by R. H. Vesely
"Suit yourself," said Mattie, as she left, pissed at Kelley's comment.
"So, I see your friend left. Mind if I sit down?" said Michael.
"Sure, grab a seat and buy a girl a drink mister lawyer," said Kelley.
When Mattie and Randy got back to the Essex, Mattie was relieved to see that Kelley was still there. She had gone to Ed's thinking screw her, but within fifteen minutes of sitting with Randy, she had convinced him that they had to go find Kelley before she did something stupid. Kelley was still sitting at the bar but now had not only Michael but another well dressed gold watched man hanging all over her.
"Ah Mattie and fabulous Randy. Hey I like that, you ought to be a magician and call yourself The Fabulous Randy," laughed Kelley. She was obviously far drunker than when Mattie had left and she had two shots of what looked like tequila sitting in front of her.
"Hey Kelley, why don't you and Randy and I go to a table? It's hard to talk at the bar," said Mattie, in an attempt to extricate Kelley.
"Nah, I'm fine here with my friends Michael, remember now that's Michael not Mike, and Sam. Too bad Bill's not here, they are both hot shot lawyers. Of course Sam here is for the defense not the corporate muckedy mucks like old Michael, right guys," said Kelley.
"Right you are," said Sam.
"Here have one of my tequilas Mattie, the boys and I were just about to head out to Sam's to continue the party," said Kelley, as she passed a glass to Mattie.
"Don't think that's such a good idea. I think you are a bit drunk," said Mattie, as she slid the glass of tequila down the bar.
"Hey, look mom, I'm a big girl and Michael and Sam and I are just getting warmed up, right guys?" said Kelley.
"Right you are Kelley," said Sam.
At that point, Randy slid himself between Sam and Kelley and turned to face Sam. "Look Sam, our friend here is obviously drunk, so why don't you just let it go. We'll take care of her," said Randy.
"Look my friend, she is a big girl and capable of making her own decisions," answered Sam.
"Ok Sam, I guess I didn't make my self clear. Get the fuck out of here before you and I have to shed some blood," said Randy, holding his face about six inches away from Sam.
At the same time, Brian, overhearing what was going on, walked down the bar. "OK, guys, I think we have had enough. Sam, Michael, my friends, why don't you call it a night and let Mattie and Randy take Kelley home. I really don't want to have to get into anything, ok," said Brian, with a bit of a menacing, calm tone to Sam and Michael.
"Ok, not a problem. Come on Sam let's go over to Spirits and see if any of the gang is there," said Michael, as he put his hand on Sam's shoulder and turned and headed out.
"Thanks Brian, sorry about that," said Mattie.
"Hey no problem, I should have been on it earlier, thank you, and Kelley, I think you have had enough for one night darling," said Brian.
"Yeah, maybe so," said Kelley, as she stood up with Randy catching her by the arm as she fell backwards. Kelley passed out immediately in the back seat on the way home.
"I think you better take her to my place for the night. I want to keep an eye on her, ok," said Mattie.
"Sure, no problem, I'll sleep at Bill's. You guys may need to do some talking in the morning," said Randy.
"Thanks love, gee and what was that stuff about shedding blood," laughed Mattie.
"God, yeah, even surprised myself, and it likely would have been mostly my blood," laughed Randy.
"I didn't think he would feel to threatened though if I told him I would bleed all over him," laughed Randy until tears came to his eyes.
"You are my hero love, even if it's all fake," said Mattie, as she joined in the hysterical laughter.
"Yeah, I should have said, Oh yeah Sam, well I'm going to touch your fist with my nose if you don't get out of here," guffawed Randy as they pulled up to Mattie's apartment laughing uncontrollably.
Ia - Man this is sad. It makes you think about what might have happened if she had hung with Pat and not aborted you. By the way what were you going to be, boy or girl.
In - I was going to be a girl and seeing her now, I am not sure she would have been what I was hoping for. Think the abortion was a real good choice in this case.
