Categories > Original > Drama > Separation
November 27, 1977
When he opened his eyes, Dr. Karl was still there. If not for the differently patterned necktie, he might have thought it was the same day. As it was, even through the drug stupor, Ray’s super instincts alerted him to this fact and by association that at least an additional twenty-four hours had gone by. He would have liked to ask what day it was, and what time, but his jaw still felt stiff and heavy with swelling and bridgework.
"Do you feel all right?" Dr. Karl asked.
Ray let his eyes drift closed for a moment longer than usual in reply.
"Good." A pause as the little doctor shifted on his stepstool, as if unwilling to speak. "You...have some visitors."
Ray’s expression visibly brightened beneath the bandages and bruising in the hope that his friends might be in the hall waiting to see him. Though he could not speak, Dr. Karl seemed to understand the question.
"I’m afraid it isn’t the boys," he answered. "It’s your parents."
Ray simply stared. His parents? It had been ten years since he’d seen them, as many since they’d last spoken to him. As far as they were concerned, he had died a decade ago. What on earth could they possibly be doing here?
"They’ve been very worried about you, you know," Dr. Karl went on, doing his level best to be reassuring, but Ray could see even he was having trouble believing his own words. "Your mother came down about a week ago to authorize treatment for you."
Ray made a mental note to update his will as soon possible. Dr. Karl was still talking.
"That was about three days ago. I told them they could visit with you as soon as you were well enough. Now it is entirely up to you if you want to see them or not, and I can certainly understand if you don’t. However, I believe their concern is real, and if not for their consent, you would probably still be lying here unconscious."
He waited a few moments while Ray thought it over.
"Do you want to see them?"
He supposed it couldn’t hurt. After all, what more could they possibly do to him? Scrunching his eyes closed, he gave Dr. Karl his answer.
"All right then. I’ll be here with you, just in case."
Ray felt guilty about the relief that brought.
Hopping down from the short stepstool, Dr. Karl crossed the floor and went out into the hall. After a few minutes, he opened the door again, admitting two much larger people. It had been ages since Ray had seen his parents. He had been a scant eighteen years old when they’d ejected him from the family. Ten years struggling to master a gift he couldn’t control and rejection he didn’t understand had hardened him into self-reliant adult. However, without that guilty sixth sense to help him, all he could see was that his parents had gotten older and grayer. Outside of that, very little had changed.
"Ruben..." his mother began, eyes welling up, "oh my dear..."
He'd forgotten how much he hated that nick-name. Even his grandfather- whom he'd been named after- had gone by his middle name (Edward) because he couldn't stand his given name. Still, unable to articulate much more than muffled grunts due to all the metal and plastic crowding his mouth, Ray could do little more than attempt a smile. It would be a lie to say he wasn't glad to see them; though it would be stretching the truth to say he was happy they were there. At first he had missed his parents and pined for their approval as only a son rejected could do, but after ten years, the idea that he could get along without their consent to everything he did or didn't do had become reality. Yet he couldn't help the nervous feeling crawling vaguely in his stomach. They would be angry about his living arrangements, about his friends, the time he'd spent do-gooding, and probably a hundred other things that he'd forgotten might offend them.
"Son," was all his father said. However, the single word covered a lot of territory and emotion that would never be given more than that single syllable. He was forgiven. Though the transgression might have been largely imaginary, it eased an ache in Ray's heart that he hadn't realized was still there.
His mother was gushing something through happy tears, holding one of his leaden hands to her face. Even with cotton gloves on her fingers and tears on her cheeks, if Ray hadn’t looked, he would never have known he’d been touched. He would have liked to shy away, to draw his arm back, but the newly re-established connection between brain and nerves was tenuous at best and his arm would not obey.
"Don’t worry baby, you’ll be alright now," she was bawling. "We’re going to take you home as soon as the doctors say it’s safe."
Wait, what?! While glad of the newly-established goodwill, the last thing Ray wanted to do was return East. What on earth was he supposed to do back there? Open exhibition of super powers was prohibited, no thanks to his own father. It belatedly occurred to Ray that he was the one who should have been withholding speaking privileges and not the other way around. Never mind. His mother was still babbling about his going home. As if the East could ever be his home. Current circumstances be damned, there were people here who could take care of him for as long as need be. What possible reason was there to go back? Ray did his best to negate the suggestion, doing his best to protest but managing only muffled grunts and a palsied twitch of his head.
"Ruben, darling, what’s the matter?!" his mother cried, reaching to smooth his shaved-short hair. Mercifully, Dr. Karl intervened.
"I think that’s enough for now," he said, reminding the Kalahearn’s that he was still in the room. "Raymond," there was a deliberate exaggeration of the word, "is still recovering. It’s best to let him rest for now."
For a man so small, Dr. Karl made short work of packing the Senator and Mrs. Kalahearn out the door. Both doctor and patient let out a heavy sigh when at last the visitors were gone.
"I have a new appreciation for you," Dr. Karl huffed, a wry expression on his face. Ray returned it but with more chagrin.
"You know you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to."
Ray did his best to nod.
"You don’t want to, do you?"
Hell no, he most certainly did not.
"I’ll do everything I can to help you, I promise you that."
If nothing else, Ray reflected, this time he wouldn’t be going up against his parent’s stubbornness alone.
