The doctor gave Daniel a standard one year review - everything looked the same as it did, but not to give up hope. We exited the doctor's office to see Rebecca still in the waiting room. Daniel had mentioned that her mom had a more severe spinal injury and had paralysis in her entire upper and lower body rendering her motionless for life.
We were walking about of the office and waiting for the elevator when I nudged Daniel, "Why don't you go get her number?"
He gave me a wary look, "Nah, I don't think she liked me that way."
"She came up to you to talk. She definitely liked you." I reasoned.
The elevator opened and he was about to walk in when Lucas chimed in with, "Go back in. We'll wait for you here."
Daniel looked at his brother's stoic face in surprise before grinning and wheeling back into the office. I smiled after him, happy to see him happy.
"Thanks for that," Lucas stated and I glanced over to see him eyeing me.
"For what?" I asked.
"Getting him to smile like that. It's been a long time."
"It's all him," I replied. Maybe I should have accepted the compliment and ensured I kept my job, but it really was Daniel's bright personality.
"It used to be. It hasn't been as of late," Lucas spoke quietly, his icy blue eyes far away.
"Holy shit, I'm like a fricken' Casanova, guys. Girls dig me. Hey, Em, did you know I have 'kind' eyes?" Daniel scooted nearer to me, a wide grin set on his face.
I laughed, "There's no way she told you that."
"She did more than tell me. And by that, I mean she just texted me as I was walking away from her." He explained. "Wanna see?"
I was about to reply that he should keep their messages to himself. Was there a crime for reading flirty messages between random underage teenagers? I should clarify with my dad. He raised a hand to stop me, "You know, I don't need to show you. I'm above gloating. My eyes are too kind to gloat to you common folk."
Lucas laughed, stepping into the elevator first and using his large hand to hold the doors open for Daniel and I.
Daniel wheeled in before continuing to gab away, "What do you guys know about having a partner? Both of you are perpetually single. You're pretty much spinsters at this age."
It was of more interest than I cared to admit that Lucas was single. How an Adonis like him managed to stay single ever, did not make sense to me.
"Hey!" I protested, "how do you know I'm single?" I crossed my arms and I noticed Lucas glancing over at me in interest.
"No offence I mean, you just have a look about you. I wouldn't know since I've found the love of my life." Daniel smiled as the elevator doors opened.
"Okay, that's enough out of you," Lucas grabbed onto Daniel's wheelchair handles and began to shove him out the door despite his protests.
"You can never break us up!" He shouted attracting the attention of a few bystanders. Lucas chuckled, gently slapping Daniel's head.
It was heartwarming to see them being brotherly with each other. I hadn't seen it since I started this position.
We got into the car and Lucas was about to lift Daniel out of his chair when he stopped him, "I think I can do it," he asserted.
Lucas took a step back and I stood beside him as we watched his brother open the car door and position his wheelchair as close to the car as possible. He propelled his body with his forearms and shuffled his upper body into the seat. He used his hands to lift each leg into the vehicle.
He glanced up at us, pride glinting in his eyes. "I won't take my wheelchair in the car because I know you need to keep your job, Em. Don't want to put you out of business with my independence." He teased. Lucas reached over and slammed the door shut on his brother who pouted at us through the window.
I laughed reaching for the wheelchair before Lucas's large hand covered mine for just a moment. I felt warm jolts travel up my arm rapidly. I looked over at him questioningly, "I got it." He stated gruffly folding the chair and chucking it next to Daniel as though it weighed nothing.
He stepped to open his door, hesitating as he looked at me, "Coming?" He asked.
I nodded opening the passenger side door and sliding in. He had placed the wheelchair in the back this time, leaving the seat beside him as the only available option.
I couldn't rationalize why I had butterflies at the moment. They were just there and they were fluttering about. I snapped my seatbelt on and looked around the car to distract me from the Goliath seated next to me. He was so large, his arm just barely touched my seat. If I shifted a little to the left, we'd be brushing arms.
I spotted a case of cigarettes and a lighter in the center console and frowned. I found a flaw. I despised smoking more than I despised Ms. Smith. That was a lot.
"Do you guys think it's too soon to text Rebecca?" Daniel whined from the backseat.
"Yes," Lucas responded at the same time that I replied with a "no."
He looked over at me and raised an eyebrow before he stated, "I think you should give it a couple days before you text her."
"Hmm. What do you think, Em?" Daniel inquired.
"She's already texted you as you were walking out. Maybe you can text her to make plans to see her again." I shifted to look at Daniel in the back seat to see him pensively in thought.
