Fever

by Carnal, MJ

  Her laughter filled the small space as she opened the door. We walked into the hallway and she closed the door behind us. “Where are you headed now?” she asked.

  “I’m going to head to the gym. Enjoy your night, doc. Think of me.” I winked at her.

  “I’m sure I will. That was so unfair, Michael. It’s going to be the longest shift of my life,” she said, frowning.

  “Gives you something to look forward to.” I reached out to grab her hand.

  “You!” someone yelled from down the hall.

  We both turned toward the voice as I pulled my hand back to my side.

  At the end of the corridor was my worst nightmare.

  Tammy.

  Motherfucker.

  I closed my eyes and held my breath as I waited for my fucking world to fall apart.

  I went from ecstasy to agony in under one minute.

  Chapter 19

  Michael looked like a trapped animal as a nurse walked toward him screaming. Not just any nurse, but the one I had soothed in the bathroom days ago.

  Her hands were balled into fists at her sides as she approached with a red face, sneering.

  I looked at her and back to him.

  Fuck me, it couldn’t be possible. Was he?

  No, no.

  Son of a bitch!

  “Where the hell have you been?” She placed her hands on her hips, standing toe to toe with him.

  “Do you know her?” I asked, hoping I was wrong.

  She turned her glare toward me. “This is the asshole I was telling you about.”

  “Wait a minute,” Michael said. “Let me explain.” His face turned white as he reached for my hand.

  Suddenly, my mouth felt dry as her words hit me full force. “He’s your fiancé?” I asked, still in shock. I stared at them, blinking as my mouth hung open.

  “Yes and the father of my baby.” She smiled as she stood there with her hands on her hips. Her right eye ticked at the corner.

  My heart sank as a wave of nausea hit. “Is this true, Michael?” I asked, turning to him, needing to hear his answer.

  I looked at him and could see sheer terror.

  He shook his head with wide eyes. “No, it’s not true at all. Please, let me explain, Mia.” He tried to touch me again, but I backed away.

  I felt like a fool.

  How did I honestly think I was the only woman in his life?

  I knew better than to believe the bullshit of a smooth-talking, beautiful man, but I listened to my heart instead of my head.

  I looked at the floor, shaking my head as I tried to decide if I should stay or go.

  “Tammy, you’re a crazy bitch. I’m not your fiancé. For fuck’s sake, don’t do this to me,” he pleaded with her, as the veins on the side of his neck protruded and visibly pulsed.

  “What’s this, then?” she asked, thrusting her hand in his face.

  He gawked, his mouth moving but nothing coming out.

  “You asked me weeks ago before I even told you about the baby,” she said, pushing her hand closer to his face.

  She shoved the large princess-cut diamond ring in my face and wiggled her fingers, with a wide grin. My chest ached as my heart thundered against my insides.

  I felt sick. I wanted to curl into a ball and cry.

  “You knew about the baby?” I asked in horror.

  His nostrils flared as he blinked slowly. “She’s not having my baby, Mia,” he said through gritted teeth.

  Tammy pushed on his chest. “How can you deny your own child?” she screeched.

  “Shut the hell up, Tammy,” he roared as a crowd began to form in the hall.

  I had never been so embarrassed in my life. I hung my head, gathering my thoughts.

  I needed to get the fuck out of here.

  “Mia, you’ve got to believe me. She’s crazy and making it up,” he begged, holding out his hand to me.

  Looking at his hand, I took a step back. “She has a ring, Michael. I don’t know what to think. I need time.” Wiping the tear with the back of my hand as it slid down my cheek, I said, “Don’t call me anymore.”

  “But Mia.” His eyes were large and sad.

  “No,” I replied quickly. “Don’t touch or talk to me. You need to work things out with your fiancée and future mother of your child. There’s no room for me in your life. I don’t date cheaters, and I certainly don’t fall in love with men that run out on their responsibilities.”

  His hand dropped to his side as he stared at me. “Mia, you know she’s crazy, right?”

