A Promise Kept
Chapter 21
Mike watched Steve closely and saw him looking disdainfully at the covered dish before him. Before he had a chance to press the issue again, a dark haired nurse popped her head around Steve's door and called out to Lisa.
"Lisa. Have you time to give me a hand with Mr. Alexander in room two please? He's due to have his wound cleaned and he's giving me a hard time. I'm going to need help."
Lisa frowned and felt torn. Her main aim right now was to get Steve to eat before Dr. Lowell arrived later but Lisa had seen Mr. Alexander's temper in action before and knew it wasn't fair on Loretta to let her cope on her own. She looked at Steve who was still staring somewhat disparagingly at his tray and then at the flustered looking nurse who was invoking her help at the door. Noticing her dilemma, Mike intervened thoughtfully.
"Oh that's alright. I can handle this. You go ahead and help with Mr. Alexander. We'll be fine."
Lisa smiled gratefully at the older man she had come to admire so much.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. Go ahead."
Lisa nodded her gratitude and hurried out to join a rather relieved looking Loretta. As the door closed Mike turned and saw Steve still staring at the dish in the vain hope that it might just disappear if he stared at it long enough.
"Are you going to keep staring at it or are you ever going to lift the lid and see what it is first, huh?"
Steve looked up and grinned at Mike's sarcasm and dealt some back
"Well now that you mention it, I'd rather just stare at it actually ..."
Mike's serious glare in return, told Steve that the fun was now over and that Mike was back in serious mode in an earnest attempt to get him to eat. Realizing that he was going to have to get it over with sooner or later he reached out and lifted the lid and dropped it to the side and Mike grinned as it reminded him of the many times that Steve had picked an offending anchovy off his side of the pizza from Tony's and discarded it to the side with the very same look of distaste on his face. As the lid dropped away so did the very remote appetite that Steve had left. The sight of the offending dish caused a distinct green tinge to colour Steve's cheeks as he attempted to push the tray away from him ... yet Mike held it firm.
"Hey! Hey, hold on now. What's the matter?"
Steve looked sideways up at Mike incredulously at the fact that he even had to ask the question.
"What's the matter?" he repeated in a tone of utter disbelief. "LOOK at it Mike."
Mike leaned over and surveyed the dish and again to Steve's dismay he answered plainly.
"Looks ok to me."
Steve again stared at Mike open mouthed.
"Well for starters ... What IS IT?"
"Well it's obviously ... an omelette of some kind ..."
"An OMELETTE? " Steve repeated again to Mike's added annoyance as he continued to seemingly parrot everything that Mike was saying. " Mike? I don't know what kind of omelettes you eat but THAT doesn't like any omelette I've ever eaten!"
Mike in actual fact agreed with the young man in the bed but was trying to be positive about it in order to get him to eat so he tried once more to cajole Steve.
"Ok, ok it looks a little different from normal omelettes but ..."
"You THINK?" Steve interrupted, horrified that the older man was still trying to defend the merits of eating the opaque looking mess on the plate in front of him.
"... Will you let me finish? They make them in large batches in Hospitals for all the patients so ... it's just been made a while, that's all ..."
Mike frowned as he saw Steve's face contort again in disgust and he realized that his explanation hadn't really been as encouraging as he had meant it to sound. Trying again he remained upbeat and encouraged again.
"Look, it probably tastes better than it looks Steve. You've got to start eating something Buddy boy. Just try some will you? Please ... Come on ... One bite."
Mike picked up the knife and fork and cut a mouth sized piece, albeit bigger than Steve would have preferred and spearing it with the fork he handed the offending article to Steve. Steve looked once more pleadingly at Mike to let him off the hook out of pure mercy alone but Mike's gaze was relentless. Steve brought the piece steadily towards his mouth but then dropped it back onto the plate much to Mike's increasing disappointment.
"Ugh, it even smells vile Mike. I CAN'T eat that." he protested covering his nose and mouth with his good hand.
"Steve, for heaven's sake. Just hold your nose, pop it in and chew and swallow it, will you? Wash it down with the juice on the tray if you have to but get some of it in to you, will you? Come on."
