Chapter 8: Suprising Information
Justin lived in his own personal hell, trying to stay with Brian, argue with hospital administrators over Chase, and take care of Gus. Basically, if his little boy didn't have the surgery soon, there wouldn't be a need to have the surgery at all. He'd called his father and pleaded with him to no avail. To top it all off, Brian's friends would be arriving soon and he just didn't know what was going to happen. He was so very tired.
"Mr. Taylor?"
Justin looked up and saw a very well-dressed man holding a briefcase standing in front of him. "Yes, I'm Justin Taylor."
"Mr. Taylor, my name is Cole Raines, I'm Mr. Kinney's attorney. He faxed me some paperwork the other day, and after hearing about his accident, I figured it would be best if I brought these things to you personally."
Justin stared at the man in confusion, "I'm not sure what you are talking about, Mr. Raines."
"Call me Cole, please. Well, Mr. Kinney wanted to see to it that you and your son would be taken care of should anything happen to him. Of course, I'm sure he never expected anything like this to happen so quickly, but it's good that he planned ahead. Basically, what all this means, Mr. Taylor, is that while Mr. Kinney is unable to make decisions for himself or his companies, you hold all the power."
Justin shook his head in disbelief. "I don't want any of this. I never asked for this."
"Well, it's a good thing that you do have the power, Mr. Taylor, because someone is going to have to look out for Brian's best interests, and he seemed to trust you to do that."
"Just what does all this mean?" Justin fidgeted around on the chair.
"Well for one thing, you know the trouble you are having with the hospital administration regarding your son's surgery?"
Justin tilted his head and whispered, "How did you know about that?"
"I make it my business to know these things, Mr. Taylor. Now, let's go take care of this little problem, shall we?"
Justin accompanied the handsome lawyer to the administrator's office. He'd been trying to get an appointment to see the woman since yesterday, when Chase took sick, without any luck. He watched in amazement as they were immediately admitted to the office.
"Mr. Taylor, I'm not sure why you felt the need to bring a lawyer with you as I'm sure your lawyer, Mr. Raines, has pointed out the hospital is within its rights." The pinched- faced woman spoke briskly.
"I'm only here to ensure that Mr. Taylor's interests, as well as those of his partner and son, are well looked after." Cole sat down in the chair and smiled. "I'm a bit concerned to find out that you have refused Mr. Taylor's request that his son have an operation."
The woman seemed to be agitated. "We are not required by law to perform expensive operations for free."
"I don't recall anyone asking you to do it for free. As a matter of fact, Mr. Taylor's wealth is not in question as it's quite considerable. What is in question here is the fact that a hospital that receives federal funds would deny a child a life-saving heart surgery. I can just imagine the feeding frenzy the press would have with that little bit of information." Cole leaned forward and gave the woman a menacing stare.
The woman swallowed hard. She knew that Raines was the head of the largest law firm in Pittsburgh. "Are you threatening me?"
Cole chuckled softly. "Lady, I wouldn't waste my time on threatening you. I have much bigger fish to fry. However, if my client's son isn't scheduled for the next available surgical rotation, I'll make it my personal mission in life to bury this facility. That isn't a threat, either, it's a promise."
Justin watched as the blood seemed to drain from the woman's face before she stuttered, "Well I am not sure…I have to…"
Cole stood up and smiled. "I'm glad to see that we have come to an understanding. I also need to make sure you know that Mr. Taylor has full authority regarding Mr. Kinney's care."
The flustered woman nodded her head. "Of course."
"You have a very nice day." Cole turned and motioned for Justin to precede him, and they both exited the office.
"That was amazing," Justin whispered.
Cole gave him a little wink. "You just have to know how to handle these people."
When they arrived back at the waiting room area for the ICU, Justin noticed that the entire gang had showed up in his absence. Michael was questioning a nurse very loudly while the rest seemed to be ganging up on his mother.
"What's going on here?" Justin asked.
The nurse seemed to breathe a huge sigh of relief and walked over to Justin. "Mr. Taylor, I've been trying to explain to your friends that we can't give out any information on Mr. Kinney without your consent. His condition is still the same. However, the doctor would like to talk to you. I'll just tell him you're back."
Justin smiled at the nurse he'd gotten to know over the last two days. "Thanks Emily, I appreciate everything you've done."
