Page 17 of Protecting Silver
Once he left Silver’s room, he made his way down to the doctor’s lounge, and instead of showering, he changed into his set of clean running gear he’d placed in his locker just that morning. When he had time, he liked to run. Since retiring from the Marines almost five years ago, and being a trauma surgeon, not only over in Helena, but since he’d transferred back to Elk Junction, he hadn’t had the time to run. Now all he wanted to do was run, to not only clear his head, but to get his priorities straight. He had a lot to think about. After he changed into a set of sweats and a tee shirt, he tied up his shoes, strapped his I-pod to his upper arm, and stuffed the buds in his ears. He didn’t turn on the music until he was outside. He did at least seven minutes of warm-ups and leg stretches, then at the last minute he purchased a bottle of water from the street vendor. He had a running tab with the guy, and knew he was good for it. Armed with music, water, and a desire to clear his head, Patch set off at a steady pace. One hundred yards into his run, he turned on his music and let the sounds begin to soothe his soul. He knew the oldies rock and roll from the fifties wasn’t really running music, but it was for him. He loved listening to how it all began, and when music was music, not the crap that kids listened to today that Patch swore caused his ears to bleed after only thirty seconds of listening. Shaking his head to try to clear it, he didn’t take long to get into a steady rhythm of running. Down three blocks and on the other side of the street, Patch entered the woods that he knew had several hiking as well as running trails. He picked one of the more difficult ones, and set out.
As he ran, he felt the tension leave his shoulders, and his mind began to clear. Nodding along with the music playing in his ears, and how his mind started to click into place with his priorities, he continued to run at a steady pace. When he felt the back of his tee begin to stick to him. He opened the water and downed several swallows as he continued to run.
Point one, he had learned a few days ago, that the Fosters, the couple that had tried to adopt him when he was six, had retired and were moving closer to where he and their adopted daughter, Patty, lived. When Patch had moved back to Elk Junction last year, that hadn’t been a thought in his figuring to move. He did it because whenever Finn Larson, his best friend, had a fundraiser for his Foundation, Patch always found himself attending, and since meeting Silver at the aquarium fundraiser years ago, he came back, not only to support the cause, but to see Silver. He had been biding his time with the move, learning a new hospital, and establishing himself in the area before he asked her out. Besides, back then, he sensed she wouldn’t be receptive to what he had to offer. If he was completely honest with himself, he was looking for a forever relationship, not a one-night stand, or someone to date, then have to cancel out on the last minute when a trauma came into the hospital. He wanted a woman that would understand how important his job was to him, and then have someone who was just as passionate about her job, and he would support her one hundred percent.
Shortly after he moved back, he’d learned the Fosters were thinking about moving back. They still considered Patch their ‘son’ and treated him as such. Since reconnecting with them, they’d talked on the phone several times a week. While still living in Helena, Patch had found himself sitting down at their dinner table several times a month, and when it was his birthday, they’d invited his friends from work, and Patty would arrive with her husband, Norm. Patch was damn-near thirty-five years old, and during those times, he felt like a kid in a candy shop. Never in his wildest dreams would he think he had missed having a family of his own, until he was on the receiving end of such love, and devotion.
Now the only issue with his past he had was that he wanted to know why Merrick had taken him away when Patch had been weeks away from being adopted. After hooking up with the Fosters again, the four of them had sat down and told him what they went through that day he disappeared from their lives, while he in turn had told them what Merrick had done. That was when Patch began to think that maybe Merrick wasn’t on the up and up as he said he’d been. He couldn’t do anything now until he heard back from Tex and the investigation he’d started to look into about Patch’s former caseworker. Secretly, Patch hoped Tex found Merrick to be dirty, and Patch would be the first one to start prosecuting him. Oh, he knew it would be a long shot, because of the statute of limitations, but still, he could raise his voice until someone heard him, and maybe get the people in authority to start looking into the background of their workers as deeply as the workers looked into the background of the people they said were bad parents and took their kids away from them, only to realize later that half the time, they’d jumped the gun and been wrong. It was a long shot, but one he was willing to take. He knew he had the Foster’s support if he did anything.