Steve picked up the knife instead and started stabbing the offending omelette curiously. If Mike hadn't felt so frustrated by the whole process he actually might have laughed at Steve's careful but judgemental dissection of the omelette.
"What are you doing now? Trying to see if it's still alive?"
Steve chuckled half-heartedly at Mike's dry wit and then spoke seriously.
"Well that mightn't be a bad idea ..."
Seeing the Stone Glare again aimed in his direction he changed tactics and asked once more in a disgruntled tone.
"What are the red bits Mike?"
Mike leaned over again, his patience waning as he examined the "red bits" Steve was referring to. Not wanting to admit that he himself wasn't too sure, he flustered awkwardly.
"Tomato pieces ... I think ... Or maybe red peppers ..."
At the uncertainty, Steve stared at Mike and scowled further. Mike tried once more to rescue the situation.
"Well do you have something against red peppers or tomatoes?"
"Not usually ... NO! "
It was Mike's turn to scowl as he picked up the forked piece one last time and shoved it in Steve's direction.
"Just EAT IT, will you? PLEASE ..." Mike pleaded desperately, as his patience ran out temporarily, remembering in the moment all the times he had tried to get Jeannie to eat things she didn't like in her youth and not quite believing that here he was trying to do the same for his thirty two year old friend.
Steve glared and grabbed the fork and wrestled once more with the idea of putting it anywhere near his mouth let alone into his stomach. Knowing even by the look of it that it was going to take a lot of liquid to help him swallow it, he asked another question.
" Mike, what kind of juice is it?"
Mike picked up the glass and examined it and deciding to lighten the tension that was building in Room five by the minute, he answered humorously.
"Apple ... Or ... maybe orange."
As Steve's face fell and looked horrified, Mike chuckled uncontrollably and patted Steve's arm.
"I'm sorry ... I'm just kidding with you. It's definitely apple juice, ok? Will you relax a bit Buddy boy? "
Steve half smiled but remained serious all the same.
"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to eat this!"
Starting to feel sympathy for the young man in the bed, Mike reached over and took the fork back from Steve and to the younger man's surprise he popped the piece in his own mouth. He tried to keep his face as impassive as he could but the rubbery piece of food didn't taste that good and was a struggle to chew and swallow. Putting a brave face on it, after several intense seconds of chewing the older man swallowed it and while feeling in his heart that there was no way in hell, Steve was going to be able to stomach the atrocious dish that had been offered to him, he still spoke bravely.
"See! A bit chewy but ... not that bad ..."
The older man felt bad for his little white lie but the young man HAD to eat and so he felt he was doing what he had to, to make that happen.
Steve hadn't liked the amount of time Mike had taken to chew and swallow the piece he had consumed and took one more disdainful look at the plate in front of him.
"Mike? It ... It looks like something I made earlier ..." he said as his stomach started to churn again at the mere prospect of it's imminent arrival.
Mike's face fell this time at Steve's statement and his own stomach gave a little somersault as his face distorted in disgust.
"Aw Steve! Did you have to say that after I ate some? ... Now you've even put ME off it!"
Steve grinned at Mike's reaction but was apologetic none the less.
"Sorry ... But that's what it reminds me of with all the little pieces in it ..."
" ... ALRIGHT STEVE. I get the picture. You don't have to SPELL it out for me, ok? Look. I know it's not the most appetising looking dish in the world but it's all we've got right now. Dr. Lowell is due around to see you soon and wouldn't it look better if we could at least tell him you TRIED to eat something, huh?" Mike cajoled further. "Just hold your nose, close your eyes and eat some ok? Wash it down if you have to."
Steve nodded glumly. As usual Mike was right even when he didn't really want him to be. With a renewed sense of bravado, Steve closed his eyes and popped the newly cut piece of omelette into his mouth and chewed furiously. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to gag on the first taste and texture of the food particle in his mouth. He bravely chewed for several more seconds but was starting to panic at the fact that his throat was refusing point blank to swallow it. Mike could feel Steve's anxiety increase as the tension in the room become almost palpable. Sensing Steve's difficulty, he handed the juice glass to Steve and after several mouthfuls finally the piece went down and despite two vain attempts by his gag reflex to repel it, he finally managed to get it to stay down. The toll that eating just that one piece of food had taken on Steve was worrying to the older man and he despaired at being able to get much more of the offered meal into his former partner.
