Life Anew Chapter 3

Warning: This story does not contain any sex. None of the characters are based on real people nor are they meant to resemble any living or dead people.

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Characters in This Chapter

Andrew Brock – age 25 - Ex to Ethan, Future B/F to Cody Gaines

Cody Gaines – Age 29 - Ex to Emma Reed, Father to Chase Gaines

Chase Gaines – Age 4 – Cody Gaines' son

Jennifer Cross – Age 40 – Nurse at the clinic

Susan Bridges – Age 30 – Office Manager at Clinic

Jason Perez – Age 26 – Friend of Andrew's

Ella Gaines - Age 52 – Mother to Cody and Grandmother to Chase

Life Anew

Chapter 3

Andrew Gets A Push

Andrew arrives at work a few minutes earlier then Cody, so he can relax. He would rather have a few minutes to himself, then to have to deal with his crush on his boss. Andrew feels like he must focus so that he doesn't let his professionalism take a hit. One by one, everyone else shows up at the clinic. The meeting will start soon, and Andrew is already in his spot with a pen and paper.

***

Doctor Gaines began the meeting as usual right on time, so if you were to be late, it would be wrong, because you might get lost. Jennifer, as usual, is taking notes as she usually does. Her notes are added to the files for the patients coming in today. As she is taking notes, she also catches Doctor Gaines smiling for a change. These meetings are usually filled with business, so there isn't much occasion for laughter. It isn't just Doctor Gaines who is guilty of eye contact and smiles either, though Andrew does his best to not allow his professionalism to get away from him. Still, they are fun to watch because no one really knows what is going on with the guys. Jennifer is anxious that the patients might pick up on the guys' attraction to each other.

***

After the meeting, Cody usually spends a few minutes looking at his patient's charts for the morning, and then after that, it's all about the patients. Cody couldn't help but steal glances when he could of his crush. Apart from the staff who work with Doctor Gaines, most people who enter the clinic don't know that there is some serious crush going on in the office. As Cody moves from exam room to exam room and interacts with his nursing staff, he is clueless when it comes to just how handsome he is and the effect that he has on a certain male nurse, but the same can also be said for Andrew's effects on Doctor Gaines. Cody does his best to keep things focused on work, and he succeeds in doing so very well. In every way possible, the crush between doctor and nurse is kept quiet unless they are away from the view of the patients or in the breakroom. It is almost time for Andrew's lunch, and then he can eat and focus on the crush.

***

Andrew is 5 minutes away from going to lunch, and the morning has been great. Every patient behaved perfectly, no crying babies and no major health issues at least for the am anyway. Andrew knows enough to never say anything that might curse the second half of his day. Still, he's been able to quietly take in many views of a particular doctor's ass. He doesn't mind getting to his ass even if it is through a pair of dress pants. If none of the patients catch him taking in the view, he will take that chance. Today, he's eating in the breakroom which isn't normal for him. Lunch is usually spent at one of the restaurants close to the clinic. His favorite meals are Chinese food and pizza, both of which are close by the clinic. There is something that needs to get done, and it might happen today. He needs the strength to ask him, and he needs to make a call first. He takes out his phone and then gets ready to thumb through his contacts.

***

He's found the contact that he wants, but then Jason sends him a text, so there is no need to make the call.

"Dude, how goes the hunky doctor? Are you still crushing on him?"

He isn't sure what to say about his crush. Should he say anything at all?

"Yeah, I am still crushing pretty hard on him."

He looks around to make sure that no one else heard him say that because he really doesn't want to upset Jennifer or lose a chance at the good doctor.

"I really don't want to discuss this, I'm sorry."

Can he change the subject away from Doctor Gaines? He hopes that he can anyway.

"I think you should tell him dude. If he's been flirting with you, then go for it, tell him."

It just doesn't make any sense to tell Doctor Gaines about his crush. Who knows what the results of that might be? It's for that reason that Andrew hasn't said anything, though he has spoken using his eyes on many, many occasions. In truth, they have both done their share of speaking with their eyes.

"He has done a lot of flirting with me. I guess I need to tell him how I feel."

Andrew says, unsure of when he will speak with Doctor Gaines.

