Here and Now
Connor Rhodes struggles with life choices, his career, parenting and broken relationships. But one thing is for sure, he will never be like his father.
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CH. 3
It was granted that Will and Connor weren't best friends, specially since Natalie had made it her mission to help her fellow single parent navigate the struggles of raising a child, but deep down she knew her boyfriend liked him.
He admired him really... not that he would ever admit it.
"What's going on with you?" Natalie asked as soon as she spotted Connor browsing through his most recent charts.
"What?"
"Connor, I know you, something is up." She said.
"Do you really? If you did then you'd know nothing is wrong". He turned his chair around to face her when she didn't try to leave.
"Connor, don't shut me down here, I'm trying to help you." She said. "Remember?"
"Will won't take it too kindly for you to worry so much about me." Connor said. "I'd rather not."
Natalie sighed. "This is not about Will, this about you and whatever thing you're dealing with."
Connor sighed. He'd never let anyone help him, he'd let Hannah's mom and she'd betrayed him in the worst possible way. He'd trusted Robin and she'd let him alone.
He had trusted his mother and she'd died.
All the women in his life had somehow left him... all but Hannah.
"My father wants to be part of Hannah's life," Connor said just as Natalie was reaching for the door. She turned back to look at him. "Maybe its a crisis of the mind or something but I don't want her to get her hopes up and have Cornelius crush her."
"Connor..."
"Pathetic, right?" He sighed. Natalie put a hand on his shoulder.
"Back when Jeff died, I was afraid Owen would never know him because of just how lonely I felt, Of course I didn't want to move on so quickly but I knew I couldn't just hold on to fear, Will has been amazing and Owen asks about his Daddy who loved him very much but who is now in heaven. My point is... you can't just shield them forever, Hannah needs to know where she comes from."
"Even if it's shameful and shallow?" Connor asked.
"It can't be that bad, you're an amazing Dad," Natalie smiled. Connor leaned back on the chair. "Feel better?"
"A little yeah,"
"Good, come on I need a consult." Connor moved his hand to the back of his neck in frustration.
"Daddy?" Hannah walked to to the park with Connor. Meghan had stayed back to give them some alone time. He'd barely seen his daughter this week. "I'm sorry I made you sad,"Connor held his breath "I won't go to grandpa's house if you don't want me to."
He stopped so he could face his child. "You never make me sad, you hear me? You are the best thing that's happened to me."
"But... Meghan said."
"Meghan says a lot of things honey. Daddy says them to, even your grandfather and they might not mean them."
"Doesn't grandpa love us?" Connor froze.
"Of course he does, he just has trouble showing it, do you understand?"
"Like Robin? Is he sick like Robin?" Hannah asked. Robin's condition had worsened and Connor had explained to her that she had to be taken to a new hospital.
"No, nothing like that, he's just...sad I guess." He didn't really want Hannah to hate him. He'd never want his child to despise another human being, specially for his own insecurities.
"Oh," Hannah said, deep in thought. "Okay, I'll wait then, maybe he'll feel batter once Santa comes."
Oh the innocence of childhood.
"Maybe." Connor said.
They'd reached the swings, Hannah sat in one as Connor began to push her. "Higher Daddy, higher!"
Connor smiled. No matter what kind of person his father was, he'd see to it that he never hurt his baby girl.
"Connor?" A familiar voice welcomed him into the Rhodes family home. He found himself in front of the family's old housekeeper.
A woman who had been with them for at least forty years. "As I live and breathe." She whispered. "My sweet boy"
"Hi Katie" Connor said. She hesitated for a moment, as if by hugging him he'd suddenly disappear. "Claire's told me a lot of things but I never thought I'd see you walk back here." Connor hugged the older woman close. "Have you lost weight?"
"A little yeah, work keeps me busy." Connor stepped a bit further inside. The house was colder than he remembered it.
"I'm sure running around that little girl of yours has something to do with it," Katie said knowingly.
Connor's heart sank. By cutting off his father he'd done the same to the people who had actually raised him. "It's quite alright sweetie, I didn't expect you to come back after what happened with your father."
"I'm sorry Katie," He admitted. "I should have come for you...I promised I would.."
"You were a child Connor," She said sadly. "I would never hold it against you. You made it good on your own."
"I should have come for you." Connor said.
"You have your little girl to care for now, I do hope you are doing everything I taught you." Connor smiled.
"Of course."
"Connor?" Claire's voice caught his attention. "What are you doing here?"
"Hello to you too Claire." He said bitterly. "I've come to see dad."
"Meghan told you."
"Hannah actually," Connor admitted. "She kept asking about her grandpa's beach house."
"Where is she?" His sister asked.
"With Meghan, I didn't want her here."
"This is her home,"
"No, it's not." Connor said coldly. "I've come to make things clear so you to don't get the wrong idea,"
"What's wrong with us wanting us to be part of your child's life?" Claire asked.
"Being part of her life by buying her off?" My kid is not for sale."
"Connor… what are you talking about?" Katie asked, her voice trembling.
Herman had called the ED. Sarah, Natalie and Will had come to get him.
"Connor?" He was sitting there at a stool, several empty shots around him. "Come on man, time to go."
"Who called you?" Herman raised his hands up. "Traitor."
"Rhodes, let's go." Will said again. "Get up, you have to get home,"
"Dr. Rhodes..." Sarah tried to no avail.
"Great, they sent the shrink, just what I need." He saw the pain in Sarah's eyes.
"Where's his car Herman?" Natalie asked. He handed her the keys. "Come on,"
"Leave me. Alone." Connor said dryly.
"Where's Hannah? Don't you think she's gonna be asking where you are?" Natalie said. His face softened. "You should be at home with her Connor, not here by yourself."
"She's going to hate me," Connor said, his voice breaking. "Everyone already does"
"Connor, let us help you." Sarah said softly.
What do you think happened Connor and his dad? And will something grow between Reese and Rhodes?
