Hook Me

  from my pocket.

  “You need to explain it to me first. I’m thinking you’re the one that bumped your head and not Joe. I can believe you’re asking me to do this shit.”

  “Everything has turned into a mess. Mia won’t see me or talking to me and it’s all Tammy’s fault.”

  “Still not giving me enough detail here, Mikey.” She went back to working not finding my request important enough to stop. “If she fucked everything up, why in the hell do you want to talk to her?”

  “She’s claiming I asked her to marry me and that she’s pregnant with my baby.” There it was, out in the open. I might as well have put that shit on a billboard now. Izzy never kept a secret.

  “Wait, what?” She stood suddenly. “You drop that shit on me like it’s nothing while I have a needle in someone’s skin?”

  “You asked for details and those are the details.”

  “Give me fifteen minutes to finish this and we’re going to have a talk before I do what you’re asking me to. I want to know what the fuck happened with the doctor too.”

  “Fine, I’ll wait.” I sighed and kicked my feet up on the customer chair. “How’s Joe?” I asked. “Anyone see him lately?”

  “He’s well. You should go see him. He’s been home for two days,” Anthony said.

  “Kind of had other things on my mind,” I muttered.

  “I know, but I’m sure Suzy is smothering him to death at this point,” Izzy said, laughing.

  “Joe loves that shit. He’s probably milking it for all it’s worth,” Anthony stated mimicking a blowjob.

  I missed being here every day. I missed the four of us as it had been weeks ago.

  Everything had changed in my life in the last week – the highest high to the lowest low.

  I wanted so badly to talk to Mia. I wondered if she knew how to block someone like Izzy had done on my phone. I hope she didn’t block me. She hadn’t read a damn message I sent her. I couldn’t help myself. I had to keep trying.

  Me: Mia, please talk to me. Tammy’s lying and insane. You have to believe me! I miss you, Doc.

  I stared at the screen hoping my message would show read but nothing. It just sat there delivered and unread.

  I opened Facebook and searched for her page. She posted something yesterday. I shouldn’t have looked because it made me feel more rejected than I already did.

  She posted a quote from Cicero. - Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.

  I sat there, stunned into silence by her words, as I waited for Izzy to finish.

  I still caught myself thinking of Izzy as a little girl. I pictured her with her pigtails flopping, playing hopscotch in the front yard or begging us to play football. She always felt left out because we worried she’d get hurt. She turned into a tomboy in her teenage years before she realized the power of being a female.

  Izzy was a tag along and we hated it when she was a little girl, but as she grew older, we used it to our advantage. We scared away more men than she’d ever know.

  She was ours to protect… no matter the cost.

  I had been lost in thought when she walked back into the work area after her client left. “Alright, let’s go outside and you can tell me what happened.”

  “Thanks, Izzy,” I said, following her out back.

  We walked into the Florida evening sun and my skin felt like it was being burned. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, just a brilliant blue color and the sun shining brightly.

  “Why do you want to talk to that pyscho?” She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the building in the shade.

  “I want to catch her in her lies,” I said, as I ran my fingers through my hair. “It’s the only way I can do it quick.”

  “Why not just go to the police? I’m sure they can speed shit along if you tell them you’re Thomas’ brother.”

  “I will if I have to, but I need to prove to Mia that she’s full of shit, Izzy. I can’t have this hanging over my head with the fight coming up either.” I moved my neck from side to side, trying to crack it. I gave it a push before hearing the bones crack to relieve some of the pressure.

  “What’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to pretend I give a flying fuck and ask to take her take me to the doctor with her. I want to be the proud daddy. I’m hoping they can confirm that she isn’t pregnant and that it will at least win some favor with Mia. Hopefully it will get Tammy out of my life once and for all.” I kicked a stone, watching it skip across the back parking lot.

  “Could backfire in your face, brother.”

  “It’s not my kid even if she is pregnant.”

  “It only takes once.” She rolled her eyes like I was a fucking idiot.

  “No shit, Sherlock. I used protection every time. She’s grasping at straws.”

  “Fine, but when this shit blows up in your face, just remember I told you so.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll remind me every day, baby sister.” I laughed.

