Chapter 14
It was barely three hours later when Adam was startled out of sleep by his alarm. The moment he was awake fear clenched in his chest. Today was the day.
Tommy stirred against his back and pulled him into a tight embrace. Adam smiled softly and let himself just enjoy it for a moment. Adam knew he couldn't stay there long and after a moment he patted Tommy's hand and started to pull away. Tommy grumbled but let him go.
Adam swung his legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood to make his way to the shower. The house was dark, the sun wasn't even up yet, and it made Adam just want to curl back into his warm place and go back to sleep.
When he stepped into the shower he took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension in his chest. He wouldn't admit it to Tommy but he was scared shitless right now. His hands shook as he started cleaning himself.
He jumped a little at the sound of the shower door opening, but calmed when he saw Tommy climbing in with him.
"'Morning." Tommy mumbled slipping into the spray with Adam, his hands sliding along the smaller man's sides. Adam sighed and leaned against Tommy's chest.
"I want to be with you today. I know why I can't go, I totally understand, but I want to be there."
Tommy tucked his chin against Adam's neck and hugged him close.
"I know. After this is all said and done and we decide what we're going to do I'll tell them all about you. No more hiding. Now just isn't the time." secretly Adam really didn't want them to know about Tommy so that their world would stay their own, even though he knew that wasn't actually possible.
They showered together in a comfortable silence. Adam knew Tommy could sense his nerves and let him be as he went about his morning routine. It was almost 6 when he picked up his bag and came to sit in the living room. Kyle would be there to pick him up in just a few moments.
The couch sagged as Tommy sat down next to him, their legs pressed together from knee to hip. Adam leaned over and rested his head on Tommy's broad shoulder. Adam swallowed hard trying to choke down the lump in his throat. When Tommy lifted his chin and brushed his lips against his, Adam cracked. A broken whimper tore from his throat and tears started flowing down his cheek.
"I'm so scared." Adam whispered.
"I know. I am too." Tommy squeezed his hand and kissed him again. Tommy swallowed and sniffed as he looked out the window. "Your friend just pulled up. Let me know how you are doing as soon as you can."
"OK... OK..."Adam nodded and stood. He moved towards the door and felt his heart twist. When he turned and looked back at Tommy he could see the other man's gray eyes were red rimmed with tears even though he was trying to hide it. Adam cursed under his breath and quickly rushed over to Tommy and kissed him hard.
"I'm going to make it." Adam whispered against Tommy's lips, their foreheads pressed together. When he heard Kyle honk outside he stood and collected himself. With a quick nod Adam steeled himself and shouldered his bag before stepping out the door.
He bit his lip as he walked to Kyle's waiting car. They rode to the hospital in near silence. When they pulled up outside Adam paused while grabbing his bag,
"Hey man.. would you do me a favor?" He asked.
"Sure."
"When I come out of surgery I need you to text this number for me." Adam said pulling out a pen and writing Tommy's number on a scrap of paper.
"Who's this? The person you've been texting?" Kyle asked looking at the piece of paper.
"Yeah. Just let them know what happens. Either way this goes they will be waiting to know." Adam shifted uncomfortably under Kyle's assessing gaze.
"You're not going to tell me who this is are you?"
"Not yet. If... when I get through this I'll tell you all about them. Right now I need you to let them know when I come out."
"Sure thing." Kyle replied giving him a weak smile.
"Thanks man.. you've been a really awesome friend." He gave his friend a tight hug before he got out of the car, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time he saw him.
When he met up with his parents he tried to stay strong and not show how scared he was. He finally cracked when he was being wheeled out to the surgery suite. He cried and held onto his mother like a child. When she told him he was going to be OK it was the only time those words had brought him any comfort.
Once he was rolled away from her he felt the first tickles of the anesthesia soon he was loopy, his vision going blurry. He didn't want to close his eyes as he watched the second dose go into his IV. Adam felt a heavy pull and for a split second he was afraid he wouldn't wake up if he let himself sleep. He fought the drugs as long as he could but seconds later his eyes drifted shut and he let the darkness take him.
Tommy paced the house for what seemed like the thousandth time. He didn't want to admit it but he was extremely worried. Right at that moment he wanted nothing more but to be right there with Adam. He wasn't exactly sure when his feelings had gotten that deeply involved but right then wasn't the time for introspection.
After yet another circuit of the house Tommy cursed and stopped dead in the living room. He had a sudden realization that he in fact could be there. It wasn't like his family knew what he looked like.
Tommy grinned to himself as he grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door. He knew Adam was probably in surgery now and that he'd be under for quite a while but that didn't stop him from nearly running red lights to get to the hospital faster.
