Keeping a Promise

 

Katie entered the room to check on her patient and Justin.  She glanced the toward bed noting that Paul was asleep, but Justin was nowhere in the room.  The retching sound from the bathroom got her attention.

 

“Justin I’m coming in.”  Katie gave Justin a few seconds before she opened the door.

 

Justin was leaning against the wall.  His skin as pale as the porcelain commode he was leaning against.  Katie wetted a washcloth and handed it to him.

 

“I’m a pedophile.” Justin said.  He was in a daze and trying to keep his stomach from lurching again.

 

“Take deep breaths.”

 

“Didn’t you hear me?”

 

“Yes sonny I did.  Wipe your face.” Katie instructed.

 

“He thinks he’s an eight year old.  Actually, he thinks he’s seven going on eight.  He’ll be eight next month.” Justin sighed loudly and banged the back of his head hard against the wall.

 

“That’s not going to help anything it’s just going to give you a headache and possibly a concussion.”

 

“And just maybe I’ll knock some fucking sense into myself!”

 

“Keep your voice down and the self-pity crap stops here.  You either suck it up or leave because you’re not going to be any help to your partner if you don’t.” Katie lectured.

 

“You’re right.  I should leave.” Justin through his hands up in defeat.

 

“That’s enough!” Katie muted her voice as not to wake up Paul, but kept enough power in it to snap Justin out of his self-indulgent pity party.

 

“What you did doesn’t make you a pedophile.  He’s a grown man.  You’re partner.  Now wipe you’re face, rinse you’re mouth and come join me in the lounge.”

 

“Yes ma’am.” Justin said with a touch of sarcasm, but he knew she was right.  And right now Katie was the only person he had to talk to.  This was tough love just like he’d always gotten from Deb and that’s exactly what he knew he needed if he was going to keep it together for Brian’s sake.

 

As Justin entered the lounge Katie was pouring two mugs of coffee.

 

“Coffee?” Katie offered as Justin skulked into the room taking a chair across from her.  He nodded and she set the steaming cup in front of him, then set herself down as well.

 

“Justin I’m just a nurse and you can take my advice or tell me to mind my own business.  Before you decide to ignore the advice I’m about to bestow upon you, please take into consideration that is comes from years of experience on this floor and 20 years as an Army nurse.  That said, instead of constantly berating yourself for whatever mistakes you think you’ve made take a few minutes and think about your partner.”

 

“I am thinking of him.  He’s all I’ve been thinking about.” Justin defended.

 

“Are you?  Have you considered how he’s feeling?  How confused, lost and scared he is right now?  You are his only connection to reality.  Think about how it must feel to have been beaten and left in a field to die only to have two strangers tell you you’re not who you always thought you were.  Then the two strangers take you to a hospital in a strange city where doctors probe and test you for hours.  Then to end up naked in a shower physically unable to help yourself.  And don’t give me that guilty face.  Please think about this before you decide to ditch him.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere.” The last remark pissed him off.  Yeah he’d messed up...fuck he did say he should leave him.

 

“I didn’t think so.”

 

The two sat silently for a few moments drinking coffee.  Justin stared out the window and silently considered all that had just been said. 

 

“Thanks for the lecture.  I needed it.”

 

A knock at the door then a head peeked in.  It was an orderly.

 

“Got another bed out here.  Which room does it go in?”

 

“5518 right across the hall and be quiet there’s a patient sleeping in there.”

 

“I better go in case the noise wakes him.  I promised I’d be there.”  Justin got up to follow the orderly.

 

“Goodnight Mr. Taylor.” Katie smiled warmly.

 

“Oh and next time just hit me upside my thick skull.”

 

“You got it sonny.  Now go get some sleep you’re going to need it.”

 

Brian’s room

 

Just as Justin was climbing into his bed next to Brian’s his cell phone went off.  He grabbed it quickly watching for Brian to stir from the noise. 

 

“Hold on a minute.”  Justin spoke into the phone.  When Justin was sure Brian was in a deep sleep he stepped out into the hallway to talk to Michael.

 

“How’s he doing?”

 

“Well, the good news is he woke up.”

 

“He still thinks he’s someone else?”

 

“He still thinks he’s Paul only now he’s a seven-year-old.”

 

“What the fuck!  How…why did that happen?”

 

“It just did Michael.  The doctor will be in tomorrow with his test results and there’s a consultation with a psychiatrist.  Hopefully, we’ll know more then.  Find out anything on your end?”

 

“Cynthia said something happened about a month ago.  She said that’s when Brian started acting weird and disappearing for hours.  Some old guy showed up at the agency claiming he had an appointment with Brian.  Said his name was William Robertson.  Brian was out at the moment so she showed him into his office.  When she told him his appointment was waiting he told her he didn’t have any client appointments that afternoon.  Yelled at her for letting some guy just walk in without an appointment then went into his office.  Cynthia said she thought she heard Brian raise his voice, but couldn’t hear what he was saying then the guy left.  After that Brian came out of his office she said he looked very pale and was really upset and told her that if the guy ever came into the agency again to call security.”

 

“He didn’t tell her why?”

