Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 23:00:05 -0500
From: Thack <thack98@comcast.net>
Subject: What I Feel For You 160-166

The legal stuff: This is a sexually explicit story (at times) involving
homosexuality.  By continuing to read, you affirm under penalties of
perjury that you are not a minor or in the company of a minor and are
entitled to have access to sexually explicit material.  The content and
opinions expressed in this story do not imply anything with regard to the
sexual preference of any member of 98 Degrees or other celebrities named
herein.  This is a work of fiction entirely.

Hello, everyone.  This didn't get out as soon as I had hoped, but I think
you are going to like it.  I worked very hard on this installment.  Thanks
to everyone who has kept in touch with me.  I appreciate the comments.
And, happy holidays to those of you who celebrate those things.  Dan, I
still love you.

Okay.  Here's the deal with this installment.  There is a contest involved!
In honor of the real Drew Lachey's stint on Broadway in the hit show "Rent"
I have created a year-long contest.  For those of you that don't care about
the contest, just jump into the story.  It is written just like any other
installment.

The Contest: Hidden in Scenes 160-166 there are 15 Broadway references.
There are five hidden Broadway show titles.  Five Broadway show characters.
And five Broadway show lyrics or song titles.  Some will be easy to spot
but others will be very difficult.  Every month during 2005, I will donate
$10 to two different organizations for the first correct contest response.
The two organizations are the Nifty Archives and Broadway Cares/Equity
Fights AIDS.  I am willing to donate up to $240 total (which is a very
large sum for me since I am in graduate school) because I appreciate the
value of each organization.

For more information on the contest, go to: www.whatifeelforyou.com

Scene 160

I woke the following morning and happily realized that my right leg was
bent.  It was a wonderful feeling, as if I was finally human again after so
long in that horrible cast.  Then I realized Drew was absentmindedly
rubbing my back.  I was on my stomach and I had to turn my head so I could
see him.  He was lying there naked, the cotton sheet barely covering his
legs.  The scars from his surgeries were apparent but he didn't seem to be
worried about that.

"Morning," he smiled as he continued rubbing my back.

"Morning.  I'd kiss you but I'm guessing I probably have some hideous
morning breath.  At least judging by the last thing I swallowed."

"You said it tasted good!" he cried as he slapped me on the ass.

"It did.  But it's not exactly minty fresh."

Drew grinned and leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

"You know that was the first time since we were in Hawaii."

"Well, I would hope so!" I laughed.

"Don't make fun, Alex.  It's just weird, that's all.  I wish I could have
been more...accommodating."

"I know, honey.  The irony is that I totally wasn't interested in sex at
all.  That's what I was worried about talking about with you.  I didn't
know what you were expecting."

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting a hummer, that's for sure.  Do you
realize how hard it is to have you do that without me being able to move?
It was torture."

"I bet," I grinned.  "At least it didn't last long."

"I'm not sure if that was an insult or not."

"Just a very long dry spell for both of us, that's all.  And don't feel
like you need to do anything for me.  I mean, eventually you will.  But,
for right now you need to concentrate on getting stronger.  Does it still
hurt?"

"Like a bitch."

I rolled over on my side and looked at him.  He did look thin and weak in
comparison to when I had first met him.  He never complained, but so often
he couldn't hide the sudden pains that hit him when he did everyday tasks
like sit up or even laugh.

"What about you?" he asked.

I grinned.  Out of the two of us, he certainly had been through the worst.
Although I never talked to any of his doctors about it, it seemed plausible
that he was at the brink of death at least two times that I knew about.  In
comparison, my memory problems, broken leg, and minor internal injuries
were nothing.

"I'm just happy to be out of the cast."

"I bet.  What about the remembering thing?" he asked, as if he were reading
my mind.

"Better," I sighed.  "I still don't remember much of that night.  And the
stuff I do remember might be memories from that dream I was having so I'm
really not sure what is reality and what is fiction.  Every once in awhile
I'll forget I spoke with someone but it's getting better."

"Justin mentioned it yesterday."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Drew said.  "He said he had told you he was coming to visit but you
didn't seem to remember it."

I suddenly felt flushed.

"I don't."

"It's okay, Alex.  Everyone forgets things now and again.  We've all been
through some major trauma and I think it's fine to forget things now and
again.  Justin is just getting paranoid because he seems to be the one you
tend to forget."

"That's awful."

"I think it's funny!"

"That's mean!" I said, trying not to laugh along with him.

Drew's laugh turned into a coughing spell and I immediately saw the pain on
his face.  He went through these spells about three times a day,
occasionally hyperventilating.

"Don't breathe too deep," I said.  "You need the doctor to check that out."

"I'll make you a deal," he said after about two minutes of concentrated
slow breathing.  "I'll have the doc runs some more tests if you promise to
go back and have the memory issues looked at again."

"Deal," I said, crawling over to him and kissing him square on the lips.

