by John Charles
Jason watched as she took his pulse while intently watching his face. She then checked his bandages and adjusted his pillow. The breathing tube looked uncomfortable at best and the hissing of the machine breathing for him sounded like Darth Vader during his death scene in the movie. The heart monitor showed a strong, regular rhythm. Other than his lungs moving up and down with the breathing machine, his body was still. Alex’s eyes, however, moved rapidly as if he were in REM sleep, which was definitely not normal for a person in a coma as most coma patients have little or no eye movement until they begin to wake. Alex was different.
“We know people in a coma hear us, so please talk to him. Let him know you are here. Tell him who you are and let him know that someone cares. Social Services have not been able to reach any family members yet, so right now, it’s you and me,” she said as she held Alex’s hand. “You are going to be okay Alex. We’re taking good care of you. Talk to him,” she said as she left the room to check on other patients.
He pulled one of the chairs next to the bed and sat looking at Alex. Alex was different. He was not a fellow paramedic, nor was he a friend, but something drew him to this man. At first, Jason was self-conscious talking to a sleeping person, but his anxiety soon turned calm. He told Alex who he was, how he got into the paramedic program, his goal to become a doctor, how he loved his job, how he scaled the ravine to get to his body, and what his fellow firefighters did to get him up to the ambulance. He talked about friends, family and sports. “I’m not really into sports, but I do enjoy watching the Olympics. This year they were in Russia. Did you get to see any of them? I know you can’t answer me, but it feels better if I can ask you questions rather than just talking about me.”
He talked to Alex for over an hour, holding his hand, rubbing his arm, brushing the hair from his eyes, or just letting his hand rest on Alex’s chest. “I know you’re in there and I know you are going through a lot of healing right now. So stay with the plan and join us when your body is ready. I have to go now. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
He removed the gown, gloves and mask as he left Alex’s room, depositing them in the receptacle by the door. Walking to the nurse’s station he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” The nurse smiled as he left the ICU.
*****
Reade drifted between consciousness and sleep for several hours after they brought him from the recovery room. Harrold and Ellissa stayed the entire time much to the surprise of their peers and co-workers. Normally Harrold would have made his compulsory visit and left, but this was his son and he was determined that Reade receive the best care possible.
“Hi,” whispered Reade as he saw his parents. “What happened?”
Ellissa heard him first and jumped to his side. Brushing strands of his long black hair from his face she said, “You had a car accident on the way home from the company party last night, but you’re going to be alright now.”
When Harrold saw his wife move to Reade’s side, he hastily concluded his phone call and joined her. “You gave us quite a scare son. Are you in much pain?”
Reade shook his head. “Not much. What about Alex?”
Ellissa saw the pained look in her son’s eyes and started to answer his question but Harrold interrupted. “What about him? Why do you care?”
“Harrold, of course he cares, Alex is his friend.”
“Why they are friends is beyond me,” said Harrold as he looked at his son. “I’m not concerned with that fag, Ellissa. Reade is the one that matters right now.”
Reade looked from his father to his mother and back as they bickered. “Stop, both of you,” he whispered more strongly. “I care about him. How is he?”
Ellissa gave her husband the look that said not to pursue this now, then she told her son, “He’s not doing very well. The doctors said he has a fractured skull, broken ribs, broken legs, and internal injuries.”
The look of horror crossed Reade’s face as he listened to his mother describe Alex’s condition. “I want to see him.”
“No,” shouted Harrold a little too loudly. “You can barely move yourself. You’re not going anywhere. What’s with you and that fag, anyway?”
“Harrold, would you please stop calling Alex a fag? He’s gay and his lifestyle shouldn’t mean anything to you.”
“I’ll stop calling him a fag when he leaves my son alone. I bet this accident was his fault.”
Reade had witnessed his parents bickering about so many different topics through the years. Ellissa was as strong willed as Harrold, but she managed to maintain a level of decency in her words. Harrold thought nothing of using street slang when he felt it would have a strong impact. He used the fag word whenever he talked about Alex, same sex marriage, and equal rights for gays and lesbians. He acted as if he hated that entire segment of the population.
“Please stop. My head hurts and you two aren’t making it any better,” said Reade with pleading eyes to his mother. “Please.”
“We’re not finished with this son,” said Harrold. “Your mother will stay here, but I have to get back to the office.” Looking to Ellissa he said, “What time should I send the car for you?”
“I’ll call for my car when I’m ready to leave. You go and don’t worry about me. Right now I just want to be with my son.”
Harrold looked at his son and said, “You put your energy into getting better. Don’t worry about anyone else. Is that clear Reade?”
“Harrold, go to the office,” said Ellissa in a strong voice. “Reade has enough on his plate without your threats.”
Harrold gathered his things and walked from the room.
Chapter 5
“He’ll be fine. It’s a miracle he came out of the coma so don’t expect things to be as they were a month ago,” said Hallie as she and Terry waited for the elevator.
“He doesn’t even know who I am. What if he never remembers, what if he doesn’t want me in his life anymore?” Terry’s sad face told the story of his fears. “Mom, what if he never remembers?”
