Chapter 10
Returning back to college after the arrest on
the night of November 4th was quite the feat for Michael. By the time they
returned, pretty much everyone seemed to know what had happened. Some people
weren't treating him any differently. Many others had seen the giant fall.
Patience tried to keep him cheered up, surprising him with
McDonalds at his house, inviting him over to watch movies with her, Heather and
Paul. But, much like she had become after their fight, he was becoming a shell
of himself.
One night, Patience was jogging and ended up going by
Michael's house. She saw his Escalade in the driveway and decided to stop in and
see him.
So, she knocked on his door, and he opened it a few seconds
later. "Hey Patience." He said, a small smile playing on his lips.
"You up for some company?" She suggested. Michael opened the
door a little wider, allowing her to come in.
She carefully and slowly walked into his house. "Is your
sister here? So I can apologize for my behavior?" Patience asked.
Michael chuckled a little, which was a vast improvement over
what he had been like since the arrest. "My sister Hilary is back in Maryland.
She was stuck here for a couple days for business and I said she should stay
with me instead of at a hotel." Michael said. "She was actually leaving that day
you came by."
"And she probably hates my guts now." Patience said, leaning
up against the foyer wall.
"Why don't you come into the living room? I was about to put
in a movie. And, I could use the company." Michael said.
"But, it'll be my company." Patience said, feeling a little
weird. For so long, they had been at each other's throats, or more specifically,
she was at his. But now, they were actually getting along.
She followed him into the living room, aware that when the
house wasn't packed full of people, it was harder for her to know exactly where
she was going.
Which was evident when she bumped into a coffee table and
knocked a few pieces of paper onto the floor. Michael quickly picked them up, as
Patience picked up one of them. "What's this?" She asked, looking at him.
"It's my biography." He said silently.
"Michael Phelps Beneath the Surface." Patience read off the
top paper on the table. "Sounds good."
"Yeah, it should be getting published really soon." He said,
his voice sounding soft.
"Then what's the matter? People fight for someone to publish
their stuff, you should be excited!" Patience said, sitting down on the couch
and watching Michael not look up from the floor.
"Cause I was arrested and charged with a DUI. Who would want
to publish a book about that?" Michael said.
"Michael, no one cares." Patience said.
"I care." Michael said. "You weren't there the next day when
I had to tell my mom that at the lawyer's office. You didn't see the look on her
face. You weren't there for any of that." Michael said.
"Then talk to someone about it. Let them be there for it!"
Patience said.
"How?" Michael said. "People are opening papers with me on
the front page and discrediting anything good I did before now."
"Talk about it. Talk to someone about it. Tell kids about it.
Let them learn from your mistakes." Patience said. "I always made mistakes
growing up. But, I always made a point of it to talk to my younger siblings
about them. You have no clue how many "family meetings" I instigated with me and
Alex."
Michael looked at her, seeing the earnest look in her eyes.
"I guess that would work." Michael said.
"Have you talked to your sponsors, see if they'll support you
or just let you go?" Patience asked, as Michael shook his head. "Talk to them,
try talking to some interviewers." She said, grabbing a piece of paper off the
nearby pile of school books. She handed it to him and picked up the pen off the
coffee table. "And most importantly, tell your fans." She said.
Michael took the paper from her, looking from it to the pen
she had placed in his hand. He looked at her, seeing her smiling at him, causing
him to smile. And, a real smile, the first real smile in a long time. "Thanks
Patience." He said, placing a kiss on her cheek.
She stood there, her cheek feeling like it was melting off.
Michael had kissed her, Michael Phelps had kissed her. Granted, it was on the
cheek, but he still had kissed her.
And for once, she didn't care.
****************************************
Michael stood off stage, a little nervous. It was his first
interview, and he was scared. Patience, Heather and Paul had flown to New York
with him. The three were flying back that night, but they knew he needed them
there at the moment.
