“So how do you feel?” The doctor was making notes on a clipboard he’d retrieved from the end of Ian’s bed.
“Like a football player landed on me…hard.”
“He’s just fine”, Tippy smiled broadly.
“How’s the pain?” the doctor continued to make notes as he poked here and prodded there.
Ian responded with appropriate amounts of “Ouch”, “Ahhhh” and “Not until you poked me”. He had been disoriented for a few minutes, but everything had come back to him with a vengeance. He remembered every sordid detail, whether he wanted to or not.
He was anxious for the doctor to get out of the room so he could get to a phone. It was now Wednesday morning. He had slept for far too long and he needed to get in touch with the team at work and let them know that everything was fine.
The whole event had left him feeling odd and uncomfortable, physically as well as mentally. Bits and pieces of the past kept swirling through his mind, in no particular order, and Ian was determined to get some grounding back in as much reality as he could as quickly as possible.
He was relieved that Billy was fine, to be released tomorrow morning. His wonderfully rowdy little entourage informed him little of what had been determined had transpired—or as much as they knew. Kellen was off getting the details on that. Ian was still in shock over the whole ordeal.
“So when can I get out of here? I have a lot to do…” Ian asked the doctor.
“Just relax and get comfortable Mr. Justyn. You’ll be with us a while yet.”
“Unacceptable. I need to be home by this afternoon. Just prescribe something and I’ll get out of your hair…”
“Excuse me?” Tippy’s ire reared its ugly head.
“I said just give me…”
“I heard what you said, young man.” She put her hands on her hips and planted her feet firmly on the floor. “And that is what is not acceptable. You will stay in that bed as long as it takes and you will give these people all the time they need to get you healthy again!”
“I have a son to look after…”
“Quiet! This is not a conversation, I will talk and you will listen!” The doctor threw up his hands and stepped out of the line of fire.
“This is serious, Baby Doll. You almost died on us. You will not be yanking your jeans on and going on your merry way today. And Ronnie’s just fine. He’s with us. Jesse and Reese are spoiling him rotten, so I want no blame from the peanut gallery.” She moved close to Ian, close enough to take his hand gently in hers, her voice became soothing, still firm, but soothing.
“You punctured both lungs, honey. You got some broken bones and that cup thingy…”
“Rotator cuff…” the doctor kind of coughed out.
“Thanks, Sweetums…rotator cuff was torn to shreds. They had to go ahead and repair it while they fixed your lungs and put the puzzle pieces of your ribs back together. We’re just lucky there was no damage to that big ol’ heart of yours or your spine. Be a good boy and just do whatever the doctor tells you. Let your family take care of everything else.” She kissed Ian’s forehead.
“Or I’ll beat the living tar out of you myself.” She smiled at the doctor and returned to her chair by the window. “He’s all yours now, Sweetums.”
The doctor cleared his throat. “I think that just about wraps it up. You’ll need physical therapy. I’ve already assigned someone. He’ll help me to determine what we need to do about the knee. Nothing was broken there, but most of the ligaments were torn away. It may be up to you whether or not you want surgery to repair it.”
“So I just lay here wired up like a Muppet and wait?”
“Pretty much. It’s what you need to do to let your body heal. If you’re a good boy…” He smiled, “You will be out of here and home—not work—but home shortly.”
“Look, my job isn’t physical, it’s just…”
“…Stressful…I know what you do Mr. Justyn, everybody in and out of this hospital knows what you do. You are all over the news…”
Ian tried to put his head in his hands, but one was immobilized and the other hurt like hell so he just hung his head. Even that hurt. “Great, I’m Paris Hilton with a hairy chest…”
“You are much better off right now where you are…” The doctor scratched some more on the clipboard and hung it back. “I’m going to have some sedatives brought to you...”
“Sedatives? Please don’t make me sleep more...please!”
“Mr. Justyn, you need as much rest as possible…”
“I’ve slept for three days. I’m all caught up, I promise!” he begged.
