Jaiden Chapter 103
Gregory A. Patrick
02/27/2021
Jaiden Chapter 103
Disclaimer: This story is the writer's/owner's intellectual property fully protected under the United States Copyright Laws 17 USC 101, 102(a), 302(a). All Rights Reserved. No reproductions or other uses are allowed without the author's prior written consent.
The story Jaiden is wholly a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events that may or may not have occurred, or places or businesses that exist or may have existed is purely coincidental.
The story Jaiden contains sexual inferences and direct mention of male-to-male sexual contact. If you are under the age of 18; if access to this story is a violation of the community laws of the city, state, or nation in which you live; or if this type or style of writing offends you, leave this site immediately.
Neither the writer nor Nifty.org assumes any liability regarding an individual's access to or an individual's decision to read Jaiden's story.
Nifty.org runs off financial donations made to their site. Please remember to donate accordingly.
https://donate.nifty.org
If you wish to comment on this story, address your comments to: gp932260@gmail.com. No argumentative or disrespectful comments will be allowed. Readers leaving argumentative or rude comments will not be allowed to make future remarks.
*** NOTE: I leave March 01 for a month-long vacation in Hawaii. I will try to write and submit a chapter while I am there. If you would like to see this series continue, please send me an email simply saying: YES.
Greg Patrick
"Yesterday was a whirlwind day, Peyton, and it seems to be picking up today." "That's true, Jaiden, have you looked at the appointment book?" Not yet, what's up? We have appointments every 15 minutes until 5:30, and the ladies up front are still getting appointment calls. Tomorrow, we are slammed all day starting at nine, and that is for each of us." "You're kidding." "Nada, love."
"Good morning, ladies. Do y'all have everything you need for work?" "We, do, Dr. Jaiden. We hope you're ready for the rest of the week. I can't believe the number of calls coming in for appointments. I've worked for doctors for twenty years, and I have never seen calls like this." "Do you know what scares me, Ashly? "Tell me, Doctor Jaiden." "Living up to the expectations of the patient's parents. They assume we know everything, but the truth is, you learn something new with every patient." "That's true, Doc, but there is a difference in you and Dr. Peyton over other doctors, your dedication to excellence, and your compassion. I hope neither of you ever lose that."
"Ashley, thanks for your comment; the day we lose that dedication and drive for excellence is the day we both quit. We will be working on different Master's degrees while at St. Jude's; mine will be in Mechanical Engineering, and Peyton's will be in Environmental Engineering. My Dad made orthotic replacements for bones removed from children's arms and legs so they would retain full use of their limbs after removal because of cancer. Mom is an Emergency Physician, and she works with Environmental Engineering to get children and young adults out of environmental conditions that are literally killing them. She has already helped Peyton and me in that regard with patients when we worked as Physician's Assistants."
"By the way, Doc, a drug rep is bringing lunch today. He asked what you and Doctor Peyton liked, and I told him lower carbs and higher protein with low fat. He's bringing steak salads with blue cheese dressing and tea – with Stevia – at noon. It's all from Longhorn." "Awesome. Have you ever had their blue cheese?" "Not yet, is it good?" "Ashley, good doesn't begin to describe Longhorn's blue cheese dressing. They order their blue cheese from a small farming outfit in Wisconsin and make the dressing in-house, and the cheese is sinfully good; it's my favorite. If the steak they use is prime quality, the salad is the bomb, but sometimes the meat can be chewy if it is an end-cut piece of meat."
"Riley-Reynolds Pediatrics, this is Ashley; how may I help you?" "This is William Barone, Dr. Jaiden said he wanted to see Tyler on Thursday to check his incision for infection, so I am calling to set up the appointment." Mr. Barone, let me see what times we have open." "Ashley, is that Tyler's Dad calling?" "It is, Dr. Jaiden." "Let me speak with him."
"Good morning, Bill; how's our boy doing?" "Dr. Jaiden..." "Just Jaiden, Bill, you and Margaret have had coffee at my house with Don, Jay, and my family." "Jaiden, he is doing well, and he is taking it easy on his own. You made an impression on that boy when you got Andujar in front of him. He has immense respect for you and said he is not about to do something that would let you down. And the idea about educational research instead of television and video games, he is a history and science buff, and you started something amazing with that boy of mine. He hasn't watched television or played video games since he got home. If he is not doing research on the computer, I am running to the bookstore to get him a particular book before I get home, so for that suggestion, I owe you a debt I don't think I can ever repay."
"Bill, what you just told me more than pays the bill. What time is good for you on Thursday?" I am usually in court all day for docket call on Thursdays, but Don usually goes to lunch from 12 until 2, and then I get out of court around 5." Bill, don't you have my cell number?" "I do." "Call me when you go to lunch, and you, Margaret, and Tyler can eat lunch with me here at the hospital in the staff dining room. Then we can run next door to the office, and I can check Tyler from head to toe and take my time." "Jaiden, are you sure you don't mind doing that?" "Bill, if I did, I wouldn't have made the offer." "Margaret can be at the hospital with Tyler promptly at 1, and I should be there by 1:15." "That works for me, Bill. Meet the three of us at the hospital cafeteria." "I will do that. Thanks, Jaiden." "You're welcome, my friend; by the way, tell Don he is welcome to join us if he would like to do so."
