My Boys: Beyond the Horizon – Chapter Two
Dear Kate,
It kind of breaks my heart not to know how you are doing. I am writing this email in the hopes it reaches you before your next destination.
I have decided to take the spot at Grey Sloan. I suppose I might regret this decision at some point, but I just long to be with my family for the time being. Koracick called me from Hopkins yesterday and my ears still ache after his thirty-minute monologue about how I am screwing up my entire future. I came to LA before heading back home. You won't believe this, but Lucas is also moving to Seattle. I spoke to my mom this morning and she told me the twins are flying in from West Point next week. I haven't seen them since Christmas, so I am excited we're all going to be together again.
I also saw Joey today. He is still working as Lucas' assistant while juggling his career at the agency. I honestly don't know how he does it. I think they might have to canonize him before we understand why he puts up with my brother.
I wish I could tell you all of this in person.
Love,
Thomas.
.
"Are you seriously contemplating leaving?" Thomas asked with a smile at the same time he pulled up his sunglasses, revealing his light blue eyes that matched the clear water inside the pool he was in. "I honestly don't see a reason to."
Lucas looked around and smiled with a mix of mischief, pride and satisfaction.
Because of the time zone difference his body was still in, Thomas had woken up at six on that Saturday morning. He'd gone into the kitchen to get something to eat but to his surprise, had found his brother outside surrounded by a group of people he'd never seen before. He'd noticed that, as a general rule, none of them had much to say, but they were pretty interesting to look at.
Especially the girls, Thomas realized.
"Welcome to LA," Lucas raised his glass in an imaginary toast and crossed his legs at his ankles, leaning back on his chair.
"I should have visited you more often," Thomas decided when two young women left the pool exhibiting their shapely bodies.
"You never listened to me," Lucas gave him a wink of wisdom.
The older brother wanted to ask if that meant Thomas was single now, but it wasn't the right time or place to have that conversation. Lucas knew that while his brother was a normal guy and like any other noticed attractive women, never had he ever shown real interest in anyone besides his girlfriend. And Thomas and Kate were the steadiest couple he knew, so it seemed illogical to even consider that.
"Hey, do your team mates know you're moving to Seattle?" Thomas asked with curiosity. Some of Lucas' friends who were there were also athletes in his team but so far, no one had touched the subject.
"No, I can't tell anyone before the Sounders make the public announcement," Lucas explained. He was bound by a contract and couldn't disclose the information until the following week, when the marketing department at his new team decided on a new campaign to promote their big hire.
"Is that why you haven't called mom and dad yet?"
"Precisely," Lucas replied with a wink. He couldn't wait to share the news with the rest of the family but he knew how easily information could spread around if the secret was out. "Joey is going to bring me some documents to sign tonight and then I am officially released from my team. Then we can fly back home."
"Awesome," Tom replied, looking forward to seeing his old time friend again, but mostly to go home.
"We gotta go out to celebrate it," Lucas decided, getting his phone to send a message to Joey.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Thomas noticed it was past ten am and his brother had been up and running since the previous evening. He knew Lucas had gone to a party the night before but judging by the mess on the terrace of his house, they had extended the fun to the afterhours. And now he was planning a new outing for that evening.
"I think I am just about to," Lucas replied, struggling to contain a yawn. He was finally getting tired.
"Where is your… Your… Where is Rachel?" Thomas asked with curiosity, looking around in amidst of all the people.
"I don't know," Lucas answered with casualty, getting up from his chair in an obvious motion to leave.
"Wait, are you going to bed, just like that?" The young doctor looked over his shoulder, noticing there were at least a dozen friends of his brother still present. Judging by Lucas' reaction, he planned to simply go inside and leave all the guests there. "What about all these people?"
"They can carry on with what they were doing," Lucas shrugged, unaffected.
