Warnings and Disclaimers:
-
If reading this is in any way illegal in your town, state or zip code because of your age, religion, or other government rules you shouldn't read this.
-
If you don't want to read about male/male gay sexual relationships, go away. You shouldn't waste your time with this story.
-
I don't know any of the members of 'N Sync, or any other celebrities that may be mentioned in this story. This story in no way is meant to imply anything about 'N Sync, and any other celebrities sexualities, personalities, or anything else. This is a work of pure fiction.
Questions and commentary can be sent to "jtpoole9@cybersouth.com". I want to hear from everyone out there that is reading this story, tell me what you think whether it is bad or good.
====================================== If I Ain't Got You -- Chapter 7 by JT Poole
// Orlando, FL -- Florida Hospital -- Justin's Room -- Later that Night //
"Justin talk to me." Lance stated, holding Justin's hand. "You better snap out of it and talk to me Curly."
"Leave me alone Scoop. I just want to be left alone." Justin stated, trying to pull his hand away from Lance's hand.
"Stop Justin, you are not a baby, you are a grown man and there's no reason for you to be sitting here acting this way." Lance stated. "Stop acting like a wimp. Do you want to walk again?"
"I will never walk again!" Justin screamed, this time able to get his hand free from Lance. "Just leave me alone Scoop."
"I will leave you alone when you can get up, walk across the room and kick my ass." Lance stated, poking Justin in the chest.
"Cut it out Scoop. Please leave me alone." Justin pleaded.
"No Justin I won't." Lance stated, wrapping his arms around Justin and hugging him. "You are my brother and I won't let you sit here and feeling pitiful for yourself."
"I am not feeling pitiful, it's hopeless, I will never walk again." Justin stated. "Do you actually think I have a chance?"
"Yes I do Justin." Lance stated, letting Justin go. "Let us help you Justin. We are all here for you."
"Who?" Justin asked. "Who is here?"
"Well I'm here, Lynn, Chrissy, Johnny, hell practically the whole gang is here to help and support you Curly." Lance stated. "Joey, Kelly and Briana will be arriving later on tonight and Chris will be here in the morning."
"Everyone else is here?" Justin asked with a scared look on his face.
"Well Josh isn't here and I don't think he will come back here anytime soon if he know what's good for him." Lance stated, kissing Justin on the forehead. "Don't worry about him sweetie, me and Chrissy will keep him away from you. You can count on that."
"Where is she anyway? I remember her being in her earlier today." Justin spoke.
"She went to go get food, she was starving." Lance stated.
"Scoop where's Em?" Justin asked, struggling to sit up and then looking around the room. "Please tell me you two are still together."
"He's probably out in the hallway with Lynn. We are still together. I don't think nothing can split us up." Lance stated.
"Good. At least you two are still together." Justin stated, crying again now.
"What's wrong?" Lance asked.
"This is wrong. How am I supposed to find someone to love me if I can't walk?" Justin asked. "There's not a guy alive that will find me attractive like this or want to be with a cripple."
"Justin stop talking like that." Lance stated. "You are not a cripple and you are so attractive."
"Like hell I am." Justin stated, being interrupted by a knock on the door. "Whoever it is, tell them to go away."
"Well hello, you must be Mr. Bass." The young woman spoke, walking into the room accompanied by Lance and JT.
"Hi, you are?" Lance asked.
"Oh excuse my manners. I am Danielle Michaels." The young woman spoke, shaking Lance's hand. "This is one of my associates JT Poole."
"Hi." Lance stated, shaking JT's hand too.
"Hello." JT stated, wheeling over to where Danielle was standing.
"We are here for Mr. Timberlake." Danielle spoke. "I know JT had him on the schedule to try and start with him in the morning, but I think now is a perfect time."
"What is it that you do?" Lance asked.
"I'm a psychologist and physical therapist." Danielle stated.
"I'm a rehabilitation trainer." JT stated.
"What exactly is it that you do?" Lance asked, looking at JT.
"I help guys in Justin's situation learn how to get started with the devices they have to use." JT stated, rolling over to the phone on the wall. "And I show them how to manage things in everyday life."