"You had better tell him before he loses interest in you."

This text from Jason hits Andrew hard, really hard. He doesn't want to be too late."

"I Need to let you go, my friend."

Jason's last text comes through.

"Bye, my friend."

He closes the text window and then goes to the contact screen. He copied Caden's number from Ethan's phone before the eventual breakup. He looks at it his contact and stares at it, trying to gather strength.

`I was evil to Caden. I don't know if he'll accept my apology or not, but I can't keep putting this off.'

It's like that phone number is looking into his soul. Maybe, he shouldn't try for a relationship with Doctor Gaines, because Andrew doesn't know that if he trusts himself. Still, he is pretty sure that he deserves a second chance at love. His lunch is almost over, so he closes the window on his phone and puts it away. He cleans up the break room, and then he gets ready to go back on the job.

***

Leaving the room, he grabs his new charts for the afternoon and then calls back his next patient. It's a male college student who is absolutely perfect looking. A quick check of his charts says that he fell down some stairs at his townhouse, and is now experiencing pain all over his body. After checking his vitals, he gets the guy talking, and it ends up that the guy was assaulted by his boyfriend. A mix of love and fear is worn on his face. The nurse promises him that the doctor will be in soon, and then he leaves the exam room. Concern for the patient is written across Andrew's face. Seeing his troubled face, Jennifer stops him in the hallway.

"What's wrong?"

Does he tell her what happened? He has too if for no other reason then to maybe get this guy some help.

"Has the guy in room 4 been in before for injuries that just don't add up?"

Jennifer knows exactly who is in room 4, and she knows why Andrew is asking.

"I'm afraid that he has. I want to help him so bad. I'm not sure how, though."

One thing about Jennifer is that what she says is what she means. Just then, Doctor Gaines comes out of room 3 and takes grabs the chart for the patient in room 4. He glances at his nurses, looking right at Jennifer, and then he points to his office.

"Andrew, he wants us in his office now. I think your patient is about to get some help."

Andrew doesn't want to go inside the office, but he complies with his boss' order. Once they are inside the doctor's office, Doctor Gaines closes the office door to keep their conversation quiet.

"Okay spill it, I know the two of you are upset about something, so what gives?"

Andrew is holding too much inside to keep this to himself. He needs to find his voice to help his patient.

"Doctor Gaines, the guy in room 4, his name is Phillip Masters. He didn't sustain his injuries in a fall. He sustained them at the hands of his boyfriend, and I doubt that it's the first time that you've treated his injuries from other assaults all because of assaults done by his boyfriend. What can we do about it?"

Cody needs information about this, and he hopes that Nurse Brock isn't making this up based on experience at the hospital. Such an accusation would not look good if the boyfriend was innocent of the alleged abuse.

"Andrew, how did you find out that his boyfriend is behind the injuries?"

Suddenly, Andrew's lips won't work for a second or two.

"He, he told me something about the way he told me, just screamed that he was lying."

Andrew was confident but a little nervous. It's not the first time that someone came in with injuries from a domestic assault. Sometimes, they are told directly what happened, and other times, they just know that something didn't feel right about the injuries.

"I'm going to convince you to get help."

Cody says to his nurses. Andrew and Jennifer immediately sigh for relief. Andrew's head drops just a little. Doctor Gaines lifts Andrew's head and looks in the eyes.

"You did the right thing bringing this to me. Thank you!"

Andrew smiles at Cody.

"You're welcome."

Everyone leaves the office and goes back to their patients.

***

Doctor Gaines knocks and then enters the exam room 4. He starts by examining Phillip so he can address the injuries, and then he talks to Phillip about his abuse. Doctor Gaines tells him that there is help out there and that it can start now. Before he goes on to his next patient, he sits and waits so that Phillip can call his parents. His patient has tears in his eyes and tells what happened, where he is at, and who is the waiting room.

"Phillip, with your permission, I am going to have my office manager quietly call the police?"

Phillip nods his head. Cody picks up the phone in his exam room and calls the office manager at her desk.

"Susan, I need you to very quietly call the police. Tell them we have a domestic violence victim in our exam room #4. We have the abuser in our waiting room, and tell them that the victim is pressing charges."

