This is the last chapter for about a week. I've got a couple of TWoP
"hiatus homework" assignments that I'll be posting here. Don't worry, I'll
be continuing this story as soon as possible. Thanks to all for the
reviews and encouragement. You've been amazing!
Still don't own the characters. I'm just taking them for a spin around the 'word pad'.
Author's (ha-ha!) note: I really do know how to spell Lynyrd Skynyrd, plate and cane. I won't type after 2am anymore!
Chapter Twenty
Wednesday, January 14
Ryan was quiet on the drive to the hospital, more quiet than usual. Every once in a while Kirsten would steal a glance at him as he stared out the window, expressionless.
"Penny for your thoughts..."
Ryan didn't answer.
"Okay.....a penny doesn't get you much these days...how about a dollar?"
Ryan looked away from the window and turned to Kirsten.
"P-pardon....?"
Kirsten quickly squeezed his hand with hers before she put it back on the steering wheel.
"What were you thinking about?"
"I don't.....I d-d-d-don't know.....J-just stuff in my head...."
Kirsten turned into the hospital parking lot and pulled into a spot near the outpatient entrance. She turned off the ignition and shifted her body so she was looking at Ryan.
"I know you hate this question but.... Are you okay.....really? You didn't sleep well last night. You were pretty restless....do you want to tell me about it?"
Ryan shook his head.
"I c-can't t-t-talk 'bout it....stuff in m-my head...I...I need f-forget" he whispered.
For a moment Ryan looked so fragile that Kirsten was afraid he might have a breakdown in the car. He then took a deep breath despite the warnings from his taped ribs and pulled himself together. His face was once again unreadable.
"Don't w-w-want be late" he said as he opened the car door.
Kirsten was amazed at the instant change in Ryan's demeanor. He now looked as if nothing was wrong. The only indication Kirsten had that all was not right was the look in Ryan's eyes. She had seen that look before. She saw it when Sandy first brought him home and introduced Ryan to her. She saw it when Luke brought him back after the fire. She saw it when Dawn left. She saw it now, but as soon as Dr. Meyers met them in the waiting room the look in Ryan's eyes became more resolved. A few minutes ago he looked as if he would emotionally fall apart. Now he looked calm and in control as he followed the doctor into the examination room.
In the waiting area, Kirsten distractedly thumbed through a fashion magazine for nearly two hours. Anne Klein provided her work wear, Armani, her evening wear and Levi's, her casual wear. She smirked as she saw the latest offerings from Betsey Johnson. Nothing said 'look at me, I have no clue' like a 40 year old wearing Betsey. Kirsten had never hidden behind clothes. Labels meant less to her than fit. Her clothing came from the 'ready to wear' collections by the designers and had to do with how they fit her naturally slender frame as opposed to 'status'.
A nurse came and asked Kirsten to follow her into Dr. Meyers' office. Ryan was already seated in a chair across from the doctor's desk. His expression was still unreadable, although he did offer up a small smile when she settled into a chair beside him.
Dr. Meyers gave her a reassuring smile.
"Everything looks pretty good, Mrs. Cohen and I've already talked to Ryan about this. We've removed the last of the stitches in Ryan's head and chest. His temperature is still a little elevated so I'll prescribe another round of Ceclor. Blood pressure is still a little on the low side so we'll keep an eye on that. There's a slight improvement in his balance....do you have a treadmill?"
Kirsten reached for Ryan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Yes and believe it or not it doesn't have clothes hanging from it..."
"Good..." Dr. Meyers turned to Ryan. "I want you on it at least a half hour every day. Take it slow and hang onto the handrails...."
Ryan nodded and Kirsten squeezed his hand a little tighter.
"Okay..." he answered, understanding the meaning of the increased pressure on his fingers.
It was Kirsten's turn to speak. She tried to keep the concern in her voice to a minimum.
"What about yesterday......when Ryan got sick....?"
Dr. Meyers shook his head.
