Last Swim | By : jai Category: Individual Celebrities > Athlete/Sports Misc Views: 8134 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the people written about in this fanfiction. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Bridges
October 23, 2004 Rodger’s Forge, MD.
“I gotta go now. I think my mom wants to talk to me.” Michael carefully hung up the phone.
***************
Michael frantically tried to remember if he’d mentioned Ian’s name. Oh. Yeah. He had, right after the ‘I might be gay’ thing. Okay.
“Mom, what are you still doing up?”
“I was just going to ask you that. It’s almost three.”
So maybe she hadn’t been standing there all along.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him.
“So you picked up the phone and called Ian? Didn’t you too spend enough time together on the tour?” It wasn’t the words, it was her delivery.
“Mom. . .”
“Michael?”
“You heard everything, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t mean to invade your privacy; I was just coming to tell you to get some sleep.” For the first time, Debbie dropped her façade and looked a little lost.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
“Are you sorry that I heard it or are you sorry that you’re…”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure if I am or not, you know, gay. And if I knew for sure, you know I’d tell you. I wasn’t trying to hide it but I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Michael, I’m always going to worry about you.” Debbie ove over and sat on the bed. “I worried about you when you were spending so much, uh, time with Tom.”
Mortified, Michael was considering trying to burrow through the mattress when Debbie put her hand on her son’s arm and squeezed gently.
“I’d rather you figure it out now rather than waiting until you’re forty, married and with a couple of kids. That would not be pretty.”
“Mom!”
“Oh, hush. Michael, I’m not shocked, okay? Well, I am shocked but I know you and this isn’t so much of a surprise. You’ve always been a little weird around girls.”
“Argh! Mom!”
“What?”
“This is so embarrassing. My mom has gaydar.” He’d never experienced a full body blush but he was surely having one now.
“No, I have eyes. You like girls but you don’t really like spending time with them. To be honest, I was really worried you were going to be some kind of playboy love ‘em and leave ‘em type.” Debbie was almost enjoying herself now. She’d had several months to get prepared for this conversation and making Michael squirm was a little bit of payback.
Michael, busy trying to suffocate himself with his pillow, mumbled something Debbie didn’t quite catch.
“What was that, dear?”
“I said I do like girls, I just like him more.”
“Well, that’s nice, honey. Is he treating you good? He’s not some kind of butchy leather man, right? Then again, he doesn’t really seem that type.”
Michael squinted up at her, “You are so yanking my chain, aren’t you?”
“You just figured that out?” She snickered unrepentantly.
“Mom!”
Debbie made herself comfortable against the headboard after stealing Michael’s pillow. “So, tell me all about him. Is he going to visit you in Michigan?”
Resigned to his mother interrogation, Michael sighed. “I don’t know. He’s a little far away for that.”
“Planes don’t fly between Texas and Michigan?”
Oh. Ian. She thought he’d been talking to Ian Crocker. Michael played back their conversation in his head ‘spend enough time together on the tour’. Yep. He was tempted to not enlighten her but she’d probably be on the phone in the morning (or rather, later this morning) on the phone with Crocker’s parents and start planning some kind of commitment ceremony.
After the naked elevator incident in Seattle (that was all Crocker’s fault, by the way), he owed Ian a little retribution but falsely outing his team mate via his mother was going a little overboard. Oh well.
“Mom, I wasn’t talking to Ian Crocker.”
“You weren’t?”
“No.”
Debbie sat for a moment. “Okay, so what does this Ian do? Where did you meet him?” While she thought Michael could do much better than Ian Crocker, she at least knew him. Some stranger was another can of worms.
“Uh, I met him a couple of years ago but nothing really happened until Athens.”
“Uh huh. So he’s another athlete?”
“He’s uh, well he’s a swimmer.”
“But what other swimmer is named . . . Thorpe? Ian Thorpe?” Debbie was flabbergasted and stared at her son in disbelief. “But he’s Australian!”