Hallie hugged her son, trying to sooth his pains. Long ago, she learned that affection outweighed words in cases such as this. Hallie had learned to be strong for Terry. Terry and his father had a special bond. His father was always there for him as a child. They did everything together. When he died, from an on the job accident, a piece of Terry seemed to die with him, but Hallie knew she couldn’t allow that to happen. She couldn’t replace Terry’s father, but she could be there for him. Terry needed her even more than before and she definitely needed her family. Hallie’s daughter was much younger than Terry when it happened and she really didn’t understand it at the time. She only knew her father would not be coming home anymore.
Hallie made a life for Terry and his sister. They were a family before her husband died and would continue to be a family now that he was gone. Being a single mother had its difficulties, but one of them was not money. Terry’s father had a good job with great benefits and life insurance. Upon his death, Hallie and her kids received permanent health coverage, through his employer, and a large insurance check that she invested wisely.
Hallie worked all her life, loved her job, and continued working. She taught special needs kids how to live in the real world. Many school systems were integrating those kids into classrooms with little care for their wellbeing. She helped them adapt to the mainstream world. Though she retired a couple of years ago, she remained active in the special needs community. Her world revolved around Terry, his sister, and her kids, as she always referred to her students.
The noise of the elevator doors opening brought mother and son back to the present. “Let’s enjoy some food and talk this through. We’ve always managed to find a solution when we were sure there was none,” she said as they walked from the elevator. “Why do they always put cafeterias in the basement?” questioned Hallie.
The aroma of food and pastries filled the air. The cafeteria was bright, had both tables and counters, and looked appealing. Since it was between meal times, the li
nes were short and moved quickly. Terry and Hallie took trays and utensils, slowly scanning the wide array of offerings.
“I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” said Terry as he loaded his tray with food. “I haven’t eaten since last night.”
Mother and son sat at a corner table to eat and to try to figure out their next step. “I know I’m over reacting, but this scares me, mom. At first, I didn’t think Lane would come out of the coma. Now that he has, I’m not sure which is worse.”
Terry had met Lane while on vacation. Lane was attending a conference on biotech in the modern world and ran into Terry on his way to a meeting — literally. Papers and books scattered in all directions. Lane couldn’t believe he actually ran into Terry, but Terry saw it as quite comical. This nerdy guy looked as if he might break down and cry from embarrassment. Once they collected the fallen papers and books, Lane said he had to go, apologized once more for his clumsiness, and ran down the hall. Terry stood there watching Lane’s back as he ran. That was interesting.
Thinking that was the end of their chance encounter, Terry was pleasantly surprised to see Lane the following morning at the breakfast buffet. Lane’s face turned a brilliant red upon seeing Terry approach him. Before Lane could apologize again, Terry asked if he would like to join him at his table. They spent an hour talking while enjoying breakfast. They could have spent all morning doing just that, but Lane had another conference to attend and got up to leave.
“What are you doing for dinner?” asked Terry. Lane stuttered that he would probably grab some fast food or something. “Join me?” asked Terry.
“Um, why?” asked Lane unsure of why this guy, who had bore the brunt of his clumsiness, was being so kind.
Lanes fear and uncertainty appealed to Terry. “Because unless I’ve read you wrong, I think we might enjoy ourselves. That’s why,” said Terry as he stood next to Lane, their faces only a couple of inches apart.
Lane could feel Terry’s breath as he spoke. He was so nervous and excited by what was happening, he almost dropped his papers again. “My meetings finish at 4. What time did you want to meet?”
“Let’s meet in the lobby around 6. That will give both of us a chance to freshen up, okay?”
“Sure. I can do that,” said Lane with a bit more confidence. “I’ve got to get moving or I’ll be late again,” he said as he turned. “I’m in the second conference room in the main hall,” he said as he walked toward the exit. Why did I tell him that?
Terry watched as Lane walked away. His trance was broken when a waiter asked if he was finished at the table. He told the waiter he was not and sat down to finish his breakfast. He was on vacation and purposely made no daily plans. Using his tablet, Terry checked out the conference Lane had referred to. The meeting pages included descriptions of technology; biology, and how the two could be integrated. This is heavy stuff. Smiling to himself, he thought back to his college years when he met a techie on campus.
He learned one very important lesson back then. Never judge a book by its cover. That nerdy looking college kid turned out to be a passionate, caring friend and lover. While their interests didn’t always overlap, they found so much in common that they never lacked for things to talk about, movies to see, or reasons to be in bed together.
On a whim, Terry finished his breakfast and walked toward the meeting room Lane mentioned. People were entering the room with laptops, note pads, and tablets intent on capturing as much as possible from the speaker. As Terry got closer, he saw a large poster on a tripod adjacent to the meeting room doors. It read:
Find out why the world is paying close attention to Lane Duwalt
His discoveries in Biometric Integration have revolutionized neurological research.
Beneath the headlines was a huge picture of Lane with a nervous smile. Terry approached the woman at the desk and introduced himself. “Is it possible for me to sit in on this meeting for a little while? I don’t have tickets, but was hoping you might just let me stand in the back, if that’s possible.”
