"Why are you here? Finished your OPD consults so soon?" I swat his hand away from above my head.
Tom taps his finger on his chin, "Hm, let me check my notes, this is new. Hm, someone forgot an important meeting. Why would this lapse happen? "
"Oh God, the meeting in the board room! It is 4. p.m." I grab Tom's arm and drag him out of the room. He laughs, irritating me further. "Move your butt, Richard does not appreciate people coming late to his meetings."
When we enter the boardroom, Richard is standing at the head of the table with another five people sitting in the room. I smile and mouth a silent apology to Richard when he glares at me. Tom and I scamper to take our seats.
"For those who are late, let me introduce Dr. Noah Fitzgerald, our new arthroscopic consultant."
I freeze when my eyes reach the person Richard is pointing at. This is the one man I never, ever wanted to meet again in my life. My breath catches and I choke. I grab the glass of water in front of me to distract myself. Through the corner of my eye, I can spot the smirk on Noah's face.
Richard goes on about Noah's professional achievements and how he would be a valuable addition to the practice. My mind is somewhere else. I try not to look at Noah, focusing my attention on Richard's face. My hands hold the edge of the table in front of me tightly, preventing any chair movement that would make me glance at Noah.
Tom slips a note towards me, "Are you all right?" I turn to him and sigh. Noah gets up to speak and I panic. How do I avoid looking at him? I fidget with the slip of paper from Tom. Throughout the meeting, my skin stings from the glare of a pair of eyes on me.
Tom nudges me, forcing me to sit straight and pay attention. Noah is smiling at me as he informs everyone that we went to the same med school and trained under a common consultant.
Tom turns to me and raises his eyebrows. I wince at the silent O formed on his lips. Tom knows the story but not the character. I kept Noah's name a secret not wanting to ruin anyone's career. The meeting ends and everyone goes to Noah to welcome him. My feet don't move. Tom grabs my hand and half-drags me towards Noah.
"I did not know you two worked together," Richard beams at me. If only Richard knew half the truth. Noah extends his hand, but I don't take it. "Sharon, glad to be working together again."
The silence that follows makes the situation awkward, but I can't get my mind to say anything. Tom intervenes and shakes hands with Noah. "It will be a delight for us, Dr. Fitzgerald. Dr. Sharon and I look forward to working with you."
"Richard, I need to talk to you." I blurt out.
The sharp tone startles Richard. He glances at me and then at Tom. "Is something wrong?"
"No, Tom and I need to discuss a case with you. We will meet you right away." Before anyone has a chance to say anything, I grab Tom's arm and storm out of the boardroom. Life could not get any better, could it?
Chapter 8: Fanning the Spark
Jon
For the rest of the day, Sharon's words play in my mind, "I am here for you. We are in this together."
Is it her eyes? Is it the smile? Never have I seen a face go from red-hot rage to cool-blue calm in a minute and still look so beautiful. Not to forget the pink blush on the cheeks. Dead sure those cheeks are soft as petals, when and if I get to touch them. Within a day, I have learned to press a few buttons to get those reactions. There is a lot more to learn before I leave the hospital.
The way she fled from the room when I squeezed her hands, is an indicator. There is something between us, a definite spark. Those soft petite hands. I can't wait to hold them again.
Evening comes and merges into the night. The sedatives take effect, and I move in and out of sleep. Losing track of time but not of Sharon.
My mind zones in on Sharon when I wake up the next morning. Wonder which colored frame she will be wearing today?
Never have I felt so attracted to a woman. Not even to the one who left me with my five-month-old son. Valerie was bad. I should have realized that the moment we met. She used our one drunken night out. When I found out she was pregnant, there was no choice. I had to marry her. Valerie was a gold digger; she got the money out of me and fled.
The divorce, six years ago, was bitter. What a relief it was when she left with the money. What kind of mother would do such a thing? She did not want to have anything to do with my child giving up custody rights without a hint of regret. She did not ask for visiting rights for a baby she helped bring into this world.
"Hello Daddy," the soft voice brings me out of the funk threatening to surround me. The kid is too cute. Ladies beware. Lucky us, my genes dominated over Valerie's.
