Senses 03 - Love Comes Home (DA) (MM) (21 page)

“Skip, I can’t talk about this. He hasn’t said anything, and I….”

Skip nodded and turned away. Tom started the car and drove home, neither of them saying a word until Tom pulled into the driveway. Then Skip said, “Look, I’m going to take the chance that you’ll bite my head off. But you don’t want to leave Greg wondering. He deserves to know how you feel, and you deserve to know how he feels.”

Tom growled.

“Damn it. That man loves you, but he’s just as scared as you are.” Skip shook his head. “Where is the Tom I knew who would do anything and was afraid of nothing? You’ll take on setting up a baseball league for blind children without a second thought, or help libraries and parks all the fucking day. But you won’t do the one thing that will make you happy, the one thing I wished I’d said years ago, before I lost my chance.”

G
REG
WAS
as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Every car that passed by out front had him jumping. Davey had called to tell him that he and Howard were having a lot of fun together. If he knew Howard, the wily man had figured out how to turn learning into games and had probably enlisted Sophia’s help. Finally, he heard a car pull into the drive, and he peered out the window at Tom’s red Ferrari. Right, Tom had told him Skip was using the BMW. Granted, on any other day he would have been thrilled to ride in the ultrafast car, but today he was too nerved up to really care about anything other than what the doctors would tell him. He locked the house and walked out to the car.

“It’s going to be okay,” Tom said.

“But….”

Tom motioned toward the door, and Greg opened it and slid into the seat. “Greg. What’s the very worst that could happen?”

He paused. “They tell me they can do something to help Davey, I agree to it, and in the end, it doesn’t work and his hopes have been raised for nothing. The best is that he gets his sight back, but I honestly believe that to be a pipe dream, and I hate the thought of anyone giving Davey false hope.” Greg paused, and Tom started the engine. Greg told him where the office was, and they were off.

“I can understand how you feel.”

They pulled up to a light, and Greg turned toward Tom. “Davey is just beginning to accept that he can’t see. He’s come a long way in a short time. Hell, I’m just starting to see glimpses of the sparkling personality he had before all this began. I don’t want to lose that.” Tom nodded, and when the light changed, they glided through the intersection. “I’ve been telling myself that whatever they propose, if anything at all, had better be more than some shot in the dark.”

“What if it is a shot in the dark?” Tom asked.

Greg winced at the thought. “I keep telling myself I won’t take it, and then I wonder how I can pass up any chance that Davey might see again. It’s ripping me apart.”

“With many things, the not knowing is the hardest part. The answer might be an easy one. I suggest you try to stop worrying.”

Greg took a deep breath and nodded, settling back in the seat. He shouldn’t have enjoyed the ride as much as he did. The car rode like a dream, and everyone stopped to look as they went by. Tom pulled up to the office and parked in the shade. They got out, and Tom walked with him to the door, lightly pressing his hand to the small of his back, just enough to let Greg know he was there.

“Mr. Hampton,” the receptionist said as they walked in. “Please follow me, they’re waiting for you.”

Greg nodded and turned to Tom, who took his hand, squeezing it slightly. “It’s going to be fine. No one is going to make any decisions for you, and you don’t have to rush. You can hear the doctors out and then think about whatever they have to say.”

Greg followed the receptionist back to Jerry’s office, where both Sanjay and Jerry waited for him. They both seemed surprised to see Tom. Greg made introductions, and then they sat down.

“Dr. Patel has put forward an interesting treatment,” Jerry began. “I have heard rumors and rumblings about this type of gene therapy, but I wasn’t aware that it had been perfected.” Jerry looked at Sanjay. “And I’m afraid it hasn’t… yet.”

“Can you start at the beginning?” Tom said.

Jerry looked at Greg, and Greg nodded.

“Of course,” Jerry said and came around his desk to sit on the edge of it. “David’s problem is genetic, and his condition affects his optic nerve. Actually, David was quite lucky, because he kept his sight longer than most documented cases of this condition. Most children lose their sight by five or six. His optic nerves have been deteriorating for a while, and it seems that in the last year it progressed more rapidly, leading to now almost total blindness.”

“Okay,” Greg said, taking charge. “What is this treatment?”

“Gene therapy,” Sanjay said. “Since the mapping of the human genome, we believe we have a good understanding of which exact gene causes this condition. Basically, we would take genetic samples from Davey and try to repair the genetic abnormality using stem cells, then we would insert the corrected genetic material into his body.”

Greg looked at Tom and then back at Jerry and Sanjay. “It sounds simple, but I know there has to be more to it than that. Will it actually work?”

“There’s the rub,” Jerry said. “In theory, since Davey’s genetic material would be used, his body shouldn’t reject it, but it’s the body using the new genes for replication that’s the problem. Basically, the body is meant to fight off anything that doesn’t fit.”

“And quite often it doesn’t take unless…,” Sanjay said, and Greg stiffened, knowing the “but” was coming. “I have had success helping patients.” Sanjay paused again.

“I need to know all information in order to make a decision,” Greg said.

“Many times, we have to go through the same process as a bone marrow transplant. In that procedure, we kill off the patient’s bone marrow and then insert the corrected genetic material in order to guarantee that the body will use the new genetic code in the future. In this case, Davey’s genetic abnormality would be corrected, and the body is often able to repair itself.”

Greg stared, wide-eyed and openmouthed. Did he just hear correctly?

“Are you nuts?” Tom asked, half yelling.

Greg turned toward him and then looked at Jerry. This sounded like something out of a horror movie.

“I’m sorry,” Tom said to him. “It isn’t my place.”

Greg caught his breath. “Isn’t that what they do for leukemia patients? They kill off the bone marrow and then transplant. You want to do that to Davey?”

