ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON ELEVEN

Episode 75

" We're coming along really nicely," the surgeon murmured to his colleagues as his toes tapped to the rauous beat of the hard rock music that played in the operation room. His deft hands moved gracefully as he cut away and removed the offending breast with the cancer cells as well as the also affected underarm lymph nodes beside it. " It's aggressive yes though . "

The nurse next to him leaned closer to peer at his work. Then the heart monitor began to beep in a series of buzzing noises and flashing colors as the patient began to flatline. " Doctor," another nurse said in an urgent tone," we're losing her. Flat line, doc. "

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Andrew sat in the hard backed chair in the surgical waiting room with his hands covering his face. Spencer sat near his father but he felt useless. He didn't consider himself particularly good at comforting others. Besides summoning the ability to pat his father on the back and say " there , there" on the occasion. Which probably didn't really help, his mind thought miserably. Nigel sat on Andrew's other side, trying to talk of any cheerful positive subject that came to his mind. He for most of the waiting period showed his father in law funny pictures from the internet or texts from Richard and DuBuis and Faith asking about Glory.

Andrew abruptly lifted his head from his hands and said," Spencer, you said one to three hours. It feels longer. Why does it feel so long? "

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Alfred stood hunched over his walker as he peered into the restroom mirror with the many smudged fingerprints. He didn't see the grown adult man he was though at thirty seven. He saw the small child he had once been so long ago. The child whose only real comfort and strength was his mother who had always told him he could do anything he wanted. That his infirmity didn't really matter except in certain ways. She supported his crossword puzzle hobby. She turned a blind eye to his hacking. She helped him apply to colleges and celebrated even harder than him when he had been accepted to not just one of the five choices but all five. It was her cheering the loudest as he had graduated from high school.

What would he do without her constant love and support in his life? , he thought as he gripped at Stan's metal frame. If it was not for her he wouldn't be where he was right now. He wouldn't be a teacher. He would be trapped in the hospital, the special home, the luxury prison that his father had tried to stick him at. His mother fought for him. His father rejected him. His sister babied him.

He couldn't lose his best cheering section, he mused as a single tear slid from one of his eyes. He just couldn't.

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Gerald was in the cafeteria looking at the menu. He was not really hungry but it was not himself he wished to feed. It was Alfred who kept saying he didn't need to eat. Of course he needed to eat. Maybe it was part and parcel of his own weight issues but he had grown up with his governess forever equating love and comfort with food.

He fell and scraped a knee as a boy so she gave him a scone with much jam.

His parents perished in the car crash when he was thirteen, leaving himself and his brother at the mercy of their grandparents in their big cold estate, so she gave him a bacon butty to consume.

To him food was how he showed love. So he needed to get food for Alfred. Also Andrew and the others but especially Alfred. The man was skinny enough. Too skinny really. Of course, he laughed inwardly, he was one to talk about " too skinny".

Suddenly that woman appeared at his side as he still searched for the perfect food item for Alfred. The sister. He couldn't say he liked her much. Because he didn't. He found her too abrasive, common and rude. He was secretly wishing that she had not come to Maryland. He didn't see that Dodie's presence was actually bringing anyone comfort at all.

" Dr. HighTower , " she whispered into his ear. " I don't know what your game is with my brother but I must warn you. He is very special and very vulnerable. I've watched people treat him like jack shit all his life. I've watched people laugh at him and use him. I am telling you now that if you ever hurt him I will make it my mission to see you disappear in fat air. Do I make myself clear? "

Gerald turned around to look at her and wanted to laugh. Him hurt Alfred ? Nonsense. In reality it was the opposite way around he could see happening. He didn't deserve that man. Not yet. Not like he was. " I would never hurt your brother. I just want to..... love him. Do I make myself clear? "

The sister looked hard at his face. He didn't know what she saw in his face or what thoughts were currently in her head but whatever she saw must have satisfied her - at the moment anyway - since her next move was to nod shrewdly at him.

Dodie Giadello Angelleti said crisply," We'll see about that. Just remember what I said. "

Gerald nodded back. " And you remember what I said. "