by M. S. Willis
“You need to go shopping and buy every single fashion magazine you can get your hands on. I’ll also need thumb tacks, poster board, a dry erase marker and scissors. Oh! And a box of Twinkies!”
“Twinkies?”
I blushed. “Yeah, those are for me. The dessert around this place is atrocious. They keep bringing me the green jello and I despise it. What’s a man have to do around here to get pudding?!”
Matt picked up the menu that was placed on the table to the side of my bed. “You order it?”
I brushed his suggestion away with my hand. “Pffffft. As if.” I took a moment to think it over. “There must be a better way.”
. . .
“When’s dinner gonna get here? I have to take my medicine and I can’t do it on an empty stomach. The staff in this old lady jail needs to get their heads out of their asses and bring me my food WITH my medication. Don’t you people know anything?! How much is my Social Security paying you fools while you’re sitting around trying to kill old people?!”
Mrs. Higgenbotham. Ever since that old lady moved into the room next to mine, it’s been non-stop complaining; day in and day out. The woman was a little package of terror who harassed and terrorized the nurses, orderlies, doctors and whoever else dared stepped into her hospital room of doom. The woman waivered between screaming her little banshee head off and sleeping while snoring loud enough that it sounded like someone was sawing lumber. She was an absolute nightmare.
“Yes, Ms. Higgenbotham. They’re bringing your dinner up as we speak. It’ll be here any minute and then you’ll be able to take your medicine and sleep for the rest of the night.”
“Sleep for the rest of the night? Have you heard the noise level around this place?! You people are so loud, you could wake the dead! If I have to hear another ‘Code Blue’, I swear to you I’m going to scream my head off. Who gives a rat’s ass about the color blue? Some people are trying to sleep around here!”
I heard the nurse close the door when she exited Ms. Higganbotham’s room and it only served to muffle the horrific sounds coming out of that small, elderly woman.
However, despite how annoying the ol’ broad could be, she had the goods and tonight, they were going to be mine. I sat up in bed listening to the sounds coming from the hallway. Within seconds Ms. Higganbotham’s narcolepsy must have kicked in because she was sawing logs loudly on the other side of the wall. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation of my plan. Standing up from the bed, I pulled on a pair of the complimentary latex gloves the hospital had graciously left in the room and I tied gauze around my face so nobody would identify me. I tiptoed over to the door and listened as the cafeteria cart was pushed past my door.
“Dining Services!”
Crap!!
I hated the ones who identified themselves because they took the chance of waking the ol’ bitty up. This one must be new because most of the others had learned to get in quietly and get the hell out. The woman was a little wrinkled she-demon!
Luckily, Ms. Higganbotham’s snoring continued and when the cafeteria person left, I opened my door and stepped out into the hallway. My eyes followed the cart as it was pushed farther down the hall and, once alone, I tiptoed to Ms. Higganbotham’s door. I stood outside the door, but reached out with my toe to push it open. At first, I looked over to find her tiny little body sleeping on the bed. Her face looked like a scrunched up bulldog and the blanket was pulled up to her chin.
Perfect.
Inching my way into the room, my eyes met with the prize. Sitting on the tray table at the foot of her bed was the covered dish I’d been after. Slowly, oh so slowly, I crept towards the goods, stopping every foot or so to make sure that Ms. Higganbotham was still asleep. Finally reaching the plate, I lifted the silver dome cover and smiled when the creamy, sugary prize came into view.
Pudding.
Quickly snatching the tapioca goodness from the plate, I replaced the lid and hightailed it out of the room. When I reached the hall, one solitary nurse roamed from room to room. Our eyes met.
I was busted.
“David? What are you doing in Ms. Higganbotham’s room? And why is your face covered in gauze?” She looked down at my hand. “Did you just steal Ms. Higganbotham’s pudding?
