Joey saw his puppy sitter showing Storm, Daniel on his phone when he entered the house. His puppy Storm was very sick. He had vomited thrice and it was a herculean task to give him food mixed with the medicine the vet gave him. Daniel will usually give him some herbal concoctions from the garden which will aid in digestion. He will feed Storm with fresh milk and meat instead of dog food till he gets better.
Storm will quietly eat the medicine mixed food if he gives one stern look. He will only sulk with Joey. Daniel was ordering Storm to drink the milk in the video call. Storm obeyed and perched on Joey. Daniel saw him. Joey saw him.
"Joey....," his voice was melting. Anger rushed at Joey's veins.
"You can cut the call. Storm had taken the medicine," Joey started climbing the stairs talking to the puppy sitter.
"Joey wait... talk to me," Daniel's voice faded as he closed the door of his office behind him. He sunk in the sofa and cried his heart out.
One week. One complete week. How my life had changed? It was the same time last week Joey barged into the house like a wounded lion, leaving Daniel in the hospital. Everything started well that day. Daniel had made Magna agree to take up the Storytellers project that morning. Joey had acted as a prince in a fellow YouTuber's video that day.
The photos were amazing. "You look exactly like a prince," Daniel said kissing him for the millionth time that day. Joey was in great mood. He wanted to keep Daniel happy. He changed several times before getting ready for that charity event.
"Joey, it is getting late. Not everybody will wait for you, my Prince," he heard Daniel calling. He finally, wore one black and white attire and his crystal necklace.
Daniel stared at him with that known look when he came out of that closet. "What? Is it too simple?"
"It is perfect. I want to remove that right now," Daniel pushed him back to the bedroom.
"No Daniel.....We will do it tonight.... Aren't we getting late now?"
"I will tell everybody you took an hour to select your shoes," Daniel had already ripped his trousers and was busy kissing his hind legs.
"Always blame it on me," Joey said enjoying every bit of his attention.
They got ready after twenty minutes. "I am tired. I can't walk," Joey complained.
"I will get you a wheelchair as soon as we reach the hospital," Daniel joked.
Everything went as planned. Petar was with them. The press was covering the celebrity couple. Daniel seemed a little disoriented after a few minutes.
"What is it, Danny? What are you searching?"
"Um.... Nothing. I feel like... someone is watching me..."
"Of course. Everybody is watching you. Us."
"Carry on. I will be back in a minute," Daniel released his fingers from Joey's hands and walked towards a room.
Joey was busy answering the press and talking to the children. He noticed Daniel hadn't returned. Petar wasn't there. There was a crowd and small commotion in the room Daniel entered.
"Did something happen to Daniel? Did he slip?"
Joey signaled his security to go and check.
He was still talking with the children. He lost patience when nobody had returned after another ten minutes. He walked to the room. People made way for him. The first thing Joey saw was a very distorted, blister-covered face.
"God! What kind of horrible disease is this?" he thought. The second thing he saw was Daniel's back. He was actually hugging that ugly man seated in the wheelchair.
"Is he mad? Why is he even touching him? He could catch a million infections," Joey thought. He looked around to see many perplexed faces. What is going on? Something is definitely wrong.
"Danny" he called soothingly, touching his shoulders. Daniel did not even notice it. He was talking to that ugly man.
"I love you. I love you. I owe everything to you. I will do this and much more. I will kill everybody in this world if you say, Lucas"
"Lucas?" the name rang a bell. "I had an ex. Lucas. We are not together now," he remembered Daniel saying on their first date.
He heard the hospital staff near him whispering, "so this is Daniel. He is real. Lucas was not lying."
"Yes. All the cards and gifts he showed us were real. This man sent it to him."
"This is real love. He had earned, arranged for him to get the best treatment for the past three years, kept in touch and come to him in his last days."
"The boy is very young. Imagine how hard he should have worked to afford such a high-class treatment. Herpes gladiatorum can cost even more than the cancer treatment."
