Rating: PG-13, only because you get to see Michael's scar.

Summary: Visiting hours seem to go on forever, and some guests are more welcome than others.

Spoilers: Nope.
 

I wake up again, and this time, it's Dad and the prof there.

"Where's Kelly?"

"With your mother," Dad says.

Oh shit. I do NOT need this.

"Michael, how are you feeling?" The prof is the one asking.

"Sore. Tired."

"That's how I felt when the day after I had it done. You'll feel better in a few days."

"Least Mom got me more drugs," I mutter.

And I need some more, now.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask my dad.

"This time? About six hours."

Wow. It could have been six minutes or six days for the way I can feel time right now.

Wait a minute...how long...

"When'd Kelly and Mom leave?"

"About four hours ago."

Mom's been with Kelly for four hours?!

Shit. By now, Kelly's probably decided that Mom's the dragon lady and she screamed and ran the first chance she got.

"Need some more drugs," I tell my dad, and he buzzes for me.

One thing about Mom's being a bitch: I've been getting excellent service. A few minutes after Dad makes the call, one of the nurses is there, and shoots more liquid sunshine into my IV line. And I got to admit, much as I hate the fucking IV-it makes my hand hurt-I like that there's no waiting on register one. Stuff hits my veins, I'm happy again.

Morphine is real nice.

I better enjoy it while I can. I bet they take it away from me real soon.

I'm about to float off into narco-land when I hear women's voices. Kelly and Mom.

Kelly and Mom?

Kelly didn't run away screaming from her?

Kelly comes over to me and kisses me real light, real quick. This makes me smile a little.

"How're you?" She smiles at me.

"Just got another shot of pain stuff, so I'm okay." I can feel my eyes get real heavy.

"Baby, are you comfortable?" Mom checks my IV, and she's about to have another tantrum. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Mel, will you look at his hand! It's swollen like crazy. What is with these people?" She makes that obnoxious clicking noise with her tongue that she does when she's pissed.

And then she takes my hand. "Baby, this is going to hurt for a minute, but it'll make you more comfortable." She yanks the needle out of my hand, and it does hurt. Plus it makes all the meds stop. She starts probing my arm. Then she jabs the needle back in, and surprise, she makes it not hurt so bad.

She must be good at this at work.

"You work with premature babies, working with a vein that large is easy," she tells me.

Kelly looks like she's totally impressed with my mom's work.

I got to admit, Mom makes it look easy.

Dad introduces Byers to Mom, and I think my mom thinks he's okay. I mean, Byers. Looks like every mom wishes her son was like. The three of them are talking about who's going to stay here with me tonight. Dad tells Byers he ought to go home to Juliet. Byers says Juliet thinks he ought to come here because he had such a miserable time when he had this happen. (God, I can't imagine waking up alone here. That would suck). Mom says Dad should go home and rest. Dad says Mom should go home and rest.

Kelly's sitting by me, smoothing my hair with a very soft hand. She gives me an evil little grin. "I think they should all go home," she whispers to me. "Then we could be alone."

Actually, that might not be too bad.

"Dad," I'm trying to get his attention. He's talking to Mom and Byers, and Byers and Mom are talking to each other, and I'm not having much luck.

"Mr. Frohike," Kelly says it sort of loud. Finally the adults turn around and look at us.

"Why don't I stay here and you can all go home?"

Dad and Mom are like, they look at each other like no way.

"Kelly, you were here all last night," Dad tells her. "You've got to be tired."

"I think you should get some sleep," Mom agrees with him. Now there's a first, Dad and Mom agreeing.

Kelly giggles a little, which is weird, she's not a giggler. "I promise not to take advantage of him."

Both my folks look a little embarrassed. Serves them right.

And I'm kind of surprised when Mom sort of defends me. "I didn't think you would, Kelly. But you've been up for nearly two days now."

"Why don't you both take Kelly, get some dinner, and you can all go home and get some rest, then tomorrow morning, you'll be recharged." It's the soft voice of the prof.

Mom looks over at Dad, and Dad looks at Mom. They don't say anything at first.

Finally, Dad says, "I'd like very much to take you ladies to dinner."

