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Langdon really should have looked at the chart before he walked into the room, but today was another day of craziness at The Pitt and he had barely gotten a chance to look at the screen that said four-year-old with a probable broken arm before he was walking into the room.
“Hi there, I’m Doctor Langdon and I’ll be taking care of you to—” Langdon started to say, looking up halfway through the word today and feeling his mouth drop open in shock. “Abby?”
“Daddy!” Came from the hospital bed and Langdon’s attention snapped to his son.
“Tanner!” Langdon said, nearly dropping the iPad he was holding in his rush to put it down and go to him. “What happened, buddy?”
“He was playing at recess and fell,” Abby explained, panic in her voice, although she was a little bit more relaxed now that Langdon was here. “I think his arm is broken. I’m so sorry, Frank.”
“What are you sorry for, it’s not your fault,” He said, giving her a gentle look as he scanned Tanner for other injuries before looking at his arm. “How are you feeling, bud?”
“My arm hurts,” Tanner whined quietly, looking up at Langdon with wide, wet eyes.
“I bet it does,” Langdon said softly. “Can daddy take a look? I promise to be gentle.”
Abby watched as Langdon carefully prodded at Tanner’s arm after he nodded. Whatever else they had been together Abby could always count on him to be good with the kids and that meant more than anything else to her. Since their divorce things had been a little tense, with them working out the growing pains of being coparents, but they were in a better place now than they had been when they were still married. They had gotten married so young and for the last few years she had been feeling like the only reason they were still together was the kids. Now they were divorced and doing better than ever.
“It’s definitely broken,” Langdon said, bringing her out of her thoughts. “I’m going to go order some x-rays so we can see just how it broke, but you’re going to need a cast, bud.”
Tanner’s eyes lit up. “Cool.”
Langdon shook his head fondly. He wasn’t so sure what was so appealing to kids about having a cast, maybe it was that their friends got to sign it, but he was just glad that Tanner was relatively calm and not screaming in pain.
“I’m going to go get everything ready and I’ll come right back, okay?” Langdon said, looking at Tanner first and then at Abby.
“No!” Tanner said, clinging to him. “Stay.”
“Daddy has to go and finish some things, but I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Langdon said, trying to reassure his son, but Tanner just shook his head and clung to him harder.
“Can you take him with you? I don’t know what’s allowed,” Abby said hesitantly.
Langdon blinked, surprised at her suggestion, but then he nodded and looked back at Tanner. “Do you want to come with me, buddy?”
Tanner nodded his head and Langdon carefully picked him up, getting Tanner to wrap his good arm around his neck and making sure that his hurt arm was stable and protected. Then he gave Abby a nod and left the room, going over to where Dana was.
She looked up as he approached and took in the sight of him, raising a brow because well, normally he didn’t go around carrying patients.
“Dana, this is my son, Tanner,” Langdon explained, watching as understanding dawned on her. “Tanner, can you say hi to Dana?”
“Hi, Dana,” Tanner chirped, instinctively going to wave with the arm not around his dad’s neck before letting out a sob as a wave of pain crashed over him. He buried his face in Langdon’s neck as his little body shook.
Langdon shushed him gently, looking stricken at the sight of his son in pain. “It’s okay, buddy. Daddy’s going to make it better. Can you be strong for me? It’s only going to hurt for a little longer.”
Tanner sniffled but nodded. Langdon waited until he had settled down a little bit more before he looked back at Dana who was watching them with soft eyes. “He’s going to need x-rays and a cast.”
Dana nodded. “Okay, I’ll put in the order. You need me to tell Robby that you’re out for the count?”
“If you can,” Langdon said gratefully. “Is Mel on shift yet?”
Dana checked her watch. “Should be coming on in thirty minutes.”
“Can you send her to me when she gets here, I want her to do the cast,” Langdon said. He watched as a knowing expression danced across her face before she nodded.
“I’ll let her know,” Dana murmured, still giving him that damn look. If his son wasn’t in his arms then he’d be asking her about it, but right now he had more important things to worry about.