  “Give it to me,” she said, holding out her hand.

  Giving her my phone, I watched as she tapped the screen and within seconds handed it back.

  “You really have to show me how to do that,” I said, scrolling through my contacts and stopping on Tammy’s name.

  “Nope. I’d miss out on all the good shit if I taught you boys everything.”

  “You’re right. I’d give my left nut not to have to deal with your ass sometimes. Thanks though for this.” I wrapped her in my arms, kissing the top of her head.

  “Just let me know if you need reinforcements. I know Ma told you you’re not allowed to hit girls, but that rule doesn’t apply to me.” Her smile grew so large it almost touched her eyes. “That’s the bonus of not having a dick and being part of the pussy party.” She laughed, slapping me on the chest.

  “You’re my go to chick for an ass beating, Izzy.” I smiled at her. She really could be adorable.

  “Go get your shit straightened out. You have a fight to win and I may or may not have something very important bet on the outcome.”

  My smiled faded. “You didn’t bet on my fight, did you? Please tell me you at least picked me to win.”

  She nodded. “Fuck, yeah. Who else would I pick? You’re going to break that dude’s neck.”

  “Only if I can get my mind in the game before that day. My life needs to even out so I can concentrate on one thing at a time.”

  “Well, what the hell are you still standing here for? Get.” She shooed me.

  “Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her as I walked away.

  I reminded myself I had a mission as I sat in the hot car waiting for the air conditioning to kick in. I had a mission. I gave myself a pep talk, psyching myself up. “You can do this. You have to do this. ” I held my breath and hit the call button. My stomach flipped with each ring.

  “Michael?” she asked in almost a whisper.

  I heard her voice and I had to choke down the bile rising in my throat. “Hey, Tammy.” I almost convinced myself that the hello was sincere.

  “Oh my god. I’m so happy to hear your voice, baby. I’ve been waiting for your call.”

  I closed my eyes and gripped the steering wheel. “I’m sorry I’ve been a dick. Think you could forgive me?” I asked through gritted teeth.

  “You know I love you, Michael. I could never stay mad at you.”

  Her voice made my skin crawl. “How’s the baby?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

  “Safe and sound. Growing bigger every day,” she replied in a cheery voice. Clearly she was had an entire jar of screws lose in her head.

  “I was thinking,” I stopped and gave myself a moment to carefully form my next words. “I was wondering if we could go to the doctor so I can see the baby on the monitor, like an ultrasound. I told my mother and she said it’s the most amazing experience to see the baby in the womb.”

  She gasped. “You t
old your mother?”

  “I did. She’s so excited to finally have a grandbaby. I want to show her a picture of our baby. What do you think?” I held my breath. Please be crazy enough not to question my lie.

  She sucked in a breath. “Okay, I know a doctor at the hospital that I can call, I guess. Maybe she can get us in,” she said with a shaky voice.

  “Tell her it needs to be as soon as possible. I can’t wait any longer and it would make my mom really happy.”

  “I’ll try and track her down at the hospital tonight. She may be there when I go into work.”

  “Perfect.” I said feeling relieved. “Listen, I gotta run. I’m supposed to be at my brother’s. Text me when you have the details.”

  “I will, Michael. I love you.” She drew out the words.

  Cue the creepy music from the movie ‘Psycho’.

  “Back at ya.” I tapped end, unable to spend another second on the phone listening to her and lying through my teeth.

  She deserved the deception.

  Chapter 21

  I ignored Michael, his call and text messages, the anger inside me hadn’t waned since I found out about Tammy.

  He was the first guy in a long time that I’d let into my life. We weren’t on the fast track down the aisle, but I spent more time with him in the last couple of weeks than I had with any other man in the last few years.

  I didn’t drown my sorrows in ice cream and cry myself to sleep. I may have shed a tear or two after the shock wore off, but that’s all Michael Gallo had been worth. I had too much on my plate to walk around all day upset about the shitty end to our relationship.

  I did my shifts at the hospital and volunteered more than usual at the clinic. I filled my free time with work and kept my mind off him.

  I hadn’t been to the gym to work out since it all exploded in my face. I couldn’t see him; not yet, I didn’t have anything to say to him.

