Pretend You're Someone Else (Chp.14) 3/3

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ID: 1727540   (Rated: 18+) Pretend You're Someone Else  A man hides a secret from his family and has no clue that his son has the same secret. by KAT26/Adrian--Published!

Chapter Fourteen is divided into three parts. This is part three.

Part Two

Chapter Fourteen

May-1992

Avoy, Georgia

Part 3/3

"Peter, I'm sorry I lied to you."

         At exactly five o'clock the following afternoon Peter nervously approached Dr. Graham's office door. Robert stood directly behind him fidgeting with his hair.

         For reasons unknown to Peter, Robert had been unusually silent since the party ended the night before. He kept licking his lips, twirling his hair and drifting off into space. At the present moment he stood chewing on perfectly trimmed fingernails of one hand, while the other raveled through his silky hair in jerky movements. Peter knew there was something troubling on his mind, but didn't go out and ask him. Chalking it up to a possible doctor that could save his daughter's life, he left Robert alone.

         Knocking once on the door, Peter let himself in without waiting for a reply.

         "Peter," Dr. Graham raised himself up from his chair in one swift motion. "Have a seat! Ah, I see you brought Robert with you."

         Peter perched anxiously on one of the set of matching plaid chairs flanking the mahogany desk. Robert seemed to settle back in the other, fingers still intertwining.

         "Well, we're dating."

         Dr. Graham gave a small nod of his head and started scratching his grey beard. Peter wondered if he disapproved of two men dating. Upon closer examination, he saw a a huge smile creep over the doctor's face as he flipped through several papers. Peter exhaled in relief.

         "Well," Dr. Graham clasped his hands together with a soft smack. "I received the call yesterday from Dr. Rice around two in the afternoon. She was currently attending a conference in England, which is why I had difficulties contacting her before. Dr. Rice told me that a source, whom she wishes to remain anonymous, contacted her private line. He informed her about your daughter and asked her to come immediately to Avoy. She agreed, cut her meeting and will be here shortly. She happened to arrive last night and will be driving up here."

         Peter placed his hand up to his mouth to muffle a cry.

         "Mr. Anderson--she is the best! If anyone can save your daughter, Dr. Stacey Shelly-Rice can."

         A loud gasp filled the room. It took Peter a few seconds to realize he had made the noise.

         "Mr. Anderson, are you feeling well? You look...ill."

         "Wha-wha-what did you say her name was?" Peter felt like he had slammed full force into a brick wall. This can't be happening?

         Dr. Graham frowned, looked down at his perfectly ordered notes and read:

         "Stacey Shelly-Rice, age thirty-five, graduated from Emory in '86 with a doctor's degree. One of the top brain surgeons in the world. Heck," Dr. Graham paused to push his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "I remember hearing about her in New York. To be honest I really don't know who this 'mysterious friend' is. I contacted her office a week ago and told them your story. All I got back was something about her being in Europe and not accepting patients at the moment."

         With a shake of his head, Dr. Graham laughed, "Thank-God for this mysterious source! Whoever he is, we owe him our life, really!"

         By now Peter felt himself shaking with hysterics. Every breath he took felt heavier. Sometime during Dr. Graham's speech Robert reached over to squeeze his hand, then retracted it.

         "Peter," the doctor's accent filled the room. "Are you sure you're OK?"

         "I-I-I," he whispered. "I know her."

         The doctor's eyes widened in surprise. Beside him Robert took a deep breath.

         "How?"

         Peter felt like someone had splashed a bucket of icy cold water on his face. In his lap, his hands trembled violently.

         "We-I-I," Peter swallowed a lump in his throat. "I sorta dated her in high school." The look Peter gave Dr. Graham spoke everything. The horrible way he treated her and the years of regret.

         "I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Anderson but she is the best, the only person who can save your daughter."