His next issue to clear in his mind was Silver. He wanted to ask her out on a date like he wanted his next breath of air, but he didn’t think now that she was recovering from her ordeal, she’d give him the time of day. As much as he didn’t want to, he realized he was going to have to contact his best friend, Finnegan Larson, and talk to him about his non-existent dating life. But, before he put all his cards on the table, then ask for dating advice, he needed it clear in his head what he actually wanted in a relationship, and if Silver Roundtree was the person for him. His heart screamed yes, but his head told him to slow down, and take into consideration what Silver had been through in the past, as well as in the last few days. Then again, the practical side said that maybe he should wait until Tex got back with him about any information that he’d dug up on Freedman, then he could proceed to pursue Silver. Shaking his head, he cranked up the music, downed the rest of his water and poured on the speed. He didn’t know if he was running from his own lack of courage to confront Silver in asking her for a date, or his thoughts of what he wanted to do with Freedman if he ever saw the man in the area and around his woman. When he came out of the woods further down from the hospital, Patch felt good about some things, but was still confused about others. He realized the confusion settled around Silver, and how she would react if he asked her out on a date.
Once he decided, that would be the first step in him letting her know how much he liked her, now he had to decided, should he do it before she left the hospital, after she’d been home for a couple of weeks, or wait until she was completely healed and didn’t have her jaw wired shut any longer? He’d save that for his next run. He had a feeling he’d be doing a lot of running in the near future, which was good, because he’d found himself beginning to get a little out of shape.
Walking the five blocks back to the hospital gave Patch ample time to control his breathing, and get his heart rate back where it needed to be. When he went into the doctor’s lounge, several doctors looked at him and wrinkled their noses when they saw how sweaty he was. Before any of them could comment, he ripped his tee over his head, and felt several people stare at him. Though he was far from gay, he was used to undressing in front of males, since his time in the military. One of the doctors frowned at him and cocked his head to the side with a look of confusion on his face.
“What?” Patch asked as he went to his locker and began pulling out a clean set of clothes. Luckily there were individual showers, and he was going to use one of them before he left for the day. As he gathered his things, he stripped and wrapped a towel around his waist.
“Have you always been that ripped? What are you sporting? Is that what women call an eight pack? How many hours a day do you work out to obtain a body like that?”
Patch snorted a laugh, then looked down at his ‘eight pack’ and rubbed a hand over it. “I haven’t worked out in over six months. I just ran twelve miles to clear my head. I know I’m the new guy here, but before I became a trauma surgeon over at Helena General, I was in the United States Marine Corps for ten years. While there, though I was a medic, I still had to do everything everyone else did. So, this...” he patted his stomach, “...is compliments of the United States military. I just need to maintain it. But as for regular exercise, I do a few sit-ups and crunches every morning when I wake up, but today was the first time I’ve run more than five miles in over a year. Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m into fitness, but I’ve never seen a body like yours. Please, don’t think I’m hitting on you, I’m not. My wife would kick my ass.” All the other doctors around them laughed, then the next question out of Dr. Aderly’s mouth shocked the shit out of Patch.
“Would you like a running partner sometime? I don’t know if you like to run in a gym, but I’m a member and I’d like to think they have state of the art equipment. I’d love to get fit, so maybe we can partner up in our exercises.” That sparked a conversation as to what gym he went to, and before Patch headed to the showers, he had a business card, along with several phone numbers from his colleagues. Dr. Aderly was going to leave there and head to his gym, so he would talk to them about getting guest passes for anyone interested. Once he received the information, he’d contact everyone.
Not that Patch would blow him off, but he wanted to check the gym out first before he committed to putting any money down on a membership. All his PT had come from the military, and his own regimented discipline once he retired. As he showered, he had to chuckle at himself, because his discipline had been sorely lacking in the past. Maybe it would be good to be friends with his colleagues outside of work, and they could have the common interest of exercising together. As he thought about who was interested, he realized they were a mixed group of men, some married, some dating, some single, and from all different fields of study. Feeling better about himself, he finished dressing, then left the locker room with his bag full of his dirty, sweaty running clothes. On the way out to the parking lot, he stopped and paid his tab with the outside vendor he’d gotten his coffee from that day, as well as the water before his run. He liked to pay at the end of the day, as he didn’t always carry his wallet on him. Feeling lighter than he had in a long time, Patch made his way out to his truck, and headed home. Now, all he had to do was get up the courage to ask Silver out on a date.