“I’ll make you a deal. If you stay quiet…” he turned to the rest of the ménage, “...and that goes for you, too, and eat a nice lunch, I’ll hold off on the first sedatives until this afternoon. One peep and I’ll sock you so full of Percidan you’ll float until Christmas. Got it?”
“Got it…” Ian wasn’t happy.
“Now if everyone will step outside, I need to do a more in depth examination…”
Everyone filed outside, except for Billy, who was in the bed next to Ian. The doctor pulled the curtain between and pulled back the small blue blanket that was covering Ian.
“Mr. Justyn, tell me if this hurts…” The doctor stuck a pin in his right knee.
“Shit…oh damn yes it hurts…wouldn’t it hurt if I stuck a pin in your knee?”
The doctor laughed. He squeezed his thigh. Ian could see that it was swollen twice its normal size and looked like a really ugly calico swatch. The doctor lifted the hospital gown and put both hands in a vee and pushed slightly just below where Ian’s leg connected to his torso. “Can you feel this pressure?”
“Yes.”
“What about here?” He moved his hands to various places on his torso and groin, repeating the pressure and repeating the question. “Any sharp pains at all?”
“No. Is there going to be a problem?”
“I doubt it. But remember you had two people slam down on top of you from quite a distance. You cushioned their falls, but your body took three blows, one from the back and two from the front. Everything inside you got jostled around and bruised. Don’t panic if some normal functions are painful for a while or maybe don’t work as they normally would for a while…”
“I’m as comfortable as I can be, I guess. Can we let the bed down a little?”
“Actually no.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve had major rotator cuff repair. We need to keep pressure off, so the bed cannot go back any further than it is. Understand? No actual laying down flat for a while…”
“Sleep sitting up?”
“That’s right.” He turned to Billy as he pulled the curtain back. “And as for you Mr. Jarvis, I’ll be signing your release papers tomorrow morning. I’ll want to examine you again in a day or two before I release you to go back home.”
“Great!” Billy grinned.
“I’ll give you all the paperwork you need to get your physical therapy when you return.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The doctor turned back to Ian. “And you! Stay put!”
“How can I move? I’m stapled in place!”
The doctor laughed as he headed out the door. “You’re too funny!”
“Looks like just as I regain consciousness, I’m losing a roommate.”
“I’d volunteer to stay, buddy, but….uh…screw you!” They both chuckled.
“Billy, I’m so sorry.”
“For what?”
“This visit wasn’t exactly what you expected…”
“Are you kidding? I met a bunch of real live movie stars. I got laid and got in a fight…with guns! I’m in inbred heaven!”
“I guess you’ll have the house all to yourself.”
“Actually, the police still haven’t let anyone near the house yet. I think they told Kellen this afternoon maybe. We’ll probably all go over and clean up and put some plywood where the windows used to be…”
“Why do they still have it coordinated off, if they’ve closed the case?”
“I don’t know. I guess just in case they forgot to take a picture of a blade of grass or something.”
“I guess you’ll stay with Reese anyway.”
Billy blushed a little, “Yeah, we’ve got some unfinished business.”
“I’m glad…not that you didn’t get to finish…er…uh…”
He laughed at Ian. “I know…I feel kinda weird about the whole thing, between me and Reese. I think we could have something really special, but in a few days he’ll be here and I’ll be back in Virginia.”
“You could just stay, Billy…”
He nodded his head, “I could…but I have to go home and face my family. I refuse to let them think I ran away because I couldn’t face the truth. I have to go home and tell them that I’m gay and stay long enough for them to know that I am not ashamed of it.”
“I love you so, Billy.”
“Love you, too, buddy.”
And in washed the hoo hah of entourages. Much ado was made about Billy getting to go home and before he knew it Ian was alone. He tried to move a little in the bed, but he was pretty much pinned down.
His one good hand had a needle attached to a drip bag in addition to the clip that was attached to the monitor. He decided to see how far he could stretch that hand. It would only move just under a foot in any direction before he could feel the pin rake inside his flesh. He wouldn’t be doing that too often.