"Ashley, what I just did will be a rare thing for me to do. Bill's son, Tyler, laid in the hospital for a week without his doctor ordering any tests; he just pumped the child full of antibiotics that weren't worth a crap for appendicitis, which Tyler had. His doctor waited so long the appendix ruptured. Dr. Peyton and I had to remove the appendix and clean the entire abdominal area because of infection that had flowed out of the intestines. Not only that, his doctor had ordered an antibiotic that was a penicillin derivative when the chart was clearly marked severely allergic to penicillin. Tyler started going into anaphylactic shock. We rushed in and injected him with ephedrine. That boy could have died; he is such a nice, polite, studious boy. He'll be in at lunch on Thursday, so if a vendor calls in with a lunch offer, add three to the list." "I'll remember to do that." "Thanks much, Ashley." "By the way, don't take any crap off anybody. If they get insolent or downright rude, come get Peyton or me. You will have the most comfortable work environment ever, and if it ever gets to where it isn't, we'll fix it."
"Good morning, Sunshine! Are you ready for our first full day of patients at the office?" "Jaiden, I love you, but to answer your question, nope." "Me either, sweetheart, but don't tell anybody. I was looking for an easy month and a half before heading to Tennessee. At least what we will be doing will get us prepared for a Tennessee patient schedule." "True, Jaiden, but It would be nice to be honeymooning in Paris like Richard and Sally."
"Good morning, Ashley. Hi, I'm Dr. Jaiden, and this is Dr. Peyton. We haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting you ladies. Dr. Jaiden, Dr. Peyton, this is Carol; she is the insurance and billing clerk; Maidie is our records clerk, and together, we have 60 years of medical office experience. Ladies, it is very nice to meet you. Ashley and I had a chance to speak briefly yesterday, so I'll tell you like I told her: don't take any guff off anybody. If somebody starts giving you a hard time, come get Peyton, Richard, or me, and we'll handle that kind of problem. Peyton and I intend for each of you to have the most pleasant work environment ever, and if it isn't, let us know, and we'll fix it."
"Jaiden went to exam room 1, knocked on the door, and entered the room. "Hi, I'm Dr. Jaiden; what are we here for today?" "Well, Doc, you're here to work, and I'm here hoping to find out if Ryan has a medical problem that is affecting his mood and behavior." "Mr. Sherrell, what is going on?" "He's having problems at school, and the teacher says he daydreams most of the day and can't seem to follow directions." "Ryan, tell me what makes you feel bad at school." "Dr. Jaiden, I read my lessons, but they don't make sense. I have to read them three or four times before things make sense to me." "Can you see the whiteboard OK when the teacher is writing on it?" "Not really."
Mr. Zimmerman, do you have any assignments with you or in your car where Ryan had to write sentences or words." "I have his workbooks in the car. Would you like for me to go get them?" "Please."
"Ryan, when you have to read or write something in class, do you get anxious or nervous causing you to get dizzy?" "Yes, sir, how'd you know that?" "Ryan, I have a feeling I know what the problem is, but I want to see the notebooks your Dad has in the car."
"Dr. Jaiden, here are the workbooks." Jaiden looked through the workbooks looking for patterns in Ryan's work. "Mr. Sherrell, look at this. Ryan is transposing numbers in the math work, and he is making the same errors in spelling, and a fairly large number of common words are misspelled; in others, the letters are backward or upside down. I would like to do two things: I would like him to see an ophthalmologist for a good eye exam. I would also like you to ask the counselor at Ryan's school to have the school's psychometrist test Ryan for Dyslexia. I think that is his problem, and if it is, the psychological testing will tell us. If dyslexia's the problem, they have specialists in the school system that will work with Ryan one-on-one to help him."
"What school does Ryan attend?" "He attends the Riley-Reynolds Magnet School." "The principal there is Dr. Sims?" "He is, do you know him?" "You might say that. Dr. Peyton, Dr. Richard, and I won the Nobel Prize in Education for starting nationwide teaching changes, and we started with Dr. Sim and Mrs. Carolyn Spencer." "You are that Jaiden Riley-Reynolds?" "I am. Talk to Dr. Sims and tell him I told you to. If they don't have resources to deal with dyslexic students, tell him to call me at home, and I can assure you after he and I talk, they will have a program within the month."
"Now tell me, Ryan, do you sleep OK at Night?" "Not really; my mind races, and it makes it hard for me to sleep." "Interesting; what I would like for you to do is get a CD player and several CDs of relaxing music you like. When you go to bed, play the CDs where you can just hear them. That should interrupt the racing in your mind and help you sleep; if it doesn't, let me know. Mr. Sherrell, I would suggest soft piano music or ocean sounds. Another choice would be morning rainforest sounds. If that doesn't do the trick, we'll look at some medication he can take until it causes a good sleep pattern. Try that for a month and then bring Ryan back in for a recheck. Be sure to bring examples of his work after he starts working with an educational specialist."