"We ran another scan this morning, just to be on the safe side. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Ryan's brain took quite a beating in the accident. Flashing lights and loud noises are going to do a number on him for a while. I'm positive yesterday's incident was sensory overload, the suddenness of the onset and the quick recovery all point to that diagnosis."
Dr. Meyers got up from behind his desk to answer the knock at his door. Kirsten turned to see a large, black and white houndstooth patterned jacket enter the room. It took a second to remove her eyes from the jacket and look at the fact of the person wearing it. Of course it was........
Kirsten stood up to shake Dr. Rodriguez's outstretched hand.
"Good morning Mrs. Cohen...Ryan...." She smiled at him before she turned back to Kirsten.
"I called your husband to confirm Ryan's appointment for this afternoon and he told me you were here, so I decided to meet the two of you this morning instead..."
Kirsten nervously glanced back down at Ryan, who was looking very apprehensive. He remembered the Cohens' talking to him in the hospital about seeing a therapist, but he really hoped they had forgotten.
"Ryan......I'm Dr. Rodriguez. I've met you once before, but this is the first time you've been awake."
Ryan pulled himself up and shook her hand. He shot Kirsten a 'deer caught in the headlights' look.
Dr. Rodriguez looked at Dr. Meyers and Kirsten.
"Dr. Meyers....May I use your office?
"Uh, yes Doctor.....I have a staff meeting now anyway...."
Dr. Meyers knew full well that his mother wasn't asking permission but was issuing a command.
"Good." Dr. Rodriguez said brusquely. "Mrs. Cohen.....I'll have Ryan page you when we're finished."
She ushered Dr. Meyers and Kirsten out the door and closed it behind them. She took off her jacket, draped it over her chair and sat down. She smiled at Ryan.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen didn't tell you about our meeting today did they?"
Ryan shook his head.
"Sorry kiddo, your doctor gave me the heads up about speech therapy. You're going to have to articulate your answers."
Ryan rolled his cane between his hands.
".... 'kay..."
"Can I get you something to drink? You've had a long morning.....?"
"N-no th-th-thanks....."
Dr. Rodriguez got up and went to a small fridge tucked in beside some cabinets. She reached in and pulled out two small bottles of orange juice. She opened them both, inserted straws and placed one in front of Ryan before she sat down again
She looked carefully at Ryan, using the moment to read him. His face was impassive, but his eyes betrayed the nervousness he was feeling.
"How long have you been a member of the Cohen family?"
Ryan's eyes flashed. He was used to being asked how long he'd been living with the Cohens or when did the Cohens take him in, but he'd never had the question put that way before.
"S-s-six m-m-m-months....."
('Nice and easy......tell her what she wants to hear......get this over
and done with....')
"What do you think of Newport?"
Dr. Rodriguez was mapping out safe territories for discussion. She knew that his emotional 'ground zero' was ticking away just below the surface and she couldn't risk it exploding before Ryan was ready to handle the fall out.
"It's...it's l-l-like liv...living in g-gold fish bowl....."
The doctor laughed.
"I'm with you on that one....What school are you going to....?"
"Harbour......"
"Do you like it there?"
Ryan shrugged.
"It's o-okay....different...."
Dr. Rodriguez noticed Ryan was starting to relax. Her goal for this meeting was simply to get Ryan to agree to meet with her again.
"What courses are you taking?"
He reached for the orange juice, trying to command his hands to stop shaking. The doctor pretended not to notice as she waited for Ryan to put the bottle back down.
"W-w-w-world lit....calculus....phys......physics....a-a-algebra....."
"That's a pretty hefty load....Calculus and algebra?"
Ryan gave her a half smile.
"I..I l-like m-m-m-math....."
The next 45 minutes went by quickly. They talked about innocuous things like books, movies, music. Dr. Rodriguez was surprised Ryan was as well read as he was, not because underprivileged kids in working class cities didn't read things besides "Mad" magazine and comic books, but rather by the wide variety of books he had read. She saw what Sandy Cohen saw in him the first time he met Ryan. A kid who'd been hurt and neglected by the very people who were supposed to take care of him, but he was a kid who hadn't given up on himself yet. He still clung to a shred of hope that he could rise above his past. No matter what he said, his dreams hadn't died yet.
