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Chapter 10

Chance whistles happily on his way to his apartment. There was just something about that brown-eyed man that put him in a good mood. And that kiss. WOW!!

He went into his apartment and begin to finish unpacking. He couldn't seem to wipe the smile off his face.

About an hour and a half later, he was done. He grabs the remote and begins flipping through the channels when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in if your nose is clean." He answers with a chuckle. Hoping it was Nate and not his boss.

"Well, I can't promise you that." Nate laughs as he walks in with a six pack of beer. "Wow, you have the place looking pretty nice."

"I still have a few boxes to move and then I'll be through." Chance smiles as he takes the beer and puts it in the refrigerator.

"Then you can get your ass to work." Nate laughs as he sits down.

"Yep." Chance replies as he gets him and Nate a beer. "So, what's on your mind?"

"A certain patient by the name of Timothy Foust." Nate answers with a raised brow.

Chance almost chokes on his beer.

"Nice reaction." Nate chuckles.

"What about him?" Chance asks after he caught his breath.

"I've sorta noticed an attraction that you two have for one another. And I'm not the only one. Tina has noticed too." Nate tells him.

"Oh, sh*t." Chance groans as he rubs a hand over his forehead.

"Now hold up, before you start to panic." Nate laughs. "She's all for it."

"What? Are you serious?" Chance asks. His eyes wide in shock.

"Totally serious." Nate nods. "We had a long talk when we went to check for damages."

"What .... What did she say?" Chance asks.

"First of all, is it true? Are you and Tim attracted to each other?" Nate asks.

"Uh... yeah, we are." Chance nods. "But isn't it against the rules to have a relationship with a patient?"

"Tina said normally yes. There have been situations in other mental institutions where patients have been molested by workers. Patients that were actually mentally handicapped and couldn't take up for themselves. But as Tina says, Tim is not mentally handicapped. He's in his right mind. Yes, he does have a few problems but he's not crazy." Nate says.

"Sooo? Does she approve of me and Tim having a relationship?" Chance asks.

"She said that if it's for the well-being of the patient, then yes. We've all already seen a change in Tim since you've been here. We haven't seen him smile since Matt was released. He's been smiling. He seems to be responding more to his friends. And we're hoping one day that he'll start talking again." Nate says.

Chance nods slightly as he takes a drink of his beer. He didn't want anyone to know their secret. That Tim was already talking to him.

"I don't know how far this relationship can go considering Tim's room seems to be the hangout for his friends." Chance says.

"Well, that comes to my next bit of news." Nate chuckles. "You know, there is a rule that patients aren't allowed upstairs BUT Tina says that IF she doesn't see it, well then, no rule is broken."

"Seriously?" Chance asks with furrowed brows.

"Tina doesn't live here like the rest of us. After work, she goes home to her husband. Leaving me, Jenika and Olena in charge. Nate says with a smile.