  I stood on throbbing feet filling out my last chart, about a child that had arrived via life-flight, before I could head home. She drowned in the family pool and was found by her mother. The little girl had been revived to the point that she was breathing upon arriving in the ER. Brain damage was almost a certainty with the lack of oxygen for an extended period. Talking to the parents was bittersweet. They were happy that their baby had survived, but mortified about the possibility of complications and possibility they’d never have their little girl back.

  Every day the hospital chipped out another piece of my heart. Between losing patients, talking with families, and a general feeling of helplessness – I felt broken.

  The shell of the person I used to be before I started med school with big dreams and foolish hopes.

  “Guess what?” a woman asked in a giddy tone, distracting me from the chart.

  I ignored the voice, signing my name and flipped it closed. The outline of a person standing a little too close caught my attention, but I still I ignored her.

  “Hey, I’m talking to you,” she said again, not moving.

  Hell. I sighed before turning. “What?” I took in the sight of her – Tammy.

  My blood turned ice cold as I stared at her smile. An overwhelming urge to claw her eyes out hit me, the fantasy in my mind bringing me a moment of joy.

  “Michael and I are back together.” She smirked.

  Well, isn’t he quick? She’s as big of an asshole as he is. He’s been texting me since the day I left him in the hall with her and they’re already back together.

  “That’s great news. I’m very happy for you,” I gave her my best fake smile. “I’m kind of in a rush. My shift ended and I need to go.”

  The smile on her face faded. “I wanted you to know since you were so supportive, but I know there was something going on between you two. When I found you in the hallway it was obvious.” She crossed her arms, taking a defensive stance.

  “Nah, we’re just friends. You two are back together and you have a bundle of joy on the way. I’m truly happy for you both.” My cheeks hurt from the smile, still needing to make the bullshit happiness I pretended to feel be a little more believable.

  She squinted at me, her mouth set in a firm line. “You slept with him didn’t you?”

  I looked her in the eyes as I spoke very slowly. I wasn’t about to jump on the crazy train. “Michael and I are and were nothing. He’s yours.”

  “Oh my god, you did. You’re a fucking whore. You’re the reason he broke up with me in the first place, aren’t you?” She bit her lip, gnawing on it, glaring at me.

  I could almost see the wheels in her head spinning. Fucking great.

  “I’m out. You can talk to Michael about me but I don’t have time for your bullshit, sweetie.” I know I sounded patronizing, but I couldn’t get in a fight with a pregnant woman.

  “I’ll have a long conversation with him when we go to the doctor tomorrow for our first visit. He can’t wait to see his baby and show it to his mother.” Her phone rang, distracting her before she could continue.

  I took the opportunity to get the hell away from her. “Good luck and congrats,” I said, walking away before she could catch up to me.

  “Wait, wait!” she screamed only a few footsteps behind me with her heels clicking on the tile floor.

  I stopped in my tracks, closing my eyes. “What?” I asked in a clipped tone.

  “I wanted to show you our engagement photo.” She thrust her phone in front of my eyes.

  If she had a knife in my chest, she’d turn it, just to make the pain that much worse.

  I glanced at the photo and looked away quickly, not wanting it to be thrown in my face more than it already has. Something about the photo was off. “Wait, let me see that again.” I grabbed the phone.

  “Look all you want, sweetheart. He’s mine and this time, I’m not letting him go.” She released the phone with a giant ass smile on her face.

  Touching the screen, I enlarged the picture. The faces weren’t right. They didn’t match the bodies. I stood there gawking at it until Tammy grabbed it from my fingers.

  “He’s so romantic. He proposed at the beach,” she said, staring at the picture.

  It was creepy and her mind must be totally twisted. I hadn’t realized until then how entirely off she was and the depths of her craziness.

  “It’s a fairytale,” I said. This bitch lives in La La land.

  “More than I could’ve ever dreamed of really. He’s mine, all mine.” She hugged the phone, moving her body side to side.

  “Yep, all yours.” I smiled. “I really have to go.” I needed to get away from her. “Good luck with your ultrasound,” I called out as I walked away.

