The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such.
% Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection.
FoR SaLE By OwNEr 80 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee
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"Help me with this, will ya?"
There wasn't much choice, with David and Luigi headed up the stairs. According to what Adam's hearing had picked up on, they had guns ready for reasons he deemed detrimental to his and his brother's welfare!
"Oh you bet!" Adam replies to Jordan, jumping into action, helping Jordan with moving a heavy dresser to the back side of the bedroom door.
After a second piece of furniture, an entertainment hutch, set atop the dresser, Adam whips out his cell phone, explaining, "Might be good to have some backup?"
Jordan tried listening in to the 911 call, yet monitored the door for any outside action taking place.
Both of the boys experienced heightened adrenaline alerts when they first heard a try at the doorknob, then Luigi shouting, "You two come out of there or else we're coming in!"
"What should we do?" Jordan asks his bro.
Into his cell phone, Adam asks, "What should we do?" after explaining the circumstances already relayed to the 911 receiver. He whispers to Jordan, "They say to say nothing. Get in a closet or under the bed."
And with haste it's exactly how Jordan responded, grabbing at the shoulder of Adam's tee shirt and hauling himself, Adam in tow, off to the closet. Then Jordan making a quick exit, pushed any other loose furniture against the dresser; the bed, another tall dresser and an old, nonworking bicycle. Back in the closet, Jordan whispers, "That should hold them for awhile. But just in case... I love ya bro!"
There wasn't much room, so the teen and his twenty-four year old brother stood together, front to front rather than in another position and with Jordan's added vow to brotherhood and family, Adam took the liberty to reach out and hug.
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"Doc! How's Kyle doing?" Alex asked excitedly, jumping out of his seat.
Dr. Azayzeh also had an extra card up his sleeve. In with him came Chris Battani, Jakov Reuveni and in a wheelchair, Chris' boyhood friend, Asaf.
They didn't go unnoticed, yet Alex did think of it as a temporary diversion, Asaf transformed from being in a coma to responding to a normal condition, sitting up and smiling at the least. Spoken in a sketchy manner, Alex shook Asaf's hand, congratulated him, but his attention was more drawn back to Dr. Azayzeh, "So you were saying?"
Matter of fact, Dr. Azayzeh wasn't saying anything, but since Alex provoked him, he gave back, "Kyle has suffered some blunt chest trauma."
"Is that serious?" Alex asks, as Raul and Swifty stand at his sides.
"As soon as Kyle entered the trauma center he developed hypotension and tachycardia..." It was obvious nobody in the room was getting it except the one explaining, yet Dr. Azayzeh continues, "As we speak, surgeons are performing an emergency sternotomy with a left anterolateral extension performed for pericardial tamponade."
"Want to translate that for us idiots, doc?" Raul presses.
With a short sigh, smile attached, Dr. Azayzeh makes it sound like an ordinary, everyday procedure, telling, "In other words, Kyle began experiencing a flow of blood into his chest, which has been drained and right now they are performing surgery to the left ventricular perforation due to a sharp rib fragment."
Swifty translates, in his own understanding, "He's just got a busted rib."
But Raul differs, "I don't think it's that simple Swif. Right doc?"
Putting it straight to him, Dr. Azayzeh says, "Kyle has suffered some major trauma, but the good thing is we caught it now."
"As opposed to?" Alex was looking for anything which served as a lesser effect and outcome.
Not playing up to him, but spelling it out in black and white, "Sometimes this condition may go unnoticed and it could be deadly if gone undetected. Fortunately it was detected and is being addressed."
On the tip of breakdown, two acts of fortification came, Scotty and Michael entering the intensive care waiting room.
"Alex, we're so-o-o sorr-r-ryeee," Michael said, a fraction of a pace ahead of Scotty as his arms opened.
It could have been Raul and Swifty all over again, but the two stepped aside, knowing the closeness Alex had with the two teens. They, Jakov, Chris and Asaf stood by, watching the threeway show of affection, Michaels arms corralling Alex around the middle, burying his head in Alexs chest, Scotty in the wings, reaching as far as could around Alex and Michael.
Dr. Azayzeh excused himself.
Over Michael`s bowed head, "You'll keep us informed, Dr. Azayzeh?"
From experience, it was Asaf who assures, "Oh he will Alex." And then for the next few moments it became `question and answer', Asaf telling how Dr. Azayzeh took such good care of him from the time he came out of his coma.
"You are looking very well," Swifty takes note.
"Yes. Thanks to Dr. Azayzeh."
It had been common knowledge between Jakov, Chris, Scotty, Michael and Alex, of Asaf's boyfriend before his ordeal, of how they could not do any follow up on the matter due to not having a name or contact information.
It's Michael whom opened his mouth, "What about..." and since he didn't have a name, "what's his name?"
