Chance Encounter, Chapter 7
Chance didn't have the opportunity to rest much after Mimi left. First, his lunch tray arrived with an almost exclusively liquid diet. The only thing that was solid was the red Jell O which, of course, turned to liquid as it warmed in his mouth. None-the-less, he seemed pleased to have something to "chew" on.
I did my best to pamper him, feeding him, and giving him his straw so he could take sips of water.
Gavin woke up and offered to take over so I could go eat, but I told him I had more reserve fat than he did, and could wait longer for my meal. He didn't argue because he was evidently starved.
When he came back, I agreed to go. Between us, we would keep Chance company every moment we were allowed to.
"Wow, you're up walking," I noted as I made my way down the hall from the elevator after I ate.
"Yup, like the Good Book says, there's no rest for the wicked!" Chance replied to my statement of the obvious.
"I didn't want to get out of bed, but the fear of blood clots motivated me," he continued. "Gavin threated to kick my butt as well."
"While you're too weak to resist, I just might be able to do that," Gavin grinned. "You'd better be nice to me because I could grow to be bigger than you are someday."
"Yeah, Matt! You'd better quit letting him lift weights at the gym. He might become a monster."
"If he does, it'll be a gentle one like Shrek, or the Beast in `Beauty and the Beast.' This is a goodhearted kid brother you have."
Both of the Monroe boys grinned at my assessment.
Chance had napped for about half an hour before Arthur arrived. His short walk had really tired him out. But at the same time, it had lifted his spirits because he felt he'd soon have all of his strength back.
"How's it going trooper?" Arthur greeted him.
"Pretty well, all told. Matt said he'd asked you to come. Honestly, the way I feel now, I don't think I'm gonna need your professional services, but I do enjoy having a visitor."
"You seem to be on an even keel despite your recent trauma. That's good! I hope the experience won't open any old wounds, so to speak. As long as we continue your medication for a few more months, I believe you'll be fine. After that, I'd like to wean you off of it slowly."
"That'll be good by me. I'm already doing without any pain medication stronger than ibuprofen. Too many vets, like pro athletes who've suffer major injuries, have become addicted. I've read that pain medication, much more than marijuana or alcohol, is the major threshold to drugs like heroin and meth."
"You're correct. In my profession, I've seen way too many cases of drug dependency. Lots of medications that doctors used to dispense like candy are now being restricted, and for good reason. As long as you aren't hurting too much, you're wise not to let yourself be drugged."
Arthur passed the time of day with Chance in casual conversation for the most part, but I could tell that some of his questions were asked in an attempt to evaluate Chance's emotional wellbeing. Having an informal mental checkup could head-off problems down the road.
Chance did raise one issue that had him worried. He wasn't certain how much of his medical expenses would covered by his insurance. It had a rather high deductible. I assured him that we had enough money to take up the slack, but he knew that it meant I would make up the difference. He didn't like the idea that I would be bailing him out in addition to taking in Gavin - even though I'd made it plain that I didn't mind doing it.
After Arthur had departed, Chance managed another short nap before the nurse came to take him for a walk again. Gavin and I went along for company, and to be his cheering squad. I hoped we could help the time go by more quickly.
In his second attempt at moving about, he covered more distance and felt less worn out. His smile showed us that he was gaining in confidence as well as strength. I was elated, but I still would rest easier when another 24 hours had passed. It was a bit like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Right after his walk, he got more visitors in the form of Karen and Kip who brought a "bouquet" of Mylar balloons to brighten his room. He was pleased to see both of them, and Gavin was especially happy to see his friend.
After conversing for a little while, Karen said she'd be happy to take Gavin home with her so he could have a shower and a home-cooked meal.
"Oops, am I that ripe?" Gavin blushed.
"No, you're fine," she insisted. "But I know guys your age like to look and smell their best, and I expect you're a lot like Seth in that regard. I'm not saying you're stinky!"
"You should get out of here for a while," Chance told him. "I think both you and Matt should plan to sleep in a real bed tonight. There's no reason for you to watch me sleep. I'm monitored more closely than the gold bullion in Fort Knox!"
"That is as it should be, because you're more precious than all of that treasure!" I exclaimed, rather dramatically.
"I think it's time we leave and let you rest," Karen said as she rose from the chair. "Gavin, you're welcome to stay the night."
"I don't want to bail out on my brother," he shook his head.
"Go home with them and get a good night's sleep!" Chance insisted. "You're a growing kid and you need your rest. I'll be fine."
"Okay, if you say so," Gavin relented. "If anything comes up in the night, I want to know!"
When we were at last alone, Chance's eyes grew heavy and he said he was about to zonk out. He told me to go home and shower and nap as well. I decided to take the opportunity, though I hated to leave him alone. He was sure that he wouldn't miss me while he slept!
