Everyone's Man – 11

 

Marc wanted to know who this 'he' was, but now wasn't the moment to verbalize the thought. "There shouldn't be much scarring, if any, and it'll all be on your back and buttocks."

 

"Hate to tell you, Doc, but my ass is what most men end up seeing. Guess you're not gay, or you'd know that."

 

"First off, how about you call me Marc, and secondly, for your information, I am gay."

 

Colin looked him over with a knowing eye, now. "Should have guessed. You're too pretty to be straight."

 

Marc snorted. "Don't say that too loudly. Not everyone here knows."

 

"That you're pretty?" he joked.

 

"That I'm gay. I'm not closeted but I don't advertise either."

 

"You should. You could make a fortune with that body. Hell, I'd pay you and I'm usually the one charging."

 

Marc was stymied now. This conversation was not going the way he'd thought it would, not by a long shot. He'd expected the tears and the fear, but the joking around? No way.

 

Colin clenched the sheet into both his fists. As if he'd read Marc's mind he said, "If I don't joke, I'll go off the deep end. I do remember what happened, but I'm not ready to…what do the shrinks call it? Process it yet?"

 

"Yes, that's the word. And, Colin, I'm not asking you to." Marc studied him, gauging whether he should ask, and deciding he should. "Is there someone, a friend, family, that you want to get in touch with? Someone you might—"

 

"Want to talk to?" Colin broke in. "Hell, no. Push comes to shove, I'd rather it be you than anyone I really know."

 

Marc smiled. "Easier if it's a stranger?"

 

"Yeah I guess, or at least a person who seems to give a damn." Colin's eyes closed and Marc thought he'd gone to sleep until he said, "No one else does."

 

"Well, strange as it seems, I actually do."

 

"Why?" Colin opened his eyes to look at Marc.

 

"Because everyone needs someone who cares," Marc replied softly. "I guess I got elected by…whoever."

 

"You're a strange man, Doc."

 

"Because I care? That's why I became a doctor."

 

"Not for the money?" Colin shot a look of disbelief at him, daring him to say otherwise.

 

Marc accepted the dare. "No, not for the money. If I were after that I'd become a specialist in something that would cost the patient a small fortune."

 

Colin nodded, his eyes closing again. "You gonna be around, if…if I need to, you know, get it off my chest some time," he said, his voice fading as sleep started to take over.

 

Marc reached to give his hand a squeeze. "Yes, Colin. I'll be around."