Scotty saw it, Jakov putting a finger to his lips, shushing him, but it was Scotty who tried a diversion, "Um, yeah," he seemed to acknowledge Michael, but set Asaf off track, "Dr. Azayzeh... he's been very kind to you."
"Huh?" Michael turned and said to Scotty.
But it was Asaf who dominated the conversation, saying, "I guess you see how I idolize Dr. Azayzeh?" He blushed.
So, like the telling of a story, the room of guys attentively listened to Asaf. He told of how every time he had a special need or a moment of free time, Dr. Azayzeh was there in a flash. Asaf slipped and addressed him as Mohamed, how Mohamed would take him out on one of the hospital decks which faced a garden and the two would chat for nearly an hour, daily.
They all seemed to listen attentively, except Alex, who sat there, but every few minutes would either slump in his chair and lean his forearms on his thighs and let out a noticeable sigh or straighten up and fold his arms across his chest in a position which dictated his need to hear a good word. A nervous knee bounced with anxiety. Even though the clock was right there in his face, Alex would ask, "Anybody got the time?"
Swifty answers, "Five minutes past the last time you asked!"
"I'm sorry," Alex replied, shaking his head, then slapping his palms down on his thighs, seemingly utilizing it as a counterbalance to getting onto his feet. "How come we haven't heard anything yet?"
Swifty placed both hands on Alex's shoulder as he came up from behind him, giving him a tender massage. "Why don't you and I take a little walk?"
"But what if Dr. Azayzeh comes back?"
Michael offers, "Don't worry Alex. We'll come running for ya!"
So out the door, down the hallway the two walked. It seemed like Swifty knew where he was going.
Alex didn't pick up on it, taking a left or right, getting on an elevator, Swifty touching a certain number and then it opened to a totally different, picturesque view of the hospital. "Where are we?" Alex asks, seeing instead of white walls with gray molding, a dull orange with yellow trimming, wooden cutouts of multi-colored animals adorning the walls.
"Oh just taking a little shortcut," Swifty tells him.
Yet, Alex was too emotionally drained to think of even where their destination was to have been. For now, this is where they were and he accepted it. "I've never seen so many bald-headed kids before. Do they like have... you know?"
"Cancer," Swifty replies. Then by name he calls out, "Hey, how's it going Peter?"
"Mr. Swifty!" the youngster calls out, running to him and then hugging Swifty around the waist.
Prying him loose, he tells Peter, "This is my friend Alex. Want to say hello?"
Much to Alex's surprise, instead of a wave or a kid's handshake, he gets the same treatment, arms around his waist in a hug. "Hi there," Alex says in the nicest voice he can force.
Looking up at Alex, Peter asks, "Have you been crying?"
Reluctant to tell the truth, Alex replies, "No. Allergies."
Peter wasn't falling for it, standing there with hands on his hips, staring up at Alex.
Seeing 'doubt' on the ten year olds face, Alex rights his wrong, "I don't have allergies. I'm visiting someone... `sick'... in the hospital today."
"I'm so sorry," Peter says, a pouty look to his face.
"Thanks," Alex presses his mouth into an edited smile.
"Want to see my room?"
"Okay, but..." Alex looks around, not seeing Swifty anywhere. "Where'd Swifty go?"
"He probably went to talk to my friends. C'mon," Peter says, grabbing Alex's hand in his and taking off like a speeding locomotive.
In the first ten minutes Alex learned Peter had a mom, but no dad. He found out Peter had been in the children's wing for a few months. The toys he had were from other people because his mom worked three jobs and couldn't afford to buy any. "Did you make this dinosaur all by yourself?"
"Nope! Mr. Swifty helped me! Want to see it go?"
Alex didn't realize it was motorized. He watched as Peter expertly used the remote control for maneuvers, forwarding it and making it go backwards.
"Ohhhhhhh, I think the batteries are.... Are..." and then he informs Alex, a hand to the side of his mouth just in case someone can do lip-reading, he whispers, "we're not supposed to use the word `dead'."
And then it occurs to Alex the impact the word could have on someone in Peter's position, but also, "You seem to not let it bother you."
"Who me? It doesn't. I'll be getting out of here soon, but there are some kids who... Alex I don't think they are going to leave the hospital." From happy to sad, Peter's lower lip outweighed the upper one, his eyebrows indented. "And it makes me feel sad." He sat on the side of the bed, the remote control relaxed in his hands.
Sitting right beside him, Alex asks, "Alright if I sit here with you?"
"Yup."
It was like old home town all over again. Being the oldest in a family of lots of brothers and sisters, Alex often became the father of the fatherless family. "You know Peter, sometimes it's tough to think of other things when you are surrounded by unhappy things." Alex was sure the outcome of his thoughts were not going to inspire Peter. Still, he tried to use some kind of logic, "We have to keep ourselves busy so we can try to be happy and then," Alex himself lightened up, seeing why Swifty led him to this area of the hospital, "if you're happy than you will make others around you happy."
