Chapter 14
For the next two days, Ken hovered between sleep and waking, his body having taken a backwards step in its healing process. His fever raged one moment and waned the next, and thought it all, his parents came for brief periods and Chancita the maid stayed the whole time, only going for brief periods of rest when the nurses made her.
But on the morning of the third day she was napping, her head resting on her hands on the bedside by the side of the blond when she felt a pressure on her head, weak fingers carding through her thick, black hair. She stirred and looked up to see that Ken's eyes were once more open and did not have the preternatural brightness of fever. She smiled at him.
'How are Muchachita?'
'Dunno…. Thirsty' he rasped, his voice weak and breathy.
She hurried out into the corridor and returned a moment later with a cup of ice chips. She fed one to the young man and he let the liquid beauty melt on his tongue. To Ken, it was the most delicious, satisfying thing he'd ever had.
'Do you have pain?' Chancita asked.
Ken considered. His body hurt all over with a dull ache, but the knifing pains he remembered having in his chest had gone and he could breathe fairly easily, which made life far more comfortable.
'Not m much'. He rested back on the pillow and there was a quiet moment in the room until suddenly the blond's body stiffened. 'Hank! Where's Hank? Is he ok? D did Dad….'
The maid laid her hand on her patient's shoulder. 'Senior Netter is doing well. Your Father operated on him. His heart was hurt, but he is recovering.
'I wanna see him'.
'You can't Nino. You aren't well enough. You asked for him in your fever'.
I need t to see him. N need to say thank you'. Ken started to struggle weakly on the bed.
'You can see him in a few days. Maybe when you are both stronger? But right now, I'm just glad to see you are feeling so well'. Chancita slipped another ice chip into his mouth and watched in satisfaction as Ken fell silently back to sleep.
oOo
4 days later.
The stunningly beautiful woman walked on her stiletto heels into the small side room, hesitating only briefly at the door. As she entered she smiled very briefly and coldly at Chancita. 'You can go for a while' she said imperiously, dismissing the woman who had cared for her boyfriend for the past week.
The maid looked at Ken who nodded and squeezed her hand. 'Don't tire him' she said to Vanessa as she left. The young woman scowled at her departing back.
'Who does she think she is, telling me what to do?' Van came to sit at the side of the bed, carefully avoiding the various casts surrounding Ken's legs, arm and hand. 'I have so much to tell you. I missed you so much'.
Ken gazed at the beautiful woman. He'd in truth not though about Van very much. His mind was still taken up with his kidnap, the shock of the brutal treatment he'd received and the events that had taken place in his hospital room. But he smiled warmly at his girl.
'I missed you too Hon'.
Van launched into a description of the shopping trip she'd been on, explaining that she'd met a rich fashion designer from LA who was looking for models for his new range of clothes. He'd asked Van whether she wanted to take a job in Hollywood and Van had agreed immediately. At the news, Ken's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing. Van continued to prattle on about the new set of clothes she'd bought, the shoes, the friends who were envious of her and her parents who had given their consent for her to go.
'What about us?' he asked quietly.
'Us? We can still be together. You're always studying anyway so you won't miss me too much. Long distance relationships can work too' she said and quietly her hand slipped under the sheet, reaching for his familiar body.
Ken held his breath. Her hands felt so good on his stomach and legs, but he wanted her to caress him, to stroke and gentle him and to tell him how much she loved him. She'd never once asked how he was or told him how bad she felt at his injuries. Instead, her conversation was all of Van and her life. And now, despite the tiredness in his eyes and the pain lines etching deep furrows into his pale face, Van was once seeking her own gratification. Ken felt her hands dip to his groin and circle his cock, stroking it and trying to bring it to life. Ken's body responded not with pleasure but with pain as bruised muscles reacted to the familiar stimulus. He placed his left, uninjured hand over hers and stopped her movements.
'Van, I hurt too much honey' he said softly. 'M'sorry'.
Her eyes flashed dangerously. 'Don't you love me any more?'
'Of course I do! It's just….I hurt too much. Just gimme a week or so an' I'll be back on form….Van…..VAN'.
But the woman had retrieved her hand from the tangle of sheets and had stood quickly, almost knocking the chair backwards in her haste.
'Don't make excuses Ken. I understand. Is there some pretty nurse maybe. Does she give a good bed bath? Huh? Is that it? She can give you what I can't!'
'No, no you don't understand. Van…..look' Ken flicked the sheet back displaying his chest and abdomen. Even just over a week after the beating, his body was still black and blue, some of the bruises still retaining the shape of knuckles and boots. 'Van, I just hurt, that's all'.
Van looked back once, but seemed unable to acknowledge the injuries. Instead she gave one final flick of her long auburn hair, turned on her heel and walked to the door. 'Maybe when you're sick of her, you'll come back to me' she spat and left
When Chancita returned to the room half an hour later, she could see that her boy had shed tears. She knew what Vanessa could be like. She'd never liked the woman, thinking her shallow and selfish. Chancita rushed to Ken's side and without thinking, put her arms around him, hugging him to her as, for the first time in his life, Ken shed tears of pain and self pity. Finally, minutes later, the maid helped to lay the flaxen haired man back on the bed. She looked down at his pain worn face.