He decided to see about his legs. The left was encased in a brace. The other seemed to be fine. He wondered if he was flexible enough to stick a cigarette between his toes and get it to his mouth. He laughed at himself.
“Glad to see you are keeping yourself entertained...”
“Wella!” Ian wanted to leap out of the bed and give her a big hug and a kiss. He didn’t have to; she rushed right over and gave him a very huge bear hug and kiss. She wouldn’t let go. He could feel her start to shake with tears. “I’m fine, Wella, I’m just fine…”
She pushed him back, and quickly turned to compose herself before turning back to him with a big wet smile. “We have all been so worried…”
“I’m so sorry…”
“Not your fault. You remember that, you skinny white boy, this was all some pervert’s fault. You had nothing to do with this….”
“I would have been just fine, but a couple of guys decided to use me as a trampoline…”
“They told us everything was gonna be okay, but I couldn’t rest until I saw for myself. I am so relieved…”
“You’re just thrilled your Greek god of a hunk is posted outside my door…”
“Ian, honey, that is just really hot sexy icing on the cake…” She just smiled, “Now, what can I do, do you need anything…?”
“Yes, kidnap me and get me the hell outta here….”
“Nothing doing, we have everything sort of under control…”
“Sort of?”
“Kent’s being a pain, but nothing we can’t handle.”
“Kent? What’s he doing?’
“Not sure, but he’s appointed himself your temporary replacement. Showed up Monday morning, and broke up the morning power chat, telling everyone this was a place of business, not a coffee klatch. Started ordering everyone around and then shut himself in your office.”
“My office?”
“Called me in and demanded the key to your desk drawer.”
Ian laughed. “Did you give it to him?”
“Hell, no, said I didn’t have one. Trish says he spent the rest of the morning with a letter opener trying to get it open. Blake says he almost pooped in his pants when he walked in and told him that thing always sticks, pounded it with his fist and slid it right open for him…”
“Tell Blake I owe him a kiss…”
“When Kent got a look he slammed the drawer shut and stomped off…”
“Doesn’t he like potato chips?”
“Trish said he mumbled something about redneck junk food addict as he practically beat the button to the elevator in.”
“Redneck? It was full of Cajun Spice chips, not barbeque pork rinds.”
“He had me making coffee and Blake shredding papers…”
“Shredding…what’s he up, too?”
“Not quite sure. He goes in your office and shuts the door; occasionally he’ll pop out and bark an order. But we know for sure he is up to something. Trish came out of the office and motioned Blake and me over to her desk. Said for a guy that thinks he’s so smart he’s sure an idiot. She had pressed the intercom button down…”
“But I keep that thing unplugged…I kinda broke it and Blake has been waiting for someone to come and fix it.”
“He plugged it back up, and we listened to almost every conversation he had yesterday. He’s real ticked off, started when legal brought Pierce Warner’s contract down, already signed, just waiting for your signature. He immediately called somebody and demanded to know what the contract was all about.”
“Pierce signed his contract?”
“Came in and said you wanted it done first thing Monday morning and regardless he wanted it done, too. We snuck straight up to legal and pounded it all out. Your boy, Jenson…?”
“Jenson Michaels?”
“Yeah, he called as well, worried about you. I told him we were all just carrying on as though nothing had happened. You’d want us to keep things going so he met Blake at lunch and gave him another satchel full of some scripts.”
“Why so clandestine?”
“None of us trust Kent. He keeps barking at people and ordering us to do anything but work on what we are supposed to, and then complaining to any suit that walks by that he’s got to keep an eye on us or we won’t do any work.”
“He shouldn’t even be there…”
“Oh believe me anytime, Mr. Turner walks in…”
“David Turner’s been down?”
“Two or three times. Kent says he’s just down making sure that everything is being carried on the way you told him you wanted it.”
“I told him?”
“Claims the moment he heard about the accident he’s been sitting by your lonely bedside. Let me see if I get the quote right, “Poor boy, had nobody, and I didn’t want him to think that no one cared. We’re close you know….”
