Honey, It's Never Too Late For Anything...(Writers, please feel free to collaborate!)

Yeah, well, he had had enough of this wondering and wondering just where threir relationship was going. He felt really guilty and sneaky for having purchased a "caller-id" unit and the service from the phone company. But, something just wasn't right.

All of her friends were obviously covering for her, but they sounded so rehearsed, that that alone just about gave her away more than anything. Then, she always called as scheduled, but she never wanted him to call her back. When she had to go, it was a hastily said, "Oh, sorry to interupt you, but Mom has to use the phone." Or some excuse just like it. So, tonight when she called, he would ask her something specific about where she was, excatly, she would give some vague answer and he would have the actual number she called from recorded. Uh huh, proof positive!

Great, so where would he be then? If it was as he strongly suspected, she was at "His" cabin in he woods almost directly above their own home, and she thought that she would get away with this right under his nose, indefinately? Well, she just had another think coming, then didn't she?

She had been getting away with it for far too long as it was, and tonight, when he confirmed it, well then he would just.....would just....... just exactly what would he do? Well, something to put things back on track, that's for sure and let her know just exactly he was capable of when pushed too far.....or was he really capable, or just very hurt?

The crickets filled the woods with electric sound as he walked towards the cabin hidden in the cedars. Silently he padded upon the pine needles and moss, the moon glinting in widened eyes as he wound his way up the slope and deeper into the woods.
He could sense her above him...did she hear him approach?

Far off, an owl hooted three times.


[edit on 29-7-2005 by masqua]

[edit on 29-7-2005 by masqua]

Suddenly and with a violent jerk he sat upright in his chair. He had been daydreaming about what he might catch her doing. The phone was ringing, it had already rang three times and he was stairing at it, letting it ring twice more he reached for it. A quick glance at the Caller ID and then;

"He-Hello", his voiced cracked.

"It's me baby." Her voice seemed so confident.

The conversation went on as normal, nothing unusual. Vague responses to seemingly simple questions and long explanations to easy queries. Checking the Caller ID over and over again he was like a classic detective in the Sherlock Holmes style, ready to add up all the clues and make a final sumation. One problem though, the number on the Caller ID was blocked. "Damn it", he was beyond frustrated but he wasn't about to lose his cool. He'd simply tell her to call him back in ten minutes, that would be enough time. If she was where she said she was then it would be a simple task to verify it, she was only a few moments away. Our friend would just check it out for himself, he'd had enough of these games tonight.

Without skipping a beat she had an excuse for why she could't call right back. "That's ok", he thought to himself, "the second we hang up I'm on my way, slut". A couple minutes of babble passed and the conversation was over. Taking a second to capture his composure and prepare himself he put on his jacket and took a deep breath. It was chilly outside and even though he was burning with emotion a jacket was still nescessary. Steping through the front door and locking it behind him he was ready. Was she? She'd better be because he was on his way and he wanted answers. He didn't just want answers, he downright needed them, for his own sanity.




Sorry, that's all I could come up with, hope you think it fits with where you were going.

Take it easy, L4T.

(L4T, it's great! I'm the one now having the writer's block)

Thanks for the push. I'll be back with more asap!
CyberKat

( New writer here. Hope I'm doing this correctly.)

He turned and stepped off the porch, circling the house. He jogged through the yard and slowed down when he reached the woods. He walked the path and paused after a few feet, thinking. It would be better to arrive at the cabin unseen. That meant he should stay off the path as much as possible.
He looked around. Both sides of the trail were overgrown, but he had to choose one. The full moon was shining far too brightly to allow the trail to be used.
He chose one side and began again. The trail had been there when the house and cabin had been bought.That meant he was just now finding out how treacherous the footing was. Rocks, logs and who knew what else lay in the shadows trying to trip him. Wistfully, he looked at the reasonably well lit, smooth trail.
He was trying to be quiet, so as to catch her without warning. Every couple steps whatever he placed his foot on shifted and he was forced to find new footing. He could see the shape of the cabin in the distance, but really couldn't tell if the light was from the cabin window or the moon."
"No matter. She has an excuse anyway. She always does. What makes her think I'm so stupid?"he mused to himself. He noticed more night noises that he usually did, but he was moving quieter than he had ever done before.
As he lifted his left foot, the rock his right foot was standing on shifted. He fell, with a little noise. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out.
His ankle was now in a hole and a rock was against it. It hurt.