By the time Lisa returned twenty minutes later into room five, the sorry scene that met her eyes sent her rushing back over towards the bed. The first thing she noticed was her patient leaning sideways to his right, looking decidedly off color, his eyes closed and his head hanging over a basin with an exhausted looking Mike rubbing the young man's back and looking totally defeated. The tray of food was pushed as far away from the bed as it could possibly be. Arriving quickly back towards the two men, she now noticed that whatever Steve had managed to consume had subsequently returned as Mike's tired sounding voice broke the silence.
"I'm sorry Lisa. He really tried his best. He got about a third of it down but the last mouthful he managed to swallow just brought the whole lot back up again. I don't know what we're going to do to get him to eat AND manage to keep it down."
Lisa felt sorry for the older man who she could tell by the audible concern in his voice was feeling anxious about Steve's inability to eat properly. Taking charge she spoke positively.
"It's not uncommon Mike for there to be appetite issues with patients recovering from heart surgery. We'll just have to go about it a little differently that's all. "
Then turning to Steve who was trembling slightly after his recent traumatic ordeal, she placed a soothing hand against his forehead as she checked for a raised temperature cleverly at the same time. Relieved when she felt the cool skin beneath her fingertips, she spoke softly.
"Steve? Are you ok now? Has the nausea passed?"
Steve merely nodded his head weakly and so Lisa removed the offending basin and started cleaning up. Soon the tray of food had been removed from Steve's sight and he was sitting up, albeit lying back against the pillows, still with a decidedly green tinge to his face. He had thin beads of sweat along his brow line and remained worryingly quiet as he rested with his eyes closed. Mike now had a firm grip of the young man's hand that lay on the bed and was watching him closely, concern etched all over his face. Lisa came around to the older man and spoke in a hushed tone, reassuringly.
"Mike, please try not to worry. At least he tried and we know that he's just not able to keep food down yet. We can tell Dr. Lowell that when he gets here. It's best to just let him rest for now. Other than the nausea, he's doing fine."
But Mike shook his head reproachfully, his eyes never leaving Steve for a second.
"No, no it's my fault. I kept giving him more and more pieces. I just thought ... Well if we could just get him to keep it down that he might turn the corner but the more I got him to eat, the more he was struggling and the ... more he was gagging. Even then I kept telling him to try and keep it from coming back. I could tell he was doing his best to try and keep me happy but when he swallowed that last piece, the gagging got worse. I ... I was afraid he was going to choke so I told him to get rid of it. Maybe if I'd just stopped a little earlier, he might have kept some of it down but NO ... I had to keep PUSHING him! "
Mike balled his left hand into a fist and brought it up to his mouth, his annoyance with himself palpable. Lisa put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Mike you mustn't blame yourself. If Steve's stomach wasn't ready to accept food even one piece wouldn't have stayed down. It's not your fault. You meant well."
"Between you and me, I don't think that so called Hospital food is helping matters any either. It's really awful. It tastes and looks like cardboard!"
Lisa smiled again at Mike's comments.
"Well, I can't really disagree with you there. It's not the best but ... don't tell them I said that." she added lightheartedly, desperately trying to bolster the older man's visibly sagging spirits but Mike was barely listening as he was trying to figure out a solution to Steve's eating problems singlehandedly.
"I'd make him something myself and bring it in for him but I only know how to make a few dishes and most of them include fish of some sorts and somehow I don't think tuna casserole would sit too well wth his stomach the way it is right now. Now my daughter Jeannie ... well she's a GREAT cook ... just like ... her mother Helen was. "
Mike's face grew sad and Lisa watched as he paused briefly before continuing.
"She was managing to get him to eat while she was home but ... well she had to go back to college you see. She's studying in Arizona you know? Architecture and social planning, would you believe? "
Lisa felt a strange vibe emanating from the older man and again felt the need to intercede.
