The following story contains gay themes, is fictional, and contains no explicit sexual content. The author retains all rights. Copying or reproductions in part or whole is not allowed without the authors consent.
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Chapter Three: The Dr. Day Club
Chance woke up with a splitting headache. Of course, that was bound to happen considering the nasty bump on his head. The lump underneath the ice pack on his forehead felt like a raging volcano but the ice pack was very cool and soothing, it was held there with a few layers of bandage. He tried to sit up as he remembered what had happened the night before and a sharp pain sliced across the inside of his head. A doctor entered the room and smiled when he saw Chance was awake.
"Good, you're awake," the doctor said pleasantly, "But I want you to lie back down for now, I'm sure you'll have a mighty headache so it'll be a better position for you."
Chance laid back down. The doctor was right, it was a bit better, yet it was hardly a cure.
"Now, Dr. Day, I'll be your doctor for today and my name is Dr. Stephens," the doctor laughed as if he'd said something funny, "I don't normally get the chance to say doctor three times in a row. I must say, that is amusing."
"Good for you doctor," Chance said through his teeth.
"Oh, don't you worry, I'll just do some routine tests on you and then you can take these pills for your headache," Dr. Stephens said with a big smile, "You'll be fixed up in no time with these babies, they're full of industrial strength hospital grade goodness."
Dr. Stephens was really making him feel like a little kid. A little baby in fact. An image of himself lying on the bed in diapers sucking on a pacifier with Dr. Stephens standing over him and making baby sounds entered his head. He tried not to laugh and painfully succeeded.
After the doctor finished his examination he gave Chance the pills and a glass of water. He said, "The x-rays didn't show any damage as I'd suspected but I wanted to be sure when you woke up. It seems that bump on your head is just that, a bump on your head."
"That's good to know doctor, my headache was really beginning to worry me there for a moment," Chance said.
"You'll be absolutely fine, you can stay here until your headache is gone, then you can go home," Dr. Stephens said, "I imagine you have quite a busy life and something tells me you'll be under the spotlight today. Well, you and several other people."
"Thanks doctor," he said, "That's good news, the going home bit I mean."
"My pleasure Dr. Day," before the doctor left he said, "By the way, keep up the good work on your show, I utterly love it, we all listen to it here."
Shortly after, a slightly overweight nurse appeared, she said with a huge smile, "I'm so glad you're okay Dr. Day, I think we'd all be very upset if your show wasn't aired due to this dreadful and unnecessary incident."
"Thank you nurse," Chance said. The compliments he was receiving was making him a bit uncomfortable, he was never going to get used to it. "Even if something happens to me and I can't do my show the radio station has a few backup Psychologists to fill in for me. Luckily it hasn't ever come down to that."
"It just wouldn't be the same without you," the nurse said causing Chance's cheeks to redden, "Oh, and the young man who was on the motorbike wants to speak to you, I can tell him you're not feeling well if you like."
An image of sky blue eyes flashed across his mind. He said, "No, that's okay, I'll speak with him."
"Is there anything I can do for you then," the nurse asked, "Would you like some breakfast, or another pillow?"
"I'll be fine nurse, but thank you," Chance said.
She smiled at him again before she left. His headache was gradually disappearing. He could still feel a dull pain, it just wasn't as bad anymore.
"Dr. Day?" a soft voice called from the doorway.
When Chance turned his head to see who was at the door his breath caught in his throat. His heart must have gotten stuck there as well as it tried to leap out of his body. The strangest sensation overwhelmed him; it was like the feeling of contentment and satisfaction a person would get when they solved a puzzle. The man must have been about the same height as Chance, it was hard to tell without standing near him. He had a stocky frame and it was obvious that he was all muscle, yet he wasn't too muscular, not like a professional body builder. His hair was very short, the colour was somewhere between sandy blonde and light brown with highlights. His skin was smooth and lightly tanned. He wore a black leather riding jacket over a tight grey shirt. The well fitting jeans accentuated his masculine form and Chance struggled very hard not to stare at the man's crotch, which stuck out so prominently. Those blue eyes, bright and mesmerising looked at him questioningly.
Chance cleared his throat, he said, "Yes, that's me, come in."
The other man stepped into the room and stood beside his hospital bed. He was young, in his mid twenties and his face was even more breathtaking close up. A square jaw set below full lips and a slightly angular nose combined to create a rugged but soft face. His eyebrows were short and thick but in a nice way, not bushy or anything like that. Stubble shadowed his worried face.