“It’s the only way to replace his genetic code with one that doesn’t contain the diseased gene. Then what we do is seed the area affected with stem cells so they will repair his optic nerve, and that will allow Davey to see again.” Sanjay sounded so matter-of-fact, like you do this and this and this, and suddenly you have a cake for the bake sale. He made it sound so easy.

“What are the risks?” Greg asked, turning to Jerry.

“Quite extensive I’m afraid. It would involve killing off his healthy bone marrow and replacing it with what’s been engineered in the lab. Granted, it’s mostly his own DNA….” Jerry swallowed. “Look, I think this has possibilities in the future, but right now it’s highly experimental, and quite frankly my ethics are screaming at me, ‘Do no harm.’”

Greg nodded. “Would it be painful?” he asked, and he heard Tom inhale sharply.

“There would be some pain involved,” Sanjay answered.

Greg stared at the two doctors, and without being able to think of any other questions right now, he stood up and shook both their hands. “I appreciate both your time,” he said and then left the office with Tom behind him. With each step he moved faster and faster until he made it outside and gulped fresh air.

“I can’t believe you’re considering that,” Tom said.

“How can I not?” Greg asked. “I know how it sounded, and I’m just as shocked as you are.” He took another deep breath. “But if I don’t consider it, then how can I sit down with Davey and explain to him that I might have given up his one chance to see again? I can’t do that to him.”

“Do that to him? They’re talking about chemotherapy and radiation on an otherwise healthy ten-year-old.”

“I know!” Greg snapped. “I was there. I heard every single word.” Greg felt the last of his control start to give. “Damn it,” he swore. “I was hoping this would be something real. But I still can’t dismiss it out of hand.”

“Come on, let’s go back to your house,” Tom said.

Greg nodded and walked to the car. He got in and closed the door. “What am I going to do? How can I tell Davey that I gave up the one chance he might have to see again?”

“Because that chance could cost him his life,” Tom said. “Look, your doctor said there were ethical issues he wasn’t comfortable with, and I can’t blame him. Other than being blind, Dave is a normal, healthy ten-year-old. This treatment would cause him pain, and God knows what else, on the off chance he might see again. This is your decision, not mine. I’m just telling you how I see it.” Tom started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

Tom’s tone told Greg all he needed to know. He knew what Tom’s decision would be, and Greg wanted to make the same one. But he couldn’t do that offhandedly, not if it could allow Davey to be able to see again. They rode in silence, Greg staring out the window and Tom driving, tension building between them. When they pulled into the drive at Greg’s house, Tom barely turned to look at him.

“I just can’t dismiss anything,” Greg said softly.

Tom blinked. “I…. This…. This is so egregious and so outrageous. I just can’t believe you’re even considering it.”

Greg shook his head. “Is it a sin to not want Davey to be blind? I know this is far out, and God knows I want to tell them no. But that would condemn Davey to a life of sightlessness. I also know it would raise his hopes only to raise the specter of having them dashed.” He wasn’t going to get through to Tom, he knew that. At least not right now. Greg reached for the door handle to get out and felt Tom put his hand on his arm. “You said no one was going to push me into a decision, but did that include you as well?” His tone was harsher than he intended, and Tom pulled his hand away.

“You’re right,” he replied, his tone equally biting. “You need time to make the right decision.”

Greg got out of the car and closed the door. “Tom, I appreciate you going with me.” He wished Tom would come inside with him, but he sat in the driver’s seat without moving. “I knew this would be hard.”

Tom finally turned. “Can you really be considering putting Davey through that?”

“I think I’m trying to figure out how I can say no and still sleep at night,” Greg admitted before turning to walk toward the front door. He’d reached the front steps before he heard running behind him. Greg whirled around, and Tom pulled him into a crushing hug.

“Some boyfriend I turned out to be,” Tom said. Greg hesitated and then reciprocated, placing his arms around Tom’s back. “Sometimes I can be a complete ass.”

“I’ll remember that,” Greg quipped. “Do you want to come inside?”

“No. Let’s go pick up Skip at the house and then we can go over to Howard and Gordy’s. I think you need to see Davey.”

“Is this part of some plan to get me to make the decision you think I should make?” Greg asked.

“Probably. But I think you just need to see your son.”

Greg nodded and let Tom guide him back to the car. “When does Skip go back to New York?” Greg asked as they drove.

“Tomorrow. I think he likes it here, but is too stubborn to admit it. So maybe he’ll come visit again.”

Greg felt guilty. “You should be spending time with your friend and I’m taking you away.”

Tom grinned. “When I left he was Skyping with some friends in New York, and he can talk for hours. We’re going out for dinner tonight. Skip talks like the world’s biggest party kid, but he’s a very private person, as well, and really seems to enjoy his alone time. At least that’s what he keeps telling me.” Tom began to chuckle. “I’ve always thought the clubbing and men were a cover for something, and after a certain conversation I know now I was right.”

“What kind of conversation?” Greg asked suspiciously.

“He said he used to have feelings for me, but never said anything.”

Greg rolled his eyes as they stopped at a light. “You’re really oblivious. He still has feelings for you. I can see that. He tries to hide them, but in unguarded moments they come through.”

“Damn,” Tom swore lightly. “I’d hoped we talked it through on our trip yesterday.” The light changed, and Tom pulled through the intersection. “How come you aren’t upset about it?”

“If something were going to happen between the two of you, it would have happened long ago. He’s your friend, and nothing ruins a friendship faster than sex. You’re both smart guys and know that. It was also obvious that you’re very close… but don’t be surprised if he distances himself from you after he leaves.”

“Yeah,” Tom sighed. They pulled up to Tom’s house. The BMW was in the drive, and Skip came out as they were getting out of the car. “We’re going over to Howard and Gordy’s and thought you might want to come along.”