"Yeah, Mikey," Brian said into the phone. "This is the fifth fucking message I've left on your goddamn cellphone. Where the hell are you?" He paused as if the answering service would give him a response, letting out a deep sigh. "Look, call me to let me know you're not lying in an alley somewhere."
He hung up the phone, leaning back in his chair, taking a hold of the green stress ball, giving it a few tight squeezes. Brian picked up the phone again, calling inter-office.
"How are my meetings looking for the rest of the day?" he said. There was a long pause. "OK can you... can you call them up and see if we can reschedule? Something important came up last minute." he paused. "Of a personal nature. See if we can hold off until Monday." Brian ended the call, dialing Michael once again. Still no answer. At this point, Brian couldn't even remember what he had wanted to talk to Michael about. Mikey never turned his cellphone off. He never dodged Brian's calls. He had to know for sure that Michael really wasn't lying in an alley somewhere. Brian stood, grabbing immediately for his coat, heading out of the office.
"You do know you're not supposed to see a doctor while you're chewing on gum" Emmett said. sitting in the waiting room with Michael. "You have to look hurt, you have to look like you're in pain."
"I am," Michael said. "I have a huge pain in my ass."
"Goodness," Emmett said. "I thought you said all you did was drive Brian home last night."
Michael rolled his eyes. "You miss my point. Why... why aren't you in work anyway."
"And let you go through this amazing transformation all by your lonesome?" Emmett said "Please. I am going to see you through this... all the way. I'm going to get you there, make a pretty little house wife out of you."
"Emmett," Michael sunk down in the seat a bright redness covering his face. Michael placed his hands over his eyes, hoping that everything would just disappear, but it didn't. It never did.
"Michael Novotny?" Michael's name rung in his ears. "The doctor will see you now."
Michael couldn't move for a minute. "Go on sweetie," Emmett nudged him. "Don't keep the nice man waiting."
Brian pushed his way into the Liberty Diner. He let his head run back and forth throughout the place, trying to spy Michael. No such luck. He took a seat at the counter.
"Want some lunch?" Deb asked approaching the guy sitting beside Brian, dabbing her pen on her tongue, preparing to take down the order.
"Where's Michael?" Brian said leaning over the counter.
"Well hello to you too," Deb said jotting down the other man's order.
"Deb," Brian said impatiently "Where the fuck is Michael? Have you seen him?"
"As a matter of fact I have." Debbie said . "He was in here this morning with Emmett for breakfast.... well, brunch."
"So you saw him." Brian relaxed a bit.
"That's what I said" Deb responded. "They were here and then they left. Why?"
"Mikey hasn't picked up his phone all day."
Deb laughed. "Probably came to his senses" Brian rolled his eyes. "He had to keep the stupid thing off in the doctor's office."
"The what?!" Brian said. "A doctor? What happened. Is he sick? Is he..."
"Woah" Deb held her hands out. "Keep your pants on... at least until you get out of here. Michael is fine. He's better than he's ever been. He's picking up a notice for work. That's all." Brian knew that there was more. "Want some lunch?"
"No. No, I have to get back to work." Brian lied.
"Here" Deb threw some lemon squares in a to go container. "Keep your energy up. Not that you need any help in that area now do you?" she laughed.
Brian smirked, leaning over and giving her a peck on the cheek. "Bye Deb." he said
Michael sat on the cold examination table, topless. It had to be forty below in the air conditioned room. He kept his arms wrapped around himself, hoping to hold onto some of his own body warmth.
It's not too late to back out.' Michael thought to himself. There is such a thing as a miraculous recovery. You can just get up of this table, and walk out of this office before anyone even looks at you.' But he didn't move. Not that he didn't want to, only that he couldn't. He thought he might have been frozen to the table.
"Michael?" He heard from behind him, but afraid to turn for fear that the temperature would cause him to literally shatter. The doctor crossed in front of him and immediately Michael became speechless. "I'm Dr. David Cameron."