"Sounds like you really miss her when she's away at College, huh?"
Mike covered the truth with a smile as he answered the kindly young nurse.
"That obvious, huh? Yeah ... I miss her but ... well my work keeps me busy and ... Hey wait a minute! I almost forgot. Jeannie left loads of food for him in his freezer. Say do you think it would be ok to bring some of that food in to try and get him to eat?"
Lisa was relieved to hear the definite rise in Mike's spirits and the return of his vibrant enthusiasm and she beamed back accordingly.
"I'm sure that won't be a problem Mike, but for now ... I think we're going to have to go back to basics with him. "
"Basics? What does that mean?"
"Nutrition shakes. We'll start him off with those until his stomach settles a little then we should be able to progress more slowly onto real food. But he'll get there Mike. They always do."
Mike's face had turned thoughtful as Lisa had mentioned the nutrition shakes.
"I remember those. Helen used to have to take them when she was really sick and couldn't stomach anything ... just like Steve is now. She said they tasted alright. You think he'll manage those?"
Lisa smiled .
"I think he should manage those. Let him just get over that for now and I'll bring him one in a while and we'll see ... Besides, it's six o clock now. Rita will be back on duty in an hour's time. She's an expert when it comes to getting the patients to eat again. He'll be alright. "
At the mention of the time, Mike quickly glanced at his watch and startled as he saw how late it was. While in some ways Mike felt that it hadn't been that long since Rita had gone home, in other ways with the strain of the days events having fully taken their toll on the older man, it had seemed an eternity in other ways since she'd been there helping him to keep counsel. The mention of Rita's imminent return also had a strangely uplifting effect on his spirits too. While Lisa had more than exceeded his expectations and had looked after Steve and him too with compassion and unfaltering dedication he felt that Rita was more qualified and used to dealing with all the things Steve now needed help with but more than that he was looking forward to her company again. He smiled a weary smile and nodded gratefully as Lisa gathered up all the things that needed removing and left Room five once more.
Steve had barely moved and Mike once again wondered if in fact the young man was actually back asleep. He leaned back in his chair and was just about to pick up the fishing magazine again when Steve's somewhat raspy voice drew his attention.
"Mike? ... It wasn't your fault ... It was mine ... I'm sorry I couldn't keep it down ... I really tried Mike ..."
"Hey, hey now. I know you did and I shouldn't have pushed you so hard. And you were right too ... It DID taste awful!" Mike dolefully admitted
Mike watched as Steve opened his eyes and stared at Mike incredulously.
"You said it didn't taste that bad!"
Mike blushed slightly and stammered apologetically.
"I know. I know I did. I ... Well I just said that to get you to eat something ... Sorry ... You're not sore at me are you?"
Steve relaxed a little more and he smiled.
"No ... No I'm not sore at you. How could I be? You've been stuck here with me in this infernal place since yesterday morning. You must be as sick of it as I am."
Steve looked downhearted again and Mike nudged him gently.
"Are you still feeling nauseous?"
"No ... No, it's easing off again. My throat's a bit sore though. " Steve uncharacteristically admitted as he swallowed and winced from the discomfort.
Mike looked sympathetically at the young man in the bed.
"Well I'm not really surprised with the force in which you just threw up! I guess trying to stop it for so long wasn't such a good idea, huh?"
It was Steve's turn to blush as he recalled the embarrassing incident from minutes before and hated the fact that Mike had witnessed it yet AGAIN! Trying to look at the positives for once, Steve ventured humorously.
"At least I didn't get YOU this time."
Mike grinned.
"True ... And for that I am VERY grateful Buddy boy." Mike joked back as they both smiled.
As silence descended again momentarily, Mike suddenly remembered his earlier purchases and thought that now might be a good time to give them to Steve as a means of distracting him from his troubles.
"Oh! I almost forgot. I got you these earlier."
Mike reached down beside his chair and produced the three car magazines and placed them on Steve's lap. Steve smiled as he looked at all three and flustered gratefully.
"Thanks Mike. But one would have been enough though. You didn't have to get three."