"So...will you come and see me again?"
Ryan hesitated before he nodded.
"...'kay..."
She dug into her briefcase and pulled out a small pale blue card with her name, address and telephone numbers on it.
"I'd like to see you on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, at 1:30....Is that alright with you?"
Ryan was unsure. Twice a week?
"I..I'm n-n-n-not......"
"We'll change the times once you're back in school full time....."
Ryan sighed. He knew he wasn't getting out of this.
"Y-yeah...f-f-fine....."
"Good....I'd have you page your mom right now but I have the feeling she's waiting right outside."
Ryan slowly pulled himself up, using the arms of the chair for leverage. He leaned on his cane as he made his way to the door Dr. Rodriguez just opened. Sure enough, Kirsten was in the waiting room. She stood up as soon as she saw him. Dr. Rodriguez handed Ryan the blue appointment card.
"I'll see you on Monday...."
She nodded to Kirsten and then closed the door. She sat back down at the desk and pulled out the notebook she had used when she first visited Ryan in the hospital. She opened it and started to write.
It was just past 12:30 when Kirsten and Ryan got back into the car. She looked over at him. He looked tired. It had been a long morning.
"Are you hungry?"
Ryan looked at Kirsten. His eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Are you c-c-cooking.....?"
Kirsten shook her head.
"Smart ass.....I'm in the mood for a cheeseburger....."
"S-s-s-sounds good..."
Kirsten pulled into the Crab Shack parking lot. She glanced at Ryan as she unbuckled her seatbelt. He made no movement to unbuckle his.
"Ryan....?"
"Why here?" He whispered.
Kirsten gently touched Ryan's chin and moved his head so he was looking at her.
"Two reasons.....One.....despite being called the 'Crab Shack', they actually make a decent burger and two, Walter has called us four times now to see if you're alright. I know he doesn't believe Sandy or myself, so I thought he can see for himself....If you're not comfortable here we can go somewhere else...."
"I'll g-g-g-go in...." Ryan unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door.
Kirsten linked her arm in his as they entered the restaurant. The lunch rush was in full swing, but Kirsten managed to find an empty booth. She watched as Ryan slid to the end of the vinyl bench, resting his head in his right hand, trying to cover his scars. She mentally kicked herself for not realizing the reason Ryan didn't want to come in was because he was self- conscious about his appearance. Kirsten could hear the whispers coming from adjacent tables. She reached for his hand and brought it back down to the table, keeping her hand on top of his.
"Sweetie.....I'm sorry.....I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I know it sounds like a line, but I don't see the bruises and the scars....I just see you..."
Ryan looked up at Kirsten.
" 's okay...I c-can't hide 'til hair g-grows back...."
The waitress came by with the menus and water glasses. She barely looked at him as she took Kirsten's order. She then turned to Ryan.
"I'll h-have a 'burger with b-bacon and...."
Erin knew that voice. She looked up at her 'customer'.
"Ryan!!!!" she squealed as she slid onto the bench beside him. "You are alright...Let me get my mom and dad...."
Erin partially slid out of the booth and then scooted back in to give Ryan a hug. She ran back to the kitchen. Any hope of a quiet lunch was trampled as Ryan's boss Walter and his wife Maude came out of the kitchen. Ryan pushed his way off the bench to accept the hugs he knew were coming.
Walter spoke first.
"We were worried about you...Your dad came in to see us after your accident but...."
Maude let Ryan go after hugging him.
"You're too skinny.....You're never going to survive a Saturday shift if you don't gain some weight....."
Ryan was surprised.
"Y-you're holding m-m-my job f-f-for m-me......?"
"Damn straight." said Walter. "Mrs. Mulder asks about you every time she's in here. The Shapiro's give all the other staff a hard time. They only want to be waited on by you.... Erin's been miserable for the last couple of weeks...."
"Dad!.............."
Walter continued.
