THANKSGIVING

Chapter 2


 

Mark ran into the emergency room. He combed his fingers through his hair as he quickly approached the nurses’ station. “What the hell is going on? One page with the code for head trauma -- return immediately would have been enough, four is ridiculous. Who’s playing games here?”

The nurse tilted her head to the right.

Reid looked at his friend and colleague. He hated feeling needy, even worse, panicked.

“I was a block away, Reid. I barely left to go home after a long day and you have me turn around! What’s going on?”

“It’s... the patient coming in is...” it was impossible to say the name. Reid hadn’t felt this helpless since Luke’s surgery, but he had known everything that was happening at that time. He’d been included in the surgical plan. This was too much to take in.

Mark stared at Reid, his eyes wide. Then he spotted Dr. Hughes exiting the elevator. “Dr. Hughes, what’s happening? Was there an explosion in town? Why all the frenetic behavior?”

Chris walked toward Reid, placing his hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “Dr. Jenkins, the patient, who will be here in less than a minute, is Ethan Snyder. He was in a skateboarding accident. You will lead the trauma team, I’ll be assisting.” He took a step back and faced Reid. “That’s how you want it, right?”

Nodding, Reid rolled his lips inward. “Chris, I’m sorry. It has to be Mark.”

“No need to apologize. Head over any broken limbs.”

Reid took a deep breath. “There might be bleeding.”

“I know, Reid. I’ll make sure to do a complete examination and get the EMTs information while Mark does his job. We won’t let anything happen to Ethan.”

“We’ll talk about this later, but why the hell didn’t you throw out the old equipment?” Reid glared at Chris.

Taking a step closer, Chris whispered, “I was going to, but Jacob’s first skateboard was a gift from Liberty. He knew he wasn’t supposed to use it anymore. I don’t know what happened.”

“Damn!” Reid wanted to blame Chris, or Jacob, or someone. How could something like this just happen? He thought the only Snyder he’d have to watch closely was his husband. Now he had a son who seemed determined to drive him insane with fear and anxiety.

“Doctors, the ambulance has arrived,” the nurse announced as she quickly stood to meet the EMTs as they entered. The young man pulling the front of the stretcher as they raced into the emergency room handed her the paperwork they had filled out during the short ride.

She grabbed the packet, combined it with the standard documents she had prepared for the doctors, and snapped it into the chart, immediately handing it to Mark.

As the ambulance team rapidly walked their charge toward the emergency room’s trauma unit, Mark met their stride. “Dr. Jenkins. What can you tell me?” Reid was just a step behind. He’d noted Luke walking at the rear of the stretcher but couldn’t approach him yet. He needed to listen first. This was all about Ethan.

“Twelve year old male. Head and possible neck injury. Skateboard incident, no helmet.”

“Do you suspect any internal injuries?”

The EMT shook his head. “Not at this time. BP is one hundred over sixty, pulse one-twenty. We stabilized the arm. Wrist appears broken, maybe more.”

As the team plowed through the double doors at the entrance to the hospital’s new state -of-the-art trauma unit, Reid stood back a moment with Luke.

“Reid.”

“I’m here, Luke. I have to go in. I have to watch him. I’m supposed to take care of him.”

“I know. Me too.” Luke’s eyes were red as he looked directly at Reid. “He’s my baby brother. Please don’t let him--”

“He’s going to be fine. Mark’s with him, and Chris. They won’t let anything happen.”

“Mom and Dad trusted me with his life and--”

Reid cut Luke off, unwilling to listen to anything negative. “He’ll be alright. He has to be.”

“We didn’t get to tell him.”

It took Reid a moment to realize what Luke was referring to. “He knew we were planning a special surprise for tomorrow night.”

“He doesn’t know I’m his brother in every way possible. First him and then the rest of the family, that was the plan. He has to know I’m his full brother.”

Reid grabbed Luke and held him tight, whispering in his ear. “You have always been his brother in every way that counted. If there’s one thing I was aware of from the moment I met your family, it’s that there were no half measures in the Snyder household.”

Luke nodded as he clutched the back of Reid’s lab coat.

“I need to go to him, Luke.”

“Can I come too?”

Shaking his head, Reid ghosted his fingers over Luke’s cheek, brushing away a stray drop of moisture. “No. I probably shouldn’t be there, but if the personnel of this hospital want to keep their jobs, they won’t stop me.” Reid cupped Luke’s chin, giving him a peck on the lips. “I won’t keep you waiting long. I know you’re worried sick and I promise I won’t leave you in the dark. If you’d like, you can go to my office and wait.”

“No, I want to be close to Ethan.”

“Okay.”

Reid yelled toward the nurse who had resumed her chair behind the desk. “You, Nurse...”

“It’s Rose, Dr. Oliver. Rose Miller.”

“Right, Nurse Miller -- take care of Luke. Give him every courtesy you’d give to me. My husband deserves that.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Oh, and call Dr. Jenkins’ partner, Noah Mayer. You have their home number. It’s listed as part of the doctor’s contact information. It shouldn’t be hard to find if you can use the computer properly.”

“Absolutely, Dr. Oliver. What should I tell him, sir?”

“Tell him Dr. Jenkins was called back to an emergency. Give him the patient’s name. Then let him know Luke Snyder needs him in the ER waiting room. I have to go inside.”

Luke looked directly into Reid’s eyes, not caring who was around them. “I’d rather stay with you than Noah.”

“I know. But we both know I need to be with Ethan.”

Nodding, Luke looked down. “He’s going to be okay, isn’t he, Reid?”

Reid’s answer to Luke was another chaste kiss as he quickly pressed the button that opened the doors to the restricted area for patients and medical staff only. Jogging the short distance down the hallway, Reid stopped short when he heard Mark barking orders. Frozen, he stood at the threshold of the room staring as the portable MRI and X-ray equipment were brought in. Reid was thankful Memorial had every piece of equipment a medical facility could possibly desire. Sometimes, having a trust fund baby for a lover wasn’t bad at all. Reid hoped it would be Ethan’s saving grace.

He noticed the kid’s wrist and arm were stabilized in a temporary splint. Chris was following orders. Mark Jenkins was almost as talented a neurosurgeon and diagnostician as Reid -- hell, other than their significant differences in attitude, Mark was Reid’s clone where medical skills were concerned. He had better be one of the best; he would need all the skill that made him one of the best, right here, right now, as only the best should take care of his son.

The only relief Reid could find was that Ethan hadn’t woken up so at least he wasn’t scared. He would surely be frightened later, but by then they’d be able to deal with the fear together. There had to be a later.

[TBC]
 

Return to Thanksgiving