I wasn’t giving it up. I’d invested too much time in the planning and execution of my scheme to allow Nurse Lacey to screw up the works! I dove in the direction of my room, painfully rolling over myself as I entered the doorway. I jumped up on my feet and bounced around as I held my shoulder and ribs. Apparently gymnastics so soon after bone breakage was a bad idea. Nurse Lacey entered behind me and tsked as she grabbed me and shoved me back into my bed.
“You could hurt yourself acting like that, David. Don’t you have any sense at all?” Quickly, her hands went to work unwrapping me from my gauzy disguise. “And who the hell dresses up like a mummy when he’s pulling a secret mission?”
“I had to improvise.” I thought it had been a good plan. Clearly, Nurse Lacey didn’t understand my brilliance.
After removing the gauze and checking me over for any additional injuries, she attempted to take the pudding from my hands. I growled. And not just any growl. No. I growled like a rabid dog would growl if someone tried to take its food away, I wasn’t about to give my pudding up. She could have broken both my hands and I would have laid my body over the bowl just to prevent her from extracting it from my useless and broken fingers.
“You can’t have it! I earned this pudding!”
She placed her hands on her hips and chuckled. “I’m not taking your pudding from you, David, I’m just trying to remove your gloves. Those aren’t meant to be used for dress up.”
“Oh? They’re not?” I glanced in the direction of the couch by the window. “So, I take it balloon animals are out of the question as well?”
Nurse Lacey looked over to the couch and doubled over with laughter. Matt and I had been bored one day so we’d blown up as many of the gloves as we could and made a whole farm of little hand shaped chickens and used permanent markers to draw in their feathers and facial features.
“What the hell is that?”
I smiled. “I call them my bawkies. It’s my own little, in house chicken farm. We’re waiting for them to lay eggs, but so far, they haven’t been successful in their attempts.” I pondered my situation. “Maybe we need some mood music. Is there a radio in this room?”
Snickering to herself, Nurse Lacey grabbed the pudding bowl from my hands and placed it on the table to my side. “I’m going to let you keep your pudding this time, David, but from now on, you need to order it from the cafeteria with your meals. Ms. Higganbotham is going to have a shit fit when she realizes it’s missing. She suspects you’re the one who’s been sneaking into her room to steal her food.”
“But I’m a growing boy.” I batted my lashes for effect.
Stripping the gloves from my hands, she smiled. “Eat your pudding and I’ll be in here in a little bit to give you your pain pills. You’ll probably need them after that roll you did into the room.”
Nurse Lacey pushed up from the bed and threw the gauze and gloves from my costume into the trash. Before she could exit the room, I called out to her.
“Hey wait! Why are you letting me keep the pudding?”
She laughed. “Because I hate that old bitch just as much as you do. When I tell the girls at the front desk what you did, they’ll want to personally come in here and high five you for it. That woman is a nightmare!”
I smiled at her retreating form and reached over for the bowl of dairy delight. Pulling it to my chest, I noticed that the snoring had stopped in the room next door. I heard the bed rustling around and the sound of the wheels squeaking as Ms. Higganbotham moved the table over her bed.
“Nurse?! What happened to my pudding?!”
With an evil smile on my face, I chuckled like a fool before taking a heaping spoonful from the bowl and sliding the prize into my anxious mouth.
(David No
te: This chapter didn’t have a THING to do with why I’m actually the Control hero, but it was still information you needed to know. Why? Because it was about me. ‘Nough said. Back to story…)
Chapter Eight
“Holy shit, I’ve died and gone to Camelot.”
“It’s release day! Aren’t you excited?”
Matt walked over to my bed after opening the window shades in the room. “I wish I could take you home with me and take care of ya, but I’ve got another couple of months on the lease with my roommates.” Sitting down in the chair, he grabbed my hand. “However, I’d love for you to come stay with me when I get my new place. I don’t want you goin’ back to the apartment. It’s got bad ju-ju or somethin’.”
Blinking the sleep from my eyes I looked up into the face of my new partner. The past weeks in the hospital had brought us together and I couldn’t imagine not having him in my life. He did everything for me and he didn’t laugh when I made him cut out little facial features and body parts from the magazines I’d asked him to buy me. Really, he was perfect.