"You're right," he chuckled.  "Hideous morning breath."

"Ugh!"

Scene 161

The following day was spent mostly at doctors' offices.  Nick drove us over
and dropped us off.  We were a sorry pair.  I hobbled away using a cane and
Drew waited patiently for an orderly to bring a wheelchair.  He had
graduated past needing a wheelchair at home but whenever he went to the
Medical Center where all our appointments were they insisted on wheeling
him around.  Surprisingly, he didn't seem to fight anyone about it.  That,
in itself, worried me.  If Drew thought he could make it around on his own
power there is no way he would have agreed to a wheelchair.

"Bye, Drew.  I'll see you later," I half-smiled.

There had been a battle of epic proportions in the car on the way over.  I
was glad when we finally had gotten to the hospital.

"I'm staying with you!" he had practically screamed for the third time.

"No," was all Drew said.

"Bro, I told you I'm staying."

"No, you're not Nick.  I'm going from one appointment to another.  What are
you going to do?  Sit in the waiting room all day long?  That doesn't make
any sense.  You said you wanted to take some time and write.  This is the
perfect time.  Neither of us will be around to bother you."

"But what if you need me?"

"Damn it!  Why do you think you have a cell phone?"

The argument eventually ended in Drew winning, as he almost always does.
For a moment I had thought about asking Nick to stay with me.  I didn't
want Drew to know, but I was worried about my appointments.

My first appointment was for physical therapy.  Ironically, both Drew and I
had the same physical therapist.  It was some guy named Mark that Drew said
was a good guy.  This was my first time there.  It was, however, the second
appointment that had me worried.  I was scheduled to undergo a CAT scan to
make sure there weren't any lingering problems with my brain.  My first CAT
scan had been in Minneapolis, with Drew and Mike right outside the door.  I
wasn't sure I wanted to go through that ordeal alone.

About halfway through my physical therapy appointment he stopped me.  We
had introduced ourselves and gotten down to business.  Drew was right; Mark
was a good guy.  Certainly he was easy on the eyes, which made some of the
pain in my leg bearable.

"Can I ask you something, Alex?"

"Sure."

"You're not really with me here.  Are you against the physical therapy?"

"No, I'm just worried about this afternoon."

"Oh, mind if I ask why?" Mark inquired.

"Wow, you sure are polite," I laughed.  "It's just that I have a CAT scan,
among other tests.  And I've done that before and I'm not exactly looking
forward to it.  Especially since I'm here alone today."

He nodded and went back to work.

"Why isn't your boyfriend here?" he asked after a minute or two.

"Am I that transparent?"

"I don't know," he smiled.  "I've got good gaydar.  I live just off Sunset
Boulevard in West Hollywood.  It goes with the territory."

I shrugged and tried to think about the best way to answer Mark.  I wasn't
sure how much, if any, Drew had said about me.  Not wanting to out my
boyfriend, I opted for discretion.  Actually, I decided to avoid the
question completely.

"Mark, do you mind if I use the phone for a second?"

"Not at all.  We were about to take five anyway."

I limped over the Mark's small desk in the corner of the office.

"Hello?"

"Oh, good.  I wasn't sure you'd answer.  I should have said something
earlier, but do you mind coming over to the hospital?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Nick.  I just don't want to be alone this afternoon.  I know Drew
said you were working on some new songs but I kind of want you here."

"Of course, Alex.  Anytime.  Anywhere."

"I'll explain when you get over here."

After my physical therapy appointment I had retreated to the lobby to wait
for Nick.  If my leg wasn't in so much pain, I'm sure I would have been
pacing.

"Alex!  What's wrong?" Nick asked as he bounded through the automatic
doors.

"Sorry," I said quietly.

"What are you sorry about?  Is everything okay with Drew?  You're starting
to scare me."

"Everything is fine, Nicky.  It has nothing to do with your brother.  I'm
sorry for getting you worked up."

"I won't be if you tell me what's up."

"Just come with me."

Sensing he wasn't going to get much more information out of me, he simply
followed.  Actually, he led more than followed because I was walking so
slowly.  After a short elevator ride, we arrived at my next appointment.
"Computerized Axial Tomography" was printed in bold letters on the nearby
door.

"Why didn't you say something?" Nick asked softly.

"I don't know."

"Does Drew know?"

"I didn't tell him," I said.  "Wait a minute.  How do you know I'm freaked
out about this?"

"Well, first off, anyone who isn't a little freaked about getting a brain
scan should have his head examined."

I laughed in spite of my dour mood.

"And," Nick continued, "Drew told me about how you didn't do well with the
CAT scan in Minneapolis.  Why didn't you say something, Alex?  I can
understand not telling Drew because you didn't want to upset him, but you
should have told me."

"So I could upset you?"

"Yes, basically."

"What if I thought I could handle this on my own?" I countered.

"Well, you're not doing a very good job of that," he smiled.  "So, just
shut up and lean on me.  Physically and emotionally."

