"Dr. McKenzie? Justin Taylor is here to see you," Kelly told the chief of staff through the intercom. McKenzie sighed silently; he dreaded these types of disciplinary tasks, but it was part of his job. Before he made up his mind what to do, though, he needed to find out Taylor's side of the story, because as much as he disliked having to dish out unpleasant news to someone, he disliked his pompous chief surgeon even more.
"Send him in, Kelly," he told his assistant, closing his laptop down on his desk in preparation for his meeting. A few seconds later, he saw his office door open and Kelly step aside to allow the orderly to enter. He immediately recognized him as the man Swanson had identified yesterday from the hospital directory; the blond-haired man was wearing the standard white uniform of one of their orderlies as he walked in. "Thanks, Kelly, that will be all," he told the young woman as she nodded and quietly closed the door, leaving him alone with the somewhat nervously-looking, blond man. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Taylor," he directed Justin.
As Justin nodded and approached his desk, the man waited until he had seated himself in one of the butter-leather chairs facing him before speaking any further. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Martin McKenzie, the Chief of Staff here. And you're an orderly here at the hospital, correct?"
Justin eyed him curiously; his heart was beating faster just by virtue of being in the same room with the man who was in charge of operating the entire hospital. He had often heard Dr. McKenzie's name being bandied about throughout the facility in one regard or another, but actually being inside his richly-appointed inner sanctum was akin to snagging a visit to the Pope; when Cathy McDonald had called him over downstairs to the ICU nurses' station to tell him that the Chief of Staff was looking for him, he thought she was pulling his leg. As he sat there being scrutinized by the older man, however, he knew it was true. Now all he had to do was find out the reason why he would want to see him. "Yes, that's right," he finally found his voice to reply.
The doctor smiled politely in an attempt to try and put Justin at ease; he knew how intimidating being 'called to the principal's office' could be, and his intention was not to make this into some kind of inquisition. "And how long have you been working here, Mr. Taylor?"
Justin wiped his hands on his pants, trying to remove some of the sweat that was quickly appearing. "About six months," he told him.
McKenzie nodded. "And you like working here, Mr. Taylor?"
Justin's eyebrows narrowed slightly as he tried to find out why the man was intent on playing a game of twenty questions with him. Deciding directness was perhaps the best path to take, he responded, "Doctor….. May I ask just why you wanted to see me? And the name's Justin." Mr. Taylor made him feel like he was sixty years old, although at times he certainly felt that way after a long day of working here.
The doctor nodded again. "Justin. Well, I guess that's a fair question. Justin, you work part time in the recreation area of the hospital from what I understand. In fact, I've read some very positive feedback in your employee file about how good you are with the children there. I understand you've got quite a talent in artistic drawing ability and you use it to help make the children feel better. That's a very unique quality to have here – and a very commendable one. Which makes what I'm about to do even more difficult."
Justin frowned as he glanced over at the doctor; just what was he getting at? "I don't understand. Just why AM I here, Doctor? I don't imagine you're the one who gives out my employee review, so it must be for some other reason. Am I in some kind of trouble?"
"I'll cut to the chase, Justin. One of our physicians claims he saw you and another person engaged in an action that may be construed as unseemly by others – once near an employee elevator, and perhaps of even more concern, another time in the recreation area. Is that true?"
Justin's eyes narrowed in anger. "Unseemly?" Obviously he really didn't need for Dr. McKenzie to elaborate on just what this doctor had seen – it was apparent the man had observed him and Brian kissing. He silently berated himself, remembering at the time that he had expressed internal misgivings about allowing Brian to do what he wanted to do in such a public place – but at the moment he was more annoyed with the doctor's choice of words instead. And truth be told, he hadn't really done anything to stop Brian – he wanted him to kiss him.
To the Chief of Staff's credit, he did appear somewhat uncomfortable as he explained, "Yes. This doctor stated that you and a…companion….were engaging in behavior not appropriate to our hospital setting."
"You mean me and another man," Justin said bluntly as he held onto the armrests tightly. "That's what the real problem is, isn't it?"
The doctor shook his head firmly. "No, that's not it," he insisted as he briefly steepled his fingers together against his lips and studied the face of his irritated-looking visitor thoughtfully. "I could care less whether the other party was a man or a woman. But what I am concerned about is the image of this hospital, Justin, and we have strict policies in place here regarding workplace fraternization between employees. What you and this other employee do in your private life is your own business, but on hospital grounds it's another matter. There is such a thing as proper decorum, and a time and place for what you and this other employee were engaging in."
"But the other man wasn't an employee," Justin pointed out softly, not knowing if that mattered or not; despite the doctor's adamant statement that he didn't care about his sexual orientation, he obviously still wasn't pleased with what the other doctor had seen.
