Any Other Day - Part Four

Callie slid her phone back into it's case and took a deep breath. She'd been on the phone for over thirty minutes with Obie, his parents, Matt, and their children. Her feet throbbed and her neck was stiff, she just wanted to get them home. It had been a bloody long day already. She made a pit stop in her staff cafeteria and grabbed three cups of coffee and wished they could throw a dash of whiskey in with it as well. She found Jon and Richie back in the private consult room. "Hey guys, how did the scan go?" She handed Richie and Jon a cup each and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Good, Doc should be back in a minute to talk to us." Richie took a sip and winked at her.

"You OK?"

Jon drank his coffee and didn't look at her. "I'm fine. I just want clearance and then I want to go home to rest so we can get ready for the show on Sunday."

Callie took his hand in hers, "Jonny. What if the show isn't a good idea on Sunday?" Her husband's determination, well stubbornness rivalled anyone. He had to be realistic, she didn't want to see him push himself and cause even more damage that would end his career in the longer term. Her husband lame long term would kill him and her.  And it would impact his ability to be the Dad he'd hate he couldn't be.

"Not an option, I've busted my leg Callie. I can still sing."

She shrugged at Richie who smiled sympathetically.

"And don't do your little sign language between each other, I can't stand it."

Richie snorted. "Jesus Jonny."

Callie rolled her eyes. Apart from herself, Richie was the other one over the years that knew Jon as well as she did. And at times that had helped. Boy had it helped.

Dr Colbert returned with his clipboard, he caught Callie's eye and her stomach sank. It wasn't good, doctors had instincts she never could explain to anyone else but she knew the look. The look that said professional but the news isn't that great. "OK. After reviewing the scans I can tell you that you've torn the muscle... it's not as bad to require surgery but it's bad enough I would recommend you staying off it for at least a week if not more."

Callie bit her lip and watched her husband. You may have as well have just told him he couldn't compete in the Olympics.

"It's a recommendation right?" His gaze met hers, oh boy.

She took the scans off the doctor and held them up to the light. There was a clear tear in the middle, it wasn't as bad as it could have been even she had to admit that. But as always it was important to treat it right up front or risk doing more damage in the longer term. She perched on the edge of the bed and sighed. "We can ice this though before and after the shows and he could do disciplined exercises every day to support this?"

Dr Colbert nodded, "yes he could. Personally I wouldn't recommend it but I know in your case there might not be much of a choice. Could he sit on stage?"

Richie and Callie both answered in unison, "no." And this time Jon didn't bite. She knew that wasn't going to happen. Her husband could barely sit still in a studio let alone a stage.

"OK well we can explore the options as you know as much as I do what the risks are here."

Callie took Jon's hand. "We can discuss this at home, OK?" Of course she'd prefer it if he did rest but already Callie knew the likelihood of that would be as slim as the pope endorsing homosexual marriages. It just wasn't going to happen. "So we can keep him on Vicodin and pain relief then?"

Dr Colbalt nodded. "Yes, I think that's best. We'll strap it up but I'd like you to stay pigeon-toed toed at all times if you could Jon. It keeps the pressure off the muscle." The doctor pointed his right toe inwards to demonstrate. "Ice packs every three to four hours and crutches in-between." He ticked off his board. "Keep it elevated at all times when you are off it, propped on a pillow or something."

"Crutches?" Jon asked wide-eyed.

Oh lord, she could just see it now. He'd get so frustrated using them as well. "Thanks Doctor, we'll do all those things."

Jon shut his mouth again. "Yes I guess we will." 

Callie ignored the sarcasm and signed off the prescription that the doctor issued. 

"OK, well if there is nothing else I can do---I'll get the nurse to strap the leg and you can go." 

She nodded. "Thanks Doctor we'll be fine, I can take it from here."  She signed the releases and arranged Richie to call for the car. She just wanted to get him home into bed to rest as much as he was going to hate it. 

~

The car dropped them at their Jersey home and Callie helped her husband out of the car. He'd barely said a word the entire time home while she had text the news on her phone. She needed to get Jon into a relaxed state before approaching the subject of the next few concerts again. If they worked hard and he committed to the regime she designed for him to rehabilitate the leg then she could live with him continuing the tour. But he'd have to commit and do exactly what she recommended and that in itself wouldn't be an easy feat. She stood back as her husband manoeuvred himself inside on crutches, and of course got pissy when he tried it alone. 

"Here, I'll open the door shall I?" She unlocked and held the door to their home open.

"Thanks," he hobbled inside and turned. "And just for the record I'd appreciate being able to speak next time I am in front of a doctor." He turned back and cursed when he got to the foot of the stairs.

"I was just trying to help Jon. Here, let me help you there." She wriggled herself around in front of him and took the crutches from him. "Put your weight on me as you walk up and I'll walk up backwards."

"I can do this myself Callie, Jesus Christ it's an injured leg I'm not crippled."

She rolled her eyes, yup the pissed off guy was back. "You're injured Jon, swallow your pride and lean on me."