The next hour or so crawled by.  It wasn't as though I was officially
freaking out about the CAT scan.  I just had so many awful memories about
it.  When I told the lab technician about what had happened in Minneapolis
that seemed to spark a heated debate among everyone but me about whether I
had had a CAT scan or an MRI.  I tuned out and simply did what they told
me.

This time I had to take what they called a "contrasting agent".  It was
this nasty stuff you swallow that helps them read the scan.  Following that
I sat around for a couple of minutes for the stuff to take effect.  I had
visions of radioactive muck running through my blood but they all promised
me it was harmless.

Next was the worst part, or so I thought at the time.  You get strapped
down to the table and it feels a bit like torture.  Just before the test
started I found Nick standing beside me gently holding my hand.

"Let's make you better," he said.

Strapped down and scared, I realized it was the point of no return.  I told
the tech I was ready and the machine began to make a cacophony of noise.  I
was doing okay for the first 20 minutes.  Then I started feeling a bit
nauseous.  I hoped it was only psychosomatic but then I remembered lab tech
had told me some people feel a little green after taking the contrasting
agent.  After about 30 more seconds I decided I really did fell nauseous.
Knowing that if I threw up on the $500,000 or more CAT scan machinery
someone would get pissed, I held it in.  I tried my best to breathe and not
think about it, which only made me focus on how horrible I felt.  It was
like being seasick and knowing you're stuck on the boat for another 2
hours.  Fortunately for me, it was only about 8 minutes.

The tech was standing over me and he started undoing the restraints just
after the test.

"You don't look so good," he said.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," was the only warning he got.

He jumped away just in time for me to throw up my breakfast on the floor.
I missed both the expensive machinery and Nick who was standing nearby.
The lab tech wasn't as lucky as I hit him squarely on one knee.

"Oh, God!" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it," he said casually.  "It happens at least twice a
day.  And I don't worry; I don't pay for cleaning the scrubs.  Just forget
about it.  Forget the entire morning."

"Ironically," Nick said, "that's why he is here.  I'm hoping he's not going
to forget anything."

Scene 162

"It's official," Drew said to me from the front seat of the car.

I had been sitting in the back seat, trying to relax after my incident in
the hospital.  Nick had ventured in to collect his brother.  I had been
surprised to see Drew walking to the car rather than riding in the
wheelchair.

"What's official?" I asked as Nick hopped in and buckled up.

"I can have sex now!"

"Drew!" Nick yelled.  "Just because I'm cool with Alex doesn't mean I need
to hear that.  How would you feel if I told you about every time Jess and I
had sex?"

"What?" I asked, suddenly very much interested in Nick's love life, simply
because most of America knew he didn't have one.

"You didn't have sex with Jessica," Drew stated.

"No comment."

"That means he didn't," Drew said directly to me.  He looked back at his
brother.  "Besides, it's not like I told you that Alex gave me a blowjob
last night."

I could feel all the blood rise to my face as Nick glanced in the rearview
mirror.  My eyes met his and right at that moment I wanted to die.

"What?" he asked, unsure of why he was now privy to the details of my sex
life.

"No comment," I responded.

"That means he did," Drew announced to both of us.

"Umm, honey.  Why are you even talking right now?"

"Because I can have sex again.  It's a milestone, damn it!"

"Oh," both Nick and I said in unison.

"Well," Drew began.  "The doctor didn't exactly say sex.  But she did say
that I could resume cardiovascular activity, provided I stop if I feel any
pain"

"I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole," Nick said without a trace of
a smile.

"I'm not sure what my proper response is supposed to be," I remarked.  "So
I'll stick with the generic, 'Good, Drew' and leave it at that."

"But..." Drew piped in.

"Honey, please shut up.  That's all I ask of you right now.  Please."

Drew started laughing.  Nick was quiet the rest of the way home.

That evening the three of us were sitting in the living room watching a
less than thrilling documentary on PBS about baseball.  I should temper
that by saying that both Nick and Drew seemed very excited about it.  And,
PBS did as well.  They repeated ad nauseam during the pledge break that
this show was from the producers of some other insanely dull looking
documentary about the Great Depression.

I was practically gleeful when the phone rang.

"Hello?" I said, picking up the cell phone nearest to me.  I had gotten
used to living with the two of them but often forgot that we all had the
exact same phones.  You might think that three intelligent men would think
to customize our ring tones but that wasn't the case.  Only when they both
glared at me did I realize I hadn't picked up my own phone.

"Nicky?"

"Hey, Jess," I smiled as Nick tried to grab the phone.

"Alex?"

"Yeah," I laughed.  "I haven't talked to you in ages."