"He wasn't?" McKenzie asked, surprised by that revelation; all along he had assumed the other man had to be some person employed by the hospital. "He doesn't work here?"
Justin shook his head. "No." He hesitated to say anything further, however; just how straightforward should he be with this virtual but very powerful stranger who could literally hold his job in his hands? He didn't want to get Brian in trouble, too….
"Well, if he doesn't work here, what was he doing in the recreation room with you?" the doctor asked him curiously. Normally only employees and patients were permitted in that area of the hospital.
Justin licked his lips nervously, deciding he had to tell at least part of the truth no matter what the consequences were. "He's…..the father of one of our patients," he explained quietly, looking down in his lap to avert his gaze.
McKenzie's eyes widened; he was not expecting that particular piece of information. "I see," he finally said at last, trying hard to keep the surprise of out his voice. That would have been the last thing he expected Taylor to say. He cleared his throat as Justin finally raised his head to stare back at him. "Well, the employee fraternization policy wouldn't really apply in this case." Before Justin could let out a sigh of relief, though, he added, "However, I still don't think that is the proper image we want to project in this hospital, Justin." As Justin opened his mouth to protest, he hastily added, "And again, I'm not talking about your sexual orientation – I would be just as concerned about the hospital's image if the doctor had reported seeing you engaging in the same type of behavior with a female, also."
Justin sighed anxiously; he really needed this job to pay for his school. "It was just some kissing," he protested softly. "That's all."
McKenzie nodded politely. "I believe you….that's all the doctor reported seeing as well. But surely you can recognize how this type of behavior is not appropriate in such a public setting as a hospital?"
Justin swallowed hard. "I suppose," he grudgingly admitted. "So what exactly are you saying, Sir?"
The chief of staff sighed; he knew Swanson wanted the orderly fired, nothing more, nothing less. But he had looked over the young man's file carefully prior to this meeting, and in the short time he had been here Justin had been an exemplary employee; in fact, several parents of the patients he had tended to had gone out of their way to write the hospital to express their gratitude for his caring and kindness while their children had been hospitalized, pointing out how he went above and beyond his appointed duties to make their seriously-ill loved ones happy if only for a short time. The hospital needed more employees like this young man; but it also needed the skills of their cocky, talented Chief Surgeon. The question was how he was going to be able to reconcile the two….
He noticed the blond eyeing him anxiously, apparently concerned about his future with the hospital. "I'm sorry, Justin, but I'm going to have to suspend you for a week without pay. The hospital has clear policies in the handbook regarding these types of distractions and what constitutes inappropriate conduct; I feel this falls within those bounds. I will have my secretary write up a warning for your file; you will be able to return to work one week from tomorrow, and if nothing else occurs it will just be a brief blip in your file. I hope you can understand my position. I feel you're a real asset to this hospital, but I still have to follow our policies and procedures."
Justin closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath, trying to think before he possibly said something he would regret. He supposed it could have been worse, but he still felt terrible. It wasn't that he felt he had done anything particularly wrong, but still, being called out for something the hospital felt was inappropriate made him feel like he was about six inches tall. And the week without pay was going to hurt – a lot. He was living paycheck-to-paycheck as it was….
"Doctor…..I understand you have a job to do, but isn't there any other way? I really need my salary."
The doctor peered over at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Justin, but part of my job is to perform duties that are not very pleasant ones; this definitely falls into that category. I have to uphold the rules of the hospital, and this is the least punitive discipline I can administer. Again, I hope you understand. My assistant already has the statement drawn up; if you will stop by her desk on the way out and sign it, she will get you a copy. It doesn't state that you admit any wrongdoing; it merely reports what was observed and that you understand what the consequences are."
Justin slowly stood up, realizing their meeting was coming to an end. "It seems that way to me, Doctor," he said softly in a firm voice as he nodded once before quietly turning to go.
McKenzie watched the young man leave, his shoulders set in an angry stance. He supposed he couldn't really blame him, but he was placed in an impossible situation. When all was said and done, he had no choice if he was to follow hospital procedure as well as mollify their most important surgeon. He just wished this one time he had been given an alternative to resolving the issue, because the decision he had made left him feeling distinctly disgusted with himself as well as Swanson. I hope you're happy, Swanson, he thought as he observed the young man leave his office and stop out in the reception area. He watched as he picked up the disciplinary paper, read it, and then place it down on his assistant's desk before picking up a nearby pen and angrily scrawling his name on it. The blond fidgeted restlessly back and forth on his feet for a few seconds as he waited for the copy to be made before he obtained it and abruptly turned to walk out. Shaking his head in frustration, McKenzie slowly flipped his laptop back open and tried to return to his work, wondering once more about the true meaning of value and fairness.
Second Floor – Fifteen Minutes Later – 2:00 p.m.