"You'd take Emily's advice over mine?" Lucas questioned in a teasing tone I'd never heard from him before. My name rolled off of his tongue almost tenderly. He had a small smile tugging at his lips as he stared straight ahead, one arm lazily draped over the top of the steering wheel.
"Well, she's a chick, so yeah." Daniel responded.
We drove past the condo complex and I looked back through the window, "You missed the house?"
His eyes darted to mine quickly, "I'm hungry."
"Food!" Daniel cheered. "I call Bob's Busty Burgers."
"Bob's... Busty Burgers?" I questioned the name.
"Bob's Busty Burgers," Lucas agreed.
We pulled into a parking lot to a restaurant that was indeed named 'Bob's Busty Burgers'. Why on earth someone would choose that name was beyond me.
Lucas opened his car door and I did the same with mine. I was about to pull Daniel's wheelchair from the back, but Lucas beat me to it, wheeling it over to the opposite side of the car for Daniel to slide into. Was he trying to score my job?
We walked to the restaurant and Lucas held the door open for Daniel and I as we walked in to a cozily lit restaurant. I was surprised not to see half naked women gracing the walls.
Lucas walked to a bench near a window and moved the chair away from the table before sitting down on the booth. Daniel wheeled himself to the table, sitting across from Lucas.
Lucas looked up at me, standing there like a moron. Was I supposed to sit next to him? Should I go home?
"Are you sitting?" Lucas asked looking at the space next to him.
"Er, yes." I spluttered out sitting down ungracefully next to him.
"You're in for a real treat, Em. This place is a gem and the burgers are what the name says - busty." Daniel grinned at me placing the lock on his wheelchair.
I laughed flipping open a menu that was in front of me. I looked up to see Daniel and Lucas watching me.
"Do you guys know what you're getting?" I trailed questioningly.
"A busty burger," they replied in unison.
"Okay, I guess I know what I'm getting as well," I closed the menu quickly.
"Welcome to Bob's Busty Burgers," a woman who appeared to be in her twenties approached the table with a notebook in hand. Her top dipping down to enunciate the very definition of busty. "What can I get for you cuties today?" She asked staring at Lucas as she spoke.
"Three busty burgers, please!" Daniel piped in excitedly.
"And to drink?" She asked Lucas again.
Without raising his gaze he replied, "Coke." He glanced over at me, "What are you getting?"
"The same please," I stated, amused at the waitress's attempts at subtly. She pursed her lips at me.
"I'll get a vanilla milkshake, extra whipped cream," Daniel interrupted, "and I mean extra whipped cream."
The waitress walked away sighing heavily and returned with the drinks.
"When's your next match?" Daniel asked Lucas.
"In a week," he responded sipping at his drink.
"Is that a street fight?" I asked nervously. Those things name me anxious.
He shook his head glancing at me, "It's a UFC MMA fight."
I couldn't figure out why he fought in underground street fights when he was clearly skilled enough to be in the UFC.
The waitress skipped back with three of the largest burgers I had ever seen in my life. I totally got the name now. They were literally the size of my face. Lucas passed a plate to Daniel and then to me before placing his in front of him. My eyes practically rolled to the back of my head as I took a bite into the massive burger.
"So good, right?" Daniel asked with his mouth full.
"Amazing," I replied digging into another bite.
"I'm so going to your next match, Lucas," Daniel stated excitedly. I loved how happy he was for his brother. Lucas nodded in return. "Obviously you too, Em," He added.
I swallowed, "Oh, for sure." I peeked at Lucas who appeared to be furrowing his brow in concentration. It was more concentration than I'd ever used to eat a burger before.
"Lucas is one of the top MMA fighters in the country and if he wins his next ten matches, he'll win the title!" Daniel exclaimed waving his hands around as pieces of lettuce flew from the bun.
Lucas threw a napkin at his brother, "It's not that big of a deal."
"Uh, hate to break it to you, bro, but it kind of is. You shouldn't even be eating this burger right now. You should be trimming fat. Here, let me help you with that," Daniel reached over for his burger and Lucas slapped his hand away playfully.
As we finished eating, Daniel sat there groaning about how much he had consumed when he jumped at the chance to finish my half eaten burger.
The waitress came back with the bill and a piece of paper. Lucas stood up, pulling out his wallet.
I did the same with my wallet and Lucas shot me a look, "I got it."
"But-my burger." I responded looking at my empty plate.
"Daniel ate all your food anyway," he stated, a small smile playing on his full lips.
"Please, someone just pay for my gluttony," Daniel groaned rubbing his stomach.
Lucas threw cash on top of the bill, tossing the paper beside it. He began to walk to the door and I peeked at the paper to see what it said.
If you want to see what busty really looks like, give me a call.