62 Kissing a tree
Word Soap: As The World Keeps Turning
Author: SYLnl
Title: #62 Kissing a tree
Rating: PG
Summary: NEVER text and drive!
Big Thanks To: ltklo, for brushing up my grammar
Previously on As The World Keeps Turning:
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20
#21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #53 #54 #55 #56 #57 #58 #59 #60 #61
It was ‘the morning after’ and Reid was still tired. Or maybe lazy was a better word. And lazy was okay, today. Luke had cleared his schedule and Reid was only available for emergencies, so they took it slow.
With one leg over Reid’s, Luke lay close, reading a book and Reid just enjoyed the peacefulness. He loved watching Luke and fortunately Luke didn’t mind being watched. He occasionally looked up from his book to check on Reid and when their eyes met, they both smiled and Luke continued his reading.
Reid’s blissful feeling vanished with one sound. With an ominous premonition he took his phone out and frowned at the ID.
“It’s Morgan,” he informed Luke and answered the call.
“Reid, you need to come.” Gary’s voice sounded weird.
“Where are you?”
“Memorial. Kevin’s hurt. Badly. Bob won’t allow me to operate.” Dismay and panic reached Reid’s ear.
“I’m on my way.” Reid disconnected without greeting and jumped out of bed. While dressing, he filled Luke in.
“Can I come too?” Luke was already out of bed and Reid gave him a quick nod. It wasn’t until they reached the Look and Read room and Luke walked over to an older guy, that Reid realized why Luke wanted to be here too. He wanted to support Kevin’s father.
So he left Luke behind and made his way to his office, changed and hurried into the brand new operating room. Gary Morgan looked like he could keel over at any minute, but when he saw Reid, his eyes came to life.
“You’re here,” Gary’s relief was palpable. “Let me show you the scans.”
Talking shop brought Gary back into his doctor mode and he briefed Reid concisely, while the neurosurgeon was scrubbed in and just nodded. It was pretty bad and Gary’s eyes told Reid he knew.
“Doctor Montgomery is already inside to assist and Dr. Dixon is on standby.” After delivering the necessary information, Gary turned pale on him again and Reid gave him a stern look.
“You can watch it from the view room or sit in the waiting room, but I need you in a chair, right now. Try to regain your strength.”
After Gary’s nod, Reid left him to work his magic.
It took him almost three hours and the results were still shaky, but at least Kevin Broyd was still among the living.
Removing their surgical gowns and gloves, Lucy looked up to Reid and smiled.
“You are an amazing surgeon,” she threw the gown into the garbage can, “I heard all about it, of course, but watching you work…it was something else.”
“Thanks,” Reid returned the smile, “You did a great job, too. You know your spinal core, that’s for sure.”
“Do you want me to inform the family?”
“Yes, please,” Reid gave her a thankful grin. “I will join you, because Luke is out there too. The patient and his father are doing some legal work for him.”
The minute they walked in, all attention was on them and while Lucy started explaining what they had done and what Kevin’s chances were, Reid’s focus wandered to Luke and a young boy next to him. There was a hostile vibe he didn’t understand and the way the boy looked at Gary was simply hateful. Yay, drama! Just what he needed right now.
Something in Luke’s eyes made him approach them anyway and Luke introduced Reid to the boy.
“Tommy, this is Reid. Reid, Tommy is Kevin’s son.”
Say what?
“Hi Tommy,” Reid gave him a calm nod and sat next to Luke, “Can you fill me in on what happened?”
For a minute the boy looked startled. “You don’t know?”
Reid shook his head. “There was no time to fill me in. I just went straight into surgery.”
Luke looked confused. Why did Reid turn to this boy for information? All the adults knew what happened. Why not ask… when their eyes met, Luke recognized the message. Luke still didn’t understand, but Reid knew what he was doing. So he didn’t interrupt.
“Apparently my father was texting and driving at the same time,” Tommy sounded very angry. “He made me watch Oprah,” Reid couldn’t help but smile at the telling emphasis, “to make me aware of the danger of texting and biking and he gets behind the wheel of a car and decides he can combine driving and sending a text to his…” Tommy looked at Gary, “him.”
Luke tapped the boy on his arm. “You know he isn’t to blame.”
“Of course I know,” the boy admitted reluctantly, “but it would have been nice if I had known my father was seeing someone new… and it would even been nicer if my father had told this new guy about me. But apparently I’m not important enough to mention when you start dating…I have been living with my grandparents after my other father died, so maybe he forgot I’m his son.”
The boy disguised his hurt with indifference - Reid knew that mechanism very well - and continued: “But anyway…my father wrapped his car around an innocent tree and now I’m hoping you can tell me if he’s gonna live to tell about it.”