He has Phillip describe what his boyfriend is wearing and what he looks like as well. Phillip's parents showed up at the clinic, but they didn't come inside until the police had done their job and taken the scum out of the clinic. When Phillip was safely on his way home, things went back to normal once the adrenaline had finished pumping through everyone's systems. It didn't take long once the ball was set in motion for Phillip to be safer, though he may not feel safer just yet. Doctor Gaines gave everyone a few minutes to relax after Phillip left the house.

***

During this little break, Jennifer comes up to Andrew to talk briefly. She gets him into one of the exam rooms, looks him dead in the eyes, and readies her words carefully. Jennifer doesn't want to say the wrong thing or allow her body language to come across the wrong way.

"I know you like Doctor Gaines, but I want you to remember that his clinic is not the place for flirting; that being said, I really think that you should talk to him. He likes you, and I know you like him too, so cut the crap and let your feelings be known."

Twice today, someone has told him the same thing just in different ways, and maybe it's time for him to get a clue and actually talk to Doctor Gaines. Andrew doesn't want to have that conversation with him in front of the rest of the staff. Ideally, he would like to do it after work, if at all possible. Who knows, though, it just might happen tomorrow.

"I want to keep my job, so as much as I like him, maybe I shouldn't say anything. On the other hand, it's sort of driving me nuts, not talking with him."

Andrew says as he talks with Jennifer. Course, one can certainly understand his fear of losing his job over this, but what he doesn't know is that Doctor Gaines would fight for anyone of his staff. He definitely would not fire a nurse like Andrew. It's not about his looks, it's about his skills. Cody treats his team like they are family, which is slightly different than the other doctor in the practice.

"Andrew, I understand your fear, but Doctor Gaines is a good man, and you could do much worse."

Now, he is even more curious about asking him out.

"Jennifer, I would love to ask him out, I'm a little skittish."

She doesn't understand why this guy is wary of talking with their boss.

"Why are you nervous, just have the conversation?"

Jennifer asks her newest co-worker.

"We'll have that conversation, I promise. I just think that we need to get back to work. For now, I can tell you that I was hurt by someone in my past."

It's an acceptable explanation for now, but she fully intends to hear the complete story behind Andrew's pain.

***

Right after being with Phillip, Andrew immediately jumps into nurse mode. He knows who is coming in and why, so there are no surprises coming his way. There are plenty of kids coming in during the afternoon, and this means that Andrew can use his "kid whispering."
skills. Jennifer who has worked at the clinic for a long time and she is amazed at his talents. He would make a great teacher or an excellent teacher's aide. Two injections were performed and again, his hospital days paid off; he is excellent at doing them. He has had to ignore the man he works with to the best of his ability. Cody isn't one of those guys that are easily overlooked. He just that good looking and he's nice to everyone. He's the type of guy that makes one think, that is too good to be true, and yet he is real.

***

Andrew is finishing up his day, something happens that catches him off guard. He's in the break room when Cody enters the room. At first, he has his back to his boss, but then he turns around and sees him. The two guys immediately lock eyes. Cody smiles, but it's his eyes that light up the room. Cody wants to speak up first, but there isn't time to talk because Cody has someone whose anxiously waiting for him, so he has to hurry. Cody looks at Andrew and he is smiling too at Cody. Andrew feels this bolt of electricity that is stirring up from inside of him. It's amazing to feel but also a little unnerving. They excused themselves and they are getting ready to leave.

***

As Cody is driving to his mom's house, something flashes across his mind. Cody's mind jumps into the image of Andrew's smile. It's not only his nurse's smile, but it's also those eyes that catch the light in a room.

`Wow, I really need to speak with him.'

Cody says to himself. He doesn't want to let this guy slip away from him. He needs to get these feelings out, and he needs to either succeed or fail at dating his younger nurse because this is killing him. As he pulls up to his mom's house, he still has Andrew on the mind. He can't help but wonder what will happen when Chase is introduced to Andrew.

