"Are you sure about this?" Abbey asked
Micheal nodded, his eyes shining with determination.
"I'm certain. This is what I want to do with my life."
Abbey sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"I know you're passionate about helping people, but this job... it's going to be tough. You'll be dealing with death every day."
With a sad smile, Micheal reached out and took Abbey's hand.
"You're right. I know it's not going to be easy. But I've been thinking a lot lately, and I believe this is what I'm meant to do. Watching the world turn into a crappier place every day, I've always had this feeling that I needed to do something to make it better, but I ignored the call because I was too busy listening to what everyone else wanted me to do. Success will buy you happiness, they say, and I believed it.
"But I was wrong. Kevin's death was a wake-up call for me. I don't want to waste my life doing something that doesn't matter like I have been, programming for a company that profits off of people's misery. I want to make a difference in the world, even if it's a for a moment. I know that I don't have the skills to be a doctor like you, but I've seen how you help people. You look so happy when you're helping others, and I want to feel that too while working in hospice care."
Abbey squeezed his hand, her eyes softening.
"I understand. I just worry about you, that's all. I don't want you to get hurt. You have such a big heart, Micheal. I don't want to see it broken. The smile I put on my face every day is because of you. Not because of the job I have, or the money I make. If I am honest, my job kills me inside."
"People typically think of doctors as suave, confident, and capable of handling anything. But that can't be further from the truth. We're just as human as everyone else. It's just that we see so much pain and suffering every day, we can't help but be desensitized to it. For our patients we're actors in a white coat, we have to show them that we're in control, that we know what we're doing. But I am not a god Micheal, and pretending to be one is exhausting, I feel like I am slowly losing my humanity."
Abbey looked down at where their hands were joined. Micheal's hand was warm and comforting, a stark contrast to the cold, sterile environment of the hospital she worked in.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to unload all of that on you. I just... I don't know. I guess I'm just tired, and I'm scared. I'm scared of losing you, your smile, your warmth and I'm scared of losing myself. You have been my emotional anchor, and I don't know what I would do without you."
Micheal leaned in to kiss her forehead. Releasing her hand, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"I'm not going anywhere, Abbey. For the longest time I thought you were my anchor, my stoic rock that kept my emotions in check. But I've come to realize that you're so much more than that. When I'm with you, I feel like I can be myself, that I can be vulnerable and open up about my feelings. You make me feel safe, Abbey, in a world where men are judged for showing their emotions. No one has ever made me feel that way before."
Micheal paused, taking a deep breath, remembering the moment when he first met Abbey. She was sitting in the library, her nose buried in a medical textbook, her brow furrowed in concentration. He was just passing by, on his way to the computer lab to work on his programming assignment, when he heard her muttering to herself. "The left pumps the body, the right pumps the lungs. The left pumps the body, the right pumps the lungs" she chanted, her voice tinged with frustration. He couldn't help but chuckle, and she looked up, her eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"What's so funny?" she snapped.
Micheal held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing, nothing. It's just... you're studying the heart, right? Isn't it amazing how such a small organ can keep us alive?"
Abbey's expression softened, and she smiled. "Yeah, it is. It's fascinating, really. I'm studying to be a doctor, you see. I want to help people. But I'm drowning in all this information. I don't know how I'm going to remember it all when I take the MCAT tomorrow."
Micheal sat down across from her, his interest piqued. "The MCAT, huh? Isn't that the infamous seven hour long medical school entrance exam? I've heard it's a beast. But I'm sure you'll do great. You have enthusiasm to work hard, and that's half the battle won."
Abbey raised an eyebrow. "You think so?" she asked, a hint of doubt in her voice. "They say that only the top 10% of test takers get into medical school. I don't know if I have what it takes to be in that 10%. I have friends who are already interning at hospitals, and here I am, struggling to memorize which part of the heart pumps blood to the lungs."
