Clayton James: A Sweet Gay Romance (James Brothers Book 1)

by C. E. Wilson

  “So, you’re going to be my doctor from now on?”

  “Yes, unless you don’t want me to be. I’m the best cardiologist around here. I don’t mean to brag, but I do cardiac surgery as well. Most doctors do one or the other, but I do both. I am your best bet. Where is your family? I was going to explain to them what I plan on doing so they will understand.”

  “My wife said they were going to go down to the chapel to say a prayer for me. It is just how we are. We give everything over to the Lord and let him deal with it.”

  “I won’t disturb them then. I will be out at the nurse’s station, making sure the other doctor ordered the tests I want. So, tell them to come and find me when they come back.”

  John walked out and sat down beside the nurse at the station. He was looking through the chart and looked over at the nurse. “Where is the EKG that was done when he came in?”

  “There wasn’t one done. The doctor didn’t order it. If you want one, I can go print one from the machine in his room.”

  “Man comes in, and he thinks he has a heart attack, and nobody thought to do an EKG on him? Unbelievable.”

  “You know we can’t order anything done. Don’t fuss at me. Fuss at the doctor if you need to fuss at someone. I’ll go print you up an EKG from his machine.”

  John shook his head. He could not believe that these people were so dumb as to not do an EKG. The nurse came back a few minutes later with a printout and handed it to John. John studied it for a few minutes and shook his head. “Doesn’t look to me that there is any damage to his heart. He is mostly in normal sinus rhythm, so why would they think he had a heart attack. Did the doctor give him any medication?”

  “Yes, I marked it on the chart at the bottom. It was Metroprolol Tartrate 100 mg. It slowed down his heart and stopped the Afib. That’s all he ordered for him.”

  “That’s fine until we figure out what is actually wrong with him. I don’t think he had a heart attack. But we’ll see when we get the results from the tests.”

  The family walked up to the desk. Clayton’s mother asked, “We are supposed to talk to Dr. Willis? He told my husband for us to come and find him.”

  John stood up. “I’m Dr. Willis. Come to the waiting room, and we will sit and talk about your husband.”

  They went into the waiting room and sat down. John said, “I don’t think that he had a heart attack. I think he might either have a blocked artery or more likely he has a valve in his heart that isn’t working properly. If that is the case, I will have to do open heart surgery and replace the valve with a biological valve.”

  “What is a biological valve?”

  “It is a swine valve. They are the best match for the human heart. I could put a mechanical valve in, but then he would be married to blood thinners the rest of his life, and I don’t want that to happen.”

  The family just sat there and didn’t say anything else. It was like they were trying to absorb what the doctor said. John waited them out. He couldn’t do anything until he got the test results from those he ordered. He would do the heart cath himself, but that would be after the echocardiogram.

  Chapter 6

  The family thanked John then went back to where Mr. James was in bed, but he was gone when they got there. Mrs. James came back to the desk and wanted to know where her husband was. John said, “He is down at the ultrasound department getting the echocardiogram of his heart done. When he leaves there, they will call me, and I will go do his heart cath then we will have the answers that we need to proceed.”

  Mrs. James said, “We are going to the cafeteria to get something to eat. If you need us, that is where we’ll be.”

  John said, “That’s good because it will be a couple of hours before we get done. We should know something by the end of that time.”

  The family left just as the phone rang at the desk. “Dr. Willis they are taking Mr. James to the heart cath lab.”

  “That’s where I will be for a couple of hours.” As John walked, he pulled out his phone and called Clayton and gave him an update on his father’s condition. He said he would call again when he finished with the heart cath.

  John walked into the heart cath lab and scrubbed up and put on the sterile garb and went over to Mr. James. “How are you doing there, Mr. James?”

  “I guess I can’t complain. Is this going to hurt?”

  “I’m going to try my best for it, not to. I will numb it where I have to go into your artery. So maybe a little stick or two?”

  “I can handle that. Let’s get this show on the road. What are you looking for?”

  “I am looking for a blocked artery. If I find one, we will put a stint in it, and that should help you out a lot. It will also show me the blood flow of your heart so that I can make sure that it is all going good through your system. Why don’t you tell me about your family while I’m doing this?”

  “I have a wife that is the best thing that ever happened to me. I have a son Bradley and a daughter Cathy.”

  “I met them, and they seem like a really nice family. Is that all the children you have?”

  “No, I have another boy, but I don’t have anything to do with him. The boy is gay. He likes other boys. I can’t have that. I would be too embarrassed for him to bring a boy around and tell my friends that’s his boyfriend.”

  “So, you have something against gay people?”

  “Yeah, don’t you agree they are deviants. God did not want two men together. How on earth would they have children?”

  “I don’t have a problem with being gay. I am gay and have a great boyfriend. My parents get along great with my boyfriend, Clayton James.”

  “When you get done with this thing you’re doing, I want another doctor. I don’t want a gay boy being my doctor, especially one that is being nasty with my son.”

  “That’s up to you, but if you need the procedure, I think you will need then you will have to let me do it. I am the only one that can. Your life is in my hands right now, and your future is too.”

