Chapter 10
"Hello?" Doctor Klein answered.
"Doctor Klein, this is Michael." I replied. This year just doesn't seem to be the year for me.
"Michael! How's everything going?" I heard a smile in his voice.
"Uh, not good. Not good at all."
"What's going on?"
"I just got the letter about my diagnosis and I wanted to talk to you about that..."
"Oh, yes... Could you come by my office anytime soon? I normally don't speak about such matters over the phone."
"No, I can't make it... Things are so hectic right now, it'd be nearly impossible for me. Could you come over to Hayvenhurst at some point?"
"You know what? That actually sounds like a good idea. How does tomorrow morning sound?"
"It sounds great actually." I sighed.
"Good, good. How's the wife doing?"
"She's doing great. Perfect actually."
"That's good. Well, I'm going to get going and I'll see you at Hayvenhurst at around nine?"
"Nine sounds great."
"Okay, see you then. Have a good day, Michael."
"You too." I hung up the phone. Why is all of this happening to me? Have I done anything to deserve this?
"Michael?" Shayla knocked on the door. I got up to open it.
"What's wrong?" She asked as she looked up at my tear stained face. "Oh, my goodness..." She hugged me tight.
"Everything is wrong... I don't know what I've done to deserve any of this." I cried...
"Vitiligo?" Shayla asked as she rubbed my head.
"I don't know anything about it, but that it's changing me into some...some... freak!"
"You're not turning into a freak, baby..."
"That's easy for you to say, ya know?"
"No. It's the truth."
"Something's wrong with me, Shayla. First my hair catches on fire. Next thing you know, I have a incurable disease that's going to turn me into some freakazoid."
"Nothing is wrong with you. You're fine. That fire incident was an accident, and you're fine now. This disease can be cured somehow. We'll just ask Doctor Klein tomorrow." She assured me.
"Shayla?"
"Yeah?"
"What will my fans think of me?"
"As far as what?"
"My skin turning white. What will they think?"
Shayla sighed, probably unsure of what to say, "Well, most of them will think that you're a strong person for dealing with this. They'll admire how strong you are. They'll love you even more."
"What about the other half?"
"They'll be just as confused as you are... They'll... try to accept it the best way they can, but... It may be beyond them to accept such differences."
"What about you?" I looked up at her.
"What about me?" She turned her gaze towards me.
"What will you think of me?"
She gave me a confused look, "Am I supposed to think any different of you?"
"Will you still love me?"
"Through sickness and in health... You're still Michael. You're still the man I fell in love with and married. No disease could ever change you or how I feel about you."