“Mom, what does that matter?” Of all the things for his mother to object to!
“So that’s thousands of miles away!”
“Yeah, we kind of know that mom.”
Debbie exhaled, relaxed back into her pillow and mentally reviewed what she knew about this Thorpe character. He was just as dedicated to swimming as Michael, he’s always seemed polite and gentlemanly, he designed jewelry, he dressed well and he was certainly successful.
Ian Thorpe was definitely more of a catch than Ian Crocker. Crocker was a fine young man but he wasn’t quite up to Michael’s caliber in Debbie’s opinion. Thorpe on the other hand, that man had real potential. Of course, no one would really be good enough for her little boy but Thorpe just might do. She wondered if . . .
“Mom?”
“Um? Oh, what, dear?”
“You’re not going to call Ian’s parents.”
“Michael! Would I do that?”
“Mom, I know you and yes, you would. You can’t call them. Not even one of your ‘we’re all swim parents, in this together’ calls, okay?”
“Are you sure, honey?”
Groaning, Michael realized he’d just have to lay it on the line. “We aren’t really dating. We’re just talking. And taking our time. There’s the distance thing, career thing, we don’t really know each other thing. There’s lots of things.” Michael shrugged and gazed earnestly at her. “Right now, we’re just going to see where this leads. He made a good point earlier. We’re not really in a position where either one of us can promise anything.”
Debbie looked down at her youngest child and realized that he’d grown up while she wasn’t really watching. Funny how kids did that on you.
“You know if he breaks your heart its gloves off, right?”
Michael chuckled tiredly, “Yeah, mom. I know.”
“Well then, I think its time for both of us to get some sleep. Are you too old for me to tuck you in?”
Smiling beatifically (and with considerable relief), Michael snuggled down in his sheets and allowed his mother to straighten the covers, fluff his pillows and brush a kiss across his forehead.
“You know I still love you and that I’ll always be here for you. Just be careful, okay?"
She leaned down and hugged him for several moments before making herself step away.
“I love you too, mom.”
“I know, honey. Now get some sleep.”
Fathoms
October 24, 2004 Sydney Australia
Ian woke early the next morning and stretched leisurely before squinting at the clock. Good lord, it was barely seven. Although he was still training, Ian had been sleeping in lately and hitting the pool around ten. One of the benefits of having your own two lane fifty meter lap pool was never having to work around someone else’s schedule.
After figuring the time difference, he realized it was four in the afternoon in Baltimore. Shuddering, he wondered how things had gone with Michael’s mother.
‘Alright, no sense putting it off.’ He picked up and dialed the phone before he could talk himself out of it. Michael’s mobile rang four times before he got voice mail. Ian stepped out of bed and picked up his Palm Pilot before popping back in between the sheets. He quickly found Michael’s home phone number and debated for moment before keying it into the phone.
“Hello?.” A woman answered the phone and Ian winced. This wasn’t going to be fun.
“Hello, Mrs. Phelps. This is Ian, is Michael available?”
“Oh, hello Ian.” There was a long pause. “Michael’s in the backyard. Hang on, I’ll go get him.”
Dear god, she knew. It was in her voice. Ian uncharacteristically found himself twitching nervously.
“Ian?”
“Michael. Hi.”
“Hi. How are you?”
“I was thinking that I really should be asking you that question. When your mum said you were in the backyard, I thought for a moment she’d planted you out there.”
“No, it’s cool,” Michael laughed. I was raking leaves.”
“It’s cool?”
“Yeah, we had a good talk. She said she kind of already knew something was up.”
“She knew? How?”
“Yeah, something about how I didn’t like spending time with girls and um, how much time I’d spent with Tom.”
“Oh. Was she upset?”
“Kind of, more about me not telling her then the other thing.”
“I’m really glad, for both of you, that this didn’t cause a strain on your relationship.”
