The Magic Inside Him: Chapter 3
The Magic Inside Him
Chapter 3
The loud vibrating noise from Marcus' phone woke him up the next morning.
He groaned and turned over in his bed, reaching for his phone with his eyes still closed. He grabbed the thin rectangular object and pulled it towards him, realizing too late that it was still attached to the charging chord. The hotel phone and alarm clock fell off the table and hit the floor with a loud crash as the charger yanked out of Marcus' phone.
"Fuck," he thought as he imagined the tangled mess on the floor.
He sleepily looked at his phone and saw he had a text from Hayden.
"Didn't hear from you last night, so I guess things went well. Jane and I are going to Galveston's for lunch at 12. You should come! Oh, and you can bring your new beau too."
Marcus smiled and texted back he'd be there. He knew Hayden was going to ask him a million questions about him and Gabriel.
He saw on his phone that it was almost 11:00 and quickly jumped out of bed to take his shower.
After their fun in the sand, he and Gabriel had watched the sunset and walked on the beach for hours. They talked about everything, from favorite foods to sleeping preferences. Marcus even found out that Gabriel was reading the same mystery series he was currently obsessed over. By the time they had finished talking, it was past midnight.
Gabriel had driven Marcus back to his hotel and they kissed each other goodnight before Marcus padded up to his room and instantly fell asleep.
The shower was warm and soothing, and felt good as it washed all the itchy sand out of Marcus' fur. He wasn't able to enjoy it for long though, because he was already running late.
He jumped out and quickly dried himself off before hurrying to his closet to pick out a suit. Galveston's was an upper scale restaurant and required a coat and tie just to get in.
Marcus grabbed a black suit and a gray and white tie that matched the colors of his fur perfectly.
Once dressed, he stood in front of the mirror and admired his reflection. Gabriel had told him the night before that he had errands to run and wouldn't be able to meet him until the convention. He wished his coyote could have been there to go to lunch with him again, or better yet, have stayed the night with him, but he understood Gabriel had his own things to do and didn't want to smother him with attention.
Marcus gathered his things and left the hotel, catching a cab as he stepped outside since Galveston's was a good ways from his hotel.
The cab ride finally gave Marcus some time to think, since everything had been happening so quickly. Things were going really well with Gabriel. He made Marcus feel comfortable with himself and gave him the courage to stand up and be who he truly was.
Marcus would be coming out to everyone at the convention later that night since everyone there thought he was straight. He was still a little nervous about it, but was comforted by the fact that Gabriel would be there to support him. If anything went wrong, he would still have his coyote to hold at the end of the day.
All of these thoughts whirled through his mind as the cab finally reached the restaurant and came to a stop outside the front door. Marcus paid the driver and hurried into the restaurant, only a few minutes late.
He told the hostess he was meeting some friends and found them at a table in the back. They both stood up when they saw him walking up and gave him a hug.
"Hey Jane, I'm glad you could make it! Hayden said you had some sort of emergency?"
The golden retriever smiled and pushed back her hair as they all sat down. "Yes, one of my friends went into labor early and wanted me there when she gave birth. She had the most adorable twin otter pups I've ever seen! Two boys too, she was very happy."
"Otter pups are really cute," Marcus said as he looked over at Hayden.
He had the same smile on his face he had the day they ate at the café.
"So Jane, Marcus has had an interesting couple of days while you were away," he said with a sly smile.
Jane laid her menu down on the table and looked over at Marcus. "Has someone finally found himself a crush?"
Marcus shifted in his seat and placed his tail in his lap. He was proud and excited to have Gabriel as his boyfriend and knew his friends were excited for him. Still, having a boyfriend was a new experience to him and made him feel a little bashful.
"I met a guy at the Starbucks close to my hotel and we spent the day together yesterday. He's really sweet, and smart, and not to mention super sexy. We like a lot of the same things too."
"Sounds like the perfect match. I'm glad you finally met someone you feel comfortable with Marcus," Jane said with a smile.