"What kind of Devices?" Lance asked, looking at JT again.
"Wheelchairs, crutches, and other things to help him throughout his day." JT stated. "Danielle let me see his chart."
"Here you go." Danielle spoke, handing Justin's chart to JT.
"What are you doing?" Lance asked. "Are you a doctor?"
"I am looking at Mr. Timberlake's chart." JT stated, looking over the top of the chart at Lance. "I am not a doctor, but I know how to read charts. Is there a problem Mr. Bass?"
"Just making sure what your qualifications are." Lance stated.
"Well Mr. Bass I have a Bachelor's degree in Sports Medicine and Associate's degree in Psychology. I also have eight years of experience working here in this hospital." JT explained, finishing what he was doing with Justin's chart as he handed it back to Danielle. "Are those qualifications good enough Mr. Bass?"
"Yes...yes they are. I was just...just..." Lance stuttered.
"Trying to see if I knew my job and knew what I was doing?" JT asked.
"No..." Lance stated, as Justin grabbed him by the hand.
"Scoop shut up, you are failing miserably." Justin stated. "What is it that you two want?"
"Well per request of your mother, she wants to get started with your rehabilitation as soon as possible." Danielle stated.
"Now?" Lance asked. "He just had surgery earlier today."
"Yes he did, but what I am going to do isn't going to hurt him." Danielle stated. "We are going to basically start your counseling sessions and then you will start working with JT."
"Is it really possible for me to walk again?" Justin asked.
"You can if you want to, but you have to work at it Mr. Timberlake." JT stated.
"My name is Justin." Justin stated. "Mr. Timberlake is my father. What do I have to do now?"
"Well right now if you are up to it, we can have your first counseling session, only if you are up to it." Danielle spoke.
"What will we do?" Justin asked.
"Talk about you or anything you want to talk about." Danielle stated.
"Okay, I guess we can do that." Justin stated. "When do we start?"
"Anytime you are ready?" Danielle stated.
"Okay now." Justin stated.
"You heard the man JT, get to work." Danielle stated, walking to the door.
"What's going on?" Justin stated.
"We are starting your therapy session." JT stated, rolling over to Justin's bed. "Hi."
"Hi." Justin stated.
"Let's see here. First things first, I need to remove the catheter." JT stated.
"What?" Justin asked. "What's a catheter?"
"A catheter is this tube right here that was inserted into your bladder to allow you to go to the bathroom." JT explained.
"A tube? What tube?" Justin asked. "How did it get into my bladder?"
"This one." JT stated, grabbing the tube and lifting it up slowly and gently to show it to Justin. "When you were in surgery, one of the nurses inserted the tube into your penis, pushing it into your bladder so that it could carry the urine out of your body into a small container down there."
"So basically, you are saying that as long as that thing is down there, I don't have to go to the bathroom." Justin stated.
"Yep, but you can't keep it in too long and you have had it in for 48 hours already. It's time for it to come out." JT stated.
"Is this going to hurt? It's like down there in a very bad spot." Justin spoke, fear apparent on his face.
"I will be gentle and I will go very slowly." JT stated, trying to assure Justin that he would do everything in his power to keep from hurting him. "Let me know when you are ready."
"No, but you are doing your job." Justin stated. "You have to do it anyway."
"Well if you want someone else to do it, then I can have someone else come in and do this." JT stated.
"No no, you are okay, let's just get this over with." Justin stated.
"Okay." JT stated, moving the gown up Justin's body, exposing his private parts. "One...two..."
"Just do it already." Justin stated, eyes closed tightly, anticipating the pain that is to come.
"Do what?" JT asked, tapping on Justin's arm. "I am already done."
"That didn't hurt at all." Justin stated. "I was sure that was going to hurt like hell."
"Justin can you feel this?" JT asked, pinching Justin below the knee.
"I can feel something, but it's very soft." Justin stated.
"How about this?" JT asked, pinching Justin on the thigh.
"I think I do. I feel a little tingle." Justin stated.
"Okay. How about this?" JT asked, as he pinched the area above Justin's private parts.
"Yes I can feel that." Justin stated. "You are pinching my below the belt."