“Yeah, me too. So, did Pieter get in okay?”
“Yes, although I was understandably distracted when I picked him. But he was really supportive when I told him.”
“You told him? About…”
“Us, yes.”
“There’s an us?” Michael squeaked out.
“Uh. Yes, I guess there is.” Ian didn’t know when he’d made that decision but something inside him had changed overnight.
“Let me just make sure I’ve got this right. There’s an us but we’re not dating?”
“Gah. Okay, okay. We’re dating. Are you happy now?” Ian said peevishly.
“Hee! You said it first! You said it first!”
Ian rolled his eyes and tucked an arm behind his head. Sometimes Michael could take competition to an incredibly juvenile level but Ian didn’t mind.
“You know, mom thought you were Crocker.”
“What! The chinless wonder! How cruel.”
Giggling, Michael wedged the phone on his shoulder, opened the fridge and perused the contents. “Well, I’m sure she didn’t mean to be insulting. What are you guys planning to do today?”
“We’re going over to his flat and check the painter’s progress. We’ve got dinner plans with Grant and Klim and their girlfriends.”
“I thought Pieter was staying with you?”
“He is but only until his flat is ready. I wouldn’t mind having him stay but it would be a little awkward when Minouche visits. Three’s a crowd and all that.”
“Ah. Okay.” Michael carefully tucked away the little green devil he’d had sitting on his shoulder. “Did you have a good swim this morning?”
“Actually, I haven’t gotten out of bed yet. In fact, I haven’t even had coffee yet.”
“You called me before getting coffee? Wow, I’m honored.”
“Oh stuff it. I was worried about you. Sue me.”
“Michael!” Michael looked up and realized his mother was standing on the other side of the fridge door. “Either get something out or crawl inside but don’t stand there hanging off the door.”
“Oops. Sorry mom.” Michael sheepishly grabbed a sports drink and quickly shut the door. He could hear Ian sniggering through the handset.
“And you’ve got email from that real estate agent in Michigan!” Debbie threw over her shoulder as she left the room.
“Thanks, mom!” Michael opened the bottle and took a swallow before addressing Mr. Chuckles. “Are you done yet?”
“Michaely’s in trou-ble, Michaely’s in trou-ble.”
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.”
Ian got himself under control with difficulty. “I’m done. I’m done. Ahem. So, you’re still going to buy a house in Michigan?”
“Yes. My business manager has been after me to make a few investments but I’m not ready to start playing the stock market.”
“Ah, wise decision. So what kind of house are you looking at?”
“Something with three or four bedrooms, I’ll probably end up with a roommate or two but I still want a guest room. My mom’s been pushing for me to get a townhouse or condo so I don’t have to deal with yard work but those usually don’t have enough bedrooms.”
“You really want to have roommates? Have anyone in mind?
“Yeah, actually. Do you know Chris Vanderkaay? He’s Peter’s brother. He’s finishing his degree this semester but will be staying on with the club so he’ll need a place off campus. And I was talking to one of the girls from the softball team. She’s now at Ann Arbor for her master’s and she’s been staying with her aunt and uncle but that’s getting kind of old.”
“Sounds like you’re all set.”
“Nah, not really. It’s just an idea. I haven’t ever met Chris and Julie had some other options. It really depends on what kind of house I find.”
“Very sensible. I approve.”
“And I live for your approval, Mr. Thorpe.”
“So have we talked long enough to get you out of raking the lawn?”
“Yep. It’s pretty dark out there now so mission accomplished. I’m high fiving you from an absurd distance.”
“I’d high five you back but I’ve really got to pee so probably not a good idea at this juncture.”
“You should probably go take care of that.”
“Yeah. You want to me to call you back in a few?”
“I can hold if you want.”
“Oh sure, you can hold when it’s my phone bill,” Ian groused good-naturedly. Okay, give me a minute.” Ian put the phone down and hurried into the bathroom.