"That's the thing that surprised me most about him. When I'm with him, I'm not afraid to be gay anymore. He makes me feel so comfortable with who I am that I don't want to hide my true feelings...even if it means losing my job."
Jane and Hayden looked at each other and smiled.
"Love works in mysterious ways, Marcus," Jane said, keeping her gaze on Marcus. "Embrace it, and never let fear take it from you."
"I think Gabe has managed to scare all the fear away," Marcus said, smiling back at Jane.
"Speaking of Gabe, where is he?" Hayden asked as he shifted his menu on the table.
"He had some things to do today. He said he'd meet us at the convention."
"Did he stay with you at the hotel?"
"No, he dropped me off there after we left the beach."
"He didn't want to stay the night with you?"
Marcus was ready for this line of questioning, but was still relieved when the waiter came to take their order. As soon as he was gone, though, Hayden started again.
"A wolf and a coyote on the beach together, most likely both wet and in skimpy swimwear, and nothing happened?"
Marcus grinned and looked at Hayden. "Well Mr. Nosy Cheetah, I never said we didn't do anything. I just said he didn't stay at the hotel with me. He got a muzzle full."
Jane blushed and Hayden smiled.
"Is that all?"
"No. I had a taste of him too. Want all the details?" Marcus said sarcastically.
"Sure, but I think you're making poor Jane here a little uncomfortable," Hayden said as he nudged her playfully.
"Maybe because we're in the middle of a restaurant," she said sticking out her tongue.
They all laughed and Marcus shook his head.
They talked about various things and gave Marcus a break from the questioning as they received their food and started eating.
Marcus sighed contently and watched his friends eat. He had everything he could ever want at the moment. Everything seemed perfect.
***
Marcus, Hayden and Jane stood outside the lobby of the Plaza Hotel as Marcus looked at his watch.
"You sure you gave him the right address?" asked Hayden.
"Yes," Marcus snapped.
Hayden frowned and his tail lowered.
"Sorry Hayden, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just a little nervous."
"Nervous about what?" said a voice from behind him.
Marcus turned around and came nose to nose with Gabriel. He was wearing an expensive suit and had a rose in his paw.
"You've got to stop doing that," Marcus said as he playfully hit Gabriel's chest.
"I love seeing that open-muzzle confused look you get. It's cute," Gabriel said as he handed Marcus the rose.
Marcus smiled and took the rose in his paw as he leaned in to kiss Gabriel on the lips. "You're such a tease and a sweetheart."
"Guilty as charged." Gabriel smiled and licked Marcus' nose as they finished their kiss.
Marcus heard Hayden clear his throat and immediately turned around.
"Gabe, these are my two friends, Hayden and Jane. Guys, this is Gabriel," he said feeling his cheeks turn a soft red.
They both shook paws with him and headed into the hotel.
"I'm glad you showed up, Gabe. We were beginning to think Marcus made you up," Hayden said teasingly.
"Oh I'm sure he's more creative than that," he said as he hugged Marcus against him.
Marcus smiled and leaned into him as they walked up to the table to get their nametags. The same old squirrel who had been there as long as Marcus had been coming to the convention was sitting at the table. She was always rude and never said hello.
"Dr. Marcus St. Clair," he said with a friendly smile. He paused a moment as he gathered his nerves and then grabbed Gabriel's paw. "And Gabriel Valdare, my date."
She checked the list and wrote both of their names on a nametag before handing them to Marcus. "Next."
Marcus and Gabriel walked to the door and stopped to wait for Hayden and Jane.
"Not very friendly, huh? Next!" Gabriel did his best to imitate the squirrel without her hearing him, making Marcus laugh.
The squirrel turned around and shot them both an evil look, which made them laugh even harder.
"You're terrible Gabe," Marcus said, catching his breath.
"Well you'd think they'd hire someone friendly to operate the front table," he said looking back at the squirrel.
Hayden and Jane walked up and Marcus could tell Hayden wasn't happy.