"I know," she sighed.  "I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be," I replied.  I'd come to consider Jess as a friend of
convenience.  I really only expected her to be a good friend when it was
convenient for her.  I never explained that to anyone because it sounds so
mean, but it's the truth.  With her schedule, she really didn't have the
time to worry about too many people.  I knew that if I called her she'd be
there, like she was when I was with her in Orlando.  But, until we were
living in the same zip code, I didn't come to rely on her.

"Nick told me you got the cast off.  That's so great."

"Yup," I grinned.  Nick was glaring at me for talking to his fiancée and I
wanted to exploit every minute of it.  "So, when do I get to see you?"

"Soon.  That's really why I'm calling.  I'm in Chicago right now but I was
going to tell Nick that I'll be out there next week."

"Wow, that's awesome.  My friend Sharon will be in town from Minneapolis.
It will be like a little reunion, with Justin coming, too.  We should get
Jeff to drive up from the OC."

"You watch too much TV!" I heard Drew yell.

"Sorry," I said.  "We'll make Jeff drive up from Orange County."

"You already said that," Jess whispered into my ear, probably thinking I
was having one of my infamous memory spells.

"Sorry," I laughed.  "Let me hand you off to the ugly one in the room.
He's glaring at me."

"Okay, Alex."

Nick grabbed his phone, playfully socked me in the arm, and headed off to
his bedroom.  Although I was confident he hadn't messed around with
America's most popular virgin, I had occasionally wondered if they had
phone sex.  But, that was something I'd never ask.

As carefully as I could, I snuggled up next to Drew on the couch.  He
seemed fairly enraptured with the PBS show but soon I found him stroking my
hair.

"Jess will be here next week," I said softly.

"That's good.  We should do something."

"Yeah.  All of us will be here.  I'll plan something.  Next Saturday.
That's sort of my job, isn't it?  At least I used to be the travel planner.
Do I even have a job now?"

"Shhh," he whispered.  "Don't worry about that.  We both need to get
better, first."

"Okay."

"And I think you should plan something.  A big dinner, maybe.  Do you want
me to call Jeff?"

"No, I'll do it," I said.  "Later, though."

"Okay, baby."

A few minutes later I was fast asleep, listening to Drew's heartbeat.

Scene 163

"Retrograde amnesia with post concussive syndrome."

"Is that good or bad?" Drew asked nervously.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked over the phone.

As I was asking I was hoping that doctors in Los Angeles wouldn't want to
call you with bad news.  That seemed like something that required a
face-to-face meeting.  It turns out I was right.

"Good," I explained to Drew.

He wrapped his arms around me briefly, even though we were in public.  Our
first trip to the supermarket had turned into a joyous celebration.

"Basically," I explained to him after I hung up with my doctor, "it's the
accident that causes the memory loss.  They can't really explain it but
since it seems to be lessening they aren't really too concerned.  Oh, and
the CAT scan was negative."

"CAT scan?  When did you get a CAT scan?"

"Last week," I said meekly.

"Damn it!  Why didn't you tell me?"

"Calm down, Drew.  We're in the middle of the produce section here,
remember?  I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you.  Besides,
Nick was there and it all worked out."

"Don't do that to me," he said sharply.

"Do what?  Spare you from worrying about me over things you can't control?"

"No secrets!  I don't care if it keeps me up at night.  I don't want any
more secrets!"

Placing myself in his shoes, I had to admit he was right.

"Deal," I said.  I leaned across him to grab a couple of Valencia oranges.
"I'm sorry."

As we continued our shopping adventure, I knew we had made the right
choice.  Rather than head to the closet market, we drove a little further
to West Hollywood.  It seemed that the constant stares we were getting used
to weren't coming from the paparazzi.  Instead, we were getting cruised by
several different people in the produce aisle.  Drew was leaning on the
cart for support and I was grabbing different items.  It was innocent
enough to avoid any headlines but obvious to most people with well-tuned
gaydar.

"Alex?  Oh, and Drew?"

We both turned to see Mark, our physical therapist pushing a nearly full
basket.  I had remembered him to be handsome but out here in the real world
he was gorgeous.  He was wearing a tight-fitting tank top and a pair of
long running pants, clearly having come to grocery shop after hitting the
gym.  His hair was covered by a buff that looked remarkably like the ones
they market on "Survivor".

"I thought I pegged you two as a couple," he said softly so no one around
would hear.

"Well," Drew flustered.

"No worries, my man.  Doctor-client privilege and all that good stuff," he
smiled.  "You look good together."

"Yeah, me with one leg half as big as the other and this guy with most of
his internal organs still battered and bruised."

"Well, I think you guys look great.  And you're both getting stronger.  I'd
say strong enough to have a little fun."

Drew turned eight shades of red and I did my best to keep from doing the
same.

"Whoa!" that came out wrong, he laughed.  "I was just thinking that you
might like to join me and Roger for dinner at our place.  Nothing fancy.
But, I imagine you're a little stuck when it comes to gay friends right
now.  And Roger is totally cool.  He's a cop and he's not out at work so he
gets the being discrete stuff."

