Chapter 16
Brenda was suddenly aware that she was standing in her underwear and her boyfriend's shirt - in front of her boyfriend's son. "Hi Patrick" she said, in attempt at normalcy. "Did you want to come in? Noah will be back in a few minutes." She stepped out of the way.
Patrick continued to stare at her in disbelief. "Did you...did you....did you lose your pants?" he asked, stunned.
"Er, lost - no. I know where they are. Tell you what" she covered quickly. "why don't I go put them on while you come in - 'kay?"
He nodded mutely and closed the door behind him. It did not go unnoticed that Brenda walked to his father's bedroom to retrieve the lost pants. He stood rooted in place until she came back doing up her zipper. "Did you want to sit?" she asked.
"Are you..." he shook his head. "are you...um....are you with my dad?"
Brenda ran her hands through her hair and bit her lip. "Yes?" she replied, grimacing.
"How...how...did this happen and when did I become a stutterer?"
"Why don't you sit down?" she suggested again.
Patrick sank into the nearest chair, sneaking looks at this woman who had been spending time with his father. He had noticed a change in Noah over the last several months but had never thought to ask him what the cause was and now looking back at it was kicking himself for not realizing the change was because of a woman. "You're Robin's best friend.....you're my child's godmother."
"And soon to be your stepmother!" she teased. Seeing Patrick pale, she let him off the hook. "I'm kidding Patrick, I'm kidding."
He shook his arm out. "My arm is numb, I think I'm having a heart attack."
"You're not having a heart attack" she said dismissively.
"You're not a doctor!" He rubbed his arm trying to get the feeling to return.
"No but I am a drama queen and I recognize an act when I see one" she smiled. "So, uh, Robs never told you?"
"SHE KNOWS??" he exploded.
"Whoopsies" Brenda grinned.
He cradled his head in his hands. "Oh my god, I think my head's going to explode" he whispered.
"See that's funny" Brenda said, prompting an evil look from Patrick. "Robin thought your head would implode not explode."
"Please stop talking" he begged. Both turned their heads as they heard Noah's key in the door.
"Hey Legs" he called out "I got cake with extra frosting and I think I have a few ideas.....hi sport" Noah grinned as he came across his clearly uncomfortable son.
Patrick kept his head in hands. "Please make it stop, please make it stop" he repeated quietly.
Noah bit his lip to keep from laughing as he caught Brenda's eye. "You weren't wearing jeans when I left" he said, setting down the bag of food.
"No she wasn't!" Patrick jumped in. "She was wearing YOUR scrub top and well, that's all I saw."
Noah nodded. "So I suppose you have a few questions?" he ventured.
"Any chance Brenda has some head injury that you're treating her for?"
"Nope - she's very healthy." He winked at Brenda who was also clearly enjoying Patrick's discomfort.
"How...how long?"
Noah nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Since your wedding."
"WHAT?" he exploded again. Standing up, he began to pace. "You've...you both...since Australia? In Australia???"
"Haven't you heard that one of the wedding traditions is for the maid of honour to go off with the best man?" Brenda giggled.
"No!!" Patrick ran his hands through his hair, oblivious to their obvious glee in torturing him.
"What can I say sport? I have needs." Noah bit back his laughter.
"Oh hell no" Patrick said. "I need at least a drink if we are going to talk about your needs."
"I'm a sexual guy - where do you think you get it from?"
"Nuh-uh, no way - if we're going to talk about you being a 'sexual guy' I am going to need 3 no 4 oh hell, make it a half dozen drinks - all at once."
"Son, are you freaking out because I have a girlfriend or because my girlfriend is Brenda?"
"Yes" he said, still pacing. Brenda bit her fist to keep from laughing. He looked at his father and growled at his bemused expression. "Okay - look - goody for you, if anyone deserves to be happy or to have someone ....well....it's you but we need to set up a few ground rules."
"Ground rules?" Noah smirked.
"Yeah. Ground rules. For starters, no displays of affection around me - or Rian."
"But not Robin?" Brenda asked.
"Robin is clearly okay with this - for whatever reason I don't know. Rian and I don't need to be scarred."
"Are there other rules?" Noah stifled a laugh.
"I never, I mean neeeever want to hear you talk about your needs - ever again."
Noah looked at Brenda and winked. "I think we can live with those."
"Okay, I really need to leave"
"You have to get back to a patient?" Brenda asked.
"I'm afraid that if I stay in this love den any longer I will BE a patient and apparently you guys have cake." Patrick grabbed his coat and headed to the door. Noah followed closely behind. It was not lost on him amid all the silliness that his son had actually come to his apartment for a reason. As Patrick opened the door, Noah put his hand on his shoulder.
"Patrick?"
"Please don't talk about your needs" he repeated.
"Did you come by for a reason?" he asked quietly.
Pulled from his fog, Patrick pulled Ellie's chart from his bag. "Medulloblastoma in a 10 year old. I removed the tumor but six days post-op she still has paralysis and I can't figure out why. Do you....could you look at her chart and see if I missed anything or" he sighed "or if I messed up in the OR?"
