Are you Santa?
"Momma its Santa, Toys!"
Far too Quickly Ms. Steele pulls her tiny hand from mine. I feel the loss. How can she be doing this to me? I don't even know her. How did she know my name? Was I right that this is a scam? I am reminded of the little boy in the bed; Ms. Steele seems far too caring to put her son through that. Now the Crack whore would have done it in a minute if she thought anyone would have cared. I guess I am lucky that the internet and social media were not around then.
The little boy asks "Are you Santa?" Did he hit his head? I am not an old fat guy that sneaks into people's homes spreading holiday cheer. Just as I am about to be my usual asshole self I remember that I am holding a bag of presents and he just lost everything he owns. Get it together Grey. She's a goddess but that's not happening, remember why you are here.
"Hi Jaxson, I heard that you were hurt. I am not Santa Claus; I am one of his helpers. He is busy at the North Pole getting your presents ready and we wanted you to have some holiday cheer while you are in the hospital."
"Are you one of Santa's elves?" He questions
"You can say that."
I try to smile and sound cheerful. I think it is coming off as the creepy old neighbor. Ms. Steele is giving me that look Grace gave me when she knew Elliot or I was up to something. Do they hand out a How-to book when you become a parent. " Looks that will scare you kids shitless and how to master each one ?" That's eerie, I can terrify a board room but one look from this tiny waif and I am reconsidering every word that comes out of my mouth. I need to make nice with Ms. Steele.
"Jaxson once you are feeling up to it and your mom says okay these presents are for you." Oh shit, that look. What did I say now?
"Jaxson this is auntie Mia's brother. Say thank you for the gifts." Why do I feel jealous of Mia being so close to them that she has an honorary title as Auntie?
"Tank you!...does that mean he's my uncle too?" Jaxson asks so sweetly, he is so innocent. How anyone could hurt a helpless child is beyond me. Before I know what I am saying the words are out of my mouth.
"I would love to be your Uncle Christian, Mia and I used to have so much fun as kids, maybe when you are up to it we can go have some fun. Do you like baseball?"
" I wuv baseball my papa and I watch the Mariner's, football is my favorite. Do you like the…. Seabirdies?" He looks so cute trying to figure out the team names.
"I love the Sea Hawkes and the Mariners. I have box seats at both. We could go with Mia, my brother Elliot and of course your mom." This is the first time I have looked at Ms. Steele in the few minutes that I have been speaking to her son. She has a fake smile on her face but I can tell she is mad. It is like the cartoons when I was a kid and the steam is coming out of Yosemite Sam's ears. Oops I am in trouble again. A knock on the door distracts Ms. Steele before she has a chance to throw me out the window.
"Hello, I am Megan from the child life department. I wanted to see if Jaxson had any questions about his procedure? I have a little doll here that I can show you what the doctors will be doing? I also have my special bag of prizes." I am so confused, what is going on. The little boy looks fine, he has the wires on him, a few bandages and IV but everything else looks normal. What am I missing? His voice is a little hoarse but he has been speaking to me. The woman pulls out a bunch of wires and tubes that look like they belong in an operating room. I want to scream "What is going on?" but I doubt that would be welcomed at the moment.
I think Ms. Steele has completely forgotten that I am in the room. Over the next hour Megan carefully explains the procedure of a bronchoscopy to Jaxson (and me). She uses child friendly examples, videos on her tablet to show the operating room and lets him perform a fake procedure on the doll. Apparently it is a procedure that looks at the damage done to the lungs using a scope which is a little camera. He will be asleep and will feel no pain. From what I am hearing and searching on my phone while sitting towards the back of the room Jaxson has asthma. He isn't showing the clinical improvements that he should from the smoke inhalation. His pulse oximeter which is the little ET looking light on his finger is measuring the oxygen levels in his blood and they continue to drop.
I know that I just met this little boy but I just want to hold him. He is calm and talking to this woman like he doesn't have a care in the world. Ms. Steele has asked every question imaginable and seems to be taking everything very calmly. I am the complete opposite. I am usually the great at keeping my mask on but my poker face has disappeared.
Jaxson has fallen asleep. Just as a Megan from the child life department leaves. They will definitely be getting a donation from me.
Although our circumstances are much different I can't help wondering why I wasn't given this kind of treatment. I remember being held down as they tried to clean my burns when I first arrived at the hospital in Detroit. Nobody explained what they were doing. I was told to stay still; the doctor was mean. I screamed from the pain of someone touching me, I screamed at the fear of being held down like the pimp used to do before he used me as an ashtray. I screamed because I wanted my mom. I screamed and kicked each time they tried to touch a festering scab. I screamed until I couldn't scream anymore. I remember seeing Grace for the first time. I saw the anger in her eyes but it was directed at the adults not me. Once she looked at me it was completely different. Grace came in and held me and explained that my wounds were infected and needed to be cleaned no avoid further infection or complications. She didn't have a tablet like Megan just used but she made sure I knew what was happening. She dismissed the other doctors and nurses. She apologized for their behavior. Then she brought out a large mirror. I remember being confused until she sat me on her lap and cleaned each of my wounds. At first she held the gauze in my hand; she even washed my hands and put latex gloves on me. I could see what was being done. Although I was not really in control I knew what was happening. Grace's voice was soft and sweet; she never raised her voice. It was the beginning of a new world. I got more kindness in one night than I had in my lifetime. I remember feeling safe for the first time. Grace has been my angel ever since.