"Well I ... I really wasn't sure which one you'd like and ... In all the times I've seen those car magazines on your desk or ... back in your apartment on your coffee table, you know I never once looked at the name. Isn't that funny? So I ... Well I just got all three ..."
Mike's flustered remembrances of their lives as working partners brought with them a certain sense of remorse and regret and Steve stammered in reply.
"They're fine Mike ... thanks. "
Another awkward silence developed and so this time Steve saw the fishing magazine on the bedside locker and used it as a means to push the conversation forward past the memories that were currently bringing them both down.
"I see you got one too to pass the time, huh?"
"Oh yeah. Well it was either that or a " learn to crochet" magazine."
Steve burst out laughing at that statement and Mike joined him, playfully nudging Steve as he spoke through the giggles.
"What? Don't you think I could learn to crochet? Huh?"
"I don't think it quite fits your image Mike ... No."
"I think you're right ..." Mike replied and the laughter started up again.
As the laughter slowly died down, Mike reached into his jacket packet and felt the two packets of sunflower seeds he had put there earlier. Deciding right now to only produce one, he took one out and with a degree of caution he slowly placed then on the bed beside Steve and stammered tentatively.
"I ah ... well I decided to ... get you some of those too ..."
Seeing Steve's smile fade a little as he saw what Mike had placed on the bed, Mike quickly continued.
"Look Steve, I know you said that you didn't feel like them but well ... maybe if you keep them around you then ... well maybe you might feel like them sometime, huh?"
Mike watched as Steve placed his fingers on the packet and looked strangely at them and wondered what was going through his mind. Hoping he hadn't caused any further upset to the young man by the purchase, he flustered accordingly as he placed his hand over Steve's.
"I'm sorry Steve ... Maybe I shouldn't have bought them for you. I can take them away if you prefer?"
Steve seemed to snap back from whatever thoughts he had been mulling over and shook his head.
"No, that's alright. Thanks for buying them for me but ... Can you just put them in the locker please? I ... I just don't feel like them yet Mike."
"Sure ... I understand ..." Mike answered as he took the seeds from under Steve's fingertips and stowed them out of sight in the bedside locker.
Steve could see the visible disappointment on Mike's face and regretted being so openly negative about the seeds Mike had bought him. He just wasn't ready to face them again just yet. Trying to make up for his blatant negativity, he spoke in a more upbeat tone.
"Mike why don't you go and get something to eat, that is if ... well ... if I haven't put you off eating for life."
Mike smiled and patted Steve's arm.
"No, no you haven't put me off eating but omelettes ... Well now there's another story. I never want to see another omelette for as long as I live."
Steve chuckled lightheartedly.
"I can't argue with you on that one. Me neither, especially if there are indistinguishable red bits in it."
"Oh Steve! Please ... Don't remind me. Ok, well ... Maybe I will go and grab a bite to eat. You sure you'll be ok while I'm gone? You're not going to try anymore escape attempts are you?"
Steve smiled back.
"NO. No, don't worry. I learned THAT lesson the hard way. I'll be fine. I'm just going to flick through these magazines you got me ..."
Steve stopped mid-sentence to stifle a sudden yawn then continued humorously.
"Looks like I might even grab another forty winks. You know by the time I get out of here the staff are going to be calling me Rip Van Winkle."
Mike stood up and smiled a mischievous grin.
"Oh I don't know about that. If you don't eat something and manage to keep it down soon, they're going to be calling you Chucky."
"HEY! ..."
Steve pretended to look insulted and playfully swatted at the older man as he dodged the blow and moved closer to the end of the bed. Mike then laughed and tickled Steve's feet teasingly.
"I'm only kidding you ... I won't be long. Take it easy while I'm gone and get some rest. Ok?"
Steve giggled and pulled his feet up away from the end of the bed instinctively.
"Ok ... Ok ... I will ... now go eat " Steve answered between giggles and watched humorously as Mike saluted playfully and then left the room.