After a solid 20 minutes spent looking for a parking spot Tommy found his way to the main reception desk to find out which waiting room he needed to be in.
The hospital was huge. It was only 8 am and the place was packed. He stopped in the cafeteria and got a breakfast sandwich which he wolfed down as he entered the surgery waiting area. Thankfully there seemed to be enough people inside that he wouldn't be noticed.
He instantly recognized the elegant woman sitting in the middle of the room as Adam's mom. Even if he hadn't seen the pictures scattered around the house there was something about her that reminded him of Adam. It looked like Adam's dad and his friend Kyle were all there. Tommy walked over and took a seat in the corner of the room. He knew Adam's surgery was supposed to last at least 4 to 5 hours and it had only been a little over two hours sense he had left the house.
Tommy pulled out his phone and busied himself with figuring out all the new apps Brendan and Adam had added to his phone. He got distracted by Angry Birds for a good hour at least. When time started to drag he sent a message to Colt.
The friendly conversation was helping but he still felt worry curled in his gut. He shuffled through the magazines on the table not really reading any of them but trying to keep his mind in check as images of Adam hooked up to tubes flashed through his mind. Adam's family was getting nervous too.
Tommy raised and eyebrow when a thin, pretty young woman came in and started talking with Adam's family. Apparently she was his therapist. The fact that she had to take off work to be there made Tommy grin. He wasn't the only one to find Adam interesting apparently.
After what felt like and eternity a thin Asian woman in scrubs came into the waiting room and called for Adam's family. Tommy held his breath as he waited to hear news on Adam. He couldn't hear everything the doctor was saying but what he did hear was worrisome. Something about bone erosion and having to remove part of muscles. But then he heard what he was waiting to hear.
Adam was going to be alright.
Tommy closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. He let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding and he let a grin spread across his lips. He watched as Adam's mom and dad were lead out of the waiting room. Kyle staid behind for a moment. Tommy stood and started to leave the waiting room, planning on heading to the cafeteria to find some lunch when his phone pinged in his pocket.
He stopped in the door way and pulled out his phone. He didn't recognize the number that had sent him a text but he opened it anyways.
'Adam asked me to text you and tell you when he came out of surgery. He's out now and he's in recovery.'
Tommy glanced over his shoulder to find Kyle watching him with a confused look on his face. Tommy cleared his throat and walked out of the waiting room. He hoped Kyle would chalk that up as a coincidence.
After eating a sub par lunch Tommy wondered around the hospital grounds. When he thought it had been long enough for Adam to be moved from recovery to an actual room. He went back to the information desk and got the room number.
I took him a while to find the correct hall way. He really hated hospitals with all their sterile walls and shining tiles. He leaned his ear against Adam's door and listened to see if anyone was in there. He was relieved when he didn't hear any voices.
Tommy poked his head inside and saw Adam laying bleary eyed in the hospital bed. Tommy felt the tension in his shoulder melt away as he knocked on the door and came into the room. Adam's face lit up when he saw him.
"It's you!" Adam cried, he was obviously floating on a morphine cloud but Tommy couldn't help meeting his smile.
"Yea it's me. How do you feel?"
"Awesome. We could solve all the worlds problems if we just put everyone on a morphine drip." Adam's words were a little slurred as he spoke. "I made my mom take dad home. I knew you'd be here soon. I don't know where Kyle went to.. I checked out there for a bit."
"I think you're allowed to check out when you've been through what you've been through today."
Adam's eyes fell shut and for a moment Tommy thought he had fallen asleep. When he reached up and brushed his fingers over the back of Adam's hand the other man smiled.
"I'm gonna make you pancakes." Adam mutter.
"Oh really?" Tommy asked fighting back a chuckle.
"Yea. You're gonna like it." Adam cracked open one eye and gave Tommy a lopsided smile. "I'm peeing right now."
Tommy felt the laughter rumble from his chest and he had to sit in the near by chair. "Good to know."
Adam winked at him and reached for his hand. "I'm glad you're here."
"I'm glad I'm here too." Tommy squeezed his fingers and watched as Adam fought nodding off.
"Will you stay with me tonight? I'll tell the nurses to stall my parents if they show up."
Tommy chuckled again and lifted Adam's hand to his lips, brushing his lips across his knuckles. "I'll stay as long as you want me to."
"Good." Adam mummured.
Tommy watched as Adam nodded off. He stretched out in the chair and settled in for a long stretch of sitting when he noticed the door standing slightly ajar. He could have sworn he had shut it when he came in but he shrugged it off. Right now he had Adam to worry about. Not faulty door latches.