The Circle of Friends, Book IV...Mike

I-2

“Let me try,” offered Matt, taking the can from her hands. Shaking the whipped cream vigorously, he managed to extract enough foam to cover the remaining sundae.

“See, plenty left!” he said, spraying a blast of foam at his wife.

“Hey!” protested Sarah as she attempted to retrieve the whipped cream.

Mike watched wide-eyed as Matt leapt aside, holding the can out of her reach. Undeterred, Sarah lunged forward, her expression one of determination. Mike slipped behind her and secured his dessert, hoping to escape before she acquired the can. More than once, he had been caught in the middle and did not want to be sprayed with cream. This time, he reached the safety of his room unscathed, leaving Matt and Sarah to continue their battle in privacy.

After another hour on the computer, Mike decided to call it a night and get some much-needed sleep. Brushing his teeth, he went through the motions of preparing for bed. His mind could absorb no more this evening. When he emerged from the bathroom, Mike discovered Sarah waiting in the hallway.

“All done?” she inquired, her bathrobe draped over her arm.

“Yeah, it’s all yours,” Mike replied, reaching for the door to the laundry closet.

“Good! Because I have to wash the goo out of my hair,” she grumbled.

Matt emerged from their bedroom as she stepped into the bathroom. Sarah tossed aside her hair and glared at her husband. Matt returned her angry stare with a mischievous grin, undeterred by the threat. Winking at Mike, he followed his wife into the bathroom.

“Need some help?” he said as he closed the door.

Mike tossed his dirty clothes into the hamper and returned to his room. Throwing aside the covers, he dropped onto the mattress and reached for the light on his nightstand. As he attempted to find a comfortable position, Mike heard the sound of running water in the bathroom. A moment later, Sarah’s laughter drifted through the wall, followed by Matt’s deeper voice. The bathroom walls amplified the sounds emanating from within the shower and, in the silence of the apartment, left little to the imagination.

With a moan, Mike turned toward the far wall and buried his head under the covers. Even in his exhausted state, he found it difficult to suppress the thoughts that arose whenever his roommates became physical with one another. The ache of desire flooded his body from head to toe, a consuming wave of heat he could not ignore. The sounds drifting through the walls preyed heavy on his mind, adding to his depression and feelings of vulnerability. Despite his resolve, Mike would give anything to be in Matt’s position.

It dawned on him that the heaviness he’d experienced today stemmed from loneliness. The roots of Mike’s depression lay in rejection and a dismal sense of failure. His love for Sarah and refusal to pursue other opportunities had all but crushed his spirit.

Sleep did not overtake him until long after the apartment fell silent that night.

After a light practice on Friday, Dwayne invited Mike to join him and Chuck at Jocks & Jills sports bar. Aware his roommates would be absent tonight and the apartment empty, he accepted the offer. A little change of pace would do him good anyway.

By the time they arrived, the restaurant was packed to capacity. Taking the first available table, Chuck ordered a round of beers and a plate of Nachos the moment the waitress appeared. Feeling his stomach rumble, Mike added potato skins before the young lady darted away to her next table. They bantered back and forth about practice until their drinks and food arrived. Dwayne continued in his speculations regarding tomorrow’s opponent while Mike ate several potato skins. He doubted there would be any dinner awaiting him at the apartment. If he didn’t consume some of the food right now, his teammates would inhale both dishes before Mike could blink.

Dwayne had just completed his rant concerning tomorrow’s game when a hand came down on his shoulder. The three men looked up and noticed Dwayne’s girlfriend as she slid around behind his chair, a mischievous grin on her face. Swinging into the chair beside him, she gave Dwayne a playful kiss.

“Damn, girl, don’t sneak up on me like that!” he said.

“Why, would I catch you doing anything?” Janella said. She smiled at Chuck and Mike, the gloss on her lips shining bright. “Hey, guys! Where’s Amanda, Chuck?”

“Had an assignment to work on,” he grumbled, playing with an empty potato skin.

Janella laughed. “I’ll bet she calls in the next hour to find you!”

“Think so, huh?” Chuck replied, reaching for his beer. He grinned at Mike before taking a sip, his expression almost cocky. “She can’t get enough of me!”

Shaking his head, Mike reached for another chip. Chuck possessed just enough Latino to warrant extra attention from the women. He used his heritage to his advantage whenever possible, pouring on the charm thick and heavy. Over the course of his college career, the tight end had dated many women, preferring the freedom of bachelorhood to any commitment. Amanda had held his attention for over two months now, a definite record for Chuck.

“Where are Matt and Sarah?” Janella said, cutting into Mike’s thoughts.

“They went to the movies,” he said, noting Chuck’s curious expression. “I try not to invade their privacy every time.”

“Just the three of you in the apartment,” began Chuck, his voice low and suggestive. “Surprised you haven’t taken advantage of the situation.”

Mike’s eyes grew wide and he almost choked on his beer. “Come on, Chuck, that’s Matt’s wife! I wouldn’t dream of such a thing.”

“Really?” his friend challenged. “You’ve never even thought about it? Damn, I’m sure you’ve seen Sarah naked more than once!”