"Okay so at least we have a good idea of what you can feel and what you can't and where." JT stated, as there was a knock at the door.
"Mr. Poole here is the chair you ordered." A young man stated, walking into the room with a wheelchair. "I will have everything else you requested for Mr. Timberlake in the morning."
"Thanks Steve and call me JT, I think I tell you that everyday." JT stated. "You make me feel like I am old are something."
"How old are you?" Justin asked.
"I'm 28 years old." JT stated.
"Can I ask you a question?" Justin asked.
"Sure. Ask me anything." JT stated.
"How did you end up in a wheelchair, if you don't mind me asking that?' Justin asked.
"It's okay Mr. Timberlake..." JT stated, being cut off by Justin.
"JT call me Justin. I am not old either. Mr. Timberlake is my father." Justin stated, smiling for the first time that he's been in the hospital.
"Okay Justin," JT stated, rolling around to face Justin. "I have a hereditary illness called Degenerative Arthritis. This illness causes my joints to stiffen and lock up at times making it hard for me to walk, sometimes I am not able to do anything."
"Oh, so you were not in an accident or anything like me." Justin stated.
"Nope, just something I was born with." JT stated, placing the brakes on his chair, closing his eyes, grabbing the side of the wheelchair arms as he pushed himself up out of the chair and stood up in front of Justin.
"You can get up and walk?" Justin asked, looking at JT with a confused look.
"Yea I can walk when the joints let me. My legs hurt like hell right now, but I wanted to show you that I didn't give up on walking. I still have the chair for times when I am not able to get up and actually do this." JT stated, walking a few steps away from his chair and standing in front of the door. "Pretty simple. Now all we need to do is get you up and walking."
"I'm sorry JT, but I don't think that's going to happen." Justin stated.
"Justin don't give up hope. If I can get up and walk you can too." JT stated, taking a step back in the direction towards his wheelchair as he grabbed for his left leg and went down to the floor.
"JT are you okay?" Justin asked, showing concern for the person that was trying to help him.
"I am okay, I just stood up for too long." JT stated as he crawled back over to his chair, pulling himself up and sitting down in his wheelchair. "See I'm back where I belong for now."
"JT we have a problem." Justin stated.
"What's that Justin?" JT asked.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Justin stated. "I don't think I can hold it."
"Well you are going to get your first lesson." JT stated, grabbing Justin's wheelchair and rolling it over to him. "First you are going to get out of bed and get into your chair and go to the bathroom."
"I can't." Justin stated.
"Yes you can." JT stated.
"Isn't there something like one of those containers I can go in?" Justin asked.
"No you are going to the bathroom." JT stated.
"I can't do what you want me to do, I have to go." Justin stated.
"Get in your chair and go into the bathroom." JT stated.
"No! I said I can't do that. I need help!" Justin screamed at JT.
"Justin get your ass in that chair and go to the bathroom!" JT screamed back at Justin. "Stop acting like a spoiled child and get your ass in that wheelchair and get your ass into that bathroom now!"
"What the hell is going on in here?" Lance asked as he and Marshall walked into the room.
"Nothing is going on in here. Justin is about to get up and go to the bathroom." JT stated, looking at Justin, not taking his eyes off of him.
"I can't JT. Help me Lance." Justin stated.
"No, he's going to do it." JT stated, holding his hand out to Lance, still looking at Justin. "Justin get into the chair so you can relieve your bladder."
"JT I can't do it. Just help me please." Justin stated, tears running down his face now.
"Mr. Bass you and your friend leave the room please." JT stated.
"What? I am not leaving here now." Lance stated.
"Mr. Bass please leave the room." JT stated again.
"Scoop just leave." Justin stated.
"Come on baby. Do as he says." Marshall stated, grabbing Lance by the hand as the two of them walked out of the room.
"Justin get in your chair." JT stated.
"I...I can't." Justin stated.
"Justin you must have good bladder control. You have wasted a good ten minutes arguing with me about not being able to go to the bathroom." JT stated. "If you had to go to the bathroom, you would have gotten in there already."
"I do have to go. It hurts." Justin stated.
