8

Broken Relationship

Connor stiffened and unconsciously straightened in bed as his father walked into the room. Cornelius glanced around the spartan room in, what looked like, dismay before his eyes came to rest on his son. "I'll have a talk to someone in charge of this place and ask why you haven't been placed at the VIP wing already," he stated.

Connor closed his eyes briefly and forced himself to take a deep breath. "Hi, dad," he let out wearily as he noticed the flowers in his hand. "I am sure you could have gotten those delivered."

Rhodes senior grimaced ever so slightly at the harsh words but refused to let it get to him. "I wanted to see you in person. Is that so hard to understand?" he asked.

Connor fidgeted with the oximeter on his fingertip, his eyes downcast. After a moment he shook his head and craned his neck to look at his father. "No, I guess not. Did you come to see if I was dying?" he replied sarcastically.

Cornelius shook his head. "Why do you always have to be so ungrateful," he said bitterly. "I bet you weren't like that when your sister visited yesterday."

He looked up sharply. "Has Claire been here?" he asked curiously.

"She missed several important client meetings thanks to you," his father replied.

Connor smirked and let out a faint chuckle. "Yeah, don't sugarcoat it dad," he drawled.

Cornelius studied his son for a moment, making Connor self-conscious. "Look, I didn't come here to see if you were dying; as you so kindly insinuated. What kind of cold bastard do you take me for?" he pushed.

'Was that a rhetorical question?' had been on Connor's lips but he managed to hold back the comment.

"Son, you're of my flesh and blood. I did everything I could for you – both of you – when you grew up. I paid for everything-,"

The double certified surgeon snorted. "To pay for something doesn't necessarily mean that you love someone," he reminded him. "You paid for mom too, didn't you?"

"Connor don't," Cornelius warned sharply.

He leaned back in his bed and closed his eyes briefly. "When are you going to say it?" he asked after a moment of silence. "I thought you'd be the first to congratulate me when Robin left?"

"Well, she was mentally unstable," he reasoned, his voice flat.

Connor bit his lip in frustration, trying to calm himself, knowing that arguing with his father didn't really serve any purpose. "What I don't understand is-," he paused and took a deep breath, then looked up at his father sadly. "I clearly remember you saying that you knew how the loved ones faired and that you knew what kind of war people with mental illnesses battled every day. It was part of your speech during the opening ceremony to the 'Elizabeth Rhodes Memorial Psychiatric Ward' and yet you showed no understanding when it came to Robin's battle."

"You said it yourself; she wasn't mentally unstable," Cornelius reminded him.

"And if I remember correctly-," Connor countered coldly, fixing his father with a glare. "-I also told you that she was recovering from a medical condition. You didn't listen and told me to get rid of her. I asked if you had learnt nothing after what happened to mom and you know what – it is obvious you didn't."

Cornelius raised his hands. "Look-,"

Connor shook his head. "No, you look. Did you ever care about mom? Because I think you had a very interesting way of showing it."

"Your mother was a complicated woman," he began carefully, knowing that whatever he said would upset his son. "She was delicate, frail. She thought she saw things that just weren't there."

Connor huffed. "You mean all the other women that accompanied you during the years?"

"You've got it all wrong," Cornelius insisted.

"I am tired, dad," he interrupted. "Why don't we continue this discussion some other time?"

Cornelius pursed his lips together with a frown of concern creasing his forehead as he studied his son up close. Despite all their differences he couldn't help but to be proud of his son. Connor being a doctor wasn't something he'd seen coming and certainly not something he wanted for his son to become but ever since he had saved Russell that day a little over a year ago, he had the deepest respect for his son's skills. Now, Connor had stubbornly refused to follow in his footsteps, wanting nothing to do with the company Dolan Rhodes and Cornelius had always reasoned that he'd come around someday but as the years passed; he was no longer so sure about that. While Claire was good at what she was doing he had wanted for Connor to step in. He imagined that Dolan, his own father, would be happy as long as it stayed within the family but it wasn't good enough for him.

Cornelius smirked as he nodded to himself and reached out to touch his son's arm, then hesitated and pulled his hand back. He began to walk toward the door and turned around to take one last look at his son before he went out in the corridor.

"Mr. Rhodes," Sharon's deep yet soft voice called as she neared from the opposite direction.

"Ah, Miss Goodwin," he acknowledged smoothly, flashing his winning business smile. "Tell me, why hasn't my son been brought to the VIP wing?"

She hesitated. "Is that what he wants?"

"I don't care what he wants. He's injured, his mind is probably a bit hazy at the moment. I want the best care possible provided for him – immediately," he commanded.

Sharon bit her tongue. "Mr. Rhodes. Connor is one of our own, I can assure you that he is receiving the best care we can provide anytime he needs it," she replied kindly.

"Good, I don't need to remind you about the amount of money that the family spends on this hospital every year," he stated.