After walking past the emergency entrance, I managed to remember where I'd parked. As I had hoped, my car was in a dry place, and I'd even put the top up and locked it. Those details hadn't registered in my distracted brain the day before.
The garage door went up revealing Chance's stall, empty but for two bicycles. A couple of thoughts went through my mind simultaneously – I needed to see about where his vehicle was, and there might be a pair of boys in the house.
I walked past Gavin's bedroom on the way to mine. The door was open, but all was quiet. I couldn't avoid seeing two forms in the bed nestled together with their heads and the tops of their bare shoulders above the sheet. I continued quietly down the hall, undressed, and took a leisurely, hot shower.
Toweling off, I dressed in shorts and a casual knit shirt before going to the kitchen for a snack.
Almost immediately, I was joined by Seth who looked very uncomfortable.
"You saw us in bed, didn't you?"
"Yes, the door was open; I wasn't spying on you."
"It's not what you're thinking!" he blurted out.
"I'll bet it is," I smiled. "But first let me explain what I was thinking. My impression was that my little brother's best buddy had climbed in bed with him to hold him in his time of need. To me it was an act of kindness."
"Really, that's how you thought of it?"
"Yes."
"That's so cool! Honest, that's how it was. Um, we did take a shower together..."
"No doubt he needed someone to wash his back," I grinned.
"Yeah, but..."
"And maybe help him feel good and get really relaxed," I added.
Seth's blushed so deeply that I felt bad about implying that he might have gotten Gavin off.
"Hey, I'm not saying you did or you didn't have an intimate moment. All I meant was that whatever you did, I'm sure it was appreciated and was probably what I would have done with a buddy in the same situation."
"You're not going to tell Mom?"
"I don't have anything to tell her, but I'll bet she'd understand if I did."
"Thanks Mr. Bennett!"
"Please call me Matt. Is it okay if I call you Kip?"
"Yeah, that would be great! Mom will wonder what happened to me. I suppose I should hurry home."
"Why don't I call her to let her know that we've been conversing while Gavin is sleeping. Then you're covered if you want to go back and snuggle."
"Awesome!"
For a split second, I didn't know where I was or what time of day it might be, but I soon got reoriented after the alarm in my phone awakened me. It was followed by a light tapping on my door, which I'd left ajar.
"Come in please."
Two grinning boys entered my bedroom and perched on the edge of my bed.
"Mom said she'd like you to join us for an early dinner if you can," Kip announced.
"I called the hospital to check on Chance, and they're not going to wake him for dinner until about 6:30, if you want to be up there then," Gavin added.
"You guys evidently have everything under control," I complimented them.
"And you're an awesome big bro," Gavin said, as he gave my foot a squeeze. "Kipper told me how you reacted to seeing us in bed."
"Seth, uh, Kip, do you think your mom would have been upset in my shoes?" I asked.
"Um, I'm not sure. She's got to know that I'm already well into puberty."
"Ah yes, but I suppose some parents don't want to admit that their children might have sexual thoughts, and that they might even act on them at times."
"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking," Seth responded.
"As in thinking sexual thoughts?" I teased.
"Oops, I'm gonna have to censor my tongue around you," he giggled.
"Don't worry about it," Gavin grinned. "Matt can turn anything into an innuendo."
"That's true," I admitted. "But really, Kip, I wouldn't sell your mom short. I believe she knows the score, and that she'd love you even if she found you two naked on the kitchen floor going at it like bunnies. I'm not recommending that you test my theory, but I do think you can chill-out a bit.
Well, I guess I need to get dressed," I said, as I rolled out of bed in my bright red Andrew Christian briefs.
I casually pulled my shorts on over the "natural pouch" bulge and walked into the attached bath to take a leak. I wasn't trying to show off, but I'm guessing they both assessed the size of my package. Gavin was getting used to seeing Chance and me like that. Kip might have been surprised, but in an all-male household, there is less reason to be overly modest.
Dinner with Karen and Kip was a real treat. She's an excellent cook, and they were both good conversationalists. When the clock said it was time for me to leave, I kind of hated to go, but I didn't want to be away from Chance when it was time for his dinner.
I mentioned something about having to bring Chance's car back home, and Karen said she would be happy to go with me to drive it back later in the evening. I thanked her for the offer, and said I'd take her up on it.
I got to Chance's room just as his dinner arrived. It consisted of a much more substantial meal than he'd had up to that point in his recovery. His hands were both free since the IV and transfusion lines had been removed. He still had a port on the back of his left hand in case they needed to give him more fluid or blood, but it was taped down to keep it out of the way. Therefore, he insisted that he was able to feed himself, and that it would be good for him to do so. I only objected mildly, knowing that my man wanted to show that he was getting better. I did say that I'd take over if he tired out before he had finished.
He beamed with pride when he had completed his entire meal without help – right down to, and including, the chocolate pudding for dessert.