"Mr. Sherrell, your co-pay for today is $30. Dr. Jaiden wants to see Ryan back in a month, so that will be around March 20. What time is best for you." "I get off work at 3:00 in the afternoon, so anytime around then or after if it's possible." "3:30 OK?" "Yes, mam." "Here's your appointment card for March 20 at 3:30." "Thank you, Ms. Ashley." "Your very welcome, have a nice afternoon. Ryan be good." "Yes., mam."
"Dr. Schwartz's office." "Yes, mam. This is Richard Sherrell. Dr. Jaiden wants my son, Ryan, to get a complete eyes exam to rule out any problems that he may have that are causing him problems in school." "Mr. Sherrell, we have a cancellation at 4:00 today if you can bring him in." "We'll be there at 3:30, thank you so much. " "You are welcome, Mr. Sherrell; we'll see you and Ryan at 4:00."
"'I'm Richard Sherrell; we have an appoint with Dr. Schwarz at 4:00." "Yes, sir, I have a packet of information I need you to fill out. Most of it is a check-sheet for problems Ryan may be having or had, and the front page is medical and insurance information." Mr. Sherrell completed all the forms and handed them to the receptionist. Ten minutes later, they were in an exam room for the preliminaries the techs do and getting Ryan's eyes dilated.
"Hello, Ryan, I'm Dr. Schwartz; let's take a look at your eyes and see what we have going on." Dr. Schwartz spent about thirty minutes with Ryan when he turned to Mr. Sherrell and said, "Mr. Sherrill, your son is extremely nearsighted; it is a wonder he could read anything, much less see the whiteboard in the classroom. Here is a prescription for the glasses he needs. You may get it filled at the optometry shop of your choice; just please make sure he gets polycarbonate lenses so they'll be lighter on his nose and shatterproof. Give Ryan two weeks and see if things don't improve drastically."
"Margaret, Tyler, it's good to see you. Bill should be here in about 15 minutes. Tyler, how are you feeling?" Dr. Jaiden, I feel pretty good today. The first few days at home were a bit hard, but I rested when I got tired or sore." "Good, that's what you needed to do. Your body will tell you when you need to slow down. It'll take a few months to get back up to speed, but you need to take it a bit easier than normal even then. Have you noticed any redness or swelling around the staples?" "It's been a little red and warm feeling, but not so much this week as it was last week." "There could have been a little infection last week, but if the redness is going down and the area where the staples are isn't puffy, that means it is getting well. I'll check it after we have lunch and walk over to my office."
"Look who is walking in the door to the cafeteria; I think we know that man." Jaiden walked over to Bill, shook hands with him, and told him lunch would be served to them in the staff dining room. I ordered something for all of us that I thought Tyler would enjoy." "And that would be, Jaiden?" "Steak, baked potato, and grilled asparagus. The grilled asparagus is my favorite. If Tyler doesn't like it, we'll get him something he does like."
Jaiden and his guests went into the staff dining room, and the waitress asked what Jaiden had ordered, and she served the meals. Tyler asked what the long green spears were, and Jaiden said, "taste one, Tyler, and let me know what you think." Tyler cut a spear in half, tasted it, and told Jaiden it was good. "Good, Tyler, it's grilled asparagus, and it has been my favorite since I was your age."
When everybody finished their lunch, they walked back to Jaiden's office. Peyton saw Tyler as they entered the office through the private door and spoke briefly to him and his parents. Jaiden took Tyler into an exam room, had him sit on the exam table and pull his shirt up and pull his pants down slightly. Jaiden palpitated Tyler's abdomen, checked for tenderness around the incision site, and said the incision was healing nicely, and that he didn't notice any infection. He turned and took a kit out of the cabinet and told Tyler to close his eyes and keep them closed until he was told to open them.
When Tyler closed his eyes, Jaiden began removing the staples. When the last staple was removed, he told Tyler to open his eyes. Tyler asked, "Dr. Jaiden, why did you tell me to close my eyes?" "Tyler, look down and tell me what you see." "Wow, you took out the staples, and I had no idea; I didn't feel anything." "Yea, I did, and it didn't bother you a bit. Sometimes it helps to close your eyes. Did you feel the shot I gave you?" "You really gave me a shot?" "I did, and since you weren't watching me give it to you, you had no idea you were getting it. Do you know why closing your eyes helped you to not feel the shot?" "Because I didn't see it?" "And what else didn't happen when you closed your eyes?" "Dr. Jaiden, I'm not sure." "Tyler, you didn't anticipate the shot, and since you didn't anticipate it, you weren't scared of getting the shot. If you ever get another one from me, you won't feel that one either."
"Tyler, you are a picture of health. Take it easy for a couple of months, and don't get too physical with anything, especially sports. Bill, if you need me for anything, let me know; you have my personal number. School will be over in May. Make sure Tyler doesn't get overactive during his summer break. When school starts back in August, he should be ready to go full force with sports, just not football; I'd hate for him to take a hard blow to the stomach. Hand this to Ashley up front on the way out."