Lost in thought I didn't notice a doctor walk in. "Hello Ms. Steele, I am Doctor Fox . I am the pulmonologist on call. I have reviewed your son's records and I agree with his doctors that a bronchoscopy is the next step. I am afraid you will need to go to your room and will not be able to stay in here any longer."
"What are you talking about? He is three years old I am not leaving him alone. He needs me. My burns will not stop me from taking care of my son." I had thought Ms. Steele was mad at me. Now she looks like she is about to throttle the doctor. At the moment my money is on her.
"It is hospital policy, besides he will not be alone if his father can stay in the room." Dr. Fox gestures towards me. Wait what did he say? I think this is the first time Ms. Steele has realized that I am still in the room.
"That is not Jaxson's father and I will not be leaving my sons side, hospital policy can stick it where the sun don't shine." As much as I like seeing the feisty side of Ms. Steele I know she is not at one hundred percent so I decide to throw my weight around.
"Hello Doctor Fox. You can't throw a mother out of her son's room." I am trying to be civil when Doctor Jackass cuts me off.
"Sir if you are not the child's father you need to leave as well. You can't tell me what needs to be done." This doctor is digging his own grave. I stand at full height and am in Dom mode.
"I can do whatever the fuck I want. Call the hospital board and ask them who just built the newest wing of this hospital, who the biggest donor to the hospital is and while you're at it call Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey my mother and also the head of THIS pediatric department. Let's see what they all say, shall we?" I love the moment when people realize they have fucked up and are messing with the wrong person. I may not know Ms. Steele and her son very well but I do know what it is like to be a scared little kid in the hospital. That's not happening to Jaxson if I can help it.
"I uh… we don't need to do that.. really I am sorry for the confusion, I am sure we can figure something out." Sorry too late jack ass. I tried to be nice. I scroll through my contacts and find the president of the hospital board mobile number. Of course she answers on the first ring. Just to fuck with Doctor Jackass I turn on the speakerphone.
" Mr. Grey how may I help?" You can feel the sucking up through the phone. This should be fun.
" Hello Mrs. Curtis, I am currently in a room in your pediatric department and apparently Dr. Fox wants me to leave. I am visiting a patient and her son. Correct me if I am wrong, didn't I pay for the remodeling of this department two years ago?"
"Mr. Grey you are in the hospital? I am so sorry. I…" I cut off the sucking up so I can get to my point.
"Mrs. Curtis please get down to the pediatric floor now. The patients are Jaxson and Anastasia Steele. While you are at it please page my mother to this room. I believe she is in the emergency department." I hang up and look at Ms. Steele; for once she has a smile and doesn't look mad at me. Jaxson is still asleep and Doctor Jackass is sweating through his scrubs. I guess you should have played nice. Within minutes several board members and my mother are walking into the room.
Grace and Ms. Steele hug. Grace gasps when she sees the bandages covering her body as well as a tiny sleeping Jaxson. My mother is the first to speak.
"Ana what is going on, what happened to you and Jaxson? Christian dear what are you doing here?" Well thanks mom that wasn't really helpful.
"I came to help Ms. Steele. Mia explained what happened. I was just offering some support. Apparently Doctor Jackass" That same damn look Ms. Steele gave me is now coming from my mom. "Sorry Doctor Fox was trying to kick myself and Jaxson's mother out of the room. Not only do I find it abhorrent that a child be in the room scared and by himself when his mother is capable and willing to be present. I also don't appreciate the way he was speaking to either of us. How does he speak to other patients that don't have the hospital president's number in their phone? If you expect for me to continue to be this hospitals biggest donor I suggest you fix this situation NOW!" Doctor Jackass is given handful of dirty looks and told to leave and he will be dealt with. Ms. Steele explains what happened, how he insisted that she leave the room because of policy and that he is scheduled to have a bronchoscopy.
"Mrs. Steele I apologize for Doctor Fox. Nobody will be kicking you out of his room. I will be moving you both to a larger room so that we can have a second bed moved in for you so you can get some rest. I will page Dr. Palmer our top pediatric pulmonologist and if it is okay with Dr. Trevelyan and if it is alright with you I will be assigning you as the head physician for both patients. I know Ms. Steele is not a peds patient but you can coordinate with the rest of the specialists. Any friend of Mr. Grey will definitely be getting the executive treatment." This pisses me off, I know people want to treat me differently because of who I am but shouldn't all patients get the best care. I will need to bring this up at the next meeting I have with the board.