“I haven’t seen the tree yet, but I only hug them. I don’t talk to them.” Reid said calmly and the boy rewarded him with a quick grin, “But I can tell you that your father is badly injured. I managed to stop a bleeding in his head and Dr. Montgomery, “ Reid nodded at Lucy who was still talking to Kevin’s parents and Gary, “worked on his neck and spinal core. All we can do now is wait.”
“He could still die.” Tommy concluded and Reid nodded. “Yes, he could.”
The boy took a deep breath. “At least you’re honest. I like that.”
“I’m glad.” Reid smiled.
“So where is he now? Can I see him?”
“Not yet. We need to monitor him closely and as secluded as possible. In a few hours you will be allowed to see him, but briefly, I’m afraid.”
Tommy nodded. “That’s okay. I just want to see him. Make sure he’s still alive. My other father died in surgery and I…” the boy lowered his head and shrugged. “I just need to see him still breathing.”
Reid felt for him and had an idea.
“Do you have a phone with video?”
The boy looked confused, but nodded anyway.
“Show me how it works,” Reid said and explained, “I want to check on your dad anyway, so I’ll film him for you. It can look scary, with all the machines…”
“I don’t care,” Tommy was all alive now, “I just want to see him.”
It took Reid fifteen minutes to return and after taping his badly bruised patient he started to question his own idea. The kid was what…ten? Should he see this?
His doubt was all over his face and Tommy’s initial relief to see him, turned into detachment.
“You changed your mind, didn’t you?”
“I’m hesitating,” Reid admitted. “I’m not sure you should…how old are you anyway?”
“I’m twelve,” Tommy sat up straight, “But I’m an old twelve, according to grandpa.”
David Broyd placed himself behind his grandson and nodded. “He is. He’s very knowing for his age. What’s this about?”
Tommy filled him in and David took a deep breath. The boy felt he was losing ground and showed some lawyer skills of his own by pleading his case.
“Come on, Dee. You know what’s out there on the Internet. How bad can this be?”
“This is your dad, Tom. That’s makes it personal. And don’t make me filter your computer, young man.”
“You know I don’t like that shit, Dee. But I just need to see dad breathing…”
David gave in. Partly because he understood and partly because he wanted to see his son too.
“Let’s watch it together.”
Reid handed him the phone and David gave him a quick smile. “Thanks for doing this.”
Reid nodded and moved closer to Luke. When he felt Luke’s hand on the back of his leg, he smiled and put his hand on Luke’s shoulder. They watched Kevin’s parents and son looking at the small documentary Reid had put together. Showing the machines and explaining their function.
‘Okay, I’m gonna start filming your dad now and that innocent tree you mentioned had some self-defense classes, because your dad had quite a beating. So this is your time to back out if you want….’
Nobody backed out. The high pitched squeal wasn’t the boy’s, though. Kevin’s mother put her hand before her mouth and started crying.
“My boy, my beautiful boy…”
Gary didn’t have to watch any movie. If he closed his eyes, he could see Kevin and he understood her desperation as no other. He put his arm around Kevin’s mother and just said: “I know…”
She didn’t need any more encouragement. With another cry she clung to the young man beside her, while her husband had his focus on their grandchild.
“Are you okay, Tom?”
The boy nodded, the phone still in his hand. His eyes met Reid’s.
“You were right. It’s bad. But he’s breathing. It’s not just the machines, right? He’s breathing.”
“He’s alive,” Reid said, “and that’s enough to have hope. There’s no telling how he will come out of this,” Reid looked at Gary for a moment. How invested was he? “But at least he has a great support system around him. That always helps.”
David nodded. “We’ll be here. All the way. Dr. Montgomery said we can’t see him for a couple of hours. Is that still the case?”
“It is. If you want to go home or have something to eat, this would be good time. I can highly recommend our new cafeteria.”
“Do they have good burgers?” Tommy showed his true age and Luke grinned when he saw Reid’s eyes glimmer.
“Do you like Al’s burgers?”
“Yeah, those are the best!”
“Well, our Bob’s is Al’s big brother, so you’ll love those burgers.”
Looking at his grandson, David smiled. “I guess we’re gonna check out this new place, then.” He turned to Luke. “Care to join us?”
One look at his partner told Luke what he needed to know.
“We will grab some lunch later. Thanks.”
When he saw the relief in Reid’s eyes, Luke applauded himself. His assumption was right this time. After three hours of surgery, Reid had been social long enough. Time for some solitude. He took Reid’s hand, wished everybody a good lunch and pulled his doctor out of the Look and Read room.
Reid pulled him close and kissed him on the temple. No comment needed.