Gus ran over to Justin and held up his arms, so Justin stooped down and picked the little boy up and held him tightly. "Daddy Justin, when will Daddy wake up?"
"I think the doctor is about to talk to me about that, l'il guy, will you stay with Gramma Jen for a little while more?"
Gus hugged Justin's neck tightly. "Okay, I'll be a good boy."
Justin put the little boy down and ruffled his hair. "I know you will."
"Would someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here?" Michael demanded, glaring at Justin.
A doctor walked into the room and said, "Mr. Taylor, I'd like to talk to you for a moment concerning Mr. Kinney's care."
"He doesn't have a say in Brian's care. He's just some trick that stayed around too long," Michael informed the doctor. "If you need to speak to someone about Brian, you can talk to me."
The doctor looked a bit confused and said, "I thought you were Mr. Kinney's partner. We aren't allowed to discuss a patient with just anyone, so what's going on around here?"
Cole stepped forward, pulling some papers from his briefcase. "I believe this is all you need to see, doctor. Mr. Taylor is Mr. Kinney's partner and has complete control over his care."
"Partner? You've got to be kidding. What kind of scam are you trying to pull here?" Michael waved his arms around frantically.
Cole turned and caught the dark-haired man's gaze. "Let me assure you this is no scam. I'm Mr. Kinney's attorney, and I have signed documents stating that not only is Mr. Taylor his partner, but the sole custodian of his entire estate."
"That just can't be right. He would have named me. I'm his best friend," Michael sputtered.
The doctor turned to Justin. "We think he'll be waking up shortly. I just wanted to inform you. Also, you will need to be available to meet with the surgeon assigned to your son's case. He should be here shortly."
Justin smiled. "Thank you."
As soon as the doctor left, Gus ran back over to Justin. "Daddy Justin, what did he say about Daddy?"
"Of for God's sake! Gus, he's not your Daddy anything. Your father is in there, probably dying because of this jerk," Michael exclaimed in a very loud voice.
Gus' eyes filled with tears and he looked up at Justin. "Is Daddy going to die?"
Justin pulled the boy up in his arms, rocking him gently. "No one is going to die Gus, no one. We will be a family and live in the house you pick out."
Gus hugged Justin's neck so tight he stopped the air flow to Justin's lungs. "I love you, Daddy Justin."
Michael walked over and jerked Gus out of Justin's arms. "I won't stand around and let you fill his head with your bullshit lies. I'm taking him with me. Since you have the hospital staff brainwashed, call me and let me know when Brian wakes up."
Gus started to kick and scream at the top of his lungs. "Daddy Justin, I want to stay with you. Don't let him take me."
Cole stepped forward and towered over Michael. "I suggest you put Brian's son down this instant."
"I have the right to take him. Lindsay, his mother, gave me that right."
"I don't care what his mother gave you. He's Brian's son. Brian has retained sole custody since the accident. Justin is Brian's partner, so that gives him more rights to the boy than you have. Put him down, now." Cole's voice became more and more menacing with each word he spoke.
As soon as Michael put Gus down, the little boy ran sobbing into Justin's waiting arms.
Cole looked around the waiting room at all the people gathered there. "If you people can't accept Brian's wishes then get the hell out. Justin has enough to deal with right now without all you people making his life more difficult."
Justin sat down and held Gus tightly. He simply wanted Brian to wake up so he could give him a big hug and tell him how very sorry he was for everything.
"My Daddy will fix it all, Daddy Justin. I know he will"
Justin hugged the little boy tighter, hoping his words would come true very soon.
Justin was glad that Cole was there to deal with Brian's friends for him. He wasn't sure he'd know how to handle them on top of everything else. He was pacing back and forth waiting for word on Chase's surgery when he got word that Brian was awake. He ran down the hall and went right into the private room carrying Gus.
"Daddy! I told Daddy Justin you'd wake up and make everything better."
Brian used his good hand to squeeze the bridge of his nose trying to head off the massive headache he felt coming on. "Quiet voice Gus."
Gus immediately lowered his voice just a tiny bit and said in an exaggerated whisper, "Sorry Daddy, but I knew you'd make everything better."
"How are you feeling, Brian?" Justin asked softly as he walked toward the bed slowly.
Brian gave the best smile he could muster. "Just peachy."