"What's up, champ?" I extend my arms to hug Nate. He runs towards the bed. Mom picks up Nate, so I can kiss my bundle of joy. The smile on his face is the sunshine I live to adore every day. And at this moment, I need all of it. Not only because Sharon is on my mind but also, at the prospect of eating the breakfast staring at me.
Someone needs to sue the people who decide the hospital recipes. If they keep dishing this stuff, I might be the one to do it. The breakfast is awful. The wait for her to turn up is doubling the misery. Every second seems like a minute.
"How are you, daddy? Grammy said there is a lot of pain. Did they give you lots of injections?" With a finger on his butt and crinkled nose, Nate gets everyone in the room to laugh. The antics this kid does confirm that he is mine.
"No bud, I got a big one here and lots through this." I point to my back. Then I show him the line in the vein on my arm.
Nate's eyes pop out of their sockets. He comes closer and pokes the cannula. "Is there a needle inside?"
"Nope," I ruffle his hair and then turn toward the clock on the wall.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Mom catches me in the act.
"Nothing Mom, only trying to reorient myself," I avoid her gaze.
Jason lets out a laugh. I glare at him. "Jason, don't you have something better to do?"
"I just got here, mate and am not leaving till the show is over." Jason keeps his voice straight, but I know he is on to something.
After checking that Mom is busy with Nate, I flash my middle finger at Jason. "What are you up to?"
Jason plants himself on the chair next to my bed and sniffs the air. "Do I smell something?" He swats imaginary flies near my face. "Why are these heart-shaped flies hovering around your head?"
Shit, Jason's big mouth will land me in trouble. I imitate a zip on my lips, asking Jason to shut his mouth.
Jason though is hell-bent on stirring the pot. "What? Oh, oh. My bad. I did hear someone mention Catwoman? Mm, maybe not. What did the nurses say you called her? Ah-ha! 'Tigress', wasn't it?"
What did I expect? Jason would never let such a thing pass. He stands up, gloating then winks before taking another swipe, "Don't give me the dumb glare, blue eyes. I know what you are up to." Jason flutters his eyelids. I shake my head.
Jesus, he will ruin all my plans. I should warn him off. "Better mind your mouth, Jason. I can still kick your ass with all these bandages."
Lucky for me, Mom intervenes. "Why don't you rest Jon, there is still an hour to go before her rounds." If Mom was listening, she ignores Jason's antics, but her words are a reminder of the long wait ahead.
I go over plays from my last few games in my mind. The ones that I lost through tackles or interceptions. It helps me work out alternate plays and keeps me busy when I am alone. Today the strategy doesn't work. Dr. Sharon Wells is shining bright inside my head. Everything else pales into the background. I shut my eyes with her image and float into an alternate universe. No time like now to spend in the fantasy world.
Chapter 9: Then There Was a Kid
Sharon
Caution: Testing times ahead. Danger ahead. Do not flirt.
Like warning signs by the roadside, these triangular yellow boards keep popping in my head and with every step, I take towards his room, dread fills my heart.
Till I discharge him from the hospital, every
day will be a fiery walk. The moment I enter, I curse the universe. My favorite past time in the last few days. What in the world is happening? I am sure God and Satan have aligned.
Jon is a temptation at best and now a tease is added to my torment. A young boy is sitting next to Mrs. Hayes. He must be about six or seven years old. Jon is sleeping. The resemblance between them is unmistakable, and I am done for.
Kids bring out the love rashes on me and this one is too cute. The sight of the kid throws all my plans out of the window and sets fire to the signboards in my head. In a second, they turn to ashes.
My morning decision at the breakfast table tumbles like pieces of dominos. I resolved to maintain a distance and avoid any flirting or personal talk. If he persisted, I would take the bull by its horns and tell him to back off.
Yet here I am itching to talk to the kid who has an uncanny resemblance to Jon. Maybe and with a little luck, the child is a nephew. I walk towards the boy and bend to meet his eyes. Same color as Jon's. They wash away all my hopes. "Hello, buddy. I am Dr. Sharon. What's your name?"
"My name is Nathan, but you can call me Nate." The cuteness explodes on his face as he extends his hand to shake mine.