"My name is Hayden, not Haydon. She did that on purpose!" he said as he put his nametag on.
Marcus smiled and squeezed Gabriel's paw as they walked into the ballroom to find their table. Their table was number 14, just in the middle of the large cluster of tables.
"Well at least we have a semi good view of the stage," Hayden said grumpily as he sat down.
Marcus smirked and looked at his friend. "Do you want me to go make you a new nametag?"
"No, it's fine. But I'm speaking to the coordinator about the squirrel, who, by the way, doesn't wear a nametag!"
Marcus chuckled and looked at Gabriel who was smiling at Hayden.
"Don't worry Hayden, I think the 'o' is sexy."
Hayden smiled and blushed softly. "Thanks Gabe."
"St. Clair!" Marcus heard a voice say from behind him.
He knew who it was before he even turned around. He recognized him by his oily scent and the mocking tone in his voice.
"Richard," he replied as he turned around to face the weasel.
His tail was stiff and his teeth were clenched as he looked at him. Richard always gave him trouble every year, and somehow managed to form a clique of yes-fur rookies that followed him everywhere.
"There's talk that you might be getting the Turing Award this year," he said slyly.
"I've heard my named mentioned, what of it?"
Marcus could hear Hayden's claws digging into the table behind him.
"My name's been mentioned too. So don't hold your breath," he said with a scowl. He then turned his attention to Gabriel. "Who's this?"
Marcus grabbed Gabriel's paw and smiled at him before looking back at the weasel. "This is my boyfriend, Gabriel."
The weasel's smile grew as he snickered. "Ha! I always knew you were a queer! Hanging out with that fag doberman and that sorry excuse for a Urologist turned you into a cock lover."
Hayden jumped up and nearly flew across the table before Jane quickly grabbed him and pulled him back.
Marcus let out a deep growl and stood up, his fists clenched.
"I could rip your throat out with one bite, you good for nothing asshole. But you aren't worth my time. So why don't you go slither back into whatever dank hole you drug your sorry ass out of and leave me and my friends alone."
The young furs flanking Richard's sides slowly backed away as they watched Marcus' razor sharp teeth closely.
Richard leaned in and stared into Marcus' eyes. "That award is mine. I don't care if you cured cancer, they've never given the award to a fag and they never will."
He spun around and walked off with his group as Marcus sat back in his chair, still seething with anger.
"You should have let me after him. I would have ripped his balls off and-"
"Trust me, I wanted to do the same thing Hayden, but it's not worth being hauled off to jail over." Jane said as she rubbed the cheetah's arm to calm him down.
Gabriel leaned over and gave Marcus a kiss as he took his paw and rubbed it. "Don't worry about him, sweetie. He's just an ass."
"I know, babe. I expect stuff like that from him. But what if he's right? What if they turn me down for the award because I'm gay?"
"Then it will be their loss. Besides, you don't need a plaque or trophy or whatever it might be to tell you how wonderful you are. You've got me for that," Gabriel said as he licked his wolf's muzzle softly.
"How did I ever find you?" Marcus said as he pulled his coyote in for a hug.
"I think it was a coffee or something like that," he said as they hugged and nuzzled each other.
The rest of the evening went well, and everyone calmed down and relaxed as different doctors came on stage and made various speeches. The food was good like always and Marcus talked to several doctors he hadn't seen in a while.
Finally, the hostess of the evening, a female koala, walked onto the stage and made the announcement everyone had been waiting for.
"If I may have everyone's attention please. We are now ready to announce the recipient for this years Arthur R. Turing award, the most prestigious honor awarded in the professional medical community."
There were hushed whispers all across the room as the Chairman of the Awards Committee walked on stage with an envelope.
"Thanks Penelope," the large St. Bernard said as he stood at the podium. He looked over the audience and slowly opened the envelope, pulling out a small piece of paper.
Gabriel rubbed Marcus' arm affectionately as they sat on the edge of their seats. Marcus watched the St. Bernard closely and caught his gaze.
