Chapter 1
Chase and Chris sat in the waiting room of the hospital. Chase nervously tapped his foot.
"Chase," Chris said. "You're shaking the chairs again."
"Sorry," Chase said. "When I'm nervous, I tap my foot."
"Jonathan is going to be okay," Chris said. "It's just an appendectomy."
"Is it weird that I'm acting like this?" Chase asked.
"You mean like a father?" Chris asked.
"I guess it is normal to act like this," Chase said.
"Yeah," Chris said. "One time when Chris Keller was taking care of Chuck, I had to ground him for staying out past curfew. For his punishment, I had him clean the gutters. Anyway, I ended up sitting in the very chair I'm sitting in right now because Chuck fell off the roof and I was waiting here to find out if he was going to wake up or not."
Chris and Chase shared a hug.
"So did I ever tell you about the time I met Drew Barrymore?" Chris asked.
"You met Drew Barrymore?" Chase asked.
"I performed at one of her birthday bashes," Chris said. "She's nice. Well at least she was until I ate icing from her cake off my finger."
"You stuck your finger in Drew Barrymore's cake?" Chase asked. "I would hate you too. What flavor was it?"
"Lemon," Chris replied.
"Man, I wish I could meet Drew Barrymore," Chase said.
"We could lie and say Jonathan has a horrible made up virus," Chris said.
"No," Chase said.
The doctor walked into the waiting room over to Chase.
"Mr. Adams," the doctor said. "The surgery went smoothly and Jonathan has been placed in a room. He's still sleeping. He'll need to stay here for a couple of days just to be safe. You're able to go to his room and stay with him if you'd like."
"Thank you," Chase said.
"Would you like me to go with you?" Chris asked.
"No thanks," Chase said. "Thank you though."
The doctor led Chase to Jonathan's room. Once there, the doctor left and Chase walked into the room where Jonathan was sleeping. As Chase approached Jonathan's bed, Jonathan's eyes began to open.
"Dad?" Jonathan asked in a soft voice.
"Hey," Chase said softly.
"Daddy?" Jonathan asked. "Did I get my appendix out?"
"You sure did," Chase said softly.
"Okay," Jonathan said.
Chase kissed his son on the forehead.
"Do I have to stay in the hospital tonight?" Jonathan asked.
"Yes," Chase replied. "You have to stay here a couple of days."
"Please don't leave me," Jonathan said.
"Don't worry," Chase said softly. "Daddy's not going to leave you. I will stay here with you."
"Does Lydia know?" Jonathan asked.
"Yes," Chase replied. "I called her."
"I don't feel the sharp pain anymore," Jonathan said.
"That's good," Chase said. "Forgive me."
"For what?" Jonathan asked.
"This," Chase replied.
Chase kissed Jonathan on the forehead.
"One," Chase said.
Chase gave Jonathan another kiss on the forehead.
"Two," Chase said before giving Jonathan a third kiss on the forehead. "Three. Two for how many hours I nervously waited and one extra because you're my son."
"So strange," Jonathan said.
"You'll understand when you have kids," Chase said.
"Please tell me you didn't wait in the waiting room by yourself," Jonathan said.
"Chris waited with me," Chase replied. "Funny thing, he set me up on a blind date again."
"Are you going?" Jonathan asked.
"No," Chase replied. "I'm going to stay right here with you."
"No Dad," Jonathan said. "You're going on that date."
"But, who will keep you company?" Chase asked.
Chris came into the room on his phone.
"Yes," Chris said. "Here he is. Just a second."
Chris put his hand over the phone.
"Jonathan," Chris said. "Drew Barrymore wants to talk to you."
"Drew Barrymore?" Jonathan asked. "As in the actress?"
"Yes," Chris said. "She'll ask you a few questions about your virus. Just go with it."
Chris gave Jonathan the phone.
"Um, hi Drew Barrymore," Jonathan said.