Noah looked at his son in admiration. Though Patrick had taken a long time to develop his bedside manner, his commitment to his patients had always been there. He wanted to fix every patient and wouldn't rest until he did so. He paid a price every time he couldn't fix it and Noah realized he must be desperate if he was willing to ask him for his professional opinion. Not willing to give up is what made his son a great doctor.
"Sure" he said taking the chart from him. "I'll look at it tomorrow and we can discuss it."
"Thanks. And dad?"
"Yeah sport?"
"I'm still weirded out but I am happy for you."
Noah smiled. "That means a lot. Thanks."
Patrick walked down the hallway before pulling his phone from his coat pocket. He hit the speed dial. "Hey Lucky, it's Patrick - can you meet me at Jake's? I need to drink....a lot....."
xxxx
Robin kept a close eye on Nathalie as the three women tucked into their green curry chicken. Patrick had told her that he was sure Nathalie wasn't eating and asked that Robin do what she could to ensure that she did. There was a sadness about Nathalie that Robin understood. If her child was suddenly taken from her she wasn't sure that she would react any differently.
"How did it go on the weekend?" she asked her.
Nathalie smiled shyly. "Better than I thought it would. Grace seems to be willing to talk to me a little now - we even managed to have a meltdown-free Sunday."
"That's progress!" Lulu encouraged.
"I think so. I'm sorry I didn't invite any of you over to see the kids but I just wanted to spend the first weekend with them alone, you know, make sure they were adjusting."
"And are they?" Robin asked.
"Seems they are. Or at least they are adjusting better than me."
"Have you started any of the court ordered therapy?"
Reaching for a spring roll, she nodded. "I'm seeing Lainey."
"Is it helping?" Lulu asked quietly.
Nathalie's mouth twisted into a small smile. "Well, Lainey might be able to afford a beach house in the Hamptons by the time we're done. I'm certainly giving her a lot to work with." She licked the fish sauce running down her hand. "But enough about me" she grinned. "My sources tell me you had a date!"
"She had two" Robin corrected.
"Two??" Nathalie exclaimed. "I'm so out of the loop. Time to start dishing girlie."
Lulu blushed immediately. "It's no big deal."
"Patrick says he's good looking."
"Ooh Lu!" Nathalie teased. "Details - what's his name?"
"Ethan" she said shyly.
"Have you kissed?" Robin pried.
"Yes" her eyes sparkled. Nathalie tossed a spring roll at her and Lulu giggled. After more prompting, Lulu finally told them about their date at Jake's and how Ethan had reacted when he found about her HIV. The two women murmured their approval at Ethan punching George and coming after Lulu. Their breakfast date had been low key but had resulted in more kissing.
"Lu, I saw you yesterday and you never told me any of this." Nathalie asked.
The young girl twisted her hair around her finger. There was a part of her that felt disloyal for finding happiness when both her brother and her friend were so unhappy. That her happiness was linked to the son of the man who beat Nathalie in court only compounded her guilt. "You know his father" she said nervously.
"I do?" she asked in surprise.
She nodded. "His name is Ethan Young - his dad was your parents' lawyer."
Robin closed her eyes and let out a silent wish that no matter how hurt Nathalie was by the hateful things her parents had done that she wouldn't ruin this for Lulu. Nathalie tilted her head and looked at Lulu. "Is that why you didn't tell me?"
She nodded. "I didn't want you to think I was being disloyal."
Nathalie pulled her chair beside Lulu's and took her hand. "Lulu" she said softly. "Who better than me knows that children are not their parents? And Ethan's dad is not my dad. That was job for him and I bear him no ill will. And furthermore, you have become like a little sister to me and if this boy is responsible for the goofy grin on your face then how can I possibly take any issue with that?"
Lulu threw her arms around her. "Thanks"
Nathalie wiped at her eyes. "So is he a good kisser?"
Lulu scrunched up her face. "Well I don't have a lot to base it on but I would say yes." Her cheeks flushed red again.
"Did he use tongue?"
"ROBIN!" Lulu said in shock.
"What?" she turned to Nathalie "Tongue is important, isn't it?"
"Tongue is very important" Nathalie agreed. "So, did he?"
Lulu covered her face with her hands. "I think I'm going to die of embarrassment."
"Not possible, I've tried and you simply cannot die of embarrassment" Nathalie teased.
"Medical impossibility" Robin concurred.
"So when do we get to meet him?" Nathalie asked.
Lulu giggled. There was something enjoyable about the third degree she was receiving from her friends. Ethan had told her on their first date that given the number of threats he had received that she was obviously loved and Lulu knew it to be true. Love and support may not always come from who you want it to but it does come from who you need it to. Sitting around the table with these women, Lulu felt a part of something - a sisterhood even - and those twinges of desperation that had driven her to darkness during the summer seemed nothing but a distant memory now.