"Ashley, Dr. Jaiden said to hand this to you. How much do I owe you for this visit?" "Not a thing, Mr. Barone; Dr. Jaiden marked the speed bill as a surgical follow-up." "I don't need to pay anything?" "No, sir, it will be covered in the bill for the surgery." "OK, thanks." "You're welcome, Mr. Barone. Tyler, don't get into trouble by doing too much; we don't want to see you back here until it is time for your yearly physical."
When Jaiden and Peyton got home, the weather outside was in the low seventies, so the guys grabbed their sons and headed outside for some rough play. They would let their sons chase them and catch them, "pulling" them to the ground. When the Dads laid on the ground, the boys climbed all over them, tickling each other and laughing hard. They had a good time outside with all ten children while Dale and Charley prepared dinner. It wasn't that Dale and Charley necessarily had to fix dinner every day, it was more that they had eaten Jaiden's cooking, and except for what Dale had taught Jaiden to cook, Jaiden just wasn't that good of a cook. Peyton agreed with them, but he would never tell Jaiden that.
When the boys finished their dinner, Jaiden and Peyton gave them their evening baths and then played with them in the den until their 8 pm bedtime. When they put the boys to bed, Peyton snuggled up to Jaiden on the couch, and they had an early evening conversation with each other for the first time in a long time.
"Peyton, you know the MA Religion and Suicide seminar I participated in last week, I baited a couple of preachers on their stances on suicide, and I used a scripture the Reverend had talked to us about. I asked them what their stance was on youth suicide with respect to Matthew 12: 31-32. The United Church of Christ pastor and the Episcopal priest nailed the answer, but the protestant and Catholic ministers failed miserably in their answers and gave an answer their denominations required them to give; it was so evident it was pathetic. That verse of scripture says Hashem will forgive you of any sin except one, the denial of the Holy Spirit. I was amazed they couldn't stand on their own two feet and give the correct answer; it's no wonder many Christians will no longer go to their pastors for spiritual counseling; they aren't being taught correctly. Sadly, the Rabbi who was supposed to be on the panel never showed up for his position on the panel."
"I wonder if they will ever grow a set and answer with the truth instead of saying what their denominations demand they say. Until then, let's go to the bedroom. Instead of being a doctor, I want to play doctor – with you! I want to touch you in places that will make you coo with pleasure and squirm with anticipation. As the Reverend and Gampy would say, I want to make you shout hallelujah." Jaiden, do I get to have a turn at playing doctor?" "Sweetheart, if you didn't, I would be sorely disappointed." In that case, Dr. Jaiden..."
The two went to their bedroom and shut and locked the door. Peyton and Jaiden undressed each other and started playing doctor. When they did, lightning bolts began bouncing through the bedroom windows, escaping under the bedroom door, and lighting up the backyard like a street lamp. When their romantic activities began to slow, they were so tired they could barely move. Jaiden started a warm shower and pulled Peyton into the shower with him. Four years of marriage and five children had not dulled their desires for each other.
When the lovers got up the next morning, they met Dale and Charley in the kitchen. Charley said, "You guys look like hell; that thunderstorm in your bedroom last night was powerful; I've never seen so much lightning escaping from your room before." Jaiden took a sip of coffee and smiled at Charley without saying a word. "Jaiden, you are the spitting image of your mother; have a good time and don't say a word about it." Jaiden took another sip of coffee and smiled as he sat down to eat breakfast before getting all the children up to eat and get dressed before Ginny and Granny arrived.
Ginny and Granny arrived in the new Lincoln Jaiden bought for Ginny. The ladies were enjoying their new cars and the comfort they provided, and they let Jaiden know that. Granny looked tired, so Jaiden asked her if she was OK. Granny said she was just tired because her grandson had been up all night throwing up. "Granny, is it David's son?" "It is, Jaiden; I don't know if he has a virus or what." "Call David and tell him to bring Jamison to my office as soon as he can get there. I'll let Ashley know they are coming and get her to put them in the conference room so David can fill out the forms we need, and then I'll take care of Jamison." "Jaiden, thank you." "Granny, you're welcome; I am not going to let my nephew be sick and feel bad. I'll make sure Jamison will feel better all day after he leaves my office."
When Jaiden got to his office, he went up front to see if David and Jamison were in the lobby, and they were. "Ashley, did you give David McDonald a set of patient forms to fill out?" "I did, and here they are." "Thank you, I consider Jamison my nephew, and so does Peyton. David, you and Jamison come on back."