"Well," I replied.  "I was wondering if all that food in your cart was just
for you."

"Nope, cooking for two.  Four, now, I hope."

Drew looked at me and I could read his apprehension.

"How about I look at our schedule and get back to you?" I replied.  "Things
are starting to get a bit crazy and we have a whole clan coming into town
next week."

"Sounds cool.  The invitation is always open.  Well, except for Thursday
nights.  I'm addicted to 'Survivor'," he said, pointing to the "buff" on
his head.  "You know how to reach me.  Call me at the office if you want."

We said our goodbyes and finished our shopping fairly quickly.  On the way
home Drew was uncharacteristically quiet.

"What's wrong," I asked.

"Nothing.  I guess I wasn't ready for that."

"For what?"

"Becoming gay," he laughed.  "I didn't know what to say."

"It's totally up to you.  I do trust Mark in that I don't think he has
anything to gain by outing you."

"I agree.  It's just something I haven't thought about in awhile."

"Just take things one step at a time, baby."

He reached over and grabbed my hand.  I felt the warmth from his body enter
into me.  It felt good.

Scene 164

When I saw Sharon at baggage claim at LAX I practically squealed like a
schoolgirl.  I couldn't remember the last time I felt so happy.  Clicking
her high heels, she dodged the hapless crowd of travelers and gave me a
hug.  Keeping up with her, I suddenly realized, was going to be a
challenge.  Everything about her made me grin from ear to ear.  Despite the
time that had passed since I saw her, I felt very close to her.

"Alex!"

"It's good to see you," I said, trying to catch my breath.  She had
squeezed the life almost out of me.

"You look good, baby!"

"Well," I smiled.  "Thanks for lying."

She grinned and started to catch me up on all the latest gossip going on at
the hotel.  I had to admit I missed the soap opera politics that went on at
that place.  My old boss who I couldn't stand hadn't lasted long after I
had resigned.  According to Sharon, she couldn't handle the rooms
forecasts.  Those very forecasts where the ones that I always did for her
every week, even though it wasn't officially on my job description.

After gathering her luggage, we went outside to wait for Drew.  Drew and I
had argued that he should stay home, but he insisted that he was up for
driving now and was sick of staying at the apartment.  Again he pulled the
"I was in a coma" card and won the argument.  But, I had told him that was
the last time he could use that as a reason to have things go his way.

He did look a little frazzled but the time he pulled up in the loading
zone.  Anyone that has ever tried to negotiate the Los Angeles
International Airport knows what a mess it can be at peak hours.

"Drew!" Sharon called as he got out of the driver's seat to help load the
luggage in the trunk.

He slowly walked over and she kissed him, square on the lips.  I could have
been wrong, but I thought I saw the flash of a camera at that moment.  I
took the distraction as a way to angle myself into the driver's seat.
Since Drew didn't argue I decided I was right that he was tuckered from
driving in circles around the airport.

The three of us were off.  Drew sat in the back seat, even though Sharon
insisted he didn't.  He can be very persuasive, however.  In the 40 minutes
it took to get to Sharon's hotel, we had essentially caught up with most of
the important topics.

I pulled into the porte cochere at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.  A part
of the Hollywood and Highland development, it was viewed as the first step
in the revitalization of Hollywood Boulevard.  I had only been there once
and had marveled at how the complex was built around the existing historic
Mann's Chinese Theatre.  The complex included the hotel, as well as the
Kodak Theatre, dozens of retail shops, as well as restaurants.  It was
quite a remarkable piece of urban architecture.

It was, however, just the first step in the revitalization of Hollywood
Boulevard.  That meant that a block in either direction and you would run
into prostitutes, the homeless, as well as sex shops and tattoo parlors.
Minneapolis has a seedy side so none of this affected Sharon in the least.

It was probably around 11pm by the time Sharon got up to her room.  It had
been a long day for all of us, but I promised to spend just a little more
time with her before we left.  Drew agreed and we went over to the bar for
her to wait until she came down from her room.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Sure, why?"

"The bar."

"Oh," I smiled.  "I didn't even think of it, to be honest.  That's for
asking, though."

Drew had ordered us some club soda and we took refuge near the back of the
lobby bar.  Hotel bars are always hit or miss, but this one seemed very
alive.  Mostly young, attractive people seemed to be having a good time
around us.  Being in the heart of Hollywood, Drew's celebrity status (as
well as the tabloid status of his recovery) didn't seem to faze any of
them.  If I had known more about the industry, I would have probably been
able to pick out a studio executive or two.  Or, at the very least, a young
upstart agent.

"Did you miss me, boys?"

I smiled when I saw that Sharon had quickly transformed herself.  She had
gone from travel chic to urban stunner.  No matter where she went, she
always seemed to fit right in.  That was a quality I always admired about
her.  Grabbing her cosmopolitan, she joined us at the cocktail table.

"What are we talking about?" she asked.

