Thirty
They took their time heading back to the ward. By the time they'd reached it word had filtered through that Joe was breathing on his own and was getting stronger by the minute.
"Yes!" Scott crowed when they reached their room. "We did it Virg. We did it!"
Virgil released Scott's arm and tiredly shut the door behind them. "We certainly did! We're quite a team!" Scott swung round so he was facing Virgil's voice.
"I feel great." Scott said. "We just saved Joe's life!"
"You make it sound as if saving someone's life is a new experience for you." Virgil laughed as he moved towards his bed. Scott turned to follow the sound of his brother's voice.
"Well obviously it's not. But somehow this feels different."
Virgil had a pretty good idea why, but didn't comment. "All the nurses were congratulating us." He gave a dramatic sigh. "What a shame we're their patients. There's quite a bit of talent there."
Scott laughed. "You mean we could 'get the girl' instead of 'riding off into the sunset' as usual."
"Yep Pardner." Scott was in such a good mood that Virgil decided to broach a difficult subject. "Scott..."
"Yes Virg."
"Talking of nurses. Why are you so tough on Nurse Stone?"
Scott's good mood evaporated instantly. It was almost as if a black cloud had settled over the room. "Why'd you have to bring her up?" he said sullenly.
"Because she doesn't deserve the treatment you're giving her. She's a good nurse."
"You think so? I think she's terrible."
"That doesn't give you the right to be rude to her."
"She didn't have to treat us like little kids!"
"She was looking after us. After all, we are her patients. This is a hospital!"
"I can't believe you're sticking up for her." Scott was becoming angry.
"And I can't believe the way you're treating her." Virgil's tone matched his brother's. "If I'd been that rude to someone you would have told me off pretty darn quick. So why is it okay for you to do it?"
"Because of the way she's treating me!"
"Which is?"
"Like a cripple! 'Here's a cane. Let me take your arm. Let me take you for a walk. Let me read to you.' She treats me as if I were disabled - permanently!"
"She's trying to help you! Keep you..."
"...Stimulated!" Scott spat. "Has she brainwashed you?"
"I was going to say occupied. Geez Scott. She's doing just what I would've if I'd been able! What we've just done!" Virgil was just about at the end of his tether with Scott's attitude.
"I'm fed up with this!" Scott snapped. "Where's my bed?"
"If you don't need help, find it yourself!" Virgil sat down heavily on his own bed.
"Don't you leave me like this!"
"Like what? Like a spoilt brat who's spat his dummy over not getting his own way?"
"I can't see Virgil! Am I supposed to be happy about this?" Scott was shaking in anger.
"I know..."
"Virgil Tracy!" Scott threw the cane forcibly down on the floor. It bounced once and rolled under his bed. "Don't you dare say that you know how I feel, because you have no idea! You don't know what I'm going through! You don't know what this is like!"
"If you'd shut your mouth and opened your mind and listened instead of going off half cocked. You'd know that I wasn't going to say that." Virgil yelled. "I can't begin to imagine what it's like for you. What I WAS going to say was that I KNOW you are frightened!"
Scott stood stunned at the words. It was as if someone had pricked a balloon. All his anger seemed to evaporate.
Virgil looked at his brother guiltily. "I'm sorry Scott. I shouldn't've..."
"Why do you say that?" Scott asked quietly.
"Because - One - I would be in your situation. Two - I've known you all my life and I know how you react when you are scared. And Three..." Virgil was almost speaking in a whisper now. "Three - because I'm frightened too."
"You're frightened?" Bemused Scott rubbed at his forehead. "But why?"
"All through my life you've been there for me. After Ma died. Whenever I got picked on at school. If I ever got hurt... And now, when it's time for me to be here for you... I don't know if I can help."
"You've already been a help Virg." Scott said gently.
"You remember that time at school when I was bullied?"
"Which time in particular?"
"I think I was eight." Virgil hadn't been a particularly big child and that coupled with his love of art and music had made him an easy target. "Remember, I found a flower with an interesting spider's web coming off it and I was sketching it."
"I remember."
"And some kids came over and started hassling me. Said things like 'Look the pansy's drawing a pansy', which I didn't really understand at the time as the flower was a geranium."
Scott gave a little chuckle.
"They started getting rougher and started pushing me about. I was sure I was going to get beaten up. And then all of a sudden they ran away. I look up and here's big brother striding over the field to the rescue."
"They'd ruined your drawing and stamped on the flower." Scott well remembered that day. Virgil had bravely tried to pretend that he was not upset and had not quite succeeded. It was ten minutes after the bell by the time they'd gathered together all of Virgil's scattered possessions, calmed his nerves, and made their way back to the classroom. Scott had taken Virgil into his class and informed the teacher that it was his fault, not Virgil's, that Virgil was late. Which meant that he was 15 minutes late for his own class and ended up in detention.