the rock on his foot prevented him from moving, ilmobilizing him. after 30 minutes, his anger was starting to wear off. and the cold night air closed in. he looked down at his foot. he could no longer feel from knee down. hoursely, he cried for help, abandoning all sense of secrey. no one came. the night wore on.

snow started to fall. he looked up, and wondered why he started this whole fiasco. the cold crep nearer, and in the distance, a wolf howled. he looked at his watch... 2:00am. he knew he could not survive this night.

4:00am, he knew he was frost bitten. the snow was 6inches thinck now, and his feet and hands were numb. the pain kept him concuos up till now, and he lay back and started to feel very sleepy...

He was suddenly being gently shaken awake. In her familiar, yet genuinely worried sounding voice, Gretchen was anxiously saying, "Honey! Honey! are you all right? What are you doing out here? It's freezing cold. I've been worried sick enough as it was over how you will react to the new arrangements, especially since I didn't have the guts to talk it over with you first.....and oh my God! Your foot's all twisted backward. There's a nurse at the house.....oh, so much to deal with! Come on. Can you get up?"

His head was spinning, he couldn't feel any of his outer extremeties, including the "backward" foot. He was frost bitten, that was for sure. But something else more important...... but, what the hell? "Gretchen! Wha...what in the world? Do you have any idea? Of course you do. Don't you be leaning over me sounding all worried. At least about me you aren't. Ah.....Oohhh....help me up", he said, wincing in pain. The blood had begun to flow again, and it was extremely painful as it started waking up his hands and feet. Especially the twisted one. His head was also beginning to clear.

He had known that her mother was ill, he just thought that she had been exageratting about the severity of it, in order t have an excuse to be gone all the time..... A nurse at the house? Could she have been actually telling the truth all along? He felt sudden relief, mixed with annoyance at his own insecurities, and a surge of renewed emotion for the girl he had once known, who had always been so eager to please him.

Now pouting, she said, "Yes, I will help you up, but why are you so angry with me? I was just worried. And of course about you! And no, I don't 'have any idea'. What are you talking about?" She said as she helped him to his foot. The other was definately broken or sprained or something. Leaning heavily on her shoulders and hopping along, he said, "Oh, I am so, so sorry! I over-reacted to nothing. I guess I have been alone lately so much of the time, that my mind just sort of ran wild."

She turned her head to look up at him. Wide-eyed, she said, "Did you think that I was cheating on you? Oh Michael, surely you know me better than that?" By then, he was grinning from ear to ear. "Of course I do! Like I said, I had been alone more than I wanted to be. I was selfish. I bet I even know what it is that you were worried about telling me, and don't be - it's O.K!" As they neared the house, just for a second, a fleeting thought wondered if he was being too quick to forget all the anguish he had been through over her for all those months. But another look into her beautuful blue eyes told him that no, he really had just let his imagination run wild. She said, "Really? it's O.K. for Mom to stay for a couple of months? I found her a wondeful nurse to care for her until she is recovered enough to go back home so that I won't be having to care for her around the clock anymore. Hey, how did you know, anyway? We just got her settled a couple of hours ago, and you were missing!" He grinned, "Easy, when you told me that there was a nurse at the house, everything suddenly made perfect sense. Now, I sure can't wait to have her look at my ankle. It's killing me!"

"Sure", she said. "Let's get you inside. One thing though, the nurse, um, .......isn't a 'her'. Mother has a male nurse." She rushed on to say that he was really a wonderful nurse, and that coincidentally, he even lived right near here. As a matter of fact, they even shared the same woods. Michael probably even knew him, and wouldn't that even make it easier on him having Mother there, since she knew how he felt about her, for him to have a companion, a neighbor around to take his mind off of Mother's presense, etc, etc....

"The nurse is.....a male? Lives here in these woods?" "Oh sure", she said. "Male nurses are becoming almost if not more common than female ones now a days! Don't worry, he'll fix your ankle up just as well an any conventional nurse."