  “I’m right here, dickhead,” Tammy yelled, punching him in the arm.

  His arms flexed and his hand twitched. “Don’t fucking touch me, you insane bitch. I know where the fuck you are; you’re like a crazy nightmare that won’t go the fuck away.”

  “I don’t have time for this bullshit.” I shook my head, tears threatening to turn into sobs. “You two deserve each other,” I said before turning my back to them.

  “Mia,” Michael yelled as I walked away.

  Hanging my head, I hid my eyes from the onlookers that had gathered in the hallway. I could hear their voices as I disappeared in the bathroom.

  Finding an open stall, I closed myself in and shut the outside world out. I sat on the toilet and rocked. Silent tears racked my body. I realized the only person that had made me feel safe had turned into my biggest fear, heartache, and devastation.

  Michael Gallo crashed into my world and turned it upside down.

  I couldn’t sit here and cry over a man that I’d only known a couple of weeks, even though I wanted to. Patients waited for me. I couldn’t spend another moment wallowing in what could’ve been and will never be.

  Fuck Michael Gallo and that crazy whore too.

  Anger bubbled inside as I stood and walked out of the stall to dry my face.

  My phone started beeping, text messages coming in rapidly from Michael. I turned the ringer off and stuffed it in my pocket before reaching for the door.

  It was going to be a miserable shift at the ER.

  Chapter 20

  “Sit down, baby. Tell me what’s wrong,” my ma said, pulling out a chair for me.

  She really was sweet, and I felt shitty to throw this on her, but I needed her.

  “I didn’t know who else to come to, Ma.” Sitting down, I rested my hands in my lap. I stared her straight in the eye as I leaned back and figured out how to break this to her.

  “I’m always here for you. You look like shit, Michael.” She reached out and caressed my cheek, with a small smile.

  I smiled and leaned into her touch as she soothed me. “I don’t even know where to being with this clusterfuck,” I said, scrubbing my hands across my face.

  “Only because you’re so upset will I let that word slide in this house today.”

  “Sorry, Ma.” I shrugged. “All right, here it is.” I let out a breath before speaking. “About six weeks ago I started seeing this woman, Tammy.”

  “Seeing as in dating or…” She looked at me with one eyebrow higher than the other.

  I sighed, wishing I could avoid the entire conversation. “We weren’t dating. We hooked up a couple of times.”

  “God, I hope you used protection.” She shook her head. “All these horrible diseases out there today.”

  “Ma, can I tell you the story or are you going to interrupt me?”

  She laughed, patting my hand. “You go ahead, son. Sorry. I’ll sit here and listen.” Resting her head in her hand, she stared at me.

  Her facial expression changed as I told her the story. Her eyes were as big as saucers and her mouth hung open by the time I finished. “Can I ask some questions now?” she asked.

  Nodding, I motioned for her to ask.

  “So you didn’t ask her to marry you?”

  “Nope.”

  “And she’s not pregnant either?”

  “Nope.”

  “Are you sure she’s not pregnant?” she asked, tilting her head as she ru
bbed her chin.

  “Fuck if I know, Ma. I wore a condom the couple of times we did it. Not one busted and all came from my pocket.”

  “You said she’s crazy, how crazy we talkin’—Kathy Bates Misery crazy or what?”

  “She could be Kathy Bates’ daughter.” I laughed.

  “Jesus Christ, son. Didn’t we raise you boys right?” She rubbed the back of her neck. She shook her head, leaning back in her chair, and stared at me.

  “You did, Ma. Sometimes we just kinda let our other head do the thinking.” I looked down at the table, flicking a crumb near my arm.

  “We’re going to have to talk with your father about this. We may need to call George and get a restraining order against her. Maybe you can get a pregnancy test done, and if necessary, an ultrasound to determine the date of conception.” Her cheeks puffed out before let the air escape slowly.

  “I hoped she would just forget about me and move on. She ruined everything with Mia.”

  I was miserable without Mia. I never felt lonely, ever, but I felt the emptiness when she had walked away from me, from us, in the hospital a couple days ago. The longest two days of my fucking life.