"Not much, really," Drew said.  "You look great, by the way."

"This old thing," she laughed, gesturing at her outfit.  "Just something I
threw on to impress my colleagues."

"When does the conference start?"  Drew asked.

Already knowing the answer, I excused myself to go to the men's lounge.
Drew smiled when I said it.  It was a running joke that I never liked
calling the bathroom anything but the lounge.  I always thought it gave it
an air of importance.  But, this time I really wasn't heading there.  I
ventured to the Concierge desk to have them place some flowers in Sharon's
room from me.

"Sounds good," Drew said when I returned.

"What's that?" I asked.

"We are going to get everyone together on Friday night," he said.

"Great!  What can I do?"

"Nothing," Sharon said.  "I'm planning all of it."

"But you don't even live here," I said.

"And that makes me incompetent?"

"No," I laughed.  "Not you, anyway."

"I'll be fine," she grinned deviously.  "Drew promised to help if I need."

"My job is to get Jess, Justin, Nick, and Jeff on board," he said.

"I already mentioned it to Jess.  She'll be here tomorrow, I think.  Unless
her schedule gets changed again.  I don't know how Nick can manage her.
Last I heard she was working on some deal with MTV," I said.  "But, I'm
sure he can convince her to come."

"She'll come," Sharon said.

"You don't even know her."

"I have my ways," she smiled.

I could only laugh.  It felt good to have her back in my life, at least for
a few days.

Scene 165

"Eat a light meal before arriving.  Dress is Hollywood chic.  Be prepared
for fun."

"What's that, honey?"

"Oh, those are Sharon's instructions for Friday night.  She has a car
picking us up at 7:00pm."

"What is 'Hollywood chic'?" I asked Drew.

"A trendy suit.  No tie, but probably something Prada."

"I don't own Prada," I said.

"Yes you do.  You just don't know it's Prada."

"Great," I moaned.  "Sometimes I miss being a hick in Minneapolis."

"I've never seen you look like a hick," he laughed.  "But, do you want some
clothes advice?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay.  Let's go look in your closet.  I'm sure you have exactly what you
need."

We wandered into the bedroom and I thought two things.  First, I wasn't
really sure where all of these clothes had come from.  I know that Nick had
arranged for some new clothes for both me and Drew while we were
recovering.  My second thought was that I hadn't been back to my place in
Minneapolis for months.  I honestly couldn't remember what was originally
mine and what had been purchased for me.

Drew selected two outfits for me and, indeed, one was exclusively Prada.
Not being a follower of fashion, I simply picked what I thought was the
better looking of the two.  Drew seemed to approve so I didn't think about
it too much.  It turned out to be a dark navy suit with a subtle pinstripe
and a bright solid blue shirt.  The suit fit perfectly and it seemed to
cover up all the flaws I felt I had gathered since the accident.  Those
flaws, incidentally, were never noticed by my boyfriend.

"Do you mind showing me what you're gonna wear?"

"Oh, course not," he said, deftly removing his shirt.

Drew looked far better than I did in his black suit and slate gray shirt.
In fact, he was stunning.  I thought to myself how I needed to tell him
more often when he looked good.  I know that after the accident I had
developed a lower self-image of myself and I didn't want that happening to
Drew.  He did, however, seem to be handling his recovery a little better
than I was.

After admiring each other for a few minutes, we both got undressed.  I
noticed my hair was getting longer and it just didn't look right.  I
thought to myself that I needed a haircut, or at the very least a can of
hairspray.

"Do you mind if I go run an errand?" he asked when we had finished the
impromptu modeling session.

"No," I said a little dejected.  I had hoped our undressing would lead to a
little romance.  "Do you want company?"

"Actually, this is something I want to take care of on my own."

"Are you sure you're up to driving?"

"I'll be fine, Alex."

I walked over and gently wrapped my arms around him.  I closed my eyes and
for a moment everything seemed perfect.  I wanted to hold onto that feeling
as long as I could.

"I'll be right back," he promised.

"Okay, honey.  I love you."

"I love you, too."

I had just settled down on the couch for a little nap when my cell phone
rang.

"Hey, buddy."

"Mike!"

"Yup.  What's going on?"

"Not much," I said.  "Well, actually it's a bit nuts here, but in a good
way."

"Yeah, I hear Sharon is in town."

"Yeah, she's planning some sort of event.  All the guys will be there, and
Jessica, too."

"That's great."

"Oh, I wish I had thought of it, Mike.  You should be here, too.  I don't
know when we all will be able to get together like this."

"I know, buddy.  Jeff called me and asked me to come, already.  But, it's
just not good timing."

"Jeff?" I asked, quite surprised.  "First Sharon and Justin.  Now you and
Jeff?"

"Well, not really."

"Oh, that came out wrong.  I just meant I didn't expect you and him to be
talking.  It's not an issue."

