Adam and Steve Ch. 07

"When can I go back to work?" Adam asked.

"I would say you can go back to work in a couple of days, but no heavy exercising for a while. I know you are in great shape. No weights or strenuous running. I would take it easy for the first week. If you could just walk, if you have to jog, okay, but if you can hold off on that, it would be good. I understand with your job, it might not be a possibility not to jog. But here's a biggy, no sex for a week."

"Okay, thank you," Adam stated.

"Yes Ken thank you." Steve also chimed in before he left the room.

"See, I told you everything will be okay. My heart is fine." Adam stated.

"Yeah, but Ken had to put a stent in," Steve responded.

"One Babe, just one," Adam responded.

"Yeah, Babe, one. I need to text Teddy and let him know what's going on." Steve texted Teddy letting him know that they will be at the hospital and about the stent.

Not an hour later, Teddy and Jeff walk in, "You broke the Coach?" Teddy smiled.

"I didn't break Adam," Steve responded.

"You're the one that had to take him to your doctor to make sure he was fine. His Doctor wasn't good enough. Now he is in the hospital with a stent, and we have a game tomorrow." Teddy stated.

"Marc is covering for me tomorrow. I'll be back to work later this week. I just won't be able to do everything I'm used to doing for a little while. I will have to rely on Marc." Adam stated. "Don't yell at your uncle. He made the right choice taking me to his Doctor. Because mine didn't find this problem."

"Adam, you're going to take the rest of the week off," Steve stated.

"Why? It was a minor procedure." Adam looked at Steve. He wanted to sit up and remembered he couldn't.

"This is going to suck. Adam is missing more games." Teddy responded.

Steve looked up at the monitors and noticed that Adam's heart rate increased a little. "Honey, please calm down. I know you hate the position that you're in. I wish you would take it easy for just a week."

"Ken said I could go back in a few days. So why can't I go back on Wednesday? I will take it easy at work like he said, I promise."

Jeff looked at Teddy, but they didn't say a word. They were sending texts out to the entire baseball and football team. One by one, they began to show up at the hospital. At first, the nurses didn't notice all the boys walking into the room until Adam's alarms on his monitors went off at their desk.

There were ten kids besides Jeff and Teddy sitting on the floor talking to Adam and Steve when she walked in. "What's going on here?" She asked.

"We're just visiting the Coach." One of the players stated.

"I need everyone out, and I mean everyone." The nurse even looked at Steve.

All the boys got up right away and left. All at once saying, 'See you later Coach.'

"That goes for you too." The nurse again was looking at Steve.

"I'm sorry, I'm not leaving my boyfriend," Steve responded.

"Mr. Cort, or as you call him, your boyfriend, is having issues. Did you not know that?" At that moment, Steve glanced up at the monitors and noticed the lights were flashing.

"Adam, why didn't you say anything?"

Adam just closed his eyes. He was trying to calm down. He didn't want anyone to know he was in the fucking hospital, and now the entire team knows. This means now the whole school knows along with parents and such.

"Sir, please calm down before I have to get a doctor in here." The nurse stated. Adam's blood pressure was rising, and his heart rate was not slowing down.

"I can't." Adam tried to respond, but his chest was hurting.

The nurse quickly left the room and called for the Doctor on the floor. "Honey, please take a deep breath." Steve was telling Adam when the nurse returned.

"How long ago did he come up from the heart cath?" The Doctor asked.

"Not even two hours." The nurse responded.

"Give him a nitro." The nurse retrieved a nitro and gave it to Adam, which Adam didn't want to take, but he did because the Doctor and Steve were there. The Doctor watched the heart rate slow, and he pushed the button to run the machine to get his blood pressure, and it was coming down. They ran an EKG, and it printed out, and he took it with him as he left the room.

Adam was just lying there with his eyes closed, trying to stay calm because now he had a massive headache, but he knew that would subside after a while. "Babe, are you okay?"

Adam looked over at Steve. "The pain is gone."

"Adam, what caused it?"

"I don't know." Adam lied, and Steve knew he was but didn't push him.

The nurse came back in, "Sir, there is a kid named Teddy that would like to come back in."