Ia - Yeah, but imagine if she had told her father no, not leaving. It's Pat and me now and you will just have to get use to it. Maybe they would have been able to pull it off particularly when he found out she was pregnant. You know, if she could have made that break and trusted in the connection.
In - Wow, our cynic has turned a bit here. You are starting to sense the possibilities.
Ia - Well come on, I'm not a totally cold individual just skeptical, there's a difference and seeing her so messed up I admit gets to me. Hell, it would get to anyone, she seems so smart and capable of loving but at the same time seems so fucked up. It's just sad.
In - I agree, but I think she lost her chance and all the emotional trauma and baggage that she is probably now going to build over time will make it almost impossible for her to connect. On some level she will still want it but she won't be capable of letting go like she did with Pat. It was a fragile moment and she likely broke like you said on that drive in the blizzard.
Ia - Yeah, I see it, an all the kings horses and all the kings men thing but it still is sad.
In - But on a more positive note, Mattie and Randy, right.
Ia - Yeah, I can see the connection you keep talking about here. But its different.
In - How so?
Ia - It's not the intense raw passion and absorption thing of Pat and Kelley but its also not the slow recognition and acceptance thing of Pat and Betsy. They both seemed to have felt something unknown there from the get go.
In - Yes, I agree. They seem to be unquestioningly accepting the fact that they fit together. It seems so effortless for them and yet they are very different people.
Ia - Yeah, honestly, I didn't think the guy had it in him but it really seems effortless for him too.
In - Well, my friend you now have to hope that they want to propagate the species because they are one of the pairs I thought might work for you. They both have that unknown feeling in them.
Ia - Yes, I agree completely. I'm just glad the Sam guy didn't end up beating the shit out of Randy. He could have ended up with some serious damage to the family jewels. But come on do you already know that they are there or on their way?
In - Look, first I have to be honest. I am not sure they are necessarily going to have the level of success you want. My guess would be that they are going to have comfortable lives, they won't be poor, but I'm not sure they will socially be where you might want.
Ia - After watching all that we have seen, I do not care. While I am not sure if any crossover will exist, I am somewhat convinced that going into a pair that has this type of connection is where I might like to be. I thank you for that and would gladly jump into this one the moment it attaches so don't screw with me if you know.
Chapter 27
The waiting room was packed and Bill found it hard to concentrate on what little there was to read. God he thought to himself, why can't friggin doctors get something like National Geographic, Atlantic, Science or the Economist to read. It's always the same, a load of women's magazines, the odd golf publication and ancient issues of Newsweek or Time that you're afraid to handle because of the diseases that may be wrapped in their pages. He had already been there for 40 minutes and was getting progressively more pissed off. The only thing keeping him hanging in was that he was becoming more concerned with his concussion. He had certainly been having more headaches, rarely ever had one before, his taste didn't seem quite right and he was forgetting things, like the calls from Kelley. He had also noticed, he seemed to get pissed off more but was not sure if he was blowing this out of proportion, just overreacting. His concern had been enough to get him here, even though he detested doctors offices. Well, at least the doctor is pleasant looking. Better than old Doctor Ellis wher
e you constantly had the urge to rip out his dangling nose hairs, thought Bill.
"Mr. Lynch, Mr. Lynch the doctor will see you now," said the nurse at the door to the inner sanctum.
"Oops that's me, coming," said Bill.
As expected, he was now moved into a small examining room where the nurse took his vitals, asked preliminary questions and he got to sit for another twenty minutes before Doctor Ames came through the door with a smile.
"So, how are we feeling today Bill?"
"Better than last night, I'd say."
"Why don't you hop up on the table and let me take a look at your eyes."
Bill hopped up and couldn't help noticing the beauty of her skin and eyes as she checked his pupils and response and then clicked off her little light.
"So, could you elaborate a little about what you have been feeling since the last time I saw you?"
"Well, I mean I don't know if this is just all in my head, wait, I guess real or not, I'm sure whatever it is, is all in my head," he laughed.