"Hey!"
"What?"
Peter replies, "I guess because I was happy before, you are being more happy now!"
He didn't say it, but Alex had to admit, for a moment Kyle had slipped his mind. But upon remembering his shoulders slumped.
"Is that your brother you came to visit, Alex?"
Alex wasn't sure about the answer, but figured these were modern times and someday Peter would most likely come across the issue, so leveled with him, "His name is Kyle," but he tamed it, "and he's my boyfriend."
Then to Alex's surprise, Peter blurts out, "My brother has a boyfriend too! When he comes to visit me he brings Jake with him!"
At least it brightened up Peter's world, but Alex as well smiled, thinking how uneasy he was to explain and now things were copasetic. "What's your brother's name?"
"I used to call him Chaddy when I was younger, but now I'm all grown up, so I call him Chad!"
Alex smiled, thinking Peter to be nine or ten, but his attitude made him seem older. "Chad is a nice name. How old is he?"
"Chad is twenty and he goes to college, but soon he won't be."
"He's graduating?"
"Nope. Chad says he has to quit and get a job. Maybe, he says, if he makes more money he will go back to school. And you know what Alex?"
"What?"
"He delivers pizza, but now he's going to be big guy of the restaurant."
"Manager?" Alex suggests.
"I don't know. I think."
Alex said it was wonderful, but what was flashing through his mind is what Kyle had said to him, how he was going to take a manager's job and seemingly flush his dreams down the drain. "I'm sorry to hear about Chad quitting school, but it's good he has the determination to go back."
Then, abruptly Peter gets up from the side of the bed, runs to the door, yelling, "Cha-a-a-addy!"
Alex gulped before getting up from the bed. Standing on his feet he couldn't believe his eyes. Chad. He was the spitting image of Kyle! Blond, blue-eyed, about the same height, only the facial features slightly different and the added fuzzy, close cropped beard from ear to ear.
Peter wasn't too well built, not the weight a kid his age should be, so it was a cinch for Chad to pick him up, like he was only six or seven years old. "Hi! Are you a doctor?" He addressed Alex. "I'm Peter's brother, Chad Monteith."
With Peter between them, Chad shakes Alex's hand, as Alex tells him, "I'm Alex Nouguet and no, I'm not a doctor."
And before anything else could be said, it's Peter telling the news of the day, "Hey guess what Chad?" And before Chad could say a peep, "Alex has a boyfriend too!"
"Is that so?" Chad says, lowering Peter to his feet.
"Yup! His name is Kyle." Then with a perplexed look about him, he looks up at brother, "Hey, where is Jake?"
"Uh," Chad seemed to be surprised by his brother's question, "he... he had to take care of something."
"Oh." Then to the two guys, Peter scurried away, his last words, "I gotta 'go'."
"So. Your boyfriend's name is Kyle?"
"Uh yeah." Being around Peter, Alex acted slightly upbeat, but as he slowly began telling Chad about Kyle, his appearance slowly took a dive. "Um, he... he was involved in some kind of... confrontation. I don't know the whole story, but he like..." Failing fast, Alex's eyes filled up. "...got hit in the ribs and one of them.. I don't know..." To jump off the subject, Alex says, "You know you are the spitting image of him?"
"Am I now?" Being through the same experience, a loved one convalescing in the hospital, Chad says, "I don't want to be forward. I don't really know you Alex, but if you like I can give you a hug if it will make you feel any better?"
"No," Alex replied. "Thanks anyway. I better go."
Just out the door, Alex turns back upon hearing Peter's voice.
"You're not going to say goodbye to me Alex?"
"Sure," Alex says, turning back, coming back into the room. He squats down on one knee and hugs Peter.
Backing away, Peter says, "Hey Alex, you got that crying stuff in your eyes again!"
"Do I?" Alex replied, wiping a socket with his wrist.
"Here," Chad offers his handkerchief, "I didn't use it yet."
"Thanks," Alex replies, looking up at Chad's smiling face.
"You know what Alex?"
"What?" Alex responds to Peter, still at conversational height.
"My mom says when you're not feeling good and you're sad you should hug somebody."
Getting up to his feet, Alex stares into Chad's eyes and replies, "Seems like I've heard that before."
Leave it to Peter, "Just don't stand there Chad. Give Alex a hug!"
"A short one," Chad replied, not wanting to pressure Alex, but appease his little brother.
However, once Alex and Chad squashed bods, somehow Alex couldn't give up the warmth he felt. Same time the damn busted and the tears flowed.
"Keep huggin' him Chad. I think it's working!"
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NEW! From T. Chase McPhee
GeTTiNG ReaDY FoR CoLLeGe
/nifty/gay/highschool/getting-ready-for-college
Copyright 2009 T. Chase McPhee
This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.
The more you stretch, the more you can fit in... 'spread' happiness!
TCMcP.....