"Firstly I want to say how sorry I am for what happened," the good looking man began, "I will take full responsibility and pay for all your expenses and any other damages. I'm really sorry, I wasn't thinking at all and I'll understand if you decide to sue me."
"Whoa, slow down tiger," Chance said with an amused smile after the man finished his spiel, "You can call me Chance, all that Dr. Day crap is really embarrassing. What's your name mate? You haven't told me that yet."
"Sorry I forgot to tell you, I don't know where my manners have gone to lately, it's Talan," he said.
Chance held his hand out for Talan to shake, "You won't need to worry about
litigation, it was only a bump on the head and hardly anyone's fault."
Talan took his hand in a firm grip, his skin was soft and warm, he said, "I think the lady with you last night might have a different opinion."
"Who, Jessica? No, she's just overly protective of me. She does her job really well I suppose, a bit too well I think," Chance said, "Also, she has a major thing for me, which is downright scary sometimes but she maintains her professionalism, otherwise I wouldn't be able to handle working with her."
"That does explain a lot then," Talan mused to himself.
"And don't worry about expenses and all that stuff," Chance said reassuringly, "My health care should cover it."
Talan furrowed his eyebrows in thought, he said, "I still feel really bad about what happened. I really want to make it up to you somehow."
He imagined several ways Talan could make it up to him, but he cast those dirty those thoughts aside before he got carried away. Tentatively, almost as if he were asking for a date he said, "Well, how about we grab some breakfast and a hot drink, you look like you could use something in you."
Talan's face broke into a wide smile for the first time. His face transformed into the image of an angel and Chance's heart tried to leap out of his chest again. This man was so unbelievably beautiful he ached just looking at him.
"That would be great . . ." then his face fell into a frown, "But are you okay to? I mean is it okay with the doctors that you leave."
This time it was Chance's turn to smile, Talan's concern was touching and really cute, well, everything about the guy was cute, except for that crotch, now that was a dangerous distraction. If he'd caught sight of that while he was walking he'd probably trip over and land on his face. Boy was it an effort trying to avoid looking at it.
He cleared his throat again and took a deep breath, he said, "Yeah, definitely, the doctor gave me the all clear, I can leave whenever, well today, when my headaches gone, which it is, gone that is."
Chance looked upwards as if trying to see inside his head. Amazingly his headache was gone, the pain seemed to have completely disappeared when Talan arrived. He got out of the hospital bed and grabbed his shoes and other belongings stashed in a wire basket that was attached to the underside of the bed. He removed the bandage and the ice pack and placed them on the side table.
Talan was looking at the bump on his head with guilt written heavily on his face. He brought his hand up and stopped it just before it came in contact with Chance's forehead, and his arm suddenly froze in place as if from the realisation of what he was doing. Chance raised his hands up towards the bump and as he did his arm brushed against Talan's. As corny as it seemed, it felt like sparks erupted from the point of contact. Or maybe it was just static electricity. Either way, Talan jerked his hand back pretty quickly.
Abruptly, Talan asked, "Does it hurt?"
Chance poked the bump and winced, he said, "Yeah a bit. But I'll be okay. Anyway, about breakfast, there's a coffee shop across the road, we can go there."
Talan nodded his head. After signing some paperwork and some autographs at reception Chance was rushed by Jessica - who had just arrived - in a fierce but quick hug.
"I'm really happy you're okay," Jessica said, "I was so worried about you."
"Thank you Jessica." He noticed the hostile glare she was giving Talan, he said, "We've worked it all out, no one was to blame and it's all okay now."
Jessica looked at him in consideration, she said, "Are you sure, if that's how you really feel about it."
"I'm sure," Chance said, "Talan is actually a nice person, not a homicidal maniac."
Jessica laughed right on cue. After she finished she said casually, "There may be a few reporters waiting out front."
He groaned, sometimes Jessica took things a bit too far. He said, "Thanks for the heads up Jessica, I think I have a plan to get rid of them, it's always great to have some free publicity for the show anyway, why don't you both wait here, I won't be long."
Talan gave him a questioning look and Jessica seemed like she was going to say something but he headed out before they could object. Outside a congregation of reporters and their crew amassed towards him. They were like monkeys who all spotted a banana at the same time. He may work in the media, and his show sometimes required reporting, but at least he didn't prey on people's misfortunes to get a story. Everything he did for his show was geared towards helping people and educating them in a language anyone could understand.