'I have a treat for you' she said.
'Yeah?' Ken mumbled, his eyes empty and lifeless.
'While you were busy, I spoke to the nurses. This afternoon, the bed in the corner is going to be occupied'.
'I don't want anyone. I just w want to be left alone' Ken said raggedly.
'Not even if your friend was to share your room?'
The blond head turned on the pillow. 'Hank?'
'Uh huh. This afternoon. The staff thought it would do you both good'.
oOo
During the next two weeks, the two men recovered together. At first they were quiet, both adjusting to their injuries and healing quietly together. But as both got stronger they started to talk about life in general and careers in particular.
There was one particularly low day when both received news which shattered them, leaving them quiet and morose. That morning, Netter's doctor had come to see him, along with Captain Wilby, Netter's Captain. The cop eyed the two visitors cautiously.
The doctor came to stand by the bed, while Wilby stood by the door, self consciously playing with the hem of his jacket and refusing to meet Netter's questioning eyes.
'Hank, I have the results of your latest ECG. Its um….the news isn't good. I um…'
Hank met the doctor with a level gaze - he'd been expecting results and had mentally braced himself. 'Just spit it out Doc. what're ya tryin' to say?'
Wilby came forward. 'What he's trying to say Hank is that the bullet damaged your heart quite badly. Badly enough that you won't be able to get back to active duty. They're pensioning you off Hank. I'm sorry'.
Netter started at both men, then let his head fall back onto the pillow. 'Pension? Shit! Hell, I didn't know it was so bad. I just thought….You sure? About the prognosis?'
The doctor nodded his head sadly, waiting for the outburst that never came. Instead there was a calm and dignified acceptance.
'S'ok. I guessed as much when you wouldn't let me up outa bed. How bad is it Doc?'
'You want it sugar coated?'
'Nope. Right between the eyes'.
'Ok. You have sufficient heart damage to give you angina. You won't be able to take a lot of exercise and you'll find your energy levels will drop. It's not fatal, but it's significant'.
Netter puffed out his cheeks. 'Thanks Doc. I um….I'd like to be on my own for a while huh? I just need a while to get my head around all this. See you later Cap?'
Wilby nodded. 'Anything you need Hank. You know where I am'.
'Hows about a new heart huh?' Netter muttered and closed his eyes.
The two men left and Ken looked over at the older man. The cop had his eyes closed, his breathing quick and shallow.
'I'm sorry' the blond said quietly.
Hank shook himself mentally. 'Sorry? What for?'
'Coz if it hadn't been for me you'd never be here. And if you hadn't been here you'd never have got shot. And I'm sorry my Dad didn't do a better job'.
'Your Dad? Hey, kid. He saved my life. And the way I figure it, a live ex cop is better than a dead one huh? I've been wondering about quitting the force for a while now. Maybe this is the push I needed'.
'Quitting? That's weird. I've been thinking since this whole thing began that I want to be a cop. I just feel I could help more people that way than by sitting behind some desk taking fat checks to deal with rich guy's hernias and ulcers'.
Netter turned sideways. 'A cop? Are you serious?'
'Yeah, why? Don't you think I'd make it?'
Hank chuckled. 'Well at least wait till you heal kid. But yeah, I think you'd make a great Cop. Just one thing. What would your Dad say? And that little vixen of a girl you've got?'
Ken's face dropped. 'I dunno. But one thing I'm sure of. I'm not going back to college. I've had it with doing what everyone else wanted. I figure after this that I don't owe my Mom or Dad much. It's time Ken Hutchinson became his own man'.
'Good for you kid' Hank flipped a salute to him.
'What about you?' Ken asked
Netter shrugged his shoulders, winced at the pain from his wound and grinned. 'Hey, the world's my oyster. On a cop's pension I should just about be able to afford to eat. Don't worry about me kid. I have a brother in LA. Maybe I'll go stay with him for a while'.
oOo
That afternoon, the doctor looking after Ken appeared, with Dr Hutchinson close on his heels. They walked into the room and closed the curtain around the blond's bed. Ken looked at them expectantly. He knew something was wrong. He'd felt spacey and dizzy since he'd recovered consciousness and although his injuries were healing well, he didn't feel himself.
'How are you feeling today?' the doctor asked.
'Not b bad unless you're gonna tell me d different'.
Dr Hutchinson looked down at his feet and remained silent. Ken's doctor continued to look at the flaxen haired man's chart.
'Ken, we've got the last of your test results back. It seems that the injuries you received to your head have created some um….changes'.
'You mean I've got b brain damage?' Ken asked, his mouth suddenly dry with fear.
'Not damage exactly' the doctor said quickly. 'But we have noticed you've been slightly off balance when you've been sitting up'.
'Well that's only to be expected right? I mean I've b been laid down for an age'.