Pieter, who just missed being flashed by Ian, strolled into the room laden down with a breakfast tray. After placing the tray on the beside table, he noticed the phone on the pillow and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Hi. Pieter, is that you?”
“Hi, Michael, how did I know it was going to be you?” Pieter put an extra layer of innuendo in his voice. Was he going to pass up a chance to mess with Michael and through him, Ian? Of course not.
“What are you doing in Ian’s bedroom?”
“I was looking for him. I made him breakfast.”
“Lost another bet did you?”
“Yes, damn the sneaky bastard. So I’m here, you’re sort of here. Where’s Ian?”
“He had to use the bathroom.”
Pieter resisted the impulse to throw the phone away. “Is this his first trip of the morning and if not, do you know if he washed his hands?”
“Pieter! Get away from that phone!”
“Oh. There’s Ian and he looks really mad. Do you know how I can tell, Michael?” Pieter evaded Ian’s grasping hands and ran into the hall.
“No, how can you tell?”
“Because he’s running after me stark naked while there is fresh brewed coffee on his nightstand. Oh wait. He’s made a very quick turn off the wall and is heading for home.” Pieter reversed direction and trailed the caffeine zombie back into the bedroom. “He’s really kicking now but will he fade before the finish?”
Michael fell down laughing at Pieter’s color commentary. “He’s really going to kill you once he’s finished that cup, you know.”
“Ah, little grasshopper, I am not only prettier but I’m also faster than the lumbering big foot. The man sadly has no land speed whatsoever. I’ve seen him trip over air, I have. Have you seen him try to dance? There should be a law against letting the man on a dance floor. And his toes are very- gack!”
Michael could hear the phone being fumbled around and muffled shouts before Ian’s smooth voice was once again on the line.
“I’m back.”
“What did you do to him?”
“I mussed up his hair, his only known weak point. From there, it was easy. Oh, what was that, Pieter? I’m the most graceful being on earth and you’re a lying dog? Yes, we all knew that.” Ian sounded quite smug over his victory.
Michael was glad he’d found a chair as he was laughing so hard, tears were in his eyes. “Stop. Stop. My ribs are hurting.”
“Here, Pieter wants to apologize. Pieter?”
“He only got the phone away from me because he’s fat! Ow! No hitting!”
“Michael? Are you snorting?”
“Ye . . ye. . .” Michael was so far gone he couldn’t form words. Debbie, who had just walked into the room, was treated to the sight of her son holding his midsection and trying to breathe through the snorts. As she watched, Michael laid his head on the table, dropping the phone in the process.
She snatched up the phone to hear Ian say, “Michael, Michael? Good god, Pieter. I think we’ve killed him.”
“Ian?”
“Mrs. Phelps? Is Michael okay”
“Oh, call me Debbie. And he’s okay. He’s just, well. Wait. He’s trying to talk.”
“Fa . . . fa . . fat!” And Michael fell out of his chair.
“He said ‘fat.’ What does that mean?”
“That means Pieter is going to have to suffer. Suffer in ways previously unknown to mankind.” Ian said very seriously while glowering at his friend, who was currently fussing with his hair in Ian’s mirror while haughtily ignoring his host.
“Okay.” The explanation was obviously lost on Debbie. “Michael and I were planning to met his sister for dinner in an hour. Do you mind if I hang up so he can recover enough to get up off the floor?”
“Oh, okay. Is he really that bad off?”
“I don’t know what you two have been doing but he’s totally gone.” Michael was now curled up into a not so little ball as puffs of laughter escaped from his abused lungs.
“Well, if you would, tell him to call me tomorrow at the usual time?”
“I’ll do that, Ian. Have a good . . is it day or night there?”
“It’s early morning. And have a nice dinner, Debbie.”
They exchange goodbyes and hung up, leaving Debbie to try and scoop her kid off the kitchen floor and Ian to plot his revenge.
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