A volley of questions sent his head in a spin trying to discern each separate one. He put his hands up, smiled and spoke so they could all hear, "Please, I have a bit of a headache, I would greatly appreciate it if you weren't too loud. As to the matter of what happened, no one was at fault, I merely lost my balance and hit my head, everything has been cleared up and resolved."
"Will you be initiating legal proceedings?" one reporter asked.
"That won't be necessary, this is only a minor accident and I wasn't hurt badly," he replied.
"So you didn't suffer any major injuries Dr. Day?" another reporter asked.
"Not at all, just a little bump and maybe a bruise," he said, "I'll be back to work tonight and Dr. Day's Late Night Sessions will continue to be aired on schedule at ten pm weeknights monday to friday on KPS FM."
After he made the plug for his show the questions dwindled down to trivial ones until they stopped altogether, and it wasn't long before the reporters left, disappointed that they didn't get a more sensational story. He wasn't going to appear on the front page headlines or make top story on the news, but at least they were off his back now.
He returned to the emergency waiting room and informed Talan and Jessica the paparazzi was gone. Talan seemed relieved and Jessica appeared to be slightly guilty.
"Well I better get back to the station, I have a lot to do today, I'll see you there later," Jessica said and left curtly.
"She really does mean well, I think," Chance said to Talan, "Anyway, let's get some breakfast, I'm really starving now."
The cafŽ across from the hospital was small and cosy, the seating was a bit crowded but there wasn't a lot of people for that time of the morning. They picked a table near the front of the window and the waitress arrived not long after to take their order. Chance ordered a simple breakfast of bran cereal with fruit and orange juice. Talan decided on an unbuttered tuna sandwich on multigrain bread with no condiments and a glass of water.
"Wow, you sure know how to look after yourself, mate," Chance observed.
"So do you Chance," Talan returned.
"Nah, I've just learned the hard way that I always end up paying for what I put in," Chance explained, "Eating healthy makes me shit regular and gives me more energy."
Talan blushed with embarrassment and looked away, he said softly, "You don't talk like you do on radio."
"Holy shit! Am I offending you with my language?" he asked, which prompted Talan to go even redder, and he laughed, "I am aren't I? I'm sorry, I'll stop doing it."
Talan ducked his head and looked up at him, he said "You don't have to, I was just surprised that you talked like that, I don't want you to go out of your way to curb your language on account of me."
"No, no, it's okay," Chance said as he finished laughing, "I can watch my language, it's not hard, I'm required to on air otherwise I'd get in a lot of hot water. I prefer talking without uttering a foul word anyway. For some reason I feel comfortable around you just like I do with my best friend, and he has a bit of a foul mouth on him, so I must have just fallen into that mode with you."
"What do you mean?" Talan asked for further explanation.
"Well, you know how depending on who you're with, you'll change the way you talk to suit the relationship you have with them? It's a lot like that, the way I react to you reflects the way I perceive you, and I guess I reacted to you like you were a close friend and consequently changed my style of speech to suit. I'm really sorry that I was a bit presumptuous," Chance said.
"You think of me as . . ." Talan stopped, almost too embarrassed to continue, ". . . a friend?"
The puppy dog eyes Talan looked at him with made him want to jump across the table and give him a big hug. This guy was too sweet to be true. Chance didn't think it was possible that such a guy existed, but here he was sitting across the table waiting for Chance to respond. He had the innocence of someone untainted by this cruel world.
"Yeah, sure, definitely, you seem like a really great bloke and I'd be honoured if you wanted to be friends," Chance replied.
"I'd like that," Talan said giving him a big smile, making him ache again.
Their food arrived and they finished eating quickly. Talan ate with a grace that was unpretentious and well-mannered without being self conscious.
Chance concentrated on his food the whole time they ate because he didn't want Talan to think he was ogling the man, regardless of how much he wanted to.
"So what do you do for a living Talan?" Chance asked after he took a sip of juice.
"I'm a lawyer for a small law firm in town, I mainly do legal aid work though," Talan answered.
"I guess litigation wouldn't have ruffled your feathers then," Chance said, and as an afterthought, "Not that I was thinking of suing you."
"I suppose you could say I'm used to a court room," Talan said.
"What do you do for fun?" Chance continued his questioning, he wanted to know more about Talan, "I mean, do you go out much with your friends?"
Talan hesitated a moment before replying, he said, "No, I don't really, I haven't got too many friends, I've always been busy most my life, so I never really had time for the friends I had and we've kind of drifted apart now. But I do spend as much time as I can with my girlfriend."