All the way to the house Michael couldn't help but wonder... Did he just imagine all of this? Now a male nurse... Even the pain sometimes seemed to vanish in deep thoughts and Gretchen was holding him on her shoulder to make it home in the snow...

The house was clearly in sight now, and he really wanted that nurse to look at his foot. It felt like burning inside. His hands were about all right now but surely without her help he'd have died there in the snow...

- You're OK? We're nearly home now.
- Yes, yes. Well yes, OK. I shouldn't have gone out that way in the evening...
- Don't talk about that anymore now, Rob will have a look at your foot, I'll prepare you some hot chocolate, that's good for you now.
- Rob? Is he... the nurse?
- Yes, come on now...

As they were reaching the door, Rob suddenly opened it, looking really worried.

"like, thank god your here" he said in a gay voice "shes getting worse"
he breathed a sigh of relif. she was his.

Wait a minute! That face! That voice! This was the same guy the girls at the Convenience Store down the road were crazy for.
Rob was slim, six foot tall, and had sandy brown hair, with chiseled features, which caused Michael to forget Rob's lilting lisp. He arched his eyebrows and glanced at Gretchen as Rob picked him up and carried him to the sofa. "Let me look at that ankle, Sir" Rob said.
The ease at which he was lifted made Michael realize that Rob was muscular, also. "Do you work out? I only ask because I know that I'm not a lightweight. "
"Oh, yes, I go to the gym twice each week. I find it helps me do my job better. See, I lifted you with no problem."
"Since you are in such good hands, I'm going to check on Mother." Gretchen called as she sailed out of the room, casually tossing her jacket at the Dining room table.
Rob began checking Michael's ankle. Michael stifled a cry. "Sorry, Sir. I'll try to be more gentle."
That was not what bothered Michael. In all their fantasy games, Gretchen had described her Perfect Man. Physically, it looked like Gretchen was describing somebody she knew--Rob.

"hey! no need to call me sir!" he said "just call me michael."
"ok micheal... does this hurt?" he gentaly touched one of his muscles
"# me! yes!"
"i think you may have broken your ankle."
"darn! hows mother?"

How quickly perceptions can change, Michael was thinking to himself. All the while he had been nearly positive that Gretchen had taken up with "Grizley Adams", who lived in the rather secluded cabin which he had been heading toward the previous night.

Now, however, with the arrival of Rob, and the memory of Gretchen's descriptions of the "perfect man", which fit Rob just about perfectly, Michael, in a matter of less than a couple of hours went from being certain that Gretchen was seeing the guy who's name he did not even know, only referred to him as the "Mountain Man", or "Grizley Adams", to believing that he had simply been imagining the whole thing out of being left alone with his imagination too much and his beloved Gretchen was still his, and innocent of all his imagined malice, to his now current belief.

Yes, he was warming up, feeling more clear-headed, although dear Rob had yet to ease the pain in his ankle, but he was now once again absolutely convinced that he had finally discovered the real truth of the farce of his relationship with his once/still beloved Gretchen. And it was not pretty at all. He was helpless, or so it seemed, and hurt beyond anyone's imagination. Yet, it was now so obvious and too simple. Why hadn't he seen it from the start.

He did know that Gretchen's mother was in poor health, and had been since he and Gretchen had first met. She did always claim to be having to go and check on Mother. That was what had eventually sparked his suspicions in the first place. Most adult women embarking on a new life, did not travel a good 40 miles almost on a daily basis to check on their sickly mother, when she had two sisters and an aunt who lived within a few blocks of her mother. Surely, if their mother was so needy, the sisters could have taken turns helping out, especially since they all got along relatively well, rather than leaving it all to Gretchen.....

Rob just walked back into the room. "Ahah!" Michael thought to himself, "I've got your number, now!" Wishing that he had been allowed to freeze to death in the mountains, rather than face this new and unbearable pain. Even more painful now that he was quite certain that he had been on the right track when he thought that she was cheating on him and lying to boot about always being at her mother's. He felt somewhat embarassed at the cold shoulder he had been giving his hairy neighbor for now what seemed to be no reason. But far outweiging that, was the well perceived slap in the face he was getting now.

