Dinner With Death
Chapter 3
Jesse plopped down on the overstuffed sofa in the doctor's lounge. He took a sip of coffee and ran a hand over his face. Nine hours in surgery had taken its toll on the young doctor.
"I didn't think you had to be back till Sunday." Dr. Amanda Bently walked in and nodded to her friend and colleague before turning away to fill her coffee cup. "You know that murder Steve was working on? I just got the results back from the tox screens and he died of a drug overdose, not the bullet."
Her news was lost with Jesse. He was stretched out on the couch, his eyes closed, breathing slowly and evenly. Amanda was yet again struck by the fact that he was so relaxed and peaceful, reminding her of her own sons, CJ and Dion, and a smile tugged at her lips. She picked up a fleece blanket off a chair and carefully draped it over the sleeping form. Removing the coffee cup from the arm of the couch, she glanced back, then left, closing the door behind her.
~*~*~
The room was dark and cool. He forced his eyes open and began the search for his cell phone when the first phrase of the Dukes of Hazard theme song came to his ears.
"Yo," Jesse mumbled into the receiver, still trying to wake himself fully.
"Hi Jess, I could really use you over here at Bob's. The rush is extra heavy this morning." Steve's voice was mixed with clanging pots and pans and a few incoherent voices in the background.
"What? What time is it?" Jesse rubbed his eyes and tried to make out the hands on the clock above the window.
"It's about 6 am, why?" Steve said between clanks.
"Listen, I'll call you back, I've gotta go." He quickly shut the cell phone and hurried out the door. Rounding the corner at a dead run, he skidded to a stop and crashed into the wall, missing the open doorway by several feet. Jesse dragged himself off the floor to the sound of laughing.
The laugh soon turned into a painful wheezing, then a harsh cough. A smirking face greeted Jesse as he stepped into the room. "How do you feel?" He asked.
"Sorry about the board, Jesse." The whisper was hoarse, and a grimace of pain slid across her face as she breathed out the words.
"What?" His mind had not understood the words. Closing the door behind him, he moved to the side of the hospital bed.
"The board, Jesse, I'm sorry I smashed it up." She tried again.
Jesse could not help but laugh. "It's no big deal, Mel. The important thing is, you're alive."
Melody smiled weakly.
"Get some rest, I'll stop by later." Jesse patted her hand before moving to the door and leaving the room.
~*~*~
The next week passed slowly. There was nothing more than the usual summer crowd coming in complaining about allergies or sunburns, or weekend warriors with scrapes and bruises from a particularly rough game of flag football. Resident life was becoming almost boring. Although, every doctor and nurse was glad there was not much to do.
Even the detectives had it slow. Tame yelling matches and mild disagreements soon became the highlights of the hot California summer days. It was mainly a time to sit back at one's desk, turn on the personal-sized fan, and sort through the stacks of overdue paperwork; filing solved cases and finishing up last minute reports.
"What day is it?" Melody asked suddenly.
"Saturday, the twelfth," Jesse said absently as he inspected the stitches above her eye.
"I gotta go, Jess. I've got an audition tonight!" She brushed his hand away.
"For?"
"LA Philharmonic. I've gotta go. It's not every day that you get a chance to audition for a symphony."
"No," Jesse said firmly. "You're not going anywhere, doctor's orders. And just so you don't get any ideas, I'm going to get someone to watch you."
"I hardly think that's necessary." She glared at him.
"Naw, I think you'll like him." Jesse left the room as he noticed a familiar face pass the door. He entered with a blonde-haired young man in tow. "Melody—this is Alex. Alex—this is Melody." He introduced them. "Now, Alex. I want you to watch her like a hawk. Don't let her move."
"If you're gonna keep me locked up in here, I demand the right to have ice cream." Melody trained her gaze on Jesse.
"We'll see."
"Mint chocolate chip," She said, leaving no room for discussion.
"Don't push it. You might have to consider yourself lucky to get frozen yogurt. I'll stop in later."
"Hi." Melody smiled sweetly. "Any chance you'd be willing to go find an ice cream truck?"
Alex laughed. "I can try, but you had better be here when I get back. Jess'll skin me alive if you disappear."
"Cross my heart I won't move a muscle." She grinned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Jess," Steve greeted his friend as he stepped out of the elevator.
"Hi Steve, how's the new partner?" Jesse smiled.
Steve shrugged. "How's Mel?"
"Healing nicely, she's in room 317 if you want to go see her. Alex's in there now."
"I'll swing by on my way out. Do you know where Dad is?" Using the word "dad" as if Mark was Jesse's father as well.
Jesse shook his head. "Ask one of the nurses."
"Tyson Paley." A young man approached Jesse and held out his hand. He was tall and thin, but had a solid build with well-muscled shoulders. His dark brown hair was buzzed and he was clean-shaven. "Could you direct me to the restrooms?"
"Jesse Travis. Down that hall and take a right past the Janitor's Closet. Then take another right past room 322. Third door on the left."
"Thanks." He nodded to Jesse and Steve before heading off in the directing Jesse had indicated.
"Not too bad. Seems nice enough." Jesse looked to Steve.
"Dad!" Steve spotted his father coming down the hall. "See ya, Jess."
"Hi Steve." Dr. Mark Sloan smiled at his son. "Have you seen Amanda? I've been thinking about the drug overdose case."
"No, sorry. Listen, are we still on for dinner at Bob's tonight?" Steve asked, doing his best to keep up with his father's quick pace.
"Sure Steve." Mark stopped a nurse and they conversed for a moment before she moved on. "Isn't the big game against Tampa Bay on tonight, too?"
"That's right! Jess and Alex were gonna come over. I can get some BBQ or something on the way home."
"Hey Steve." Alex Martin passed by. Then over his shoulder, he asked, "Kick-off at seven, right?"
Steve nodded. "Well, I guess I'll let you get back to work. I've got to stop in and see Mel on my way out. See you at home."
"By Steve." Mark watched his son round the corner, then turned his attention back to his job as his pager went off.
