Last Call (308 hits)
Category: UberMadness! EntryRating: 2 on 2 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by indigogecko (View user info) at 2005-07-16 20:51:10 EDT
This post was an official UberMadness! entry. Click here to view the original matchup.
Let's get this straight. Mike is just your regular average twenty-something fresh out of university and destined for greatness. He's just shy of six feet tall, has floppy brown hair and hazel eyes his average twenty-something girlfriend just loves getting lost in. She's called Lynne, in case you care. She's not destined for great things, but she loves Mike, and she pretty much earns enough to support herself working at the local shoe shop. It's all very sweet and ordinary.
Or at least, it was, back when I knew them. I graduated the same year as Mike, and we sort of lost touch for a while. Almost seven years in fact. So now he's just an average thirty-something, I guess. Then out of the blue I get this phone call. It's Lynne, wanting me to go out to the airport and talk to Mike for her. Jeez. Where do I even start? Why now? Why me, after all these years? Does she want to be taken up there too? Do I get anything to start with, like why she's sending me after the man I assume by now is her husband? Nope.
"Just hurry, Jean, please? His flight leaves in an hour. He never even told me he was going home, I just found the booking confirmation in our email."
"Ok, Lynne, calm down... I'll go."
Fuck. Now what? It's gonna take me nearly that long just to get there. Home... where was it Mike said he lived? California somewhere I think. Well, I'll find a flight leaving around four to somewhere on the west coast and hope I get lucky. If I can get there on time that is. Keys, wallet, phone in case she calls me again, pull on some leathers, kick off the Harley and tear out of the garage like the proverbial bat out of hell. Just as well I took the bike, the motorway's bumper-to-bumper all the way to the airport. Screech into the parking lot, find a bike bay and chain up before pegging it into the terminal. It's nearly four.
"Gate 5 is now closing boarding for flight 103 to Los Angeles. Flight 103 to Los Angeles, this is your final boarding call. Would any remaining passengers please make their way to gate 5."
Thankfully that's not far from here...
***
Mike sat in the waiting area, getting more and more anxious as the calls went out. Ready for boarding, first class passengers, disabled passengers and those with children, business class, all remaining passengers... final call for boarding. It was now or never really.
Should have left a message. Should have told her, should have talked to her damn it. Even asked if it was ok if I went. But she would have worried. She always worries, when this happens. I couldn't tell her this time. Not this time. Just go crash at the parents house for a while, rest up and everything will be fine. I'll call her when I get there, where she can't make me stay and let her try to help me again... Who the hell is that running down the corridor? Looks vaguely familiar...
"Jean?"
"Mike, thank God you hadn't left yet. Lynne sent me. Mind telling me why?"
Smart girl... how did she know to send Jeanie? No matter... I have to make a decision now. Stay or go? I have to go, don't I? Hold on.. maybe they can hold the plane for me... oh shit, the lady's coming over to me.
"Sir, are you getting on this plane?"
"Yeah, uh... can you give me a sec? This is important."
I gotta tell Jeanie, even if it's just so she can explain to Lynne.
"Jeanie, listen. I have to go. You remember back in first year, I had to go away for a few weeks? Back home? Remember what I told you then... that was before I met Lynne. Jean, I never told her about that. It's happened again, I didn't think it would. I've been an idiot Jean.. promise me you'll tell her for me. Tell her everything, and tell her I'll call her when I get to LA."
"Alright Mike, I promise. Anything else?"
"Yeah - tell her I said yes..."
Mike was flushing slightly
"... when I get back."
I could see where this was going. The unvoiced "if". The stewardess ushered Mike towards the gate, and he turned back just before turning out of sight, and blew a kiss.
"For Lynne."
"I'll see she -"
Gets it. But he was gone before I could finish, and somehow the walk back to the parking lot was a lot longer than it had felt getting to the gate. I picked up the Harley, kicked it off and headed home. A million thoughts reeled in my head. How do you tell someone in the same breath their boyfriend has cancer and that they are now a fiancé in the same breath? But I'd promised Mike I'd tell her, so tell her I would.
***
"Hello?"
"Lynne? It's Jean here. I need to talk to you."
"What is it? Did you find Mike?"
"I found him. But... is it ok if I come over there now?"
"Sure. I'll throw in some extra pasta. Stay for dinner."
"See you soon."
"Yeah, bye."
Good news and bad news. Which first? Bad first, always. Her mother taught her that. Hear the worst then get something that might cheer you up. Lynne cried, fear for her love and anger that he hadn't seen fit to tell her. I told her he was always scared to talk about it. He always felt like it was too real if he talked about it. The only reason I knew was because I was there when he was first diagnosed. I don't think anyone other than me, his family and his doctors knew.
"What's the good news then?"
She was sniffling and trying to put on a brave face. I took her hand in one of mine, and blew her a kiss with the other.
"That's from him, firstly. And secondly.."
"Yes?"
"Yes."
She looked puzzled for a moment, and then her face broke into a smile, tears still running down her face. She hugged me for a long time, only unwinding herself when the timer went for the pasta. We talked for most of the night, managing a few hours sleep in the early hours of the morning before the phone rang. I waited, holding my breath, as Lynne answered sleepily.
"Hello? Hey baby..."
She gave me a smile and I raised myself from the sofa, pulled on my leathers from where they lay folded on the stairs, and let myself out. When I got home I went straight to bed, but in the morning there was a message on my answer phone.
"Hey Jean. It's Mike. Thanks for everything. I'll let you know how it all goes."
User Reviews
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-10-27 08:49:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ahhhhh.
Submitted by Hirilnara (user info) at 2005-10-27 08:19:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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