John Dorian's Final Realization

Chapter 11: My Wrong Turn

-3 1/2 hours earlier-

Throwing his cheap comforter aside, he reached a hand out blindly and silenced the grating chimes of the landline. It was 8:30 in the morning and about time he started his day.

"Ghhh~!" He stretched out his aching back and got to his feet. The one thing he longed for above all else at that moment was a cup of coffee and his own mattress rather than the petri dish the hotel provided. Speaking of his things.. He pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket and dialed the first number on his list. 1Martha Fratelli

The line rang three times and on the fourth he was greeted with a long yawn. He laughed, "Why hello to you to."

"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry, Hon'. I barely caught a wink last night with me helping handle the twins and all. They still refuse to sleep 'less one of us is holding them so me, Frank and Carol took it in shifts. We each got about 4 hours in the end and yet I still can't seem to wake up." He moved the phone from one ear to the other as he shaved his face and tucked in his polo. "I am even considering recalling my ban on soda in the house if that doesn't tell you something."

"It does," David chuckled. His wife's hatred for the carbonated drinks was well known in his family, and when his step-daughter and son-in-law returned to their home once their little bundles were born she only seemed more deadset in her standing against them. "If it's becoming too much for ya I can come home early. I doubt my boss will fight me much over it..."

"No, no, don't do that. Thank you, Davey, but I will be alright. You stay there and make a good impression and maybe he will let you take off that extra week in May for your fishing trip." She reassured him from halfway across the country. "Speakin' of which, how've things been so far? I still don't understand why all your business trips have to be so gosh darn far away but I guess there must be some good reason or they wouldn't do them that way, huh?"

"It's easier for the executives, I think, "he improvised smoothly. "And it's been nice considering my having to be away from you all so long. I managed to get ahold of an old friend of mine yesterday. You shoulda seen the look on his face when he saw me. 'Was like he'd seen a ghost or somethin'!" A wide smile formed on his lips as guffaws escaped him once more, the memory of John's face coming to mind.

"I'm glad to hear that." Martha's voice went from normal to a coo as he heard cloth shift and babbling nearby. "Say hi to grandpa, Anthony! Hiii, c'mon~, say hiii.."

"Ge-ge-ge.." The 7 month old mumbled.

"Alright, Pumpkin, I got to get to my meeting so I need to let you go."

"Okay." He noted the small hint of forlorn in her response. Love you!"

"Love you too. Talk to you soo-" David stopped mid-sentence as a small, enthusiastic voice interrupted his.

"Wuh you!"

"I love you too, Anthony. Bye, bye." He shut his phone and stepped out of the taxi, stuffing a twenty in the expectant hand of his driver and facing the brunt of the brisk morning. "Kimberely!"

The mother-to-be turned around just as she was about to enter Sacred Heart and grinned at him. "David! I didn't think you'd come. I'm glad you did though!" She hobbled over to him and hugged him a moment.

"And why wouldn't I?" He asked lightly as he pulled away.

"Well, most people around here would pass on waking up this early just to wander around a hospital with a eurologist in tow."