Invisible String

Chapter 4: In Your Doorway

"...could've followed my fears all the way down,
and maybe I don't quite know what to say but I'm here in your doorway"

🦷

After two six hour surgeries, a visit from the exterminator on the previous night and hours spent arguing with his girlfriend this morning, Connor Rhodes hoped he would have a peaceful day. Or at least have time to drink some coffee before starting to see patients.

Instead, he was driving to the southside to see Will Halstead's father, who had a heart condition and apparently wasn't doing well. They weren't even friends, he just heard Will sound worried about his father and offered to help.

"This is where you grew up, huh?" he asked. The neighborhood was pretty different to the one where he had grown up in, but seemed nice, the kind of place where you can run free as a child and get in trouble with your friends.

"Yep, played a lot of ball on this street. Everybody knew everybody. All the grandmas would sit on the front porches. They were like the original neighborhood watch." He chuckled, turning around to point to a house across the street from him. "Up there, Mrs. Riley hated noise. She used to throw a pot of boiling water out at us. Caught Jay on the foot one time. Loved to give Lizzie hour long lectures when she was learning to play guitar." recalled Will. Connor pictured young versions of the Halstead siblings growing up there: Will playing with his friends as a kid, a teenage Jay getting caught while trying to sneak out of the house, Elizabeth studying chords and songs over and over until late. "Little different than the Gold Coast, huh?"

Different, for sure. He looked around again. There were a few kids on the street, a woman walking her baby on a stroller.

"It's nice." was all that he could say. Will opened the door to the house, where Jay and Mr. Halstead both were watching the game in the living room. Jay was spread on the couch, looking very annoyed, while their father was on his chair, complaining to him about something.

"Hey, Pop." Will greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Halstead grunted. Connor could already see how he was struggling to catch his breath while bickering with his sons.

"I called him." Jay interjected.

"Wasted trip. I don't need you."

"Are you kidding me? You missed two days of work, and you never miss work."

"Pop, this is Connor Rhodes. He's another doc at the Med." Will introduced him, and Connor jumped to shake Mr. Halstead's hand. He noticed the purple fingertips, how his hands were sweaty and cold to touch. Will was right to be worried.

"Told you I don't need this."

"Come on, you can barely talk."

"I'm gonna take medical advice from someone who wet the bed till he was nine?" Will looked at Connor, sighing and clearly embarrassed.

"Never changes. I gotta get back to the district." Jay jumped out of the couch.

"Thanks, Jay."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Mr. Halstead shouted over them as Jay got out of the house. Connor decided to go straight to the point, before they could start an argument.

"Mr. Halstead, I'm seeing some things that tell me that your heart isn't working very well. Your fingertips are purple. You're having a hard time breathing, and... your energy seems depleted."

"Had this heart thing forever. It's... it's never been a problem."

"Do you mind if I have a listen?" he asked, taking his stethoscope.