He then relaxed back against the pillows and picked up the first magazine from the pile and opened it. Flicking through it casually he turned at a page that showcased the latest model Porsche 911. He smiled and settled down to reading about a car he knew he could never afford, but it didn't stop him admiring it and enjoying reading about it all the same. For now it was a welcome distraction. After several minutes of avid reading, the door opened and Lisa returned into the room. Seeing her patient sitting up and reading, she smiled and came forward, placing the object in her hands on the windowsill out of his sight for now, before approaching his bed.
"Well you have a little more colour back in your face. Are you feeling any better?"
"Yeah ... yeah much better."
"Good, well I'm afraid my shift is almost over so I need to do my final set of checks before I hand you back over to Rita again. Is it ok if we do them now?"
"Sure ... That's fine."
Steve dropped the magazine back onto the bed as Lisa took his pulse, blood pressure and temperature and wrote down her findings onto his chart. Then she put more soothing gel on the spots on his chest where the earlier pads had caused a reaction, noting that at least they looked less angry and inflamed. Then she examined his wrist wound and chest wound and smiled as she saw both dressings were still clean. When she had finished she stood up and spoke.
"Well Steve, you're doing really well. If we can just get you to eat and keep some food down now, we'd have you out of here before you know it. Speaking of which ..." she began as she headed towards the windowsill and brought something back towards the bed hidden slightly behind her back. Steve's face fell at her words and he started to protest.
"Oh you're not going to make me eat something else are you? Only I really don't think I ..."
"Relax! No eating involved. Scouts honour. However ... I am going to ask you to try and DRINK something instead" she explained as she produced a lidded cup with a straw sticking out of it, from behind her back and placed it on the over the bed table in front of Steve.
Steve looked dubiously at the offending cup and then glanced back up at Lisa.
"What is it?"
"It's a shake."
"A shake?" Steve asked, remaining highly suspicious.
"Yes ... Just a shake. I wasn't sure what flavour you'd like so I chose chocolate. I hope that's ok?"
Steve continued to eye up the shake and the nurse with an increasing curiosity.
"There's got to be a catch here. Is this a real chocolate shake or is it something else disguised as a chocolate shake?"
"Ah! Now you're using your detective skills huh? " Lisa teased as Steve smiled.
"Well they do still come in handy sometimes, yeah ..."
"Ok, the truth is ... it's a nutrition shake ..."
"I KNEW IT! I knew it." Steve repeated feeling vindicated for feeling that all was not as it should be.
"Now wait before you make your judgement. It tastes ok honestly and it's easier to take AND easier on your upset stomach. If you manage to get some of these into you, you might even get off that annoying drip. Come on, try it will you? For me?"
Steve saw Lisa's pleading face and felt compelled to at least try it.
"Well, I guess I owe you that much. I haven't exactly made your shift an easy one have I?"
"It's been eventful that's for sure. So ... Does that mean you'll try it for me?"
"Ok ... But I'm just going to try it. No promises ..."
"Fair enough."
She handed him the cup and very cautiously Steve raised it to his lips. Before it even reached his lips though, he looked around and Lisa saw him eyeing up where the basin he had unfortunately needed the use of earlier was. Reading his mind she spoke encouragingly.
"You won't be needing that Steve."
Blushing a little, as the nurse had anticipated his glance, he asked nervously.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Almost certain ..."
"Only almost?"
"Ok then, one hundred percent certain, how's that for confidence?"
Steve smiled.
"That's pretty confident. Ok ... Then I'll drink to your confidence."
Making a face before it even touched his lips, he sucked at the straw and Lisa watched him anxiously. However he seemed to be finding the taste acceptable as she watched him stop and then take a little more. He took it from his mouth and looked surprised at the young nurse.
"Actually ... that's not bad."
"See! I told you, didn't I?"
"Yeah. Yeah you did. Do I ... have to drink it all right now though?"
"No, you have an hour to try and get it all into you slowly. I'll leave it it with you. Just keep sipping at it slowly and I'll see you tomorrow morning. Hopefully you'll have a better night tonight. Take care."
"Thanks Lisa for ... everything. "
"You're welcome. Take care."