Now Mom and Kelly look at each other. "Dinner sounds good." Kelly likes to eat; it's one of the things I love about her. No lettuce leaves for my girl.

And she's starting to get some real nice curves from it.

"You don't mind?" Dad asks Byers.

"Not at all." And even if he did, you wouldn't know it, listening to the prof.

"I could use some sleep," Mom says. "Baby, are you going to be all right?"

"I'm okay, Mom," I tell her. I wish they'd figure it out quick. I wanna go back to sleep.

"I'll be back in the morning," Kelly tells me real quietly. "And Michael? I didn't forget your birthday. We'll celebrate when you get out. But let me give you a birthday kiss."

And oh man, as doped up as I am, I know a great kiss when I get one.

Her lips are soft and warm. She presses them against mine, I feel some gentle pressure and warmth flood through me...and in spite of the pain in my belly, I also feel desire start to curl up there too.

"I love you," she whispers to me.

Dad leans over, kisses my forehead, and gives me a quick hug goodnight.

And then Mom pecks me on the cheek.

And I don't even freak out.

I must really be out of it.
 

"Thank God they're gone," I tell the prof when they've all bailed.

"You need to rest." The prof smooths out the pillow. "Are you warm enough?"

"Think so."

"If you need anything, just ask. I'll be here." The prof picks up a book and his notebook computer. He's probably preparing lessons for his classes.

There's something about the prof that makes me feel comfortable right now. If I need something, or I wanted to talk, he'd do it. But if I want to sleep or just be quiet, he won't pressure me.

And he's so calm.

Kelly's calm, too, but she's so tired. She really needs to get some sleep.

Mom and Dad? Well, calm's not a word that comes to mind when I think of them.

Whatever. I'm just glad he's here.
 

March 3, 2001

I must have slept real good; I feel better when I wake up. I'm even a little hungry. Since I haven't eaten for like two days, this is not a big shock.

"Good morning," the prof wakes up and pops his glasses on. "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah. I do." I'm still tired, but I don't hurt so bad, and like I said, I want something to eat. I can even reach my own glasses this morning without feeling like I'm gonna rip my guts apart. "You?"

"Considering the quality of furniture in this place, not too bad," the prof yawns. "And I did get my lectures for next week all mapped out."

"Hey, like thanks for staying. I mean, I got some real sleep."

"That's what you need right now."

"What I need is something to eat."

"Let me see what I can do. Nothing solid right now, but I can probably get you some soup and tea."

Better than nothing.

I'm almost asleep again when I got another visitor. This one knocks before barging in.

I'm thinking it's Belmont, but it's Bergman.

"Michael, can't you stay well for at least a week?" He's hassling me, but he's not a badass about it. "I mean, I enjoy your company, but not that much!"

"Like I really missed you."

"I figured that was what it was. Feeling any better? It says here on your chart-" he's holding the metal thing that they keep your dossier in-"that you had surgery Friday. And looks like you turned 25, is it, yesterday?"

"Uh-huh."

"Happy birthday, although I doubt it was one of the great ones."

"Wasn't too bad. Everyone was here. They gave me cool presents."

"Well, you should be fine to do a real celebration in about a week. Provided, of course, you stay put this week."

"When do I get to go home?" Soon as I feel a little better, that's the problem, I want out.

"As long as nothing goes haywire today, and I don't think it will, you get to leave tomorrow."

I guess I can deal with that.

"First, though, I need to see how the scar looks."

WHAT?!

"It's all taped up." I don't want ANYONE going there, except Kelly, and not right now.

"I'm aware of that. I'm going to remove it."

OH SHIT. This is gonna hurt.

Could I like just refuse to let him near me?

This is REAL embarrassing...I mean, I'm a guy, for Chrissakes! You don't let other guys do any cruising down there.

"Michael?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I know this is not going to be one of your more sterling memories, but I do need to examine the wound. That is, if you're interested in going home tomorrow."

Oh, I'm interested, all right. Actually, now would be good, too.

"Close the fucking door."

He seems to think this is reasonable, he just does it.

I close my eyes and grit my teeth.