Ian wanted to gag. “What’s that bastard up to?”
“All we know for sure, is that when Turner caught him the last time, Sean said he heard him tell him say that you had told him you wouldn’t be returning, something about you and Ronnie going off and milking cows. You’d had enough and he was going to speak with the board about releasing you from your contract…best thing to do for everyone involved….”
“He wants me fired?”
“Oh no, not fired, released at your request. Problem is the idiot never bothered to see if any of us had been in contact with you or had been by your poor lonely bedside.”
“He’s up to something…”
“Of course. He’s determined that America Alive expand an hour and Sebastian Manor get canned ASAP.”
“That’s all been decided and there’s nothing he can do about it.”
“That’s not what he claims…”
“Wella, he thinks I am too naïve or stupid to figure it out, or just far out of reach enough to not be able to stop him. As of tomorrow, we power meet via conference call, although I want as many of you here as much as possible during the work day as the hospital will let us get away with. If I’m lucky they’ll just throw me out and I can get back to work full time….”
“That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, but close….”
Wella and Ian both turned around to see Jessica Greginsky leaning on the doorframe, Ripley blocking her entrance.
“Mrs. Greginsky? I’m honored…Ripley it’s okay…please come in….” Ian managed to get out. “I’d shake your hand ma’am, but I’m a little tied up at the moment.”
Wella pulled a chair from under the window as close to Ian’s bed as she could. “Here Mrs. Greginsky, have a seat…” she pulled a comfortable seat from the window closer to the bed.
“Thank you, Wella. Young Justyn…”
“Ian, Mrs. Gregisnky, please just Ian…”
“Fine, Ian. I prefer Jessica myself, but I’m filthy rich and people seem to feel the need to feign respect with the whole Mrs. Greginsky deal…and even that was two or three husbands ago.”
“Well, I have to admit, I am a still little uncomfortable with Jessica, so may I continue to disrespectfully call you Mrs. Gerginsky, for now?”
She laughed jovially. “I love your sense of humor…I was coming to tell you that I was going to miss it and see if I could talk you out of leaving us.”
“I appreciate that, but I don’t have any intention of leaving.”
“In fact, Mrs. Greginsky, Ian and I were just discussing conference calls for our daily power meetings and seeing how much the hospital would allow of work related visits.”
“Are you sure you are strong enough for that, son?”
“I am dying here of pure boredom and we have a lot of work to do…”
She frowned a bit and shifted her weight on the back of the chair.
“Is there something wrong, ma’am?” Ian asked.
“I’m just a little confused. Simon Kent just spent the better part of the morning relaying to your wishes to myself and the board…”
“How would Simon Kent know what my wishes were?”
“You didn’t have a heart to heart with him yesterday afternoon?”
“With all due respect, yesterday afternoon I was still unconscious.”
“I can verify that Tippy Shores called me at 7 PM last night to tell me Ian was finally awake and already screaming to go home.” Wella backed him up.
“Tippy Shores? She was here? Kent says there has been no one to visit you, that when not at work he’s been keeping a vigil by your bedside.”
“I’ve been sleeping, too damn…sorry…much, but as you’ve noticed there is a guard posted outside my door with a list of who’s come and who’s gone, and I can assure you that not only is Simon Kent’s name not on that list, Ripley’s got a shoot to kill order.”
Ian looked at the Board Member’s confused face. “My relationship with Simon Kent has strictly been business, even that has been limited to a few terse exchanges in the office. Outside of the office we have no relationship at all. I have no idea where Mr. Kent gets his information about my wishes.”
“I got no problem, calling a spade a spade.” Wella spoke right up. “That ass has done nothing but try and make trouble for Ian from moment one.”
“How may I ask?”
“I cannot prove or even say that he has deliberately tried to sabotage any effort Ian has made, but I was in his office delivering mail when Kent was informed that Ian would be arriving. His exact words were, “That little hayseed won’t be around long, I’ll see to that personally.”
“He would say something like that in front of you?”
