Out of the Clear Blue Sky, Part Four
Reid tossed his shaving kit in his suitcase and took what he hoped was his last hard look around the room.
He couldn’t leave Oakdale fast enough. His destination wasn’t as remote as he had hoped, but it was movement. Lucinda had rented Reid a small cottage in Bay City until he was cleared for take-off. Thanks to the lovely little infection he had developed, it could be a week before Reid was back in London.
Hoping that getting out of Oakdale would put Reid back on track to forgetting Luke ever existed was a long shot. Reid knew he had to try something because this new friendship they were building was slowly killing him inside. Any contact with Luke only made Reid crave more, contact of an intimate nature that could never happen while Luke was wearing another man’s ring. Lucinda could spout her doom-and-gloom theories, but the fact remained that Luke was still married.
Reid’s phone buzzed and he had half a mind to ignore it. The smart thing would be to nip this in the bud. Then, he thought about Luke’s face, the longer it would grow as more time passed. All the texts of pleading to know what he had done wrong and apologizing for whatever it was that made Reid not want to be his friend anymore. If there was a quota on how many people should unexpectedly drop from one’s life, surely Luke had filled it. Reid sat on the bed and read the message.
What’s the weather like in Paris?
You have an iPhone. Ask Suri.
Come on, Reid. Tell me where you are!
Reid rubbed his chin. So many reasons not to, and yet…Nope. Takes away the mystery.
Fine! Have it your way.
Bravo, Mr. Snyder. I can tell you’re pouting through a text.
What are you doing this weekend?
Sleeping.
Luke’s stomach turned at the first thought that popped into his head. It must be a sickness, truly wanting an answer to the question. He hoped it might come off as light and playful.
With how many different men?
“Ouch.” Reid muttered quietly. There had been a sizable amount of Luke-a-likes in Reid’s recent past that he regretted. After seeing just the top of Luke’s head, Reid knew all of them combined would never compare.
Been captured by a tribe of Amazonian women. Not a man in sight.
So, you’re in the Amazon.
You caught me. Luckily, the cell reception is surprisingly good out here. You could organize a search party if you don’t have other plans.
“Crap!” Luke bit his lower lip. The trip to Chicago with Knox. Luke had explosively mixed feelings about their weekend. He had spent the previous night pacing the kitchen floor until three, alternating between marching upstairs and demanding that Knox tell him what was in the box or calling off the trip and pretending he had never heard of the LaSalle Bank. Luke’s head finally hit the pillow with him leaning towards forgetting. If Luke was right about what Knox was hiding…Luke had said a quick prayer that he was wrong and closed his eyes before he could think any more about it.
I’m going to be out of contact for a few days.
Reid’s shoulders fell. This is exactly what he had asked for not five minutes ago, but if felt like his heart was beating in his shoes. Reid was about to buck up and change the subject when he received another message.
Unless you want me to get out of it.
You don’t have to change your plans to keep me company.
Are you lonely, Reid?
Luke waited impatiently. He realized his knuckles were white, but he didn’t loosen his grip on the phone. When Luke began texting Reid, he was outside of Java. When he finally looked up, he was standing at the main entrance of Memorial. It was then that he was struck with an epiphany.
I think I know a way to get out of it.
**********
Dr. Leonard’s receptionist smiled sweetly at Luke. “I’m sure she’d squeeze you in, but Dr. Leonard is tied up on the fifth floor. Would you like me to leave her a message?”
“No. You’ve been very helpful.”
Luke left the office and headed to the elevator bay. All he needed was a moment of his doctor’s time. If she agreed that it was too soon for Luke to be spending long periods in a car, Knox couldn’t argue. Luke wouldn’t have to risk losing his connection to Reid.
Time is not always a friend. Nurse Perlot had waited as long as she could. She had called for another nurse to watch the desk. No one came. Her stomach lurched, the Catch of the Day at Al’s feeling a lot like salmonella. It ate at Christina, leaving her post, but she needed a bathroom. She had never left her station in two years. What were the odds that someone would come off the elevators at that very moment?
Nurse Perlot could skip buying a lottery ticket on the way home. Luke had heard about the tight security on the fifth floor and was completely shocked to find himself alone in the hallway. He moved along slowly, keeping an eye on the floor for hidden traps. Hearing Dr. Leonard’s voice, Luke stepped more surely to the last room on the left.