Of course Gretchen had been telling the truth about being at her mothers all the time - neglecting of course to mention that she was not the only one there with her. That there was in fact a very lucrative side attraction. Which also explained why she was happy to go and not ever seem to consider sharing the "burden" - for lack of a better word - of keeping an eye on her mother with her other, happily married family members who lived so much closer. In the back of his mind, he realized that in light of this new development, his caller ID wouldn't have told him anything other than the fact that she was indeed at her mother's. There was another thought nagging just slightly in the background of his battered mind, although he didn't fully recognize it to be of any significance at the conscious level. That was the fact that Rob's voice had been very disticnt. It sounded, well.......gay? Gay in the sense of homosexual? Gay as in just a little to happy and possibly somewhat smug? Or was it just polished and polite from perhaps years of nursing? But, none of that had fully materialized in such articulate thoughts or questions at this point.

What a fool he felt. Of course, in reality, none of this was confirmed, but in his mind, he didn't need hard evidence. Gretchen was no longer his - if she ever had been. And to make matters even worse, she was flaunting it in his face, in his home, in such a way that if he were to say anything about it, it would be only he, Michael who would look the fool.....

Michael opened his eyes. It was dark but for the faint sliver of light peering in through the windows from behind the couch. He had been sleeping on the couch, and he wasn't at home. He moved to get up and reeled in pain as the nerves in his leg shot up through his spine. He sank back into the couch and listened for any sign of activity. He was in Gretchen's mother's house. He looked around and recognised the well-polished birch mantelpiece peering out through the darkness. He could just about make out the photographs; framed in thick silver, one of Gretchen, one of Lucile, one of Priscila and one of her Mum, Deborah. Looking down at his leg, memories of the night before flowed thick through his mind.
"Jesus..." Michael muttered. He propped himself up and decided to try to stand.

Upon his feet Michael realised that his ankle had been braced, by Rob presubably. Michael winced. He stared out across the space of the room, the house seemed empty, he needed a crutch of some sort and loathed the couch for its impracticle location in the center of the room. He cast a hard glance at the wall in a request for assistance, no reply, "Not a #ing sound..." he mused. Michael braced himself and made a lurch for the mantel; he felt the pain, thick in his throat, as his leg gave and sent him sprawling forwards, his hands, desperately clutching for support scattered the photographs to the floor as he clung to the wood. His breath seethed through his teeth as he clenched them in pain. He felt for the fire poker and pushed himself upright. He looked around breathing heavily and limped forwards.

'Tic, tic, shhhhhffffrrrrrrrr, hmmmmmmmm, shhhhhhhhhh'
Barely discernible, Michael could hear strange sounds comming from a room down the passageway. Leaning heavily on the poker, he limped closer to where the noise was comming from, he caught a glimpse of a wall-clock; it was seven fortyfive in the evening. He must have been out all day. Envelloped in near complete darkness, Michael slowly etched his path across the brown carpet. He suddenly stopped. He raised his head and strained his eyes; at the far end of the hall, Michael could see a faint shimmer of light sifting out from the thin gap at the bottom of a door.

[edit on 5-10-2005 by The_Modulus]

Michael, who had been raised in a middle class home, taught conventional values, earned an honest living, and had had virtually nothing out of the ordinary ever happen to him before in his life, was now about the most confused soul in the world. Or so it seemed to him.

For one thing, how had he gone to sleep (although he didn't exactly remember falling into slumber, as Rob had finally given him a couple of pain pills for his ankle) in his own home, and now awakened in his mother-in-law's home? That was for starters. Things like that didn't happen to a man like Michael. But, O.K. a simple enough explaination could be that while he was resting, they had decided that "Mother" would really be better off at her own home, closer to her other daughters, and where the terrain was more familiar to her, etc... after all, rather than at his home in the woods. So, since Michael was injured and knocked out by the pain medicine, they had simply brought him along when they went back. O.K. good enough of an explaination for him on that one.