“No disrespect Mrs. Gregisnky, but hell yeah. As far as Kent and many others are concerned if you push a mail cart or answer a phone, you don’t exist. You’d be surprised what I know, what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen in ten years of pushing that thing around.”
“Wella is almost solely responsible for helping me understand how things work at the network, especially how to get things done quickly and efficiently. I wouldn’t have survived without her.”
Jessica Greginsky nodded her head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. One day you and I will have a very long talk young man. I’m just grateful that the one I had planned to have with you turned out to be a needless waste of energy.”
“Well, thank you for taking time out to come and see me. Won’t you stay a while and chat?” Ian said.
She stood. “No, Ian, I think I’d better head back. I’ve got a number of phone calls to make to correct some misinformation.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Wella offered.
“No, Wella. You continue to run things in Ian’s behalf. I have utmost confidence that you will keep things quid pro quo. In the meantime I think it’s best I head this off at the pass before it becomes a stampede.”
“Mrs. Gresinsky, has Simon Kent by any chance managed to…” Ian was cut off in mid-sentence.”
She walked over and gently took his hand. “You get well. I’ll handle Kent.”
“But…”
“I personally assure you that the board will not and would not make any assumptions based on the word of Simon Kent. However, I do want to make sure that everyone is aware of my personal chat with you before the press conference tomorrow. No sense in feeding any rumors Kent has tried to start with misinformation he himself has given as fact.”
Jessica Greginsky smiled and turned to Wella. “Wella, dear, I know I’ve said this before but I am very serious. Let’s you and I get together for a girl’s night. We women have been invisible in this business for much too long. It’s time we strong, single gals still in our prime went out and made some waves.”
“Why Jessica Greginsky,” Wella smiled. “You have got yourself a date.”
“You keep this one in line.” She pointed at Ian. “Get him healthy and get him back to work. I’m going to go swat a big gnat that should have been zapped a long time ago.”
She turned back to Ian. “Once I’ve batted him out of the air, do you want to pull his wings off yourself or may I have the honors?”
“Don’t be mean now.” Ian smiled. “Just pull one wing off.”
“I like you, my boy.” Jessica tossed her bag over her shoulder and laughed. “I really, really like you. Wella, dear, I’ll drop by tomorrow and we’ll make plans.”
She whisked off with a wave.
“Well, looks like Simon Kent may have finally stepped in one pile too big to scrape off on someone else’s shoe.” Wella took Jessica’s seat.
“Is the man just an total idiot?” Ian couldn’t believe him. “Did he honestly think he could get away with something like that?”
“I don’t mean to frighten you, but if he had managed to get that out to the press…”
“I know. If the press believes it, it’s never possible to correct the error even with the truth.” Ian sighed. “I hate this town for that.”
“The press has been very kind to you.” Wella assured him.
“I am well aware of that fact. I just hope I never get on their bad side. Fortunately, Kent and his minions have tried too hard with the wrong facts. I’m sure there’s enough in my past, and future for that matter, to make me Attila the Hun.”
“Rest assured, you are still Mary Poppins,” Wella rubbed his free arm. “Today anyway.”
“Ouch.” Ian winced. “Sorry, Wella, nothing hurts from the neck down if I don’t move it, touch it or remember it’s there.”
“Oh, honey.”
“So exactly what is the press saying…?” Wella looked at him with wide eyes. “Oh come on, Wella. They took the TV out, apparently no one bothered to print a newspaper since Friday night and as usual I have no idea where my phone is.”
“I think maybe your family doesn’t want you worrying yourself about that right now.”
“Wella, Ella’s boyfriend came out of the closet and tried to shoot me. If it weren’t for Ronnie’s cat I’d be dead! To top it all off the last words out of Blue’s mouth were Darla Hutton! I haven’t seen or heard from my son, and I’ve got more needles stuck in me than the original cast of Saturday Night Live. For crying out loud, how can I not be worried about what is going on?”
