THE MAN NEXT DOOR
CHAPTER 36

Micky woke up first, it was 6:30 AM; the morning sun was beginning to stream in through the large window across their bed. He realized that neither of them had properly gotten ready for bed the night before and that they had slept on top of the covers but all in all, everything was ok. Selene looked to be peacefully resting. She had moved during the night rolling over to face Micky, snuggled up next to him, one arm wrapped around him with her hand falling on his hip. He placed his hand over hers and a soft smile crossed his face. She was still beautiful and lovely in his eyes. He could comfort her during times like this and make everything ok and that's the stuff that kept him motivated, not what some tabloid had to say about his life. Beth hadn't the first clue about Micky and Selene's relationship nor did any of her readers. If the story sold, it sold. If not then that was fine too. He had what mattered and he had what mattered in life now and he knew it.

Micky carefully moved himself out of the bed leaving Selene to sleep. He knew how these panic attacks drained her. She would rest for a little while more. He wasn't planning to leave her alone too long though. He did want to be there when she awakened so that he was the first thing she saw after last night's horrific upset.

He made his way into the kitchen where he prepared a very light but healthy breakfast consisting of Greek yogurt, a couple of slices of toast hot tea and some scrambled eggs. He arranged the food on a tray and took it into the bedroom where he then placed it conveniently on the night stand while he got back onto the bed next to Selene. It was now a little after 7 AM, the sun was fully up and the morning light was pouring into the room. He got the Navajo blanket draped across the bottom of the bed and pulled it up over Selene. He secured it with his arm on top of the blanket over the middle of her body. They were lying on the bed forehead to forehead. Micky fell in love with his woman daily.

Selene slowly woke up and opened her eyes to meet Micky's. She was snuggled in the Navajo blanket and Micky's arms. He pulled her a little closer just then and kissed her on the forehead. "Good morning, sweetheart" he said in a quiet tone, stroking her hair.

She laid there in brief silence looking into her husband's eyes. "Thank you" She whispered, pulling herself toward him, hugging him then kissing his cheek.

"Thank you for not being mad at me last night" She clarified.

"No honey, its ok. I'm not mad at you at all. I could never be mad at you for something like that" He said, his smile going soft again.

That particular smile was the best thing coming from him.

"You should try to eat something" Micky said as he rolled over and brought the tray between them on the bed. He uncovered it revealing the breakfast he had prepared.

"High protein is good for you." he said offering her the strawberry Greek yogurt first then pouring two cups of tea out of the small teapot.

She propped herself up on some pillows and then moved the other pillows so that Micky could also prop up comfortably on the bed.

"Thanks" he said as he moved onto the pillows into a relaxed sitting position picking up the tray of food joining Selene under the Navajo blanket.

He fed her a piece of toast in between bites of yogurt. He ate the eggs also sharing a few bites with Selene.

It seemed as though all of the concerns of the previous evening had melted away and nearly vanished. Micky had tactfully handled the situation as usual.

-A WHILE LATER-

Micky had left the house for the studio. Selene had cleaned the breakfast dishes up and put everything away but suddenly felt a bit weak and nauseated. She decided to lay down on the couch for a while and take a rest. She fell asleep.

Micky had not went to the studio. In fact, he had only been to the studio a few times. He did however have a schedule that he was keeping on a regular basis. He didn't need time in the studio to cut an album spanning days or weeks. The truth was that he had already recorded the tracks necessary and was just letting the other guys do their job with covers and artwork. He had only in recent months came upon some information in his research on stem cell therapy for those with spinal cord injuries. Micky could be very science-minded and when it came to this, it interested him very much. He seemed to be a perfect candidate for the experimental procedure. He had read many publications about the procedure and the benefits therein. Today he was on his way to see a doctor for a consultation on the process. He was very close to having the procedure in hope that it would help him regain his ability to walk again. The doctor seemed optimistic about this which fueled Micky's interest and drive that much more.

Micky made the drive over to The University of Arizona College of Medicine where he would meet again with a board of doctors who were consulting about his procedure to discuss it more thoroughly. This shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. This was his first visit to a college campus in a very long time. It was nice, looked professional and seemed accessible. He had no trouble making his way along the sidewalks or navigating his way to the meeting.

He located an office where there were several ladies staffing a front desk area.

"May I help you?" A young cheeky brunette asked.

"Why yes. I have a meeting at 11:30 scheduled.

The brunette looked at her computer screen and quickly brought up a calendar showing the day's agenda.

"Mr. Dolenz?" She asked.

"Yes, that's correct." He replied.

"Please come right this way" she told him as she stepped out from behind the workstation and guided him through a door in the back that lead down a hallway past a series of offices. At the end of the hallway, there was a double door. She opened the door and directed him into a private suite which had a small kitchenette that featured a mini bar, microwave, sink and fridge as well as a nice buffet for serving food. There were some couches and ottomans around the room as well as some nice plants for ambience. Just beyond this room, there was another room partitioned off to its self. Inside, was a large oval table and about 12 or 15 chairs sitting around the table. The room was equipped with a state of the art sound system and projector with a huge screen at the front of the room and a white board at the back. The other wall featured a bank of windows that were partially covered by some heavy drapes that could be drawn in the event that the projector was to be used.