  “Is Mia the doctor from the hospital?”

  “Yeah, you know about her?”

  “Your siblings can’t keep a secret worth shit, son, except for Joe. He’s like a rock, and it makes me nuts.” She laughed, her smile almost kissing her eyes.

  “Well, Tammy confronted me when I was with Mia. Mia’s confused and doesn’t know what to believe. She hasn’t returned my phone calls or replied to a text in days, Ma. I have to fix this.”

  Her smile fell. “Have to be crafty, son. Outthink her. Fight fire with fire.” She paused and scrunched her lips. “Maybe you can get Tammy to go see a doctor and let you come.” She patted my hand. “You can verify the pregnancy or lack thereof, and we’ll proceed from there. It would give you tangible proof sooner than waiting for the court system, but if she’s dangerous, then you need to stay the hell away from her.”

  “I got it, Ma. I can handle her. I’m not worried about her hurting me. She’s already done enough damage. I’ll do it. I’ll call her. I think she’ll go for it if she thinks there’s any chance of us getting back together.”

  “It’s playing in dangerous territory, but I leave the decision up to you. Just be careful, Michael.”

  I didn’t have a choice.

  I had to risk it all to win back Mia.

  I needed to show Tammy for who she really was—a liar.

  “I don’t need this bullshit right now, Ma. My fight is in a week and I have too much going on to deal with this. I need it to end now.”

  “You’ll do it, son. I’ll talk to your dad tonight and he can call George. He’ll get the paperwork ready to put the restraining order into action. You can call him and find out what to do next.”

  As I stood from my chair, I bent over and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Ma. You always have great advice.” I inhaled the strawberry scent of her shampoo and was instantly brought back to my childhood.

  Reaching up, she stroked my cheek as she said, “That’s what I’m here for.”

  As I started walking to the door, her voice stopped me.

  “Michael,” she yelled.

  “Yeah, Ma?” I paused, not wanting to miss her parting advice.

  “Keep it in your pants, son. Got me?”

  “Hear ya loud and clear, Ma.” Shaking my head, I opened the door and left to set the plan in motion.

  Searching through my phone contacts, I couldn’t find her number.

  Damn it.

  Izzy had blocked her. I headed to the shop to find my sweet little sister and see if she’d be willing to help me smash Tammy once and for all.

  Leading up to my match, my schedule at the shop had almost been nonexistent. I tried to work out and practice as much as possible without having to worry about the day-to-day operations.

  Piercings were by special appointment. I’d only had to go in twice in the last ten days. Joe wouldn’t be back for weeks. That left Anthony and Izzy to deal with running the business and tattooing.

  Everything seemed to be in order as I walked through the front door of Inked. The waiting area looked tidy, just as I had left it, and the familiar buzz filled the shop. Soft voices came from the tattooing area. Death metal—Izzy’s choice, I’m sure—played quietly so it blended in as background noise.

  “Honey, I’m home,” I yelled, walking toward the work area.

  “Michael?” Izzy’s voice echoed. “Get your ass back here, man.”

  Her face lit up as soon as she saw me. She snapped off her gloves and kissed me on the cheek. “Hasn’t been the same without you here, driving us crazy and keeping our asses organized.” She squeezed me, smashing her face in my chest.

  I loved my little sister. Why? Because of moments like these, but definitely not her mouth.

  “Thanks, Izzy. Sometimes you can be sweet…sometimes.”

  “Don’t get too used to it,” she said, sitting back down and putting on a new pair of gloves.

  “Hey, how are ya?” I said to her client, whom I’d seen before. Couldn’t remember his name for shit.

  “Trying to survive your sister here. She’s not as smooth as Joe with the needle.” He winced, closing one eye.

  “No one’s as smooth as he is. He’ll be back soon, though. You should’ve waited.”

  “I can hear you both,” she said as she rubbed salve into his skin. “I can do this dry if you’d prefer.” She snickered.