It wasn't until a couple days of spending time with his brother that Thomas came to notice the situation wasn't uncommon at Lucas' place. The house felt pretty much like a summer camp, where a lot of people would come and go. Some would spend the night, some would stay during the day in a giant game room, playing videogames and pool, and others would simply spend the sunny afternoons inside his swimming pool. There was always someone to talk to, and Thomas found the situation quite unusual, but nonetheless entertaining.
When asked about it, Lucas had simply answered he liked having people around. But the shadow of sadness behind the playfulness of his brother's eyes caught Thomas' attention. He had no idea how much of that was involved in Lucas' decision to move out. But Thomas only hoped that whatever it was that prevented his brother from being happy stayed in Los Angeles for good when they finally made it back home in a few days.
.
"I told you for the sixth time, already, Hunt. I am not going out with you tonight."
"You know, there was a time in your life when you very much wanted me to take you out," Lucas teased, sending a teasing flirtatious wink in Joey's direction, misinterpreting his friend's words on purpose.
Joey Avery rolled his eyes with playful impatience and followed his best friend to the terrace outside, holding a glass of expensive wine in one hand while carefully scanning his eyes through a long stack of documents.
"I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last man left on Earth," Joey replied, hiding his smile behind a sip of his drink. "You are way too straight."
"That's just mean," Lucas said with pretend offense and sat down on the marble counter near the pool. "I liked you better when you were into me."
"Oh, sweetheart, that ship has sailed long ago," Joey couldn't contain a chuckle. "You will always be the love of my life, but I haven't been into you since the moment I experimented what was out there."
"Still, I was the first guy you kissed," Lucas gloated with a smile. He had spent the past seven years pestering Joey about it and probably would for the rest of his life. "I am going to tell Jonathan that," he added, referring to Joey's long time boyfriend.
"Yes, what was I thinking back then?" Joey replied with a look of self-criticism, not bothering to take his eyes off the document to deal with Lucas' recurring jokes. "Jon already knows that story, by the way, smartass."
The two remained in silence for long seconds while Joey carefully read through documents and Lucas played with the label of his wine bottle.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"
It was the change of tone in Lucas' voice rather than the question that made Joey finally look up to meet his friend's eyes.
Joey Avery had known Lucas Hunt ever since they were little kids and they had always played soccer together but it wasn't until adolescence that the two of them became best friends. Joey easily remembered the day when he, as a teenager confused by his sexuality, had misinterpreted Lucas' words of encouragement and kissed the guy.
Back then, Joey had completely understood Lucas' irritation with his impulsive move. And he'd sort of expected the guy to make fun of him or expose him to the rest of the soccer team. After all, in Joey's opinion, despite having a crush on the boy, Lucas had always been a bit of an empty head that was way too popular and didn't take anything seriously.
But instead, Lucas had offered him selfless support and been the first male friend Joey had come out to. During his senior year in school, Lucas had become one of Joey's closest friends and the only one besides Kate Karev who knew about his struggle.
After Lucas had graduated and left school to go to University of Washington, Joey had only seen him in a few occasions. But then, when Joey had also moved out to go to UC Berkeley in Los Angeles, Lucas had dropped out of university to play for the LA Galaxy and before the two of them could even realize it, they were living in the same city and had become best friends.
And once inside a college campus and away from the judgment of everyone he knew and loved, Joey had been able to come out in public and embrace his sexuality, always leaning on Lucas' full support. The youngest Avery kid had never dreamed of becoming a professional athlete, but he very much enjoyed sports and liked working with it. So while Lucas' career skyrocketed, Joey finished his degree in college, only to slowly find himself being the one to represent his friend in his business deals and professional contracts, which later on became his own career.
"Oh, Luke, you know I hate leaving you alone, especially when I know you couldn't cook spaghetti if your life depended on it," Joey mocked Lucas at the same time he felt genuinely sorry to see his friend go. "But I have a company to run and how the hell am I going to run an LA based enterprise if I go back to Seattle?"