Justin angrily balled up the wad of bedding he had just removed from one of the patient's beds and threw it into the nearby hamper. "Shit!" he cried out to no one in particular; he was so frustrated at the moment, he could scream. He didn't know who he was the angriest with: the anonymous doctor who had reported him, McKenzie, Brian, or himself. He couldn't believe the Chief of Staff had suspended him for a week without pay! He bit one fingernail with his teeth as he stood there; what was he going to do now? He couldn't live without one week of his pay. He had barely enough saved up to last him until his next payday; he was paid retroactively, so at least he would get his full salary when he got paid at the end of the week. But after that, he would have to find a way to do without his salary for the following period.
He was almost tempted to just quit for the rest of the day so he could leave and not have to see anyone at the hospital for the next week, including Brian. He sighed. Brian – couldn't live with the man and couldn't live without him. By the time he was able to come back to work, there was a good chance that Gus would be well enough to be discharged. Once he was gone, no doubt Brian would be, too. He would go back to his life and Justin would go back to his – that is, after he was able to come back to work.
He supposed he should be grateful that it had been a suspension and not a firing, but it still made him embarrassed and angry as hell. He wanted to blame it all on Brian, but he couldn't; if he was completely honest with himself, he could have forced the issue and just told him no. But he hadn't wanted to; God, he had wanted Brian's kisses. He had wanted ALL of the man…..who wouldn't? He was handsome, sexy, assertive, and talented. He could have any man he wanted; why would he be interested in him, then, especially after finding out he had been suspended from his low-level job? No, by the time he got back to work, Brian would be gone and so would any chance he might have had to see where their relationship would have led to. Had he merely been deluding himself that the other man might actually be interested in him? Or had he been playing him along all this time until he could get into his pants and then drop him like yesterday's news? Well, he wasn't going to find out now; his only excuse for seeing Brian would soon be gone and Gus' father along with him.
"Justin?" He jumped a little at the sound of his name coming from the doorway; he turned around to observe Daphne standing there with a mixture of concern and aggravation on her face. "Where were you?" she asked as she walked in. "I thought we were going to meet for lunch."
Justin huffed. "You might say something more important came up." Besides, he thought glumly, with one week's less pay I'll need to cut down on eating anyway.
Daphne smiled teasingly. "You mean something more important than eating? I didn't think there WAS such a thing where you were concerned."
Her friend harrumphed. "Would a meeting with the Chief of Staff count?"
The young resident's brown eyes flew open in shock as she grasped his shirt sleeve. "Shit! Dr. McKenzie? What in the world would he want to meet with you for? I mean…well, you know what I mean…."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Justin reassured her. "That was my thought, too. Of course, that was before he decided to suspend me for a week without pay."
"What?" she exclaimed loudly. "Why?" She began to pull Justin over to the bed as she sat down and he joined her shortly afterward. "I don't understand – what in the hell could you have possibly done to get yourself suspended?" She shook her head, totally mystified. Justin would be the last person she would think of when it came to needing disciplinary action. He was always going above and beyond what was expected of him and she constantly overheard several of the hospital staff raving about his rapport with the children and his ability to put them at ease with his gentle, caring nature. Now he was suspended? "I don't get it…..What happened?"
He gazed into her eyes pensively, pursing his lips in an apparent dilemma as to just how much to tell her. He trusted Daphne, though, even if she did go a little overboard with her matchmaking efforts. "It seems one of the doctors here caught me and Brian together a couple of times, once near the employee elevator the other day and earlier today in the children's recreation area."
Daphne couldn't help the amused, smug smile that broke out on her face despite her friend's woes; she had a definite 'gotcha' look on her face as Justin's face began to turn red. "You…and Brian? Shit, Justin! This doctor didn't catch you, uh, you know…."
"No!" Justin instantly retorted, aghast. "All we were doing was kissing – we weren't fucking!" he said, quickly lowering his voice for fear someone out in the hallway would overhear; he figured he was in enough trouble at the moment already without adding to the fire. "That's all, I swear." He sighed and turned his head to stare out the room's window, noticing the day was quickly clouding up. He thought that was quite appropriate in light of his present, gloomy mood. He turned back to face his friend, who had plastered on more of a sympathetic expression now as she noticed how worried he look. "Fuck, Daphne! I just live paycheck-to-paycheck as it is." He raked one slender hand restlessly through his hair as he added softly, "I really needed that money. What am I going to do now?"
"I'm so sorry, Justin….really. Look, I have a little saved up…."
But Justin firmly shook his head. "No, Daphne. Thanks – I really mean that – but I need to find a solution on my own. Besides, you're always complaining about how expensive your books and other medical supplies are. I can't take your money only to find out I've put you in a bind, too." He sighed once more wearily. "I'll figure something out. I'll get one more paycheck before they deduct that week out. Maybe I can think of something before then." Although, with a father who had totally disowned him and a mother who was barely scraping by herself, the prospects of such a miraculous event seemed dim at best…..
