Nick moaned. Everything hurt. His head, his stomach and his groin. Opening his sore eyes he looked into the face of Kevin and an elderly men with kind eyes. Kevin smiled gently. That was something that Kevin rarely did. Smile.
"You passed out again," Kevin explained.
Nick nodded, wetting his dry lips. He could tell that he was back at his room, laying on his bed. Kevin sat beside him. Shivering he mumbled, "Iīm sooo cold."
The elderly man nodded, picked up an blanket and lay it on him.
"This is doctor Yang. He is the hotel doctor and he is going to examine you."
Nick, too weak to say anything just nodded.
"Good day Mr Carter." The doctor said as he sat down beside Nick on a chair. "How are you feeling?"
Nick thought for a while. "Like shit" He moaned. Not caring about good manners.
Kevin rose his bushy eyebrows. Kevin always cared about good manners, even in situations like this.
"I see.. well can you tell me where it hurts?" The doctor gently felt on Nicks swollen neck.
"Everywhere."
Kevin was starting to loose his patience. "Nick the doctor wants to know where!"
Hey, Iīm not stupid. Iīm sick. Nick glared at his older brother.
"That is alright Mr Carter, I will do a short examination, to try and find out what is causing you this discomfort."
"Fine!" A sharp pain cut through his testicles and he moaned loudly, curling on his side, gripping his groin in the process.
" Do you have pain in your groin?" The doctor looked concerned and he saved no time into getting into the examination.
"Ye..Yes" Nicks eyes darted nervously to Kevin. He didnīt want his friend to know about his discomfort. The doctor, noticing his patient's distress said to Kevin "I think that Mr Carter wants to be left alone for a while. Meanwhile I suggest that you, Mr. Richardson leave this room and I call you when the examination is done. Okay?"
Kevin, a bit angry that he wasnīt allowed to stay, mumbled "That is alright. Nick wants me to stay, donīt you Nick?" A sharp "NO" from his little brother had him change his mind. Resistingly.
As soon as Kevin had left the room the doctor went down to business. He felt Nicks neck, then his stomach and last he wanted the young men to drop his pants. Nick felt a bit embarrassed, but did as the doctor had told him. relieved that none of the boys witnessed this. As soon as his pants were off he could hear the doctor draw in his breath.
"I see," he murmured and felt on Nick's testicles. Nick yelped. It hurt so much that he wanted to scream, yet he bit his lip.
The doctor felt the testicles and Nick was in agony. Then he was allowed to put his pants on again and Nick curled into a ball once more. The doctor took some notes as he asked questions.
"When did you experience this discomfort the first time?"
Nick told the doctor that he had started feeling sick an week ago and that it was steadily becoming worse.
" Have you experienced any nausea, vomiting, flatulence or diarrhea?"
" The whole works," Nick mumbled feeling a bit embarrassed discussing his bowels with a stranger. Even if it was a doctor.
"Loss of apetite?"
"Yeah, when you mention it." How could he have been so stupid, not picking up the signs earlier on? He who usually ate EVERYTHING.
" Have you been in contact with any children that have this sympthoms lately?"
Nick shook his head. Not that he could come up with. What was wrong with him? Nick didnīt look the mixture of concerned and amusement that glistered in the doctors eyes.
" Your neck, stomach and groin are really swollen Mr. Carter and there is no wonder that you have experienced such discomfort."
Nick waited for the death sentences to be revealed. He closed his eyes. Waiting for the worst. Was the doctor going to say that he had cancer or anthrax or evenworse syphillis?
" Mr Carter you have a nasty case of the..the MUMPS!"
Nick who was waiting for the doctor to say that he had to make his last will, was jumping from surprise. What did the good doctor say??? That he had the Mumps? "What?"
"Yes Mr Carter, you have a virus disease that effects the glands in your body on various places. However Mr Carter you have also developed orchitis, an inflammation in both of your testicles. This is a not so uncommon effect."
Nick was stunned. " Do I have the mumps in my balls?" he blurted out.
The doctor had a hard time not smiling at the frightend and disgusted look that his patient put up.
" Yes Mr Carter, if you care to put it that way."
"Nooooo!!" Nick groaned. As if he hadnīt humilated himself enough. Now everybody was going to know that he had the mumps. A fucking childrens disase. In his BALLS!!!!
The headlines, the jokes. Oh he wanted to die.
" That is not so bad Mr Carter," the doctor soothed him.
" Not bad? Pardon me doctor but you are NOT a Backstreet Boy!" Nick shouted, shocked. This time the doctor smiled.
" No Mr Carter, I am not and I can see that you are experiencing some severe discomfort."
" Not until AJ get a hold off this."
Oh the humiliation he would be in for. Nick wanted to cry. Then he tried to get into his senses. " Are there any medications for this?"
The doctor shook his head. " Iīm afraid not, however you can take tylenol for the fever and I will prescribe to you a solution that might lessen the pain that you experience in your testicles. Unfortunatly the disease will have to run itīs course and you Mr. Carter should be feeling better within a week."
"A week???" Nick shouted, coughing in the process.
" Yes, as I said before this is a childrens disease and it has to run itīs course. The glands will gradually be less swollen, however you might be feeling some discomfort down there."
" This is not happening," Nick mumbled. Somehow Cancer or even Anthrax seemed better at the time.
The doctor patted his patient on his arm. " I leave my telephone number in case you are starting to get worse. I will also leave the prescription at the hotels front desk. "Mr. Carter you need lots of rest and I suggest that you cut back on your schedule."
Nick sighed. As if management would listen to that. Bruce would probably say that he had to leave out his pelvic thrust moves. He looked sullen for awhile and as the doctor was about to leave the room he finally took courage to speak up.
"Umm.. Doctor Yang?"
" Yes Mr Carter?"
" Uhh.. do you think that I might be fat? I mean my stomach is so swollen and everything is fitting me differently."
The doctor looked at the young singer. Shaking his head. " No Mr Carter, your glands in your stomach are really swollen. That can happend when you have the mumps and it is also why you are experiencing discomfort from the stomach."
" Thanks doctor." Nick smiled. Looking relieved.
" Your welcome Mr Carter. As I said before you can call me at any time." With that he left the room.
Nick, caught up in his own thoughts, was starting to think out an strategy how to tell the guys about the MUMPS!!!!