"Well sense of humor in tact," she smiled.
"Ok, well I seem to be forgetting or only vaguely remembering some things. I have headaches something which I rarely get, my taste seems a little weird and I kind of get a bit pissed off more than usual."
"Uh huh and anything else?"
"Well, I'm tired more, like I was at the gallery. Oh yeah, and I don't know if it makes a difference, but I may have had another concussion when I was a kid."
"Tell me about that."
"Well, I was about ten or eleven and I had just gotten this cool english racer, so I decided to take it for a test ride. I was screaming down this steep hill to the little shopping center in my neighborhood and when I went to put the brakes on the rubber pads just blew out of their holders because I was going so fast. So I went flying into a bunch of bushes and smashed into a tree and was kind of knocked out, but I think only for a second. I got up and you know seemed ok, just a little sore and dopey."
"Well doubt if that is affecting you now, but you do seem to have a penchant for smashing your head into things," she said smiling.
"Yeah, my mother always said it was a good thing I had a hard head," laughed Bill.
"Ok, well let me tell you what is up. I didn't like the way you looked the other night, your pupils looked a bit odd. But things look ok now. The fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, taste, headaches are all things that are sort of normal after a concussion. If you look at that list I gave you, they are on there. There is no absolute for when all or some of these will stop. For some people a couple days other people much longer. However, the studies say for half of people gone in a month and for two thirds gone in three months."
"Ok, and what about the rest?" asked Bill.
"Well, the rest are longer but almost all by a year, but I wouldn't worry about that, most are pretty quick."
"Oh yeah, there is one other thing. I read a lot of pretty intense stuff, philosophy, science and stuff and I don't seem to be able to focus as well and it's pretty frustrating," said Bill.
"Again, very normal, ok. What I'll do is set up another appointment for you in about a week and we'll see where we are then, Ok."
"Great, I really appreciate your taking the time to fit me in, truly appreciated," said Bill.
"Not a problem, especially for a friend of Toni's. By the way what did you think of the show?"
"Loved it and was a bit pissed I did not have the energy to get to talk to the artist," said Bill.
"Yeah, that's too bad, she was really great to talk to. I'm going back again to the gallery to look at the pieces when there are not so many people around. There is one I particularly like and I think will buy. Anyway, good to see you and make the appointment with the receptionist."
"Nice to see you too and thanks again," said Bill, as Allie exited the room. Woof, good to know I'm not going out of my mind, at least not yet, thought Bill as he left the office.
The side walks were now clear and most of the mounds of snow had melted from the freak spring blizzard. It was still early, so Bill decided to walk up to Tom's and finally complete his earlier ill fated coffee trip.
Tom's place was a treat. He called it simply Beans, but when you went inside there was far more than beans. It was a true visual treat. Besides having the rich aroma of his own roasted coffees and selected teas, Tom had the most incredible collection of just about everything else, ranging from the odd pair of flip flops or clothing and bizarre salves and ointments to whoopy cushions. The eclectic mixture was based upon Tom's love of colorful and/or bizarre packaging and labels. If it had an interesting label or package, you can bet it was in Tom's store. Tom's explanation was simply that he liked to have things around him that amused him and that it made his day to be able look up at any moment and see something that made him smile. "What could be better than that," he would say with a smile on his face.
Bill ordered his usual cafe con leche and sat down by the window with his giant cup of tan bliss and a couple biscotti. To Bill there were few things more sensual and satisfying than slowly dunking a biscotti in a giant cafe con leche and easing the sopping almond and coffee flavored mixture onto his palate. The thought of it is what had driven him out onto the treacherous sidewalks the day of his fall.
As he sat there slowly dipping his biscotti, he heard a tapping on the window, looked up and saw Toni's smiling face. She came zipping through the screen door and slid into the chair across from him.
"Good morning Bill and how are you feeling? Allie told me you were looking a little the worse for wear and you were supposed to make an appointment to see her. Did you see her and what did she have to say?" said Toni in her typical rapid fire delivery.