"He is Jon's son". Mrs. Hayes ruffles Nate's hair. There you go, did I not tell you? No, I will not curse the universe again. Being a speck on a tiny blue dot doesn't put me high on the pecking order. I will need to find my way and swim upstream through this. Whatever this is. Because at the moment, I can't put a name to it.
"My mom left us." The sadness in Nate's eyes hit me. I am at a loss for words. I open and close my mouth a few times before I divert the topic. "What are you drawing in your book?"
Nate walks me to the couch and picks up his sketchbook. "In my class, Mrs. Redford had asked us to draw the tale of the rabbit and the tortoise. I can't draw either of them."
Doubt creeps into my mind. Will I break my vow? He is only a kid and I can relate to him. Often as a child, I longed for someone to talk to whenever I needed help. The memory wipes away the hesitation. "I can help you. Nate, have you ever used numbers to draw animals? Here, I can show you how."
The radiance in his eyes is the reaction I wanted to see. He hands me a pencil. We sit on the couch. I draw a tortoise from zero and a rabbit from sixty. All this while, Nate focuses on the movement of my hands. I push the sketchbook towards him. "Why don't you try it?"
He takes the sketchbook from me and draws the animals retracing the steps I used.
"Wow, you are a pro at this Nate!" The kid is great, and I admire how fast he picked up the strokes.
He jumps with joy and shows the sketches to Mrs. Hayes. He turns to go to Jon, but Mrs. Hayes stops him. His face droops in an instant. Kids are so transparent. They hide nothing. Time to cheer him up. "Are you here to take care of your dad?"
He opens up after a second of reluctance. "Yes, I want to. Can I stay with him?"
Ok, maybe too eager. Need to slow him down. "You can, but don't you have to go to school?"
He takes time to ponder over my question. Staying with his dad in the hospital compared to going to school, is a difficult choice for a kid. His eyes light up as soon as he decides. "I do, but I want to be with daddy. Can I?"
Smart kid, he has lobbed the ball right back to me. It is my time to consider the options. We can't have a kid stay in Jon's room for long periods. "How about you come here after school and stay with your dad for an hour? Would you like that?"
Nate jumps with joy. He turns toward me all excited. "Can I give you a hug?"
"Oh sweetie, anytime." I lift him in my arms and Nate wraps his arms around my neck. Children make me feel nice and warm. I snuggle into his face.
"Did you fix my dad's leg?" Boy, this kid sure is inquisitive. I nod and get a second hug followed by a surprise. Nate places a kiss on my cheek. "Thank you, for taking care of daddy."
He has the same smile as Jon. I am in deep trouble now. Two charming guys to handle. This small kiddo should be no problem. When I think I have things under control, Nate throws another ball at me. "Can I come to play with you sometime?"
What do I do now? Well, I went looking for trouble, didn't I? Nate is sweet trouble, might as well embrace it. "Sure, why not? But I don't get time to play. I need to take care of a lot of patients like your dad."
Nate hangs his head in disappointment. The kid is expressive and takes after his father or maybe he uses his charms to wrap people around his finger. Again, not so different from his dad. "Why don't we make a deal? If you will be my friend and keep an eye on a naughty patient of mine who stays in this room, I will ask your grandmother to bring you to my office, and we can play for some time."
Nate giggles and then turns to Mrs. Hayes, for confirmation.
"Don't give him any more ideas, Doc," Jon wakes up.
Chapter 10: Tickle the Butterflies
Jon
From my bed, I listen to Sharon talk to Nate. I do not disturb them. She is dressed to tease today. A payback well deserved. Oh boy, who am I to complain? My pupils dilate and absorb the sight before me. Sharon is wearing a black and dark yellow checkered blazer over a matching yellow collared shirt combined with black trousers. The black shiny boots with two-inch heels complete the power vibe.
That's not all. The woman is crazy and driving my nuts crazier with the tiger print frames. My eyes lock on to the hairpin, holding her curls on the sides of her head. Small cute tigers stare back at me. Fuck. Blood scrambles south to my waist and pools in my groin waking up my soldier. I pull up the pillow and put it on my lap, hiding my warrior standing in attention. Down boy. At ease. One, two, three. My breathing settles by the time I reach thirty-five. The trooper will face a court-martial. Disobedient fool.