"I know, I know…" Lucas sighed, trying to accept it. He perfectly understood why Joey couldn't go with him, but it didn't mean he hated it any less.
"But, for all that's worth, and we know it's worth a lot," Joey said with a sad smile, "Tom is also going to be there and I am going to count on him to take care of you."
"How amazing is that?" Lucas asked with his most boyish smile, leaving Joey touched by how genuine his friend's love for his brother was. "I couldn't believe it when Tommy told me."
"I couldn't either."
Lucas noticed in Joey's expression that he knew more than he was trying to show and furrowed a brown in question.
"Hey, Joe, where is Kate?" Lucas tried to sound casual and realized instantly the discreet change in Joey's expression. "Is she going to a different hospital for her residency?"
"I don't think she has decided that yet," Joey replied and Lucas sensed he was telling the truth.
"What's going on between Tommy and her?" he straightforwardly asked. Kate was very close to Joey and if there was anyone she would have shared that with, it was definitely him.
Joey took a deep breath, apparently pondering what to say.
"Look, I don't know the details, okay?" he said, and once again Lucas felt like he was being genuine. "All I know is that they had a big disagreement about what to do after the graduation. Kate told me they had a big fight and I think that's why she traveled to London, to be away from everything…" Joey confessed with a heavy frown. "I am not even sure if they're together anymore."
Lucas scoffed with incredulity.
"What are you talking about, of course they are," Lucas affirmed, unable to believe any other possibility. "I am sure this is just a phase. Tom and Kate are meant to be together… They are like Carl and Ellie, ok? If they can't work it out, no one can."
"Except life isn't a Pixar movie, Luke," Joey gently reminded him.
"It can be," Lucas stubbornly chided. "For some people, it can be."
Joey was just wondering if Lucas needed to believe in that fairy tale love because of his brother or for himself when Thomas walked outside, warmly greeting Joey.
"Hey, dude, I didn't know you were already here." He threw a censoring glance in Lucas' direction, condemning his brother for not letting him know.
"We were talking business," Lucas justified with excessive dignity.
"Actually, we were talking about Up, the movie," Joey corrected him.
"It's my favorite movie," Lucas defensively scowled at his friend.
"Oh, so your favorite movie is a cartoon?" Thomas raised one eyebrow. "I can't really say I am surprised…"
"It's called an animated film, thank you," Lucas grumpily answered.
Thomas looked from one to the other, trying to understand why his brother was in a foul mood and Joey was so quiet but none of them said anything else, so the youngest guy gave up soon after.
"So… Are we going out tonight or what?" he asked, getting a positive grin from his brother in return at the same time Joey raised his arms in surrender, realizing he had just been outnumbered.
.
"By the way… how was your date last Friday?"
Megan lifted her eyes from the computer on her hands to meet her best friend's mysterious expression. Claire was Maggie Pierce's only daughter and had been Megan's best friend since the day they were born. There was nothing they didn't tell each other and now, Claire had the same kind of expectant/joyful face as her mother often did when they were excited about something.
"I was going to wait until Marianne got here to ask you that because we're dying to hear it, but I have no idea where she is and I can't wait any longer," Claire confessed with a wide smile.
Megan noticed the curiosity mixed with excitement and was amused by her friend's clear high expectations.
"It was okay."
"Okay?!" Claire asked with disappointment. "That's a not good enough answer. I want all the details."
Megan gently closed her laptop screen and looked at her friend. They were sitting in the living room of her house simply hanging out together as they often did during school breaks.
"Claire, you've known Aaron for as long as I do," the girl stated with conviction. "What could I possibly tell you about him that you don't already know?"
Claire seemed to think for a second and then nodded her head in acceptance. After years of vouching for everyone else's happiness and acting like a modern version of Jane Austen's Emma trying to bring couples together, Megan had finally accepted to go out with someone. Claire knew her standards were high and just because she was admired and well liked in school, Megan didn't take advantage of it. So if her friend had said yes to Aaron, Claire expected him to be special. She was very pleased with the girl's choice, considering they all knew each other since their earliest school years.