"That is my nephew. He may come back in along with Jeff." Steve stated.

"I would like Mr. Cort to rest. So please limit the number of guests that he has." The nurse stated as she left and told the boys they were allowed to go back in.

Teddy and Jeff peek around the door, and Steve tells them to come in. "Adam, are you okay?" Teddy was worried.

"Yeah, Teddy, everything is fine. Just got a little overwhelmed. My heart is fine." Adam responded.

"Okay Coach, I'll let everyone know and tell them to go home," Teddy said.

"Thanks Teddy," Adam stated.

***

By the time summer vacation came around again, Adam was learning how to manage his stress. Steve had both Adam and Teddy eating healthier. The stent did help the blood flow problem in Adam's upper chamber of his heart.

But he can cause himself to have an episode if he gets himself overly stressed. Which doesn't happen when he's got football and baseball to calm him. When he gets stressed at home, he will leave the room to calm himself down. He and Steve are still working on things. All their problems didn't just magically disappear. They are still working on their relationship and how they function together. Steve is still learning to come down to earth a little on his spending, but Adam gives in a little more to him.

Adam was lying on the couch in the family room, and Teddy came in and slumped down into the chair. "What's wrong with you?"

"Jeff got the acceptance letter that he's been waiting for." Teddy didn't sound even remotely happy.

"Texas?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, why does he want to go away right now? Why can't he wait a year for me?" Teddy whined.

Adam smiled and sat up. "Teddy, Jeff wants to play football just as much as you do, maybe even more. He's got the opportunity to do it, on a full ride."

"How did you know?"

"There's not much I don't know when it comes to when a player is getting recruited. I know every school that is interested in which players. Jeff isn't leaving you to be mean. He's doing it to play. I'm sure in a year, you will decide what you want to do, just like he did. You might be in an entirely different state too."

"What if I want to go to the same school?"

"What if you can't play football there?" Adam asked. "Would you still want to go?"

"I don't know. I think I would." Teddy responded.

"Teddy, a year may change a lot of things."

"What do you mean by that?"

Adam wondered if he should spell it out to him or not and decided to tell him something instead. "You remember last year when you found out that I interviewed for the job with the university?"

"Yeah."

"There were really two reasons I didn't want to take it."

"Two, you only said one, that you didn't want to leave high school sports."

"That was one of them, yes, and I told your uncle the other one after you left the room. Because he asked why I really didn't consider taking the job." Adam responded, and Teddy looked at him with an I'm listening look. "I didn't want to leave your uncle. Steve even said we would figure out how to see one another. But I know long-distance relationships are hard on couples. Sometimes it can work but not in all cases."

"So, you don't think...."

Adam cut Teddy off, "I don't know Teddy, you and Jeff might do great. But you have school here and all the odd hours of football and when baseball comes around. Jeff will have his schooling, football, and with that traveling for games."

Steve had come in from work and stood in the living room when he heard Adam talking to Teddy about Jeff and then about long-distance relationships. He decided to let his presence be known to Adam by standing in the kitchen, but still, Teddy didn't realize that he was there. "I just wish Jeff would go to school nearby instead of Texas."

"Teddy, I can guarantee it's just as hard on Jeff as it's you. You've got most of the Summer to be together before football practice starts up for him. You two have the phone and computer to communicate. I know that doesn't seem like much, but it's better than nothing."

Teddy looked down again, "I know you're right."

"It seems like you want to say but," Adam said.

"I do."

"Talk to me," Adam said as he saw Steve walk down the hall towards his office.

"I think you've noticed he hasn't been over much lately?" Adam nodded his head. "He keeps saying he's busy."

Adam took a breath and blew it out. "Let me tell you a little about me. I'm not saying this is what is happening with you and Jeff. But let me share a little of my life with you. Maybe it will help some."

"Okay."