"This is where you will be meeting" the brunette said as she motioned Micky into the room.

He noted that there was a space at the table where there was no chair. He assumed that was his place at the table.

Just then a small group of professionally dressed men arrived at the conference room and began to gather in the front area.

"I'll let them know you are already here. Please make yourself comfortable Mr. Dolenz" She said as she turned to attend to the others arriving.

Micky went over to the spot at the table where there was no chair and assumed his position.

Several minutes went by but eventually the room filled with medical professionals he was to consult with. Since this was an experimental study they were conducting with grant funds through their program, he would have to meet with them and understand how their program worked, what was needed and how they would proceed with the study. He would be part of an ongoing medical study for several years to come after having this procedure. He was all for it if it could help him get back what he lost and help others as well.

His doctor, Dr. Roland, who was heading up this particular study group entered the room with the group of others followed by the brunette who Micky had found out was named Charlotte. She had a pitcher of iced water and a tray of glasses along with an ice bucket. These items were placed on the table so that they would be available if needed. Charlotte exited the room. The rest of the group took their places. Once everyone was seated, Dr. Roland greeted the group and introduced Micky to everyone. There were a couple of medical students in the group but it was mostly made up of professors and teaching faculty.

As the study was thoroughly explained and Dr. Roland went through the process, Micky realized that this could end up being more than an out patient procedure and that there might actually be some recovery time . Discussion about insurances and payment were part of the presentation. Money wasn't an issue for him. He could pay out of pocket to have this done. The problem was that this procedure was not approved by the FDA and therefore had to be completed outside the country. The closest facility that would offer services was located in Mexico several hours away. There were other facilities in Europe that could perform it however, the funding wasn't there to support a trip like that from the university side of things. It would be done in Mexico.

It became clear that Micky was a great candidate for this procedure. He had maintained his strength and where he had already regained some sensation and feeling following his injury and had been attempting to walk and stand with braces, the possibilities of him making either a partial or full recovery were greater than that of someone with less strength or mobility.

The various pros and cons were discussed about the procedure, Micky's activities were discussed as well as his current lifestyle, relationship status and more. After having undergone the barrage of medical inquiries and rehashing his medical records several times he was thoroughly mentally exhausted and was ready to return home.

The last thing that would be done was scheduling travel and the procedure. Dr. Roland had some contacts down in Mexico and they would be handling that afterward and getting back to Micky. He had asked them to e-mail him the information instead of calling because he hadn't told Selene what he was doing first and still needed to discuss it with her. He had wanted to find out as much as possible about it before he told her so as not to get her hopes or concerns up too much.

It was sweltering hot that afternoon to the point that pants and a polo shirt were no longer comfortable for him. He made his way to the Mercedes and immediately put the top back up and cranked up the air conditioning. It felt immediately wonderful. He had begun to sweat. He had a lot to think about along the drive home. When he arrived he came in to find Selene still on the couch napping. That was unusual but he figured she was still spent from the previous evening's events and panic attack.

He put his things away in the office and went to change his clothes. He decided that he was going to wear his shorts and a tank top. He seldom wore tank tops but today it was especially hot and he wanted to be comfortable. They weren't expecting any visitors nor were there plans to leave the house. He pulled the tank top over his head and stretched it until he put his arms through then pulled it the rest of the way down. It was a snug fit against his slim figure. He stopped by the bathroom to fix his hair a bit. Some of it had gotten a bit frizzed in the heat. He slicked it back down and went out into the living room where Selene was napping on the couch. She looked rested. He lightly cupped her face in his hand and leaned down to kiss her on the lips. The moment he made contact, her eyes opened. A bit shocked at first, she jumped a little. He placed his other hand on her and leaned in closer for a more passionate kiss. She returned the kiss wrapping her arms around him. This ended with Selene's hand on his bicep and tattoo. She gave a slight squeeze before letting go and moving to an upright position on the couch.

"How was the studio session?" She asked, still a bit groggy from her nap.

"It was about average." Micky replied in a nonchalant tone. He knew he was lying through his teeth. He hadn't been to the studio and he hated that but he wanted to make sure everything was in order before he told Selene of his plan.

"The new EP is coming along nicely" He added for good measure, taking her hand both of his and rubbing it.

"That's great, I can't wait to see it when it's finished!" She told him with an expression of evident and genuine excitement for him.

"You'll be the first...well, second I guess, after I see the first copy." He told her

-MICKY'S STUDY-

The glow from the computer screen was complimented by the sun's rays as they sank lower on the western horizon and a desk lamp that Micky had been using nearby. He sat at his desk in the study alone surfing the internet for additional information on the earlier meeting he had with Dr. Roland and team earlier. There were so many websites and so much information he didn't know where to start at first. He found this term "Medical Tourism" which interested him quite a bit, not only because it provided a way for people who don't have insurance to get medical treatment in foreign countries but because it also provided extensive information on treatments still considered "experimental" in the United States that had been practiced for years and sometimes decades in other countries.