Steve watched her leave and sipped once more at the lidded beverage, very surprised that something that was actually medicinal, tasted so good. He picked up the magazine and found the page and spot he had been reading and settled back to read some more. After a few more minutes, Steve felt his eyes start to close of their own accord and as he started to fall asleep the magazine fell from his loosened grip and slipped off his lap and off the bed, hitting the floor. The low thump as it hit the floor never even registered with the young man in the bed as the tiredness washed over him and pulled him back into a healing slumber.
Ground Floor : Franklin Hospital : A Half Hour Earlier :
Mike had headed downstairs towards the Hospital Cafeteria. As he walked wearily, in a world of his own, down the corridor, a sudden call of his name made him spin around and to his delight he saw Rita heading towards him.
"Rita! Well you're a little early aren't you? You're not on shift for another hour."
"Well I'm afraid that's what happens when your patients become your only family. You tend to feel the need to get back to them a little early sometimes. How has Steve been?"
Rita frowned as she saw Mike's earlier smile fade and saw a definite weariness return.
"Not great. I mean his temperature seems to have settled but ... well that breaking point you spoke of ... Well I think he reached it today ..."
"Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear that. Was it ... very bad? "
Mike opened his mouth to answer and suddenly didn't know where to begin the sorry tale. Then getting an idea he flustered a question instead.
"Seeing as you're early Rita and if it's not too assuming of me I wonder if ... you'd care to join me for a coffee in the Cafeteria and I'll tell you all about it. I was just heading there for a sandwich."
Mike swallowed hard as he waited for the nurse's response.
"Well I do have to check in with CCU in about a half an hour ..."
Feeling her flustered response was a polite excuse, Mike stammered nervously.
"Oh that's OK ... I understand ... Well you hardly know me and ... I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that ..."
Rita smiled as she saw the older man fussing over his words.
"Well actually if you had let me finish I WAS going to say that I'd LOVE to ..."
"You were? ... I mean you WOULD?"
Rita chuckled again at Mike's surprise.
"Yes ... I really would. "
Mike's face lit up and he beamed at the woman in front of him as he held out his hand for Rita to go first.
"Well that's swell ... Please ... after you. "
Rita nodded courteously at the Lieutenant's impeccable manners and headed towards the Cafeteria with Mike following right behind.
Just as they disappeared through the Double doors of the Cafeteria, the main Hospital doors opened and Jeannie came through them.
Jeannie had spent so much time here at Franklin during Steve's initial hospitalisation that she already knew the way to CCU and so made her way down the corridor towards the elevators. Before she had set out from home she had rang Mary Lou as promised to let her know that she had arrived safe and sound and had been delayed by the call as Mary Lou had passed on instructions from Professor Richards about different aspects of the course she was required to study for her exams. Finally her journey to the Hospital had been hindered by the frustrating long wait she had endured for a taxi to come to the house and pick her up and the slow, late afternoon traffic. Finally here now, the butterflies in her stomach seemed to have become more agitated as she pressed the button for the upper floor and headed up in the direction of CCU. She had felt brave on the way but now that a meeting with her father was possibly just moments away, she began to worry that his reaction on seeing her might not be as positive as she hoped it would be. Then there was Steve. She worried about what condition she would find him in. She recalled how sickly he had been on his first week home and shivered in the empty elevator. She HAD faithfully promised she wouldn't try to come home because of his call and although she had crossed her fingers during the promise, she wondered if he would be cross at her for breaking the promise he had specifically requested of her. While she still felt that this was where she needed to be for all concerned, she only hoped that she could convince the two other men of that fact. Before she could dwell on the subject any more the elevator pinged and arrived at its destination and the steel doors opened.
Stepping out, she saw the familiar corridor leading to CCU and took a steadying breath. With a renewed confidence that belied the nerves that were churning up her stomach she settled her leather handbag over her shoulder and strode down towards the Unit and arrived at the nurse's desk at the front. Requesting to see Steve Keller the nurse on duty at the desk dashed her hopes immediately.
"I'm sorry but visitors are very restricted up here in CCU. Unless you are a relative I'm afraid I can't let you in to see him."