"As soon as you're ready to come back, your job is waiting for you. We'll get your orders in and we'll all sit for lunch..... "Johnny....!" Walter yelled. "You're in charge...."
Still don't own the characters. I'm just taking them for a spin around the 'word pad'.
Author's (ha-ha!) note: I really do know how to spell Lynyrd Skynyrd, plate and cane. I won't type after 2am anymore!
Chapter Twenty
Wednesday, January 14
Ryan was quiet on the drive to the hospital, more quiet than usual. Every once in a while Kirsten would steal a glance at him as he stared out the window, expressionless.
"Penny for your thoughts..."
Ryan didn't answer.
"Okay.....a penny doesn't get you much these days...how about a dollar?"
Ryan looked away from the window and turned to Kirsten.
"P-pardon....?"
Kirsten quickly squeezed his hand with hers before she put it back on the steering wheel.
"What were you thinking about?"
"I don't.....I d-d-d-don't know.....J-just stuff in my head...."
Kirsten turned into the hospital parking lot and pulled into a spot near the outpatient entrance. She turned off the ignition and shifted her body so she was looking at Ryan.
"I know you hate this question but.... Are you okay.....really? You didn't sleep well last night. You were pretty restless....do you want to tell me about it?"
Ryan shook his head.
"I c-can't t-t-talk 'bout it....stuff in m-my head...I...I need f-forget" he whispered.
For a moment Ryan looked so fragile that Kirsten was afraid he might have a breakdown in the car. He then took a deep breath despite the warnings from his taped ribs and pulled himself together. His face was once again unreadable.
"Don't w-w-want be late" he said as he opened the car door.
Kirsten was amazed at the instant change in Ryan's demeanor. He now looked as if nothing was wrong. The only indication Kirsten had that all was not right was the look in Ryan's eyes. She had seen that look before. She saw it when Sandy first brought him home and introduced Ryan to her. She saw it when Luke brought him back after the fire. She saw it when Dawn left. She saw it now, but as soon as Dr. Meyers met them in the waiting room the look in Ryan's eyes became more resolved. A few minutes ago he looked as if he would emotionally fall apart. Now he looked calm and in control as he followed the doctor into the examination room.
In the waiting area, Kirsten distractedly thumbed through a fashion magazine for nearly two hours. Anne Klein provided her work wear, Armani, her evening wear and Levi's, her casual wear. She smirked as she saw the latest offerings from Betsey Johnson. Nothing said 'look at me, I have no clue' like a 40 year old wearing Betsey. Kirsten had never hidden behind clothes. Labels meant less to her than fit. Her clothing came from the 'ready to wear' collections by the designers and had to do with how they fit her naturally slender frame as opposed to 'status'.
A nurse came and asked Kirsten to follow her into Dr. Meyers' office. Ryan was already seated in a chair across from the doctor's desk. His expression was still unreadable, although he did offer up a small smile when she settled into a chair beside him.
Dr. Meyers gave her a reassuring smile.
"Everything looks pretty good, Mrs. Cohen and I've already talked to Ryan about this. We've removed the last of the stitches in Ryan's head and chest. His temperature is still a little elevated so I'll prescribe another round of Ceclor. Blood pressure is still a little on the low side so we'll keep an eye on that. There's a slight improvement in his balance....do you have a treadmill?"
Kirsten reached for Ryan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Yes and believe it or not it doesn't have clothes hanging from it..."
"Good..." Dr. Meyers turned to Ryan. "I want you on it at least a half hour every day. Take it slow and hang onto the handrails...."
Ryan nodded and Kirsten squeezed his hand a little tighter.
"Okay..." he answered, understanding the meaning of the increased pressure on his fingers.
It was Kirsten's turn to speak. She tried to keep the concern in her voice to a minimum.
"What about yesterday......when Ryan got sick....?"
Dr. Meyers shook his head.
"We ran another scan this morning, just to be on the safe side. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Ryan's brain took quite a beating in the accident. Flashing lights and loud noises are going to do a number on him for a while. I'm positive yesterday's incident was sensory overload, the suddenness of the onset and the quick recovery all point to that diagnosis."