"I wish I had a lover like him. His gifts were always the best. Lucas is a lucky fellow."
Joey's head started spinning. What were they talking about? Who worked hard to treat whom? What was that disease – Herpes?"
"Daniel, look here." No. Daniel and Lucas were in another word. Daniel was keenly answering to the grunts and groans coming out of that thing called the face.
"Of course I never hated you. I never forgot you. Not for a moment. I love you more than my life."
"Daniel," Joey's patience was getting thin. The hospital staff started to push the wheelchair back to another place. Lucas was still holding Daniel's hand. Joey took his other hand.
Daniel turned now. His face was flushed red. He pulled out his hand in haste. "Daniel wait. They are taking him to another ward."
"Maybe. I am going with him," Daniel replied walking with Lucas. Joey controlled his anger and followed them.
"Who is this?"
"This is Lucas..."
"Daniel. Wait. It is a restricted area. You can't go in."
Daniel was already inside. The guards prevented others from entering strictly.
Petar walked out arguing with a man who looked almost like Daniel.
The security guards took Joey back to the event. Joey had lost his mood completely. But, he continued to chat with the children and pose for the photos. The press was asking for Daniel in a short time. They wanted the couple's picture together.
Petar came back with a long face. He took Joey inside the restricted area. The ugly man was asleep in Daniel's lap. Joey's heart started beating fast. Daniel was patting his shoulder lovingly, touching him without any disgust.
"What are you doing pig?" Joey whispered controlling his anger, "you can't touch that leper."
"Mind your words, Joseph. I will do anything I want," Daniel's eyes shot daggers at him.
Daniel never called him Joseph except when he was extremely angry. Why is he angry? I am the one in dark here.
"Daniel, the press is waiting. You need to come out."
"I am not coming anywhere. I will stay only with my Lucas."
"My Lucas?" Joey wondered within his heart, "who am I then?"
"Daniel, just five minutes. He seems to be sleeping anyway. It will create unnecessary rumors if you don't come now. You can be back in...."
"Don't you understand what I say? I am not coming anywhere. I made mistake. A big mistake leaving him. A very very big mistake," Daniel started to sob hiding face on the ugly man's shoulder.
"Danny don't cry. Get up. You might get infected touching him," Joey tried to pull him by the shoulder.
Daniel shrugged him away fiercely, "I won't leave Lucas. I won't leave him. Not for a moment."
The hospital staff came to his support. "You should move sir. This is a restricted area. You will get infected."
"Send him with me."
"They are couples. We can't separate them."
Then who are we? What am I? Joey's mind reeled.
"Don't you need to give him a protective shot or something? He is touching that man without gloves."
"We will take care of that. You move out."
"I came with him. Ask Petar. He is outside. I need him with me now."
The staff blurted out, "Lucas is here for the past three years. Daniel is his boyfriend. He can't come with you now."
"That's not true. What is the proof?" The man laughed and opened a closet adjacent to Lucas's bed. It was filled with cards and gifts of all sorts. Gifts Joey could easily identify. Gifts wrapped in special birch tree gift wraps. The cards showed photos of Daniel from various parts of the world with messages at the back written in his own handwriting.
"Please move sir. We should leave them alone." They practically shoved Joey out of the room. No. I am not leaving Daniel here with these Boogeymen. He is mine. Mine.
Joey escaped from the guard in a split second and ran to Daniel again, "Daniel they are telling me to go. Come with me." He clutched his shoulders tight.
"Sir, this is inappropriate behavior. We have to escalate you now with force," the security shouted.
"Shut up. Just shut up. Don't you dare touch me," Joey's temper rose. His voice shook the block.
Lucas's body trembled at the roar. Daniel shouted back, "can't you behave yourself. This is a hospital. You are disturbing the patients."
Joey knelt before him, "Daniel, I am sorry. I am sorry. Come with me. We will go home. The press is waiting for us."
"I am not coming anywhere. I will stay only with Lucas. I can't leave him. Not again. He is my love."
"And what am I? Remember we are together?"