* * *
Almost a weeklater Patch found himself with unexpected time off, so after he cleaned his apartment, and went for a run. He decided to go see if he couldn’t catch his best friend, and set up a time to meet with him later. He knew he could call him on the phone, but Patch wanted to get out and enjoy the day. Being cooped up in a hospital for hours on end when he was at work, he enjoyed the outdoors. Deciding to walk the ten blocks from his apartment to the Larson Foundation, Patch took his time, and for the first time in a long, long time, he actually enjoyed his surroundings.
It had been months since he’d been at Finn’s job, and with no call ahead of time, Patch knew he was taking a chance whether Finn was available or not, a chance he was willing to take. After stepping off the elevator, he began walking down the hall, then grinned as he dropped to one knee and held out he arms. He didn’t have long to wait before eighty pounds of dog barreled into his chest. Patch rubbed Major down, and was laughing so hard he fell on his behind. Major was so excited that he ended up straddling Patch, and licked the man’s face as he got his sides rubbed.
Patch heard a foreign word from above him and the dog, then suddenly all of Major’s weight fell like a ton of bricks onto his chest. He gave an ‘oomph’, then looked up at his best friend’s grin.
“What the hell?” Patch asked, after trying to get Major to move, so he could breathe.
“New trick I’m teaching him. How to hold a suspect without using his teeth.”
“It works, call him off.” Again, a foreign word was spoken, and Major jumped to his feet, then went over and stood beside his master. Patch frowned at both of them, then laughed when Major leaned over and licked his face. He took the hand Finn offered and wiped his face, then shook his head. “Nice trick, surprised the hell out of me.”
“Good, I’ve been dying to try it on someone, to see their reaction. You did just as the trainer promised, shocked so if someone wanted to come in and cuff you, they were restrained enough to be able to do it.” They started walking in the direction Patch had been heading before he’d run into Major. “Shocked the shit out of me when Major gave a woof, then tore out of my office like his ass was on fire. I didn’t know what to expect.” Finn indicated for Patch to go into his office, and as he took his seat behind his desk, asked his best friend, “So, what brings you here? Wait...” Finn frowned. “Why are you here in the middle of a work day? Is something wrong?”
“No, I found myself with a couple of days free, and thought I’d walk over to see if you had time to catch a beer later.”
“Like after work later?”
“Yeah, but only if you’re free.”
Finn didn’t answer until he looked at his calendar in front of him, then pulled his phone and accessed that one. When he was done, he nodded, then sent a quick text. Less than three minutes later, he received a response, only then did he look back at Patch.
“Yes, I can meet you for a beer. Sorry, but I had to text Veronica. She had mentioned something this morning about a meeting, and I’ll admit I failed to get all the details. Just wanted to confirm with her that she wouldn’t be home directly after work. Do you want to meet at a bar?”
“Could you come to my place? I know it’s not much, but I have a lot I’d like to discuss with you, and don’t want to be overheard.”
Finn frowned, but agreed to meet with him. He knew his friend enough to know that there was something on his mind. They talked for a good twenty minutes, catching up on their lives, until Finn said he had to go to a meeting. He picked up the folders he needed, talked to Major, who jumped to his feet and actually opened the door for them, then walked Patch to the elevator. They shook hands, and Finn promised to be at his place by five thirty, but no later than six.
Feeling better already, Patch rode the elevator down, and because he felt good, walked a different way home to take in all the sights he missed when he was a work. When he arrived home, he made an attempt to make something for supper, and by the time Finn knocked on his door, it satisfied him that he had something passable to serve his friend. He only hoped that Finn would realize he was buttering him up for some information about Silver, and wouldn’t shut him down if he felt used, but knowing Finn, if Patch came right out with why he was grilling him at the beginning, he knew Finn would help him.