“Fine.” Wella put up her hands. “Fine. The truth is no one really knows what the truth is but the press is being very kind. They are only reporting what the police assume, which is you walked in on a burglary in progress…”
Ian shook his head. “No, that’s not right. It’s impossible…”
“Stop…stop…” Wella cut him off. “You see? This is upsetting you. Now calm yourself down.”
“Okay.” Ian took a deep breath. “That hurt. Happy?”
“Very.” Wella smiled. “Now as far as the press goes, they are making you out to be a tragic victim, they even broke into regular programming on all the networks to tell the story. The only names released to the press have been yours and Blue Richards. David Turner even did a press conference yesterday morning telling everyone of your progress and delaying the fall schedule announcements until tomorrow.”
“They put it off?”
“Yes, Mr. Hunka Hunka HRT, they put it off until they could announce you were awake and annoying the hell out of everyone.”
“Who’s doing the conference, not Kent or Lance Crockett?”
“Actually Saxon Allen and Mr. Turner.”
“Saxon?” Ian smiled. “She’s really taking this Executive Producing thing seriously, isn’t she?”
“Ian, don’t kid yourself.” Wella scowled at him. “She’s taking you seriously.”
“Next subject.” Ian smirked. “Ella…how’s Ella? Tell her I want to see her. This must be terrible for her.”
Wella tried to touch something that wouldn’t make Ian wince and gave up. “Ian, Ella’s disappeared. She called in Monday morning.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“No one’s been able to get hold of her since. Blake and Daryn have even been to her apartment. She doesn’t seem to be there.” She put up her hand before Ian could say anything. “Don’t worry, she’s probably somewhere between upset and mortified. She’s family, we’ll get her to open that door.”
“Good.”
“And as far as your son goes, he’s been here almost around the clock since they told him. From what I understand the Tyson’s didn’t tell him anything until Sunday night when they brought him home from fishing. He caught a sea bass by the way. Finally Jesse just picked him up, kicking and screaming like his father, and took him back to the Shores. Jesse finally got him to sleep when they told him you were awake.”
Ian put his head back on the inclined bed. “Thanks. Everyone just changed the subject whenever I brought it up. I much prefer knowing what everyone else doesn’t know.”
“Stupidity is always much more comforting when it’s a group thing.” Wella smiled and reached into her purse. “Okay, I didn’t do this.” She handed him a cell phone. “Blake just figured it was gone and got a new one. It’s ready for you to destroy.”
“As soon as I can get my hand to my ear, I’ll try and live up to my electronic expectations.” Ian slipped it under the sheets and looked at the monitor. “I’m surprised that thing hasn’t caught on fire.”
“Or at least begged for mercy.” Wella stood and kissed Ian’s forehead. “Did I find a place that didn’t hurt?” Ian nodded. “I’m gonna let you get some rest…no arguments…I need to run back to the team and let them all know you live to torture us another day.”
“Am I really that awful a boss?”
“Ian, you are driven, demanding and you never, ever let up and that’s only on yourself. The rest of us are just humans trying to keep up. If we don’t, we know we’ll get left behind and miss out on all the fun.” This time she kissed his cheek. “I will see you tomorrow.”
“Bring Sausage and Egg McMuffins!” Ian yelled as she headed to the door.
“With Cheese.” She said over her shoulder and disappeared.
No sooner than she was out of sight another head stuck itself timidly in the door.
“Young Justyn?” David Turner stood in the doorway leaning heavily on his ivory cane.
“Mr. Turner.” Ian smiled. “Please, please come in.”
“Are you sure it’s alright?”
“We are not at the office, so today I give the orders, get your old butt in here and sit it down.” He smiled.
Turner smiled back, having a little trouble getting to the chair by Ian’s bed and having a seat. He nodded his head a moment, but refused to look in Ian’s eyes.
“Mr. Turner?” Ian was concerned. “Is everything alright?”
The old man nodded again. “I’m sorry…”
“Sorry for what?”