He stood up and smiled down at her fondly. "Don't worry, I'll figure something out." At least his friend had served to calm him down somewhat; he had gone from being angry to feeling more resigned now. "I'd better finish up my shift before I get into more trouble. I'm sorry I forgot about lunch. Maybe we can do it again sometime soon – but better make it after I come back from getting the boot temporarily."
Daphne reached up to grab her friend's arm before he could leave. "Justin….don't worry about missing lunch. I'm just sorry you got into trouble over Brian." She added sheepishly, "I guess I shouldn't have pushed you two together."
Justin twisted his mouth upward. "It's not your fault, Daphne. It wasn't like you forced me to kiss him."
Daphne couldn't help grinning. "So you two really do like each other."
Justin huffed. "I'm not sure what you'd call it," he admitted. "I'm attracted to him – I mean, shit, who wouldn't be?" He sighed once more. "I just don't know what to make of him. I'm not sure if he really cares about me as a person or if he's just fascinated by his latest possible conquest. I'm afraid that once he gets what he wants, that'll be the end of it. I don't think it matters now anyway, because I think by the time I get back to work, his son will be gone from the hospital and so will Brian."
"I don't think you give yourself enough credit, Justin," his friend gently chided him. "Any man would be lucky to have you for their partner."
Justin chuckled slightly. "I'd have a long way to go from where I'm at to being his partner. But thanks anyway, Daphne – you're a good friend." He looked around the presently-empty room. "I'm actually going to miss being around the kids most of all. They need me, Daphne – and I need them."
"I know," she whispered painfully. Her eyes flashed in sudden determination. "I'm going to go up to Dr. McKenzie and give him a piece of my mind right now!"
Justin's eyes pleaded with her. "No, Daphne! I don't want you to get into trouble, too! He's just doing his job and abiding by the rules. I don't think he's really to blame – it's more the doctor who felt like he had to report me. Please – don't get yourself into trouble, too, on my account. Your residency is a lot more important than my orderly job."
"Okay," she reluctantly agreed as she sighed. "I'll do as you ask. But I'm still pissed off royally at both the doctor who reported you and Brian! He should have known not to conduct himself that way in a hospital! He owns his own business, doesn't he? What was he thinking – he should have known it might get you into trouble!"
"I was as much to blame as he was," Justin stated firmly, shaking his head. "I could have said no, but I didn't." Even now, he could almost feel Brian's soft, talented lips roaming all over his mouth, gaining entrance and taking possession of both his body and his heart. Why did he ever let himself get so attached to him? For all he knew, today would be the last time he would ever see him again…..
He walked over to his rolling, portable cart and grasped the rounded handle as he faced his friend. "I'd really better get going now, or they're apt to fire me permanently. I'll call you, okay? On second thought, maybe with your schedule you'd better call me," he added with a soft smile.
She watched him leaving from her position on the bed with a wistful smile and a sudden appearance of tears in her eyes. She knew the truth – the biggest loser in this whole situation was going to be the hospital, not Justin. While he was gone, his loss would be felt most keenly by the children who adored him. She only wished there was something she could do… "I will," she promised. "Take care of yourself and I'll see you when you get back, okay?"
He nodded once before she watched him disappear out of sight. Sighing in disgust, she stood up and rushed out of the room, knowing others would soon be looking for her as well.
One Hour Later – 4:30 p.m.
Justin really had no idea why he was standing in front of Gus Kinney's room. He wasn't even the orderly scheduled to bring the little boy's dinner to him, but he had finagled a way to do it anyway. As he stood near the child's door, he knew deep down the reason why – he was hoping somehow that Gus' father would be there, too.
As he peeked in the door, however, his heart fell as he noticed Brian missing; the women, Mel and Lindsey, were alone with their son, who was sitting up in bed looking amazingly alert for someone who only a short time ago had literally been on death's door. He was glad that the child was going to be okay, but he was also sad to realize that the man he had come to feel such an attraction to would no longer be in his life anymore.
He forced himself to affix a polite smile on his face as he walked into the room and was greeted by both mothers warmly. He had to smile broadly at Gus, though, who held his kitten up for him to see. The little boy had taken the miniature pair of scrubs that Justin had commandeered from the gift shop and had dressed his latest, favorite toy in the camouflage-design duds. The scrubs were actually meant to be used for dolls, but Justin figured they would work on a stuffed animal, too; he was delighted to see that he had been right – they were a perfect fit for 'Fluffy.'
"Look, Orly!" Gus shouted excitedly. "I got him all dressed up now!"