When he opened his eyes, Dr. Karl was still there. If not for the differently patterned necktie, he might have thought it was the same day. As it was, even through the drug stupor, Ray’s super instincts alerted him to this fact and by association that at least an additional twenty-four hours had gone by. He would have liked to ask what day it was, and what time, but his jaw still felt stiff and heavy with swelling and bridgework.
"Do you feel all right?" Dr. Karl asked.
Ray let his eyes drift closed for a moment longer than usual in reply.
"Good." A pause as the little doctor shifted on his stepstool, as if unwilling to speak. "You...have some visitors."
Ray’s expression visibly brightened beneath the bandages and bruising in the hope that his friends might be in the hall waiting to see him. Though he could not speak, Dr. Karl seemed to understand the question.
"I’m afraid it isn’t the boys," he answered. "It’s your parents."
Ray simply stared. His parents? It had been ten years since he’d seen them, as many since they’d last spoken to him. As far as they were concerned, he had died a decade ago. What on earth could they possibly be doing here?
"They’ve been very worried about you, you know," Dr. Karl went on, doing his level best to be reassuring, but Ray could see even he was having trouble believing his own words. "Your mother came down about a week ago to authorize treatment for you."
Ray made a mental note to update his will as soon possible. Dr. Karl was still talking.
"That was about three days ago. I told them they could visit with you as soon as you were well enough. Now it is entirely up to you if you want to see them or not, and I can certainly understand if you don’t. However, I believe their concern is real, and if not for their consent, you would probably still be lying here unconscious."
He waited a few moments while Ray thought it over.
"Do you want to see them?"
He supposed it couldn’t hurt. After all, what more could they possibly do to him? Scrunching his eyes closed, he gave Dr. Karl his answer.
"All right then. I’ll be here with you, just in case."
Ray felt guilty about the relief that brought.
Hopping down from the short stepstool, Dr. Karl crossed the floor and went out into the hall. After a few minutes, he opened the door again, admitting two much larger people. It had been ages since Ray had seen his parents. He had been a scant eighteen years old when they’d ejected him from the family. Ten years struggling to master a gift he couldn’t control and rejection he didn’t understand had hardened him into self-reliant adult. However, without that guilty sixth sense to help him, all he could see was that his parents had gotten older and grayer. Outside of that, very little had changed.
"Ruben..." his mother began, eyes welling up, "oh my dear..."
He'd forgotten how much he hated that nick-name. Even his grandfather- whom he'd been named after- had gone by his middle name (Edward) because he couldn't stand his given name. Still, unable to articulate much more than muffled grunts due to all the metal and plastic crowding his mouth, Ray could do little more than attempt a smile. It would be a lie to say he wasn't glad to see them; though it would be stretching the truth to say he was happy they were there. At first he had missed his parents and pined for their approval as only a son rejected could do, but after ten years, the idea that he could get along without their consent to everything he did or didn't do had become reality. Yet he couldn't help the nervous feeling crawling vaguely in his stomach. They would be angry about his living arrangements, about his friends, the time he'd spent do-gooding, and probably a hundred other things that he'd forgotten might offend them.
"Son," was all his father said. However, the single word covered a lot of territory and emotion that would never be given more than that single syllable. He was forgiven. Though the transgression might have been largely imaginary, it eased an ache in Ray's heart that he hadn't realized was still there.
His mother was gushing something through happy tears, holding one of his leaden hands to her face. Even with cotton gloves on her fingers and tears on her cheeks, if Ray hadn’t looked, he would never have known he’d been touched. He would have liked to shy away, to draw his arm back, but the newly re-established connection between brain and nerves was tenuous at best and his arm would not obey.
"Don’t worry baby, you’ll be alright now," she was bawling. "We’re going to take you home as soon as the doctors say it’s safe."
Wait, what?! While glad of the newly-established goodwill, the last thing Ray wanted to do was return East. What on earth was he supposed to do back there? Open exhibition of super powers was prohibited, no thanks to his own father. It belatedly occurred to Ray that he was the one who should have been withholding speaking privileges and not the other way around. Never mind. His mother was still babbling about his going home. As if the East could ever be his home. Current circumstances be damned, there were people here who could take care of him for as long as need be. What possible reason was there to go back? Ray did his best to negate the suggestion, doing his best to protest but managing only muffled grunts and a palsied twitch of his head.
"Ruben, darling, what’s the matter?!" his mother cried, reaching to smooth his shaved-short hair. Mercifully, Dr. Karl intervened.
"I think that’s enough for now," he said, reminding the Kalahearn’s that he was still in the room. "Raymond," there was a deliberate exaggeration of the word, "is still recovering. It’s best to let him rest for now."
For a man so small, Dr. Karl made short work of packing the Senator and Mrs. Kalahearn out the door. Both doctor and patient let out a heavy sigh when at last the visitors were gone.
"I have a new appreciation for you," Dr. Karl huffed, a wry expression on his face. Ray returned it but with more chagrin.
"You know you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to."
Ray did his best to nod.
"You don’t want to, do you?"
Hell no, he most certainly did not.
"I’ll do everything I can to help you, I promise you that."
If nothing else, Ray reflected, this time he wouldn’t be going up against his parent’s stubbornness alone.
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