David Turner looked at Ian. “Sorry that I haven’t been here. I wasn’t sure that…Young Justyn, I just wanted to say…”
“Mr. Turner…” Ian tried to help him out. “I’m glad you are here…Dave. Words aren’t important. I just needed to see you right there in that chair. That means everything.”
“Ian…my boy…” David Turner could barely get the words out when a tear demanded to fall. He cleared his throat and put up his finger a moment before he spoke, not ashamed of the tears that trickled down his withered cheeks. He finally took a deep breath. “You scared me. Don’t do it again.”
“I hadn’t been in the headlines for a couple of days. I figured what the heck and went for it. How’d I do? Too much?”
Turner threw back his head and laughed. “I’m not sure whether to hug you or tan your hide with my cane. You look like you are uncomfortable enough, so I’ll let it slide for now.”
“Thank you.” Ian hoped David Turner understood exactly what he meant.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“As long as I don’t move or breathe deep and the Percidan keeps dripping I can handle it. How about you?”
“Better now.” Turner nodded. “I’ve been feeling a little lost, but I’m 94. I’m lucky I can still remember my address.”
“And that would be?”
“Ask my driver.”
“Thought so. So tell me, what’s going on at the office?” Ian said.
Turner started to tell him, but stopped. “You know, let’s talk about business another time. Let’s just be friends today.”
“Mr. Turner, as I’m concerned we’re already friends, every day.”
The man nodded his head and looked at the floor again. They fell silent, not the uncomfortable kind, but the kind where it feels right just to have someone else in the room that you care about.
“Family.” Ian heard the old man say almost to himself. It made Ian smile, warmly inside.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Turner said looking up quickly.
“Forgot?”
“Yes.” He said. “I wanted to get you a gift, something special.”
“Mr. Turner, a gift is not warranted.”
“I know, but I wanted to get you something.” Turner said. “Something you’d like.”
“If you insist…unhook me and get me out of here.” Ian suggested.
“You seriously think that huge man outside would let us both just walk out and hit the elevator button?”
“You think he’d notice?”
David Turner laughed. “How could he not notice the two of us trying to make our escape to the elevator? I have no balance and you, well Young Justyn you’re just a mess.”
“I bet we could make it as far as the elevator.” Ian prodded. “I dare ya…com’mon if we fall down and break something, we’re in a hospital.”
“You stop it now, you’ll get me into trouble.” Turner grinned.
“What d’ya say old man? One last cheap thrill?”
“You are one evil child. Preying on a senior citizen, now stop.” He shook his finger at him. “I should have gone with my first choice.”
“First choice of what?”
“The gift. My first thought was to get you a cat.” Turner grinned.
“A cat?” Ian grimaced. “I have one, thank you. Why do you want to get rid of yours?”
“Actually, Patches and I are doing just fine.” David smiled.
“Patches? You named it…oh you got the little white one that looks like someone wiped paint brushes all over it.”
“Exactly!” Turner said. “I couldn’t put my finger on it but that’s exactly what she looks like. You’ve seen her?”
“Just once. Ronnie showed them to Reese and I in the barn.” Ian didn’t want to go further. The look on David Turner’s face read clearly that he understood.
“Well, I didn’t get you a cat.”
“Good. I have to admit, that Rodie and I are going to have a little different relationship if I can ever dig my way out of Stalag 17 here, but that doesn’t mean I like cats. I’ll just do my best to tolerate the one we have…a little bit more…as long as it keeps its distance.”
“I did get you something though.”
“Mr. Turner, I don’t…”
“Something I know you need, but I can’t bring it to you myself. I needed a little help.”
“Please, this isn’t necessary…”
“Yes.” Turner stood determined. “Yes, I think it is.”
Turner stepped back from the bed and looked toward the door. “Mr. Ripley, would you mind…?”
“Of course, sir.” Ian heard from outside the room.
Ronnie appeared in the doorway holding a little brightly wrapped package. “Papa?”
Ian burst into tears as his son ran to his bedside and covered him with kisses.
“See?” Turner fought the emotion again. “I knew that was exactly what you needed.”
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