  Mr. James didn’t say another word. John finished the procedure and found one artery that was clogged up, so he put in a stint, and the blood flow was fine. He showed it to Mr. James on the monitor, and he looked but didn’t say anything. He was not going to speak to John again.

  They finished up, and they took Mr. James to a room and then advised his family what room he would be in. When his family got to his room, he was irate and told them that Dr. Willis was a gay boy and he didn’t want him anywhere near him. He told them that this doctor was Clayton’s lover.

  John went back to the nurse’s station and pulled up the echocardiogram. He studied the pictures and found the problem. His aortic valve was not working correctly. That was what was causing all the issues. He would have to do open heart surgery and replace the valve if Mr. James was going to live. He would also do a maze on the top of his heart so that he would not have Afib again.

  John got Tim to go with him to tell Mr. James and his family what they had found. He would have to get the surgery date set up. John had to make sure he was stable before he did the surgery if Mr. James was going to let him do it. That was why he brought Tim with him so that Tim could tell Mr. James that John was the only one that could do the surgery in the area.

  When they entered the room, Mrs. James glared at John. He smiled at her and at the rest of the family. “Mr. James, you have a valve in your heart that is not working properly. It needs to be replaced. I know you are not happy with me, but you must understand that you need this surgery and I am the only one in the area that can do it.”

  Tim said, “He’s telling you the truth. He’s a great surgeon and does a great job. If I had to have this surgery, I would only let Dr. Willis do it.”

  “You don’t understand. He’s gay.”

  Tim shrugged. “So am I. It has nothing to do with having surgery. That is our personal lives. What Dr. Willis does in his professional life makes him the best at what you have to have done.”

&nb
sp; “He is my son’s boyfriend; doesn’t that make him family, and he can’t operate on the family.”

  “No, that does not make him family. If he is your son’s boyfriend, then your son is a fortunate man. I suggest you think about this before you turn him down. You need the surgery, or you are not going to make it.”

  Mrs. James stared at John for a few moments. “Can we discuss this privately among the family and then we will let you know.”

  John nodded, and he and Tim went back to the nurse’s station. “Have you ever seen anything so ridiculous, Tim?”

  “No, he is ready to die so that a gay man doesn’t touch him. Is his son really your boyfriend?”

  “He is, and he’s a really great guy. He is a real estate attorney. His parents kicked him out of the house for being gay. Can you believe that?”

  “Yeah, I can believe that if those are his parents. I don’t understand their thinking. What has your lifestyle got to do with your ability to operate?”

  “I have no idea. I can only do what they let me, so it is up to them now. I just hope they let me do the surgery and that might get Clayton back into the family. He misses them, I know.”

  “The way they act he is better off not being around them.”

  “Well, he’s waiting for me at my house. Call me when they decide what they want to do; we will set a day for surgery if that’s what they want.”

  John got up and walked out of the ER doors and got into his car. He started home, and his phone rang. He took it from his pocket and said, “Dr. Willis.”

  “John, it’s me, Tim. The wife just came to the nurse’s station and said that he will let you operate on him. You want me to schedule an operating room for you?”

  “Yes, make it for Tuesday. That’s my day in the hospital and for surgeries. Make it about 7:00 am. It will take about five hours so we should be done by lunch. Make a note on his chart for the midnight nurse to keep all food and fluids from him from midnight Monday. Have them keep a check on him tonight and give him the same medication you gave him if he starts to go into Afib again. I’ll take care of that when I do his surgery.”

  Tim said, “Will do. Anything else I should watch for?”

  “No, he’s stable at the moment. He will be fine until Tuesday morning. Just make sure that he doesn’t get too excited.”

  They hung up just as John pulled into his driveway. He was happy to see Clayton’s car still in the driveway. He got out of his car and went into the house. Clayton was pacing, and it made John feel bad for not calling him back. Clayton ran up to him. “How is my Dad?”

  “He’s stable for now. I am going to do surgery on him Tuesday morning. If you want to come to the hospital, you can stay in my office until the surgery is over.”

  “What are you doing to him?”

  “I need to replace his aortic valve and do a procedure I perfected. It’s called a maze on the top of his heart, and that will keep him from getting Afib again.”

  Clayton snorted. “If he finds out your gay and my boyfriend, he won’t let you do anything to him.”

  “He already knows. I am not going to hide the fact that I’m gay and I am very proud that you’re my boyfriend and I’m not going to hide that fact either.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Just what you expected him to say. He was not going to let some gay boy touch him. When he found out I was the only one in the area that could do his surgery, he changed his mind. I just got a call from Tim, my friend. He said your mother came down to the nurse’s station and said he would let me do the surgery.”

  “Oh, John I am so sorry he said that to you. I don’t understand why he can’t just accept it like your family has.”

  “Babe you have nothing to be sorry for. You aren’t responsible for what your parents say. I met your brother and sister. Your brother doesn’t seem to say much, and your sister actually smiled at me. I was shocked.”