"Let me take you back to when I was in high school and graduating. I had a scholarship to go to a few different schools, full rides. Ben, on the other hand, didn't. I settled and went to a school that was still a full ride but wasn't my first pick. It honestly wasn't really even my third." Adam looked at an amazed Teddy. "I gave up a few dreams for Ben, and I had to keep a lot of my anger at bay. Especially when I turned the pros down." Adam looked down at his hands. "Jeff has a big, no, a huge decision he has to make. It was accepting the offer to go to Texas. Then sadly, your relationship is next. He loves you. It's killing him too. I told him like I'm telling you. All you can do is try the long-distance thing. It will either work or not. Sadly as I told you. You both will be busy those first four months in the fall, and you won't have much time for one another. The first time you two will get to see one another will be Thanksgiving or Christmas, and that is a maybe."

"Why maybe?"

"Teddy, college football. They play a lot more than high school. Especially if they are great teams, and it's Texas." Adam hated to point out the obvious.

"When did you talk to Jeff?" Teddy asked.

"Last week, he asked me to be with him when he signed with Texas. We talked before they arrived. He asked me was he doing the right thing? I asked him if this is what he wanted. He smiled and started telling me everything and why he wanted to go there. Then I responded with, yes, it was the right thing. Then he asked what about you. I told him it will play out how it will play out. Told him the same story that I did you. Explained that if you two are meant to be, then love will find a way to work." Adam looked at Teddy to get his attention again. "But Teddy, I don't want you in a year saying you want to go to Texas because Jeff is there. Truly find your own way in life, don't just follow Jeff."

"Yes Sir."

"Call him, tell him you talked to me. Don't argue with him. Just be a friend. Seriously he is worrying about this too. He does love you Teddy."

Teddy nodded his head and went down to his room to call Jeff. Adam laid back down on the couch. He had forgotten that Steve came in because he had talked to Teddy for so long. When Steve heard Teddy on his phone, he came out to the family room.

"Hey handsome." Adam smiled.

"Hey yourself and thank you." Steve walked over as Adam sat up on the couch and sat down next to him. "I thought I would have to deal with teenage heartbreak, and he went to you."

"It's not heartbreak yet, but sadly it's coming." Adam frowned.

***

Steve still hadn't had the opportunity to take Adam away to his cabin. So he decided to take some time off and take Adam to the Lake Tahoe cabin for a week in July. He would have Teddy go to his grandparents but chose to trust him since he just turned eighteen and was to be a senior in high school.

Steve decided to have the swing installed, so he sent it to the caretaker of his cabin and had them hire someone to hang it. So when they arrived at the cabin and Adam walked into the bedroom, he just started laughing.

"I take it you really wanted to try the swing out?" Adam chuckled. He had forgotten about the swing. Steve walked up behind him, put his arms around him, up under his t-shirt, and kissed his neck, producing a moan. "What do you want, Baby?"

Steve pushed him towards the swing. "Let's help you out of these clothes, shall we?"

Steve pushed Adam's t-shirt up, and Adam pulled it off for him as they kissed. Then he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and let them fall around Adam's ankles. They could hear a cell phone ringing, and they were trying to ignore it. Steve kissed Adam again, and they both chuckled.

"I think that has been both of our phones now," Adam stated. "As much as I want to continue, I think we need to see who's trying to call us."

Steve moaned, "I know you are right. Stay there." Steve left to grab his phone from the table he sat his on when they came in. As soon as he saw Teddy's name, he called him right back. "Teddy, what's wrong? Calm down, calm down, Teddy. I can't understand you."

Adam walked over and took the phone from Steve, "Teddy, what's going on? We'll be there as soon as we can get back. Hang tight." Adam hung his head as he ended the call and handed his phone back. "Call the plane back."

"What's going on?"

"Do you really want to know? Call the plane back before it gets too far." Adam stated as he started getting dressed. Steve called them. He was lucky they didn't take off right away, the pilot wanted to have dinner in town, but his dinner was cut short.

Adam called Teddy back while they were waiting to take off, talked to him and calmed him down some. He talked to Jeff some too before they took off and told them they will be there as soon as possible, that he doesn't think that it's as bad as they think and again to hang tight.

"What mess are we going back to?" Steve asks as they are sitting on the plane halfway back to LA. "And how did you get good at understanding crying kids?"

Adam chuckled, "I work at a school. Let's just put it this way, we might be taking Teddy to the ER."

"What?"

"I said might. It all depends on how stupid they were."

"Oh shit."