Virgil's teacher, who was more astute than they gave her credit for, had realised what had actually happened and had told Scott's teacher. The end result being that Scott's detention was cut, from an hour for tardiness, to half an hour for lying; Virgil's class received a lecture on always telling an adult if you were bullied; and Virgil ended up idolising Scott.
"I don't know how you knew I was in trouble, or where I was, but you did! You were my hero - You still are." Virgil finished quietly.
"Don't say that! I don't deserve it." Scott muttered in embarrassment.
"We've always had that bond, that link, and it's been one of our biggest assets in our work." Virgil continued on. "We work well with John and Gordon and Alan - but it's not the same as when you and I are working together. And I'm frightened that if you are unable to continue, I'm not going to be as good at my job."
"You will be." Scott said quietly.
"And what if father decides that I'll have to take on your role in the organisation. I don't have your decision making abilities..."
"Don't sell yourself short. It was your decisions that got us safely out of...trouble the other day."
"And got me a broken arm."
"That was bad luck, not poor decision making."
"It also figures that, if I get your job, I'll be put in charge of One. And I'm frightened that I'll have to sit back and watch Gordon operate Two!"
Scott laughed at the mock serious tone in Virgil's voice, then he sighed. "I don't know. I never could remain mad at you. You'd embarrass me in front of my friends; I'd be just about ready to throw you into the nearest waterway; and you'd look up at me with those big, brown puppy dog eyes of yours and next thing I knew I'd be taking you to the park and pushing you on the swing!"
"Must be my winning personality. The big, brown puppy dog eyes wouldn't be as effective now."
"No." Scott agreed. "You're right there."
"I didn't mean... Oh heck, I just meant that I'm older now, not that you..."
"It's okay Virgil. I know. Now would you please tell me where my bed is?"
"It's two steps to your left."
"Oh." Scott bumped into it. "So it is." He climbed on to it.
***
As usual Jeff was working at his desk. He started when the videophone beeped at him. His blood ran cold when the caller ID told him it was the hospital.
"Jeff Tracy." He said cautiously.
The administrator on the other end of the 'phone was all smiles. "Mr Tracy. Great news about your sons. They're heroes..."
***
The doctor removed the stethoscope from his ears and unwrapped the blood pressure cuff. "I thought I told you not to go running any sprints." He reprimanded Virgil gently.
"Well I guess I could have walked to get help..." Virgil grinned, "I just didn't think at the time."
The doctor chuckled. "Well you helped Joe, but you haven't done yourself any favours." Scott's head jerked up in alarm. "Your blood pressure's up slightly. Nothing serious, but I think we should keep you here tomorrow too, just to be sure."
"You're kidding." Virgil flopped back on his pillow, disappointed. "I was looking forward to getting out of here. No offence."
"None taken, quite understandable. On the plus side, it might mean that you and Scott will be discharged at the same time. It'll save your father having to make two trips. I'll go phone him now." Taking the blood pressure monitor with him he walked out the door.
"Blood pressure's up." Virgil said sourly. "Now I wonder what could have caused that?"
"Sorry Virg. I guess I had something to do with it."
"No." Virgil sighed. "It was probably just a combination of factors." He groaned. "Another day of looking at these walls. I wish I had my paints. I could soon brighten them up."
"Fancy another walk?" Scott suggested.
"No. Not yet." Virgil was determined to finish their previous conversation. "You still haven't told me what you've got against Nurse Stone."
Virgil fully expected Scott to blow up again, but instead his older brother leant back into his pillows. "I don't know."
"There must be a reason surely!"
Virgil watched as Scott struggled to find the words. "I... Um... I... All right! I admit it! I AM frightened. I've never been so frightened as I am at this moment. I've always been in control. It's always been me who kept an eye out for you guys when we were young. It's me who gives the orders when we're on a job. And I'm frightened that if this condition is permanent I'm going to lose that control. What use am I going to be to anybody? I guess I just needed to take out my frustrations out on someone, and the poor lady just happened to be there."
"Why not take them out on me. She's just doing her job."
"It may have escaped your notice Virg." Scott said wryly. "But you're in hospital too, and you've been sicker than I was. I couldn't yell at you."
"You just did."
"Yeah. Sorry about that." Scott said abashedly.
"It's not me you should be apologising to..."
Scott groaned. "You're right! I hate it, but you're right." He swung his legs out of bed. "I'll go and apologise to her now."
"You can't. She'll have finished her shift." Virgil informed him.
Scott was already standing. "I need some fresh air. How about that walk now. We'll take it slow."
"Why not! We didn't get to the flower gardens last time."