And the fact that Aaron played in the school's football team with her own boyfriend also wasn't a bad detail. Claire longed for double dates and she wasn't one bit sorry for pushing Megan towards the guy in such an obvious manner.
"So, how serious is it?" Claire didn't give up. "Are you officially dating him? Are you two seeing each other again? Did he kiss you?"
"Oh my God, slow down on the questions…" Megan answered with a chuckle, too entertained by her best friend's devotion. "And yes, he did," the teenage girl added, unable to prevent the rush of blood to the cheeks that became obvious on her very fair skin.
Claire had just opened her mouth to ask for more details when the doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. Supposing it was their friend Marianne, who had been mysteriously absent for the past few days, Megan got up and fixed her shirt before distractedly opening the door.
But her eyes grew wide with shock and raw contentment when she spotted the two young men standing on the doorway with huge smiles on their faces.
"Megan, why are you squealing, I am trying to…"
Amelia's words trailed off and her face transformed when she walked into the living room. Ignoring everything about the reprimand she was just about to give her daughter for disrupting the quietness when she was trying to focus on her reading, the neurosurgeon took large strides forward and immediately wrapped one arm around each of her son's necks, nearly strangling them both.
"What are you guys doing here?" Megan asked with excitement, surrounding Thomas's waist with her arms for another embrace.
"We wanted to surprise you," Lucas said with mischief in his eyes, feeling his heart blissfully happy with the warm welcome. "Hey Claire girl," he stepped inside the room while Amelia closed the door after them. "I haven't seen you in a bit, how are you?"
Amelia watched as Tom dumped two duffel bags next to the couches and proceeded to greet Claire too.
"Where is dad?" her second son asked, looking around.
"He's still at work. Does he know you were coming?" she asked with wide eyes, ready to murder her husband if he knew about it and hadn't told her the news.
A few years before, Miranda Bailey had had to step down as Chief of Surgery and the position had been offered to Owen. At first, he'd been reluctant to take it back, but after an honest conversation with his wife, who'd wisely pointed out their kids were basically raised and he had more free time to pursue his own projects while she went further with her Harper Avery Award winning research, Owen had taken the position, ultimately finding pleasure again in it.
"Nope," Lucas chuckled, reading the unsaid threat in his mother's eyes. "He is in for a surprise just like you two."
Amelia smiled and completely forgot about the paper she was planning to read, decided to focus on a much more pressing matter instead: her adored sons.
"But, wait, did you two set this up? Did you fly in at the same time…?" she asked with confusion.
"No, I actually went to LA a couple of days ago to meet Luke and then I was going to come here," Thomas replied with a wide grin, anticipating his mother's reaction with the news he was about to share. "I had no idea he planned to come too," Thomas added with honesty. "But I had to be here in person to tell you about my news."
Amelia knew her son had just graduated med school. A couple of weeks before she, Megan and Owen had flown to Boston to be there for the ceremony. Her other sons hadn't been able to make it but they had been in touch during the entire week, catching up with Thomas' remarkable achievement.
"What?" Amelia asked, excited and curious.
But as Thomas smiled grew wider by the second and he just kept staring into her eyes with the thrilling look of someone who had something amazing to share, Amelia had an epiphany.
"No way…!" she shouted with exhilaration, unable to believe. "Are you serious?! Are you…?"
When Thomas nodded yes with his head, Amelia let out a hysterical shout that Megan promptly classified as squealing and wrapped her son in a hug so tight that she left them both breathless.
"Oh my God, I can't believe you're coming back home!" she added with sheer joy.