Chance's heart sank. Damn, he wasn't gay. It always had to be that way; all the hot guys were straight and had girlfriends. Chance was still determined to become good friends. Guys like Talan were rare and he knew a friendship between them would be a privileged one.
"What's her name?" he asked.
"It's Cassandra," Talan said, and as if he was trying to convince himself he went on, "She's a really nice girl, really smart and pretty, she would never raise her voice at you for any reason, it's not her nature. She's very well spoken and has a good heart."
He risked being a bit more straightforward, "Do you love her, mate?"
Talan blinked, stunned by the question. He blushed and looked away.
"It's okay," Chance said giving the poor man a reassuring smile, "You don't have to answer that question, but something tells me you already know where you stand there. At least tell me you're having great sex, you've gotta be hanging in there for the wild sex?"
Talan was beginning to resemble a beetroot, he didn't think he could embarrass the man anymore.
"I, um, we, that is, I . . ." Talan was having serious trouble finding his tongue.
It dawned on him all of a sudden what was going on. He asked, "You have had sex right?"
Talan played with the glass of water and chewed on his bottom lip, and said without looking at him, "No."
"That takes a lot of courage to admit," Chance told Talan. He leaned forwards and said, "It's nothing to be ashamed of either mate, I myself have had limited experience, so my boat isn't far from yours."
Talan looked at him shocked, "That's hard to believe, you're a good looking man and with your celebrity status I wouldn't imagine finding a relationship would be hard for you."
"No, it's not hard, finding the right one is the hard part, mate," Chance said, "My friends also tell me I'm picky and I agree with them, but I just use that as an excuse to stay single, I kinda love my freedom."
"I think I know what you mean," Talan agreed. "You seem to be very honest with yourself Chance, I really like you."
If only Talan meant that in a context other than as a friend, Chance said, "I do too, buddy."
"You like me too?" Talan asked confused.
That would be a major understatement, Talan was so fine it was a miracle he didn't leap over the table and start licking that adorable face. He said hiding a grin at the image, "No mate, I like me too."
Talan laughed for the first time and the sound was like music. He vowed he would make his new friend laugh whenever he could, so he could hear the sweet sound escape those gorgeous lips and watch that beautiful joyous face.
Grinning, Talan said, "You're really funny."
"I try my best."
"I can't believe I'm friends with Dr. Day."
"You better believe it, bud, it's a very exclusive club."
"Is Jessica in the club?"
"Nah mate it's a male only club, and since I'm president of the Dr. Day club you gotta follow my rules."
"Can I leave the club then, I'm not good at obeying authority."
"Sorry mate, once you're in you can't get out, so you better respect my authoritaaay."
They laughed together in a moment that Chance wished would last forever. He could see how Talan was slowly opening up to him and how he was beginning to feel more comfortable to be himself. It wasn't that Talan was shy, he appeared more than capable of socialising in any circle, well, civil upper-class circles, but the man seemed like he didn't want to impose himself on other people and so limited his personality from others. That type of reservation was akin to a member of a royal family in the public eye. Chance had to stop psycho-analysing people who didn't need it, he just couldn't help it, the process was second nature to him.
He checked the time on his watch and realised it was almost midday. He had to get home to freshen up before heading back to work. He didn't want to part from Talan's company, he felt like he could sit there and stare at that handsome face and into those beautiful blue eyes in contentment all day. He had to earn a living somehow though and he loved his job anyway, so he wasn't going to start slacking off.
"I'm really glad I met you Chance," Talan said after he paid for their meal.
He insisted it was the least he could do.
"I guess it wasn't such a bad thing that you tried to kill me then," Chance said.
"I am really sorry about that," Talan said, apologetic again.
"Hey man, don't be," he said placing a hand on the other man's firm muscular shoulder, "What I meant was, if last night hadn't happened we wouldn't be here now and I wouldn't have a great new friend."
Talan looked like he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. He said thickly, "I agree."
"Breakfast was a pleasure mate, we should do it again. I'll give you my number," Chance said. They exchanged numbers and Chance noticed as Talan wrote his name he began to write his last name but then scribbled over it. Whatever it was it started with a K, surnames weren't important anyway.
"Call me anytime, I always answer my phone," Talan said.
"Okay mate, I'll call you soon and we'll do something," Chance said.
They said goodbye and parted ways. Chance called a taxi, deciding he'd use the radio station's credit account for once. As he sat down waiting for the taxi, the eerie sensation of someone watching his every move settled on him.
He looked around but couldn't see anyone staring at him with that much interest. The feeling of someone's eyes on his back remained, even when he jumped into the taxi and headed home.