Headaches
Chapter 6
“Hi, Chris.” Casey waved at Chris as they crossed paths in the doorway; Chris leaving Reid’s office, Casey entering in his place. The two men paused to speak to each other.
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the law office with your father?”
“I’m taking a day off to straighten out a few personal issues.”
“Is everything okay?” Chris looked from Casey to Reid. “Is my newest pediatric genius going to be in a lousy mood?”
“Hardly, I’m moving the last of my things out of my old apartment and into our new place.”
“Have fun.” Chris turned back to Reid. “I’m here all day if you need to talk later.”
Nodding, Reid ushered Casey into his office.
“What’s up, doc?”
“Not funny, Casey. Why are you here? I thought you were helping Luke get on the road this morning.”
“I did. He’s waiting with the twins in the pediatric wing.” Casey sat on the sofa. “He thinks it’s all his fault.”
“What are you talking about?” Reid wasn’t sure where Casey was going with his statement, but it certainly got his attention.
“Ethan. Luke thinks his newfound rebellious choices are all his fault. It’s like we’re back in the world of Luke, the doormat. Talk about a throwback moment.” Casey looked directly at Reid. “I’m the guy whose world has turned topsy-turvy and made every mistake in the book, and Luke thinks because his little brother makes one jerky decision that the blame lies entirely with him. I kind of wish my older brother had taken the blame for all my screw-ups, but he had plenty of his own to deal with. Luke’s another story. He really is assuming responsibility.”
“That’s insane.” Reid pinched the bridge of his nose.
“That’s what I told him.” Casey patted the sofa’s empty space beside him. Reid wasn’t sure he could sit still but he took the seat anyway. “When we were teens Luke was lost. All the guy wanted was to be loved unconditionally. He was betrayed by the man he thought was his bio-dad, he was betrayed by the guy he thought of as his best friend, he was even betrayed, for a short time, by his parents, and he was betrayed by Noah. Let’s face it, doc, apart from you, that unconditional thing has been in short supply in Luke’s life.”
Lowering his head, Reid clasped his hands together. “His grandmothers--”
“Grandparents don’t really count, and you know it. Grandparents are in a category of their own, and you know it. Sure, they love their grandchildren, but their love is shared among their grandchildren, it’s more a kindly, mentoring love, not one that often leads to betrayal.”
“Casey, you’re a pretty damn good friend to Luke. You’ve been there for him over and over.”
Smiling, Casey patted Reid’s shoulder. “We both know it’s not me Luke needs right now. There’s only one person who can help him climb out of this, and then in turn help Ethan.”
The office door swung open and Jason walked in. “And I’m pretty sure that person isn’t you, Casey.”
“When did I put a sign on my door inviting people in without knocking?” Reid glared at Jason. To his credit, he didn’t flinch but walked closer, taking a seat on the sofa on Casey’s other side. He wrapped his arm around Casey and looked directly at Reid.
“Your assistant told me Casey was in here with you. I had a hunch what you might be talking about. If it’s anything else, I’ll leave.”
“The doctors I’m hiring are too smart for their own good.” Reid shook his head but took a moment to smile.
Watching Casey and Jason together brought a smile to Reid’s face. Casey turned toward his new partner and kissed him, leaning against Jason’s shoulder for a moment before looking back toward Reid. “So, are you going to help Luke before he really does find his way back to all his sucky, self-deprecating, self-destructive habits or are you going to leave him floundering?”
“What do you think, Mr. Hughes?”
“I think you’re going to ride in on your proverbial white steed, wearing a white lab coat, your stethoscope around your neck, and save the day, as always.”
Jason chuckled and Reid snorted. “Then I guess I’d better get busy reading some of those pamphlets Jason is still holding in his hands.” Handing Reid the brochures, Jason nodded at Reid. “Now both of you get out of my office and set up your new den of sin and debauchery.”
“Imitating my soon-to-be ex-wife isn’t going to win you any points, doc.”
“How is she handling her new life, pregnant, shacking up with Aaron, and now adding a gay teen to her life.”
Jason looked at Casey. “How does Reid know about Andy?”
“I haven’t had the chance to tell you yet. Guess who Ethan’s first foray into the world of gay experimentation was?”
“It can’t be.” Jason’s eyes widened. At least there was one thing that had been kept out of the Memorial Hospital circle of gossip.
