?”
“Home,” Brian mumbled. “Justin?” Then he paused and said, “Ron?”
“Ron?” Mrs. Williams raised an eyebrow. “That’s a new one. Which one is he, honey?”
“Husband.” Brian squeezed his eyes shut. “Head hurts. Don’t… remember… Can’t…”
“What’s he mean, husband?” Mrs. Williams asked Garrett.
“Oh, dear,” said Garrett. “It’s a long story. But I had better call Justin and tell him to come over as soon as possible.”
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
“Sorry I’m so late,” said Ted. “Blake is tied up at the center, so I decided to come over myself and spell you. How’s it going?”
“Not too badly,” said Garrett, closing his thick book. “He’s dozing now, but he’s been awake on and off most of the afternoon. We were even able to have a chat… of a sort.”
“Really?” said Ted in surprise. He didn’t know Garrett very well, but he seemed trustworthy. At least Justin thought so. “From what Justin said I thought he’d be pretty much out of it.”
“He’s certainly confused,” Garrett confirmed. “But he’s not out of it by any means. Of course he didn’t remember who I was, but Justin prepared me for that possibility. Brian? Are you awake? Your friend Theodore is here.”
“Hey, Bri. How’s it going?”
Brian stirred. “Lousy. What… fuck… do you think?” Then he lifted his head slowly. “Water?”
“Certainly.” Garrett took a plastic cup from the bedside stand and brought the straw to Brian’s lips. “Go easily, Brian.”
Brian sipped and then his head fell back against the pillow. “So tired.”
“Why don’t you rest a bit?” Garrett suggested.
“No,” Brian mumbled. “No sleep. Dark. Too dark.”
“He says that, but then he usually falls right back to sleep,” Garrett told Ted. And a moment later Brian seemed to be sleeping, his chest rising and falling softly.
“How long have you been here?” Ted asked.
“Oh, most of the day. When Justin called me I came over as swiftly as I could. I didn’t even know Brian had been injured until this morning.”
“Must be pretty boring,” said Ted, glancing around. There wasn’t even a television in the room for distraction, just the CD player. Luckily, Ted had brought more of his favorite opera CDs.
Garrett shrugged and tapped his copy of ‘Middlemarch.’ “As long as I have a good book, I’m quite content. And the nurses have been brilliant.”
“Really?” Ted was surprised. The nurse he and Justin had dealt with was a dragon, for sure.
“Oh, yes,” Garrett confirmed. “They’re ever so sweet to me. And quite informative. Those ladies know everything there is to know about brain injuries and they assure me that Brian may be ready to leave here soon and move into the rehabilitation unit.”
“But he’s barely functioning!” said Ted, incredulously.
“Apparently they like to get them up and moving as fast as possible. Now that he’s no longer in a coma, things should progress rapidly.” Garrett frowned. “Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to go back to work or even get along without a lot of assistance, but with Justin and all of his friends about…”
“Yeah,” said Ted. “Speaking of Justin… has that doctor been around? And have they said anything about letting Justin back into the hospital? Or Michael? Both of them have been calling and texting me non-stop since this morning. Both of them are freaking out.”
“And that’s why I don’t have a smartphone,” said Garrett. “Peace and quiet reigns. I think now that some hours have passed, they may relent and allow at least Justin to come back. Poor Brian seems to attract the most dramatic people and that’s not good in a hospital.”
“You’re telling me,” said Ted.
The door was pushed open and Mrs. Williams, the charge nurse, came in. Ted stiffened. This woman scared him shitless! And, according to Justin, she’d been the one who banned him. Or at least the one who reported him. The woman glared at Ted, but then she smiled sweetly at Garrett.
“I just came in to see if you’d like some coffee, Dr. Smithson. I was just going to make a fresh pot.”
“Why how delightful, Myrlene,” said Garrett, standing up and taking her hand. “You are truly an angel of mercy. May my friend, Theodore, have some, too? He’s here to sit with Brian while I go home to feed and walk my doggies.”
“I guess,” Mrs. Williams grumbled. “You weren’t here this morning when all that fuss went down, were you?”
“Oh, no, ma’am,” said Ted. “I was at work. Brian… Mr. Kinney is my boss.”
Mrs. Williams considered that information. “Well all right then. You can have a cup as long as you behave yourself.”
“I will, ma’am,” Ted gulped. “I promise.”