"You'll be okay. Just be honest. Don't try and puff yourself
up or anything. Just be truly honest about the whole experience." Patience said,
as she stood next to Michael. Heather and Paul were off talking with Katie
Couric, which was a once in a lifetime event to them.
"What if I mess up? What if I tell them that I want to party
more?" Michael said.
"Then tell them that you want to party more." Patience said.
"Michael, you can't tell them what you know I want to hear, you can't tell them
what you think the fans want to hear, you can't tell them what you think the
parents want to hear, and you can't tell them what you think Bob wants you to
say or what he wants to hear. You can only tell them what Michael Phelps, the
nineteen year old from Towson, Maryland wants to hear and what he wants to say.
If that's not what the other people want to hear, then it's too bad." Patience
said.
Michael smiled at her. "Thanks Patience. Thanks for
everything." He said, speaking of her helping him call sponsors to explain
everything that was going on, traveling with him if the need arose, and even
simple tasks of running to the nearest McDonalds for a double cheeseburger when
he was on the phone with his lawyer. "I owe you one." He said.
"Trust me, this is me making things up. You don't owe me
anything." Patience said.
"Yes I do." Michael said.
"Mr. Phelps, we're ready now." Some behind the scenes worker
said, as Michael was ushered off.
Patience stepped back with Paul and Heather, until she
gasped. "Guys, I'll be right back." She said, as she started walking off.
"Where are you going?" Heather asked.
"I need to make a few calls." Patience said.
"For what?" Paul asked.
"For Michael's Christmas present." Patience said. "Or a
present I'll give to him as soon as I can." She said.
And then she was off.
****************************************
Patience saw that every television within a state's radius
had the interview on their television. So, when she sat down at a nearby coffee
shop, she could still watch Michael.
But, she had something more important to do. She pulled her
phone off the waist of her pants and dialed a number she had gotten from Michael
before they left.
****************************************
Debbie, Whitney, and Hilary were sitting in the living room,
watching Michael on the Today show. The phone rang, surprising them. They
couldn't think of anyone who would be calling this early in the morning.
"Hello?" Debbie asked, once she had picked up the phone.
"Hello, this is Patience Jeffers, I'm on of Michael's
friends." Patience said.
"Oh yes, Patience. I've heard a lot about you." Debbie said.
"I hope not bad things." Patience said.
"Actually, Michael credits a lot of the strength he's had in
the past few days to you. And I can tell you've done wonders on my son." Debbie
said.
"About those wonders." Patience said.
"Yes?" Debbie asked.
"I was going to make a video for Michael, to try and cheer
him up. But, I was wondering if you had any tapes I could borrow, one of him at
the Olympics and meet when he was younger and such." Patience said.
"I'd have to search, but I'm sure I could find something. I
believe Whitney taped some of him at the Olympics." Debbie said.
"Thank you so much! You have no clue how much all this help
means to me!" Patience said.
"I'll sure I'll find out someday. Michael doesn't keep much
from me." Debbie said. "Things like you trying to stop him that night don't stay
away from Momma Phelps."
"I don't think it helped much. He still left." Patience said.
"Michael's just bull headed. When he gets an idea in his
head, it takes a lot to get it out. You tried your hardest, that's all you could
have done." Debbie said.
"Do you need my address to send those tapes to?" Patience
asked.
"No, I'll just send them to Michael. You'll just have to
spend time going over there to get them." Debbie said.
"I think I can handle that Mrs. Phelps." Patience said.
"Please, call me Debbie." Debbie said, as she noticing that
the interview was winding down.
"That's my cue to go. So, I guess I'll talk to you again in
the future." Patience suggested.
"Hopefully not too far into the future." Debbie replied, as
Patience smiled.
"I'll talk to you later." Patience said.
"Have a nice day Patience." Debbie said.
"You too Debbie." Patience said, as they both hung up.
Patience stuck her phone back at her waist and quickly made
her way back to the Studio.