“Thank you,” He said, his voice sincere in a way that Dana wasn’t used to hearing from him. She was used to the playful, smart-ass, definitely an asshole Frank Langdon. Not the panicked, soft, caring dad Frank Langdon.
Dana gave him another smile before she was pulled away by another doctor. Langdon pressed a kiss to Tanner’s head and they made their way back to the room.
Abby looked up from her phone when they got back and she gave them a smile. “How’s my boy?”
“We had a slight mishap with saying hi to Dana when he waved, but x-rays have been ordered and now we just have to wait,” Langdon explained. He walked over to the bed and tried to put Tanner down, but the boy refused to let go. “Tanner, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay, I’m not going anywhere I’m just putting you down.”
Still, Tanner refused to let go, shaking his head and clinging to Langdon.
“Honey, daddy has to get back to work,” Abby explained, standing up and putting a gentle hand on his back. “But he’s right here in the building, okay? We can ask for him whenever we want.”
“Actually Dana is telling Robby I’m out of commission so I can stay here with you two,” Langdon said.
Abby gave him a surprised yet grateful look. “Thank you,” She murmured, looking relieved. “He’s always calmer when you’re near.”
Langdon felt his heart warm at that. His son loved him, he needed him, and Langdon hoped he never lost that.
“Why don’t you sit on the bed with him,” Abby suggested, going back to her chair. “I doubt he’s letting go any time soon.”
Langdon chuckled and nodded, carefully sitting down with Tanner in his arms and getting comfortable. He wasn’t sure how long it was going to be, but he felt Tanner relax against him and he held his little body close.
About ten minutes later, Abby and Langdon were talking quietly when there was a sudden knock on the door. It slid open to reveal Mel and Langdon brightened at seeing her, something Abby did not miss.
“Hi!” Mel said, closing the door behind her. She walked right up to Abby, stuck her hand out, and said, “I’m Dr. Melissa King, but everyone calls me Mel!”
Abby glanced at Langdon, who was looking at Mel with a grin, before she turned her attention to Mel and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mel. I’m Abby, Frank’s ex-wife.”
Mel blinked. “Who is Frank?”
“I’m Frank,” Langdon said.
“Oh! Right, yes, sorry I remember now,” Mel said, her cheeks flushing pink as she looked at Langdon. “I’m so used to calling you Langdon.”
“I prefer it,” Langdon said, giving her a reassuring look. “Not many people call me Frank.”
Mel nodded, before her attention was diverted when Tanner made a sound. “And who’s this?”
“This is my son, Tanner,” Langdon said, pride shining in his eyes as he looked at his boy. “He had a little accident on the playground today. His arm is broken.”
“Oh no,” Mel sympathized. “I broke my arm when I was six, it really hurts.”
“How?” Tanner asked, pulling his face from Langdon’s neck to look up at Mel curiously.
“My mom was sick so I was making lunch for my sister,” Mel explains, taking a seat on one of the chairs and rolling it closer to the bed. “I fell off the stool I was using.”
“That’s awful,” Abby said softly.
“It was not fun,” Mel nodded. “But I got the coolest cast.”
Tanner lit up. “Daddy says I get to have a cast too!”
“Oh awesome!” Mel said excitedly. “Can I sign it?”
Tanner nodded his head vigorously. Langdon was looking at the two of them with impossibly soft eyes, not sure why his heart was fucking singing at seeing Mel interact with his son.
Abby watched the entire interaction with a small smile. Hmm, looks like Frank had found someone special. She was happy for him. She wouldn’t have thought she would be, so soon after the divorce, but she was.
“Have you gotten x-rays?” Mel asked, grabbing Tanner’s chart and looking through it.
“Not yet,” Langdon said. “Should be soon though.”
“Good,” Mel murmured. “Dana said you wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, I was hoping you could do his cast? I don’t think he’s getting out of my lap any time soon,” Langdon explained.
Mel blinked in surprise. “Really? You don’t want to do it?”
“I trust you,” Langdon said easily and Mel beamed at him.
“I’ll go get the supplies then,” She said, before looking at Tanner who was watching her with curious eyes. “What colour do you want?”