“Yep. My former cousin is playing tonsil hockey with Ethan.” Casey shook his head. “There must be something incestuous about this but I haven’t figured it out yet.”
Laughing, Reid looked at Casey. “This is Oakdale; those two kids are as far apart as two strangers can be.”
Jason smiled. “Dr. Oliver-Snyder, how did we avoid all this Oakdale insanity?”
“Did we avoid it, I hadn’t noticed? Besides, we’re hospital imports. Somehow that seems to help.”
Casey and Jason looked at each other and their lips met once more.
“Excuse me, Dr. Willis, but I understand you have the afternoon off to help your new partner complete his invasion of your space?”
“That’s right, doctor.” Jason bit his lip.
“Then I suggest you join Dr. Hughes and make sure my youngest children are healthy, and then get out of here.” Reid stood and turned his back on Casey and Jason, pretending to straighten some files on his desk.
“Doc, please don’t let Luke, well, you know, fall into old habits again.”
Reid’s hands stilled. “I have no intention of letting him go there. I can’t let him go there.” Reid rolled his lips inward, knowing he had shared too much.
“I know how you feel, doc. I love him too, always have. Luke is the greatest.”
“Then we’re both in agreement, Mr. Hughes.”
Still having not turned around, unwilling to make eye contact with either man, Reid heard the door open. “Doctor, I’ll head back to the pediatric wing, check on the babies, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good-bye, Doctor Willis, Casey.”
When the door latched shut, Reid turned around swiping the moisture building on his lower lids. There was no way he would let Luke spiral downward, blaming himself for Ethan’s idiocy.
He loved Luke and Ethan so much, in such different ways. It hurt to see them in so much pain, blaming each other and themselves for the choices Ethan was presently making, and choices Luke had made in the past. Reid glanced at the pamphlets Jason had given him. The back of each one had the schedule of local meetings and their locations. Several were held right on the hospital grounds. He wasn’t going to let Luke or Ethan become victims of alcohol... again.
Before he could read all of the brochures there was a knock at his door. At least someone in the hospital was respectful of his position.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, Reid.”
Hearing Luke’s voice, Reid stood up straight and smoothed his lab coat. There was no reason to let Luke think he’d caused Reid to worry on top of everything else. Opening the door he found Luke standing between two infant carriers. Reid grabbed the one holding Bobby and leaned against the door, holding it open so Luke could walk in with Miri.
“So how are our children?”
“Far better than their father.” Luke seemed to avoid making eye contact with Reid.
Before closing the door to his office, Reid stuck his head out and called to his assistant, “No interruptions unless no one else in the hospital can handle it.”
“Yes, doctor.”
After closing the door, Reid locked it. “Luke, we need to talk about Ethan.”
“I know.” Luke wrapped his arms around Reid and rested his head against his shoulder. “I really screwed up. He’s following in the worst part of my footsteps.”
“That’s the first thing we have to talk about.” Reid took a deep breath and lifted Luke’s head, cupping his cheeks gently in his hands so they were looking directly into one another’s eyes. “I love you and I love Ethan, and I won’t let you take the blame for his fuck-ups. You’re too important to me, and I love you too damn much to let you take that road, especially when you’re wrong.”
“But Reid--”
“No but Reid’s. This choice was Ethan’s alone, no matter what he says. If Sage or Parker decided to hit the bottle we wouldn’t blame Carly, would we?”
Luke shook his head.
“Good. Then to start with, keep in mind you’re the most important person in my life and I won’t let you hurt yourself because of someone else’s bad decisions. I need you to stand tall beside me so we can help Ethan as a team. You’ll need to take the lead because you know, from experience, what an idiotic choice he’s making.”
“I love you, Reid.” Without missing a beat, Luke crashed his lips to Reid’s. The two held each other in a tight embrace, their lips never separating.
Reid knew his message to his husband had been received. Thanks to the heads-up from Casey, he wouldn’t lose Luke while saving Ethan. When the kiss finally ended both men were panting. “Now we talk about how to help Ethan -- together.”
“Together.” Luke and Reid held hands as they sat next to one another on the sofa, the babies sleeping, clearly exhausted from their morning outing to the doctor’s office. Picking up the brochures the two men leaned back and began reading all they could in preparation for taking Ethan to a meeting.
[TBC]