“Are you going to stick around for Paige and Daemon to arrive? You’ll finally get a chance to see Mr. ManGod in person. Seriously, Matt. He really is worth seeing up close. I’m not saying he’s as gorgeous as me, but he runs a close second.”
Although I would miss having my nightly Matt visits, I was excited to be staying with Paige and Daemon while Matt finished out his lease with his roommates. The last place I wanted to return was that apartment and I needed to be around Paige. She was mourning Annie’s condition as much as me, so it would be good to have someone around who knew what I was going through. Waking up to find that Annie wouldn’t even speak to me hurt worse than all the broken bones in my body. I wanted to be there for her, but I couldn’t. So I was going to be there for Paige. And if I happened to catch a peek of Mr. ManGod in the buff, I would deal with it. It’s called ‘taking one for the team’, know what I mean?
“I’d love to stay and find out what you mean, but I have some errands to run for my mom. I’ll be free tonight if they wouldn’t mind me swingin’ by.”
What a silly statement. Paige never minded when I had company over because it happened almost never. I wasn’t too sure about Daemon, but Paige could work her love spell and I was positive he’d have no issues with an extra warm body in the place.
“It won’t be a problem. I’m positive.”
“Well, good.” He grabbed my hands with his. “Because I’ve been looking forward to getting you somewhere that has a lock on the door.” He winked and every part of me came alive. “If you don’t mind me stayin’ the night.”
Mind him staying the night? Did he really just ask if I would mind him staying the night? It was, quite possibly, the dumbest question I’d ever heard. Of course, I wanted him to spend the night! The fact that he was willing would save me the hassle of tackling him to the bed, handcuffing him and giving him no other choice. It was a win-win.
However, regardless of my enthusiasm, I still had to play this cool. “No. Not at all. That could be nice. I mean, I had some bills and stuff I needed to catch up on, but that can wait until tomorrow, I guess.”
He attempted to hide a smile but I saw it forcing its way out at the corners of his mouth. The sight was cute enough to make me blush.
“Alright, I was just comin’ by to say good mornin’ to you before I started my errands. See you tonight.”
He leaned over and kissed me, carefully wrapping his arms around me while his mouth worked its magic throughout my body. When he let go, I sat down on the bed to keep from falling over.
Looking down, he winked. “Just wanted to give you a sneak preview of tonight.”
. . .
“Holy shit, I’ve died and gone to Camelot.”
Daemon’s place was ginormous. Add to that the impeccable medieval and renaissance theme he had kicking and I almost melted for the guy right there on his doorstep. It was like walking into a modern style museum. I spun around like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music, taking in every little feature and detail. Every piece of furniture was stunning from the couches to the tables and the bookshelves. The floor and wall finish was perfectly contrasted against the white gossamer curtains that bunched a little on the floor. It was a decorator’s greatest accomplishment. Needless to say, I was impressed.
“I’m very impressed, big guy. I love the whole ‘castles and white knights theme you have going. Tell you what…once I’m done putting up my things, I wouldn’t mind at all if you wanted to show me your sword.”
I turned to wink at Paige before asking, “Speaking of putting up my things, where I am staying in this place?”
Daemon finished cleaning the kitchen island and directed me back to a spare bedroom down the back hallway. I moved around the spacious room, checking out the facilities and finding that I approved of the large closet and bathroom. I could see why this place cost a fortune, there wasn’t an inch of space that wasn’t large and immaculate. I went to work hanging up the clothes we’d just picked up from the apartment and texted Matt that we’d arrived.
Me: Paige had a great idea. Tonight we drink!
Matt: When would you like me to arrive?
Me: Now is as good a time as any. Seriously, ManGod is looking exceptionally lickable today. I wouldn’t waste time in getting your fine ass over here.
Matt: Should I be worried about your fascination with ManGod.
Me: Yes, yes you should. Which is another reason why you should get over here, stat.
Matt: On my way.