“Oh, Myrlene? Have you asked Dr. Sun when Justin might come back?” Garrett inquired. “Brian has been asking for him.”
And, as if on cue, Brian stirred and tried to sit up. “Justin? Justin!” Then he sank back down, exhausted.
“He’s been doing that all afternoon,” Garrett confirmed. “I think he’d be more at ease if his partner were allowed to sit with him. It wasn’t Justin’s fault that the others were… er… a tad loud and overly emotional.”
“Justin?” Brian said again. “Hurt… he’s hurt!”
“No, my dear,” said Garrett. “Justin isn’t hurt. I swear that he’s not.”
Mrs. Williams pressed her lips together. “I’ll call Dr. Sun about it. He’s the one who makes that decision. And then I’ll bring you that coffee.”
“Thanks so much,” said Garrett. “You are a treasure.” Mrs. Williams smiled happily and went out. “She’s a lovely woman.”
“I don’t care - that lady intimidates the hell out of me.” Ted leaned over and stared into Brian’s face. “Has he called for anyone else?”
“No,” said Garrett. “Only Justin.”
“Stop breathing… on me… Theodore,” Brian murmured. “Or I’ll have… your balls.”
“He certainly remembers you,” Garrett commented wryly.
“Yeah, he would.” Ted sat down in the second chair. “I brought more music.”
“No… fucking violins,” came the voice from the bed.
“What?” said Ted. “Why not?”
“No clue,” Garrett replied. “I had a CD with strings playing earlier and he was adamant that he did not care for it.”
“Well, I have a couple of new CDs right here.” Ted brought the CDs out of his briefcase. “Renata Tebaldi classic arias. Reneé Fleming. And this one - Maria Callas’ greatest hits!”
Brian groaned from the bed. “Fuck opera. Women… screaming. Head… hurts.”
Ted gasped. “Did he just say, ‘Fuck opera’? He must really be brain damaged!”
“I heard that… Theodore,” Brian croaked. “I’m keeping… track.”
Ted winced. “He won’t remember any of this, right?”
“I wouldn’t know,” said Garrett in amusement. “But don’t say anything to get his knickers in a twist.”
Mrs. Williams came in with a large mug of tea for Garrett. “I remembered that you prefer tea, so I made a pot 'specially for you. Earl Grey, two sugars, and a drop of milk, right?”
“Why how sweet of you, Myrlene,” said Garrett. “It smells marvelous.”
She turned to Ted. “If you want coffee, go out to the Nurses’ Station and ask Luis to pour you a cup.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that.” And Ted beat a retreat.
“I spoke to Dr. Sun,” said Mrs. Williams. “He said that Mr. Taylor can come back - but there better not be any more huffing and puffing. This man needs some quiet to heal.”
“Splendid!” said Garrett. “May I call Justin and tell him?”
“I suppose so,” she replied grudgingly. “But you tell him he better behave - and the rest of Mr. Kinney’s crowd needs to watch their step, too.”
“Justin?” Brian sat up again. “I need… to piss!”
“You lie down, Mr. Kinney,” Mrs. Williams urged. “You don’t need to get up to go to the bathroom.”
“Fuck… tubes…”
“He’s a feisty one,” Mrs. Williams said. “Those are the best and the worst patients. The best because they try hard to get better. The worst because they’re also a lot of trouble for the nurses.”
“Yes, he certainly is that,” Garrett agreed. “But that’s also what makes him so fascinating.”
“You a gay boy?” Mrs. Williams asked.
“Yes, I am,” said Garrett warily.
“I thought so. Luis said you were and he ought to know.” Mrs. Williams adjusted Brian’s blanket. “I don’t mind the gay boys as long as they behave themselves on my floor. But I don’t need that mother coming around and yelling about religion. I’m a church-going woman myself, but I draw the line at upsetting my sick patients. You’re going to the Rehab Unit soon, you hear that, honey?”
“Home,” Brian mumbled. “Justin?” Then he paused and said, “Ron?”
“Ron?” Mrs. Williams raised an eyebrow. “That’s a new one. Which one is he, honey?”
“Husband.” Brian squeezed his eyes shut. “Head hurts. Don’t… remember… Can’t…”
“What’s he mean, husband?” Mrs. Williams asked Garrett.
“Oh, dear,” said Garrett. “It’s a long story. But I had better call Justin and tell him to come over as soon as possible.”