Jaiden took Jamison into an exam room, took his temperature, listened to his lungs, and spoke with him about how he felt. David told Jaiden that Jamison had thrown up several times during the night and once earlier in the morning. Jaiden told Jamison to loosen his pants and turn over on his stomach. He pulled Jamison's pants down just enough to expose a few inches of hip muscle and rubbed some numbing cream on Jamison's hip muscle and told him to close his eyes and count from one to ten. As Jamison started counting, Jaiden gave Jamison a shot of Phenergan to stop the vomiting. Jamison was sleepy within a few minutes. Jaiden gave David a prescription for some Phenergan suppositories and told him to insert on rectally every six to eight hours and said if Jamison didn't stop throwing up with the medication to call his Mom and get her to call him on his cell phone. When the office closed for lunch, Jaiden called Granny to see how Jamison was doing. She told him Jamison had slept peacefully most of the morning since seeing Jaiden and that he seemed to be feeling better. David had stopped and gotten some Pedialyte, and that seemed to help as well.
Jaiden told Granny he was happy to hear that, but if Jamison made a U-turn in getting better to call him on the cell phone. Granny said she would, and then she asked what David owed for the office visit. "Granny, I would never charge for seeing my nephew; it's something I won't do. David doesn't owe me a thing." "Are you sure, Jaiden?"
"I'm sure, Granny. You and the Reverend have been like a Mom and Dad to Peyton and me, and there is no way I would ever charge you to help you, the Reverend, your children, or your grandchildren; I simply won't do that."
Jaiden was enjoying the extra time he was having with Peyton and their boys when they got home since they didn't have the long hospital shifts anymore. When he and Peyton got home, he took Peyton upstairs and started a warm shower so they could wash away any germs on them before playing with their sons. When Jaiden got Peyton in the shower, he took Peyton's face in his hands, backed him against the shower wall, and began kissing him very sensually. As usual, Peyton rose to the occasion, and Jaiden kneeled accordingly and paid homage to Peyton. When the dam broke, and the floods descended, Peyton released every ounce of pent-up energy he had. Jaiden smiled as he watched the gentle smile that showed on Peyton's face. They dried off, donned their favorite khaki shorts and tee-shirts before going back to the den and playing with their children. As usual, the children were happy little monsters with smiles from ear to ear as they played with their Dads.
After dinner, Jaiden and Peyton bathed their boys and put them to bed early. Their sons promptly went to sleep, so Jaiden looked at Peyton and said, "Go get ready, I'll be right behind you." Jaiden looked at Dale and Charley and said, "We're going to bed early, so we'll see you two in the morning." Dale told Jaiden to have a good time, and Jaiden said, "I intend to. If the boats a-rockin', don't come a-knocking." With that said, he disappeared up the steps.
Peyton was ready so Jaiden got ready. The lights were dimmed, and soft music was playing on the stereo in the bedroom. They went to the chairs by the window where Peyton sat on Jaiden's lap as the cool spring breeze was blowing in the window. Jaiden was kissing Peyton and rubbing his belly, exciting his husband to no end. Jaiden had Peyton stand up as he slipped forward on the chair. When he was sitting on the edge of the lounge chair, he lubed himself and had Peyton gingerly lower himself onto his throbbing, waiting penis. When Peyton had fully mounted his husband, Jaiden pulled Peyton to him as he laid back in the lounge chair and began slowly thrusting into Peyton. Peyton cooed as he laid his head on the right side of Jaiden's chest as Jaiden made slow, deliberate love to the one he loved more than life itself. It seemed like an eternity to both lovers when it was only ten minutes at best. When the time came, Jaiden's body stiffened, and his legs shot straight out as he let out a low, guttural moan. Peyton pushed down on Jaiden as much as he could as he buried his face in Jaiden's chest.
When the liaison by the windows ended, Peyton walked Jaiden to their bed, pushed him down on the edge of the bed, and laid him back with his legs hanging off the end of the bed. Peyton pushed Jaiden's legs apart, lubed himself, and then began making love to his husband in a position they had never experienced. Jaiden held Peyton tightly to his chest as his lover was passionately kissing him as they made love on the end of the bed. Peyton suddenly tensed every muscle in his body as he planted his face into the base of Jaiden's neck. When Peyton was totally spent, he laid on Jaiden's chest for the longest time before they got up and showered together. Before they retired for the night, they stripped the bed and placed the sheets in the washer. They would dry the sheets when they got up the next morning. Now, their intent was to put fresh linens on the bed, climb under the sheets, and hold each other as they fell asleep.
Dale and Charley were in the kitchen preparing breakfast when Jaiden and Peyton walked to the laundry. Dale looked at Charley and smiled. They could tell the night had been unique because Jaiden and Peyton were more relaxed than they had been in months. Jaiden and Peyton reached into the cabinet to get breakfast dishes when Dale said, "You guys sit down, we'll serve you breakfast. We haven't seen the two of you look so relaxed and happy in a long time; make it last." Jaiden and Peyton took a sip of coffee, smiled, and didn't say a word; they didn't have to.
After breakfast, the four guys went and got their children through the regular routines and took them to the dining room for breakfast. This morning, the children would have their favorite porridge with fresh maple syrup, a piece of toast with strawberry jam, and a cup of regular milk. When they had eaten, their Dads took them to the potty, and dressed them for the day, before Granny and Ginny arrived. When Ginny and Granny walked through the door, the babies ran to them as fast as they could to get their morning hugs and kisses. The ladies cherished their hugs and kisses as much as the babies did. Ginny loved the fact that the babies were just like their Dads in temperament and behavior; both reminded her of her early days helping to raise Jaiden. Granny fully understood why Ginny loved watching the children the way she did, she too had a special bond with Dale's and Charley's children, and there was no doubt that bond would stand the test of time.
