Under the Doctor's Care [10]

Fifty One

By the time Christopher left late Saturday afternoon, he was feeling much more like himself.  I was now in possession of Facebook messenger and I promised to check it daily. He was excited about getting to send me pictures and longer messages without bothering me. We made plans to have dinner together on Monday evening before he flew to Phoenix on Tuesday. He would be back Friday evening and his mother would arrive Saturday morning. It was a shame he would be in Los Angeles or I would have tried to plan a session that night.

Things didn't go according to plan. I had to cancel on Monday; my surgical rotation was changed due to an illness by one of the other doctors on my team. Christopher took it better than I did and we talked late that evening instead.  His luggage had arrived although he was upset at how much it had been rifled through. I didn't see that it mattered since it had all gone to the dry cleaners anyway but he seemed offended.

He missed one check-in, on Friday morning. I texted him instead when I got off work, reminding him that he had been remiss. He apologized profusely, apparently he wasn't stuck at the border but he was going to have to delay his return and wouldn't arrive until tomorrow morning.  I informed him that it would be quicker to drive but he didn't seem to think that was helpful. He was obviously stressed out. Part of me thought that it might be for the best that he didn't have too much time to sit around and worry before his mother arrived.

I offered to help Christopher by bringing wine and dessert. I stopped by Nelly's and picked up the key lime pie and half dozen chocolate chip cookies I had ordered, hoping they would make the journey safely. Dessert was tucked next to a chilled bottle of white wine and I brought a red as well since I didn't know what he was making. I should've asked but I hadn't wanted to interrupt or complicate his day.

He told me that arriving anytime between 6:00 and 6:30 would be fine.  I would have preferred a more narrow window but given the uncertainty of traffic, it was fine. I wondered if he knew that I sat in my car and waited until the allotted time. Perhaps he did and that's why he'd given me such a large window. I pulled in at 6:08 and gathered my things.

I heard a woman's laughter coming from behind his door before I knocked. That was a good sign. I rapped lightly four times and waited.

He seemed slightly breathless when he opened the door but his color was good and he smiled. "Hello Sir, thank you for coming."

"You're welcome." I let him take the bottle of red wine which was tucked awkwardly under my arm and I followed him into the kitchen to set down my box.  "Those should go in the refrigerator."

His mother came over, uncurling herself from the couch. He made room for the pie and then turned towards us.  "Mom, this is... this is my Dom, Gregory. And this is my mother, Mel."

I was so surprised by his introduction that I didn't react as quickly as I should have. He had used a boyfriend card and I had expected to be called by my name and introduced as his boyfriend.  Belatedly I turned towards her and held my hand out. " It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Stevenson ."

"And you, Greg.  Please call me Mel." She was younger than I had expected but I tended to judge people against my parents and she was probably 20 years younger than my mother. She had very light brown hair, almost blonde and it surprised me since Christopher was rather dark. It was cut in a stylish bob and her clothes were casual but classy and well cut. Her smile though, that was just like Chris's.

I saw him slide both bottles of wine and three glasses towards me. "Would you mind pouring? I'd like white but mom, red?"

"Yes dear. This is quite a treat. I can't remember the last time I had a glass of wine."

No, I certainly didn't mind. I was more than happy to have something to do. I wondered briefly if they had already talked about his father but there was really no polite way to find out. If they hadn't, this seemed like an opportune time. Mel took the glass of wine I offered and smiled. I handed Christopher his and he gulped half of it down quickly. Maybe that answered the question but it was just as likely that he was simply fortifying himself for what was about to happen.