Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN

Unfortunately Conrads' solution was not met with agreement. Standing around the Break Room he had made his announcement to Jude, Devon and Nic. After the initial silence which greeted his words Devon had shaken his head stating he had just received a call from his parents asking him to come home for an unexpected visit from an Aunt and he had just request a week off. Jude looked across at his old friend with a heavy sigh.

"You know I always wanted to go back there so why not give me the ticket?"
"Sure," Conrad agreed easily, "you shouldn't have a problem finding someone to go with you."
"I wanted to see Pearl Harbour with you man. I was looking forward to it. Come on it's only two weeks."
"I've been off a lot lately."
"You have plenty of vacation time made up," Nic pointed out as she rinsed out her mug as she continued wistfully, "if I had any I'd be going with you. Hawaii is the stuff of dreams."
"No arguments there just wasn't planning on going anywhere," the third year Resident informed the trio firmly.
"This is a once in a lifetime chance," Devon insisted, "you've won a dream holiday and you can't even appreciate it. I would have loved it."
"Conrad if you agree to this when we come back I won't have any reason to nag you anymore about taking a real break from work," Jude assured persuasively, hoping he was speaking the truth for he was pinning all his hopes on the following fortnight.
"That Mrs. Roberts seemed really happy when you won," Nic reminded casually, "I'm sure it wouldn't look good if she found out you gave the prize away.
"Okay I give in," Conrad conceded defeat but gave Jude a caveat, "as long as we don't live in each others' pockets over there. I want some alone time. You either agree or you can go by yourself."
"Sure," the older man beamed rubbing his hands together gleefully, "whatever you want. Now how long do I have to pack?"

The following day the two men sat on an Air Alaska flight at LAX after catching an early flight from Atlanta. Conrad sat by the window still wondering why he had agreed to this and about the trip being to Hawaii but although he knew his friends might have contrived something there was no way they could have roped in the CEO and Mrs. Brookes so he had to believe it was a coincidence. He had meant what he said in the break room however. He intended to go solo at some stage, whether or not his friend agreed. His sleep was still practically non existent and he knew he could not keep up working all hours for long in an effort to make himself so exhausted he would sleep a couple of hours without nightmares. That practice was a recipe for disaster and he didn't need to be in the medical profession to know that.

"Hey why look so down?" Jude nudged his arm.
"I'm not. Was just thinking that's all."
"Well that should be banned once we get to Hawaii."
"Thinking?" Conrad shook his head at the other mans' good mood.
"This is vacation time," Jude insisted, "it's good we were able to change hotels. The Royal Hawaiian is great."
"Except pink."
"We'll get over that. So besides Pearl Harbour where do you want to go?"
"Not really sure."
"Well when we go to the Big Island next week we have to go on a helicopter tour over the volcanoes, weather permitting of course."
"Sounds good," Conrad strapped on his seatbelt as instructed over the speakers as the aircraft began to taxi back from the gate.
"You pack enough sun cream?"
"Yes Dad."
"Might get some time on the beach."
"Rather you than me," the fair haired man had no intention of sunbathing, that was one activity he never engaged in, "besides Waikiki Beach is always packed."
"How do you know that?"
"Seen it on TV over the years. Of course you'll love it."
"Course I will," Jude agreed smugly, "I'll be able to show off my beach bod."
"It's going to be a long flight," Conrad observed shaking his head again, he had never seen the older man so hyper and told himself he should be happy for him.

Over six hours later, after adjusting their watches to cater for the three hour time difference between LA and Hawaii, the two men unpacked in their twin room which as the Surgeon had promised was luxurious. Its' selling point, like many of the rooms, was the view over the palm trees of the gleaming Pacific waters through the large window. The room itself was more than spacious enough for two sharing. Conrad had been disappointed not to have his own room but didn't say anything. He had left his friend choose a bed so subsequently sank down on the soft mattress by the window after putting away his small collection of clothes. He had always been a light traveller and figured if he needed anything he could buy it along the way. He eyed the older man hanging up a grey suit.

"You doing work or something?"
"Not going to think of work for the next two weeks," Jude stated as he closed the wardrobe, "might feel like going out on the town some night. No harm in being prepared."
"I could travel for two months with the amount of stuff you brought," Conrad chided as he rose and went over to the small dark wooden table in front of the window and picked up the wooden ice bucket and removed its' cover "here you can do the honours."
"You feel like going for a meal or would you prefer to take it easy tonight?" Jude accepted the offered item and headed for the door after picking up his key card, luckily he had remembered to ask for three cards so they could leave one in the port on the wall as they went in and out.
"I'd like room service but you go out if you want."
"Nah I want to rest up to be ready to go in the morning."
"We haven't sorted anything yet!"
"Well we can start first thing," the Surgeon closed the door before a response could be voiced and strode to the ice machine they had passed in the corridor, he knew getting his friend to relax wasn't going to be easy but he hoped that the simple acts of sightseeing and touring would alleviate some of his stress and then he would push the younger man to open up to him - he could only hope he was successful.

After demolishing his Panioli Pizza Jude leaned back on his chair and patted his stomach.

"That was amazing. The Portugese sausage is great."
"This is good," Conrad gestured to his Hai Hai Cobb Salad as he speared a piece of grilled chicken with his fork.
"I'll have to get you more adventurous," the Surgeon wiped his mouth on his cloth napkin and picked up his glass, "the Mai Tai hasn't changed. You should have tried it."
"I'll stick to milk tonight. Besides one of us with a hangover will be bad enough."
"Now who sounds like a parent? Besides this is healthy."
"So what's in it?" the fair haired man demanded sceptically as he put down his cutlery after eating half of the food.
"Squeezed orange juice, apple juice and orange curacao."
"And?"
"Well there's Bacardi and rum but most of it is healthy!"
"If we're having an early morning you better not order any more," Conrad stood up and made a quick call to have the tray collected, "mind if I have a shower first?"
"All yours," Jude stated magnanimously and as soon as the bathroom door closed he abandoned the drink, he had no intention of having impaired senses but knew in order for his companion to relax he also needed to appear to be relaxed.

The night ahead would be telling for he wanted to observe the quality of sleep the other man got and the twin room was the best way to do this. Hopefully it would be a peaceful slumber but his instincts told him otherwise.

tbc