Chapter 9

 

Thursday after working out I rushed home, changed, and drove to Kieran’s. Training had gone well and the tension between Seth and Brent had disappeared. They had definitely worked things out, or had just simply ignored it the typical way only guys could do.

I pulled my dilapidated Bug into his drive. You couldn’t miss the fresh cut grass and cleaned off walkway. Pulling the bag of groceries out of the car, I glanced around again. The cabin actually looked like a house now.

The recently swept porch had a new swing set up. The front door was open with only the screen door closed but not locked. I knocked and opened it. Small town, everyone did it. “Hello? Kieran, it’s me.” I stepped in and looked around. The living room was empty. Sort of.

The place had gone through major transformation since the last time I’d been there. The three-legged table was gone, a new wooden one sat in its place. All the litter and crap covering the floor had been cleared away. Kieran must’ve polished the floor. It shone like an ice rink. The TV was on, so Kieran had to be around.

I jumped when a thundering filled my ears and crashed around inside my head. Shivering, my fingers pressed instantly to my temples to calm the noise. Down the hall, water began running. Pipes. Water pushing through the pipes to the faucet. If I wasn’t prepared, surprise noises still shocked me.

Eyes closed, I listened to the sound of a pair of jeans dropping in a hamper and a shower door sliding open. Streaming water splashed against naked skin. Swallowing hard, I slipped into a now spotless kitchen and forced myself to block out the noise. I’m eavesdropping. I pulled out the tomato sauce Mom and I had canned over the summer and a bag of noodles, and set them on the counter. The onions, mushrooms, and peppers got stuffed into the fridge, along with the hamburger mince I’d bought. It was too early to start chopping and cooking dinner.

Tossing the paper bag in the bin, I headed back to the living room and settled on the couch. The television had the news on. I grabbed the remote off the coffee table and turned the volume down a few notches. The anchor woman rambled on about the sports scores, a robbery at a betting shop in the county over, and then in the top corner of the TV flashed a body covered in a tarp. The screen flipped to a reporter talking about the John Doe body found at the old mine.

I leaned forward, trying to memorize everything she had to say. Maybe there’d be something worth sharing with the group.

“…nothing more has been determined about the John Doe found last week at the closed down uranium mine in Elliot Lake. Police have been unable to identify the body and are waiting for further testing results to come in. If anyone has any information, police are asking you to call them, or the anonymous tip-line number on the bottom of the screen.”

The cops hadn’t figured out anything more, and neither had we. Our “talents” obviously weren’t that useful.

A click from a door opening had my head turning toward the hallway. Kieran stepped out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around his waist. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at his long upper body, lean and rippled with taut muscles. His shaggy wet hair dripped water and splayed in every direction. I heard each droplet that splashed against his skin.

I swallowed hard. A yearning inside me begged to know what his hair and body felt like against my fingers… and against my skin. A part of me was tempted to follow him down the hall. Then reality set in, and I almost giggled out loud at the thought of scaring the crap out him and his towel dropping to the floor… I covered my mouth. The tramp inside me needed to take a long holiday… or a cold shower.

Kieran took two strides toward his room and paused. His hand squeezed the knot in the side of his towel. He slowly turned.

“Zoezey. Am I running late?” His brows shot up and tiny, adorable lines creased his forehead.

“N-No. I’m a bit early. The door was open.” I tried to keep my eyes on his face, but they kept trying to drift down.

He smiled. “Give me a sec.” The hot body disappeared into his bedroom. “Is yer dad’s office at the hospital?” Kieran spoke as if I were in the room with him, I could hear him that clearly.

“Yeah. He’s got a spot in the wing Brent’s dad built a couple of years ago.” I spoke, then realized he couldn’t hear me so I repeated it, louder.

“Is thar anything he doesn’t have his hands into?”

“My dad?”

“No, Brent’s.” Kieran came out of his room wearing jeans and a black shirt with a Ranger’s logo over his heart. “Seems like the guy owns half the town.”

“He knows how to make money, and spend it.” I shrugged. “He’s done good stuff for Elliot Lake. My dad chased after the provincial government and federal for years trying to get a better hospital. They wouldn’t budge, so Brent’s dad pulled some strings and donated the wing.” Under Brent’s dad’s insistence, Dad had his own lab added for some medical thing he was researching.