"Ladies and gentlefurs, I am proud to announce that this years recipient of the Arthur R. Turing Medical Excellence Award is Doctor Marcus St. Clair for his advanced studies of memory loss and amnesia."
The whole room exploded with applause and cheers as Marcus stood up and was hugged by Gabriel and his friends.
He made his way up to the stage and shook paws with the St. Bernard, who handed him a certificate and a plaque.
"Congratulations Marcus," he said as he let the wolf take the podium.
Marcus walked up to the podium and looked out over the crowd. He was just about to begin when a loud voice from the back suddenly interrupted him.
"I object! He's gay! This wolf is an embarrassment to the Turing Foundation! I demand a revote!"
The audience started to murmur and a few others shouted out in agreement.
The St. Bernard quickly walked up to the podium and stood beside Marcus.
"The committee was fully aware of Dr. St. Clair's sexual preference when the vote took place. We do not discriminate. If anyone has a problem with that, they can talk to security on their way out," he growled.
Marcus spotted Richard standing in the back as two large horses approached him. He quickly brushed past them and hurried out of the ballroom.
The St. Bernard gave Marcus a pat on the back and once again gave him the podium.
Marcus looked out over the crowd and finally came to rest his eyes upon Gabriel, who warmed him and made him feel more secure.
"It is a true honor to receive this award. My thanks go to the committee, the Turing foundation, and especially Dr. Arthur Turing for making this all possible. I'd also like to thank my friends for the support and encouragement they've given me over the years to help me make this discovery. And last, but most certainly not least, I'd like to thank my boyfriend Gabriel. He has helped me finally understand that being gay is nothing to be ashamed of, and even though others may not approve of it, I can stand proud and accept who I truly am. Thank you."
The audience started clapping and Marcus exited the stage, once again shaking paws with the St. Bernard.
Gabriel was waiting for him with open arms and wrapped him in a hug as soon as he got back.
"You were so brave up there, baby. I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks Gabe. I really could never have done it without you."
Jane and Hayden congratulated him once more and looked at his plaque and certificate as the crowd slowly started leaving the ballroom.
"Dr. Marcus St. Clair?" Marcus turned around and saw an elderly fox leaning on a cane, his bright orange fur dulled with grey and white. Marcus instantly recognized him, and had to keep his jaw from dropping as he quickly extended his paw.
"Dr. Arthur Turing! Sir, it's an honor!"
The fox shook his paw and smiled. As far as Marcus could remember, Dr. Turing had never made an appearance at the convention.
"You should be proud of yourself Marcus. The work you accomplished is completely ground breaking."
"Thank you, sir. I hope that with my research, we can completely eradicate memory loss."
"Yes of course," the fox said as he shifted on his cane. "But not only that, Marcus. You've taken a very important step in your life, and in doing so, have opened the door for many others. The medical community needs more gay doctors."
Marcus was surprised at Dr. Turing's blunt statement.
"I agree, sir. I'm sure there are plenty out there, they just don't know how to come out."
"Please, call me Art," he said with a kind smile. "And I'm confident as this story makes its way around, more will feel comfortable with coming out."
"Very true, s-, Art. Um, these are my friends, Jane and Hayden, and my boyfriend Gabriel."
Each one took turns shaking paws with the fox. Hayden was particularly excited and waved his tail fast as he told the doctor how honored he was to meet him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," he said as the two security guards walked up. "I'd really love to stay and chat, but it's getting late and I need to get home."
As he turned to leave, he stopped in front of Marcus.
"One more thing Marcus," he said looking into the wolf's eyes. "I want to personally thank you for giving me my husband's memory back."
Marcus smiled as more of the story finally came together and pulled Arthur into a hug.
"My pleasure, Art."
The fox smiled and gave Marcus a pat on the shoulder as he turned and left, the two security guards following him out.
Marcus watched him leave and felt the arms of his coyote wrap around him and his soft nose nuzzle against he back of his neck.
"Come on babe, we've got some celebrating to do."