Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
After another 30 minutes, he had whipped up a broccoli and beef dish, cabbage soup with ginger, steamed chicken in oyster sauce. It smelled amazing. Virginia did her part as she set up the coffee table for them to eat on. Both seemed to be extra quiet as they silently ate their meal. “You’re quiet today.” Freddie finally said.
“So are you.” She responded, taking a bite of broccoli. She didn’t bring up the fact that his eyes were red. She wondered if he has been crying.
“Nothing important happened.” He shrugged. Suddenly he dropped his bowl of rice as it collided with the ground, crushing into 100 pieces. He grabbed the right side of his head as he groaned in pain.
Virginia put her bowl down “Freddie! Are you okay?” she looked worried as can be as she asked him over and over but he seemed to be in too much pain to answer her. “Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital!” she quickly brushed the broken bowl into her hand, a few pieces were so sharp that it cut some part of her palm but she ignored the pain. She hastily changed into her jeans and a sweatshirt as she rushed Freddie out the door.
He was still holding his head in pain by the time they got to the hospital. She rushed him to the emergency desk “Please help my friend. He has a bad migraine.” Her arms wrapped around Freddie’s shoulder as she told the receptionist.
The girl didn’t seem to care much as she passed her a number card “Please wait in the seat, we will call you when a doctor is available.” She said calmly.
Virginia looked at her in amazement “Can you not tell he is in pain?!! Go find a doctor now!!” she commanded, her eyes flaring with fire.
“I’m sorry…” the lady began only to be cut off by Virginia again.
“I don’t CARE what you feel, find a doctor now!!” she roared louder. Making a few heads turn from the patients lined up to see a doctor.
“Ginny, don’t…” Freddie tried to talk but the migraine seemed to be hurting him too much.
“What’s going on?”
Virginia spun around to the familiar voice “Michael!” she cried out, happy to finally see someone that can help. “Freddie..” her eyes moved the friend in her arms.
“Yee Gor?!” Michael’s face turned worried as he waved for a nurse to bring a wheelchair over. “What happened?” he asked calmly.
“I don’t know…we were eating and then he dropped his bowl cause he was in pain and then I took him here. I don’t know what happened…” she said hastily.
“Calm down Ginny, he’ll be alright.” Michael said coolly, trying to ease her worries.
She watched him disappear into the restricted area of the hospital with Freddie by his side in the wheelchair. He pointed to the waiting room for her to sit and wait. Her whole body was quivering as she tried to relax but it was useless. Virginia was growing more anxious by the minute as she stared at the door of the waiting room to see when Michael was coming back. She didn’t even think about calling anyone else. After what seemed like hours but it was only half an hour, Michael came out by himself. She popped up from her chair “Michael, how is he?” she asked.
He smiled “He’s doing better. We gave him some Vikadin for his migraine. He should be fine. I don’t think he needs an MRI.”
“Thank God…” she whispered. “Can I visit him?” she asked.
“Of course, he’s been asking for you since his headache went away.” He motioned her to follow him inside.
“Why are you at this hospital? Didn’t you work in the one uptown?” she asked when her mind was working more normal.
“Yeah, they changed me down here cause they were missing a surgeon.” Michael explained. He opened the room door for her.
She found Freddie sitting on the chair watching television “Hey you.” He smiled as he got up and gave her a hug “I scared you didn’t I?” he teased.
She shook her head “Don’t joke about that. Yes, you scared me to death.”
He laughed “You should have seen her Michael, I’ve never seen her so hysterical. Girl, I didn’t know you could yell like that.” His face covered with exaggerated fear. “I know not to be on your bad side.
She smiled “I was mean wasn’t I?” she began to recall the situation.
Michael and Freddie nodded in unison. “Can I go home then?” Freddie asked.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not. But if your headache returns, come back and see me.” Michael said.
“Yes Doctor Lam…” Freddie laughed “So strange that I would be one of your patients huh?”
“Do you know what was the cause of his migraine?” Virginia asked more seriously. She was more concerned with the fact that it might come back.
“It’s just a headache, Ginny.” Freddie said casually as he rolled his eyes “She’s always such a worrywart.”
She threw him a stern look that caused him to look away “I just don’t want it to come back. Anyways, that was no ordinary headache. He couldn’t even talk.” She recalled.
Michael shook his head “Not necessarily. Headaches are more common than you think. It could be caused by almost anything; stress, work, worries or just thinking too much. Almost 98% of the time someone has a headache it is benevolent. Sometimes headaches can last for a month, two months…but if they are constant headaches then it could be a tumor.” He explained “That’s why I say come back when the headache returns, that way we can do an x-ray of the head and tell you what’s wrong.”
“See, listen to the doctor. I’m fine.” Freddie repeated. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“Wait.” Michael stopped them “Ginny, let me see your hands.” She brought them up for him to see “What happened?” he asked when he noticed the cuts.
Freddie yanked her hands away from Michael’s “Oh my gosh! What in the world happened?”
She looked at him in confusion “You don’t remember?”
He shook his head “Remember what?”
She was alarmed by his memory lapse. “You dropped the bowl of rice on the ground. I tried to clean it up so you wouldn’t step on it. Maybe I did it so fast that it cut my hands. No big deal.” She shrugged it off lightly.
Michael looked at one person to the other “Ahem!” he cleared his throat to get their attention. “Now, if you two are done, I need this room for real patients.” He teased as he smiled at them.
“Fine with me.” Freddie said as he pulled Virginia along.