“Nice guy.” Kieran didn’t sound convinced.

I had a hard time arguing, and I wasn’t about to bring up fathering when Kieran was obviously happier with his dad gone. Turning the TV off, I got off the couch and walked to the front door. “This shouldn’t take long. Just a bit of blood work.”

He patted his back pocket. “Do I need me NHS card?”

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, raising my eyebrows.

“Me health card?” He teasingly tugged a strand of my hair.

“I doubt it, but take it just in case.” I slipped my hand in his and pulled him outside. It seemed the natural thing to do. He locked the door and as we walked to my car, I tossed him my car keys. “You can drive.”

With the parking pass my dad insisted I keep in the glove compartment, Kieran parked the Bug beside my dad’s Volvo. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and fiddled with the miniature guitar chain I’d bought on a class trip last year. Brent always joked it was his favorite part of my car.

“So, what’s yer da’ like?” he asked.

I smiled. Kieran wanted to impress my dad. “He’s cool. Worries about me too much, but that’s okay. He never remarried after he and my mom split.”

“Yer folks not divorced?”

I scratched the back of my neck and stared out the window. “Technically, no. They’re separated but that’s not even with proper papers. I think both of them have gone on a few dates but, never met the replacement.”

“The replacement?”

I turned back to watch him. “When I was, like, thirteen I made the term up. Love was never the problem between them. My mom couldn’t handle my dad being married to his work and to her. He’d’ve done anything she wanted, so he gave her space. I figured they were both looking for the replacement and were just too stupid to realize they didn’t need one. Wanna know something? I bet that once I go away to university, they’ll get back together.” I knew they didn’t break up because of me, I just hoped they’d realize how much they meant to each other when I wasn’t around.

Kieran sat quiet for a moment, apparently digesting what I’d said. Or maybe what I didn’t say. His eyes lit up and he grinned. “You don’t seem ta be so great in the bettin’ department. Mightinbe best to avoid gambling. At all costs.”

I pretended to punch his arm. “Ha. Funny little Scotsman.” I glanced at the clock on the car radio. “We’d better go or my dad’s going to think I stood him up.”

We headed inside and down the slate floor hallway to Dad’s office.

A new secretary greeted us. She was about ten years younger than Dad. Pretty, but with a face which seemed to lack any expression or feeling. Probably ticked she’s working late.

“Dr. Taylor’ll be back in about ten minutes,” she said, barely glancing up from the file on her desk. “He’s just gone up to check on a patient in the recovery room. Have a seat.”

Duh, I’m his daughter, lady, if you bothered to look. Kieran and I sat down in the beige-green waiting room. I picked up a magazine and absently started flipping through it, without even checking to see what I’d grabbed.

“Do you have plans for next year? Have you chosen a university?” Kieran asked. He slid down the chair and crossed his ankles, fingers entwined and his thumbs tapping a pattern against his shirt.

“I do, in a sense. Just not sure where yet. U of T, Queens, a couple of places in the U.S. with good med programs.”

His eyebrows popped up. “You want ta be a doctor?”

“I think so. What about you? D’you plan on heading back to Scotland when school’s done?”

“No wey I’d go back to Edinburgh. Dad’s family’s thar and I’ve no interest in seein’ them ever again. I’m not sure wha’ I plan to do.” His mouth hung slightly open, his tongue running over his teeth. “I like me dad being gone… Elliot Lake’s not so bad.” He looked right at me, his eyes saying more than his words. Because of you.

I knew better than to say my thoughts out loud. Come with me, I wanted to say.

My dad strode through the door, his head down as he flipped through a chart in his hands. His face erased all its seriousness when he saw me. “Zoezey!”

Funny how that nickname sounded so different coming from his lips than Kieran’s. Speaking of – “Dad, this is Kieran.”

Kieran stood and held his hand out, which my father shook. Score one on politeness. “We met briefly at the mine the night of the storm. It’s nice ta meet you, Dr. Taylor.”

I wanted to do a tiny glee clap dance. Kieran sounded like the kind of guy my dad would love. The smile on Dad’s face proved my thoughts.