They took their time heading back to the ward. By the time they'd reached it word had filtered through that Joe was breathing on his own and was getting stronger by the minute.
"Yes!" Scott crowed when they reached their room. "We did it Virg. We did it!"
Virgil released Scott's arm and tiredly shut the door behind them. "We certainly did! We're quite a team!" Scott swung round so he was facing Virgil's voice.
"I feel great." Scott said. "We just saved Joe's life!"
"You make it sound as if saving someone's life is a new experience for you." Virgil laughed as he moved towards his bed. Scott turned to follow the sound of his brother's voice.
"Well obviously it's not. But somehow this feels different."
Virgil had a pretty good idea why, but didn't comment. "All the nurses were congratulating us." He gave a dramatic sigh. "What a shame we're their patients. There's quite a bit of talent there."
Scott laughed. "You mean we could 'get the girl' instead of 'riding off into the sunset' as usual."
"Yep Pardner." Scott was in such a good mood that Virgil decided to broach a difficult subject. "Scott..."
"Yes Virg."
"Talking of nurses. Why are you so tough on Nurse Stone?"
Scott's good mood evaporated instantly. It was almost as if a black cloud had settled over the room. "Why'd you have to bring her up?" he said sullenly.
"Because she doesn't deserve the treatment you're giving her. She's a good nurse."
"You think so? I think she's terrible."
"That doesn't give you the right to be rude to her."
"She didn't have to treat us like little kids!"
"She was looking after us. After all, we are her patients. This is a hospital!"
"I can't believe you're sticking up for her." Scott was becoming angry.
"And I can't believe the way you're treating her." Virgil's tone matched his brother's. "If I'd been that rude to someone you would have told me off pretty darn quick. So why is it okay for you to do it?"
"Because of the way she's treating me!"
"Which is?"
"Like a cripple! 'Here's a cane. Let me take your arm. Let me take you for a walk. Let me read to you.' She treats me as if I were disabled - permanently!"
"She's trying to help you! Keep you..."
"...Stimulated!" Scott spat. "Has she brainwashed you?"
"I was going to say occupied. Geez Scott. She's doing just what I would've if I'd been able! What we've just done!" Virgil was just about at the end of his tether with Scott's attitude.
"I'm fed up with this!" Scott snapped. "Where's my bed?"
"If you don't need help, find it yourself!" Virgil sat down heavily on his own bed.
"Don't you leave me like this!"
"Like what? Like a spoilt brat who's spat his dummy over not getting his own way?"
"I can't see Virgil! Am I supposed to be happy about this?" Scott was shaking in anger.
"I know..."
"Virgil Tracy!" Scott threw the cane forcibly down on the floor. It bounced once and rolled under his bed. "Don't you dare say that you know how I feel, because you have no idea! You don't know what I'm going through! You don't know what this is like!"
"If you'd shut your mouth and opened your mind and listened instead of going off half cocked. You'd know that I wasn't going to say that." Virgil yelled. "I can't begin to imagine what it's like for you. What I WAS going to say was that I KNOW you are frightened!"
Scott stood stunned at the words. It was as if someone had pricked a balloon. All his anger seemed to evaporate.
Virgil looked at his brother guiltily. "I'm sorry Scott. I shouldn't've..."
"Why do you say that?" Scott asked quietly.
"Because - One - I would be in your situation. Two - I've known you all my life and I know how you react when you are scared. And Three..." Virgil was almost speaking in a whisper now. "Three - because I'm frightened too."
"You're frightened?" Bemused Scott rubbed at his forehead. "But why?"
"All through my life you've been there for me. After Ma died. Whenever I got picked on at school. If I ever got hurt... And now, when it's time for me to be here for you... I don't know if I can help."
"You've already been a help Virg." Scott said gently.
"You remember that time at school when I was bullied?"
"Which time in particular?"
"I think I was eight." Virgil hadn't been a particularly big child and that coupled with his love of art and music had made him an easy target. "Remember, I found a flower with an interesting spider's web coming off it and I was sketching it."
"I remember."
"And some kids came over and started hassling me. Said things like 'Look the pansy's drawing a pansy', which I didn't really understand at the time as the flower was a geranium."
Scott gave a little chuckle.
"They started getting rougher and started pushing me about. I was sure I was going to get beaten up. And then all of a sudden they ran away. I look up and here's big brother striding over the field to the rescue."
"They'd ruined your drawing and stamped on the flower." Scott well remembered that day. Virgil had bravely tried to pretend that he was not upset and had not quite succeeded. It was ten minutes after the bell by the time they'd gathered together all of Virgil's scattered possessions, calmed his nerves, and made their way back to the classroom. Scott had taken Virgil into his class and informed the teacher that it was his fault, not Virgil's, that Virgil was late. Which meant that he was 15 minutes late for his own class and ended up in detention.
