"Mr. Bass?" a tall man wearing glasses, and a sports shirt walked over to Lance and extended his hand to shake it.
Lance stood up, shook his hand, and asked, "Are you Dr. Fitzpatrick?"
"Yes, I am."
"I appreciate you seeing me after hours," Lance said.
"I apologize for having kept you waiting. I had a lot of phone calls to make. It seems in this scenario you are either the hero or the villain to certain people and there’s little in-between."
"What are we talking about?" Lance asked befuddled.
"I got a phone call this afternoon from Mercedes McKenzie’s sister in Boston. She absolutely forbade me from allowing you to see our patient."
"I thought that might happen, but I assure you Dr. Fitzpatrick there are nothing but the best of intentions in my wanting to see Mercedes."
"Apparently so, according to her doctor in Orlando, you and your friends were very quick to get her the help she needed the morning she was experiencing irrational or altered reality." The doctor was checking his notes, "But, unfortunately, Ms. McKenzie’s sister has the authority to keep you from seeing her."
Lance was crestfallen. "That’s what I was afraid of. Can you at least tell me how she’s doing?"
"Why don’t we go into this conference room and chat. Lance isn’t it?"
"Yes."
"Okay, Lance. I can tell you that Mercedes is doing well. You know I cannot discuss specifics of her case, but she’s comfortable and grounded again. She knows that her husband is dead. And she’s been dealing with that."
"Dr. Fitzpatrick, would it help to..." Lance started to say something.
"Would what help, Lance?"
"Liam, Mercedes’ husband. If she knew certain things would it make it more difficult to deal with her illness?"
"What things specifically?"
"...His infidelities."
Dr. Fitzpatrick leaned forward from his chair. "You mean, she‘s unaware of them?"
"It was something my friends and I knew. We kept it to ourselves. We weren’t trying to protect Liam, but we didn’t want to hurt Mercedes. That was the reason for the HIV test."
"It is good that you told me. Anything else? Any questions I may be able to answer."
After they settled back into the black leather chairs, Lance spoke, "I know that Mercedes’ sister Victoria has the wrong idea of what happened between Mercedes and myself, but what’s most important to me is what Mercedes thinks happened that evening. Can you tell me?"
"Well, at this point all Mercedes seems to know is that she talked about Liam in such a way so as to indicate to you and your friends that she still believed he was alive. She has mentioned more than once how sorry she was to have scared everyone. And professionally she feels bad that she was unable to finish the work she was doing on the record."
Dr. Fitzpatrick paused, "I am sorry that that HIV test wasn’t handled more professionally down in Orlando. The family did get the impression that she was assaulted and that’s why the test was ordered. I promise you that it will all be straightened out during therapy. We cannot let Mercedes’ family go on this way believing that she’s here because of the shock of some sexual attack."
"I don’t appreciate the lies and secrecy for Mercedes’ sake as well as my own."
"Would you mind discussing that night? It certainly will help during therapy if I have some idea of what went on."
Lance hesitated, he looked around the room. His eyes started to sting. He wrung his hands nervously and fiddled with his ring. "I had no idea that Mercedes didn’t know it was me until after our lovemaking. " He took a deep breath and explained.
When he finished speaking, Lance rubbed his wet eyes and Dr. Fitzpatrick said, "I know this conversation has been difficult for you. And I also know that you’re probably disappointed that you came all this way and weren’t able to see Mercedes. But I want you to know that your honesty in this situation is what’s going to help Mercedes recover, so we will bring all these things out in the open and eventually the truth, as they say, will set Mercedes free."
"Would you please contact me, let me give you my personal cell phone number, when the time comes and I can see her?"
" I will." Dr. Fitzpatrick shook Lance’s hand again. "Goodbye."
Joey decided that they would drive back to Boston to catch the flight back to New York. Surprisingly, Lance felt pretty good about having taken the trip. And the guys were enjoying the drive. They were on 495 just entering the Mass Turnpike and Joey spotted a Sbarro’s and HAD to get a pizza.
"Pull that hat down over that frizz of yours if you’re even thinking of coming in with me, J," Joey barked.
Lance ‘s face revealed an expression of puzzlement. "What’s his beef, Justin?"
"When we went out last night, he couldn’t keep up with all the action, man. He’s getting OLD." Justin was laughing.
"I can hear you Timberlake. What ever possessed us to go on this trip without security?"
"It’s just pizza, Joe. We walk in. We walk out. Focused, determined. Nobody will bother us. I wouldn’t expect to see me here," Lance said.
"Listen to the bro, isn’t he all pos-i-tive to-day-ay!" smirked Justin slamming his hat down over his head. "Good to have ya back," Justin said to Lance as he bumped him on purpose and laughed. They walked quickly through the parking lot.
"Yeah, I’m positive I’m never gonna get my pizza," said Joey as he notices a few stares.
"It’s not the young girls thinking ‘it’s Joey from *N SYNC!’ It’s their Mom’s wondering ‘who’s the freak with the red hair?’ YOU should’ve worn the hat," said Justin laughing.
"It’s ‘to go’ please," said Lance to the man behind the counter. "Hey, we’ll have to wait if you insist on half mushrooms, Joey," Lance yelled.
"Take whatever," Joey said nervously.
"Excuse me, But, are you..."
"No, I’m not."
"Thanks, I really needed the graded cheese," said one woman holding out her hand. "I’m glad you weren’t using it."
Justin laughed all the way back to the car, holding his stomach. "Oh My God. Oh My God that was priceless!!! Oh My God!"
Even Lance broke out in laughter.
Joey got behind the wheel of the rental car again, "I’m glad you enjoyed that J," said Joey nicely. Justin was glad that Joey was taking all the laughing at his expense so well.
"Actually, that was fun Joe."
"I’m glad."
Lance and Justin exchanged glances.
"’Cause I put a slice of pizza in the pocket of that new jacket of yours."