"No, Mr. Rhodes, there is no need for that," she assured him.

He smiled at her. "Good, then you'll have to excuse me. I do have important things to take care of back at the office."

OOOOOO

Daniel Charles hesitated briefly; his hand poised over his smartphone. He wanted to make sure Robin had arrived safely but he didn't want to intrude and she had asked him not to follow every step she took. That was the reason he was now debating with himself if he should call Caroline or not. Deciding he would go crazy not knowing, he took a deep breath and called his first wife, hoping she still had the same number.

"Hello?" a soft yet rich voice filled the other end of the line.

For a moment he just savored hearing her speak then caught himself and spoke up. "Hello Caroline, it's Daniel."

There was a moment of silence before the strong headed woman said anything. "Sorry, I'm not buying anything over the phone," she muttered.

He heard some shuffling and a door closing before the voice came back. "Sorry, we were in the same room. Danny, it's so good to hear from you. I was wondering when you'd call," she said pointedly.

"CeCe," he began softly. "I just need to know - did she arrive safely?"

"She's here, Danny, there is no need to worry. You just let me take care of everything from now on. I promise you; she'll get better."

"It's just-," he felt at loss for words. "I didn't want her to leave again, I have so much to catch up on."

"That you have Danny boy, that you have," Caroline concurred. "Since I have you on the phone. I am mad at you too."

"What?" he asked with a frown.

"Our baby girl could have died during the surgery and you didn't think it'd be important enough to let me know?!" she involuntarily raised her voice and caught herself, looking in the direction of the room Robin was sitting in, hoping she hadn't drawn her attention.

"That was wrong of me, I realize that, but everything happened so fast and there was a lot of things going on at work."

She harrumphed. "For a psychologist, Danny, you can be pretty clueless about other people's feelings," she pointed out bitterly.

"I am sorry CeCe," he apologized. "Just call every once in a while. Can you do that for me? Tell me how she's doing."

"Yeah, yeah. Is there anything I need to know?"

"I think she'll tell you all about it when she's ready," Daniel assured her softly. "Thanks for not hanging up on me."

"Bye Danny," Caroline replied melancholically.

OOOOOO

Will brightened as Nathalie joined him in the doctor's lounge. He nodded at her as he reached for his coat. "Long day, huh?" he said charmingly.

She let out a deep sigh as she opened her locker and grabbed her trunk. "Yeah, you can say that," she concurred in a subdued voice. "That poor family. They were just passers-by. Some junky just turned their lives up-side down."

"After all these years in the medical profession I would have thought you had learned life isn't fair?" he said with a blink and then realized whom he was talking to. "Nat, I am sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I just-," he paused.

"Will, it's okay. I have moved on from Jeff. You of all people should know that," she said indignantly. "You think I'd let you sleep in my bed otherwise?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, of course not," he said and reached over to gently remove a strand of hair from her face. "So, does that mean you're not planning on running off somewhere – like another state?"

"Oh, Will," she chided. "Don't even joke about that. Poor Connor. Did he really get home and find a handwritten note from Robin?"

"That's what he said. It took me several hours to get that out of him last night," Will complained.

"It must have been hard on Robin too," Nat suggested softly. "It's just that they seemed to be so good for each other. I guess I just never imagined they'd break up – after everything they've been through."

"Speaking of Rhodes. I am heading up to see him. Do you want to tag along?" Will asked.

"I'm sorry, I really want to but I promised my mother-in-law to come home early – which is a promise I've already broken – and relieve her from babysitting. She was going to the theatre with some friends."

"I am sure Connor understands. Look, should I swing by later and help out? We could tuck in Owen early today and get comfy-," he stopped abruptly as Doris walked into the room.

Natalie smirked at him, then broke into a teasing smile. "See you at seven then. Don't be late," she said.

OOOOOO

"Hello handsome," April whispered seductively as she walked up to access the computer opposite her boyfriend.

Ethan cast a careful glance around the room, to make sure no one was watching them.

"They already know," she reminded him. "As far as Doris is concerned, we are no longer interesting. She's probably moved on to gossip about someone else."

He rolled his eyes. "I overheard her asking Monique earlier why no one had seen Robin Charles around," he let on.

"Actually, that is a little weird, don't you think?" April replied.

Ethan gave her a dubious look. "Didn't take you for a gossiper."

"I was just wondering, that's all," she reasoned with a shrug. "Aren't you curious?"

"Now you are just as bad as the others," he reminded her softly. "Considering the last couple of months Robin has had, she's probably exhausted and Connor too. I was surprised to see her doing so well when she was at the office last week. We really shouldn't speculate. I am sure they'll tell us when they are ready."

"You're right. We should do something for them. Drag them out to the river bank for a little 'Aloha'," she said with a bright smile.

"Hey, you two," Maggie hollered. "Incoming!"

OOOOOO

To be continued