SHIT! That hurt enough I feel tears in my eyes.

"Looks fine. Staples can come out on Friday."

STAPLES?!

I look down, and sure enough, I've been stapled like a term paper.

Oh God, don't these things dissolve on their own?

Another knock at the door. "See who it is," I tell Bergman.

"I'm done here," he says. "See you later on today."

At least the tape's off, I don't have to go through that part again.

However, the idea of having my scar gawked at does not thrill me.

"Hi, Kelly, I was just leaving," Bergman bails out, and Kelly comes in.

She looks like she got some sleep. She's got her hair up, and it looks real pretty this way.

"Hi." She comes over and gives me one of those incredible soft kisses again. And today I've got enough energy I can respond...a little more than I'd like. "What's Bergman doing here? He's not the surgeon."

"Guess I got handed back to him now. He was here to see my scar."

"Hmm. Mind if I see it?"

I'm more than a little shocked. Kelly, asking if she can see my scar?

She's never touched me there before. And if I let her look, she's gonna see that I'm a little turned on right now...

"You don't have to," she senses I'm not sure about this.

"It's okay. Everyone else has." I pull back the corner of my smock and reveal Belmont's handiwork. She gently runs her finger over the staples.

Kelly, don't go there. I don't think I'm ready for this. Not here, not now.

She folds my smock back over me. "Looks like it hurts."

"It does, but not so bad as yesterday." And not when you touch it, honey.

"Where's Byers?"

"Scaring me up some wet stuff to eat. I'm sort of hungry."

"Well, that's good. Means you're getting better." She kisses me again...oh man, this is not convenient.

But who am I to complain?

Just so long as my folks don't come racing in.

"You look better," she's smiling at me, moving her thumb along my cheek. "And you've got quite a beard working there."

"You like it?"

She blushes a little. "Not really."

"I'll shave it off when I get home." If she liked it, I'd think about keeping it, but since she doesn't, it goes at the first possible opportunity.

She smiles at me. "I had a nice time with your mom yesterday?"

Is she talking about the same woman who gave birth to me?!

What kind of drugs did they slip her?!

"Really, Michael, she's nice. Well, okay. She's sort of bossy."

Sort of?

"But you know, when you didn't even call her for so many years...well, I don't think that's what she had in mind."

"Well, then, what the fuck DID she have in mind?"

"I got the impression she was really scared you were gonna turn out bad, she wanted to scare you...I think she thought you'd come back in a few days after you thought things over."

I don't like this. I don't need a mommy discussion at this hour of the morning, and not with my girlfriend.

"Yeah, well, she doesn't know me very well, then."

"No, she doesn't, and I think she wants to. I mean, Michael, you're her baby."

Which is what she still calls me, and it bugs the shit out of me.

"And she says she was wrong to do what she did to you and Leslie about not being with your dad."

MY MOM ADMITTED SHE WAS WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING?!

"Kel, I'm sorry, this doesn't sound like my mom at all. My mom's never wrong. Just ask her."

"I don't think she likes saying she's wrong...but who does? She's very proud. It's hard for her."

Not half as hard as it was for me, honey. What she put me through, kicking me out, taking my dad away from me...I just don't think I can forgive her for that.

"You're a lot like her, you know."

OH NO FUCKING WAY!!!

"Yes you are. She's really passionate about everything. So are you. And it sounds like you can both hold a grudge." She laughs a little at that, but I don't find this funny at all.

"She's the queen of grudge."

"Michael, she loves you, you know."

"Well, she's had a mighty strange way of showing it all my life. Kel, I really don't wanna talk about this, okay? Please? I'm tired."

She stares me down with those clear blue eyes. They're so pretty...I'm such a sucker for them.

"At least she's trying, Michael. Someday, I hope my mom will try again, too." She doesn't sound real hopeful about this happening, but I know she still misses her mom.

I get saved by the return of the prof. "Hard to find soup at this hour of the day, but I did locate some chicken noodle at the 24-hour deli, and some tea." He places this all in front of me.

Soup smells pretty good. I open the tea first and take a sip...

OH MY GOD! This isn't tea, this is cat piss!