Excellent. Carrying my phone in my hand down the hallway, I went out in search of Paige and Daemon; and boy, did I ever find them. They were tucked away into a corner of the kitchen, speaking quietly and doing the absolutely adorable googly eye thing they did with each other. I stood quietly in the hallway like a creeper and watched as they spoke sweetly and softly kissed each other on the – OH! Okay, that’s pretty hot.
Lifting my phone, I couldn’t help but videotape ManGod in action. Muscles flexed with every small movement of his body and when he went in for the real kiss, I think I saw Paige actually melt against the cabinets. I walked farther out into the living room for a better angle and typed out a quick text to Matt, forwarding him the video. Due to my enthusiasm in typing out the text, I accidentally squeezed the side of the phone and poof! A strobe of light tore through the room and I was busted.
Paige yelled at me, Daemon laughed at me, and I didn’t care because it ended up being a damn good shot! Luckily, I was saved by the bell. The instant the buzzer rang from the garage, I was on my way to get my man.
When the mirrored doors opened, I about fell on my ass from the sight of him. He looked absolutely stunning in a white fitted t-shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. He had on a belt with a large buckle and his hair was windblown back. The look was casual and effortless, and he was all mine.
Looking around the hallway, Matt stepped out of the elevator and ran his hand through his hair. “Wow. I knew this place had to be nice for being so close to downtown, but I didn’t realize how nice. Daemon must be doing really well for himself to afford this place.” He nudged me playfully. “You sure I don’t have anythin’ to worry about between you and him.”
My cheeks instantly turned the color of a cooked lobster. It was sweet of him to worry. “Hi, Matt? I’m not sure you’ve met yourself. You’re kind of hot.” I grabbed his shoulders and turned him towards the hallway window to show him his reflection. “Not that I’m only interested in you for your looks, because there’s much more than that, but, seriously? You’ve got nothing to worry about, trust me.”
We entered the apartment holding hands and laughing. Paige and Daemon were once again huddled in the corner of the kitchen, except this time they weren’t going at each other like rabbits on Viagra.
Speaking of which…
Leading Matt through the house, I grudgingly stopped every time he pulled against me so that he could look at another feature of the apartment
. I understood his need to marvel, but I was too damn eager to get him back to my room. I know. It’s rude, I should have been excited to introduce him to Daemon and give him some time to talk to Paige and stuff, but screw that! Matt was here, I had a private room … and Matt was here. Those factors alone were enough.
“Hi Paige. Hi Daemon. This is Matt. If you’ll excuse us I’m going to show him around and then we’ll be back to chat.” The two love birds gave a quick wave in our direction just before I was able to round the corner, pulling Matt right behind me.
“Tada!!! Like my new temporary digs?” I flung the door open and assumed my best game show presenter stance.
Matt laughed as his eyes traveled quickly over the room. “It’s nice. Daemon definitely has style.” His green eyes turned in my direction. “However, you make the room look 100% better.”
I waved my hand at him. “I know – I mean, thanks.”
One thing I loved most about Matt was his genuine laughter and smile. So, when those dimples popped out at me and he walked towards me, I froze – after posing seductively, because, if you’re going to freeze, you might as well look good doing so.
Matt reached up to my face and placed his hands on my cheeks. Before I could say a thing, he leaned down and placed his mouth softly over mine. I dissolved into the wall behind me and when his tongue sought entrance, I opened my mouth and he slipped inside. He tasted like spearmint. I pushed against him, wanting to feel the entirety of his body next to mine. It was a perfect moment.
Until he got a little too enthusiastic.
“Ow! Watch the face, just healed bones, careful!”
Matt let go of me almost instantly and jumped back too quickly. His foot caught the leg of an accent chair in the room, leaving him sprawled across the floor. Meanwhile, I was attempting to gently goad my face back into alignment.
“Did I hurt you? I thought the doctors said your face was healed. Did I re-break something?” He pushed himself up from the floor in one fluid motion and ran back over to inspect my face. I shoved his hands away.