"Well get your but in that chair and move. I am not going to help you. The first part of your training is to get you to see that you can't always get help. All you have to do is slide out of bed and land into the chair, then roll into the bathroom." JT stated, rolling over to the bed to push on Justin's legs. "Come on Justin, times a wastin."
"I can't do it JT. Help me please." Justin stated, looking at JT pleadingly.
"Oh alright." JT stated. "Give me your hand."
"Thank you JT." Justin stated, grabbing onto JT as he slid off of the bed and into the wheelchair.
"Okay you are now in your best friend for now. Get to it." JT stated, rolling out of Justin's way.
"What do I do when I get in there?" Justin asked, rolling towards the bathroom.
"You know how to use the bathroom I know that." JT stated.
"I can't stand up." Justin stated.
"Um, hello, you can seat yourself on the bowl." JT stated.
"You sure are making this hard for me." Justin stated.
"It might be hard now, but you will get use to it sooner or later." JT stated as he rolled back over to the bed, pulled he laptop out of his briefcase, turning it on and started typing. "Hi Steve, JT here. I need you to come back to Mr. Timberlake's room."
"Alright Mr. Poole, I should be there in a few minutes. Bye." Steve stated, hanging up the phone.
"That kid is going to drive me crazy." JT stated, hanging up his cell phone, laughing to himself as the bathroom door opened and Justin came back out.
"I did it JT. I did it." Justin stated, rolling over to JT, stopping next to his wheelchair and reaching over, hugging JT.
"Well I told you that you could do it and you did it." JT stated. "You have to be able to depend on yourself. You can't always depend on other people."
"If this is all there is too it, then I guess I can do it." Justin stated.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg Justin." JT stated. "Wait until you have to manage your life like this all the time. This has just been a small sample of it all."
"What?" Justin asked.
"You have to learn how to take your bathes, learn how to get yourself dressed. You know, the normal everyday stuff." JT stated, as there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Justin spoke as Lynn, Christina and Lance walked into the room.
"Hi Curly, how are you doing now?" Christina asked, walking over to where JT and Justin sat.
"I'm doing okay at the moment." Justin stated, as Christina leaned down and hugged him, causing him to frown.
"What's wrong Justin?" Lance asked, noticing that his mood had changed.
"Nothing is wrong." Justin stated, the frown still noticeable by his friends.
"Something is wrong with you Justin. What is it baby?" Lynn asked.
"Fine. This is wrong." Justin stated, pointing at his chair. "All of this is wrong. It isn't fair."
"What baby?" Lynn asked.
"This. My whole life is different now. How the hell am I supposed to go anywhere? How the hell am I supposed to show my face to the people that know me?" Justin asked, crying full out now. "This is shameful."
"Shameful?" JT asked, looking at Justin.
"JT I don't think he means it that way." Lynn stated.
"I do mean it. It's shameful. Chrissy had to bend down to hug me. To hug me. That means from now on, everyone that wants to give me a hug will have to lean down to me, and it also means that I will forever be looking up to people." Justin stated. "Everybody out! I want to be alone!"
"Justin stop." Lynn stated.
"I said everybody get out!" Justin repeated again, as everyone walked out. "JT, I would appreciate it if you didn't come back either. I am not going to be doing anything that requires your services."
"Say what?" JT asked.
"I am not going to be using your services, so that means you are not needed." Justin stated.
"So that means what exactly?" JT asked.
"I am going to stay in one spot and disappear from the world altogether." Justin stated, wiping his eyes. "Just go."
"Alright Justin. I'm leaving, but I will be back in the morning." JT stated.
"It will be a waste of your time. I am giving up." Justin stated.
"You can't give up Justin. If you give up, you might not ever walk again." JT stated.
"Then I won't walk. Goodbye JT." Justin stated, rolling to the window in the room crying.
====================================== TO BE CONTINUED...
Comments or Suggestions Contact Information
E-Mail: jtpoole9@cybersouth.com Website: http://home.cybersouth.com/jtpoole9/hosted.html Yahoo: johntpoole AIM: blk4whtnga@aol.com ICQ #: 146925768