The Visit

Chapter 1

“I don’t believe this!  Why the fuck is he coming here; to Oakdale?”  Reid watched his good friend, Mark, pacing his office like a caged animal and ranting in a way he had never heard before.  The normally cool, collected surgeon, Dr. Mark Jenkins, was not the man in Reid’s office. 

Choosing to remain silent so as not to further encourage Mark’s irrational behavior, Reid also remained seated behind his desk hoping the large piece of furniture would keep him safe from Mark’s completely atypical display.

“Why now!  Of all times it has to be now!  That asshole left Noah fucking high and dry in Hollywood.  So he’s coming back for what? He must need Noah’s skill for something. He must have an ulterior motive; that asshole is incapable of visiting, caring for or loving anyone for altruistic reasons. He only does anything unless it benefits him. Mark gestured wildly until his eyes met Reid’s.  “Damn.”  The tone of his voice rapidly calmed.

“I’m extremely impressed, Dr. Jenkins, I hadn’t realized what a comprehensive vocabulary you have. So proficient in your use of four letter words.”  Noah could use your skills if he ever decides to break into the porn market.  You’ve clearly mastered the dialogue.”  Reid tilted his head and smiled.

Settling in one of the chairs on the opposite side of Reid’s desk, Mark huffed.  “If it wasn’t for the miscarriage, I probably wouldn’t feel so damn insecure.  It really hit Noah and me hard when the surrogate lost the baby.”

“So you try again.  Unless I’m mistaken the woman is already in the process of prepping for a second round.  You and Noah will have your kid.  Luke and I can’t be the only gays in Oakdale to have all the fun of disgusting diapers, offensive formula, and foregoing nights of sleep and sex for a rugrat or two.”

“You talk a big game, Reid, but don’t forget, I know you.  You’re reveling in parenthood and being the head of a family.”

“Don’t tell Luke you think I’m the head of the family.  He thinks he’s top of the pyramid at chez Oliver-Snyder.”

Mark laughed out loud.  “You may think he feels that way, but he really doesn’t care.  You’re the shallow one who likes to pull rank, Dr. Chief-of-Staff who still leads surgical teams at least once a week.”

Rolling his lips inward to keep from grinning, Reid nodded.  “I may be a bit of a control freak.”

Clasping his hands in his lap, Mark smirked, clearly amused.

“Okay, I’m a major league control freak, but it works at Memorial.  In my defense, at home, I really have learned to share all kinds of crap with Luke.  It’s amazing how well this equal partnership thing can work when both parties really give it a go.”

“Bravo, Dr. Oliver-Snyder.  You really have evolved.  Welcome to the twenty-first century.”

“And what about you, Dr. Jenkins?  Are you regressing?”  Reid rose and left the safety of his chair and walked around the large desk to sit next to Mark.  “Why does this moron’s return have you so shaken?  You and Noah, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, have as solid a relationship as I do with Luke.  There was a time I wouldn’t trust Noah as far as I could throw him, and since he’s got a good two to four inches on me that’s saying a lot.”

“Clearly your opinion of my husband has changed.”

“Noah is actually someone I can spend an evening with without cringing.  He’s a good producer and director, and from what Luke has convinced me to realize, he’s a good husband to you, and he’s become a good friend to Luke with no ulterior motives.”

“He’s also willing to babysit for free.”  Mark offered a half-smile.

Reid snorted.  “That does give him a leg-up over many other friends and family members.”

“Reid, if I knew what motivated this unexpected return to Oakdale, I wouldn’t be so shaken, but the first thing he did when he arrived in town was visit Noah at the studio.  Fortunately Noah was on location in Chicago for the day, but he got an email letting him know the shit plans to come back for a return engagement tomorrow.”

“How does Noah feel about this?”

“He had a good shoot today, so he was feeling upbeat about that, and the surrogate called to let us know she would be ready for another implant in about a week.”

“More legitimately good news.” 

Mark nodded.  “But this unexpected visit had Noah pacing our living room.  He kept staring at the email printout, balling it up to throw it away, and then smoothing it out again.  I don’t know what kind of hold that schmuck has over Noah, but this has really shaken him up.  My reaction tonight is an extension of his.  If I hadn’t had that emergency skull fracture to deal with this evening, who knows how we would have hashed this out.”

“You two actually allowed yourselves to fight over him!”  Reid shook his head.  “Talk about the ultimate waste of breath and energy.”

“I know you’re right; but for some reason this dick’s arrival has rocked my home, and not in a good way.”

“Mark, first of all this curse-a-thon doesn’t suit you.”

Mark bit his lip.

“Second, you and Noah have a solid relationship.  Maybe tonight would be a good time to remind each other of that in every way possible since you still have the house to yourselves.  And three, you’re about to become parents, so act like the mature men you need to be to get through all the crap life can throw your way.”

“Sound advice, doctor.  To repeat myself, you have indeed evolved.”

“Consider it a free consult, but as your friend, not your doctor.”

“Thank you, Reid.  Just the fact that you let me vent all my frustrations helps.”

Reid remained silent.  He stood up and squeezed Mark’s shoulder.

“I think I’ll head for home now. Noah and I need to sit down and have a rational discussion about all the feelings this is dredging up for him.”

“It sounds like a good start.  Remember, Noah may not want to talk yet; you may have to just show him you’re there for him in other ways.”

Mark raised an eyebrow.  “I can manage that.”

“Good.”

As Mark Jenkins left the office, Reid’s cell phone began to vibrate, bouncing across his desk. 

Grabbing the phone before it fell to the floor, Reid picked it up without checking the caller ID.  “Dr. Oliver-Snyder here.”

“Well get your ass here!  I have two crying babies who want to be comforted simultaneously and a teenager I may have to kill if he doesn’t stop yelling about his fucking guitar strings popping.”

“If it isn’t my sweet, loving hubby.  Having a rough night, dear?”  Reid hoped to lighten Luke’s mood.

“If you want any loving tonight, be it sweet or rough, you’ll get your ass and your attitude home and help me!”

“Your wish is my command.”

“Fuck you.”

“You may get your chance tonight, Mr. Oliver-Snyder.  I’ll be home soon to help tame our out-of-hand pride.”

“Roar all you want, Dr. Lion King, just get here fast.”

“On my way.”  Reid disconnected the phone. 

He chuckled.  It was as if the world had shifted on its axis.  The two nicest, least rude, people he knew were ranting, raving, and using language he hadn’t heard such a stream of in years.

It didn’t bode well that all this began as soon as they found out Mason, the supposedly up and coming go-to boy in Hollywood, had returned for a visit to Oakdale... and Noah.

[TBC]

Return to The Visit