Working late

One day Steve worked late. The boss had asked him to finish a task and then close up, something Steve had accepted. Pete was the last to leave and wished him a good evening before he left.

It was quiet in the workplace, but Steve didn’t mind. At least he could get the job done undisturbed by anyone.

With a small pack of papers in his hand, Steve got up from his desk to take some copies. When he reached the corridor, pain shot through his leg. With his eyes closed he waited for it to pass. As another shot of pain spiralled through his leg he knew it wouldn’t pass, not this time. The muscles in his leg twisted in the dreaded cramp and he slowly exhaled, to take in another sharp breath.

No…not now

There was nothing to hold on to, the wall was beyond arms reach. He stood there, pain shooting through his leg.

Damn it

He knew he had to walk to get it out, walking always helped. The first time he had experienced this, he had been in agony for at least an hour before they knew what was wrong and injected muscle relaxers. Then the doctor had told him how he had to deal with it. He knew what he had to do, but he was afraid he would fall. If he fell down and wouldn’t be able to get up, how long would he lie there, in pain? On the other hand, standing there wouldn’t help either.

Grinding his teeth, Steve took a careful step, towards the wall. Then he took another, but his leg failed to hold him and he fell, just as he had feared.

The pain in his leg was unbearable and he desperately tried to calm his breathing and get up again, with no success. He did the one thing he could think of, he searched for his cell phone in his pocket and dialled a number.

Please pick up he silently pleaded as he listened to the dial tone.

“With Pete”

Great, now he only had to talk to him. But as always, that proved to be difficult. Steve opened his mouth, but nothing came out, except for a soft groan and he took a few deep breaths in order to try and deal with the pain.

“Hello?”

Please, don’t hang up, please, I’ll talk, just don’t hang up on me

“Steve?”

“Pete…” Steve finally managed to squeeze out.

“Steve, what’s wrong?”

“My…leg…”

“Is your leg acting up again? Try to walk.”

Thank God for friends that knew what was happening with just a few words. “I… fell…can’t…get up”

“I’m coming. Try to get up, Steve. You have to. I know you can do it.”

That was exactly what he had been trying to do.

“Steve, you’re still with me?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry, I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon. Try to move your legs, keep working them.”

Steve didn’t respond, he knew he didn’t have to. Pete kept talking to him, kept encouraging him to get up and walk. He stayed on the line with him and he was on his way. This alone was a great reassurance for Steve and with new courage he tried to get up again.

~

When the cell phone of Pete had rang, he briefly had looked at the screen to see Steve’s name on it and answered it, thinking Steve had a question for him. When Steve didn’t answer he frowned and was starting to wondered if Steve somehow accidently had called him, but when he talked for a third time he finally got an answer. When Steve had managed to say he had fallen, he had immediately turned his car around and now he was driving back. On his way back he stayed on the phone with Steve. He was speeding, but he didn’t care.

“Steve, get up.”

“I’m…trying.”

“Keep trying, I’m almost there.” He could only imagine how helpless Steve felt and in how much pain he would be. Talking was with a lot of effort, he could hear that. And he remembered how Steve had been at the New Years party.

~

It was such a relief for Steve to know Pete was coming. He bit his teeth together and tried to get his leg to move. With a lot of effort he managed to draw his leg a bit closer. But he knew he couldn’t do it alone.

Pete, I beg you, please hurry

“Are you still there?” Steve heard through his cell phone.

“Yes.”

“I’m almost there, don’t give up.”

Steve nodded, but he realised Pete wouldn’t see that. He took in a deep breath, placed one hand on the ground and pushed himself up a bit.

~

Pete soon got the building in sight and pulled over in front of it. He didn’t take his time to park his car, he just pulled over, turned off the engine and hurried inside.

When Steve heard running footsteps he dropped his cell phone. One moment later Pete was standing next to him and grabbed his arm.

“Come on, Steve, I’ll help you.”

Steve just nodded, closing his eyes to deal with the pain.

With the help of Pete he managed to get up and hanging heavily on his friend he managed to walk. They walked for a few minutes and the pain started to leave as the muscles in his leg started to loosen up.

Finally the pain was gone, but he could barely walk on his weak and trembling legs. Pete helped him to his chair at his desk.

“I’ll go pick up those papers you dropped,” Pete offered.

“I was on my way to make a copy of those,” Steve sighed and Pete nodded.

“No problem, I’ll make them.”

“You really don’t…”

“I’ll stick around a bit, help you finish this and take you home.”

Steve opened his mouth to protest, but Pete was adamant, so he closed his mouth again and nodded. He knew Pete wouldn’t listen and truthfully, he didn’t like to be alone right now. “Thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But you won’t get overtime for this.”

“I don’t care, Steve. I’m not going to abandon you now.”

“Thanks,” Steve said again, softly. He watched Pete leave and turned his attention to the computer, where the program was still running. Now he was sitting here, he decided he might as well finish it quickly and go home. If Pete could do the walking to the printer and copier, it would be done soon enough.

As soon as they were done, they turned off the computers and lights, locked the workplace, locked the building and walked to Pete’s car, where they found a ticket behind the wiper.

Pete took it and sighed. “Ticket for double parking. Seriously, who is looking around for a parking place at this hour?”

“Pete…”

“Don’t say it, Steve.” Pete glanced aside as he put the ticket in his pocket. “I could have taken my time to park properly, but I chose not to. It’s my own fault, so don’t worry about it.”

Steve nodded and walked up to the car, which Pete unlocked. He still felt bad about it, but Pete wouldn’t want to hear anything about it or accept money for it. Even though it wouldn’t have happened is his legs hadn’t cramped up.

With a sigh he got into the car.

“Don’t look so down,” Pete said as he took place at the driver seat. “I really don’t mind. I’m glad I was still driving.” He paused for a moment. “Why did you call me, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“You were the closest who knew what was going on. My wife is at home. 911 wouldn’t help, as you heard I could barely explain what the problem was and I felt little for being rushed to a hospital from work. I’m glad you came.”

“I could have gotten a speeding ticket as well,” Pete confided with a smile. “I’m lucky they didn’t check that as well.”

Steve couldn’t help himself, he laughed. “Damn man, I’m sorry for bringing all this trouble on you.”

“You’re free to call me anytime, you know that.”

“Thanks. You’re always there for me when I need you.”

Pete winked at Steve. “That’s what friends are for,” he told him.

He dropped Steve of at the apartment block where he lived, wished him a good night and asked if he wanted to be picked up to go to work. Steve took the offer and wished his friend a good night as well.

As Pete drove towards his house, his cell phone informed him he had received a text message. Curiously he  read it.

*I thought you would like to know I made it safely to my apartment. Thanks again for coming for me and bringing me home. I appreciate it. Steve.*

Pete smiled reading that and put away his cell phone again. A ticket for not using a hands free set, he could have gotten that as well. Grinning he decided he should inform Steve he had missed two out of three tickets.

At home he told Karen why he was late for dinner and why he had gotten a ticket for double parking. She hugged him and told him that he was a great guy to look after a friend like that. Pete truly felt blessed to have an understanding wife as she was and took her in an embrace himself.

*** © Mariska Bekker ***

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