Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Pete

Conrad didn't wake until midday the next day and took a few moments to recall where he was. He quickly showered and wrapped a towel around his waist as he went downstairs in search of his clothes.

"You have a good sleep?" Pete asked as he stood in the large kitchen attached to the utility room where his friend headed.
"Yeah thanks. Sorry didn't mean to stay so late. Gotta go Pete," Conrad dressed quickly but a hand on his shoulder stopped him, "what?"
"You're staying here a few days remember?"
"What are you talking about? I got work."
"No you don't," the older man guided his friend to a seat at the island counter, "we discussed this last night. Personnel has already been notified you're taking some sick days."
"I never ....,"
"True you didn't agree to me ringing Chastain but someone else made that call for you."
"What the hell?!"
"Don't even think of getting up from that seat," Pete ordered as he retrieved some cutlery and set the counter for the two men, "I've promised Nic and Devon that you're fine. Just visiting and catching up on old times but I had to tell them you wouldn't be in work for a while."
"Pete I don't know what ....,"
"Yes you do actually," Pete noted as he took two prepared plates out of the double refrigerator and placed them on the counter before bringing over two large glasses of water, "know you like Caesar Salad so I made myself some as well. Now like I was saying you do know what's going on. You're being your usual independent self and forgetting that even you need help every now and again."
"Don't need help," Conrad uncovered the food and took a tentative bite more for something to do than anything else as his appetite still had not returned.

"Apart from the stabbing what's been going on with you?" Pete asked as he liberally used the salt shaker.
"Hang on you spoke to Nic and Devon?"
"Yeah. When I went back into the cafeteria yesterday for my cell they approached me. They knew you were unwell."
"Damn," Conrad pushed away the plate after laying down his fork.
"Nah ah! You eat that. I don't get to have this very often so don't waste it."
"What did you tell them," the pale man reluctantly took a bite of lettuce after moving the dish back in front of him.
"Nothing. They knew you were ill so I said you'd be going home with me and would be fine."
"I do know I'm lucky to have so many friends who ....... care about me ...... I don't take them for granted ....,"
"I feel a 'but' coming."
"I can take care of myself."
"Sure you can but where's the harm in people helping you every once in a while?"
"Don't need anyones' help."
"So you say," Pete sighed around a bite of chicken, "yet here you sit looking wrecked if I do say so myself."
"Just tired that's all."
"So tired you can't remember our discussion last night?"
"I ....," Conrad frowned worriedly, he remembered talking about .... oh no his father!
"Hey it's okay. Nothing to panic about. You know I'm a good listener and anything we discuss is private. I'd never even tell Hannah."
"What did I say exactly?" Conrad tried to activate his brain cells but they were not co-operating.
"You basically told me that your old man wasn't parental."
"That all?"
"More or less. You actually fell asleep in the sitting room."
"How ..... did I get to bed?"
"Put it this way my size can be useful sometimes," Pete winked as he cut an anchovy.
"Damn," Conrad blushed, "you should have left me where I was or woken me."
"Well I did try to wake you but you were out for the count."
"Sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry for. Now tell me what the Holidays were like for you as a kid."
"Forget it. Some things are best left in the past," the Resident scoffed as he took a small bite of chicken.
"Maybe but sometimes the past comes back to haunt us."
"Have some more salt," Conrad handed over the condiment hoping to distract his friend.
"Nice try. Only me here."
"Look I've already spoken to a friend once about my father. I'm not doing it again."
"Once couldn't be enough considering your childhood."
"You don't know anything about my childhood."
"I know it was a harsh one," Pete stated after taking his final bite.
"Not going there," Conrad stood up purposefully and brought his half full plate over to the fridge, "I'll leave this for later."
"Sure. You want to get some fresh air?"
"Where you thinking of?" Conrad knew he should just order a cab and leave but the truth was he felt at home here and he just wanted to enjoy that rare feeling for a while.
"We can go to the park nearby."
"Don't you have work?"
"Nope. Have two weeks booked off."
"You do?" Conrad wasn't sure whether or not to believe his friend.
"Always take time off at Christmas. What do you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"For Christmas."
"I work."
"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Pete led the way out into the hallway after rinsing his plate and putting everything in the dishwasher then took down two warm jackets, "take this one it'll keep you warm."
"Thanks," Conrad was thanking his friend for more than the coat and Pete knew it.
"Anytime."

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"Any word from Peter?" Devon checked as he shrugged off his white coat at the end of the shift.
"Not since last night," Nic sighed.
"He'll be okay. His with his friend. A few days off is exactly what Conrad needs. Might even get him talking."
"I hope so because he can't go on like he has been. You know I've been thinking maybe we could visit."
"Visit where?" Devon looked across at his friend after closing his locker.
"Conrad," Nic took out the business card Devon had been given.
"You're kidding right?"
"Why not visit?"
"Because if Peter can get Conrad talking and helps him I'm going to be happy. Look Nic he knows he can talk to us if he wants to but he's made it clear he doesn't want to."
"I know, I know it's just ....... hard. He's so locked up I sometimes have to remind myself he isn't actually shy."
"'Shy' we agreed definitely isn't a word you can apply," Devon grinned before becoming serious, "Nic let's just see how he is when he's back. Maybe all he needs is time away from work to sort himself out."
"You believe that?"
"I can hope," Devon replied ruefully as they walked out.

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Pete had taken Conrad to South Bend Park. It was somewhere his own father had taken him and it would hopefully be a place where his young friend would feel relaxed enough to open up a bit. Unknownst to Conrad Devon and Nic had told him about Andys' death and he was trying to find a way to broach the topic as the two men walked along the snow covered path.

"You come here often?"
"Used to when I was a kid," Pete smiled in remembrance of fun filled days with his father and sister then became sombre, "thought I'd be bringing my kids here."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"How come ye never went down the adoption route."
"We did think about it but by the time we had gotten over the fact that we couldn't have kids we realized we were so busy with work that we just decided it wasn't meant to be."
"Ye would have been great. Ye're kind."
"You ever think about having kids?"
"No!" Conrad scoffed shaking his head.
"Why not?"
"Wouldn't be any good," the Resident watched two young children being chased by their dog as their parents laughed.
"Why say that?"
"Because it's the truth," Conrad tore his gaze away from the happy scene, "so when is Hannah due back?"
"Told you she's gone for a week," Pete reminded, "which means we can have a few boys' nights in!"
"You always were a big kid," Conrad chuckled wondering as he walked beside his old friend if he had stepped into an alternate universe where everything was safe and good, if so he hoped he remained there.

tbc