“Great of you to come in with Zoe. I’ll make this quick.” Dad handed the file to his secretary and beckoned us to follow him into one of the patient rooms. “Hope you’re not afraid of needles.”

The room had a small desk, a sink, and the metal bed with the rollaway-tissue on top. Kieran sat on the rolling stool so I hopped onto the patient bench.

Dad went to his desk, leaned down, and wrote our names down on some labels. “I’ll be right back,” he said and disappeared out of the room.

Kieran cleared his throat. “Is he always, uh, this easy going?”

I leaned back against the wall, the crinkle of the paper below me firecrackers to my ears. “I think he’s just excited he’s got fresh blood.”

Kieran raised his eyebrows.

“My dad’s got this thing about testing markers in blood. His research stuff is about RBCs, WBCs, platelets, and yadda, yadda, yadda.” I laughed at the expression on Kieran’s face. “Don’t be nervous now. He just wants to check our blood for uranium.”

“That’s it? He’s got no clue about your…” He tugged his earlobe.

“Nothing.” I glanced at the door. “He’s just gonna compare our results. Hopefully yours and mine aren’t too different and it’ll get us off the hook.”

“I’m not sure –” Kieran said and stopped.

Dad strolled back in, two needles and a tray of vials. “This’ll be quick.” He pointed to my arm and I began rolling up my sleeve.

“How much do ya plan on taking?” Kieran’s round eyes followed the tray. “I think I’ve only got about ten pints.”

The prick of the needle entering my skin grated against my ears. The vacuuming suction as my heart sucked blood through my veins was impossible to ignore.

Dad laughed as he filled a third vial from my arm. “I want to check uranium levels and blood count. Zoe had her WBC count up and I want to make sure it’s nothing.”

“She, uh, looked tired before, maybe it was a bug.” Kieran winked at me when my dad turned to finish up. “I think she looks great.”

Dad then winked at me, giving my arm a light squeeze. “Maybe it was a bug.” He faced Kieran. “Your turn.”

Kieran rolled his sleeve and made a fist. The bruises on his forearm had faded, but four light scratch lines trailed down. He was oblivious to the needle breaking his skin. A little part of me had been curious if the needle would’ve bent instead of going in, he seemed so tough. The power of his blood pushing into the vial sounded like a waterfall to my ears.

“Quick case history,” Dad said, switching to an empty vial. “Do you have any family history of disease or disorders? Anything I might need to be aware of.”

Kieran shot a nervous look to me, his head giving the slightest of shakes. “I don’t think so.”

Dad switched and filled the final vial, putting a cotton ball with a piece of tape on top of Kieran’s pin prick. He stepped back shaking the vials. “If you think of anything, say for example your grand-dad had cancer, just tell Zoe and she can let me know. Or pop by here on your own if you want.” He stuck the labels on Kieran’s vials. “Do you have a family doctor?”

“Not yet.” Kieran glanced at me.

He’s panicking that he might have to say his dad’s in Scotland and he’s on his own. I mouthed, “It’s okay.” My dad wouldn’t say anything.

“Just come see me,” Dad said, oblivious to Kieran’s worry. “I’ll help you out.” He slipped behind the desk and began jotting down dates on the vials. “It’s the least I can offer. I really appreciate you coming in.”

“No problem, Dr. Taylor.” He stood, slipping his coat back on.

“I’m sure I’ll see you around, Kieran.” Dad gave me a hug and ushered me out the door. “Give your mom a shout to let her know you were here. It’ll --”

“I will, Dad.” I tapped my back pocket where my phone was. “See you later.”

We headed out of the hospital and back into the Bug.

“Crap! I left my coat in the waiting room.” Kieran turned back and started jog back to the building. “Meet me by the door?”

I started the Bug and drove to the entrance. He came walking out, coat slung over his arm and a smile on his face. He jumped into the passenger side. “Good to go. By the way, your dad has one weird nurse.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Can we head back ’n start cookin’? I’m starving!”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll make the sauce and you can roll the meatballs.” Pulling out of the parking lot, I waved my pass in front of the electronic parking camera and pulled onto the main road when the exit bar shifted upwards.