Dr Hutchinson sat down on the bed and in a rare moment of compassion he took hold of his son's hand. 'What the doctor is trying to say is that the injuries to your head have resulted in a mild form of dyspraxia. It's not bad, but you'll notice when you get back on your feet that you'll be slightly more clumsy than you were, maybe lose your balance when you're tired, or drop things more easily'
'Swell! Any more g good news you wanna run my way?' Ken asked, his heart rate suddenly twice it's normal.
'There's the question of the stammer too' Richard Hutchinson said gently. 'We thought it might just be a result of coming round from the coma. But it hasn't gone in the three weeks since you were admitted. The doctor and I have discussed and scheduled you for some surgery tomorrow. Maybe we can lessen the symptoms. We can't have a budding surgeon who drops instruments and stutters at his clients. Completely the wrong impression'.
Ken stared at his Dad. 'Surgery? And when were you thinking of discussing this with me?'
'Discussing? There's nothing to discuss. It's the best thing for you. In your current state you'll never make it as a top quality surgeon. I'm just trying to protect your career'.
'No, you're just trying to p protect your d dream Dad. If I d don't have the surgery, will I g get and b better?'
The other doctor looked at the chart and considered. 'The dyspraxia and the stammer are related and should eventually settle down. You would probably only get symptoms in times of stress or excitement'.
'Like if you were operating son. See reason Ken. You've studied hard. It would be such a waste to put your career in jeopardy now'.
'I'm not having the surgery Dad'.
'Of course you are. You're just a little shocked. It's scheduled for tomorrow. You'll be fine. I have….'
'Dad, I'm not having some b bozo fiddling around with my grey matter. It d doesn't matter. I'm not gonna be a d doctor anyway'.
Richard Hutchinson looked as though he'd been slapped in the face. 'Not going to….Ken you don't know what you're saying. You're overwrought. Just take a while to reconsider'.
'I've spent the last three weeks reconsidering D dad. There's not a lot else to d do while I'm led here. When I'm fit I'm g gonna try out for the police. I want to b be a cop'.
'Don't be ridiculous. What sort of a career is that? I absolutely forbid it'.
Ken smiled calmly at his father. 'I'm 21. I can d do what I want. I have nothing to lose. I hate medicine. It's not for me. I want to help p people. Properly. I want to get rid of crime. I want my own life Dad'.
Hutchinson senior stood angrily. 'If you insist on this route, you'll go it alone young man. No money, no support, no inheritance. You have your trust fund, but see how far that gets you'.
Ken sat up straighter in bed. 'Dad. Don't d do this. Let me b be who I want to be. You've already said that the low lives who b beat me to a pulp d damaged something. I d don't want someone cutting into my head, so without that, I'm never g gonna make the grade as a surgeon. Just b be happy for me. I have plans. Can't you at least acknowledge that I'm in charge of my own d destiny?'
'A plan without medicine is no plan at all. If you continue with this crazy idea you're no son of mine'.
'Fine' Ken said quietly. 'If that's what you think….I'm not changing my mind'.
Dr Hutchinson walked stiffly towards the door. 'Your mother and I will come to say goodbye when you're discharged' he said and left without a backwards look. Ken stared after him, both terrified that he'd finally stood up to the great surgeon, and deliriously happy that he was finally free of his Dad's clutches and aspirations.
As the doctor stood, placed the chart back at the foot of the bed and drew the curtain back, Netter applauded.
'Nice one Kid. You really told him!'
Ken grinned. 'Yeah. Now all I need is money, a house and a job and I'll be fine'.
oOo
Epilogue
The two men sat on the airplane waiting to take off.
'No regrets kid?' Netter asked.
'None at all' Ken grinned. With his legs newly out of their casts and his arm in a sling he was far from fit. But with the promise of a roof over his head in Bay City LA with Netter and his brother, and Van's promise that he could soon move into her apartment with her, he felt happier than he had in a long time.
He'd said a fond farewell to his friend John Farmer, one of only a handful of friends who understood his decision and had packed his few belongings from home. While Dr Hutchinson had been tight lipped and surly, his Mom had, for one of the few times in his life, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him before turning away so that the tears wouldn't spoil her perfect makeup. Only Chancita openly wept for her Ken, although he promised that once he'd progressed through the Academy he'd send money for a ticket for her to visit.
And now, as the plane took off, Ken Hutchinson felt as though he'd left his old life behind him. A new life was about to start. A life as a cop in California. How good could it get? And maybe once he'd earned his badge, he'd be partnered with someone as special as Dan had been to Hank. He could only hope. But in the meantime, he had some more healing to do in the warm southern sunshine and a whole new life to look forward to.
Ken sighed.
'Hey. You ok kid?' Netter asked.
'Yeah. I was just thinking. New start...new life! New...time for new everythin' and tat includes names. I always did hate "Ken". I really d don't like "Kid". New life, new name'. He held his hand out for Netter to shake. 'Hi, nice to meet ya. The names Hutch'.