Justin laughed as he placed the little boy's tray down on the patient table. "I see that….he looks quite handsome, Gus," he told the child, who beamed at the compliment.
"Orly?" Mel asked curiously, noticing the moniker that her son had used to greet Justin with.
Justin smiled. "Something tells me he thinks that's my name, because he hears everyone calling me orderly all the time," he explained. "It's okay – I don't mind," he reassured the two women, who laughed. "I kind of like it." He smiled back once more at the child. "Looks like someone's getting better by the hour." His voice took on a certain tone of melancholy as he added softly, "I think he'll be able to go home soon at the rate he's going."
The two women exchanged a curious glance as Lindsey told him, "Yeah. As a matter of fact, Dr. Broderick was just in a little while ago and said he will probably get to go home in a couple of days."
Justin nodded, looking over at the little boy who reminded him so much of his father. "That's great," he said, trying to sound enthusiastic but not quite succeeding. "I'm happy for you – all of you."
Lindsey nodded. "Brian will be so excited when he finds out. He should be here in about an hour." She glanced over at Mel with a twinkle in her eye; she knew this young man had a major crush on Brian. She wasn't sure whether to encourage him or not, though, not really knowing what Brian's true motives were. But she thought she might have just caught a glimmer of real interest in her long-time friend's eyes, at least she hoped so, because this man apparently definitely felt something for him.
Mel shook her head imperceptibly as she caught Lindsey's eyes; she really didn't feel it was wise to encourage Justin – knowing Brian he was only bound to get hurt, and this young man really seemed like a decent person. She would hate for him to get his heart broken by someone who only believed in one-night stands. To her relief, Justin simply nodded and said, "I'm sure he will be. Uh…I'd better be going; I've got some other trays to deliver. If you'll excuse me….." He nodded once at the two women before waving to Gus with a smile and turning to go. Just before he did, however, he stopped and turned around to stare at the two women a little uncomfortably.
"Could you do me a favor?" he asked softly. "Would you give something to Brian when you see him?"
The two women glanced at each other before Lindsey smiled back at him reassuringly. "Sure….we'll be glad to," she said as Justin reached over and grabbed a flat envelope lying on the lower shelf of the lunch tray cart. He picked up an 8 ½ X 12"envelope and leaned over to hand it to Mel. He smiled over tenderly at Gus before whispering, "Bye, Buddy. It was great meeting you. Nice meeting both of you, too," he added with a nod before he grasped the rolling cart and quickly turned around to leave before his emotions betrayed him.
"Gus should be here for a couple more days," Lindsey pointed out before he could exit.
Justin stopped and stood there for a second or two before he turned around briefly to tell her, "I won't be here at work for the next two days," not choosing to discuss exactly why. "Take care, Little Guy," he added, waving back at Gus before he rolled the cart out the door and left before his face gave away how much he was going to miss seeing the beautiful little boy – and also his father.
As Justin disappeared out of sight, Mel opened the brown envelope's open flap and peered inside.
"Mel…..That was supposed to be for Brian," Lindsey admonished her.
Mel shrugged. "The envelope's open," she pointed out. "I just want to make sure Justin doesn't get hurt by that asshole." Lindsey shook her head in disagreement as her partner pulled out an ivory-colored, flat piece of paper and Mel gasped as she peered at it. "My God, Linds…..look at this!" She reached over the bed and handed the paper to Lindsey as Gus continued to coo to his kitten, unaware of the excitement being generated over an innocuous-looking piece of paper.
Lindsey eyes threatened to pop out of her head as she stared at the amazing sketch she held in her hands; it was a casual portrait of their son sitting on a park bench with Brian sitting beside him. Gus had a delighted look on his face as he held his hands up in a surprised type of posture against a flock of pigeons that were taking flight directly in front of him. Brian was wearing a dark brown leather bomber jacket, a deep blood-red shirt and blue jeans and had his arm around his son as he laughed affectionately at his son's wondrous expression.
The details of the sketch, from the veins of the leaves on the trees, to the fountain of cherubs streaming water from their hands, even the wood grain on the bench, were amazingly lifelike. "I…I had no idea," she whispered in awe as she looked over at Mel. "He…..he drew this?" She looked all over the sketch, but couldn't find a signature to verify her hunch. "It isn't signed," she told her partner, shaking her head in disbelief. "Mel….this is incredible! You really think he drew this himself?"
Mel raised her eyebrows in a 'who knows' type of gesture. "I'm assuming he did," she told the other woman. "But I had no idea he was such a talented artist. I wonder what in the world he's doing here working as an orderly?"
Lindsey shook her head. "That's just what I was thinking," she said. She glanced down once more at the portrait, noticing all the intricate details that had been included, even down to the sparkle in Gus' eyes. "This is amazing," she murmured appreciatively. "What a wonderful talent he has. I hope he doesn't waste it here. This could easily be displayed in an art gallery."