“After a small set back, you’re healing quite nicely. Do you have any questions before I sign these release papers?”
“What’s the plan to get me out of here?”
Luke gripped the wall. It couldn’t be. His legs wobbled, his feet dragging as he entered the room. Luke gazed at the most beautiful pair of widened blue eyes he had ever seen before the world went dark.
Reid stood on Luke’s stoop; palms wet and mouth dry, trying to drum up the courage to knock. The act hadn’t seemed so daunting when he was pacing his hotel room with one single thought running through his mind. Luke was in possession of his car and the light rain that fell outside was only a fraction of what Reid was willing to go through to get it. The universe was surely having a giggle over the fact that Reid had to go to Luke before he could run from him.
He wanted to drive, drive and drive some more. Just continue laying rubber to the road until he could deal with the fact that Luke didn’t show. He wasn’t waiting for Reid under the Welcome Home banner strung behind the counter at Java. No, Luke sat in the parking lot, freaking out over the fact that only in Oakdale do boyfriends come back from the dead while his husband delivered the news. Mr. Snyder was now Mr. Snyder-Hanson and less jubilant about Reid’s return than he had been anticipating.
Stomach rolling, Reid’s initial fear was confirmed. This was a bad idea. The soles of his loafers slipped on the cobble walkway as he headed for the street. Solar lights cast a dim golden glow over small puddles, the overcast day not providing much juice to the batteries.
It was the small touches that made it perfectly, painfully clear. Luke had a home. He had a family. As far as Reid was concerned, Luke could have the car too. Some rugrat had munched on Cheerios while Luke sang children’s tunes from the driver’s seat. His new life had absolutely nothing to do with Reid. Suddenly, puttering around town in a kid-scented reminder sounded like less of an escape and more like hell on wheels.
“Wait!” Luke bolted through the front door and gripped Reid’s wrist with both hands, prepared to put up a fight if Reid tried to get away. “Please, don’t…not until I look at you.”
Luke’s eyes glistened. He brought a trembling hand to Reid’s cheek and patted unbelievingly. Luke’s strong arms pulled Reid in and hugged him tight to his chest. His hot breath tickled Reid’s ear. “Oh God, I missed your face.”
Reid’s body tensed before his arms, on their own accord, wrapped around Luke’s back. This was how he had pictured his return, down to the tears Luke was spilling against his neck. It was everything he hoped for. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. “Luke, you’re not even wearing shoes. You should go back inside.”
“Will you come with me?” Luke’s bloodshot eyes pleaded with Reid, his strong hands kneading Reid’s shoulders. “Nobody’s home.”
The correct answer was easy. Reid knew what he should say, but he didn’t always do what was best. “For a minute.” He rubbed at the warning prickling the back of his neck as he followed Luke into the living room.
Luke busied himself picking up dolls and plastic cups and tossing them in a bin out of the way. “Kenna tried to cheer me up with a tea party.”
“Did it work?”
“Not even if we had all the tea in China.” The air was heavy with silence. Reid kept his eyes to the floor, hearing Luke getting closer as he spoke. “I searched for you.”
Reid’s eyes darted in Luke’s direction, but never made the connection Luke was looking for. “I know.”
“When they found the crash site, everyone tried to convince me that you were dead. But I felt you out there somewhere.” Luke’s chin quivered, as it always did when he thought about his fruitless hunt for Reid. It was hard not to fall into that familiar, overwhelming feeling of despair, even as he watched Reid breathe and fidget in his doorway. “Does that make sense?”
“No.” Reid said bluntly. Nothing made sense now. “I get it, though.”
“Look at me, Reid.” Luke waited patiently for Reid to grant his request with his hand tapping against his thigh, a nervous habit Luke hadn’t realized he had adopted. “Did you really walk in a storm to stand at my door for ten minutes and turn away?”
That got Reid’s attention. His eyes narrowed, his tone accusatory. “How do you know how long I was outside?”
“Because, for over an hour, I’ve been staring out the kitchen window and praying you would show up. Trust me. I saw you coming from down the block.”