But, now, as all the memories from the day before started to rush back into his mind he felt a horrible stab of pain in his stomach, and suddenly felt the need to vomit. He tried to make it to the kitchen sink, but instead, fell to the floor and couldn't hold it anymore. He had no choice but to vomit right there on the carpet at the edge of the living room. When the heaving subsided, he simply started to cry. And to cry, until he became hysterical. He knew what a fool he looked and sounded, and that he needed to somehow get the mess that he had made cleaned up before someone saw, but he had become so hysterical that he just sat there and continued to sob. What an ugly mess his life had turned into. And why? What had he ever done to deserve this!

Just then, the door that a few minutes ago he had heard strange sounds coming from opened, and a bright and alert Rob, dressed in spandex came bounding out, looking concerned and a second later was right at Michael's side. "Oh, no!", he exclaimed, not even seeming to notice the mess all around Michael, I left you a pair of crutches leaning against the foot of the couch you were sleeping on....well, look there they still are! I guess you must have woken up, feeling understandibly disoriented, and not seen them. I am so sorry! How unthinking of me. I should have placed them in a better spot, so as to be sure that you would see them." Rob then went on to confirm what Michael had suspected about why he was no longer at his own home, and had awakened at his mother-in-law's. He also told him, this, which Michael had no memory of, that he had given him a pain pill, as after he had set the ankle, Michael was still very much in pain, and begging for something for it. But after the pill had started to take effect, Michael apparently didn't agree. He insisted upon another pill to take him away from the pain that had really been incredible, at least for a while. Rob said that he was very cautious about the doseage of any medication he gave, especially since he was only a nurse, not a Doctor. However, the doctor he worked under, did give him some leway to make his own decisions when it came to each individual he happened to treat. Still, it was a fairly strong pill he had already given Michael, and was still reluctant to give him any more. But, Gretchen had looked so concerned, and her knowing him much better than Rob did, insisted that Michael please be given just one more, as he really did appear to be in pain, and that Michael was never one to abuse drugs of any kind, not even prescription.

So, Rob obliged, and soon, Michael was deep in sleep. His pulse was fine, so he hadn't overdosed, he was just getting apparently some much needed rest and relief from the pain he had suffered for hours. However, as Rob told him, there is a common side effect to pain medication given to one who is not used to it, and that is that it can cause nausea.

"Here", said Rob, "Let me grab your crutches and help you up. You just sit back down and I will take care of the carpet. I feel completely responsible, as it was most likely a reaction from the medication I gave you. No need for such embarassement, it would have happened to anyone. Not your fault in the least. I'll have the carpet looking back to normal in just a flash, and no one will be the wiser. I'm terribly sorry, Si......uh, Michael". "Oh, and once again I must owe you another appology. I probably awakened you with that noisy exercise equipment I was using. I really must get that oiled, or something." "Oh, not at all", Michael stammered. "I did hear something, but not until after I was already up." "Well, in any case", said Rob, "You just relax, and let me take care of this and it will just stay between us, if that is alright with you."

Michael was somewhat stunned. Either Rob was an extrordinary actor, or he was once again unsure of what was or was not really going on. Rob seemed so genuine, even with that wierd lispy but strong voice. He had given him perfectly logical reasons for just about eveything that he had experienced in the short time he had been awake, from the reason he had awakened at his mother-in-laws, to why he had so suddenly vomited, something he rarely did, no matter what, to the fact that he had indeed been thoughtful enough to have left him a pair of crutches, which had obviously been there the whole time and he had simply overlooked them, and even had offered an explaination for the sounds he had heard coming from that room. And, was now even putting his embarassment as ease, as he was quickly and efficiently cleaning up the carpet.

Sleepy again, he started to close his eyes. He mumbled, "Thanks, Rob you have really been a help." "Not a problem", said Rob. "Would you care for some toast or anything before I finish my morning workout?" "No thanks", said Michael, as he was about to drift off back into sleep. He was thirsty, though, he just noticed, and was about to ask Rob for perhaps a glass of water. When he sat back up to do so, as Rob was just finishing up the carpet, he saw out of the corner of his eye, the door that Rob had emerged from opening slowly, then Gretchen sort of scooted on out, and around the corner. He noticed that she was wearing a robe, and was still in the process of tying the belt around it.............What was it that Rob had said about finishing his 'morning workout'? Michael's half asleep mind was thinking, thirst forgotten for the time being, as he slipped back into a somewhat disturbed sleep.