"Oof, that's rough," Micheal said, wincing in sympathy. "But hey, don't be so hard on yourself. People learn at their own pace. I felt terrible when I failed my first programming class, when no one else in my class did. I cried for days, thinking that I chose the wrong major. My professor must have noticed my swollen eyes, because he called me into his office and told me something that I'll never forget. 'When things get tough, the real test is how you respond,' he said. 'Failure is not the end of the world,' he said. 'provided you learn from it, and don't give up.'"
"And you know what? He was right. I worked my butt off afterwards, and it paid off. I aced my next programming class. Now I have an internship offer from a big tech company. What I'm trying to say is, don't give up, even when things get tough. You're smart. You're passionate about helping people. You have what it takes, I believe in you."
Abbey laughed, a sound that was like music to Micheal's ears. "Want to bet on it?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye. "If I kick the MCAT's butt, you owe me a date. And if I don't, I'll owe you dinner."
Micheal grinned. "You're on. But I have a feeling that I'll be the one treating you."
Abbey rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. "We'll see about that. My name is Abbey, by the way."
"Micheal," he said, holding out his hand. They shook on it, sealing the deal.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
And that was how it all began. A chance encounter in the library, a bet over a medical exam, which turned into a friendship, which turned into something more. They had been together for seven years now, and Micheal couldn't imagine his life without Abbey in it.
"Looking back on our relationship, we have supported each other through thick and thin. You were there for me when my father died, and I was there for you when you were struggling with your studies. We've been through so much together, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. If you think that hospice care is not for me, I'll trust you and I'll find another way to make a difference in the world. But I also believe in us, Abbey. I believe that we can be each other's anchor, that we can support each other through anything that life throws at us."
Abbey looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"You're so sweet, Micheal. I don't know what I did to deserve you." with a smile, she leaned in to kiss him.
"I trust us too. Maybe you can give it a try, and if it doesn't work out, we can figure something else out together. I love you, Micheal. I love you so much."
Joy bubbled up in Micheal's chest, and he pulled Abbey into a tight hug.
"Thanks, Abbey. I love you too. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, finding comfort in each other's presence. The future was uncertain, but they knew that as long as they had each other, they could face anything that came their way.
Their intimate moment was interrupted however, by the sound of Micheal's phone ringing.
"Hello?" Micheal answered, pulling away from Abbey.
"Oh. Yes we will be there in a few minutes. Thank you for letting us know."
He hung up, and turned to Abbey.
"Crap, the kids!" Micheal yelled, quickly getting up from the couch.
"We forgot to pick them up from school! I can't believe we lost track of time." Abbey said, getting up as well.
"Let's go, we need to get them before they think we are neglecting them. Mrs. Beals was really angry at us last time, and I think she's going to call CPS if we don't hurry."
Micheal and Abbey quickly grabbed their coats and rushed out the door, leaving behind the warmth of their home for the cold winter air outside.
----------------------------------------
"Would you both behave?" Abbey scolded the kids in the backseat of the car, an old 2005 Toyota Corolla that had seen better days. "We're almost home, and I don't want to hear any more fighting."
"She started it!" Christian, the older one said, pointing to his sister.
"No you did!" Katie, the younger one retorted.
"Kids, why can't you just get along?" Micheal said, glancing at them through the rearview mirror.
"Brother embarassed me in front of my friends!" Katie said, crossing her arms.
"How is it my fault that you can't tie your shoes? I could do it when I was your age!" Christian said, rolling his eyes.
"I'll tell your friends that you're a weeaboo!" Katie threatened.
"How dare you!" Christian said, lunging at her. "Where did you even learn that word?"
"TikTok you boomer!" Katie said, dodging his attack.
"I was born in 2008, I'm not a boomer!" Christian said, trying to grab her.
"Oh yeah? Your father is a boomer!" Katie said, sticking her tongue out.
"Hey! That was uncalled for!" Micheal said, trying to keep his eyes on the road. "I'm not a boomer, I'm a millennial. And you two need to stop fighting. We're almost home, and I don't want to hear any more arguing."
The kids grumbled, but they settled down, knowing that their parents meant business.
