Sixteen
“Do
I look all right?” Joey asked yet again as he paced in the hallway of the
hospital. He wore a pair of black jeans and a red and black sweater.
“Red
always was a good color on you,” JC said, rubbing Joey's back. “You're a
handsome guy, Joe. You look good in everything.”
“Do
you ever regret it?” Joey asked suddenly. JC blinked in confusion. “Breaking up
with him. Justin.”
“Joey,
c'mon. I thought that was old news,” JC said.
“I'm
serious, JC,” Joey said. “I love Justin more than anything on the planet, but I
know he has a special place in his heart for you. If you really love him…I'll
walk away.”
“Dumbass,
you'll do no such thing,” JC said almost angrily. “He loves you so much.
We're…something different. You and Justin, though…you guys have something
special, okay? Don't talk that stupid shit.”
“I'm
sorry. I'm just nervous. He hasn't let me in there since they did the surgery,
and it's driven me crazy. Talking on the phone with him just isn't enough.”
“He
didn't want to see you until he could REALLY see you, Joey, you know that,” JC
said. “It wasn't anything personal.”
“I
just…I hope he knows I didn't care, okay? I mean, he coulda been blind forever
and it wouldn't have mattered to me. I only wanted the surgery for HIM.”
“He
knows, Joe,” JC said soothingly.
“Mr.
Fatone?” A nurse stepped into the hallway. “Mr. Timberlake is asking for you.”
Joey
heaved a deep breath, gave JC a weak smile, and followed the nurse into the
room. She slipped out as soon as he was inside, closing the door behind her.
“Uh, hi,” Joey said. Justin was standing by the window, looking outside.
“I
thought I remembered colors,” Justin said in a wavering voice. “I thought I
knew green and blue and yellow…but the way I remembered them was nothing
compared to how beautiful they really are.” Justin slowly turned around. There
was some bruising around his eyes, but the blue was as gorgeous as ever. He
smiled as he looked at Joey. “No one told me.”
“No
one told you what?” Joey choked.
“That
I had a gorgeous boyfriend,” Justin said. Joey walked over to him and gently
kissed his cheek. “You're gorgeous, Joe.” Justin's fingers reached out to touch
Joey's face. “I've felt your face a million times, and I thought I knew it…but
wow.” Justin's smile trembled a bit.
“How
are you?” Joey asked. “Do you feel okay?”
“I'm scared to death,” Justin admitted. Joey
said nothing, just pulled him into his arms.
“Hey,”
Joey said, and JC jumped. He had gone to sit in the lounge, wanting Joey and
Justin to have time alone together. He had planned on reading a magazine or
two, but instead he ended up watching Entertainment Tonight, which was doing a
huge story on Lance Bass and his movie. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
JC stretched and looked away from the TV. “So?”
“He's
doing great. And he wants to see you.”
JC
picked up his magazines and followed Joey. He was a bit nervous himself. He
wondered what Justin would think of his ex-boyfriend. “Hey, Justin,” JC said as
they entered the room. “You look great.”
“Not
as great as you.” Justin looked from JC to Joey and grinned. “Damn, I must be
lucky to get such hot boyfriends.”
“Haven't
you looked in a mirror yet?” JC teased. “You're not so bad yourself.”
“No,
I haven't,” Justin said, suddenly serious. “I want my face to be totally
healed. The mental picture I have of myself is much younger, and I want to be
ready to see myself now.” He reached up to touch JC's cheek. “Tell me, Joey…are
JC's eyes always this sad?”
“Not
until recently,” Joey said, and JC glared at him. Justin idly looked down, and
his eyes fell on the cover of one of JC's magazines. “THAT'S him?”
“Uh,
yeah,” JC said. Justin picked up the magazine.
“So
that's the one I can thank for giving me my sight and breaking JC's heart,”
Justin said. “He's kinda cute.”
“You
could say that. But I'm over him. Really. Let's not talk about me. This is
about you, J,” JC said. “You're okay?”
“Better
than ever,” Justin said, grinning as Joey gave him yet another bear hug.