"Thank you Mrs. Curtis I appreciate that. Will the bronchoscopy still be today?" I wonder if Ms. Steele has slept at all. She looks exhausted.
"Ana as soon as Doctor Palmer gets here we will go over everything and see if Jaxson is stable to wait until morning. I will go over his chart and be back." Grace and Ana hug before my mother walks out. What the hell, did she forget I was even in the room? Apparently I am forgettable today.
"Mrs. Curtis I expect the very best care for these two. I do not want Doctor Fox back on this floor and if there are any problems I will be holding you responsible. I believe we have a meeting at the beginning of the year to go over 2017 donations!" I turn toward Ms. Steele dismissing the board members so they can initiate the changes.
"Thank you Christian I appreciate the assistance. What are you still doing here? I thought you left hours ago?" The feisty Ms. Steele is back.
"I wanted to offer some help. Mia told me what happened, actually the GoFundMe page told me the most but then Mia explained and I wanted to help out." The look of surprise and disgust is on Ms. Steele's face.
"Christian what are you talking about? What GoFundMe page? I have no idea what you are talking about?" Okay so obviously not a scam since she looks completely blindsided. Was this supposed to be a surprise and nobody told me? I spend the next few minutes explaining what I know. To say that Ms. Steele is mad would be an understatement. She flops back into the chair next to a sleeping Jaxson.
"Sorry, I didn't know this was a secret. From what I have heard around Grey House everyone has been talking about it, you even made the news." She looks like she is going to be sick. I don't think I am helping.
"My phone and everything was in that house. The only television I have watched has been Paw Patrol. I know Kate and Mia meant well but I can't believe they did this. I will deal with this when they get here. None of that explains what you are doing here? Don't get me wrong I appreciate the help with Doctor Jackass but you didn't stay this long at your parents thirty- fifth anniversary party."
How does she know that? Did Mia tell her? I dropped off a case of their favorite wine, an envelope with an expense paid cruise to Alaska and left in less than an hour. As I look at my watch I realize that I have been at the hospital for almost three hours and I have no desire to leave.
"How did you know that? Come to think of it how did you know who I was?" I question.
"You don't remember, do you?" Ms. Steele states as if I should know what she is talking about.
"A year and a half ago I was helping Mia plan your parents anniversary party. I was in her room at your parents' home. You stopped by to drop off some papers for GEH. Mia had left the room to get some bottles of water. On her way she ran into you. She had been trying to get me to date again as I haven't been on any dates since my fiancé died. I shot her down every time. Mia tried to tell you about her friend, namely me, that she thought you would have a lot in common with. I knew where the conversation was heading so I started to walk down the stairs to try and stop her. Before I had a chance you said "Mia I don't need another one of your dumbass friends following me around like a lost puppy. I really don't want to spend the little free time I have with another gold digging whore that will fuck anything just to get the social status!" You had some other colorful words to describe me although you had no idea who I was. So please tell me what are you doing in my son's room?"
I remotely recall the conversation with Mia. She has tried to set me up with so many of her ditsy friends. I had no idea she meant the beautiful Ms. Steele. I might be an ass but I wouldn't have made those comments if I knew she was in the house and was listening in on the conversation. No wonder she has looked at me like I am a complete tool. I really want to help her and her son. Maybe if I apologize; undoubtedly not my favorite thing to do but even I know that I was in the wrong. It happens once in a blue moon.
"Ms. Steele I apologize, I certainly didn't know you were in the house." She just rolled her eyes at me and her nostrils are flaring, maybe that wasn't the best way to apologize.
"Of course not, you should only be polite when the other person is on the premises." Ms. Steele huffs out.
"That's not what I meant. I should have given you a chance. I had no right to insult you or insinuate what I did. I really would like to be friends."
"Given me a chance? Seriously? I didn't even want to go out with you. I didn't ask for Mia to set us up and I didn't ask you to take your precious time from your company which by the way means more to you than your family to come down to the hospital. Why don't you just leave?" Ms. Steele has worked herself up. She is pacing back and forth as far as the IV tubing will allow her to go. I am about to challenge her on her comment about my family not being important when her monitor starts to beep. I rush over to Ms. Steele just in time to catch her before her head could hit the ground. Several nurses and my mother run in. I place her on the rolling bed as they rush her out of the room. What the hell just happened?
"Christian I need you to stay with Jaxson. I don't want him to be alone." Grace pleads; I nod as she runs out of the room. Luckily he is still asleep. What happens when he wakes up? What if one of the monitors starts to beep? I am scared shitless. I thought Mia was coming to the hospital, where is she?
"Unke Cwistian, I want momma!" Oh shit!