Peyton drove straight to the office while Jaiden went by their favorite bakery and bought donuts and pastries for the ladies in the office. As soon as he got to the office, he made two pots of coffee the way Dale had taught him. Jaiden got to the office before the ladies arrived and had the donuts and pastries ready for them when they walked through the private office entrance. Jaiden and Peyton looked at the ladies and told them to have a seat in the breakroom so they could be served the morning treats and coffee. Like everyone else who has tasted Dale's coffee, they raved over how good ir tasted, and they ate a good amount of the treats Jaiden had bought at the bakery.
Peyton went into Jaiden's office and sat in front of his desk to talk to him about approaching dyslexic children.
Jaiden spoke of one patient who exhibited signs of dyslexia only to find out that he was severely nearsighted. He couldn't see the whiteboard in his classroom and couldn't make out what he was looking at in books because the print was fuzzy. He recounted how he had referred the boy to Dr. Schwartz, a fellow temple member, and how getting a pair of glasses solved the boy's problems.
They talked about children who genuinely are dyslexic and how their brains go into frenetic mode when they try to process words that don't appear recognizable. When they try to write, letters are backward or upside down, or their spelling is wrong. Peyton mentioned using the counseling center to diagnose dyslexia before treating dyslexic children who can't process information like others. The counseling center can also discover teachers and parents who call them lazy when it's not true.
Jaiden asked Peyton if he had ever seen the movie, tAAre Zameen Par, about a dyslexic child who was beaten, slapped, yelled at, and accused of not being as studious as his older brother.
"The teachers in the boy's regular school were worse than the teacher who was fired because of her treatment of Jason. The boy was placed into a boarding school where he completely shut down and would not do any work, and where he stopped drawing, something at which he was excellent."
Peyton hadn't seen the movie. Jaiden told him how a temporary teacher from a school that dealt with autistic and mentally challenged students began teaching at the boarding school and how he immediately connected with the students. The boy, Ishan Awasthi, was subjected to incompetent teachers and school administrators who totally missed his actual problem, dyslexia.
Ishan daydreamed most of his school days and when he should have been performing menial tasks at home, such as brushing his teeth. The new teacher had the same problems as Ishan (called Inu at home) when he was a child.
"He began working one-on-one with Ishan and, in a short time, had Ishan overcoming his reading and behavioral problems. He persuaded Ishan to resume his drawing, which was judged by a famous Indian teacher and artist who chose Ishan's painting over the other student's in the boarding school. That was the beginning of Ishan's recovery that would see him return home to live with his family and resume his education at his regular school."
"Peyton, every school in the country should show that movie at the first parent-teacher association meeting every year. The schools should have counseling professionals on hand to discuss how to approach and treat dyslexia and work with autistic students. It is one of the best movies I have ever seen on Netflix." "Jaiden, why don't we watch the movie tonight after the boys go to bed?" "OK, let's do it!"
After the boys went to bed that night, the four Dads sat in the den and watched the movie together. Charley talked about how he knew a boy in his elementary school in Milton. The latter was precisely like Ishan but never got the help Ishan received. The boy struggled all through elementary and secondary school; it was sad to see." Dale and Peyton stared at the television screen with a passive anger that Jaiden had never seen in them. "Peyton, do you understand why I said this morning that this movie should be shown at the first PTA meeting in every school every year?"
"I do, Jaiden. I will find out how many schools are in Erie county. We'll get a copy of the movie for each school and ask the Superintendent to distribute the movies with a directive to show them every year in all schools."
"If I see a student who has been treated like Ishan was, I am going to be pissed!" "Good, Peyton, that is how everybody should feel when they see a child abused the way Ishan was. At the same time, people need to see how Ishan's problem was handled, and how his parents were taught by the teacher to properly deal with Ishan's dyslexia."
The day at the office went well, with Peyton and Jaiden seeing a full slate of patients during the day. The time they spent with their patients was enormously satisfying, and the children seemed to love their new doctors. The only time children seem to get mad is when they get the DTaP vaccine, it hurts.
When the guys got home, they, Dale, and Charley loaded the children into the van and went to Tony's to get their favorite food: skety.
It is funny how the sauce is made with vegetables the children normally won't eat but scarf down when mixed with Italian red sauce. The Dads loved to watch the children eat skety because they were so funny getting the food all over themselves.
Phil also has fun sitting with the families and watching the children eat. He's amazed at the recipes Dale has come up with to get children to eat vegetables. All Dale will say about his cooking methods is, "It worked for my Mom, and it works for me. If it gets the children to eat healthy foods, go for it!"