"It's Ecchinacea. It'll build up your immune system," the prof explains.

It tastes totally vile.

I go for the soup.

The soup is bland, but still, it's food. It's something.

"I'm going to go home now and see how Juliet and Tivvy are doing. Tivvy had her surgery the same day you had yours. You going to be okay?"

"Think so."

"All right. Feel better, Michael."

I have a few spoonfuls of soup, but I'm so tired...

Time for another nap.
 

When I wake up, there's a fucking contingent in my room. My mom and dad are both here, and Langly and Ally popped in. Kelly's talking with all of them.

And I actually hear my mom laugh a little bit.

Kelly sees me awake, and she leans over to kiss me again, right in front of the grownups. They don't really notice, though.

"Michael. I need to study for a while. Is it okay if I come back later?"

"Sure, I mean, it's not like I have no company."

"I'll be back later. I love you." She leans over and I get another real nice kiss...one that she shouldn't give me with so many people in the room...

God, I love that girl.

"Bye, Mr. Frohike, bye, Mrs. Frohike." She tells my folks as she's leaving. "Ally, Langly, see you at the house."

"Hey, it's alive!" Langly's noticed I'm not dead. "So Junior? How's it going? You ready to get your ass whipped at pool again?"

"You did not whip my ass last time, asshole!"

"Michael, your language!" It's Mom, of course.

It would be, unless it was Dad.

Langly's certainly cheery this afternoon. Ally doesn't look quite so cheery, but she's not as edgy as she's been since she cut out the smokes.

She must really want this baby. She's going through a lot for it.

Wonder how Princess Miranda is handling the possibility of being dethroned. This makes me smile.

Ally says I look a lot better today, and she asks if she can get me anything. I tell her no, thanks, and she's taking off to spend some 'girl time', as she calls it, with Miranda. She kisses Langly like Kelly kisses me these days.

"Take it Miranda doesn't like the idea she might get a brother or sister," I say to him.

"She's like, she refuses to believe it would even happen."

Dad says it's a good chance it won't. But I think Langly's hanging on hard to hoping for it right now. It's like he's betting everything on this.

And he's gonna be bummed if he loses. Langly is not a good loser.

Dad gives me a quick hug and asks me how I slept, am I okay? I tell him I'm better.

He says Mom is staying till Tuesday because he has to work for Miss Russell as well as on TMB, and Mom says she wants to stay.

Dad says he and Langly have some work to do and I need to rest, and Mom'll stay with me.

Oh fuck.

Why can't she just go home to Jersey where she belongs?
 

Mom's reading and I'm resting.

"I like her, Baby."

"Like who?" I was sort of drifting off there, but she interrupts me.

"Kelly."

"Uh-huh."

"She's a very smart girl. And nice. Motivated. Strong."

All the things I'm not, right?

"So what'd you guys talk about?" I ask her.

"Just things."

"Hey, you can tell Kelly, you can tell me."

I expect her to tell me to keep my mouth shut and not to sass back, but she just frowns some.

"We talked about...you."

"For four hours? I didn't think I provided that much material."

"Michael, you're still such a smart-aleck. I just wanted to get to know the girl and see if she was good for you or not."

Like that's up to you? I don't think so, Mom.

"And I think she is. Your father and I talked for a long time, and he isn't so sure, but a mother knows these things. And I think I convinced him that she is."

So I'm supposed to feel better that my girlfriend gets Mom's seal of approval?

"You talked to Dad."

"Forever last night. We just stayed up, drinking coffee and talking about all the things we went through, what our lives have been like...and it was very nice. I still don't like what he did, and I will never understand why. But I've come to the conclusion that he is still a decent man. And I should have let him be with you kids. Maybe I wouldn't have had so many problems if I'd let him do that."

"Les doesn't give you any problems."

"Leslie breaks my heart."

"What'd she do?" I mean, Leslie is her golden child, never did anything wrong...

"Leslie...is not going to give me any grandchildren."

So? Lots of people don't get grandkids.

"Leslie...has a partner. But it's not a man."

WHAT?!

Do tell, Mom.

END OF PART 75