Reid should have known. Every good Victorian heroin’s go-to move was the old praying gaze out the window. He smiled against the pain of his broken heart aching. “What an idiotic waste of time.”
“One thousand fifty-nine days you could have been with me, but you weren’t. That was a waste.” Luke took Reid’s hand, his thumb laying circles on the soft skin of his wrist.
With a tender touch, Luke moved his hands up Reid’s arms, over his shoulders and twisted his fingers through Reid’s curls. “I wasted so much time trying to remember how you smell or the feel of your hair.” Luke pulled close, nudged Reid’s nose with his own. “I miss how you taste. What do you miss, Reid?”
Luke was so close, his body heat nearly scorching Reid’s skin. It was just like the old days. Even when they couldn’t stand each other, their bodies recognized what their brains didn’t want to admit. That hadn’t changed and letting go, claiming Luke’s lips…nobody could blame them. Reid turned his chin away.
“The car.” Reid blurted. He had a tenuous hold on the sob trapped in his chest. Reid wasn’t going to make this any harder for Luke, which meant he had to leave. “You asked what I miss. I need my car.”
It was like a cold glass of water being poured over Luke’s head. When Reid was declared dead, there weren’t many possessions to spread around. That car was all Luke wanted. It smelled like Reid. Sitting in the driver’s seat, Luke would close his eyes and imagine Reid beneath him. He would nestle into Reid’s lap, his imaginary arms pressed tight against Luke’s sides. Luke sat in that car all the time. He had never planned on giving it up.
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” Luke walked into the kitchen and pulled a key ring from the hook by the door. A cold rush of air hit his face as he stepped down into the garage and he looked back over his shoulder to make sure Reid was following. “How else are you going to get back and forth from the hospital? Bob must be over the moon about your triumphant return to the wing.”
“Luke, I’m not…I’ve been thinking.” Reid pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t want to be the cause of any more pain for Luke. His departure might sting, but in the end, Luke would be better off. Reid took the keys that Luke extended to him and clutched them in his fist. “Oakdale’s not the place for me anymore.”
Stumbling back, Luke slid down the side of his SUV. His ass hit the concrete and he drew his knees to his chest. It was déjà vu all over again. The moment happened three years ago, the place, his mother’s living room as his father told him that Reid’s plane had sent a distress call before losing communication somewhere over the Appalachian Mountains. He told Reid now the same thing he had said to Holden then. “You’re wrong.”
Reid knelt by Luke’s side. He hesitated before putting his hand on Luke’s head, petting softly as Luke cried. “Shh, shh.” Reid stood and pulled Luke to his feet. “Listen-“
Luke had spent the last three years listening. Most of what he heard had been lies. He had more than enough. “No, it’s my turn to talk. I know I should have searched harder. I lost faith and I’m sorry, but I never stopped loving you. Let me show you that I’ve learned from my mistakes. Don’t punish me by-“
“Is that what you think?” Reid turned his back to Luke, his hands scrubbing roughly down his face. He had let time fade the memories of how infuriating Luke could be. He spun around and stared Luke in the eye. “I will stay in Oakdale if you can answer this. Are you willing to give up the life you have now for a chance with me?”
“Ye-“
“Wait.” Reid pulled his phone from his pocket. He held it out so they could both hear it ringing.
Luke’s pants began to vibrate. He looked at the name on his screen. “Reid, why are you calling me?”
“Don’t pick up. Just let it ring.”
After the fifth ring, Kenna’s voice echoed off the walls. “Luke can’t come to the phone ‘cause he’s playing with me. What else do I say?” Reid watched Luke’s face fall. He had his answer. Luke’s love for that little girl was undeniable. “Leave a message and he’ll call you back when we’re done. Do I hang up now?”
Reid snapped his phone shut. His thumb brushed a tear from Luke’s cheek. “I’m trying to do the right thing here. Think of it as punishment if you want to, but staying would be torture.”
Luke stumbled forward and sobbed against Reid’s neck. “This isn’t fair.”
“Whoever told you that life is fair was a liar.” Reid put a finger under Luke’s chin. This was really goodbye and Reid wanted to remember every detail of his face. “We could have been something amazing.”