Mel nodded. "Well, you know better than I, but it's so incredibly real," she marveled as she looked over at the portrait again. "I only hope Brian appreciates all the work he must have put into that."
"I know he'll be thrilled with it," she told Mel, carefully handing the sketch back over to her for safekeeping. "It's just a shame Justin couldn't give it to him personally. I really think he cares about Brian."
Mel snorted as she started to place the piece of heavy paper back into the envelope. "I only hope Justin's not hoping Brian can reciprocate," she growled softly. She opened the envelope wider to try and facilitate putting it back in and stopped, frowning slightly. Placing the sketch down on Gus' portable rolling table, she reached in to find a white, business-sized envelope nestled inside with the name Leroy written on the front. "Leroy?" she said, confused, as she looked over at Lindsey.
Lindsey laughed. "That's the name of the person whose shirt Justin commandeered for Brian to wear, remember?"
Mel shook her head in amusement. "Well, I've got to give Justin credit – it's not everyone who would have the balls to call Brian Leroy."
"I think Justin is unique in a lot of ways," Lindsey mused as Mel carefully slid the portrait back into the envelope. "He just might prove to be a match for Brian after all." She knew Mel most likely wouldn't agree, but Brian wasn't as devil-may-care and unaffected as he might appear to be. She knew deep down Brian needed a companion, a partner; he spent far too much time simply satisfying his sexual urges with the 'trick of the night.' He needed more than that – he deserved more than that. Was it just possible that Justin could prove to be that person? Yes, he was a lot younger, but like Brian, he was passionate about his work, creative and intelligent. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but there was something about Justin that made her hope that she just might be right. How that would be accomplished, however, was the question.
Sure enough, as Mel closed the envelope's flap, she commented, "You know, Linds, maybe it's just as well that Justin won't be here for the next couple of days. I really think he was getting way too attached to Brian, and you know he's only going to break his heart. Maybe it's for the best then."
"You don't know that, Mel," Lindsey chided her defensively. "I really think Brian was beginning to like Justin, and not just as a temporary diversion," she maintained. She sighed. "I guess maybe we'll never know now, though." She gazed over at the envelope. "Well, we can at least make sure he gets Justin's gift, anyway."
"I guess," Mel replied somewhat hesitantly. "It's a shame he drew Brian in it; I would have liked to have kept that for myself," she said only half-teasingly. "He went and spoiled it, though, when he included Brian, too."
"Mel, please," Lindsey softly scolded her. "Just once try to be civil around Brian, okay? He is Gus' father – and he did probably save his life the other day."
"You're asking the impossible – why do you think she never tries civil cases? She doesn't know the first thing about being civil," they heard a sarcastic drawl from the doorway. Brian walked in and immediately smiled at the sight of his quickly-recuperating son. "Hey, Sonny Boy! You're looking better and better, Buddy!"
"Hi, Daddy!" Gus chirped happily. "Look what Orly brought me! Clothes for Fluffy!"
He walked over to Gus' bed and leaned down to kiss his son's cheek as he gave him a brief hug.
"I see that!" Brian said, standing up; he had no idea who Orly was, but he figured it had to be one of the hospital employees taking care of him. "He looks very ferocious, Gus," he told his son with a smile as he peered over at Lindsey. "The doctor been in yet?" he asked, pulling up a chair toward his son's bed and placing one of his hands on Gus' leg, just to feel the reassuring warmth of his son's body under his touch. They had had a long, tortuous road since he had brought his little boy into the emergency room, and his heart was feeling so much lighter now that he knew his son was finally going to be just fine.
Lindsey smiled over at him. "Yes," she confirmed, "and if he keeps going the way he is, he said he can go home in a couple of days."
Brian beamed in delight. "That's great, Sonny Boy!" he told his son. "And when you get home, we'll go to the zoo, just like I promised, okay?"
His son nodded vigorously. "Can we take him, too, Daddy?" he asked, holding up his kitten.
Brian smiled. "We sure can, Buddy. But better keep him away from the bigger cats – he might get scared, okay?" Gus smiled and nodded back at him as he began to swing his kitten by the tail and emit growling noises. He glanced over at the dinner tray, noting it was mainly finished; he was unable to hide the small expression of disappointment that flashed across his face as he realized he had arrived too late to 'accidentally on purpose' run into a certain blond orderly. "Looks like Gus has already had his dinner," he observed.
Lindsey had noticed her friend's look of disappointment on his face as she flashed a quick look at Mel that said I told you so before she nodded and said to Brian, "Yeah…Justin brought his tray in about thirty minutes ago. He left you something, by the way," she added as Brian's head quickly turned around to look at her inquisitively. "He did?" he asked, trying to sound like he really didn't care one way or the other, but Lindsey wasn't fooled at all; she had immediately caught the almost wistful tone in his voice as he realized he had missed seeing Justin earlier.