"I understand that they're the rules but Steve ... doesn't have any family to speak of here in San Francisco and me and my father Mike Stone are the nearest thing he has to family. Mike's with him now ... I think ... Please can you even let me speak to HIM please?"
Luckily for Jeannie, Lisa had just arrived back beside the desk with Steve's fully completed chart and heard the last few sentences from the young woman who was pleading for admittance. Stepping forward she intervened.
"That's alright Loretta. I'll take this. I'm sorry Miss. Did you just say that you were Mike Stone's daughter?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then you ... must be Jeannie?"
Jeannie smiled at the newly arrived nurse.
"Yes ... Did Mike tell you about me?"
"He sure did. But I don't think ... he was expecting to see you ..."
Jeannie looked slightly embarrassed.
"No, I'm afraid he isn't. I tried to call him but I couldn't reach him so I guess it's going to be something of a surprise when he sees me. I just hope he thinks it's a good surprise." she added nervously.
Lisa smiled.
"Oh, I think he'll be pleased to see you alright. He ... misses you when you're in college, you know?"
Jeannie's heart warmed at Lisa's words and she found herself stammering.
"He does? ... Did he tell you that?"
Lisa nodded.
"Come on in. I'll bring you to see Steve but I'm afraid you just missed your father. He headed down to the Cafeteria to grab something to eat just a while ago. He did say though that he wouldn't be long."
As Jeannie followed the nurse towards the all too familiar door leading to Room Five, she stopped the nurse briefly
"How is Steve? Is he ... alright?"
"Don't worry. He's doing fine. His infection is under control and his temperature has settled but he's still having some scar issues and his stomach is still a little upset. He hasn't been able to keep any food down but we've started him on nutrition shakes and so far he's tolerating them but he's only just got his first one so we have to wait and see how he gets on with them."
Jeannie swallowed hard as she heard the nurse's detailed account of Steve's current condition. She was glad to hear that the infection was under control but the mention of his upset stomach brought back many unpleasant and heart rending memories. She remembered all the other times Steve had been very sick after coming out of Hospital and had hoped that those troubles were behind him. To hear he was now back to square one both saddened and worried her. The mention of the nutrition shakes also brought back more tortuous memories of her own Mother's illness. She remembered as a young child, Mike making them up for her Mother and how she had asked him on many occasions why her Mother wasn't eating with them like she used to. Lisa saw the young woman lost in her thoughts and placed a gentle hand on her arm, drawing her attention.
"Jeannie? Are you alright?"
Jeannie startled and then pulled herself together again bravely.
"Yes, yes thank you. I'm fine. "
Lisa smiled and then opened the door carefully to Steve's room and lead the way inside. She smiled wider as she saw the young man asleep and his earlier magazine on the floor beside his bed. Going over beside his bed, Lisa picked up the magazine off the floor and gathered up the others that were haphazardly falling off the young man's lap and put them on the bedside tray. She then picked up the shake and shook it gently. She could tell by the sound that it was half gone and smiled at the fact that he had managed to drink so much without incident. Picking up Steve's wrist gently and taking his pulse, more to check his level of consciousness than anything else, she noted he didn't even budge or respond to the touch.
"He seems to be fast asleep I'm afraid. The sickness is taking a lot out of him. "
"That's ok. Would it be ok if I just sit with him until he wakes up?"
"Sure that's fine. I'm heading off duty soon but Rita will be in to check on him. It was really nice meeting you. I'm sure Mike will be thrilled to see you."
Jeannie smiled in response and thanked the nurse for her help in getting her in to see Steve and then watched as the nurse left the room. She hoped that Lisa was right and that she could talk Mike around to allowing her to stay with them for a while. Then she quietly lifted the chair forward and sat down in it. Steve looked peaceful but very pale. She saw the various wires and drips attached to him and looking around the familiar looking room, she remembered with much anxiety the last time she had sat in this chair and kept him company. Listening to the heart monitor beeping gently and Steve's low breathing she settled back in the chair to wait for either Steve to wake up or Mike to return, whichever happened first. Whatever happened now, she had made her decision and she stood by it! Only time would tell now what their reactions would be.