Luke shook his head. His voice trembled as he whispered. “We were.” Luke cleared his throat. “If you won’t change your mind, give me one last kiss before you go. Please, Reid.”
Reid cupped Luke’s cheek. He watched Luke close his eyes and leaned in slowly.
“Luke! Luke!” The front door opened with a bang. Kenna’s tap shoes clicked on the tile of the kitchen floor. “Daddy bought me ice cream after class.”
Life wasn’t even kind enough to give them this moment. His lips diverted to Luke’s forehead. “Goodbye, Luke.”
Eyes still closed, Luke felt the absence of Reid’s arms. He gasped when he heard the door to Reid’s car shut. He only got a glimpse of Reid before he was blinded by the headlights. Luke hadn’t seen Reid since, not until today.
Luke’s eyes fluttered open and he immediately felt light-headed again. Reid was leaning over him on the floor. Tears pooled as Luke had the terrifying thought that he could be hallucinating. He had smacked his head pretty hard. But then Reid’s fingers brushed the hair from Luke’s forehead and the gentle touch was so real.
“Welcome back.” Reid sat back on his heels. “Are you done acting like a drama queen?”
Luke struggled to a sitting position, ignoring his doctor’s warning about his incision. “What the hell is going on?”
Reid threw Luke’s arm around his shoulder, prepared to help him up when Dr. Leonard stepped in.
“Are you insane?” She called an orderly from down the hall and pulled Reid away. “You have stitches too, dummy.”
“Dummy?” Reid’s eyebrows rose comically. “That’s a new one.”
Dr. Leonard directed traffic around the room like a conductor in front of an orchestra. Before Luke could even comprehend what was happening, he was lifted onto the bed and she had his shirt pulled up, dressing pulled back.
“You may have an uglier scar from your collapse, Mr. Snyder-Hanson-“
“Just Snyder.” Luke strained to look over his shoulder. He wanted to make sure Reid was listening.
“Mr. Just Snyder, but everything is intact.” Dr. Leonard wadded her latex gloves and tossed them in the trash. “Now, I’m sure you two have some things to discuss. Reid, I’ll leave your release papers at the desk. You’re free to go whenever you like.”
Luke stared at Reid for a long moment. Reid stared right back. Both had so much to say and no words to express their ever-changing thoughts. It was Reid who caved beneath the silence first.
“Let me check your head.”
Reid tenderly prodded at the knot forming on the back of Luke’s skull. He took out his pen light and Luke followed it dutifully. The second Reid put the light back in his pocket, the questions began.
“How long have you been here? So close to me?”
Sighing, Reid dropped on the side of the bed. He kept his face in profile to Luke hoping that he gave nothing away with his expressions. “Six days.”
“Six days?” Luke whispered. “So, you were here when you sent me that first text.”
Reid simply nodded.
“And Dr. Leonard was your…Open your shirt, Reid.”
“Luke, I don’t-“
Luke grabbed Reid’s shoulder and pushed as hard as he could, spinning Reid around to face him. A flash of anger coursed through him. Luke’s eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. “Open your damn shirt, Reid.”
Reid slowly undid each button and pulled the material away to show Luke what he wanted to see. Luke placed his hand over his own side and gasped. “Oh my God.”
“Calm down. You’re going to hyperventilate.”
Every pounding heartbeat only served to rev Luke up more. He didn’t want to lie down any longer. He needed to pace, to process. “Oh my God.”
The corners of Reid’s mouth quirked briefly. “You said that already.”
Luke’s eyes gave a warning. This was no time for jokes. “Why would you?”
Reid shrugged. He thought it would be obvious. “What’s mine is yours.”
Exhaling in a painful shudder, Luke’s bottom lip quivered. “I used to say that-“
“Whenever I would steal food from your plate.” Reid’s entire body seemed to be focused on not touching Luke. One slip of concentration and Reid knew he would do something they were both likely to regret. “I remember.”
Great, wet, heaving sobs wracked Luke’s body. He couldn’t control them any more than he could the wind. Luke had mourned the loss of their love like this many times before, but for the first time, Reid pulled him close, breathing soothing sounds into his ear and carding his fingers through Luke’s hair.
“What happens now?” Luke crumpled fistfuls of Reid’s shirt in his hands. “Don’t leave me. I can’t…I can’t.”