Tanner’s brows furrowed as he thought hard. “I think…purple,” He said, looking at Mel like he was waiting for her approval.
“Very good choice,” She grinned and Tanner smiled brightly.
“I’ll be right back,” Mel said, giving Langdon and then Abby a smile before leaving the room.
It was quiet for only a moment before Abby was letting out a snort. Langdon looked at her and raised a brow.
“When’s the wedding?” Abby teased, sitting back in her chair with her arms crossed.
“What wedding?” Langdon asked, confused. He readjusted Tanner on his lap so he could turn further and look at Abby directly.
“You and her,” Abby said, tilting her head towards the door Mel had just left through.
Langdon’s mouth dropped open. “What?” He asked, looking panicked.
“Oh come on,” Abby rolled her eyes. “It’s so obvious. You like her.”
Langdon just stared at her in surprise, not sure what to say to that, he was completely frozen.
Abby softened. “Frank, it’s okay. You’re allowed to like her, you know that right?”
Langdon swallowed roughly. He was silent for a minute, before, “I am?” He asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Abby sighed, getting up to come sit beside him on the hospital bed. She took the hand not holding on to Tanner and threaded their fingers together. “We were always better friends than lovers, weren’t we?”
After a moment Langdon nodded hesitantly.
“Well as your friend I’m going to give you some advice,” Abby said, looking him in the eyes and saying, “That woman is special. Don’t let her get away.”
Langdon cleared his throat and squeezed her hand. “How did you know?”
Abby smiled gently. “You’re getting her to do Tanner’s cast. Last time he was sick you were breathing down the necks of the doctors, watching every single step or pushing them out of the way and doing it yourself,” She pointed out. “Now you’re going to let her do the cast. It wasn’t even a thought.”
“Oh,” Langdon said, looking down Tanner whose eyes were closed as he rested against his dad. “I didn’t realize.”
“Well, you are oblivious about this kind of thing,” Abby teased, knocking her shoulder against his. She gave him one last squeeze before she got up and went back to the chair. “You should see the way you look at her, Frank. You never looked at me like that.”
“I’m sorry, Abs,” Langdon whispered.
Abby just gave him a soft, sad smile. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I don’t regret it. We have two beautiful children because of it, I wouldn’t trade that for the world. I just hope now we can both find someone. I’m going to hold out for a man who looks at me the way you look at Mel.”
Langdon nodded. “It’s what you deserve.”
“I know,” Abby joked and they both laughed. “So, how are you going to ask her out?”
“Oh my god, I have to ask her out,” Langdon immediately looked panicked.
“You’re a doctor and this is what phases you?” Abby chuckled in disbelief. “Ask if you can talk to her alone and then ask her out to dinner. I don’t know her but she seems like she would like something simple yet genuine. Don’t go all fancy, she’s not going to be impressed by that.”
“How do you know this stuff?” Langdon asked, looking at his ex-wife in awe.
Abby shrugged. “I just do.”
Langdon was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door and one of his coworkers was telling him it was time to take Tanner for x-rays.
Abby let Frank take Tanner for his x-rays without her, figuring that she would just be in the way. Instead she sat in the room as she waited for them to come back.
She was in the middle of a work email when there was another knock on the door and Mel was sliding it open.
“Okay, I have everything ready for— oh, where did they go?”
“Frank took him for x-rays,” Abby explained.
Mel shifted awkwardly. “Oh, right, of course! Um, I can come back then.”
“No, it’s okay, stay,” Abby said, putting her phone away. “I mean, unless you have to go, I know you’re very busy.”
“I have a few minutes,” Mel said, giving her a small smile as she put everything she was holding onto the tray next to the bed, reflexively setting everything up for when Langdon and Tanner came back. “So, how are you?” She asked awkwardly.
“I’m good,” Abby said. “Or, well, I’m usually good. Today hasn’t been the best. Every parent’s worse nightmare is getting the call that your child has been hurt.”
“Yeah, I know,” Mel nodded, taking a seat on the chair she’d been sitting in before.