***

Cody arrives at his mom's house, stops the car, and walks up to the door. Chase knows the sound of his dad's car and is already running around the house, gathering up his belongings. Cody knocks at the door and waits for someone to answer. His mom opens the door.

"Hi Cody, Chase is running around the house getting his stuff."

She tells Cody as he walks into the house.

"Cool, I am ready to relax a little to be honest, Mom."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am good."

Cody responds to his mom's question.

"Daddy!"

A happy little boy runs towards Cody with a smile on his face with outstretched arms. The boy jumps into his dad's arms.

"Are you going to say goodbye to Grandma?"

Chase struggles a little so that his Dad puts him down. When he is down, Chase walks to Grandma and gives her a hug, and then exchanges a kiss with Grandma on the cheeks. He walks back to his dad, and then he takes his father's hand, and together they walk out the door.

"What do you want to do when we get home?"

Little guy thinks over all the possible things that they can do when they get home, and then he speaks up with his idea.

"Can we play catch?"

Cody tries to relax a little before engaging in Chase's activities, but he needs to wear off some energy, so catch will be perfect.

"Did you have fun at Grandma's?"

Chase smiles at his dad's question.

"Yes, I love Grandma's."

He loves going to Grandma's house and getting to spend the day with her. It's either Grandma's house, preschool, or a possible string of babysitters. His father and grandmother are glad that he enjoys his time with her.

"You know what little guy, I am so glad that you like going to Grandma's house."

He hopes Chase will like Andrew.

***

After getting their stuff put away, a brief stop for a snack, and then they went outside with a mitt and a ball. The guys are enjoying their time outdoors. They are playing catch and really enjoying their time together. After a brief time, they come inside the house and clean up. It's time for dinner, a puzzle or a book, and then it's time for bed.

***

At Andrew's home, his cell phone rings, and when he looks at the caller id, he sees it's Jennifer calling. He's pretty sure that she is calling about their discussion at the clinic.

"How can I help you, Jennifer? Is there anything wrong?"

He asked, worried that something might have happened to one of their patients. He had lost patients at the hospital, and that still stings.

"No, nothing is wrong, I wanted to ask you something."

She tells Andrew, who is now very curious.

"What did you need to ask me?"

Andrew is worried big time.

"I need to know if you are ready to ask Doctor Gaines out?"

Of course, he is ready more or less. The problem is what happens if Cody doesn't want to be with the lowly nurse. Andrew doesn't really believe that, but he can't get past the thought that maybe Ethan cursed him, that perhaps his actions nursed him to never be able to fall in love again or to trust himself if he does fall in love.

"I'm ready, but I am scared. You don't know me."

"I know all I need to know."

He shakes his head in disbelief.

"I promised you that I would tell you about my last relationship. I...I...guess it's time. There was a patient at the hospital where I worked before moving here. The patient had a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma. His older brother was there all the time. He was cute, but not my type. One day, he had a hot visitor. I didn't know it at the time, but the hot guy was my patient's brother's boyfriend. I flirted with the hot guy, and then when the hot guy flirted back with me, I felt good. He told me that he was dating the patient's brother and that he was going to be leaving his boyfriend. He did end up leaving him, we moved in together, and that is when the nightmares started for me."

She had heard enough of this tale to know what came; next, any guy who makes that type of promise is not be trusted.

"Andrew, I am sorry that you went through that and even more sorry that he hurt you."

How did she know that he was hurt by Ethan?

"How did you know that he hurt me?"

Honestly, she didn't know that it was Ethan that hurt him, just that he had been hurt, and a boyfriend did the hurting.

"I knew that you had been hurt. Can I try to finish your story?"

He didn't see any reason to not let her finish his story.

"Go ahead."

He tells her to go ahead, but he also knew that it would be guesses at best.

"You got sick of it, you told him it was over, you left him, your heart was broken, and you were broken. You returned home and started a life here. Am I right?"

He thinks that she is some kind of psychic, but she has been there before, and she found true love.

"Yeah, you're right, but there is so much doubt in me. I don't know if I can love again."

She quietly laughs.

"You have to trust yourself and love yourself. Well, I need to run."