Thomas had been debating with his parents quite a lot in the past year about where he should apply and choose to go for his medical residency. Amelia knew her son wanted a career in neurosurgery and therefore he took into account everything she had to say about the matter. Unsurprisingly, Thomas had matched all the places he was interested in. And in the end, he'd narrowed down his choices to going to Hopkins to study under Tom Koracick, staying in Boston to go to Mas Gen where he knew everyone already or moving back to Seattle to work at Grey Sloan.
Amelia had been as impartial as possible while giving her son professional advice but in the end, she hadn't been able to hide she favored Seattle as a choice, exactly because she wanted him near.
"I can't believe this, I am the happiest I could be!" the surgeon proclaimed, unable to stop grinning like a child.
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked her with a teasing smile.
"Am I sure of what?" she looked in his direction, trying to interpret the meaning of his words and that smug smile on the corner of his lips.
"You couldn't be happier than you are now?" he asked, looking her in the eyes with heartfelt joy.
"I don't think that's even possible," Amelia answered with honesty.
"Well, what if I told you I am coming back to Seattle too?"
The silence that followed Lucas' question let him know he had just left both his mother and sister in shock.
"I'd say you are kidding," Amelia defensively looked at him, hesitant to believe it because it was too good to be true.
"I wouldn't judge you on that," Lucas playfully replied, knowing he had no credit whatsoever considering how often he was pranking people. "But yeah," he looked into his mother's eyes and saw how thrilled she got when he delivered the news. "This time it's true. I am moving back to Seattle."
"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" she felt tears accumulating in her eyes and pulled Lucas in for a hug.
Amelia took a while to be convinced that those amazing moves were actually happening and sooner after, Owen returned home, proving to be just as surprised and pleased as she was. Together, they had dinner with Megan and the boys, eager to hear every single detail of the decisions.
When his parents inquired him about what Kate had decided for her residency, Thomas said that so far, she was still going for Mas Gen as her top choice but hadn't fully made her up mind yet, only planning to do so when she returned from London in the following days.
Lucas kept staring at his brother, trying to pick up more than what Thomas was saying but he couldn't achieve anything. When he looked sideways, he noticed Megan had been doing the same and the girl instantly met his eyes, silently agreeing that she was just as unconvinced as he was.
By the time dinner was over, the teenage girl had already decided the plans for the following days, unsurprisingly devoting most of her brothers' time to her. Since Thomas and Lucas hadn't yet made any living arrangements, they were very excited with the idea of moving back home temporarily.
And even though it had been a while since Amelia had had so many of her children together sharing a meal with her, when Lucas came with a horrible pun to tease his dad and Thomas made a sarcastic comment about it, it felt like nothing at all had changed.
.
"Why do you have that sad look on your face?" Owen asked arranging the pillows near the bedframe as he looked at his wife. "I thought you would be smiling for days after the surprise the boys gave us tonight."
"I know…" Amelia turned her head over the shoulder, standing near the window through which she'd been gazing outside, lost in her own thoughts. "It just kills me that Danny and Robbie aren't here."
Owen silently went in her direction and wrapped his arms around her from behind, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek before gently touching her shoulder with his chin. He didn't say anything because there was nothing to be said. It took a toll on him too, but he knew that for Amelia, the twins' departure had been especially worse. As she liked to say it herself, that day the twins had left for college, she'd "lost" two at once and that had it made it twice as hard to bear.
"They are okay," Owen settled for saying, staring at the dark sky outside from behind her.
"I know they are," Amelia intertwined her fingers with his and leaned backwards, putting the back of her head on his shoulder. "It's me that is not."
Owen chuckled lightly and gave her another kiss, settling for silently contemplating the quiet view outside. Sometimes, he couldn't believe the amazing things he and his wife had built together and how far in their journey they'd come.
But all it took was one happy evening like the one they'd just had to remind him that, despite the absences and the time apart that their kids' education demanded, he felt absolutely accomplished and proud of all five amazing people he and Amelia had raised together.
.
