Wayne Gray

Thank you, James. I'm really happy you and others like the tale. It helps keep authors writing to let us know that you're enjoying the work, so thank you for taking the time.

Thanks, Thorn. They're doing the hard stuff, and I'm really proud of them.

15 February 2019, Friday 3:17 p.m. (Pacific Time) Damn it. I already miss him, Troy thought as he and William left the airport. Grant was through security and on his way to his departure gate. He'd be in the air in forty minutes for a six-hour flight home. As William drove, he glanced over at Troy. "You doing all right? Nervous about being here alone with us?" Chuckling, Troy continued to look out of the window at the airline terminal as they drove away. "No. I'm not nervous." He shr

I do want to add ... I'm so proud of them. I feel such a deep and profound appreciation for what they're doing daily. They're wonderful, brave, and amazing ... and I'm doing my best to support them. They are the ones doing the work. My job right now is to make sure they can keep doing it as long and as safely as possible.

Thanks, Mike. It's tough when I know and cherish these people. I realize our role in this, and if I could manage our system of clinics and work the lab I would. My boss has already told me that's a last case scenario ... that my current role is too important to risk through exposure at the sites. That feels so shitty and I hate it. This morning after I spoke to my worker, I told my boss how I felt, and she asked, "Who would do your work if you got sick?" The answer was "Me." I'm sitting at the center of all of our testing/lab staffing/result communication/lab supply tracking efforts. I wrote a list of minimum tasks that need doing daily, approved by her, in case I do get sick. Because, there's no not doing them. It doesn't matter how bad I feel, these things will have to be done, no matter what. Still. I'm safely away from the front line while I send people there. While I have the bigger picture in mind, and I know why this is necessary, it still feels bad.

I never thought I'd be playing God. I manage twelve small clinical labs, including the staff that go along with them. I plotted out minimum staffing levels to run each. I asked for volunteers to go on unemployment while our business contracted, and patients stopped coming in for routine visits. The idea, so beautifully expressed on paper, was to have those "extra" staff waiting - out of the line of fire, and hopefully staying healthy away from the front lines of this epidemic. One of those front-line staff has been hovering on the edge of sick for a week. Yesterday, it was worse, and her temp climbed past the cut-off. We sent her home, and she has been tested. We're now waiting on results. Her relief is a mother of two small children who has asthma. I called her this morning. "Hey. Good morning. I need you at the clinic on 10th." "Good morning, Wayne. Okay." She says something to someone in the room, then comes back to the phone. "I'll be a little late, I just need to get the baby set up for my husband." "No problem. Take your time. I'll let the site administrator know the lab will open a little late." I pause, debating. How bad would it be if that lab stayed closed? This particular clinic is right on the plaza area in town. It's a place where homeless and the worst off in the county congregate, even now ... since they don't have anywhere else to go. I'd essentially take medical services from them if we closed this lab. To keep it open, I'm asking her to risk her health ... considering her condition, potentially her life. I clear my throat. "Hey. Thanks for working." I listen as she takes a breath. "It's what we do, right?" "Yeah. Be safe. Let me know if you run low on masks, I'll steal from other sites if I have to get them to you." "Thanks, Wayne. I'll be online soon. See you then." She hung up. I don't like playing God.

This was a fun exercise, and I appreciate the opportunity to think about what makes me tick when it comes to poetry. It's also a little humbling to be in a crowd like @AC Benus and @Mikiesboy. Thanks for the question, and for the AAA, Carlos!

We'll have to see how that goes. She's trying awfully hard to control it, or at a minimum control who knows about it. Her symptoms have progressed rapidly from a single fall in December to a constant numbness and tingling in her leg, and along with it a weakening of the limb. So you're right ... it won't be long before she can't hide it anymore. That's going to be a hard lesson for someone like her. Thanks for reading and commenting, Bft.

Thanks. I'm working on it.

@kbois, @Butcher56, @chris191070, @Parker Owens, @Hawgdad, @Philippe, @Danners. Thanks for the comments! Sorry for the abbreviated reply to all of you. My time lately is scarce, particularly during the week! Some highlights. Sandra is definitely having control issues, yet she is finding Troy an interesting distraction. There were comments concerning her physical health and how that was an issue in her potential softening approach. That likely has some merit. We'll see if she continues along this track or not. Gavin is such a strange guy. Quirky, probably somewhere on the spectrum and capable. He truly loves Grant, and he's thrilled that his "nephew" is happy. Don't worry @Danners, he's not gonna get handsy with Troy. 😉 There's more coming for all of our characters. Next chapter is a fun one. 🙂

Thanks for commenting, droughtquake. Was this man you speak of a redhead? If so, I think perhaps there may have been a different motivator for paying him such heed. 😛

11 February 2019, Monday 12:11 p.m. (Pacific Time) "Damn it, I'm sorry, Troy." Grimacing just after the door shut behind his father, Grant turned to him. William had shown them to Grant's rooms, then he'd left the two men to themselves. Grant shook his head. "I should have told her it was a condition of our coming here - no inquisitions." Smiling, Troy shrugged. "Honestly, this is relatively minor torture." He sighed. "Really, man, you're pretty lucky." He looked directly into Grant's ey

You’re rather scarred by Harris, eh? Hehe. Goooood. 😉

Thanks, chris. I like these guys. And ... yeah, it was fun to write them going at each other. I'm just as much of a voyeur as my readers are!