Even though the Dads love to watch their children eating vegetable-laden spaghetti, their favorite thing is bath time for the children. The children are hilarious playing in the shower and running from their Dads, who try to catch the babies to bathe them. It isn't difficult for them to capture each child for a bath, but they enjoy the children's playfulness during bath time.
Jaiden's most cherished time is when one of his boys is having a hard time going to sleep, and he gets to rock his son in a dimly lit room with white noise in the background. There is something about that quality time with the child that gives Jaiden a sense of being needed – and wanted.
When the babies had been put to bed, Jaiden took Peyton outside on the deck and held him as he had in Alabama before the children were born. Peyton still had the smell about him that Jaiden loved and would never tire of experiencing. The way he loves Peyton is beautiful to see. The way Peyton returns Jaiden's love is surreal to watch. Everybody deserves to be loved the way the two lovebirds love each other. Everybody!
The weekend was coming up, and Peyton cooked up a scheme for Jaiden and him to watch all the children Friday night and make Charley and Dale take a night out for themselves. Since they didn't have the income or other resources Peyton and Jaiden had, Peyton planned an overnight private time for Dale and Charley that they usually wouldn't take. They would go to the Sheraton at the Wharf for a night of fine dining and romantic time together. They work hard, play hard with the children every day, and never take time for themselves, so Friday night is not an option. They will take the night for themselves, dining at the finest restaurant in town and spending a romantic night together.
Saturday morning, they would meet up with Jaiden and Peyton at the temple and then go to the Country Club for lunch after the services.
Saturday morning is a special time for the families. For Jaiden, it was the day he released any stress he had within; for Peyton is was his love for tradition and family.
Charley and Dale are new to Judaism, so Saturday mornings in temple services are a testament of who they are and what they stand for, a place that has taught them more about love, appreciation, and human compassion than any religion of which they had been a part.
They feel a tremendous amount of pride in their worship of Hashem at the temple. The love they receive from their fellow congregants has done more for their self-esteem than anything experienced in their young lives.
While the family was headed to the Country Club, Peyton saw a Yoshino Cherry Tree in full bloom. He remarked how beautiful the tree was, and wondered aloud if the trees were blooming in the central UK. Peyton also pondered if his and Jaiden's friend, Donna, saw the same beautiful trees blooming near her home. Jaiden said he hoped his cousins, Jaiden, and Payton, were enjoying the birth of spring, and were able to get out of the house and stroll through the mountains with their friend, Ian. Both wondered if Alan's move to Australia went well. Visiting Alan after they complete their residency and internship programs at St. Jude's was on their bucket list.
The weather has turned nicely toward spring, and the children were enjoying their extra playtime outside. When time moves forward on March 15, the children will have even more time outdoors, and Donna will have more time to see and admire the beautiful trees and shrubs around her home.
"Peyton, was that Greg who called this morning?" "It was, Jaiden. He called to let us know we wouldn't see him in the temple for a while. He scored a trip to Hawaii, and he will be there for all of March through April 02. He said he would visit Kaanapali beach and sit on the rocks we enjoyed so much on our honeymoon."
"Some guys from his university own a restaurant in Lahaina, and he is going to visit with them and then go to Hana. He didn't get to see that part of Maui when he was there because the worst rain in Maui history washed away parts of the highway. He's going on a photo junket to take and develop some pictures to sell in his studio."
"He went to a place called Cataloochee a couple of months back and took some gorgeous pictures of elk while he was there. There is a bull he likes to photograph, and on his last trip, he was able to photograph the bull lying in the rain in a grassy field protecting his cows from the younger bulls."
"Greg hopes to spend some early evenings on the Kamaole beaches and at Kaanapali beach filming sunsets. He would like to film a sunrise and sunset on the summit of the Haleakala volcano, but said he was scared to death of heights and didn't know if he could drive 10,200 feet up the volcano. One thing that got me tickled was when he said if he did drive to the top, he was sure someone would have to drive down to the village, because he would probably burn up the brakes on the rental car."
"Peyton, is Greg that scared of heights?" "Jaiden, let me put it this way: on the high bridge between Milton and Pensacola, he stops his car and gets his wife to drive across the bridge. They were in Savannah and decided to drive to Hilton Head Beach across the river in South Carolina. He stopped to get his wife to drive over the bridge, and she said no and made him drive across the river. When they got across the bridge, Greg was sweating profusely and shaking like leaves in the wind. He was horrified at the experience. When they went back to Savannah, his wife, Marty, made him drive over the bridge. To this day, he has never driven over, much less been near, that bridge again."
"Peyton, why is Greg so scared of that bridge?" "He was in a University near Savannah when a barge hit the old bridge, and dropped a large section of the bridge, and some cars, into the Savannah River. He said he has no intention of taking any chances of swimming with the current, and the sharks, in the brackish waters near where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean. He was caught in a rip current and taken about 200 yards out into the Atlantic before he could swim out of the riptide and let the waves push him back to shore." "How does he get past his fear of heights in a jet or the fear of a water landing?"
