The Gift (Unrestrained 4.50)

I hung up, a warm feeling in my chest, that was a relief after the revelation of Maureen and Liam’s return to Manhattan without letting me know.

It was while I was researching liver complications post-bone marrow transplant that Jim called once more.

“Maureen left for dinner,” he said, his voice conspiratorial. “You could pop down and meet me in his room. I’m going in to do a check on my patients and so I’ll be there anyway.”

“Jim, I hate to put you in this position.”

“The boy is your damn son,” Jim said sourly. “It’s the least I can do. Come in the back hallway. The nurses probably won’t see you if I distract them. Come right now, if you want to pop in and see Liam.”

“I’m on my way.”

I put my white lab coat on and hung my stethoscope around my neck and made my way back to the children’s ward using the rear entrance, hoping that none of Liam’s nurses saw me in the meantime. When I came up t

he rear stairs, I opened the door and checked down the hallway. Sure enough the portly figure of Jim was standing at the nursing station, and he was no doubt regaling them with his southern charm.

I was able to slip down the hall to Liam’s room and pop in undetected, going through the anteroom and suiting up so I wouldn’t pass on any germs. Liam was looking really good, compared to how I last saw him and I felt a tug at my heart to see his face when he glanced up from a comic book in his hands.

“Hello, young man,” I said and went to the side of his bed. “I’m a doctor at the hospital and just wanted to check how you’re doing.”

“I’m good,” he said and put down his comic while I placed the stethoscope over his heart and listened to his breath sounds and felt his pulse with the other hand. Everything was fine, and I noted they had an IV line in but he was on fluid restriction due to fluid retention. “I’m here for tests,” Liam said. Matter-of-fact. “It’s been nine months since I had my transplant.”

“You’re a very lucky young man,” I said, smiling at his grown-up tone. “How are you feeling?”

He shrugged. “A bit tired, but that’s because our plane was late. I’m okay.”

“Good,” I said. I felt his abdomen, and noted that his liver was slightly enlarged, which was common when the liver was affected. Liam was on anti-rejection drugs and would be the rest of his life. There were occasional complications a while after transplantation.

Jim popped his head in and smiled at Liam. “Well, hello there young man,” he said with his warm southern drawl. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Liam said, eyeing his comic as if he wanted to get back.

“My spies tell me that your mom is coming back up with something from the cafeteria. I thought I’d pop in before she gets back and see how you’re doing so I don’t keep you from your treats.”

I took that as my cue to leave and so I turned to Liam and felt his forehead, brushed his hair, which was now a few inches long and dark like mine.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” I said to him. “Have a good sleep tonight.”

He nodded, very solemn as if it was doctor’s orders instead of me trying to find something else to say to him.

I turned, my throat choked, and placed my hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Really, really appreciate it, doctor,” I said softly.

“My pleasure,” he said, nodding knowingly.

I opened the door and checked the hallway, but it was empty, so I slipped down the hallway to the stairs back to my office, my heart in my throat. Just as I was opening the door, Maureen called out to me.

“Drake!”

She rushed down the hallway towards me and so I stopped at the door and braced myself for her wrath.

“What the hell, Drake? Here I try to be nice and let you read his file and you disobey my orders and go in and see him anyway?”

I clenched my fists without thinking and then tried to relax, taking in a deep breath. “I’m not into obedience, Maureen.”

“Obviously,” she said. “Do I have to get another restraining order?”

My blood pressure was sure to have spiked at that, adrenaline flooding through me. “Of course not.”

“What did you say to him?”