"Daddy, you have to get up and go make Chase better. I took care of him as best as I could, but Daddy, Justin said it wasn't my fault he got sick. He's sick now and you have to go make him better."
Brian turned worried eyes toward Justin. "What's he talking about?"
"Chase is having heart surgery as we speak. They're placing mess-wire stents inside the arteries to reinforce them. We hope this'll be the last time we have to go through this, but we don't know." Justin sat down on the edge of Brian's bed, placing Gus next to him. "Don't climb on your father, Gus. You have to sit very still, okay?"
"I'll be good, Daddy Justin." Gus looked at the cast on his father's arm and held up his arm. "Look Daddy, we match."
Justin and Gus stayed in Brian's room until word came about Chase's surgery. He'd pulled through like the little trooper he was and the doctors said his prognosis was excellent.
Justin spent some time visiting with Chase, then returned to Brian's room. "He looks so helpless all hooked up to those machines."
"Listen Justin, why don't you take Gus and go to a hotel with your mother. You look exhausted. I'll be here and I'll call you if anything changes."
"No, I really can't leave him here. I have to…"
Brian interrupted Justin. "Do you think I would let anything happen to him?"
Justin looked shocked that Brian would even ask such a question. "Of course not."
"Then go get some rest. I'll look after him." Brian smiled reassuringly at the blonde.
Justin nodded. He was going to have to start trusting Brian. He leaned down and lovingly kissed the man's mouth. "Thank you for everything."
Brian returned the kiss. "You never have to thank me for looking out for my family."
Justin took Gus and left.
The next two weeks seemed to fly by. Even though Chase would have to be watched and he'd have to take his medication, he was finally free to come home. They were all finally free to go home, having spent the last couple of weeks living out of a hotel room.
Their first night back at Muncherville, as Brian called it, went very smoothly. Both boys went to bed, which gave Brian and Justin time together. Justin snuggled up against Brian's body in the king-size bed. "I'm so happy he's home."
"Yeah, he's such a strong kid. He must take after his father." Brian hugged Justin closer with his good arm and drifted off to sleep.
Epilogue
Brian woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee, the sound of hushed voices, and the feel of the bed dipping. When he opened his eyes, he saw all three of his boys sitting on the bed with a big tray piled full of food and suddenly three voices started singing, "Happy Birthday to You." Brian bit his lip to keep from groaning out loud, not because he thought the singing was all that bad, but because he was yet another year older. His eyes traveled over his boys, as he'd been calling them for two years now. They were all smiling and seemed happy, and that was all that really mattered to him.
"Daddy Brian what are we doing today?" Chase asked as he slid closer and gave Brian a hug.
Brian ruffled the blonde hair and placed a kiss on the boy's temple. His little Chase. He swallowed hard as the sudden thought of how close they'd come to losing him rushed into his mind. He groaned as Gus climbed over him to the other side to place a kiss on his cheek. "Hey, Sonny boy."
"Dad, Chase and I want to go to work with you guys." Gus snuggled close to his father.
Brian hugged Gus with his free arm. "Now how are you going to do that? We don't work at the same place."
"I want to go with you, Daddy Brian," Chase stated emphatically.
"I want to go with Daddy Justin," replied Gus.
Brian chuckled and shook his head glancing up at Justin. "Exactly when did we switch sons?"
Justin grinned brightly and shrugged. "I don't know, but Gus is going to be the next artist in the family, and I think Chase has his eyes set on taking over Kinnetik from you."
Brian rubbed his hand along Chase's back. "So, Tiger, are you gonna run my company for me
Chase leaned back and smiled. "I'm gonna be the best ad man since my Daddy Brian!"
Brian and Justin both laughed at his comment.
Gus watched all this and figured he'd get in on the merriment. "Well I'm gonna be the best artist since my Daddy Justin, so there!"
Everyone laughed again. Justin set the tray down and crawled into the bed with his family. Gus immediately climbed all over Justin.
"Hey little guy, aren't you getting too big for this?" Justin asked softly.
"Never!" Gus replied.
Justin hugged Gus close to his chest and looked over the brown head to stare into the hazel eyes of his partner. "Happy Birthday, Brian. What do you want for your birthday?"
"I've already got everything I'll ever need in this bed with me."