Virgil's teacher, who was more astute than they gave her credit for, had realised what had actually happened and had told Scott's teacher. The end result being that Scott's detention was cut, from an hour for tardiness, to half an hour for lying; Virgil's class received a lecture on always telling an adult if you were bullied; and Virgil ended up idolising Scott.
"I don't know how you knew I was in trouble, or where I was, but you did! You were my hero - You still are." Virgil finished quietly.
"Don't say that! I don't deserve it." Scott muttered in embarrassment.
"We've always had that bond, that link, and it's been one of our biggest assets in our work." Virgil continued on. "We work well with John and Gordon and Alan - but it's not the same as when you and I are working together. And I'm frightened that if you are unable to continue, I'm not going to be as good at my job."
"You will be." Scott said quietly.
"And what if father decides that I'll have to take on your role in the organisation. I don't have your decision making abilities..."
"Don't sell yourself short. It was your decisions that got us safely out of...trouble the other day."
"And got me a broken arm."
"That was bad luck, not poor decision making."
"It also figures that, if I get your job, I'll be put in charge of One. And I'm frightened that I'll have to sit back and watch Gordon operate Two!"
Scott laughed at the mock serious tone in Virgil's voice, then he sighed. "I don't know. I never could remain mad at you. You'd embarrass me in front of my friends; I'd be just about ready to throw you into the nearest waterway; and you'd look up at me with those big, brown puppy dog eyes of yours and next thing I knew I'd be taking you to the park and pushing you on the swing!"
"Must be my winning personality. The big, brown puppy dog eyes wouldn't be as effective now."
"No." Scott agreed. "You're right there."
"I didn't mean... Oh heck, I just meant that I'm older now, not that you..."
"It's okay Virgil. I know. Now would you please tell me where my bed is?"
"It's two steps to your left."
"Oh." Scott bumped into it. "So it is." He climbed on to it.
***
As usual Jeff was working at his desk. He started when the videophone beeped at him. His blood ran cold when the caller ID told him it was the hospital.
"Jeff Tracy." He said cautiously.
The administrator on the other end of the 'phone was all smiles. "Mr Tracy. Great news about your sons. They're heroes..."
***
The doctor removed the stethoscope from his ears and unwrapped the blood pressure cuff. "I thought I told you not to go running any sprints." He reprimanded Virgil gently.
"Well I guess I could have walked to get help..." Virgil grinned, "I just didn't think at the time."
The doctor chuckled. "Well you helped Joe, but you haven't done yourself any favours." Scott's head jerked up in alarm. "Your blood pressure's up slightly. Nothing serious, but I think we should keep you here tomorrow too, just to be sure."
"You're kidding." Virgil flopped back on his pillow, disappointed. "I was looking forward to getting out of here. No offence."
"None taken, quite understandable. On the plus side, it might mean that you and Scott will be discharged at the same time. It'll save your father having to make two trips. I'll go phone him now." Taking the blood pressure monitor with him he walked out the door.
"Blood pressure's up." Virgil said sourly. "Now I wonder what could have caused that?"
"Sorry Virg. I guess I had something to do with it."
"No." Virgil sighed. "It was probably just a combination of factors." He groaned. "Another day of looking at these walls. I wish I had my paints. I could soon brighten them up."
"Fancy another walk?" Scott suggested.
"No. Not yet." Virgil was determined to finish their previous conversation. "You still haven't told me what you've got against Nurse Stone."
Virgil fully expected Scott to blow up again, but instead his older brother leant back into his pillows. "I don't know."
"There must be a reason surely!"
Virgil watched as Scott struggled to find the words. "I... Um... I... All right! I admit it! I AM frightened. I've never been so frightened as I am at this moment. I've always been in control. It's always been me who kept an eye out for you guys when we were young. It's me who gives the orders when we're on a job. And I'm frightened that if this condition is permanent I'm going to lose that control. What use am I going to be to anybody? I guess I just needed to take out my frustrations out on someone, and the poor lady just happened to be there."
"Why not take them out on me. She's just doing her job."
"It may have escaped your notice Virg." Scott said wryly. "But you're in hospital too, and you've been sicker than I was. I couldn't yell at you."
"You just did."
"Yeah. Sorry about that." Scott said abashedly.
"It's not me you should be apologising to..."
Scott groaned. "You're right! I hate it, but you're right." He swung his legs out of bed. "I'll go and apologise to her now."
"You can't. She'll have finished her shift." Virgil informed him.
Scott was already standing. "I need some fresh air. How about that walk now. We'll take it slow."
"Why not! We didn't get to the flower gardens last time."