Dr. Meyers got up from behind his desk to answer the knock at his door. Kirsten turned to see a large, black and white houndstooth patterned jacket enter the room. It took a second to remove her eyes from the jacket and look at the fact of the person wearing it. Of course it was........
Kirsten stood up to shake Dr. Rodriguez's outstretched hand.
"Good morning Mrs. Cohen...Ryan...." She smiled at him before she turned back to Kirsten.
"I called your husband to confirm Ryan's appointment for this afternoon and he told me you were here, so I decided to meet the two of you this morning instead..."
Kirsten nervously glanced back down at Ryan, who was looking very apprehensive. He remembered the Cohens' talking to him in the hospital about seeing a therapist, but he really hoped they had forgotten.
"Ryan......I'm Dr. Rodriguez. I've met you once before, but this is the first time you've been awake."
Ryan pulled himself up and shook her hand. He shot Kirsten a 'deer caught in the headlights' look.
Dr. Rodriguez looked at Dr. Meyers and Kirsten.
"Dr. Meyers....May I use your office?
"Uh, yes Doctor.....I have a staff meeting now anyway...."
Dr. Meyers knew full well that his mother wasn't asking permission but was issuing a command.
"Good." Dr. Rodriguez said brusquely. "Mrs. Cohen.....I'll have Ryan page you when we're finished."
She ushered Dr. Meyers and Kirsten out the door and closed it behind them. She took off her jacket, draped it over her chair and sat down. She smiled at Ryan.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen didn't tell you about our meeting today did they?"
Ryan shook his head.
"Sorry kiddo, your doctor gave me the heads up about speech therapy. You're going to have to articulate your answers."
Ryan rolled his cane between his hands.
".... 'kay..."
"Can I get you something to drink? You've had a long morning.....?"
"N-no th-th-thanks....."
Dr. Rodriguez got up and went to a small fridge tucked in beside some cabinets. She reached in and pulled out two small bottles of orange juice. She opened them both, inserted straws and placed one in front of Ryan before she sat down again
She looked carefully at Ryan, using the moment to read him. His face was impassive, but his eyes betrayed the nervousness he was feeling.
"How long have you been a member of the Cohen family?"
Ryan's eyes flashed. He was used to being asked how long he'd been living with the Cohens or when did the Cohens take him in, but he'd never had the question put that way before.
"S-s-six m-m-m-months....."
('Nice and easy......tell her what she wants to hear......get this over
and done with....')
"What do you think of Newport?"
Dr. Rodriguez was mapping out safe territories for discussion. She knew that his emotional 'ground zero' was ticking away just below the surface and she couldn't risk it exploding before Ryan was ready to handle the fall out.
"It's...it's l-l-like liv...living in g-gold fish bowl....."
The doctor laughed.
"I'm with you on that one....What school are you going to....?"
"Harbour......"
"Do you like it there?"
Ryan shrugged.
"It's o-okay....different...."
Dr. Rodriguez noticed Ryan was starting to relax. Her goal for this meeting was simply to get Ryan to agree to meet with her again.
"What courses are you taking?"
He reached for the orange juice, trying to command his hands to stop shaking. The doctor pretended not to notice as she waited for Ryan to put the bottle back down.
"W-w-w-world lit....calculus....phys......physics....a-a-algebra....."
"That's a pretty hefty load....Calculus and algebra?"
Ryan gave her a half smile.
"I..I l-like m-m-m-math....."
The next 45 minutes went by quickly. They talked about innocuous things like books, movies, music. Dr. Rodriguez was surprised Ryan was as well read as he was, not because underprivileged kids in working class cities didn't read things besides "Mad" magazine and comic books, but rather by the wide variety of books he had read. She saw what Sandy Cohen saw in him the first time he met Ryan. A kid who'd been hurt and neglected by the very people who were supposed to take care of him, but he was a kid who hadn't given up on himself yet. He still clung to a shred of hope that he could rise above his past. No matter what he said, his dreams hadn't died yet.