"Good morning to you too and yes I made the appointment and all is fine. Apparently will just take some time for the effects of the concussion to go away," said Bill, but what was going through Bill's mind was, I don't know what this is about but I am drawn to this friggin doctor, a doctor for Christ's sake.
"Boy glad to hear that, Tom and I were a bit worried. But very cool that you went to see her and know what to expect. She's a really good doctor and a great person," said Toni.
"So she's a really good friend, huh?" said Bill.
"Oh, god yeah, we are like sisters. We probably talk at least four or five times a week. We have been inseparable since we were six years old, except for when she went to med school, but then she came right back for her internship and residency and even during med school we saw each other a lot and talked all the time. Love her to death. You'd really like her too, very smart and very cool, right up your alley. Of course she is a bit older than you and you seem to go after the young sexy ones, you cad," fired off Toni laughingly.
"Really, what about that guy Michael, the hot shit lawyer she was with?" said Bill.
"Exactly, shit is the word I would use if I weren't such a nice person. No, not really, seems like a nice enough guy. He has been after her for over a year now, constantly calling, but believe me, he is way more into her than she is to him. Actually, not sure that he is really that into her, just think he sees her as fitting the bill nicely as successful partners wife. No, he's just someone to go out with when the mood strikes. You know have a man on the arm, maybe a little sex when she gets horny, but nothing more. Don't think she really has the time to be checking out the dating scene and he is always available. Kind of sad really, because she is about the best person I know. Why you have an interest in fraulein Doctor.? Is this one of those things you read about where the patient falls in love with the doctor who saves them. What do they call it, transference. No wait that's for shrinks isn't it," continued Toni in her rapid fire delivery.
"Simple answer is yes, I am interested," said Bill.
"Really, cause you know she is Tom's and my age, like probably five to eight years older than you babe. But you're right, she is really good looking isn't she. Hell yeah, there is no reason why a woman shouldn't date a younger guy, you guys have been doing it forever
, robbing the cradle you leches, we ought to have a turn. Of course not me, I couldn't live a day without that smiling idiot behind the counter," laughed Toni.
"I guess could be odd though, since I am her patient," said Bill.
"Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, Allie might be a stickler about that, in fact I'm fairly sure she would be, boy that sucks, I think you two would really hit it off. I'll tell you what, let's ask the totem pole over there and see if he has any good ideas. Hey Tom my love, could you stop spilling coffee for a minute and come over here, Bill and I have a quick question for you," Toni yelled to Tom.
"Sure hon, be right there," said Tom.
Before Bill could open his mouth Toni began.
"Ok Tommy here it is. Bill here has the hots for Allie. He is so smitten with her beauty, charm and bedside manner that her advanced age is of no concern to him. He is blinded by love or lust or whatever. The problem is, as her patient, it would likely breach some unknown code of neurological ethics for him to go out with her and you know what a moral stickler Allie is, so we need your brilliant mind to come up with a way around this," said Toni.
"Hmm, I like it," said Tom and then paused.
"I assume what Toni relates is true?" he asked Bill.
"Absolutely," replied Bill, a little surprised by the rapidity and forcefullness of his response.
During the ensuing long pause, Bill marveled at how Toni sat there silently staring at Tom. It always amazed him at how she would wait patiently when she knew Tom was in the process of formulating a response.
"Ok, you are right she will not do it now but ….... if we get them together simply as friends of ours at things like the beach, dinner or other such things. Then, by the time Bill ceases to be her patient, she will be so enamored with his charm and wit, that she will justify more intimate contact with him because she will be able to say he is an ex patient," droned out Tom.
"God my love, you are brilliant as always, and the great thing is that if she does like him, she will be more willing to do more things with us and not constantly say she has to work or study some new medical journal. A truly elegant solution, we get her out more, which she desperately needs, we get to see her more, which I would love, and we get Bill the opportunity to suspend his ego for a while at least, with a woman who is more than his match," said Toni.