"I made a mistake leaving him alone. I won't do it again."
"You are not in your right senses. Just come with me. You can visit him tomorrow."
"I am not coming anywhere. Just leave me alone," Daniel pushed Joey away with force. He fell down with a thud. The hospital security approached him again.
"Daniel, I....."
"I won't come.....," Daniel's answer was firm. Joey's temper was at its peak now.
"Daniel, you either come with me now or never. Is it me or him? Choose now."
"Get lost. I want Lucas. Only him. Only him."
Joey felt like his heart was stabbed. The security literally dragged him away. Joey sat in front of the restricted area, crying his heart out. He sent Petar to fetch Daniel once again.
"He is not coming. He doesn't want to come."
Joey left the hospital through the back door that day without meeting the press. The happenings in the restricted area got spun into numerous rumors. The media had a blast reporting their breakup. Nobody knew about Lucas. It was just that Daniel and Joey had a fight.
Joey waited until morning for Daniel to come. He sent back the car to the hospital as soon as he came home hoping Daniel might need it to come back. He was waiting in the front room all night for Daniel to walk through the door any minute.
Daniel did not come till dawn, dusk, that full day. He did not come the next day too. Joey was literally shaking. His mind did not accept what had happened. Daniel can't leave me. The thoughts of their lovemaking before they left for the hospital filled his heart. He couldn't cheat me. Not me. The landscapers came and went the puppy sitter took care of the dogs. His security guards had a hard time controlling the press flocking the house.
What did I do wrong? How can I live without him? Why did he go? Was he in touch with his ex all these years? Did he spend all the money he earned on his ex? I was there when he bought those gifts. I know the special wrapping paper. I thought it was used only for me. I thought the special gifts were for his friends. I know his handwriting. Hell who writes instead of typing these days? Only Daniel.
He always kept pushing me to do better. To earn more. Was it all for more commission? Was it all spent on Lucas? Him for me? A Herpes patient instead of me? A diabolic loser for me? Am I that worthless? Questions, questions, questions... Questions which killed him. Questions which felt like it will suffocate him to death if he didn't find the answer.
Petar couldn't bear the expectant look Joey gave every time he entered the house. Nobody knew what was happening. Joey did not move from the front room for two full days. Finally, he took his car and went to the hospital. It was Wednesday night. He went straight into the restricted block.
He wanted to talk to Daniel. He wanted to ask what had happened. He wanted an explanation even if they were going to break up. Joey saw Daniel at a distance. He was dressed. He was wearing black. Joey loved Daniel in black. He liked green, teal and blue. But, he always thought Daniel looked stunning in black.
"I will grab him by the ear and drill it into his head I am his boyfriend."
A man as tall as Daniel stepped from a side corridor before Joey could take a step. He hugged Daniel. Kissed him on the forehead. Daniel hugged him back and talked to him with such sincerity. They did not notice Joey standing at the far end of the corridor. Daniel walked away with him. A very costly car took them away.
Joey stood there motionless. Unable to move. Unable to talk. He did not know what to say. Something in him snapped. Daniel has another man in his life. He was there all these years. Throughout their relationship. This whole relationship was fake. A business arrangement. A contract used to earn money to pay for his ex.
"You have been used. Used like an object. Like a use and throw object. Like an ATM. Like a tissue. Trash."
"Trash," Daniel's voice echoed in his ears like thunder. Joey caught his head with both the hands and sat on the ground. How he wished the ground opened up and swallowed him that minute.
Joey headed back to his house like a zombie. He saw the press before his house. He got down and faced them. "We broke up. Mr. Preda and I are no longer together. The rumors are all true," he declared to them publicly. There were a thousand questions from all the sides. "Don't ask me anything now. It is over," Joey said sternly and signaled to his guards. They formed a protective circle around him and took him inside the house.
Joey plopped into the couch. No Joey. Don't do this. You are stronger than this. I am not going to slouch. I have work to do. Joey went to his office and switched on his computer.
Daniel came back the next day.