  “No, no,” he replied. “Please, you’re doing beautiful work.”

  I laughed and turned my attention toward Anthony. “How you holding up being here with her by yourself, Anth?”

  He smiled as he leaned back in his chair and stretched. “She’s been pretty good without you and Joe here.” His back cracked, and he sighed.

  I could never tattoo and sit in the same crippling position for hours. I didn’t have the patience to deal with customers for extended periods of time, and I certainly couldn’t handle working on the same design for six hours like they sometimes did.

  Piercing was quick, with little time for chatting.

  “They’re the ones that make me the way I am.” She shrugged, talking to the man in her chair. “Anthony is my partner in crime. Isn’t that right, Anth?” She laughed.

  “Oh, how I know that shit. You two give me a headache most days,” I said, shaking my head.

  “You speak the truth, Izzy.” Anthony laughed as he worked on the design. “What brings you by to visit us working people?” Anthony asked as he shaded in a rose.

  I cringed because I knew her ass would be so ecstatic to hear the words. “Well, I need Izzy.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “What? Are you feeling okay?” she asked as she looked up.

  I rolled my eyes, sitting down in Joe’s chair. “Yes, I need you to unblock that number you got rid of for me the other day.”

  “That girl with the damn scrapbook?” Her eyebrows drew together and a small crease formed between them.

  “Yes, Tammy. I need you to unblock her number.”

  She sat back, tilting her head, and leveled me with her stare. “Why in the fuck would I do that?”

  “Please, I just need you to. For me, Izzy, please,” I said, pulling the phone from my pocket.

  “You need to explain it to me first. I’m thinking you’re the one that bumped your head, not Joe. I can’t believe you’re asking me to do this shit.”

  “Everything has turned into a mess. Mia won’t see me or talk to me and it’s all Tammy’s fault.”

  “Still not giving me enough detail here, Mikey.” She went back to working, not finding my request important enough to stop. “If she fucked everything up, why in the hell do you want to talk to her?”

  “She’s claiming I asked her to marry me and that she’s pregnant with my baby.” There it was, out in the open. I might as well have put that shit on a billboard now. Izzy nev
er kept a secret.

  “Wait, what?” She stood suddenly. “You drop that shit on me like it’s nothing while I have a needle in someone’s skin?”

  “You asked for details, and those are the details.”

  “Give me fifteen minutes to finish this and we’re going to have a talk before I do what you’re asking me to. I want to know what the fuck happened with the doctor, too.”

  “Fine, I’ll wait.” I sighed and kicked my feet up on the customer chair. “How’s Joe?” I asked. “Anyone see him lately?”

  “He’s well. You should go see him. He’s been home for two days,” Anthony said.

  “Kind of had other things on my mind,” I muttered.

  “I know, but I’m sure Suzy is smothering him to death at this point,” Izzy said, laughing.

  “Joe loves that shit. He’s probably milking it for all it’s worth.” Anthony mimicked a blowjob.

  I missed being here every day. I missed the four of us as it had been weeks ago.

  Everything had changed in my life in the last week—the highest high to the lowest low.

  I wanted so badly to talk to Mia. I wondered if she knew how to block someone like Izzy had done on my phone. I hoped she hadn’t blocked me. She hadn’t read a damn message I sent her. I couldn’t help myself. I had to keep trying.

  Me: Mia, please talk to me. Tammy’s lying and insane. You have to believe me! I miss you, doc.

  I stared at the screen, hoping my message would show read, but nothing. It just sat there delivered and unread.

  I opened Facebook and searched for her page. She’d posted something yesterday. I shouldn’t have looked, because it made me feel more rejected than I already did.

  She’d posted a quote from Cicero; “Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.”

  I sat there, stunned into silence by her words, as I waited for Izzy to finish.

  I still caught myself thinking of Izzy as a little girl. I pictured her with her pigtails flopping, playing hopscotch in the front yard, or begging us to play football. She always felt left out because we worried she’d get hurt. She turned into a tomboy in her teenage years before she realized the power of being a female.