In-Laws

Part 5

 Reid was thoroughly engaged with all the wonderful exhibits in his favorite playground -- the science museum. 

“Luke, this isn’t some little run-of-the-mill facility.  This is one of the largest science centers in the world.”  He had hoped his partner would exude a small amount of enthusiasm, although he realized it probably would never match his own.

“Reid, I may have grown up in Oakdale, but I actually did leave the town on occasion.  I even visited art and science museums all over the world.”

“Right.  Bad Dad.”

Luke’s eyes widened.  “No, not just Damian.  My parents and grandparents actually had an inkling of what it took to expose their kids to culture beyond Old Town.”

“Fine.  If you don’t want to stay here, we won’t.”

“Of course I want to stay.  The Boston Science Museum is one of the biggest in the country.”  Luke cupped Reid’s cheek.  “And you love it.  That, in-and-of-itself, is reason enough to want to see it.  Remember, because of you we do have to watch the clock.”

That did it.  Now Reid could no longer block out their morning discussion.  It had all started out calmly as he and Luke had left their suite and headed out to a Starbucks on the way to the T station.

“I thought Boston was the land of Dunkin Donuts, not their arch rival.”  Luke grinned.

“The people of New England have learned there’s room for stronger coffee in anyone’s life.  In your case, it would take four cups of coffee to satisfy your insane caffeine addiction.”

“My addiction!  What about you, Reid.  For someone who’s so health conscious, you ignore all medically recognized standards when it comes to the food and drink you consume.”  Luke grinned as they each sat down with the largest size of their steaming beverage of choice, along with a bagel.

“I am well aware of the garbage that can destroy a body.  I just don’t think coffee and carbs are the worst things a person can partake of -- especially if he counteracts it with high energy activity.”

Reid was amused to see Luke blush. 

“I see you get my meaning.”

“Loud and clear.”

The two sat back to enjoy their coffees and bagels.

“Reid?”

“Yes?”  Reid glanced at Luke over the brim of his cup as he was drinking.  He instantly detected by the tone of voice, and the absence of Luke’s characteristic smile that he wasn’t going to like the turn the conversation was about to take.

“About Ethan joining us... I have a couple of concerns.”

“Is this really about Ethan?  Are you reconsidering having him with us in the judge’s chamber?”  While Reid didn’t want to talk about Noah Mayer, he certainly wasn’t going to expressly avoid the subject either, and he didn’t want Luke skirting the issue.

“No, of course not.  I can’t wait to see Ethan.  He was flying high when he learned he was coming here at the end of the week.”

“He was thrilled because we were taking him out of school for two days.  The kid’s a lot smarter than you give him credit for... and a lot more savvy than you were at his age.”

“Hey!  I was pretty savvy.”

“Right.”  Reid took a sip of his coffee.  “I’ve been listening to your stories of high school trauma and drama for over five years.  Savvy is not the word I’d use to describe a teenaged Luke Snyder.”

Luke lowered his head.  “If you go by high school, victim or foolish might be better terms.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of insecure.  While I accepted being gay from an early age, you fought it.”  Reid took a big bite of his bagel.  “From everything I’ve heard, your family -- none of them were all too helpful.”

“It was partly my fault.  I never let them in until it was too late and everything had gone to hell.”

“Well, fortunately in Luke Snyder’s world hell was temporary, and I found you on the other side.”

“Actually, Dr. Oliver, I found you.”

“Touché!”

“I know you, Reid.  You’re trying to change the subject, or at least defer it for a later time.  We can’t avoid the elephant in the room.”

“It would be easier to avoid if he actually looked more like an elephant.”

“Are you saying my long-time ex is good looking?”

“When I met you and your former fling...”

“We were together over two years; hardly a fling.”  Luke wore a half-smile.

“Semantics.”  Reid tried to stay light, knowing anything else would add more intensity to a subject that was never completely stress free.  “To make my point, your former whatever could be construed as hot.  But you have the personality to match the looks.”

“So I’m lucky Noah didn’t have a personality similar to mine, or you would have gone for him?”  Luke raised an eyebrow.

“Never!  He was my patient.”

“And that’s the only reason?”  Luke did everything short of batting his eyes as he became flirtatious.

“Now you’re fishing.”  Reid smiled.  Playing cat and mouse with Luke was always engaging no matter who took which role.

