Thanks ever so for the lovely reviews all! Glad to know some people are enjoying the fic.
Growing Up Chase
By Rebel Yell
Part Ten (Age 16)
" Hello?" Rob started, he didn't recognize the voice on the other end of the line. It wasn't Marites, his father's maid/cook. It definitely wasn't his father.
" May I…" He paused, gathered himself, and began again. "May I speak to Dr. Rowan Chase, please?"
" Rowan won't be in for an hour. May I ask whose calling, and take a message?"
" Please ask him to call Robert, at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital."
" Robert…is there a last name?"
" He'll know who I am. He has the extension number as well."
" I'll give him the message as soon as he returns. If you're a colleague, you can call him at his office. He'll be there another half hour."
" Please just give him the message." Rob hung up the phone, and turned to face his mother. She was looking at him oddly, and he shrugged half-heartedly. There was no point telling her that he'd called his father's home, and gotten an unknown female, "He must have a new assistant."
" She didn't know who you were, did she?"
" Mum, please, you can't get upset. You're very ill."
" I can forgive him many things, Robbie. I can't forgive him for leaving you."
" It's all right, Mum. Please, don't get upset."
" It's not all right. I know I…I say horrid things to you sometimes Robbie. But you know I love you, don't you? I never mean to hurt you. You know that, don't you?"
" I know, Mum. I know you love me." He didn't add that he also knew she loved the gin more.
" My beautiful boy. You're getting so grown up on me, Robbie. Fifteen now."
" I'm sixteen." He corrected easily. She hadn't gotten his age consistently right since the divorce, when she started drinking - he kept expecting her to pop up still thinking he was eleven.
" How ever did I let you turn sixteen without a party?"
" You were sick." He shrugged, having cancelled the tentative plans for a party when his mother had decided to try to stop drinking just before his birthday. It would have been his best present, certainly, if it didn't mean DT's and seizures and so much else that his birthday went by unnoticed. And she was back drinking within a month. She kept trying to quit, and she never could stay off the alcohol. He wasn't enough of a reason. Maybe if he were younger still, needed her more…but they both knew he was taking care of her more than the other way round.
" Victoria?" A priest was in the doorway, and Victoria waved him inside with a smile.
" Father Foley! Please come in. Have you met my Robbie before?"
" I've not had the pleasure, but the nurses have told me quite a bit about you, Robbie."
" Just Robert, or Rob, if you please, sir. Except to Mum, I've not been Robbie in years."
" He's growing up on me, Father. Isn't it some sort of sin to grow up and leave his mother all alone like this?"
" I'm not going to leave you, Mum." It was a genuine reassurance, because he knew it was her biggest fear. She was convinced he would leave, just like his father had done. Considering the disease, and its progression, she'd be leaving him before he even had to worry about where he'd be attending university. Not that he would dare say that aloud.
"It's God's will, Victoria, that the young should grow into the old. I think you've a few years left though before he goes to university - or perhaps the seminary? Father Hawkins at St. Thomas is a friend of mine, he's mentioned you're a student of his, Rob. Quite the student, actually."
" He's a good boy, mostly." Victoria laughed, and continued, "I don't think he's built for the seminary, Father. It'd be a shame for a face like that to not create miniatures of itself, wouldn't it? No, he's far too handsome to be a priest. No offense, Father."
" None taken."
" Mum, please. I'm just all right, yeah?" Rob blushed, his gaze focused firmly on the floor. He hated it when she went on about his looks -- hated it whenever anyone did so, to tell truth.
" Have you considered a vocation, Robert? You are a student at a Catholic high school."
" Yes, I have. Still am. Father Hawkins thinks I might do well, but he also thinks I could be in medicine and the priesthood so I think he's just hoping to find someone to send on his next mission to Africa."
" Hmmm. Father Hawkins is a good recruiter for missions, I must admit."
" My father wants me to be a doctor. Mum wants me to stay a little boy -"
" I just can't bear the thought of not being the most important person in his life." Victoria cut in, smiling again as she reached out to grab her son's hand. "Selfish of me, isn't it? Wanting to hoard him away for myself. My dear boy."
" Mum." He was blushing again, knowing she was in the sort of mood to start gushing about how wonderful he was.
" Robert, it's my right as your mother to embarrass you. You just have to tolerate it. For just a bit longer, at any rate."
" The doctors could be wrong. You could have loads longer to embarrass me." All right, so they took turns lying to each other. It seemed to be what the whole family was best at - avoiding the truths that they all knew but didn't want to mention.
" My sweet, hopeful, boy. Why don't you go do some of that homework I know you have, Robbie? Father Foley and I need to talk."
" I'll be back when they serve dinner, then. I love you, Mum."
" Love you, sweet boy. Go on, physics is calling your name. I don't want you falling behind in your work while I'm in hospital."