"So...will you come and see me again?"
Ryan hesitated before he nodded.
"...'kay..."
She dug into her briefcase and pulled out a small pale blue card with her name, address and telephone numbers on it.
"I'd like to see you on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, at 1:30....Is that alright with you?"
Ryan was unsure. Twice a week?
"I..I'm n-n-n-not......"
"We'll change the times once you're back in school full time....."
Ryan sighed. He knew he wasn't getting out of this.
"Y-yeah...f-f-fine....."
"Good....I'd have you page your mom right now but I have the feeling she's waiting right outside."
Ryan slowly pulled himself up, using the arms of the chair for leverage. He leaned on his cane as he made his way to the door Dr. Rodriguez just opened. Sure enough, Kirsten was in the waiting room. She stood up as soon as she saw him. Dr. Rodriguez handed Ryan the blue appointment card.
"I'll see you on Monday...."
She nodded to Kirsten and then closed the door. She sat back down at the desk and pulled out the notebook she had used when she first visited Ryan in the hospital. She opened it and started to write.
It was just past 12:30 when Kirsten and Ryan got back into the car. She looked over at him. He looked tired. It had been a long morning.
"Are you hungry?"
Ryan looked at Kirsten. His eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Are you c-c-cooking.....?"
Kirsten shook her head.
"Smart ass.....I'm in the mood for a cheeseburger....."
"S-s-s-sounds good..."
Kirsten pulled into the Crab Shack parking lot. She glanced at Ryan as she unbuckled her seatbelt. He made no movement to unbuckle his.
"Ryan....?"
"Why here?" He whispered.
Kirsten gently touched Ryan's chin and moved his head so he was looking at her.
"Two reasons.....One.....despite being called the 'Crab Shack', they actually make a decent burger and two, Walter has called us four times now to see if you're alright. I know he doesn't believe Sandy or myself, so I thought he can see for himself....If you're not comfortable here we can go somewhere else...."
"I'll g-g-g-go in...." Ryan unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door.
Kirsten linked her arm in his as they entered the restaurant. The lunch rush was in full swing, but Kirsten managed to find an empty booth. She watched as Ryan slid to the end of the vinyl bench, resting his head in his right hand, trying to cover his scars. She mentally kicked herself for not realizing the reason Ryan didn't want to come in was because he was self- conscious about his appearance. Kirsten could hear the whispers coming from adjacent tables. She reached for his hand and brought it back down to the table, keeping her hand on top of his.
"Sweetie.....I'm sorry.....I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I know it sounds like a line, but I don't see the bruises and the scars....I just see you..."
Ryan looked up at Kirsten.
" 's okay...I c-can't hide 'til hair g-grows back...."
The waitress came by with the menus and water glasses. She barely looked at him as she took Kirsten's order. She then turned to Ryan.
"I'll h-have a 'burger with b-bacon and...."
Erin knew that voice. She looked up at her 'customer'.
"Ryan!!!!" she squealed as she slid onto the bench beside him. "You are alright...Let me get my mom and dad...."
Erin partially slid out of the booth and then scooted back in to give Ryan a hug. She ran back to the kitchen. Any hope of a quiet lunch was trampled as Ryan's boss Walter and his wife Maude came out of the kitchen. Ryan pushed his way off the bench to accept the hugs he knew were coming.
Walter spoke first.
"We were worried about you...Your dad came in to see us after your accident but...."
Maude let Ryan go after hugging him.
"You're too skinny.....You're never going to survive a Saturday shift if you don't gain some weight....."
Ryan was surprised.
"Y-you're holding m-m-my job f-f-for m-me......?"
"Damn straight." said Walter. "Mrs. Mulder asks about you every time she's in here. The Shapiro's give all the other staff a hard time. They only want to be waited on by you.... Erin's been miserable for the last couple of weeks...."
"Dad!.............."
Walter continued.
"As soon as you're ready to come back, your job is waiting for you. We'll get your orders in and we'll all sit for lunch..... "Johnny....!" Walter yelled. "You're in charge...."