"If this keeps up, I can go back to work within a week!" he insisted.
"You can go back when the doctor releases you and not a moment before! Your health means a LOT more than your paycheck, even if it's a good one."
Our conversation was interrupted by a tapping on the door-frame. A good-looking young man with a blond crew-cut and a ready smile entered the room at our invitation. I assumed he must be another intern coming to check out their star patient, but my supposition was soon corrected.
"Hi, I'm Mark Hanson from the Daily Herald, I assume that you're Chance Monroe."
"That's me, and this is my partner, Matt Bennett."
"Glad to meet you. Are you related to the guy my mother has as a financial advisor?"
"Ah, if your mother is Dorothy Hanson, I'm one and the same."
"Cool! I'd like to get together with you to help me plan for my future, but right now, I want to interview your friend if I may."
"Um, here's one of my cards," I offered, not being one to miss an opportunity. "You'll need to ask Chance if he's up to it."
"I'm up to it, but I'm not sure I want to be in the paper."
"Well," Mark said, "I think it could be beneficial to both of us. I'm new on the staff, and I'd like to get the story for our readers before someone else does. Besides, I'm sure that the public will appreciate what you've done. You're a hero."
"I guess that's why I'd rather not be interviewed. I don't feel like I did anything out of the ordinary. It's what I was trained to do."
"Ah, that may be, but you DID it. Most of us hope we'd have your kind of courage in a life and death situation, but we'll never know unless it happens to us. We hear about veterans coming back with all kinds of problems with drugs and PTSD, and the like. We don't hear as much about the rest. Some can't adapt to civilian life, but you're like the poster boy of what a vet can be!"
"There's the problem," Chance shook his head, "I'm not a druggy, but I suffer from PTSD episodes, or at least I did until my awesome partner got help for me."
"Wow! You're even overcoming PTSD! That would make the story all the more touching."
"I'm not sure I want the world to know," Chance blushed.
"In that case, I can leave it out. I don't want to do anything to hurt you in any way. I'd never mess someone up for the sake of a story. If you'll allow it, I'll get your input, write the story up, and let you see a copy before it goes to press."
"Okay, in that case, I'll talk to you."
The two of them conversed for quite a while. Mark's questions about the shooting incident were probing but gentle. I was impressed with his sensitivity.
In addition, he asked about Chance's service record, and what he was doing now. I learned several things about his war experiences that I hadn't heard before, as Chance opened up.
When the interview was over, Mark asked if I would use his tablet to take a few pictures of the two of them talking. He wanted to move things along instead of having to call for a photographer.
"Are you okay, Love? You look tired."
"I'm good. It was kind of cathartic talking about all of that in a non-threatening way. He's a nice guy. He could be a therapist like Arthur."
"Yeah, and he's easy on the eyes as well," I kidded.
"Matt, you're not jealous, are you?"
"Nope, besides I'll probably have quality time with him going over his finances. I also noticed the wedding band on his left hand."
Less than an hour had passed and Chance was still awake. He asked the nurse if he could have a snack, and was quickly granted one. The staff was pleased that his appetite was good.
They brought me something too, and we were enjoying it together when the young reported returned to the room.
"I hope I'm not imposing too much, but I wanted you to read this before deadline if you're willing. I've been downstairs in the cafeteria working on it."
Chance agreed to look the article over when Mark pulled it up on his tablet. I read over his shoulder, at his request.
The article was well-written, and right on target. There was nothing phony or over-the-top, but it told the story of a young vet who was working his way through school and just happened to be in the place where he was needed in order to save a life. It did make mention of his concern over the medical bills that were piling up, but that the two of us were confident we could work through it.
I had to wipe my eyes at the end, and I handed a tissue to Chance for the same purpose.
"Is it okay, then?" Mark asked.
"It's great!" I answered, and Chance nodded.
"Cool! I'll send it right now."
He stayed a few more minutes, thanking Chance for helping him launch his career. He shook hands with both of us, and then made his departure.
I left a few minutes later to drive to Karen's house so we could get Chance's car. He told me not to come back until after breakfast in the morning. I said I would try to sleep in a little.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who emailed this past week: Walt S, Dan B, Paul R, Jim W, Lonnie R, Wayne, Bill K, Chandra B, Marty H, John L, Tom A, Geoff S, Tom H, Thomas A, Dick M, Jeremy R, Walter Sz, Zero, Trish R, Vern, John M, Larry S, Arne K, Cary R, Peter M, Mendy D, Jim L, Ott H, and Bill T.
Thanks to my editors, Tom and David. Thanks to Nifty for this free place to post. Thanks to you who have contributed to help keep it a free service.
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the closure of Mazo Beach in Dane County Wisconsin. It was one of the most popular nude beaches in the US, and was featured in several of my stories. The DNR cited drug use and illicit activities as the reason. Damn those druggies!
Peace and Equality to all,
David