He growled as he took the first step and couldn't do it on his own weight. "I can do this."

She grabbed his hands, rested them on her shoulders and cupped his hips with her own. "Now try."  Sure enough that made it a hell of a lot easier to navigate the stairs and path to their bedroom. She planted him gently down on the edge of the bed. "See that wasn't so bad now was it?"

"I could have managed. I'm still pissed off with you Callie, I felt like an idiot in that hospital."

She sighed and slipped off her jewellery on the tallboy opposite their bed. "You're pissed off at yourself not me." She kicked off his shoes. "I'll get you settled and then go and get something to eat so you can take some painkillers before bed."

"I need my phone and my Mac." She knew she'd have bloody murder on her hands if she denied him of that. God, she needed a shower and something to eat herself but most importantly she needed five minutes away from Jon before she killed him.

"I'll get them." She got him settled and took the rest of his pants off him carefully along with his t-shirt and propped him up in bed with his leg on a pillow. She wrapped him in a blanket, normally he she would have made a joke about him being naked and how she could take advantage of him but she didn't. She got the man his toys and left him there while she disappeared downstairs. She prepared a couple of toasted cheese sandwiches and some tea on a tray before taking a moment at the kitchen counter. He'd scared her tonight even thought through the years he always knew how to look after himself, he was still her husband. She just wanted to do the best for him, and yes she probably went a little overboard at the hospital but she had to make sure he got the best care possible. 

She blew out her breath, shook off the worry and carried the tray back up the stairs. "Now it's not much but with all the drugs in your system we need to get some food-" She stopped dead in her tracks. "Jon, what the hell are you doing?" He was bent over reaching for the file case they kept in the bedroom. She snatched it and gently pushed him back against the pillows. "You're meant to be sitting still, not twisting your body like a pretzel to reach things. What do you want?" 

"I want the insurance details for the band." 

"Why?"

He held his hand out. "I just want to read what I have covered not that I will be cancelling shows." 

She unclasped the file case and dug out the insurance folder. "You should be considering it at the very least Jon." She hadn't planned to get into this so soon but it seemed her husband wasn't going to let it die easily.

"I think you've given me your opinion enough today don't you?" He didn't look up and flipped open the folder.

"I did what was best for you, especially when all you could focus on was the shows. I was thinking about my husband and the father of my children as well."

He snapped the folder closed. "Bullshit Callie. I was just another one of your patients today and all I wanted was my wife."

She yanked the drawer open and plucked out an old Notre Dame tee-shirt. "I was your wife, I was thinking for the both of us when all you could think about was your career." The words flew out before she could stop them. It wasn't what she meant at all but she was damn sick of his attitude over this.

"Oh so now I'm selfish?"

She lifted her hand to her head. "That's not what I meant and you know it. I just wanted you to get the best care Jon."

"Well you know what? I'm making the decisions about this. It's my band and I'll do what's best for it."

Her fingers curled tight into the tee-shirt, he was being unreasonable but her patience was wearing thin. "Fine. Fuck your leg up, see if I care but you can be the one to tell Jacob and Stella why you can't play with them in the park in the future. Because your career mattered more than your family."

"Oh come on, that's not fair."

She held her hands up. "I'm done Jonny. Carry on thinking about the machine, you always do." She picked up her bed things and slammed the door behind her. God, she cursed herself for losing her patience with him but c'mon. For fucks sake. She wiped back the tears and went into the smaller living room upstairs, she'd sleep in here and then check on him in a couple of hours but hell, they both needed some space away from each other.

She changed into the tee and curled herself into the couch with the TV blaring. She woke a few hours later and didn't even realize she'd been asleep. She checked her watch. "Shit." It had been three hours so she padded back to the bedroom, Jon could have been in pain again and she'd been asleep. Ugh. She crept into the bedroom and was relieved to hear soft snoring and see him passed out into the pillows. She closed his Mac, collected his phone and put them both on his nightstand. She slid into her side of the bed and pulled the covers up over both of them. She sighed and just hoped when he woke he'd been in a better mood or this was going to get ugly. 

~

She woke to soft groans a little while later so she flipped on her bedside lamp. Jon was moaning in his sleep, his face set in pain. She sat up and shook him carefully, "Jonny, wake up. You need to have more meds. It was a little after four am so it was time for a top up and clearly he was in pain. His eyes fluttered open but he cringed.

"Holy fuck. Feels like fire." He stammered and arched back into the pillows, the tiny tears slid down his cheek.

"I'll get some ice and we'll get you some more pills OK?" She took his hand and kissed it.

Callie headed back down to the kitchen. She hated hated seeing her guy in pain like this, it tore her inside out as Jon showed weakness less than the average man. Least he admitted he was in pain she thought as she returned to the bedroom armed with an ice-park and a glass of water. "Here." She placed the ice-pack in-between the his calf and the pillow. She popped the pills from the jar and held them out with a glass of water. 

