This is my G5 entry of my LuRe Bingo Challenge (at LiveJournal) Prompt: Taking Changes
Setting: this scene takes place before the first chapter of my Word Soap. It is a sequel to my Bingo Stories: 1. Jealous Guy, 2. Beautifully rude, 3. How do you like me now? and 4. Home is where the cocoa is You might wanna read the 2nd story before reading this one. They’re connected.
Marve Ellsworth had kept him pretty busy these last hours, but finally she’d shown some progress. All his energy and effort paid off. She was still here and she would make it.
The waiting area was almost empty. Reid recognized the man in the chair, who rose to his feet when the doctor approached him.
“Doctor…how is she?”
“She’s a fighter,” Reid gave him a glimpse of a smile, looking around for the mother so he wouldn’t have to share his findings twice.
“I sent her home. Charlie was exhausted and my wife…well, let’s just say I didn’t want to risk any more embarrassing confrontations.”
For some reason the homophobic Mrs. Ellsworth didn’t seem to be the type of woman that could be ‘sent away’, but Reid couldn’t say he was sorry she was gone.
“Good,” he nodded, pointing at the seats and sitting down.
“I want you to go home too, but I will allow you to have a little peak at her. She turned a corner. She’s responding to the medication. We already knew the operation was successful, but she had to do some fighting and she did.”
“And when she wakes up?”
“We need to wait for that. The brain has a mind of his own, no pun intended,” Reid shared another quick smile, “so she needs to wake up before we can see what we’re dealing with. The first step was to keep her alive and give her a chance. She took it. Believe me, that’s already a small miracle. She took quite a blow. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could help her. But sometimes life is all about taking chances.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” The man surprised him by putting both hands over Reid’s. The fact that it made Reid feel very uncomfortable was even a bigger surprise. And a telling sign. His gaydar needed some major repairs or… Reid narrowed his eyes and the man pulled back his hands, lowering his head.
“I’m one of the cowards. I went for the lie,” Mr. Ellsworth sounded despondent, but when he looked up, there was a fire in his eyes. “But I do love my children. Marve is my…angel. So I don’t regret anything.”
Reid stood up. Part of him wanted to scream. ‘I’m a doctor, not your priest!’, but he couldn’t, because another part of him felt compassion. He wasn’t very familiar with that part of him yet. Luke had triggered it, he was pretty sure of it. The thought of Luke made him smile instantly. If Luke was here, what would he want Reid to answer?
“Regret is a useless emotion anyway, so I’m happy to hear that,” Reid said calmly.
“Can I ask… how it feels? You know…to be out.”
Reid frowned. Did he want this conversation? He shrugged. “I can’t answer that. It’s all I know. It’s just of part of who I am. Not a big deal, really.”
“Not a big deal?” Joe Ellsworth looked confused. “For a lot of people it is.”
“I know. And more power to them. But for me it isn’t. Some people feel attracted to the same sex, others to the opposite sex. That’s about it.”
It made Joe laugh. “You make it sound very simple.”
“Because it is,” Reid shrugged. “The principle is very simple. Society is making it complicated by passing judgment.”
“Tell me about it,” Joe murmured.
“Yeah, I’ve met your wife,” Reid couldn’t resist the grin. “Does she know?”
“She might suspect…” the man shrugged, lowering his head again. “Not that she has anything to fear. My kids are my life.”
“Let’s go see your daughter,” Reid wanted to end this and Joe glanced at him, nodding.
“Thanks again. I envy you. Having a man that loves you. Having a man to love.”
There was the L-word again.
“It is great, but love is love,” Reid shrugged. “Focus on the love in your life.” He pointed at a door, “Like that little one over there.”
“You’re right,” for the first time that evening, Joe Ellsworth smiled from the heart when he opened the door and looked at his daughter. Then he looked back at Reid.
“Do you have any kids?”
Reid shook his head, swallowing the ‘good heavens no’ that came to mind.
“I hope you will, some day. It’s something else. As you said yourself… sometimes life is all about taking chances.” After one last smile at the doctor, Joe Ellsworth went in, pulled up a chair and sat down next to his child. Reid softly closed the door. Children. He shook his head. He knew his strong points, but wasn’t blind for the not-so-strong ones. Okay, he kinda liked the slobber toddler that Katie called her son, but to be a father? With his track record? Like he had any good role model that could…
“Reid…”
Before he could make some joke about the grey man approaching him, he noticed the worried expression and turned serious.
“Bob…what’s up?”
“It’s Chris…it’s…” there was panic in Bob’s face and it made Reid extremely nervous. Bob was always the calm anchor. Like him. But he wasn’t right now. Before he could ask more information, his eyes caught some sleepy eyes with a cup of coffee.
“Luke! What are you doing here?” Bob frowned at the site of the young blond. All rumpled and wrinkled, like he just came out of bed.
“I’m waiting for Reid to end his shift,” Luke mumbled, taking a sip of his coffee, “but apparently it never ends…”
Bob smiled, looking at Reid. The way his favorite doctor was looking at Luke was telling. He was happy to see that loving glow in the blue eyes. Luke was a good influence. He deserved his time with Reid. He wish he could give it. But he couldn’t. He needed Reid too.
“I wish I could send him on his way, Luke. But Chris is taking a turn for the worse and Katie is close to losing it. We all are. Can I be so selfish to ask you to stick around?”
“You can,” Reid gave his Chief of Staff a quick, but genuine smile. He really respected this man. Liked him. Maybe even…you know. And he felt flattered. Bob needed him. He didn’t say it in so many words, but Reid could feel it.
Reluctantly he looked at Luke. Was it fair to him? The answer was all over Luke’s face, when he came closer and pulled Reid into a hug.
“Of course you need to be here. And so do I. Katie is family…” he looked up to Reid, “and so are you.”
Something somersaulted in his chest and Reid gasped in need of air. ‘Say it’, his heart cried out. He chose the alternative and gave Luke a soft kiss.
“Let’s go then.”
Sometimes life is all about taking chances.
And the story goes on! Wanna know how this day finally ends? Check out: Thank you for caring
