First Kiss--Part 2
I entered my apartment after a long day of travel exacerbated by flight delays, taxi lines, and the usual joys of airline travel in the 21
st
century, happy to be back in comfortable surroundings. Dropping my carry-on and backpack on the floor of the short hallway leading to the bedroom, I removed my jacket and flopped on the bed, stretching my limbs to help remove some of the knots. My visit home had been a whirlwind endeavor, filled with mixed feelings and uncertainty, certainly not what I was expecting when I left here two weeks earlier. Life interrupts even the best of plans and the pleasant break I hoped for proved not to be an exception to that rule.
My eyes were heavy, my body sore, and my head aching from the confusion that surrounded my every waking moment. True restful sleep had eluded me for several days and I hoped that everything would return to normal now that I was far from the people and places that were upsetting me. Nevertheless, the fatigue would not quiet my mind and my thoughts ranged from my mother and father saying goodbye to me before I walked to the taxi, the last meeting with my sister Rachel as she cried on my shoulder when we separated, hugging Rachel's fiancΓ© reassuringly as I left them, and my sudden departure without seeing my longtime friend, Trey who was soon going back to Amsterdam ostensibly to gauge the chemistry between him and his lover before moving in with him.
Laying quietly on the bed brought some peace and after a short time, I drifted off to sleep, breathing heavily. Suddenly, I was brought back to the world of the living by the buzzing of the cell phone on my night table, and, startled, I grabbed it as a reflex.
I did not answer it for several seconds allowing my brain to clear enough to properly adjust to my surroundings. As the fog lifted, I saw that the call was from Trey and I got a knot in my stomach, dreading the conversation to come. "Hello," was all I managed to mumble in my embarrassment.
"Chris, hi. Are you okay? You sound like crap. Where are you?" Trey asked quietly, the concern obvious in his voice.
"Trey, I'm sorry," I replied, then paused for a few seconds before continuing. "I meant to see you before I left or at least call you, but my head was spinning and I was struggling to get through the day. I left in a hurry and was operating on muscle memory, but I know that this is no excuse. Again, I'm sorry. I owed you more and I feel terrible."
"We can talk about that another time but tell me where you are and that you're not in some trouble," he said.
"Yes, I'm fine. Well, not really "fine" fine but okay now that I'm talking to you," I responded. "I went back to school earlier than I planned and I got to my apartment a couple of hours ago and laid down for a minute and fell asleep judging by the time."
"Chris, I imagine that you had a long day, and from what you have said so far, I'm guessing that whatever happened at home was very upsetting for you so I won't add to it by pressing you for details," he said. "Maybe you want peace and quiet in a familiar setting to clear your head but in case you want a friendly face or a sympathetic ear instead, just say the word. I'm glad that I know where you are and that you're okay. I was worried about you, and I don't like that feeling."
"Thank you," I replied quietly. "I realize that I should not have left as I did and regret not making the time to talk to you beforehand. If I am honest I must admit that I was confused and reacted poorly, in a manner that hurt people that I care about in the process. I am truly sorry and wish that you were here so I could tell you in person."
"Okay, I think I understand so let's continue this conversation when I get there tomorrow," he said quietly. "Get some sleep and then pick up some fresh food and a bottle of wine, not the cheap crap either," he added with a laugh.
"Thank you, Trey, you're the best," I replied with emotion coming through in my voice.
"Goodnight and I'll text you in the morning with details," he said and hung up.
My mood improved after the call and I took a hot shower to relax before returning to bed for a few hours sleep. I knew that Trey would not arrive before evening at best so I had time to clean up and do some shopping while determining what I would say to him when he asked what happened at home. One step at a time I mumbled as I drifted off to sleep.
When I awoke in mid-morning, I was greeted by a sunny day and a text from Trey saying that his flight would get in around 5:00 pm and could be at my apartment between 6:00 and 6:30. I felt good and looked forward to seeing him again, beginning to think about our recent time together in the summer cabin and how nice it was being isolated with him, untroubled by the outside world. Trey was my best friend and I didn't want to jeopardize our relationship by baring my soul about the relationship I had with Rachel, but I felt that I had to unburden myself of the guilt that I felt one way or another. If I confessed it to him, how would he react? Would he realize that his longtime friend and lover, might not be someone whom he wished to associate with and rush headlong into his relationship in Amsterdam? Could I deal with that on top of everything else?
As I was descending into the coming cloud of darkness, my phone buzzed with a call from my father. I debated whether I should let it go to voicemail but ultimately answered and heard his familiar voice. "How was the trip back? Everything okay with you?" he said.
"Yeah, Dad, all is well, and only the usual travel delights to contend with," I replied. "Everything quiet at home?"