The woman looked in the meeting room and said it was not crowded so he could stay in the back, but only for a few minutes since this was the highlight meeting of the conference and would be packed with scientists waiting to hear what Lane Duwalt has to say.
“I promise I’ll be good,” said Terry. “If it gets too crowded I’ll make my exit.” She smiled at him letting him enter the meeting room.
Just who is the guy and why do I want to know him better? Terry took a seat in the last row of chairs and tried to stay inconspicuous.
The first speaker talked about research that would allow people in wheel chairs to walk again. His enthusiasm was contagious. Every time he mentioned one of Lane’s research goals, the room erupted in applause. By the time he brought Lane onto the stage, the room was bursting with energy.
The Lane, on stage, was a different person from the Lane at breakfast. He was confident, passionate about his research, and so knowledgeable that everyone in the room busily took notes, or held their smart phones up to record the session. Lane spoke about trials with paraplegic patients who agreed to be part of the test research. In every case, they showed improvements. In one case, the patient’s spine showed marked healing in progress. During his two-hour long presentation, the screen behind Lane flashed slides pertaining to the specific topic he was discussing. He showed slides of spinal cord MRIs which clearly indicated damage. Then he showed slides of the same person’s MRI after the revolutionary treatment he was developing.
Even a novice could see the improvements. Terry was so impressed with Lane’s presentation he forgot his promise to stay only a few minutes. After being awed by this man on stage, Terry quietly stood and made his way out of the meeting room.
The woman sitting by the admission table looked at him and said, “He is captivating, isn’t he? I knew he would hook you in once he started talking.”
“Wow, is all I can say,” replied Terry as he stood by the table. “I’m beyond impressed. What I don’t understand, though, is why the world isn’t bombarding him for his research. Or are they?”
“Oh, they are, but Lane is a very private person. He maintains the highest level of security around his labs, his work and his personal life. We all wish he would socialize more, but he feels threatened by the general public.”
“Threatened – Why?” asked a surprised Terry.
“I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t be talking about him behind his back, but Lane’s work is in such demand that even going out for a quiet dinner with friends turns into a huge problem. They never leave him alone.”
“Now I understand,” whispered Terry. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again for allowing me to sit in the meeting. I learned a lot and I’m very grateful.”
Wow, indeed. I think I need to do some research on this guy!
Chapter 6
Awakening from his first night in the hospital felt strange. Reade hurt all over and had a horrible headache. His parents, thankfully, were not in his room. He was alone with his pain and his thoughts.
How did I allow this to happen and what am I going to do about it? He loved Alex or he thought he loved him, but what would he do about his father’s ultimate threat? Harrold repeatedly told him that having fag friends was out of the question and being a fag son was not an option. If Reade came out, his father would make life miserable. And he certainly could do it too.
The duty nurse interrupted his thoughts as she came into the room for her morning rounds. Before she said or did anything Reade asked, “How is Alex? My mother said he was in bad shape.”
“Alex? Oh, right, the other person in your car.”
“Yes, I need to see him,” said Reade as he attempted to get out of the bed.
“You are not going anywhere,” chided the nurse as she held him down. “You can barely sit up and you have IVs in you. I’m not permitted to discuss his condition with you, but if I remember correctly he is in Intensive Care, so you wouldn’t be permitted to visit him
in your condition, anyway.”
Angry, Reade settled back on the pillow. “Fine,” he snapped “but I need to know how he’s doing,” he asked showing pain and concern as he did.
“You know I could get into trouble for this considering the circumstances.” Before Reade could argue, she said, “But, I will do it for you. Just don’t tell your father that I did, okay?”
“Oh God, what did he do now?”
Candace opened Reade’s chart and showed him the memo attached to the notes page. It was from the hospital administrator saying that under no circumstances was anyone permitted to discuss Alex Newfeld’s condition with Reade. The memo went on to say the request came from a major benefactor of the hospital, thus violating the mandate would be reason for immediate dismissal.
“Why am I not surprised? My father hates Alex and thinks he is corrupting me. If he only knew,” said Reade looking at Candice like a scared child admitting to breaking the lamp.
Candice smiled the knowing smile of a mother. She had two children, could easily see past the words, and saw Reade’s fear. “I’ll keep your secret if you promise to keep mine. I need this job and can’t put my family’s future in jeopardy because of your father’s bigotry.”
The pact drawn, Candice finished her morning check of Reade’s vitals. “Breakfast is due in a few minutes, do you need anything?”
Reade shook his head then said, “Thank you for helping. I know my father can be a bastard, so don’t do anything that could get you fired. But I’d appreciate anything you can find out for me.”
Candice left Reade to his thoughts and finished her morning rounds.
From Reade’s first memory as a child, Harrold set the ground rules for living, accepting nothing less. He expected Reade to be a top performer in school. The first time Reade received a grade less than an A, he learned that his father could and would be brutal in his punishment. That day, Reade earned a major paddling on his naked rear end, and another one every day the following week. Sitting was near impossible but Harrold refused to allow his son any slack. Reade went to school and sat through the intense pain.