HELPING HANDS

Chapter 35

The lovers were awakened by a loud knocking on their bedroom door. Both sprang up into a sitting position. Both wondering if they were just dreaming.

"ADAM? TIM?" Chris calls out.

"Uh, just a minute, Chris." Adam answers as he scrambles from the bed and grabs his boxers.

Tim falls back into the bed trying to calm his racing heart. Adam slips his boxers on and unlocks the bedroom door. He wasn't for sure if his lover was covered up so he only partially opens the door.

"Yeah? What's up?" Adam asks, peeking out of the small opening of the door.

"We're taking Rob to the emergency room." Chris informs him.

"WHAT!!??" Tim shouts as he once again springs up from the bed. "What's wrong!?"

"He's having some chest pains. Me, Nate and Kelsey are taking him to the hospital. You guys, Austin and Chance can come once you get dressed." Chris says.

"Okay, we'll be there." Adam says with a nod. Chris turns and runs back down the hall.

Adam turns to see Tim searching frantically for his boxers.

"Adam, where the hell is my boxers?" Tim asks in a panic.

Adam hurries over to the dresser and grabs him a fresh pair.

"Timmy, listen to me, Sweetheart." Adam says as he hands the blind man his underwear. "You need to calm down, okay?"

"Calm down? Adam, this Rob." Tim says as he slips on his boxers. "He's like my brother."

"I know that, but honey, he doesn't need you, Austin and Chance panicking right now. He doesn't need one of you going into a panic attack. He needs to know that you are okay." Adam says as he grabs them some clothes. "Worrying about you guys is the last thing he needs right now."

"You guys about ready?" Austin asks as he runs in, buttoning up his shirt. Chance hops in behind him, trying to slip on his boot.

"We're working on it." Tim says as he fastens his jeans.

"I can't believe this sh*t is happening. Not to Rob." Austin says as he runs a shaky hand through his hair.

"Austin, I'll tell you and Chance the same thing I was just telling Tim." Adam says as he takes the deaf man by the hands. "You guys need to calm down for Rob's sake. Whatever is going on, he doesn't need you guys to worry about. And knowing Rob, that's exactly what he'll do it he sees Y'all nearing a panic attack. Just because he's having some pain doesn't mean it's a heart attack."

"Okay. I guess I'm ready." Tim says as he slides his pants leg over the tops of his boots before standing up and running a quick hand through his uncombed hair.

Adam drives as quickly as possible along the deserted streets.

"What time is it anyway?" Tim asks from the passenger seat.

"Uh..." Adam says glancing down at the clock. "It's four o'clock in the morning."

The blonde wasn't sure about Austin and Chance but he knew that he and Tim were running on only about two hours worth of sleep. It was definitely going to be a long day.

Being that early, it was pretty easy to find a parking place close to the entrance of the ER. Adam jumps out of the car and runs around to help Tim. They had been in such a hurry that Tim had forgotten his cane and never thought of bringing Satchmo. Adam would have to be his eyes.

As they enter the emergency room, they see Chris and Nate sitting in the waiting. Both were staring blankly up at the muted tv.

"Hey." Adam says quietly as he sits down next to his brother. "How is he?"