Jordan POV
I got a call early in the morning to come to the hospital for an emergency board meeting. I don't remember ever being asked it to come to an emergency meeting before. The board generally meets every Wednesday, in addition to that, we have meetings to discuss promotions, intern evaluations, and disciplinary actions (Perry's name has come up for that numerous times) those meeting are generally planned way in advance or we are at least given a two day notice.
So understandably I didn't appreciate being woken up early this morning to come to the hospital.
The Sacred Heart board is filled with old geezers who are twenty years my senior; the only reason I'm on it is because my family donated a load of money to the hospital. After my father died, I took his place on the board. The truth is I could care less about the hospital; and while it pains me to admit this, the only reason I took the position so many years ago was to be close to a certain doctor.
So as I am sitting here listening to Bob Kelso drone on and on about safety, lawsuits, and other nonsense, my thoughts drift back to Perry.
Flashback to earlier that day
I walked into the hospital in a horrid mood, and was greeted by JD.
"Jordan"
"Hey DJ, you look grim, did your boyfriend just dump you?"
JD ignored the jibe and instead asked, "Did you hear about Dr. Cox?"
"Listen DJ, I was up all night with the baby, I finally had ten minutes of quiet time, with which I can list you a thousand things I'd like to do, one of them is not standing here in this sorry excuse for a hospital talking to you, so forgive me if I could care less about what Perry is doing right now.
"Did no one tell you?" he asked in a surprised tone.
"Tell me what?"
"I just thought you knew, being on the board and all, I mean that's why they called the meeting, I thought you knew"-
"Spill-it nerd"
"Dr. Cox is hurt."
As I walked to the ICU, JD filled me in on what they think might have happened, who found him, what was written on him, etc. I didn't really care that much about all that information, I just wanted to see him; I mean after all how badly could he be hurt?
He looked awful.
He was lying down with eyes closed. His breathing was slow and shallow and he was very very pale. There was a bandage above his left brow; below it, his eye was black. But as bad as his left eye was, his right eye was worse. Along his right check was a nasty purple mark which extended all the way up to his temple, his lips were swollen and bloody, and his right shoulder was in a sling.
But the one bruise that I couldn't seem to take to my eyes off, was the one which ran along the left side of his jaw.
When we were first married, we were in the midst of an argument. I can't remember what it was about, and the truth was, knowing our relationship, it was probably something petty. Nonetheless, in the heat of the argument, I punched Perry and broke his jaw. I didn't even hit him that hard, but as his eyes filled with pain, I knew I crossed the line. But being me, I didn't apologize, I never would, and I never did.
I should have helped him; or at least I should have shown some concern or remorse. But I didn't. Instead I ridiculed him to no end.
Years later his sister came to visit. I don't know why Paige started talking about their childhood, but it interested me a little. Even though I've known Perry for years, I knew close to nothing about his past. I knew his mother died when he was in college, his father died when we were married, and that Perry couldn't care less about either of their deaths.
But even though he never spoke of it, I knew his childhood was rough. He was a bright kid, who worked hard to get good grades; and as soon as he finished high school he took his scholarship, left for college, and never went back home. He then continued to med-school and got accepted to Sacred Heart as an intern. The West-Coast was a perfect fit, because in essence, it was the farthest he could get from his hometown without dropping off the continent.
Well during that visit, Paige told me about an incident that happened when she and Perry were young. According to Paige, whenever their father got enraged the smartest thing to do was to shut-up and hope he doesn't notice you. But Perry didn't do that. He used to defend himself and his sister. Call it bravery, gallantry, or call it stupidity; but that sense of responsibility always got him into trouble.
That time it got him seriously hurt.
A skinny, scrawny, ten-year-old was no match for an adult, and with one brutal upper-cut his father shattered his jaw. Unlike the other abuses that monster bestowed upon him, Perry's jaw never properly healed.
That's why his jaw broke so easily then.
And that's why his jaw was broken now.
I'm not good at giving comfort and thank g-d JD had the decency to leave us alone. I couldn't decide if I should feel angry, troubled, or concerned; but as I sat there next to him holding his hand, stoking his hair, and thinking about his troubled past, only one emotion filled me….
Pity