 

“You know if Brian doesn’t offer an explanation you aren’t going to get one.  Carl got a copy of the video from the security camera outside the building.”

 

“And?”

 

“And the guy made sure to keep his face away from the camera.  Carl’s working with some crime techno geeks to try and enhance the image and see if there’s anything they can draw from it.”

 

“Is that everything?”

 

“Ma’s been threatening to go to Baltimore.  One of her boys is in trouble and she thinks she can help.  Carl’s been practically sitting on her.”

 

“You asshole, you told her.” Justin accused.

 

“No asshole, Carl told her.  Justin I gotta be up front with her about everything.  She’s practically his mother for christsake.”

 

“I know, but don’t let her come down here.”

 

“We’re trying.  So it must really be weird seeing Brian like that, huh?”

 

“Weird doesn’t even touch it.”

 

“Justin, I was thinking maybe I should go through Brian’s old stuff.  You know those boxes he keeps in storage.  I know he’s always been protective of that shit, but maybe I’ll find something.  Where does he keep the key?”

 

“On his keyring its in the middle desk drawer.  You know if he finds out…”

 

“Yeah well fuck it let him get mad.”

 

“Let me know if you find anything.  I’ll call you tomorrow after everything.  I better get back.  I promised I wouldn’t leave.  He seems really scared right now.”

 

“Brian scared now there’s one for the Kinney record book.”  Michael tried to lighten things up a bit.

 

“Yeah.  Talk to you tomorrow.”

 

Dr. Aktar’s office early the next morning.

 

“There are no abnormalities on any of the tests.  Physically Mr. Kinney is fine with the exception of his recent injuries.”

 

“So it’s up to the psychiatrist?”

 

“Yes, she will evaluate Mr. Kinney’s psychological condition and we go from there.”

 

“Can I sit in?”

 

“That’s not a good idea.  I know the state he is in and his personality now being that of a child has you concerned, but he is in good hands.  Dr. Baxter is well-known in the psychiatry field.  I’m sure she’ll make every effort to make Mr. Kinney feel comfortable.”

 

The doctor’s phone rings.

 

“Excuse me a moment I have to take this call.”

 

“Sure.” Justin gets up and heads for the door.

 

“Aktar.  Yes…I see.  One moment Mr. Taylor.  Yes, yes I’ll send him right away.”

 

“Something’s wrong with Brian.” Justin’s voice registered alarm.

 

“He’s okay, not hurt, but he’s locked himself in the bathroom and is asking for you.”

 

Justin bolted out the door.

 

In Brian’s room.

 

Upon entering Justin was met by a beautiful young black woman.

 

“Dr. Baxter?”

 

“Yes and your Mr. Taylor I presume?”

 

“Yeah, what happened?”

 

“Paul thinks I’m his social worker coming to take him back to child services or ‘The Home’ as he put it.  He became very distraught and ran into the bathroom before I could explain my presence to him.”

 

Justin walked over to the bathroom door.

 

“Paul it’s me Justin.  Remember from last night?”

 

“Justin?  You said you’d be here when I woke up.  You promised.” Paul’s voice was shaking and Justin cringed as he envisioned the betrayed look on his partners face.

 

“Paul I didn’t leave.  I had to talk to the doctor. Dr. Baxter only wants to talk to you.”

 

“Please, I don’t want to go back.  Please Justin I promise I’ll be good.  I promise.”

 

Justin wasn’t sure if it was the pleading or the sound of desperation in Paul’s voice, but it caused his chest to tighten and his throat to constrict.  All he wanted to do was break down the door and pull Brian into his arms and protect him from everything.

 

“Promises seem to mean a great deal to him.” Dr. Baxter observed.

 

Finding his voice Justin replied.  “They do to Brian.  He never breaks one.”

 

Dr. Baxter jotted something onto her notepad.

 

“Paul I promise I won’t let anyone take you anywhere you don’t want to go.  Okay?  Dr. Baxter only wants to talk to you.”

 

“Will you stay with me?”

 

Justin looked to the doctor for the answer.

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.  I need to talk to him alone with no distractions.”

 

“Paul I can’t stay in the room, but I will be right outside the door if you need me.”

 

“You promise?”

 

“I promise.”

 

“And you won’t let them take me away?”

 

“No way.”

 

“You promise that too?”

 

“I promise.  Cross my heart and hope to die.” Justin added the last part hoping Paul would see that he meant what he said.

 

Paul jerked open the door his eyes wide, fear and vulnerability written in them.

 

“No!  No don’t say that.  Never hope that.  Don’t say the die part ‘kay.  Don’t hope that.”

 

“Okay, okay I take it back.  I don’t hope that, but I do promise all that I said.”

 

“Can…um…can I hug you?”

 

Justin opened up his arms Paul walked into them. 

 

“Paul you can have a hug whenever you want one or need one.”

 

“’kay.  Thank you Justin.” 

 

“Are you ready to talk to me now Paul?” The doctor asked as the two men reluctantly broke the hug.

 

Paul nodded.

 

“I’ll be right outside.”

 

Justin walked out the door and did exactly as he’d promised.  Like a centennial he wasn’t going to budge.