Jennifer says because it's time for her to cook dinner. She says good-bye and ends the call. Andrew now has much to think about now, thanks to Jennifer. After what he has done to Caden, can he forgive himself? One thing is for sure, he is feeling very nervous.

***

It's these butterflies in his stomach that leads Andrew to call his friend Jason. Jason will more than likely tell him something akin to what Jennifer has already stated or something that Jason has already said. He finds Jason's contact and then taps his friend's name.

"Andrew, what's up?"

Jason wasn't expecting his friends to call him. Usually, he doesn't call unless there is a need or if it's been too long between Jason's call.

"Jason, I just got off the phone with a friend from work. She told me that I basically need to get over myself and ask the doctor out? But I am nervous, and I can't get past what I did to Caden."

There is a silence on the phone for a second.

"Andrew, maybe you need to speak with him and get your feelings out in the open to Caden, and then speak with your doctor?"

The problem is, he doesn't know if he can do that or not. There is no point in trying if Andrew is just going to get ignored by Ethan's ex.

"I know that I need to speak with him, but I also need to speak with Cody."

Jason can only respond in a way that makes sense to him.

"I don't know what you want from me, Andrew. I can only tell you what I would do if I were in your shoes, and that would be to speak with your doctor and then speak with Caden."

He could love to speak with Cody, but he isn't sure how to deal with Caden.

"I would rather speak with Cody then to speak with Caden."

"I am so nervous."

Jason laughs.

"Why are you laughing?"

Andrew asks Jason.

"I'm laughing because anyone in your situation would be nervous too."

He's right, and Andrew knows it.

"True."

Andrew says after Jason's last comment.

"Now, you need to go relax; go read a book or something."

With that, the guys end the call and go their separate ways.

***

Meanwhile, at Cody's house, Chase has been in bed for over an hour, and Cody has fallen asleep while he was working on a crossword puzzle. He was sitting at this desk in his office when sleep hits him. What happened next causes Cody to wake up eventually. Cody had one heck of a dream. Andrew and Cody are at a park with no one else there. They are holding hands and whispering to themselves. Eventually, they reach a picnic table and sit, where they continue to speak. They relax a little before, they begin to cuddle since no one is around them. Just as they are about to kiss, Cody wakes up.

"Damn!"

He says out loud as he wakes. All he can think about is how perfect that dream felt. Getting up out of the chair, he heads toward his bedroom. He has to speak with his nurse tomorrow because the tension is killing him. He doesn't know if he'll be able to contain it for much longer.

***

Meanwhile, we head back to Andrew's house, where we find him wrapped up in his fleece blanket, a queen-sized one, and he is reading a book on his e-reader. Jason is right, reading a book is precisely what Andrew needed. He finds himself falling into the book. Reading has always had that effect on him. For over fifteen minutes, he has been enjoying the story. The characters seem to be real people. This author has a gift in creating his characters. These characters could easily be Andrew's best friends. Everything must come to an end. He closes the book on the e-reader and then wraps himself up in his blankets.

***

Andrew cannot sleep, so he writes. In his journal, he records the thoughts that are running through his mind.

"I want to tell Cody how I feel, I really do. Jason and Jennifer are right, I need to get over myself, and face the facts before me. Cody is a great guy. I have to be honest, I don't believe there is a mean bone in his body. I doubt that he would hurt me in any way. Tomorrow will be the day that I ask my boss out on a date. He relaxes a bit and finds himself falling asleep, that little bit of writing seems to have done the trick.

***

Cody is about to go to sleep, but he can't get rid of Andrew from his mind. He wants to let it go, but he can't.

"Why can't I fall to sleep?"

He knows full well what's going on, it's the guy who's sleeping soundly across town. Andrew is driving him crazy, and he loves it.

"I really need to get to bed. Andrew, can you please let me sleep?"

Cody says as he gets up to turn off the lights. With the lights off, he undresses and climbs back into the bed. He climbs into bed and then looks at the pictures next to his bed.

"I promise, buddy, I won't let him hurt you, but I have to know if this guy is good for us. Tomorrow will be a good day because I am going to ask Andrew out."

He doesn't want to ruin things with Andrew by rushing into a relationship, but he can't keep doing this for much longer.

***

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