One such procedure was the stem cell procedure that Micky was intending on undergoing in Mexico soon. He had already heard about the program offered at the university on this experimental procedure. It was his job now to pick a facility in Mexico where it could be done. He had some criteria outlined that had to be met so he began his search. It lead him to a facility six or seven hours from his current location down in Sonora, Mexico where it seemed that quite a few of these procedures had been performed with some successes to be spoken of. A couple of hours later he had corresponded via e-mail with Dr. Roland and his team about the facility. As it turns out, it was on their list of acceptable locations and was approved almost immediately without issue. The procedure was scheduled as in patient and was expected to keep him hospitalized for a few days. After that, he would be on his own medically and would need to seek follow up treatment on his own with the agreement that his care provider would report his progress back to the university. The amount of paperwork and medical releases were enormous. He hadn't signed this many things at once since his heyday as a Monkee in 1966 at the peak of Monkeemania!

By the time he was finished, he had a stack of printed papers that consisted of tourist information, lodging information, medical information and travel itinerary not to mention the required medical forms all typed and signed.

Micky bundled this neatly in several folders depending on what was what and packed that into a portfolio that went into his messenger bag. Everything was ready for final approvals, once he heard from Dr. Roland and was given the ok, he would book his travel.

It was nearly 9 PM by the time Micky had completed his work pertaining to his experimental medical procedure. Selene had been somewhere around the house doing her usual housekeeping here and there and otherwise not disturbing him while he was in his study. It was mutually understood that this was his space for time to himself.

He found Selene at the kitchen island looking through some of their photos. When he came into the room, she immediately popped her head up, her hair in a messy ponytail on top of her head. He grinned at her and came around to the other side of the bar taking her hand in his.

"Wanna go for a ride?" he asked indicating his lap.

"Sure" She said, almost in a questioning tone as she slid off the bar stool and gently positioned herself on her husband's lap as requested draping her arms around his shoulders that seemed unusually broad now that they were exposed by the tank top he was wearing. She lightly stroked his shoulder with her hand as he moved the chair through the house, out the sliding door to the back patio and then out beyond that into the yard where there was not a lot of exterior lighting other than that of the crescent moon. They could hear the evening noises but everything else was quiet. There was a bit of a chill in the air but it wasn't cold by no means, just a gentle breeze once in a while.

"I can't believe how beautiful it actually is out here at night in the yard. We should come out here more often" Selene said in a low tone in his ear.

"I think we should too." Micky replied. "Just the two of us out here all alone in the dark listening to night sounds and being with each other."

The two of them sat there in silence for a few minutes just enjoying being with one another. Selene's arms still draped around Micky and her fingers now playing with his ponytail. She couldn't resist that. It was one of her favorite things about him.

"Hey babe" Micky said to get her attention. "I need to talk to you about something" He added.

Selene sat up straight from leaning into him, looked directly at him concerned and without saying a word he knew she was ready to listen.

"I've been doing some research on a procedure." He began as his eyes met hers. "It's an experimental procedure that might help me regain what I've lost" He continued.

Selene was paying attention but she didn't interrupt him.

"I've been talking to a doctor at the university and they think that I'm a great candidate for this procedure and I wanted to try it out." he said, seeming to be asking for Selene's permission or approval.

She nodded. "What kind of procedure?" She asked nervously. "If it's experimental, how dangerous is it?" She added.

"Oh no, its not dangerous or life threatening at all. The worst that could happen is that it just wouldn't work and things would be the same. Best case scenario, I'd be able to walk again." He told her.

"That would be great!" She exclaimed then stopped. "What is the success rate for this thing?" She wanted to know.

"Well, that's the thing. They haven't really studied it enough to define that but there have been several success stories to speak of recently from a facility in Mexico." He said.

"Mexico?!"Selene asked. "Why Mexico? I want to be with you!" She told him in no uncertain terms.

He could see the concern for him suddenly on her face. He wrapped his arms around her tighter and pulled her closer to him.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, Selene." He said then he kissed her on the cheek to reassure her.

"Ok, good. I'm not letting you go off to another country by yourself to have some kind of experimental medical procedure done not knowing if you're going to come back to me in the same shape as when you left." She told him.

He went on to explain to her the process of stem cell therapy and what the expected result was as well as the whole spill about medical tourism and then he sprang his little surprise on her.

"I don't think I'll be up to traveling back in the car after the procedure" Micky explained. "So, I thought that we could just stay there for a week or so until I am able to make the trip back comfortably. We can enjoy the beach and relax a little." He explained.

"That actually sounds really nice but will you be able to enjoy any of that in your condition after the procedure?" Selene asked really not knowing the extent of what he was having done.

"Sure, I'll probably be a little uncomfortable and there wont be any getting in water or anything but I'll be able to enjoy the beach and relax at the hacienda that I'm going to rent for us." He said, this time with a little excitement in his voice. "And I'm sure you will make sure I stay comfortable." He added, winking.