  I snuck a glance over my shoulder. She stood in the middle of the hall with her hands on her hips glaring at me. Her very presence put me on edge but her delusions told me she was far more dangerous than I imagined. I was the enemy to her.

  I wondered if Michael knew about the type of over the top nutty that was his fiancé. I asked the security guard to walk me to my car. I didn’t explain, but I never needed to. I felt a little more at ease as I drove home but I looked in my rearview mirror every few seconds to make sure she wasn’t following me.

  Sitting in my driveway I opened my text messages, my finger hovered over Michael’s name and his last message.

  Michael: God damn it, Mia. I need you.

  My resolve wavered until I thought about Tammy. I wanted no part in their crazy bullshit. I would’ve described him as romantic and an amazing lover, but fuck, there wasn’t a cock in the world worth the hassle.

  I wasn’t going to come between them.

  My body felt heavy from a long shift on my feet, my mind was in a fog, and my heart ached. A small part of me wanted to see why he needed me, but I convinced myself it was a ploy.

  The day had been emotionally draining already without opening my heart to him again and rubbing salt in the wound.

  I pulled down the room darkening shades and closed the drapes. I tossed my clothes to the
floor before I grabbed a glass of water and my sleeping pills. I needed for this day to be over.

  I climbed into bed and closed my eyes, wishing the day away. Sleep didn’t come easy. Every time I drifted off a different nightmare would wake me up. Images of patients and their horrific injuries and the screams of the injured faceless people startled me awake. The last one dealt with Tammy waiting to slice my throat open in my car after work.

  The sleeping pills were supposed to help knock my ass out, but tonight, they sure as hell weren’t doing the trick.

  I turned on the television, giving up on sleep, and looked through the guide. There had to be something happy to watch to help replace my nightmares. “Sleepless In Seattle” had an hour left and I’d seen it a dozen times. I flipped to the channel and watched with stinging eyes. I needed the happily ever after.

  I could recite the lines in the movie verbatim. When they meet on top of the Empire State Building at the end, it always brought me to tears.

  I drifted off to thoughts of Sam and Annie.

  Chapter 22

  “I hope your ass has been working out, man. Countdown is in single digits. What the fuck have you been doing?” Rob said as I landed another blow.

  “I got this, Rob. Shit’s been going on in my personal life that I’ve had to deal with and I’m still dealing with it.” I stretched my shoulders, cracking my neck, readying myself for the next round. My heart hurt more than my muscled ached but I couldn’t stop.

  “You need to get everything worked out before the fight. You need your head in the game. An hour here and there will not make you a champion.”

  “Oh ye of little faith. I took down ‘The Mauler’ and I sure as fuck can handle ‘The Heat’. One problem will be taken care of today and then I just have to win Mia back,” I said as I grabbed a bottle of water, downing it, before crushing the plastic.

  Mia walking away and shutting me out hurt more than any injury I’d even suffered in the cage. She gave me something good and pure to look forward to each day, but it was ripped from me by the devil.

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You hooked up with Mia, huh? You’re a lucky son of a bitch.” He shook his head but smiled. “She did ask me about you.”

  “When?” I asked feeling hopeful.

  “Weeks ago. Wanted to know who you were.” He shrugged.

  “Oh. I’d say we more than ‘hooked up’. I really like her, man.”

  “Before you grow a pussy, can you at least train while you pour your heart out?”

  “I’m done talking, dick. I’m going to make you pay for the pussy comment.”

  I spent the next hour doing just that. Cocky bastard talked a good game, but he wasn’t as fast as me. Rob knew the moves; his technical skills couldn’t be beat. He used to be part of the circuit but a nasty injury ended his fighting career.

  I took my anger out on him. My jabs, kicks, and takedowns were aimed at him, but in my mind Tammy received each piercing blow. The bitch had crossed the line, making me miserable, and today I would call foul.

  “Jesus, that’s the hardest you’ve hit me in a long time, man.” Rob huffed, grabbing his shoulder.

  “I don’t have another outlet for my anger. You’re my personal punching bag,” I said, wiping the sweat from my eyes.

  “Save some of it for the cage. Heat won’t know what hit’em. Maybe you shouldn’t straighten the shit out first.” He laughed.

  “Fuck you, Rob.”