“So what if I am.  Sometimes this insecure man needs to hear how he swept his lover, husband, spouse -- whatever we are -- off his feet.”

“You didn’t sweep me off my feet.  You kidnapped me.”

Luke began to pick at the paper napkin next to his breakfast.  “Noah once told me you confessed to an attraction the second or third time you laid eyes on me.  Is that really true?”

Reid smirked.  “Let’s just say you intrigued me very early on, even though your relationship with my patient thoroughly pissed me off.”

“Why?”

“Because I never saw him treat you like anything more than a second class citizen, and you took it.”

“Maybe I should tell Noah not to come.”  Luke gazed off to the side toward nothing in particular.

“It’s a little late now.  We’ve made promises to people and I intend to keep them.”

“I wonder who Noah’s bringing with him.”

“Maybe he’s found his own boy toy.”

“I am not your boy toy.”

“And you never were.”

“I know.  It always amazed me how you treated me with respect -- well, as much as you give anyone -- despite my age.”

“You earned the respect.”  Reid leaned across the table to share a coffee-flavored kiss with Luke.  “Mmm, delicious.”

“I’d like to think you meant me, but I’m thinking it’s my mocha latte.”

Reid suddenly felt a shiver run up his spine.  “When Noah left for LA you two weren’t on the best of terms.”

Luke bit his lip and shook his head.  “We weren’t.  It took a long time and a lot of emails to finally get him to talk to me.  He didn’t come back to Oakdale until my parents died.  They always remained close even when he and I were estranged.  What are you getting at, Reid?”

“You don’t think he’d come here to sabotage our plans -- not that they’re much more than a formality at this point.”

“They’re not just a formality.  At least not to me, or your mother.”

“She really seems to be trying.  When we had lunch with her yesterday, she was fairly civil most of the time and made no attempt to run the show.”

“I know.  Maybe age does help some people mellow.”

“Don’t tell Lucinda that.  I like her the way she is -- she keeps me on my toes; I’m always alert when I’m around her.”

Luke chuckled.

“Maybe you should call Noah.  Find out who he’s bringing.”

“I wonder if he has a boyfriend.  He hasn’t said anything, but he could have.  What if they want to get married too?”

“Luke.”

“Uh huh.”

“Don’t let your creative thinking get the better of you.”  Reid loved seeing this side of Luke’s spirit return over the years.  The longer they were together, the more animated Luke had become.  He was now able to step back from the businesses he had become responsible for at far too young an age and allow himself to take some time away to enjoy life and nurture his artistic side.

Although he’d written two books, Luke hadn’t been courageous enough to send either one to an agent despite all his family connections.  Reid hoped he’d soon be permitted to see at least one of them.

“Reid, I have to admit.  I’m nervous about seeing Noah again.  It doesn’t make any sense.  I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and yet I’m anxious -- tied up in knots.”

“Not to add fuel to the damn fire, but we’d better go.  I want to show you as much of the museum as possible before four o’clock.”

“What happens at four?”  Luke’s eyes narrowed.  It was obvious he knew Reid was up to something.

“We have an appointment.”

“With who?  Where?”

Reid rolled his lips inward before taking a long gulp of his coffee.  Every bit of fortitude helped.  “I took the liberty of calling in a favor from an old friend.”

“Another member of your medical school class?”

“No, one of my mentors, although she’s only a few years older than me and we didn’t get to work together often.  She’s a nephrologist.”

“Damn, Reid!  I want to enjoy this trip.  We’re actually going to get married and you throw this in the mix.”

“I once told you I wanted the whole enchilada.  Well, part of that is keeping you alive for another hundred years or so.”

Luke sat back in his chair and glared at Reid.

“You can be as mad as you want, but she’s considered one of the top three in the nation.  You deserve the best.”  Reid huffed.  “You’ve already got me, and I want her to make sure you get the best care possible.  We both know your kidney has an expiration date that’s approaching sooner than either of us would like.”

“Fine.”  Luke took Reid’s hand in his.  “I’ll do it for you, but first we get to have fun at the museum.  I’ll even let you show me the exhibit with the real brain on display.”

“Luke, you know why I’m pushing this, don’t you?”

“Yes.  I love you too.”

They hadn’t resolved anything, but as Reid led Luke to the next museum exhibit, he had a sense the week may turn out okay after all.  If only he knew why Noah was really coming, and who he was bringing.

[TBC]

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