  “I think Cathy would be alright with me being gay if not for my Mom and Dad. Bradley isn’t going to say much about anything. He is gay, too, and doesn’t want Mom and Dad to find out. They would kick him out too, and he is only seventeen. He wants to go to college and can’t afford it on his own. I had scholarships, and he doesn’t.”

  “What does he want to be?”

  “An engineer. He loves drawing and does very well now with making plans for houses and buildings. I think if he didn’t have to have the license, he could work at it now. He is that good.”

  “We both can help him if he needs some help with school. I don’t mind helping him with some of his schoolings. Maybe his books or dorm rent, food, or whatever he needs. I’ll slip him a card with our cell numbers on it, and he can call either one of us if he needs something.”

  “You would do that for my brother?”

  “Sure, I don’t have a brother, so I’ll just share yours. Between the two of us, I think we can get him through college. Just in case your Dad decides he’s gay and doesn’t want to help him out. We will.”

  Clayton walked over and put his arms around John’s neck and leaned down and kissed him very passionately. John smiled at Clayton and held him tight. They stood that way for a little while, just grounding each other.

  Clayton said, “I will stay away from the hospital on Tuesday so as not to cause my family any more stress. Please call me as soon as it’s finished so I can know how Dad is doing.”

  “I promise to call you first before I tell anyone else. I think you should be there, but I won’t insist that you are. I understand what you’re saying. I’ll do my best to make him well again.”

  “I know you will, my sweet man.”

  John pulled Clayton into the living room and sat down on the couch and pulled Clayton beside him. He wrapped his arms around Clayton and held him close.

  Chapter 7

  The next morning John had to go to the hospital to check on Mr. James and see how he was feeling. He talked Clayton into going with him, but Clayton said he would stay in the waiting room. Clayton went in and sat down, and it wasn’t long before Bradley came in and sat down beside his brother. Clayton smiled at him. “Hi, Brad. How are things going?”

  “Same stupid crap that is always going on. Dad and his bigotry. I can’t even be who I am because of this crap he says about you. I’m sorry, Clayton. I wish I could do something, but I want to get through college before I come out. At least then I will have the education to carry me through.”

  “I understand Brad, and I don’t blame you. Here is my cell number and John’s cell number. If you need anything at all while your in-college call one of us and we will do all we can to help you.”

  “Oh, I’m sure that your boyfriend will be glad I called. I can’t do that Clay. If Dad found out, I would lose all my funding for college, and I need that for now. When I get out of college, then I can visit you and your man as much as I want to but not before.”

  “Dad doesn’t need to know. You call one of us. John already said that. So, you do it. Don’t tell Dad and he won’t have to know, ok?”

  “Yeah ok. I guess I better get back in there and pretend that I want to know all this crap. Dad is worse now than he was when he kicked you out. He is making me play football, so I won’t turn gay. How does someone turn gay? Or not for that matter. He seems to think it is a choice.” Bradley shook his head and hugged his brother and left the waiting room.

  It wasn’t long before John came into the waiting room and sat down beside Clayton. “How about I take you out for a nice lunch? We can go to that new restaurant I have wanted to go to.”

  “Sure, it sounds great. I’ll pay for my own though like we agreed on.”

  John chuckled. “All right babe. I can understand that since I am the one that insisted it is that way. I was able to slip a card to Bradley. He gave me a funny look but stuck it in his pocket before anyone noticed.”

  “He was in here talking to me. I gave him both our numbers and told him to call us if he needed anything. He didn’t want to, but he put
the numbers in his wallet anyway.”

  They got up and walked out in the hall, and Clayton’s mom was standing there with Cathy. Clayton glanced over at her, and she smiled at him. “Hi, Clayton. How have you been?”

  “I’m doing good Mom. How are you and Cathy holding up?”

  “We’re doing all right. We will be glad when this surgery is over and done with. Seems you have done well for yourself. Your boyfriend seems to be a good person.”

  “He’s a very good person and very smart. I’m an attorney now, so I’m doing all right for myself as well.”

  “Are you going to be here on Tuesday?”

  “No, I told John I would stay away so as not to cause any more stress to the family that is already there. He’s going to call me and let me know how things went.”

  “I would like you to be here. I don’t like what your father did to you at all but what was I supposed to do? I want to have a relationship with you, Clayton, but your father won’t let me.”

  “I think the way John and I have things worked out is for the best, and I’ll stick to that. I don’t want any problems, Mom. If Dad sees me here, he is going to take it out on all the family, and I don’t want to be the reason he does that.”

  “I’ll leave that up to you. I won’t stop you from coming. I want you to be around. Call me some time, please. I want to talk to you.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mom. I wouldn’t know if Dad is around. You can call me on the weekends maybe when Dad goes to play golf or something. I’m sure you have my number. If not, Cathy has it.”

  “I have it. I’m the one that told Cathy to call you. I didn’t know that your boyfriend was the doctor that they were calling in.”

  “We didn’t either. Cathy called before the hospital called John. He is the best doctor for Dad. I trust him with my life, and Dad should too. If I had to have heart surgery, it would be John that would do it.”

  “I also think he is the best for your father. I hope this mends his opinion of gay men. I see nothing wrong with it, but you can’t tell that stubborn man anything.”