She nodded. "Mel – give it to him," she instructed softly as the brunette grudgingly reached over and retrieved the brown envelope to hand it to her Brian who was sitting next to her.
Brian eyed the plain envelope curiously. "What is it?" he asked.
"Just open it – we're not your mail delivery service," she groused; both women, though, couldn't hide their curiosity about Brian's reaction as they watched him open the flap and slide the sketch out to hold it in front of him. They both thought they heard a sharp intake of breath as Brian stared down at the mesmerizing, realistic portrait of him and his son for several seconds. When he was finally able to tear his gaze away, he lifted his head to peer over at Lindsey, incredulity written on his face. "You said Justin left this for me? He drew this?" He whispered softly, holding onto the edges of the portrait almost reverently so he wouldn't damage it.
Lindsey nodded. "Well, there's no signature, but we're assuming he did. Did you know he could draw like that?"
Brian shook his head, stealing another gaze at the mesmerizing portrait of his son sitting next to him on a park bench. The wondrous expression on his sons' face was so realistic and candid; Justin had captured his son's bubbly and boisterous personality perfectly, even though he obviously had never seen him outside the hospital in a more natural setting. And he was amazed that Justin had dressed him in the type of clothing he really would wear; in fact, he had a dark-brown, leather bomber jacket that looked remarkably like the one that he had drawn in the picture hanging up in his closet. He knew he had a perfect spot for this portrait of him and his son – right on his desk at home where he would see it on a frequent basis. It was just too exquisitely-drawn not to be able to appreciate it often. "This…this is incredible," he admitted softly. "I had no idea….."
"Neither did we," Lindsey told him, noticing how entranced Brian seemed to be by the drawing. "What he's doing working here as an orderly when he has talent like this is beyond me," she told him. "That could be in a gallery – and I think it would sell quickly."
"No fu….no way," Brian amended his statement, shaking his head firmly. "I'm not letting this out of my sight. It's amazing," he admitted, staring down at it. He raised his head to look at his friend and say, "I guess I should go track him down and thank him. I had no idea he could do that."
"You mean when it comes to art, anyway," Mel retorted. "Brian, he has to have a major crush on you. Why don't you just let it go before you go and break his heart? He's just a lovesick kid."
"Mel, why don't you just mind your own fu…..your own damn business," Brian snarled, glancing over at Gus, who fortunately seemed oblivious to their sparring. "My personal life is none of your concern," he snapped.
"Mel, Brian, please," Lindsey said soothingly, trying once more to play peacemaker. "Let's discuss this later, okay? The important thing is making sure that Gus continues to get better. We can talk about this another time." She decided that perhaps her partner and her best friend could use a little separation from each other to cool off. "Brian – would you mind if Mel and I go grab a bite to eat while you're here?"
Brian shook his head. "Go ahead – I'll stick around until you get back so Gus and I can have a one-on-one man visit, okay, Sonny Boy?" Gus nodded with a smile as Brian smiled back at him; no matter how foul a mood he might develop, his son's sweet-looking face and tender smile always served to bring him out of his funk.
The two women stood up to go, Lindsey leaning back to stretch her lower back muscles that had stiffened considerably from sitting too long in one of the hospital's hard, plastic chairs. "We'll be back in a little while, Sweetheart," she murmured to their son as she leaned down to kiss Gus' cheek. She walked around the bed to join her partner. Just before they turned to go, however, Lindsey called over to her friend. "By the way, Brian, Justin left another envelope for you inside the bigger one – it's addressed to you – or should I say Leroy."
Brian chuckled softly. "Yeah…That would be me," he verified as Lindsey gave him a amused look in return. "I'll take a look at it." She nodded before she turned to follow Melanie out of the room, leaving Brian alone with his son. He was dying to know what Justin – or should he say Florence – had written in his note, but he tamped down his eagerness for the moment to spend some precious time with his son.
"Daddy…..Can I get some choc' lit ice cream?" Gus asked, blinking those large, expressive doe-eyes at his father. Brian grinned. Little fucker – You always did know how to get what you wanted out of me… He smiled, though, as he got to thinking – perhaps he could accomplish two tasks in one.
"Sure, Sonny Boy," he replied, reaching over to ruffle the soft, brown hair at the top of Gus' head and smiling. "Let me get an orderly to bring you some, okay?" He grinned conspiratorially, knowing just which 'orderly' he had in mind. "I'll be right back," he told his son, striding purposefully out of the room and turning left to head down to the nearby nurses' station.