“Do you have kids?” Abby asked, surprised. Frank hadn’t mentioned her having any.
“Oh, no, but I was my sister’s primary caregiver for a long time,” Mel explained. “She’s in a facility now and I dread getting a call that she’s gotten hurt.”
“Ah, I understand,” Abby nodded. She hesitated for a second before asking her next question. “Do you want kids?”
Mel tilted her head to the side as she considered the question. “I’m…not sure. I’m not against the idea, I love taking care of my sister and my patients, I can imagine I would love taking care of my child too.”
“So if you were to date someone with kids, that wouldn’t be a deal breaker?” Abby wasn’t sure why she was doing this little interrogation, but if this was the woman Frank wanted then she at least owed it to herself to make sure that Mel would be okay with her kids.
Mel blinked. “Of course not. I love kids, truly I do.” She paused and then asked, “Why do you ask?”
Abby coughed, saved from answering when the door opened and Langdon carried Tanner back inside.
“Mommy!” Tanner exclaimed, wiggling in Langdon’s hold when he caught sight of his mother.
“Hi, sweet boy,” Abby said, standing up to carefully transfer Tanner from Langdon’s arms to hers. “Did you get your x-rays?”
“He did,” Langdon answered. “He was very brave.”
Tanner beamed proudly and Abby pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Of course he was, that’s my good boy. Did you get the results?” She asked, turning her attention back to Langdon.
“Yeah, it doesn’t look like a complicated break so it should heal well,” Langdon explained.
“Good,” Abby said in relief. “Are you ready for Mel to put on your cast, baby?”
“Yes,” Tanner exclaimed excitedly, in surprisingly good spirits for a kid with a broken arm. He turned his attention to Mel who was watching the little family with a smile and a complicated look in her eyes.
“Alright,” Mel clapped her hands, shaking herself out of whatever thoughts she was having.
Langdon looked at her closely, sensing that something had been off briefly, but he let her change the subject.
“Let’s get started,” Mel said eagerly. Langdon took a seat on the bed and Abby put Tanner down beside him carefully. Mel rolled her tray and chair over so she was in the right position and then she meticulously went about outfitting him with his cast, explaining in soothing detail everything she was doing while she did it.
Tanner watched with wide, curious eyes and Langdon stroked his hair, proud that Tanner was calm and this was going well. Sometimes kids did not sit well for casts and it was really difficult. Langdon couldn’t help but also be a little entranced by watching Mel work. She was professional yet caring, efficient but not rushing, and he just really liked listening to her voice.
Abby watched all of this unfold with amusement. She could practically see the hearts in Frank’s eyes. Yeah, her ex-husband had it bad for his pretty coworker.
“And there we are! All done,” Mel said, giving them all a big smile.
Tanner made a happy sound and made grabby hands at the sharpie that Mel had on the tray. She handed it to him after getting a nod from Langdon, but then Tanner held it out for her. Mel tilted her head, confused, until Tanner stuck out his arm too and Mel realized he wanted her to sign it.
“Aw, are you sure?” She asked, looking excited.
Tanner nodded and Mel rolled closer so she could sign it properly. In careful letters she wrote ‘Mel King’ and then drew a little teddy bear underneath. She pulled back with a proud look on her face. “There!”
Tanner giggled and then gave the pen to Langdon, who signed it as ‘Daddy’ and then Abby as ‘Mommy’. When he was finished getting his signatures, Tanner let out a tired sigh and leaned heavily against Langdon. “Daddy, I want to go home.”
“You’re going to go home, buddy,” Langdon said softly, putting his arm around him. “Mommy’s going to take you home and then I’m going to meet you guys at the house, okay? I just have to close out some things and get my stuff.”
“Are you sure you don’t have to go back to work?” Abby asked as she started to gather all their things.
“I’ll cover for you,” Mel said, getting up from the chair she’d been sitting on. “It was very nice to meet you Abby and you too Tanner! You’re one brave boy,” She praised, smiling when Tanner grinned at her. “I’ll see you next shift?” She asked Langdon, pushing her glasses up her nose.
