Off Ones Rockers II • Lashton

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

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Alex was nervous, he hadn't had time to see Luke all day where he was busy with other patients and paperwork, but he had received some information from doctors highlighting that they couldn't determine whether Luke was unconscious from a concussion or due to his extremely low heart rate.

The grey-haired man bit his lip anxiously as his phone rang out. He had messaged the blondes mother, informing her that they need to discuss the blonde, and they had agreed to call in an hours time when she was free.

He played with the pen in his hand and scanned over the notes he had received from the doctors about the fifteen-year-old.

"Hello?" he heard the familiar yet so distant voice answer. Alex felt his body tense and his heart rate began to increase.

"Hi, Liz, Hello," he rushed out, excited yet terrified at the same time. He had rehearsed what he was going to say to her so many times but he still so clueless on what to say.

"I can't believe he's unconscious again," the mother said, he could sense her tearing up, clutching at something for dear life. "Is he being trouble? I could always move him somewhere else," she suggested, not wanting to cause trouble for the man.

"Luke's only been here for a couple of days," he reminded her. "As we discussed before, recovery can take months, even years to be fully achieved."

She sighed. "I know. I just want him to safe and okay. I really hoped it was just a silly little thing that he had gotten himself into, but this really is serious."

Alex wanted to give her some hope, but he couldn't tell her that this wasn't that bad. "He will get better Liz," he reassured her. "I managed to get him to eat a decent amount of cereal the other morning, and he's had a small amount of food here and there."

"It's better than nothing, I guess," Liz admitted, her voice becoming muffled as she moved a little further away from the speaker, clearly not wanting the man to hear her upset. "Why did you want to speak?" she asked quietly, knowing that it wasn't going to be a good thing since her son had just collapsed for the second time.

Alex remained silent for a couple of seconds, looking at the pieces of paper in front of him. "My only priority for Luke at the moment is to get his heart rate back to a normal and healthy one," he admitted to the mother She remained silent, knowing that he was just easing her into what he was going to say. "If that entails him gaining weight, then great! But I don't think that should be our main focus, and I think it will allow Luke to look at food a little easier as well, seeing it as something that will help his heart rather than something that contributes to his body's mass."

"Okay," Liz responded. She didn't really know what help Luke was supposed to get, what his therapy would entail. But she trusted what Alex was saying, knowing he was a professional with qualifications and years of experience.

"I want Luke to feel comfortable with eating, I don't want him to get upset or struggle when it comes to mealtime, I think it'll be better if he takes it slow and at his own pace," Alex explained.

"But, he needs to be eating enough," his mother interjected, concerned that her son wasn't going to be getting enough food still.

"Of course, but if we are going to keep his heart beating and Luke basically alive we are going to need to take further actions," Alex stated nervously.

"Further actions?" Liz questioned concerned. "Like what?" she asked hesitantly.

"I have been talking to a few of the doctors and they think the best thing for Luke for these first few difficult weeks would be a feeding tube," he explained, hoping she would agree to it, to prevent any further complications.

"A feeding tube," she repeated, clearly thinking about it. "It won't be as upsetting for him?" she asked, picturing her young son sobbing and shaking as he tried his hardest to eat the food that they were giving him.

"It will be a lot easier on Luke," he agreed. "Of course at first he is bound to be against the idea, as he is in no control. But, he doesn't have to consciously think about the process and we can therefore try and find a way to get him to eat enough comfortably."

She nodded behind the phone, realising that Alex couldn't see her. "Okay," she accepted. "Okay, but if it causes him to be any more upset then I want you to get rid of it," she informed strictly.

The therapist felt relief surge through his body, he knew this would be a huge step for the blonde in terms of his health and it would give him time to help the boy to determine why he wasn't eating and how they could get him to eat. "Thank you, Liz," he said gratefully, glad she was cooperating. "Luke has been great so far by the way," he told her, wanting to give her something positive to hold on to. "I don't think I've ever met a young boy so polite. You raised him well."

"Thank you," she said quietly, knowing that she was thorough in her parenting, wanting her children to respect anyone no matter what they do or say to them. "Luke's an odd one, but he's always been, my little boy. He was so perfect, he behaved so well," she remicised.

Alex sat upright up at her words and gripped his pen a little firmer. "Odd? What do you mean by odd?"

"Oh, um—You know just always seems to be in a little world of his own, surrounded by his own people. He never really had any friends but his little imaginary ones made up for that. He was so innocent."

"He still has these friends?" Alex questioned, scribbling some words down messily on a pad to the right of him.

"Oh, I don't know. He spent all his time in his room this past year, never saw him," she admitted. "But he's fifteen now, I doubt it. It was just childish imagination."

Alex didn't want to push her any further, not today anyway knowing that she would only get more upset. Besides he had to get to the ward in order to discuss plans with the doctors. "Thank you once again, Liz, this will really help Luke. I'll let you know how he gets on."

"Please do," she agreed, finding comforting in the updates of her son, knowing it was just something she got, not other parents.

"I will," he confirmed once again. "Take care Liz—" Alex wanted to say more but he stopped himself.

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