Thomas took large strides through the well-known halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. On his way to the education department, he passed by a lot of friendly acquaintances and had to make several stops to catch up with people he'd known all his life.
The soon to be intern knew that having his father as his boss and his mother as his direct mentor weren't details that would exactly make his life easier, but all things considered, Thomas was up for the challenge. He supposed that, like his brother, he longed to be near his family after so many years living away from home.
He'd expected to see a lot of familiar faces during his time there, even on the first day he set foot inside the hospital. But there was one person Thomas had absolutely not imagined crossing paths with him that afternoon.
"Emily?" he frowned, confused, and hurried to catch up with the girl who walked in the same corridor, just a few yards ahead of him. "Emily Spencer?"
A short, petite woman with auburn hair turned around at the sound of her name. She had dark circles around her eyes but they were every bit as hazel as they'd ever been. And judging by the look on her face, Thomas supposed she was just as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
"Tommy?" she hesitated at first but after a second, a genuine smile lit up her entire face. "You're… You're… You're so grown!" She chuckled, noticing the differences that time had invariably caused. Thomas looked just as friendly and angelical as ever, but his facial features were more evident and masculine. "Is that an attempt to a beard?" she teased, watching him laugh with delight.
"Is it really so bad?" he asked with consternation, running his hand through his own face trying to find almost inexistent facial hair. "When I asked my sister about it, she said that I aimed for Ryan Gosling and hit Mrs. Elliott," Thomas confessed, making Emily crack up laughing at the mention of their high school chemistry teacher who now taught Megan too. The woman was a nightmare and students mercilessly made fun of her rough appearance as a way to rebel against her tyranny. "I suppose she didn't mean it as a compliment to me," he added with good humor.
"Or to Mrs Elliott," Emily stated, trying to be serious but failing. Once she was finally able to stop laughing, she breathed in and added with genuine longing. "How is Megan?"
"She is great," Thomas answered, happy that Emily had asked. "She is starting her senior year soon and she is determined to beat all my school records," he added, unable to hide how proud he was of his sister.
"Sounds kind of impossible," Emily teased him. Thomas had an outstanding school record. Even though Emily had graduated a year before him, everything Thomas had achieved before she left had already been remarkable.
"Nah, she is making me look like a dud," Tom exaggerated, smiling with modesty. Megan was just as good as he'd been but she was a lot more organized and assertive going after what she wanted than he had been as a teenager.
"And how are you, Tommy?" Emily gave him a fraternal smile. She hadn't seen him in five years and none of them were exactly active on social media to stay in touch through that time. "You look good."
"I feel good," Thomas said a bit quickly, hurrying to change the subject. "I'm actually here to hand in some documents," he smiled, happy to share the news with Emily. "I got into the surgical program."
"Oh, wow, really?" Her eyes got wide with amazement. "That's great, Tommy, I've always known you'd achieve everything you set out for yourself…" she smiled, but the shadow beneath her eyes caught Thomas' attention.
"Thanks, Emily…" he studied her further, unable to define her expression. "And what about you?" Thomas blinked to focus again on the conversation and stop seeing too much into things. The girl seemed hesitant to reply, even a bit uncomfortable, so he tried to make it easier for her to talk. "Are you back to visit your folks?"
The insistent hesitation from the girl alarmed him and it was then that Thomas realized the full extent of the context they were in.
As far as he knew, Emily Spencer lived in New York and had been doing so for the past years. He hadn't heard much about her because she was a forbidden subject whenever Lucas was around and there was no one else Thomas could ask. But now, she was standing in the middle of a hospital corridor, back in her hometown, looking paler and more drained than Thomas ever remembering seeing her.
Almost instantly, a red flag rose in his mind and even though he knew he was being nosy, Thomas cared too much not to ask. Trying to be as gentle as possible and hoping to somehow be able to help her, the young doctor looked deeply into her eyes before asking.
"Emily… Are you sick?"