"He needs a friend and he's a good guy.  We talk quite a bit, actually.
And, no.  I'm not applying for a position in your club."

"Very funny," I laughed.

"But, I do have some good news to share."

"What's that?"

"I got promoted.  Ever since Aaron left they have had a hard time filling
the Athletic Director position.  I finally decided to give it a shot.  They
kept asking me but I wasn't ready to give up most of my clients and become
the boss."

"Yeah, it's not as glamorous as people think."

"Oh, I know that very well.  My third day last week and I had to fire
someone.  Talk about trial by fire."

"Just put your mind to it, Mike.  I'm sure you'll go great.  Your staff
will love you."

"Thanks, Alex."

"Of course."

"I'll let you go," he said.  "I'm sure I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

I laid back and grinned.  Mike was family to me and hearing good things
about his life made me feel great.  Feeling fairly content with life at
that moment, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep with the afternoon
sun warming my body.

Scene 166

"Ready for this?" Drew asked as we rode down in the elevator.

"Every time I see you all dressed up get so horny."

"Now is not the time for that," he laughed.

"Tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah, baby."

We walked out the front door and I saw the towncar driver waiting for us.
I smiled when I noticed it was the same driver that had driven us to the
medical center the week prior.

"Good evening, Mr. Jackson.  Mr. Lachey."

"Hi, Dan.  I told you to call me Drew."

I was glad Drew knew the guy's name because I didn't remember.  But, I
guess when a guy helps you in and out of wheelchair you tend to remember
his name.

"It's a habit, Drew," he smiled back.

When we climbed in the car we didn't know where we were headed.  It was a
short side over to Hollywood and Vine, that infamous corner.  Dan pulled up
in front of the Pantages Theatre.  The brightly lit marquee announced the
show playing: "Movin' Out".  When I lived in Minneapolis I followed the
Broadway shows, both in New York and on tour.  It had been some time since
I had actually had the chance to see one.  Sharon was waited for us when we
got out.

"Wow!" I said, both for the brilliant idea of seeing the show and for the
way she was dressed.

"Hello!" she smiled as she hugged me.  She was gorgeous in her black
cocktail dress.

"I've wanted to see this ever since I heard about it," Drew said as he
hugged Sharon.  "This is the Billy Joel show, right?"

"Yes, it is," I replied.  "Is everyone coming?" I asked her.

"Yes.  I'm so excited."

"How did you get tickets for all of us?"

"Why am I in LA, my dear?"

"To see me?"

Drew glared at me.

"To see us?" I responded, looking directly at him.

"Wrong again, my man."

"The conference?" Sharon helped.

"Oh, the Concierge conference!"

"Precisely," she grinned.  "This is what I do."

There seemed to be some commotion behind us and I turned to see a limo
pulling up.  When I saw Jessica climb out of the back I felt my heart
patter a bit.  She was stunning and I couldn't remember the last time I had
seen her.  Nick soon followed.  I was about to give Sharon grief because
Drew and I only seemed to rate a town car, not a limo.  Then I saw Jeff and
Justin climb out.  It had been so long but everyone was finally together.
I only wished Mike could have been there to join us.

The crowd of theatre-goers gawked at the spectacle we were creating.  The
traditional demographic of a musical is slightly older than the styles
represented by our contingent.  People whispered but one on approached.

For a moment, no one seemed to know what to do.  Sharon made the first move
and went to introduce herself to Jessica.  Justin stood there, taking in
the scene, perhaps unsure what had transpired over the course of the few
weeks he had been away.  Jeff was the first to break the tension.  Waking
over to us, he grabbed Drew and hugged him.

"I'm glad you're here," I heard Drew say.

"Thanks for including me," Jeff responded.

Next he embraced me and held me for a moment longer than he should.

Justin was next to hug me.  He was exuberant, to say the least.

"You look good, Chief."

"Thanks.  I feel much better."

Jess was next.  She had me lean over and she kissed me on the lips.

"I'm so happy for you," she grinned.

"Huh?"

"She means because you are getting better," Nick jumped in.

"Right," she said, although it seemed a little awkward.

"Curtain is in 15 minutes," Sharon announced.  "Let's get inside."

We entered the theatre.  From the outside it looks fairly plain but on the
inside it is a marvel.  The ornate ceiling had been carefully restored and
it was a classic example of why some older building should be saved.
Somehow, in Sharon's magic, she had scored us tickets in the center section
about 10 rows back.  The seats where perfect.

I ended up sitting between Jess and Drew, with Nick on the aisle next to
his fiancée.  Justin was to the right of Drew.  Sharon was pleased to be
surrounded by both Justin and Jeff.

"What's this about, Nick?" I heard Jessica ask.

"It's a show of Billy Joel music.  They created a plot from the songs and
aside from the vocalist that plays the piano, all the rest of the story is
done through dance."

"You should read the synopsis," I interjected.  "It will help you
understand what is going to happen."