"Thanks." He took them and laid back down and closed his eyes.

She crawled back into her side of the bed and lay on her side facing him. "It'll take a little while to kick in." She took his hand and rested her cheek on the edge of his shoulder. 

He killed his lamp and plunged the room in darkness. He squeezed her hand and his spare arm curled around her shoulders. "It hurts real bad."

She kissed his shoulder and up his neck. "I know baby. Just work through it, they'll work soon. I promise."

He growled and his body grew tense against hers. She shifted further up, pushed back his hair with hers and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Relax baby..." She kissed his nose and then his lips. They met in a long lazy kiss. She soothed him and held him as his body settled much to her and his breathing steadied. Much to her relief. 

"Cal?"

She kissed his cheek and then his lips again. "Yea?"

"I'm sorry."

She smiled and snuggled into the crook of his neck."It's OK. I was just as bad. I was just worried about you and, well everything too."

He rested his forehead against her head. "I was too. I'm glad you were there, as always in control."

"Me too. It would have killed me if you'd done this somewhere I wasn't Jon. I'm sorry I kinda took over...I guess once a doctor always a doctor. I should have just been your wife."

"And I should have just been a patient instead of a grumpy prick."

She chuckled against his warm skin. "Yeah but you're my grumpy prick."

In the dead of night, where there was no one but them he whispered. "I'm scared Callie. I don't know what to do."

She draped her arm across his chest and casually ran her fingers through his downy chest hair. "What is your gut instinct telling you to do?" 

"To carry on. What do you think, honestly?"

Her breath whistled out. "As your wife or your doctor?"

He dropped a kiss to her forehead. "As my wife." She closed her eyes and relished his warmth next to her. She knew Jon was pure professional but for all the right reasons.

"I think if you promise to do exactly your doctor tells you, and what she tells the trainer to make sure you do. You should finish the rest of the tour." Jon was also disciplined enough to look after himself when he had to. He'd learnt that from when the New Jersey breakdown, he never let himself get that run down ever again. So taking that into account Callie trusted he'd follow the regime she would set for him. 

"Is the doctor still mad at me?" Even in the moonlit room her husband's cheeky smile gleamed.

"She's coming around but she could be convinced." He turned carefully and his mouth found hers, his tongue slipping in and her breath hitched. The kiss went deeper as his hands ran through her hair and his taste flooded her. He broke apart, barely. "I wish I wasn't lame, our make up sex is pretty fucking awesome."

She laughed and their teeth clicked. "Why yes it is." Her hand slid down his flat belly and her fingers found him warm and half hard. Her fingers curled around his shaft and she pumped him slowly. "Good for the blood flow. Will make the pain killer work better." She hid the grin as they kissed again and he groaned appreciatively against her skin.

"Well if that's a doctor's order. I can't say no."

"Just stay still." She wound herself around his side and his hand smoothed over her breast, his thumb scraping her nipple. 

"God," she breathed and arched into his hip as his clever fingers found her sweet spot. The friction of her nipple against his arm coated his hand in her juice. She kept her hand on his cock and the rhythm steady. His thumb circled her clit sending her control straight into orbit. "Faster," she panted as she did the same with her movements. The kisses became more frantic and their breathing peaked. She was careful to keep them both steady instead of the normal roll and pin they often liked to indulge in. 

He tensed, groaned and buried his face into his neck. "God Callie." 

He shuddered first and his orgasm spilled all over her hand before she let herself go. She bit down on his shoulder and let the pleasure roll through her. "Jon, oh god." His thumb flicked her through the aftershocks and she slumped against him. 

"I love you Callie. I'm glad you were there tonight."

She smiled. "I love you too Jon, we'll get through this. We always do." And that was the truth, over twenty years of marriage they'd been through the highs and lows of any couple but one thing kept constant between them. Being there for one another, in their own ways. It was what made them strong, what made them work and why they were both as stubborn each other but most importantly why they loved each other.

~

Callie woke to the tunes of Glad All Over and her eyes snapped open. "What's going on?" She took a minute and realized she wasn't dreaming it all over again but her husband was sitting up in bed watching You Tube of all things. She rolled her eyes and sat up tugging the sheet around her. "OK what in sweet baby Jesus name are you doing?"

Jon sat against the headboard, bare chested and relaxed. He whipped the screen around to face her. "Look Callie. I sang the entire song and didn't miss a word."

Her gaze fell on her husband's image on the screen hobbling over at the mic but sure enough he was still singing the words of the song in time. She didn't particularly want to relive last night again but the proud look on Jon's face was much like when their own son learned to tie his own shoelaces, it was just too cute. She was just glad to have her old husband back. She sank back against her pillows and covered her eyes and laughed. "Good lord, let me guess you've emailed that to-"

"Obie, Matt, Richie, Mom, Dad..."

Callie laughed. "What an earth am I going to do with you?" She shook her head as he watched it again and she knew that look well too. A sense of satisfaction and beating the devil. 

Again.

The End

(For now)