Chapter 2: Meet Mike

Arthur James was nervous.    He had been parked outside of Red Cape Comics for the last hour contemplating on going inside.    His future was inside of there and he didn’t know if or how to face it.   You see about 31 years ago I was a completely different man.    My name was Michael Novotny, and I went away to fight an awful war.    Three months in and I died, the thing is three months later I woke up.   The only thing was I woke up as a new man.

Arthur James was the name that I’ve had ever since then, but the flashes started.    The flashes started and then the memories.    My name wasn’t Arthur, my name was Michael.    I told my wife, and then we began looking into things, but then she fell ill, and she was what was important.   I wanted to spend all the time that she had left with her and our daughter.   Now she was gone, but she had told him that he needed to do this.   He had explained they would understand, but he didn’t remember her.   He thought maybe he had an English class with her, but then he perfectly understood why there love would be kept a secret, it wall all a bit taboo back then right?    Now he sat outside this store, waiting for the next chapter of his life.   All he had to do was grow some balls and go take it.

*E*

Justin and Brian were trying to work on this month’s issue of Rage, but they were constantly being distracted by a newly unemployed Brian.    It wasn’t that either one of the men had a problem with him.   They knew they were pretty much to of the people in town that loved him the most, it was just that he was being quite the nuisance and they could hardly get any work done.

“Mikey do you owe anybody money?” Brian asked from his perch by the window.

“No.” he replied.

“There’s this huge black guy parked outside, he’s been out here for the last hour.   Twice he’s gotten out and headed this way, only to turn around.”

“Where?” Justin asked rising up to join his lover.

“Right there, seeing him.   He’s very nice looking for an enforcer, but he’s more than capable of beating the shit out of both of us I’m sure Justin can get away.    He has youth on his side.”

“You’re racial profiling Brian, that’s not fair.   Maybe he just wants to buy comics, and he doesn’t know how to approach us.”

“It’s a comic book store Michael. You pretty much come in and you buy comics.   Another thing, all the comic books in the world, why come to one off of liberty?    You didn’t see this guy when he stepped out of his car.   He could clearly pick you up and beat me with you.   Sunshine, you’ll get away you have youth on your side.” He joked.

“That’s not funny, but Michael you should really take a look at this guy.    I mean he’s huge, and kind of hot for an old guy.    Do you know him?” Justin asked calling his friend to the window.

Michael decided to humor his friends and go and take a look at the window.    It was true, just at that moment the guy gets out and leans against his SVU.    He’s looking at the shop intently, then all of a sudden he turns his head to one side.

“Oh shit he saw us!    Now he’s going to come in and murder us!” Michael squeaked.

“Oh God Michael will you listen to yourself, that guy isn’t thinking about us.    He probably just lost.    If he comes in just act normal.” Brian told him.

“Here he comes.” Replied Justin how hadn’t taken his eyes from the window.

*E*

Mike wondered if the trio inside the store thought they were being sneaky.    Didn’t they realize that from where he was standing he could see each and every time they had come and casually looked out the window?     Then again, he guessed that he must’ve been looking pretty suspicious standing out there all day.    It was now or never.    He exited his car, and approached the store.

The store was quite bigger than it looked from the outside.   The building seem to move a little deeper as you entered.   It also had a top floor.   It made him proud, maybe his son was doing quite well for himself. 

“Welcome to Red Cape Comics, may I help you?” Michael asked from behind the counter.

“I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know that much about comics, but I’m hoping to change that soon.   I’m looking for Michael Novotny? He asked as he began to look at the three men deeply.

“Oh I’m Michael welcome to my store.” Michael replied holding out his hand to shake.

“I know that’s it’s going to be hard to believe this, and you are going to have so many questions that I can’t answer, but my name is Michael Novotny, and I’m your father.

No matter how Justin tried he couldn’t close his mouth after that revelation.   He was the two gentleman as they began to stare it other with wonder.   It was quite touching, he wondered what was going on in their heads, but he couldn’t concentrate because his lover couldn’t stop laughing hysterically.