I was excited to be seeing the show.  I had heard many good things about it
and it just had been too long since I'd seen any theatre.

The lights dimmed and the band started playing.  In the darkness, I felt
Drew grasp my hand and squeeze it tight.

By about ten minutes into the show I was hooked.  The choreography by Twlya
Tharp was complex and the dancers were truly talented.  The story line was
much more emotional than I had imagined it could be.  Several times I was
in tears and I noticed Drew was the same way.  It made me feel good to have
a boyfriend who had the same emotional reactions to art that I did.

At intermission everyone went in search of refreshments.  Drew and I
decided to stay in the seats and relax.

"I miss it, Alex," he said softly.

"Drew," I replied just as quietly, "I've seen you dance.  You're better
than me but I doubt you could handle a third of what those dancers are
doing."

"Not the dancing, dork!  If I don't have to do another pelvic grind in my
life I'll be happy.  Well, I should temper that.  If I don't have to do
another pelvic grind in public I'll be happy."

I laughed, knowing exactly what he meant.

"But, I miss being on stage.  I miss performing.  I know there's a place
where I belong, Alex.  I've always felt that way when I'm performing."

"You're still recovering."

"I know.  But I'm tired of waiting.  I feel like if I don't act on it, I'll
lose whatever opportunities I may have."

Before I could respond the others had returned.  Drew silently shook his
head, indicating he didn't want me to talk about it to anyone else.  It was
that kind of subtle gesture that I could read and understand that made me
fell like he was such a part of my life.

"What do you think, Jeff?" I asked as he passed by on the way to his seat.

"Pretty damn, cool."

"I don't get it," Jess frowned as she sat down in the seat next to me.

"Did you read the synopsis?"

"No."

"What did I tell you before it started?"

"To read the synopsis," Nick helped.

"Okay.  Sheesh!" Jess laughed.

She pulled out her program and read over the story line.

"Oh!  So James is the one that is killed in Vietnam?"

"Yes."

"And Tony and Eddie where with him?"

"Exactly.  And Eddie feels responsible for James' death."

"Yeah," she laughed.  "It does make sense now."

I could only laugh as the lights came down and the second act began.

By the end of the show I felt very much alive.  It was hard to describe,
actually.  The story had tremendous sadness, yet the cast seemed to embed a
tremendous optimism into their work.  And the irony in all of it was that
there really wasn't an ending.  Some of the characters ended up together,
but just like in life, there was a sense that everything could change.  I
was excited about being in that theatre at that moment with Drew.  It was a
tremendous high; the sort of feeling you can only get in live theatre.

As we slowly walked up the aisle with the rest of the audience to get
outside, I had to fight myself from grabbing Drew's hand.  Several times I
touched the small of his back as he walked in front of me.  Jeff was
walking to my left and he smiled when he saw me touch Drew.  In his smile I
didn't see sadness.  He seemed content, at least as content as he could be
given the situation.

Once we got through the crowd and outside, we saw the super stretch limo
waiting for all of us.  Sharon had more tricks up her sleeve.  We were on
our way to another location.  I felt so alive and ready to have fun.  At
the time, I had no idea how my life would change so drastically in the
course of a few hours.

We took a short ride down Hollywood Boulevard only to end up back at the
Renaissance Hotel.  Sharon ushered us out of the limo and into the lobby.
The Manager on Duty was there to greet us.  I smiled at her, thinking back
to the day I had been the MOD the day I met Nick.  It's funny how life
twists and turns the way it does.  Moments later we were at the door.

"It's the Panorama Suite," Sharon gushed as she opened the door.

We walked through the foyer and into the vast living room.  There was a
small seating area, a baby grand piano, as well as a dining room table
elegantly set for dinner.  The lights were dimmed and the room was filled
with at least 100 candles.  Beyond the flicker of candlelight sat the view.
The vista was spectacular.  The floor-to-ceiling windows of the curved room
showed about 135 degrees from any vantage point.  Off in the distance were
the shimmering towers of Downtown LA.

"Wow," was all I could say.

Everyone except Sharon walked up to windows to enjoy the view.  I marveled
at how vast the city was.  From our vantage point at the top of the hotel,
we could see for miles.  The lights were like a carpet of Christmas lights
spread across the landscape.

I felt Drew's arms wrap around me from behind.  He rested his head on my
shoulder and I felt him breathing.  I turned around and gave him a quick
kiss, feeling somewhat insecure with everyone around us.

By now everyone had gathered in seating area.  Drew took me by the hand and
led me over to them.  It was only when I heard the voice that I realized
something was going on.

"It's about time you got here," he said from behind me.

I turned to see Mike.  I don't know if I was more surprised to see him or
to see him dressed in a suit.  For a straight jock, he looked really good
all dressed up.

"What are you doing here?" I stammered.

He smiled and walked over and joined the rest of the crew.

"Alex," Drew said to me.  "There's something I need to ask you."

To be continued...

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