Reid had been this close to making his escape. He had been correct the first time he said it and it was still true today. This town had tentacles. With Luke pleading, Reid couldn’t run away if he tried. “I’m not going anywhere right now.”
**********
Crossed leg bouncing rapidly, Katie glared across the table at Al’s and ripped viciously into one of Jacob’s French fries. “Don’t give me that face, Dr. Oliver. I’m still extremely pissed at you.”
Reid smiled down at the table, his eyes slowly meeting Katie’s face. “You can’t take it personal, Blondie. I didn’t let anyone know I was here.”
“Except Bob and Lucinda, the staff in Plastics and half the Renal surgical team.” Katie shoved a chicken nugget in Jacob’s mouth as he hurriedly scribbled green dots on a yellow dinosaur. “Oh, and let’s not forget about Luke.”
“You were next on my list.”
“Gee, thanks.” Katie rolled her eyes and picked silently at her salad. “You know, I’m going to want to talk about him.”
A spoonful of chili stopped midway to Reid’s mouth. He glanced up quickly and nodded. “I assumed you would.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
Reid dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin and thoroughly chewed. “Not entirely, no.”
Katie drummed her fingers several times before slapping them against the table. “Too bad. So, have you seen him?”
“Not since our little run-in at the hospital.”
“Why not?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Reid smashed crackers in his hand, the crumbs coating the inside of his bowl. “I wonder how the PI would feel about me asking his husband on a date.”
A smile grew steadily on Katie’s face until all her teeth were visible. “He can't get bent out of shape if you accidentally bump into one another. Jacob, give Uncle Reid a hug. We have to go.”
“Go?” Reid spoke around the cornbread in his mouth.
“Yeah, sorry.” Katie threw her purse on her shoulder. She whispered in Reid’s ear before giving him a peck on the cheek. “Your date’s here.”
“Luke!” Jacob jumped up and down. “Can Kenna play?”
“Oh, she’s not here, buddy.” Luke smiled at Katie. “I don’t know what your plans are, but she’s riding with Dad. I’m sure they’d love it if you and Jacob stopped by.”
“What do you say? Wanna ride horses?”
Jacob dragged Katie by the hand. “Later, Uncle Reid.”
Luke bit his lip, grinning as he watched Jacob skip to the car. He glanced at Reid out of the corner of his eye, sending out vibes that he wanted Reid to invite him to sit down. That didn’t work, so Luke placed his hand on the back of the chair.
Reid pursed his lips and sighed. “You can sit down-“ He flinched at the speed with which Luke took the seat. “if you want.”
“How are you feeling?” Luke put his elbows on the table and hunched his shoulders. “The antibiotics took care of the infection?”
“Yes,” Reid kept his eyes on his hand curled around a glass of soda. It would take courage to look at Luke directly and he was building it slowly. “But you already know that. I told you yesterday.”
Luke scratched nervously behind his ear. “Just checking.”
Reid struggled through a few bites of chili while Luke snacked on Jacob’s forgotten fries. The silence was thick and too full of meaning for Reid’s liking. He dropped his spoon noisily. “How do we do this?”
“Do what?”
“Be…” Reid’s face twisted like he had tasted something sour. “friends.”
Luke chuckled and shook his head. “I almost forgot how bad you are at this. Didn’t you meet anyone while you were traveling?”
Reid shrugged. “I met plenty of people.”
“And how did you approach them?” Reid’s eyes darted to the floor and Luke grimaced. “Nevermind. New topic. Tell me where you’ve been.”
“All over.”
“Specifics are good when carrying on a conversation, Reid. Have you forgotten all of our lessons?”
“Don’t yell at the nurse. Don’t flirt with the nurse.” Reid smiled proudly.
Luke clapped slowly three times. “My prized pupil. How’s that working out for ya?”
Sucking on his top lip, Reid grinned over the rim of his glass. “I avoid nurses.”
The conversation flowed easily from there. Luke and Reid laughed and argued, made new memories and side-stepped mentioning old ones. Neither knew how long they had been sitting there or how many people had come and gone. They were oblivious to everything, even the sorrow in Knox’s face as he stood at the window and witnessed happiness bloom in Luke like he had never seen before.
**********