Chapter Eleven
Two days after his surgery, Rudy found Steve out of bed (on his own!) and standing at the window to watch Jaime on her first morning of outside exercise with Michael.
"She's doing really well," Steve said with a lop-sided grin, ignoring the doctor's shocked expression.
"What are you doing?" Rudy demanded.
"Watching Jaime," Steve said, like it was the most logical, natural answer in the world. "I'm not ready to become a professional patient, Rudy. I want outta here. No offense."
Rudy shook his head in mock anger. "At least sit down."
Steve's eyes never left Jaime while Rudy checked him over. "She is ok...isn't she? Should she be doing that so soon?"
"She's still hurting," the doctor conceded, "but she's also one of the only human beings on the planet who's more stubborn than you are. Probably why you're such a perfect match."
"Probably," Steve agreed, noticing Oscar was watching Jaime, too, from a bench very close to where Michael was slowly and carefully leading her through her paces.
Rudy saw him, too. "Oscar's taking quite an interest in her recovery – yours, too – especially for someone on a leave of absence."
"Yeah, he's a good guy, but he worries too much." Casually, almost as an afterthought, Steve added "Think I'll head down there, too."
"Oh, no you don't!" Rudy told him. "Look around the room, Steve – take a really good look. This is the ICU – you are the patient. You will leave this room at this moment over my cold, dead body!"
"He giving you a hard time, Rudy?" Russ chimed in from the doorway in a very stern, official voice (while wearing an ear-to-ear grin). His tone changed to match his smile. "Hi, Steve."
"Explain to him the concept of 'rest and recuperation', will you, Russ?" Rudy said. Even though he meant it, he was smiling, too. "I'll be checking, Steve – be here!"
"Ok, Doc," Steve conceded. He turned to Russ, who was also watching the workout session. "Social call, Russ?"
"Just checking in on you and Jaime. Steve, what's going on with Oscar?"
"Huh?"
"He hasn't gone home since the two of you were admitted. He's been spending the nights dozing in a chair by Jaime's bed, or in Rudy's office."
"I think he still feels guilty," Steve ventured. Please let him buy that, he thought to himself.
"I know how close you and Jaime have always been," Russ continued, "and I hate to even say this, but, well, it almost looks like she and Oscar have a thing going..."
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Steve had been a part of the charade for long enough to be able to easily placate Russ – to laugh it off - because even Russ had to admit how ridiculous that sounded. He continued to watch at the window, while Russ went outside, and as soon as Jaime and Michael were done, he listened closely for their footsteps coming down the tile hallway, and whispered "Jaime, I need to talk to you."
She was there minutes later. "How ya feeling?" she asked, plopping down comfortably on the window sill.
"Real tired of being a patient."
Jaime laughed. "I know what you mean. What's up – you wanted to talk to me?"
Steve patted the edge of his bed. "Come sit here, by me." Eying him curiously, Jaime complied. Steve took her hand, feeling a brief twinge at the knowledge it could only be an act. "People are talking," he said slowly.
"Yeah; they tend to do that. Stifles the boredom of silence."
"Jaime -"
"Sorry. Talking about what?"
"You. And Oscar."
"Oh-oh..." she leaned down and kissed him. "Guess we have to make with the old song-and-dance again, huh?"
Steve flashed her a wicked grin. "Is it that terrible, kissing me?"
Jaime blushed. "Of course not! It's just that..."
"I know. You don't have to say any more. Look, like I told Oscar the other day, I wanna keep on helping you, keep on doing this, until you two are ready to enter the spotlight. You deserve the same chance as anyone else to be together, and I'll do anything I can to help you, for as long as it takes."
"Steve, we have no idea how long that'll be."
"I know. But I need something to fill my days; he's retiring me, you know."
Jaime looked sheepish. "It...was my idea."
"Thanks a lot. I know you meant well, though."
"Steve, Oscar said he's gonna keep you at full salary, and just retire you unofficially, so you can keep this going, but..."
"What?"
"Are you sure you still want to? That it isn't too hard?"
"Kissing you, especially if I'm getting paid for it, is most definitely an assignment I can live with." He chuckled as Jaime blushed again, and he reached out his arms to draw her in for just a little more of their act.
Oscar happened to choose that moment to pass by the door to the ICU, and he had to force himself not to react, to keep on walking. Seeing his wife in another man's arms – a man who still loved her, no less – was almost too much to swallow, but it was the only means they had to allow them to be together.
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