Chapter 47
Robin walked into the locker room and smiled as she saw her boyfriend changing out of his street clothes and into his scrubs. "Don't put that on - I'm enjoying the view."
"Well this view still has rounds to do so I need to put my clothes on." He threw the scrub top on over his head.
"Alright but before you take off, I have a proposition for you." She sat down on the bench. "Michelle and Rylee are spending the night at the Quartermaines which means I have the house to myself."
"That's nice." Patrick was only half listening to her.
"Yes it is so why dont you come by and have dinner with me?"
Patrick thought quickly. "I'm busy."
"No, you're not - I checked your schedule and we have very few chances to be alone at my place." Robin took a sip from her coffee cup. "After all, we don't have to worry about the neighbors at my house."
He shook his head. He was at war with himself - he wanted to be with her but he didn't trust himself alone with her at this time. He looked at her and made his decision. "When do you want me?"
"Pretty much always."
Patrick laughed in spite of himself. "Cute. I mean what time?"
"Seven work for you?"
"I'll see you then."
_
Patrick stepped up to the nurses station. "Leyla, we need to go over what I need you to do tomorrow with the Jacobs surgery."
The dark haired woman took a step back. "Actually, I have requested a new mentor. I will be working with Dr. Julian from now on."
Patrick was shocked at her cold demeanor. "And why did you request the change?"
"I just felt like Dr. Julian would be a better match for me." Leyla took another step back. "I imagine you wont be doing surgeries for a while..."
"Why wouldn't I be doing surgeries?" Leyla had not been in the room with Patrick and Robin during the surgery.
The nursing student took another step back. "I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else. I have the approval of my professor to ask Dr. Julian to take over as my mentor. No matter what, I will not be working with you anymore."
"And this having nothing to do with my surgery yesterday or the accident I had while operating on an AIDS patient?"
"Dr. Drake, they are making wonderful advancements in HIV therapy. I'm sure you will be fine." Having said all she wanted to say, Leyla walked away to go meet with her new mentor.
Michelle stood in the background observing the whole exchange and quickly followed her fellow student down the hall. "Leyla, may I speak to you for a minute?"
Leyla rolled her eyes and turned around. "Yes, Michelle?"
"I have a question for you." She took a step towards Leyla. "Up until yesterday, you have done everything you could to try and get my mother's boyfriend into bed. Now you are dropping your pursuit," she snapped her fingers, "just like that. Why?"
"Look, if Patrick wants to take chances with life threatening diseases, that is his choice. Just like it is mine to distance myself from them."
"Great point of view for a nurse to have." The sarcasm dripped from Michelles tongue. "I hope you never are in a position where you have to help me."
"You weren't just infected with HIV."
"And neither was Patrick." Michelle had heard about the accident from her mom and knew Patrick's first test was negative.
"We won't know that for six months."
"I know one thing right now - you are an intolerant bitch." Michelle was furious with Leyla's behavior. And I am sure that our professor will be thrilled to know why you are removing yourself from Dr. Drake's team."
Leyla panicked. "I haven't done anything wrong. You can't..."
"I can and I am. You are refusing to work with a doctor because of their possible medical status. I think your ethical decisions need to be reviewed." Michelle stared the woman straight in the eyes. "You might want to think about transferring to another hospital because, if I have my way, you won't have to worry about working with Patrick or my mom ever again."
Leyla didn't say another word, just scurried off down the hall. Michelle heard a slow clapping behind her and saw her mom standing there. "Mom, I didn't see you there."
"I guess not." Robin started laughing. "I'm surprised that she didn't leave a trail of smoke of behind her as fast as she was moving."
"I have no patience for people like her."
"And she knows it." Robin reached over and hugged her daughter. "I am so proud of you."
"I learned it from you." Michelle heard herself being paged over the intercom. "I've got to go - Ill see you tomorrow."
"Have fun tonight sweetie." Robin watched with pride as Michelle hustled down the hall to meet up with her mentor, Noah Drake. "Hopefully you won't be the only one."
_
Patrick nervously paced in front of Robin's door, debating whether he should just turn around and go home or actually ring the doorbell. Today had been an eye opening experience for him. Patrick had thought that he worked with open-minded and caring people but several had disappointed him, avoiding him like the plague.
Fortunately, the people he depended on most were there for him and proved that his faith in them was well founded. It wasn't just Robin and Alan; Epiphany and Liz were constantly checking on him, Dr. Leo Julian informed him that he refused to be Leyla's mentor after her treatment of Patrick, and his father, Matt and Maxie had spent the day shadowing him and heading off any potential problems at the pass. Patrick didn't know what he had done to deserve their support but he truly appreciated it.
After several minutes of debate, he finally pushed the doorbell. Robin threw open the door and Patrick just stood there in awe of her beauty. She was in a simple, black spaghetti strapped dress with her hair down and looked gorgeous. "I was wondering if you were coming in."
"You knew I was out here?"
"The car was a dead giveaway." Patricks' sports car was his pride and joy and Robin loved ribbing him about it. "Come on in."
Patrick hesitated for a moment but eventually walked into the house. He entered the living room to see a little table set up with candles and wine glasses. He opened up the wine and poured. "How much longer until dinner is ready?"
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "At least another 30 minutes." Gently, she turned him around so he was facing her. "Enough time to do this."
Robin got on her tiptoes and kissed him. Patrick couldn't help but do what came naturally and kissed her back. He leaned down and allowed her to push him down on the couch. Robin began to lay him down on the couch and suddenly his brain kicked in and he broke away. "I think I smell something burning maybe you should check on dinner."
"I think that I should check your pulse." Robin was surprised at Patricks' decision to pull away from her. "Is something wrong?"
He stood up and headed to the table. "I had an interesting conversation today." He picked up the wine glasses and handed one to Robin. "Leyla asked to be moved to another mentor."
Robin nodded her head. "I know - Michelle really let her have it when she heard. Unfortunately, ignorance can be found everywhere. Leyla was out of line."
"Or maybe she was just exercising reasonable caution." He sat down next to Robin. "We still don't know if I am negative for certain yet." He took a deep breath. "Maybe we should just put us on hold."
"Why?" Robin got a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Now that you've actually been exposed you realized that its not worth the risk, didn't you?"
Patrick's head whipped around. He set the glass down. "No, Robin, I swear that's not it. I just don't want either of us to get sick."
"Wait a second, who's HIV status are you worried about - yours or mine?"
He took her hand in his. "If I am infected, the strain I have may not be the same as the one you have and it could fatally compromise your system. I could never live with myself if I got you sick."
Tears came to her eyes as she realized how much he truly cared about her. "I get it, I really do. I feel the same way about you. It would kill me if I ever made you sick."
"I need you to understand that it is not that I am not attracted to you or don't want to be with you. I have always and will always want to be with you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'm just..."
"Scared, I know." Robin remembered how cautious she had been with Jason when they first got together. "And I understand. I am just going to ask you to remember that you have been willing to take the risk with me and I am willing to take the risk with you. We are always careful and I want you to know that when you are ready, whether it is tomorrow or after your six-month test, I will be here waiting for you."
"I have no idea what I did to deserve you but I am so grateful I did it." He kissed Robin again and then placed his forehead against hers. "Do you think we can take dinner to go?"
Robin leaned back and regarded him curiously. "Do you have someplace to be?"
He winked at her. "No, we do."
