The Job

Mike is sobbing now.

“What... what the fuck, Joe?”

Joe can’t think of what to say, so he shuts up.

“Seriously, Joe?” Mike says in broken sob.

“There’s nothing I can say that will stop this, kid.”

Mike looks as him, exhausted and devastated. “Stop fucking calling me kid.”

Joe sighs. “I’m so sorry. I hope...” What did he hope?

“Well, I just... how much longer?” Mike can barely say without the words feeling heavy in his throat, making his stomach feel like lead.

“Uh... five days. Then they say I’ll have a complete renal shutdown. I’ll...” Joe almost says die, but he can’t bring himself to when he sees Mike looking at him so upset. It’s breaking him down, and it’s killing him already, that terribly despondent look on Mike’s face.

“That can’t be. There has to be a way. I have money. I’ll pay...”

Joe shakes his head doubtfully. “I don’t think ten grand is enough. I really appreciate it. But... it’s not enough.”

“How much then?”

“Almost a half a million, I’m guessing,” Joe sighs. “I literally thought the bullet grazed me, Mike. I didn’t know it got stuck in me. That it also damaged my kidney too. That surgery put my body under so much stress, it had to come out, anyway. And I’m way older than you, and I smoke. I also drink. So... things are against me. But, they told me they might be able to find a donor.”

“This is ridiculous. There has to be a way!”

“There’s not.”

Mike gets so angry, he punches the bed near Joe’s feet.

“Damn! Trying to beat up my cripple ass?” Joe says, trying to lighten the mood. “Just know once I can stand I’ll get you back.”

Mike growls, ignoring Joe, “So a fucking stupid ass burglar shoots me, and then Diego’s men try to off you, and then... we finally get to be back together... and we can’t find a kidney for you... and you die?!” Mike says angrily. “No. No way. I won’t let anything else happen to you.”

“Mike, baby, this..”

“You’re mine. I have to protect you,” Mike says so passionately, Joe puts his hands over his mouth, saying nothing.

Mike sits down on the wheelchair. “Fuck. So... what can we do? So... is that fucker Diego dead? The guy that shot you?” Joe had only briefed Mike a few details over what had happened after the latter was attacked. Joe was more worried about know what had happened to Mike.

“Yeah. I heard that Diego had gotten hit in a major artery in his leg where I shot him and died right then and there on the scene. And the other guy that shot me... I shot him in the head. He died here in the ICU. It was a simple case of self defense, according to the police.”

Mike nods. “So you aren’t going to be charged with any crimes?”

Joe shakes his head.

A deep sigh of relief, then Mike concludes, “Oh, thank goodness. You definitely didn’t deserve to go to jail over this. Can one of them give you their kidney?”

Joe laughs, but then wonders if that can happen. His silence tells Mike more than anything—-he trusts Mike to plan things for the both of them.

“I heard that if someone just died... they can give their kidneys for a transplant,” Mike says.

Joe shrugs. Mike sighs.

Mike looks at him frustratedly. “Joe, this is your life. Don’t shrug.”

“Mike, it’s not that. It’s long shot. You know?”

“I don’t... Joe, work with me, here!”

Joe clenches his teeth. “Don’t do this, ki-” Joe stops himself from saying kid again. “Mike, it’s not worth it. I’m not worth it.”

Mike stands up, and gets close to Joe’s face. “Don’t you ever say that shit to me again. Don’t you ever tell me that you aren’t worth it. Don’t call me kid. And also, I love you so much, Joe, and I’m not a bitch just because I’m crying. Okay?” Mike says it with assertion, not aggression, which makes Joe feel respected—-he realizes that Mike is trying to work through a lot of emotions.

“Mike, I never called you a bitch that day. I said... you were acting like one! Ugh.” Joe sighs. “But, I don’t think of that way, and I love you, too. And, you made yourself clear.” He chuckled softly. “Mike?”

“Huh?” Mike said, distracted from his own frustration.

“When you got shot, and I found you... man I lost it. I was so shocked and upset that I went to the cops, and my face was red from crying.... and they noticed it. I was literally fucking crying hysterically from what happened... in front of strangers. So... you’re not a bitch. But I am.”

“Oh, Joe...” Mike says gently. “That’s not a bitch.”

Joe laughs. “Then what is a bitch?”

“A female dog?” Mike answers.

Joe sighs with a laugh.

“I know you don’t want me to say sorry, Joe, but I am going to anyway.”

“Well, this is gonna sound odd, but you’re kinda my husband now, and if you wanna say sorry to me, I’ll allow it,” Joe says with a wink. Mike laughs.

“Okay. Good. So.... I’m sorry, Joe. Because you were right. We should’ve left that night. Then... things probably would’ve turned out so much better.”

Joe scratches his head, and frowns. “I accept your apology, but I don’t think you actually need to be sorry. This wasn’t your fault, at all. But, I understand why you said it.”

Mike looks at Joe, highly impressed by the response. “Thank you, Joe.”