Chancing a quick glance across the table, Mike was relieved to see Dwayne and Janella deep in conversation and paying no attention to the other occupants of the table. Chuck’s comment had caught him off guard and conjured up many images of Sarah sprinting for the bathroom or leaning too far forward in a robe not secured. There had been many evenings where she’d strolled out to the kitchen wearing only a shirt, unaware that Mike sat in the next room or had left his bedroom door ajar. He had inadvertently viewed more of Sarah than he’d ever seen of his girlfriends at college. While he always tried to avert his eyes, the proper thing to do, her moments of indiscretion only fueled his desire.

Meeting Chuck’s eyes, he shook his head. “No, I haven’t,” Mike lied.

Rolling his eyes, Chuck finished his beer. “There’s something wrong with you, Mike!” he declared, setting his empty glass on the table.

His cell phone beeped and Chuck pulled it out of his pocket. As predicted by Janella, Amanda had finished her studies and was trying to locate him. Aware that he was about to become the odd man out, Mike decided to make his exit. He told Dwayne and Chuck he would see them in the locker room Saturday morning and wished everyone goodnight. His friends appeared surprised by his early departure, but they did not entice Mike to remain.

Once at his vehicle, Mike unlocked the door and slumped into the driver’s seat. He would be a fifth wheel at the apartment, too, which did not make him feel any better. Hopefully it would be some time before Matt and Sarah returned. Perhaps he could find a good comedy on television and laugh himself out of his depression. Something had to place him in a better frame of mind and soon.

A win at home for the football team that weekend raised Mike’s spirits and renewed his energy. However, by Wednesday, he felt lethargic again. He managed to get through his classes without feeling ill, but during football practice, his stomach turned queasy. Even the pizza Sarah brought home for dinner that night did not smell enticing. After choking down two pieces, Mike retired to his room for the evening and climbed into bed before nine.

Around three in the morning, he awoke with a start. Body drenched in sweat, Mike realized what was about to occur and reached the bathroom just before losing his dinner. His stomach emptied of its contents, Mike sat down on the cold bathroom floor. The nightlight cast an eerie glow on the walls and he attempted to focus on a box of tissue atop the commode. Even in the dim light, the world appeared to sway before his eyes. Disorientated, Mike closed his lids to eliminate the nauseating sight.

When he felt his equilibrium return to normal, Mike rose to his feet and prayed he had not disturbed his roommates. He washed his face and staggered to his bedroom. Crawling under the covers, Mike repositioned his body and forced himself to relax. Sickness did not come often and it had been years since Mike experienced the flu. He hoped that after clearing his system, he would feel better when he awoke.

A pounding on his door brought Mike out of a restless sleep. The ache in his muscles and intense heat emanating from his skin consumed him. Opening his eyes, Mike found himself sprawled on his back with half the covers thrown aside. At some point during the night, he’d become too warm. Weary, Mike attempted to lift his head and every muscle in his neck protested the movement. A second knock echoed loudly in his room.

“Mike! You’re going to be late!” Matt shouted through the closed door.

Groaning, Mike rubbed his eyes. “Not gonna make it today,” he called.

He heard the doorknob rattle and turned his head just as the door opened a crack. Matt peered in at his roommate.

“You okay?” he said.

“Got a touch of the flu or something,” Mike answered with a sigh. “Hopefully if I get some sleep today, I won’t miss practice.”

“Okay. Hope you feel better, man.”

Mike spent the entire day in bed, tossing and turning to find a comfortable position. He drifted in and out of sleep, too warm under the covers and too chilled whenever he threw them aside. At one point, he awoke and discovered his head at the foot of the bed. When he tried to eat a bowl of cereal for lunch, Mike’s efforts to put something into his empty stomach were rewarded thirty minutes later with a frantic dash to the bathroom.

By that afternoon, it became obvious he would not attend football practice today. Mike called the coach and spoke with the team doctor, describing his symptoms in detail. He was afraid they would want him to come in to verify his illness, but in five seasons, Mike had not been sick even once. A leg injury had sidelined him for three weeks, but no other ailment had kept him off the playing field. He listened to the doctor’s recommendations, aware that if he did not improve by tomorrow morning, he would miss this weekend’s away game. The team would not lack for receivers, as his roommate now enjoyed the best season of his career. However, Mike didn’t want to miss a game for any reason.

His thoughts on football, Mike’s attempts to sleep the remainder of the afternoon proved difficult. Matt checked on him before departing for practice and Sarah was kind enough to bring him a ginger ale when she returned from work. Able to keep down most of the liquid, Mike’s stomach continued to protest the presence of food. He remained in his room for the evening, fearful of passing his illness to either roommate. Matt and Sarah did not need to be stricken with the flu.

The following morning, Mike felt no better. Sleep had eluded him most of the night and he’d made more than one trip to the bathroom. Exhaustion had overcome him sometime before dawn. He roused when he heard water running in the shower, but managed to fall back into a restless slumber. A light rapping on his door brought him awake and Mike lifted his head just as his door opened.