He noticed what appeared to be a good 'target' standing near the counter – a young-looking nurse. Turning on the Kinney charm, he sauntered up to the counter and waited for the tall, thin blonde female to acknowledge him before he flashed her a winning smile; she predictably smiled back with just a hint of pinkness in her cheeks. "Excuse me," he said politely. "My son is a patient here, and I was hoping you could help me."
The woman blushed even more as she replied a little breathlessly, "Of course. What can I help you with?"
Brian stared into her eyes as if she were the most fascinating creature in the world as he drawled, "My son down the hall is asking for some chocolate ice cream – I was wondering if I could trouble you to get one of the orderlies to fetch him some…..if it wouldn't be too much trouble." He curled his lips under in that little-boy look that always drove women – and men – wild. This was one time he was really counting on his charm to produce the result he wanted, and he wasn't disappointed.
The young woman smiled as she flirted openly with the handsome man. "No, no trouble at all. I wish I could do it myself, but I can't leave my station," she said regretfully, "Mr…...?"
"Kinney," Brian said smoothly, not missing a beat. "Brian Kinney. My son is Gus – right down the hall there," he said pointing to his son's room.
The woman nodded. "I'll have someone take care of it, Mr. Kinney."
Brian smiled warmly, continuing to pour on the charm. "That's great; thank you, Brittany," Brian said, eyeing the woman's name badge and putting it to good use. He watched the woman bat her eyelashes at him – for all the good it would do her; the only eyes he cared to stare into at the moment belonged to a different type of beautiful blond.
The woman smiled at him, totally enthralled. "You're welcome. I'll have one of the orderlies bring him some right away."
"Good," Brian said, arriving at the most important part. "Uh…If possible, Brittany, my son is really partial to one orderly in particular." And so his is dad, Brian couldn't help thinking. "His name is Justin – Justin Taylor. Do you know him?" he asked politely.
To his great relief, the woman nodded. "Sure," she said, smiling. "He's a favorite of a lot of the patients here," she told him. "I'll see if he's available."
Brian's heart skipped a beat as he nodded and watched the woman pick up the phone to dial an internal number as she explained what she needed. He listened intently, holding his breath while she spoke to the person on the phone and virtually crossing his fingers, hoping that one special orderly would soon be coming up to the second floor to deliver ice cream to one patient in particular. He couldn't wait to see Justin and express his appreciation for his gift personally – VERY personally.
As he waited for her to end her call, Brian thought once more about the sketch Justin had made. He was still stunned to realize the incredible artistic talent the young blond had. He had noticed Justin painting something on a young girl's face earlier today, but he had no idea just how creative and talented he was. He had to wonder the same thing as Lindsey had – why in the fuck was he wasting such an amazing gift by working here as an orderly? He decided he needed to do something about that.
He watched in eager anticipation as Brittany hung up the phone and smiled back at him. "Someone will be bringing up the ice cream for your son shortly," she told him.
Brian tried not to sound too hopeful as he said, "Mr. Taylor?" His face fell slightly, however, as he noticed the look of regret on the nurse's face.
"No, I'm sorry, Mr. Kinney…..Justin has left for the day – he worked first shift today, so he left at 5:00. You just missed him."
Brian worked at hiding his extreme disappointment as he said, "Oh, I see." He thought furiously as he added, "Well, I'd really like to thank him for helping to take such good care of my son while he's been here. Do you know when he'll be working tomorrow?"
The woman looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kinney. The person I just spoke to mentioned that Justin won't be back to work for a week."
"A week?" Brian was stunned to hear that; Justin had been here every day since Gus had been brought in; he didn't appear to be rolling in money, so how could he afford to just take a week off? "I'm sorry to hear that – my son will probably be gone by the time he gets back; is he on vacation?" he asked casually, hoping the disappointment didn't appear in his voice.
"I don't know," Brittany told him. "That's all I was told."
"Well…..okay. Thanks, Brittany," Brian told her as he simply walked away. He had been eagerly looking forward to seeing Justin again, and now it looked like he wouldn't see him at all before Gus was discharged. He furiously thought about how he could get in touch with Justin, but he had no idea what his phone number or address was, and something told him the hospital wouldn't just give it out to him. Realizing the woman was still staring at him curiously, he nodded politely and turned to start walking down the hallway toward his son's room, deep in thought about a certain blond who was occupying way too much of his thoughts lately.
"I know why Justin is gone for the week," he heard a familiar voice say abruptly from nearby. Turning around, he recognized the young resident intern, Dr. Chanders, who had been helping to treat his son since he had brought him into the E.R., standing there, her hands on her hips as she stared back at him. His initial inclination to smile at her in appreciation for her help faded as he noticed the grim, hostile expression on her face.
His own face turned sober and a sense of dread began to grow in his stomach as he replied, "You do?"
She nodded her head, her eyes flashing. "Yeah, I do. And it's all your fault."