“You’re welcome, my love,” As Joe says it, he realizes that what would’ve made him laugh in derision before makes him feel grown up and mature, and saying such mushy things like, my love, is something he actually always yearned for.

“If I lose you... I’m gonna die, too,” Mike says impulsively, but he means it, even as it doesn’t make sense to him hearing it out loud.

Joe sits up straighter. “No, you aren’t. You’ll live. Swear to it.”

Mike says nothing, covering his face with his hands.

“Please, look at me, Mike,” Joe whispers.

Mike obliges—his eyes are tired but soft and gentle. Joe feels like his heart is still just by looking into those vulnerable eyes, completely and perfectly still—-ready at any moment to be matched with Mike’s electric rhythm, for always and eternity.

Joe in turn orders carefully, “Swear after I die, that you’ll be happy.”

Mike looks at him disturbed, and shakes his head.

“Mike, I don’t mean right after!” He laughs, “I mean... that you’ll move on.”

Mike still frowns. “Then swear to me you’ll fight to live as long as possible.”

Joe nods. “Deal. Let’s shake on it.”

“Okay,” Mike goes over and they shake hands.

Joe pulls him in suddenly and kisses Mike on the cheek. “Good deal, baby.”

Mike laughs, and they kiss each other.

A few days go by.

They finally find Joe a donor.

Mike is still in recovery from surgery, and hears that Joe will be having the kidney transplant the next morning.

Mike comes by Joe’s room the night before.

“You are going to do perfectly, Joe. Then, we’re getting the hell out of dodge!”

“Sounds good, cowboy,” Joe says with a smirk.

“Paris, this time?” Mike says, kissing Joe on the cheek.

“Paris, my love,” Joe says softly.

“Is there anything else about your past you wanna tell me? Before you go straight and become a hard working, functioning member of society.”

Joe sighs. “I’m a no good sonofabitch. I’ve stolen things. I’ve killed. Self defense doesn’t matter. Murder is murder. I’ve not been the best son. The best person. I’ve been selfish. I know I can be better. You taught me how good it feels to help people. And I fell in love. Something I never thought I could do... because I was an asshole to everyone in my life. I pushed everyone away. But, Mike, you are someone I wanna be with forever. I hope you know that. I hope you aren’t... disgusted with me. For who I was, but, I am ready to change.”

Mike looks at him with love and affection. “I’m willing to change with you, to grow, and build you up, as you build me up.”

Joe smiles. “You saying that makes me wish we were in Paris right now. Just like that day you risked everything to tell me you were undercover... man, it makes me feel like I wanna do something big to show you how much you mean to me.”

“The only thing I want is you. That’s it. If you can be with me, I’ll be happy.”

Joe nods. “That’s how I feel.”

“But... one thing... I’ll need you to quit smoking!”

Joe laughs. “I’ll try! No promises.”

“We can at least have a honeymoon in Paris.”

Joe grins. “Yeah? That does sound wonderful. But we promised my mom we’d give her our new address in Lourmarin.”

“Are you glad you are her are good now?”

“Man... you did something for me no one would ever do. Help me talk to my mom again. I’ll never forget that. That was beyond anything a friend does. Or a spouse.”

Mike shrugs, but has a subtle smile on his face.

“Hey! Don’t shrug,” Joe echoes what Mike said earlier, and Mike laughs.

“I won’t. I was kiddin’... I was so happy to see you happy. And to see you actually talking to her, was so nice.”

“Hey, you’re the best, Mike. Don’t forget that.”

And he doesn’t forget it, not after they say goodnight and Mike goes back into his room.

He gives Joe another kiss, a passionate kiss, and tells him they’ll see each other after the surgery.

Joe tells him to “behave” in his hospital bed, and Mike laughs.

“I won’t, Joe. I promise.”

———-

The surgery is a success, but Joe has some pain and needs time to heal.

Joe finally gets released from the hospital around a week later. Mike is released several days before Joe.

Though the transplant was a success, the doctors tell Joe that he may only have between five to twelve years to live even with dialysis.

Sometimes, twenty years, if the patient is healthy enough.

Upon hearing this, Joe quits cigarettes immediately. He stops drinking. Mike is proud of him for this.

Mike and Joe finally get to be alone, after all the trauma, the pain—-and the equal weight they shared that they might lose one another. They hold each other for a long time, and feel safe again.

They go to Paris, and see all the sights, the Eiffel Tower, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Tuileries Garden, cross the Pont des Arts over the Seine river and also see the Louvre Palace.

Joe treats Mike to a lavish time, and is grateful for the fact they are both alive.

They find things to do everyday, one thing or two things, for a stranger. An act of kindness.

Joe invests on this idea further, and wishes to create a non profit charity one day with Mike. To help underprivileged youth and families to stay together—with drug and alcohol abuse counseling, dealing with domestic violence issues and also root causes for interpersonal problems and street crime.

Mike absolutely loves it, and once they finally settle down, finding a place together, they put their dream into reality.