“Yeah,” Langdon nodded. “Thank you for everything, Mel. I really appreciate it. If Robby yells at you for taking too long with us please blame me.”
“Deal,” Mel chuckled. She waved at both Abby and Tanner before whirling around and leaving the room.
Langdon watched her go, much to the continued amusement of Abby.
Finally Abby had had enough and whacked Langdon on the arm. “You better go ask that girl out, Frank. Go, before I throw something at you.” She threatened when Langdon opened his mouth to protest.
“Okay,” He said hesitantly. Then he pressed a kiss to Tanner’s forehead and one to Abby’s cheek. “Thank you,” He told her. “I’ll see you guys back at the house.” And with that he walked out of the room.
Langdon approached Dana and before he could even open his mouth, she said, “She’s in with another patient. I’ll send her to you when she’s done.”
Langdon’s cheeks flushed. Great, did everyone know about his feelings for Mel? “How did you know what I was going to say?”
“You had your ‘Where is Mel?’ look on,” Dana said, as if that explained everything.
“I don’t have a look,” He muttered, feeling his skin heat even more. Then he shook his head and asked, “Is Robby okay with me leaving?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself,” Dana said, nodding behind him.
Langdon turned around and found Robby there with his arms crossed, a brow raised. Things between them had been very tense after he’d found out about the drugs and sent Langdon to rehab. They were improving marginally as the days passed, but Langdon didn’t think it would ever go back to normal.
“Can I—” Langdon started to ask, but Robby cut him off.
“Yeah, go take care of your kid,” He said, giving Langdon a sympathetic look. “You can make it up another time.”
Langdon let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you. I owe you.”
“You do,” Robby nodded, before shoving his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and walking away.
Langdon made his way to the locker rooms and grabbed his stuff. He had just slung his backpack onto his shoulder when “Dana said you were looking for me?” came from behind him. He turned around and found Mel looking up at him, that smile she always seemed to have around him on her lips.
“Yes, I, uh, I wanted to thank you,” Langdon said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his scrubs. “You were so amazing with Tanner. I think he really likes you.”
Mel beamed. “He does? That’s great.”
“Yeah, it is,” Langdon said, feeling his heart start to race. Oh god, was he really about to do this? He hadn’t asked someone out in YEARS, and the stakes had never been this high. At least with Abby he had known that she had a crush on him before he asked her out. Now he just had to hope that Mel felt this thing between them too and that he wasn’t totally delusional. “And I— I wanted to ask you something.”
Mel nodded, giving him a curious look. She stayed silent, waiting to hear what he was going to say.
“Doyouwanttogotodinnerwithme?” He blurted out in a rush, his cheeks flaming. His hands were clenched tightly in his pockets and fuck, he hoped she said yes.
But Mel just blinked. “What was that? Can you say that slower?”
Langdon sighed, licking his lips before saying, “Do you want to go to dinner with me?”
Mel’s mouth fell open. “Oh.”
Langdon swallowed roughly. “It’s okay if you don’t want to. I would totally understand. I’m not exactly a catch. At least not anymore. But I was thinking— I was hoping that— that you—” He rambled, only stopping when Mel put her hand on his arm and stepped closer.
“I would love to,” She said softly.
Now it was Langdon’s turn to blink. “Really?”
Mel nodded. “Yeah. Really.”
His lips broke out into a boyish grin and his heart soared. She said yes! He was over the moon.
“That’s great,” He said enthusiastically. “I have to go, I promised I would meet Abby and Tanner back at the house, but I’ll call you?”
“I’ll wait by the phone,” Mel grinned.
Langdon hesitated for a second before he darted forward, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. “I’ll see you later,” He murmured, before backing away and heading towards the exit.
“See you,” Mel murmured back, even though he couldn’t hear her anymore. She reached up to touch her cheek, a small giggle leaving her lips as her skin tingled.
It was funny, her world had been flipped upside down and her shift had only just started. She wondered what else The Pitt had in store for her today besides broken arms, purple casts, and a dinner date with her favourite doctor.