The Commitment(37)

"As well as can be expected. He said he'd do anything to help."

"I hope he's a match," he said, his voice weary.

I sighed and watched as Drake bent over Liam and stroked his forehead. The boy stirred briefly, but his eyes remained shut. I thought about Drake's relationship with the small African boy who received the deep brain stimulation. Despite his belief that he could never be a father, I thought Drake was wrong. He'd probably make a wonderful father. His care and concern for the young patient went above and beyond the call of duty as a surgeon.

Drake had learned some hard lessons in life – about why his marriage failed. About himself as a man. Maybe, he could be the kind of father he wished he had for himself.

"So what do you do?" Chris said to me after slurping his coffee and exhaling in satisfaction. "You a nurse, too?"

I shook my head. "Grad student in journalism at Columbia."

"Grad student? How old are you?"

I frowned. He was awfully prying for a complete stranger. Perhaps he was exceptionally curious about Drake, seeing as he was Maureen's first husband.

"I'm going to be twenty-five."

He raised his eyebrows and glanced away. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Pardon me?"

He couldn't hold back a smile. "He likes them young, or so Maureen tells me. He was after her when she was still a nursing student."

"She obviously liked them older," I replied, noting the bit of grey in his hair.

"Touché."

I sat and fumed for a moment, insulted by his rudeness. Finally, I couldn't hold back.

"Do you treat all strangers like this?" I said, my voice wavering a bit from anger. "Making comments about their private lives?"

He cracked a grin and shrugged one shoulder. "No," he said. "But, you know… Drake's not your average neurosurgeon. You have to understand I've heard Maureen's side of things. You haven't."

"Drake's a wonderful man and one of the best neurosurgeons in his area. He presented research on pediatric neuro-electrophysiology at a conference. He volunteers his services in Africa for poor—"

"Oh, I have no doubt about Drake's abilities as a surgeon," Chris said, his tone impatient. "It’s his interests as a man…" He wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

"Which is none of your or anyone else's business…"

"He's my wife's ex. He's the father of the boy I consider my own son. It's my business, sweetheart."

He took a sip of his coffee, turned away and that was that. We sat in silence until Drake and Maureen exited Liam's room and returned to the waiting area. They walked up and Chris stood. I followed suit and stood up, smoothing my clothes.

Drake and Chris eyed each other, doing nothing more than nodding in each other's direction.

Maureen turned to us. "I see you two have met," she said, her voice clipped.

"We did." Chris leaned over and kissed Maureen on the cheek.

Drake took my hand and pulled me into an embrace. He pressed his face into my neck and squeezed me so hard, it felt like he was going to smother me. I ran my hands up his strong back, rubbing his shoulders to comfort him. He was obviously overwhelmed.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, his emotions making mine swell as well.

He finally pulled back, his eyes wet, and kissed me briefly. "Thank you for being here." Then he ended the embrace and his hand slid down my arm to my hand, which he clasped in his, our fingers entwining. He wiped his eyes briefly and turned to Maureen.

"Call me when the arrangements are made," he said to her. "I'll come whenever his doctors need me."

Maureen nodded and we left them, walking down the hallway to the elevators. Drake pushed the button and we waited in silence. I glanced back and the two of them were watching us, leaning in together as if discussing me. Of course, I'd be a curiosity. Drake's girlfriend. He wasn't supposed to have them, or so Chris thought.

We entered the elevator and once the doors closed, he leaned against the wall and pulled me into his arms for the short ride down to the lobby.

"Christ, what a day…" he said. He ran his hand over my hair as I leaned my cheek against his shoulder. "I'm so glad you were here with me. I don't know what I'd do if I were alone through this."

"What a shock for you," I said, squeezing him. "To find out you have a son and that he's sick."

"At least he has a good father."

I glanced up at him. "I hope so. He was rather rude to me."

Drake frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He made comments that were suggestive. About you and about me."

Drake shook his head. "I can't imagine what Maureen told him about me. Probably thinks I'm Hannibal Lecter."