The cuddle buddies before me are instigating it further. Nate has her wrapped in his cuteness. I like the way her eyes light up around him. I am proud of you, boy. But hold on. Should I be jealous? Why does he get the first kiss from my girl?
Hm, 'my girl'. Oh, boy it sounds swell. Like the beats of the country song by Dylan Scott. The lyrics hum through my soul setting off butterflies in my stomach. Hold it, man, don't go all sappy. There is a lot of work to do before she becomes mine. Every drop of sweat to get this woman in my life will be worth it. I clear my throat and call them out from their bubble.
Sharon puts Nate down on hearing my voice. She holds on to his hand, and they walk to the bedside. My happiness is short-lived. Sharon's team walks in for the morning rounds. I am reminded of my tether to this hospital bed.
"Do you want to see what we did with your dad's leg?" Her voice soothes my nerves. This will be an interesting round.
"Will there be a lot of blood?" Nate crinkles his nose.
"Yes, but you are a brave boy. You can handle it." Sharon understands how to manage kids.
"Will I be able to see the metal rods inside his leg? Grandma told me you put rods in Dad's legs. I brought a magnet to check." Nate digs into his pockets and shows the magnet to Sharon. Oh boy, I am in trouble if the two team-up.
She takes the magnets to keep his interest alive. She bends down to his eye level and hands them back. "No dear, the rods are deep inside and made of a different metal. Your magnets will not work. However, I can show you the X-rays."
Sharon pulls out the X-ray film and helps Nate trace the outlines of the rods that have been inserted to keep the bones in place.
"Why don't you stand nearby while I examine your dad's leg?"
She begins by examining the drain coming out through the bandages. "No more bleeding since night. We can remove the drain today. Let's examine the wound." The nurse opens the bandages. Sharon examines my leg.
"That's gross, yuck!" Nate makes a face and shuts his eyes tight.
"Don't worry, once we clean it up, it will be better. Now, do you want to have a little fun with your dad?"
Nate nods. Sharon takes him towards the foot of the bed, where the toes peep out of the bandages. She holds my knee tight against the bed. "Go ahead, t
ickle your dad's toes."
"Hey, that is not fair. Nate, you better not do it." I warn him, playing along with Sharon's gimmick.
She scoffs, "Where are your manners, Mr. Hayes? Are we teaching the right thing to Nate? He needs to learn to follow the doctor's instructions." Then she turns to Nate, "Don't worry, your dad can't do anything at the moment."
Nate tickles my foot, making me flinch. I pretend to wriggle my leg out of Sharon's tight grasp. Don't want to offend her. Even with my injury, I am stronger than her.
"Please stop, please Nate."
Nate does not listen. He waits for Sharon's command.
"Boy, your dad is ticklish. You can stop now, Nate." Sharon turns to face me with a winning smile. Smug at her mischief. "The sensations in your foot are back. A good sign, Mr. Hayes." Sharon's words are more than a relief.
"Yeah sure, any more experiments you want to do, Doc?" I scowl, pretending to take offense at her little game.
Sharon continues her examination, "If it brings a smile on the patient's face, then yes." She instructs the nurses to redo the dressing, after removing the drain. When she is about to leave the room, Mom walks up to her. They talk in hushed tones.
That is not fair, I want in too. "Are you girls gossiping about me?"
"You think too much of yourself, Jon. There are more important things to talk about in this world." Sharon smiles and walks out of the room with Mom in tow, leaving me with an unfulfilled desire. Her entourage of nurses leaves soon after finishing the dressing.
"Sparks flying, lover boy?" Jason doesn't lose a second. He has been in the room all along, watching whatever was happening. This story will be on Jason's lips every day, for the rest of my life.
I need to put on the brakes for this gossipmonger. "Jason, don't go running away with any ideas."
He is not buying it. "No one needs to. You should see yourself in the mirror when she is around. Like a puppy wagging his tail." After a pause, he nods his head. "Sharon is a perfect match for you. You haven't had a steady relationship in years. You don't get many second chances in life."
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