Hehe. Thanks, Jeffrey. I guess this is all fantasy, so in an alternate universe this really happened between Brian and Aaron. I like my characters well rounded, and interesting no matter what purpose they serve. In this case ... the guys served each other. 😄

Don't say I never gave you anything.

"Wow!" Turning in place, Brian grinned as he looked over the beautiful living space in the small cabin. "Man, I love your parents' cabin, Aaron." Aaron grinned as he unloaded his bag on the futon. "Yeah, we love it too. Georgette and I try to get out here a couple times a year, at least." They busied themselves putting away the few days' worth of clothes they'd packed. The cabin only had the one bedroom, so they were sharing closet space. "Well," Aaron held up a pair of Brian's brief

Mine too! I'm glad you enjoy her, Fae. 🙂

Thanks for the great comment, Danners. It's pretty crappy that what Dr. Petrucci did for Grant and Rhett is not the norm. It should be. Since he's the sole owner of the practice, there's no red tape for him to cut, luckily. He's a good boss, and believes in rewarding hard work. Lucky for our guys, eh? Rhett is getting real reinforcement that he's valued. It's likely that Dr. Petrucci knows or suspects Rhett suffers from social anxiety. He's perceptive and invested in Rhett, so that's probably something the doc has noticed over the time Rhett has been employed by the clinic. That means he's been careful to provide a place Rhett could potentially succeed. Finding in Grant a provider Rhett clicks with, and someone he is comfortable working closely with is to the doc a great thing. Hehe. That was a fun wake up for Troy, wasn't it? Sex is fun and great, but sex paired with love? That's on a different level ... and that's what they've got. Sandra is fun. Social engineering has pushed her to continually search for cracks and weaknesses in everyone she contacts - as one never knows when one will have to use those weaknesses to the advantage. She's a product of her upbringing, and her mindset has served well as a business owner in Napa Valley. In Troy, she finds a disarming openness. He's willing to lay it all out for her to assess once she has all the information to do so. There's no guessing, or extrapolation needed, Troy will simply tell her what she wants to know. Which is a bit disarming to a woman who is used to having to guess at motivations. 🙂 There's a lot more of the Sandra show coming. Stick around.

Yeah, Sandra is formidable. She has had to be for a number of reasons ... not the least of which is her own family. She has treated Grant much as her own family treated her growing up ... it's how she knows to parent. Grant had the good fortune of also having William who blunted the blow of his overbearing mother. Thanks for the comment. 🙂

Like a cuddly wolverine, maybe? 😛

Thanks, Etotsira! William and Sandra neither have a problem with gay people. I mean ... they own a winery in Napa Valley. Who do you think their clients are? hehehe. Though, yes, it's a completely different matter to have to accept your child's sexuality. I'll grant that much, certainly. Hrm. I'm trying to imagine a Sandra prone to hugging. I don't know ... that's an interesting mix! 😄

Hehehe. I'm glad the chapter dropping is a reason to celebrate, kbois. Grant and Rhett do great work, and Dr. Petrucci (the man who owns the practice, and their boss) recognizes that. He's a good boss, and quick to reward great performance. Hanging on to Rhett is something else the doc wants too. Yeah, he knew Rhett was likely going to stick around regardless, but his paying off that last year of Rhett's schooling means a huge amount of loyalty. It's a good move. I'm rather fond of my equipment and my husband's too. So, maybe you're on to something there. 😉 Sandra is so fun to write! She's got all of those qualities you mentioned, and yet there's more to her than what is on the surface too. William is an expert at teasing them out, and we'll see more of that later. Sandra's tough, but William really is her rock. You'll see. Troy is now a confident man, sure of his capabilities. He also has an appreciation for people (and clients!) who can tell him what their expectations are right off the bat. Sandra ticks those boxes for him. He "gets" her, probably better than Grant ever will. And that's all the hinting you'll get from me! 😄

The Doc really did let them know they're doing a good job. Retaining Rhett is important to Dr. Petrucci, and paying Rhett's last year is a small price if he can make it happen. Sandra has clearly made her stance known to Troy. She is interested in him due to his association with Grant, and Troy knows she's not the type to back down. Thanks to Grant's conversations over the phone with her, and Troy's own ethics and attitude, he had the answers to her questions. And Sandra is just brimming with possible surprises. I guess we'll have to see what she does, eh? Thanks for the comment, chris!

Sandra cannot be told what to do, not even by William, the man she loves. She was a bit "Hello, welcome to my house. Are you planning to leech off my son?" hehehe. You don't have to guess with her. She will flat out tell you what she thinks, and why she thinks it, and then offer "helpful" feedback on your responses. Maybe someone should just tell her to "relax." I'm sure that'd go well! Let's find out what happens. That's coming Sunday! 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Butcher!