"I asked him that question, and he said, 'first of all, there is no such thing as a water landing. If the plane ditches into the ocean, it's a plane crash.' I asked what he would do if that happened, and he said he would stick his head between his legs and kiss his butt goodbye. I asked him how he could be in a jet flying at 35,000 feet, and not be scared. He said, "Peyton, I don't have to fly a jet, so I can close my eyes until the pilot makes a successful landing at the airport in Kahului. As soon as he gets off the jet, he stoops down and kisses the ground."
"How does Greg calm down after being closed up in a plane for five hours?" "Jaiden, his way of calming down is to eat. Greg said he goes to the store when he gets to Maui and buys a can of Portuguese spam, and smiles while eating it with mayonnaise and white bread. Why the smile was the thought in my mind; I asked him about it. Greg said while in Maui, his wife was still state-side, and she couldn't gripe about him eating spam; besides, she doesn't have a right to gripe about his spam; she puts Vienna sausages in the freezer until they are almost frozen and then eats them."
"Jaiden, this is Mom. I'm just calling to see how Peyton's and your first week of practicing pediatrics went."
"Mom, it went well. We mostly saw children for yearly check-ups, vaccinations, and a few instances of viruses and infections. Several parents brought their children in because they were having problems with behavior and grades. I had watched a movie called 'tAAr Zameen Par' about a dyslexic child s who was slapped around, shaken, and yelled at for not being as good a student as his older brother; he had severe dyslexia. The only person in Ishan's family who noticed his problem was the brother."
"Out of Anger, his father decided to place Ishan in a boarding school far away from his home and family. To shorten a long story, Ishan shut down, and stopped drawing – which he was extremely good at. After shutting down, he wouldn't speak to anyone."
"The teacher who beat Ishan's knuckles with a wooden ruler for not being able to perform in class, was suddenly no longer at the school. The academy hired a temporary teacher who worked with mentally disabled children from Down's Syndrome to Autism. He got permission to work one-on-one with Ishan, and in short order, Ishan was able to slow his mind enough to make sense of what he was looking at when trying to read. Because of the temporary, he got his happiness back and started drawing and painting again. A nationally acclaimed Indian artist and teacher judged one of his paintings at a contest held at the academy. Ishan won the contest. He ran to his teacher and cried his heart out. What makes the teacher so good at what he does, and did for Ishan, was having the same problems as a child that Ishan was suffering. In the end, the temporary teacher was hired full-time. He transformed the teaching methods used at the school, and in the same token, gained the love of every academy student and causing their grades to soar."
"Peyton and I will purchase a copy of the movie for every school in Erie. The Superintendent is making it mandatory for the movie to be shown at the first parent-teacher association meetings in every school. Hopefully, it will help teachers and parents spot, and deal effectively, with students' problems with dyslexia and autism. Peyton and I saw at least five children presenting signs of dyslexia and autism/Asperger's Syndrome. One child not only had dyslexia, he couldn't see the whiteboard, or read his lessons, because he was severely nearsighted. That problem was straightened out that day with the help of Dr. Schwartz at the temple. The boy got eyeglasses before the end of the day, and was amazed at what he could see and do."
"Jaiden, Bill Barone called me and told me what you did for Tyler. He was extremely complimentary of your work, and your bedside manner." "Mom, is he also a distant relative?" "Yes, he is, Jaiden, but a little further back than Don and Jay. Bill enjoyed what Don had to say about the addict who tried to rob you, your brothers, and the surrogate moms. He thought Peyton telling the guy that before he tried robbing a gay guy, and four pregnant women, to consider that the gay guy may very well stomp his ass. I still laugh when I think of Peyton saying that to the thug."
"Mom, Peyton still thinks about that incident at the beach. Every time we take the boys for a stroll on the beach, he worries about someone trying to rob or hurt us, especially the boys. Peyton said if anyone ever laid a hand on the boys, he would beat the person to death in short order. There is no doubt in my mind that he would do just that; you don't mess with his family, and his family includes Dale, Charley, and their children."
"We have the weekend off on the pediatric rotation schedule, so we're taking all the children to the beach and let them walk. Dale and Charley will take some time for themselves whether they want to or not; they're always willing to watch the children if we are going to be a little late getting home. Most of the time, when we get home, the children have been fed, pottied, and gotten ready for bed. Peyton and I feel like we need to do something for them, and time alone together seems to be what they enjoy most. They'll meet us at the Wharf Seafood Restaurant for dinner, and then they are going to a movie somewhere. If they give Peyton and me any lip about it, we are going to go get a motel room and handcuff them to the bed."
"Jaiden, I can see Peyton and you dragging them into a motel room and chaining them to the bed. From what I can tell, they like to give of themselves, but they feel reticent about returned gifts of time or anything else."
"They really do, Mom. They work so hard, give of themselves day in and day out, and they never seem to get anything in return. I know their day is coming; I just don't know when it will get here. They don't have the resources Peyton, and I have, so we make sure they have a night out several times a month and at least one weekend per month to themselves. We would cook dinner for them during the week, but Dale said he preferred his cooking, and quite frankly, so do Peyton and I; we don't cook so well. "We can make things taste good; we just can't do it like Dale."