         Peter closed his eyes and briefly thought about the last time he spoke to Stacey, well screamed was more like it:

         "You stupid bitch! If you ever tell anyone that you saw me and Robert together I'll kill you! Do you understand me you stupid slut?" The way Stacey's mouth opened in shock...just like Paul's did that one day when he walked in on them with the laundry excuse.

         "Robert are you acquainted with Dr. Rice as well? You look..."

         Dr. Graham trailed off. Peter opened his eyes and turned to Robert. His boyfriend's face seemed to have turned an ashy color.

         "I do know her," he squeaked. "But not in the same way as Peter. I did attend high school with her, but I know her from somewhere else."

         "Huh? What?" Peter's mind had trouble wrapping itself around Robert's puzzling confession.

         Robert sank back into the cushions, resting his head to the side. "Peter I have to tell you because it will come out when she arrives." His voice shook.

         "Tell me what?" Peter demanded. He knew he was being blunt, but didn't care. The look of distress on his boyfriend's face said it all.

         "I wanted to tell you for so long," he shook his head back and forth with jerky movements. Fingers swirling through his hair, always tugging and pulling.

         "Dr. Graham can you please excuse us," Peter interrupted.

         "Of course," the doctor shuffled his papers and scampered out of the office.

         Robert closed his eyes at the sound of the door clicking shut. A headache began to form in Peter's own head. Something life-changing was about to happen and not for the best.

         "So, tell me just how do you know Stacey?" Peter's tone dripped with sarcasm. He seemed to snarl as every word was spat-out. "Last time we saw her she unexpectedly walked in on us having sex. I became so enraged that I chased her out of my house cussing and screaming. From what I remember that happened to be the last time we spoke to her?"

         "Peter," Robert licked his lips. "I wanted to tell you for so long."

         "Did you find her? Did you contact her and not tell me?" His voice slowly rose in anger. Robert's eyes seemed to grow wide in fear, he suddenly closed them as to hide himself.

         "Tell me," the words were deadly. Peter didn't like the fact that he was getting madder by the minute. His boyfriend needed to start talking.

         "Do you remember when I came back from Atlanta? In '76? I told you that I met a girl at that diner. She saved my life? We went back to my hotel. I woke up the next morning."

         "The first year med student?!" Peter screamed as everything suddenly sunk-in and made perfect sense.

         Robert started to cry. Rivers of tears streamed down his face."Peter I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you all these years, but couldn't."

         Robert took another deep breath as Peter continued to stare daggers.

         "She is. Stacey is Paul's mother. I am that 'anonymous caller.'"

         Peter watched his boyfriend reach forward to yank a fist-full of tissues from the box on Dr. Graham's desk. Burying them in his face Robert let out a few deep sobs as he started bawling.

         Peter couldn't move. His best friend had betrayed him. Paul--he was Stacey's kid! It suddenly became clear. The way Paul's mouth had dropped in shock that day two months ago when he walked in on the boys. Stacey's mouth gasped in shock the same way eighteen-years prior when he threatened to kill her. She always had such crooked teeth and an over bite. Paul started wearing braces when he was around eight-years-old. Robert jokingly said once that he must have spent a million dollars fixing that kid's teeth. Now he knew why. It all made perfect sense.

         With one final look of pure disgust thrown in Robert's direction, Peter stood up from his chair.

         "Please don't be mad! Oh, Peter please don't be mad! I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

         But it was too late. Peter straightened his clothes and spoke in a direct tone:

         "Robert, I would appreciate it if you would just leave me. Walk out of my life and never fucking return! Why you never told me about Stacey when we ate lunch together that one day in '76 is beyond me. Now, it's too late. Please find yourself a ride back to your own house. I will send your stuff home with Paul. I never fucking want to see you again!"

         Peter took one last look at Robert's stunned face, felt absolutely nothing, then turned and walked out the door.

*Next Chapter*

ID: 1757476   (Rated: 18+) Pretend You're Someone Else (Chp. 15)  Sex and a new car! (1975) by KAT26/Adrian--Published!