Michael watched them leave as he smiled to himself. “Looks like my brother found the right person…” he said to himself.
**************
When they got home, Freddie helped Virginia clean up the broken glass “You could have left it here and wait til we come home to clean it up.” He scolded.
She gathered the rest of the broken glass with a broom “Well, what if you fell on the glass or something? It didn’t take too long.”
“Well, be careful next time.” He got up with the sweeping tray and threw the remaining into the trashcan. “Hey, I didn’t thank you for saving my life.” He said dramatically.
She smiled warmly “I’m sure you would have done the same for me.”
“Most people would have panicked.” He teased. “You handled it very well.”
She shook her head “You know, you really scared me. I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you.” She said honestly.
“Don’t be silly. I’m gonna live a long life and so will you! Have a little faith. Who was the one that’s always preaching about God and believe in him?”
“It doesn’t occur to you until it hits you…” she said slowly. She sat down on the couch and leaned her head back on the cushion “I guess you don’t know how important someone is to you until they almost leave you.” She whispered.
“Hey, hey…don’t jinx me. I’m still alive you know.” He took a seat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her onto his chest. “I’ll always be here for you.”
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She bounced up from her relaxed stage when she remembered what she wanted to ask him “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Now be honest. How do you feel about Joanne?” she watched his face for any clues that might despise his words because she knew he was not going to admit any feelings that he might or might not have.
“Jo?” he shrugged his shoulders “We’ve had this talk already.” His eyes moved away from hers unintentionally. “I don’t feel anything for her. Nothing that you want me to feel at least.” He looked up at her with a smile “I know you want me to be straight again, but my mind is more complicated than you think.”
“Well, how about we have a session right now? I’ve never had one with you. Come on, it’ll help you.” She pleaded.
Seeing that she was eager to do it, he nodded “Fine, but just for another five minutes. I have to see my mom tomorrow so I have to wake up early.”
“Fine with me.” She smiled as she moved to the smaller couch diagonal from where they were sitting on the long couch “Lie down here.” She took a pillow and placed it at the end of the couch “I’ve always wanted to do this.” He gave her an odd look as she quickly explained “You know most Shrinks have long couches in their office, while I only have chairs?”
He nodded in answer as he lied down, his eyes resting as they slowly shut “Go ahead doctor.” He said seriously.
“I don’t ask for anything but honesty. Only then can I actually help you with any problems you might have.” She used her doctor tone on him. He chuckled after she finished talking. “Ahem!” she cleared her throat to quiet him. “Please.”
“Sorry.” He mumbled.
“Now. When I mention the name Jo, what is the first thing on your mind?”
“She-man…” he said. “Tomboy, funny, strange, selfish with her food, not sharing, bad manners, bad hair….”
“I said one thing.” She shook her head when he giggled again “If you’re not gonna be serious, then I can’t help you…” she began to get up when he sat up and pushed her down. “You’re gonna act normal?” he nodded as he gave her a puppy face. “Okay. Well, from the description that you’ve given me. It seems like a hate/love situation for you both. Have you ever thought about giving her a chance?”
He shook his head “Not really. I’m gay remember?”
“It doesn’t mean you can’t have feelings for the opposite sex.” She reasoned.
“True. But I don’t know what it is about her that makes my blood boil. The way she teases me? Or the way she always seemed to pick a fight with me.”
“What’s the difference?” she asked thoughtfully, finally getting some answers.
“When she teases me, its almost…I don’t know…cute? But when she picks a fight with me, it makes me want to bring her down. So I stoop to her level and fight back.”
“Therefore, the bickering begins…” Virginia finished his thought. “Well, have you ever thought of the possibility that you like her that’s why you let her provoke you in arguments? Some people tend to pick on people that they have a crush on or like.”
He shook his head “Nah, I doubt that’s the reason. Maybe we’re just made to bicker. Nothing more? I’m positive that it’s not love. Because for me, love is a sacred thing that can’t be explained through bickering or quarreling. I would give my heart and soul into the relationship and keep us from arguing.”
“I see.” She said thoughtfully “Well, lets not assume that you might like Jo. Is there anyone out there that you have a special feeling with, whether the same sex or opposite sex?”
“Besides you?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Hmm…I would have to say. No. But let me clarify one thing on Jo. We argue a lot, but its out of humor. I mean, there are moments where we just sat and chatted. Its like when we’re in front of friends, we tend to argue cause we don’t want that image to change. She might disagree with me, but that’s just my opinion.”
“That’s very interesting.” She nodded as she glanced at her watch. “Well, Mr. Lam. I believe our session is over. It’s been about 20 minutes.”
“That long?” he sat up “It felt like three minutes.”
Virginia smiled “That’s the magic I hold in my hands. You have no idea how much you’ve told me until its too late.” She let out a cackling laugh that was suppose to sound evil.
“No, no, no girl…like this.” He let out a laugh so evil that it made her shiver “Yeah, that’s how you do it!” he exclaimed as his head moved from side to side, showing off his flexibility.
“Whatever!” she said in her Valley girl mimic.
He burst out laughing “Hey, that was pretty good. Okay, sleepy head. I have to go now. Thank you Dr. Chan. How much do I owe you?”
“I charge $1000. a minute.” She said as she nodded firmly.
“Wow…only? That’s cheap. Put it on my tab!” he laughed when she narrowed her eyes at him. He continued to laugh as he returned to his room. She smiled and shook her head at her friend. It was nice to see him happy again.