"I don't know what we're going to do with those two," Abbey said, shaking her head.
"Ha! We should have had a dog instead," Micheal said, chuckling.
"Or a cat," Abbey said, smiling.
"Mrow!" Katie said from the back, pretending to be an angry cat, hands curled into claws.
"Ow!" Christian yelled. "I'm wounded! I need a medic!"
"Poor baby," Katie said, patting his head. "rest in pieces."
"Rest in pieces? That's rich!" Christian said, laughing.
"Yeah cause you'd be in pieces!" Katie said, laughing as well.
The kids continued to joke and laugh, their earlier argument forgotten.
"Kids, you're ridiculous," Abbey said, shaking her head.
"But we love you," Micheal said, "we wouldn't trade you for anything in the world."
"We are one family," Abbey said, "and we stick together, no matter what."
----------------------------------------
PORTAL CONNECTION REQUESTED
ROUTE TO EARTH-A54: CONFIRMED
OPENING PORTAL IN 3... 2... 1...
----------------------------------------
On the corner of Jefferson and Oak, an inky mass the size of a golf ball appeared, hovering a meter in the air. In the next four milliseconds, a milky white circle formed in the center, and like an eye it opened and franticly scanned the surroundings. For 32 milliseconds, it spun in place doing a full 360 degree turn, before it mass expanded to the size of a garage door, revealing a swirling vortex of light -- right in the middle of the street in front of a speeding 2005 Toyota Corolla.
"Jesus Christ!" Micheal yelled, reaching for the brakes.
But it was too late. The car sped into the ethreal frame, thanks to good old Newtonian physics.
Now, if you know cars, you know that a 2005 Toyota Corolla is not an off-road vehicle. It only has front-wheel drive, for starters, and it has a ground clearance of 5.7 inches. It isn't built for any kind of rough terrain, much less interdimensional travel, where the space is constantly shifting and changing in ways that would make a rollercoaster designer blush.
In the "Driver's Guide to the Multiverse", the Samian Automotive Association had rated the Corolla as 'not recommended' for interdimensional travel, and for good reason. The last time a Corolla had tried to cross over from Sirius-J13 to Centauri-9 along the I-405 wormhole, it had ended up resembling a crushed soda can, with the driver's head stuck in the glovebox. Since then the Guide had been updated to include a warning about the dangers of riding a compact car in interspace.
But Micheal, Abbey, and co, being uneducated in the ways of the multiverse, had no idea about the dangers of driving into a portal. So when the car hit the portal, it promptly lost all traction, and started spinning like a top, the kids screaming in terror, the parents yelling in panic. Round and round they went, the car spinning faster and faster, until it was nothing but a blur of metal and glass.
"Bang!" the car hit a particularly rough patch of space, and the kids were thrown around like ragdolls.
"Bam!" the car hit another rough patch, and now the parents were thrown around like ragdolls.
"Boom!" the car hit a particularly nasty patch, and now even the dust bunnies under the seats knew what it felt like to be thrown around like ragdolls.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the spinning stopped, and the car was flung out of the portal, landing with a thud on the ground, the engine sputtering and dying.
Amidst the smoke and dust, the family did not move. Of course, that was because they were all unconscious. And pretty beat up too. A pool of blood was forming under Micheal's head, and Abbey's arm was twisted at an odd angle. Katie had a nasty gash on her forehead, and Christian, well. Have your parents ever told you not to put your feet up in the car? Well, Christian had learned that lesson the hard way, and now his leg looked like a splintered toothpick. Ouch.
But they were alive. And that was something. Not that they knew it, of course. If they were awake they would have appreciated the scenery, which was quite breathtaking. Rolling hills, lush forests, and a sky that was a shade of blue that would make a peacock jealous. In the distance, a castle loomed, its spires reaching for the heavens, and its walls gleaming in the sunlight. Rivers of silver snaked through the landscape, and the air was filled with the sound of birdsong. It looked like something straight out of a Disney movie. But the family was in no mood to appreciate the view. They were too busy being concussed.