“Evan Thomas Alexander! What are you doing?”
Shit. Shit. SHIT. My mother had come into my bedroom while Brian and I were in bed together. I had to think of something. Fast!
“Mom, I-I can explain this!” Yes, that was brilliant.
I don’t think she heard me. She kept shouting and screaming. “You’re in bed with a man! My God in Heaven! Why, Evan, why!?”
Brian didn’t say a word. Mom picked up her suitcase and stormed out of the room. I didn’t know that it would be the last time I saw her. As soon as she left, I got out of bed in an attempt to find some clothes to put on, but I heard the front door slam before I could even get some underwear on.
How on Earth did she get into my apartment? She and Uncle James had an extra key. Stupid. But I was supposed to pick them up at the train station at 1! What time was it? It wasn’t even 10 yet. I stood there petrified until Brian’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“Evan?”
“I’m dead,” I said, “this is the end of it all.”
“Evan, I know this looks bad, but don’t get melodramatic on me.”
I spun around angrily and glared at him. “Brian, you don’t understand. You don’t understand at all. She’s going to kill me. God, she gets so angry sometimes.”
He never took his eyes off me. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just don’t know what’s going to happen now.”
“Well, let’s be rational about it. She saw us in bed together, but you’re an adult, what can she do? Ground you?”
“Being rational about this requires dealing with a rational person, and my mother is far from rational. And she can do a lot more than ground me. This is going to get back to my uncle, and he’s the one that pays for this apartment. The only thing that I pay for is some of my personal expenses and loans cover my medical school tuition. If he cuts me off, and he most likely will, I’ll be out of a place to live.”
“Evan, you’ve got to calm down. Your uncle may not feel the same way as your mom.”
“It doesn’t matter, Brian. She pulls so many strings with him that one way or another she’ll convince him to do anything that she wants.”
“Baby, it’ll be alright. I’m sure you can work something out.”
“I don’t know, I just don’t know.” I tried taking a deep breath and counting to ten. “Shit!”
Brian walked over to me and pressed his naked body against mine. I wrapped my arms around him and let him hold me there. Everything had happened so fast. What was I going to do? Getting dressed was a start.
I pulled away from Brian and started pulling out some clothes. He put on his clothes from the night before and said, “I’m going to go down to my apartment and get some clothes. I’ll be right back.”
He left and by the time he got back, I still hadn’t settled down. He set about making some coffee as I sat at the bar in disbelief. Brian reached across from the kitchen and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I almost brushed him off, but I didn’t let my emotions get the better of me. I was angry, but I wasn’t angry at Brian. It would have been inexcusable to lash out at him. He still didn’t understand how serious this was though. His parents didn’t mind the fact that he was gay. It took me a minute to realize that he had put a cup of coffee beside my hand. I absent-mindedly sipped at it, ignoring it when it almost burned my tongue.
Brian poured his own cup and put some milk and sugar in. He left the kitchen and sat down beside me. I never looked up from my coffee, but I could tell that he was watching me as I sat there thinking.
“What a perfect way to end a perfect evening,” I sighed after a few minutes. Brian reached over and took my hand into his. I finally turned to look at him and met his warm gaze.
“Bri, this is going to change everything for me.”
He nodded silently. “It may change things for you, but it doesn’t have to change things for us.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you’ve still got me. Even if your mom does something drastic, I’m going to do everything I can to help you. I’m sure the same goes for Erica, and Jane, and your sister. You haven’t lost everything.”
“But if I lose the apartment, where am I going to live? I’ve only got enough of my own savings to last me for a few months in a place like this.”
“You could apply for university housing,” he suggested.
I shook my head. “It’s so late that I’m sure they’re booked by now.”
“Well, I realize that it’s a bit soon, but if nothing else works out, you could move in with me.”
My tired eyes fixed on him, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. “You’re serious?” I asked.
“Yes, I am.”
I have to admit that the thought had crossed my mind, but not under these circumstances. My response was quick and definite. “I can’t do that, Bri. It doesn’t feel right for us to do that, not yet at least. I want to give it more time before we take that step.”
“I feel the same way, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The option is there if you need it.”
“I appreciate that more than you know.” I leaned in and kissed his lips, tasting the sweet mixture of toothpaste and coffee.
“We all love you, Evan, and that includes your mom.”
“Then I guess I should be ready for some tough love.”
The phone rang and I answered it.
“Hello?”
“Evan, it’s James.”
“Er, hi, Uncle James.”
“Your mother wanted me to tell you that she is too upset to speak with you right now. She also wants me to stop paying for your apartment, and due to your atrocious behavior, I’m inclined to agree.”
“Uncle James, please, can we—”
“You have until the week of August 1st to find a new place. Goodbye.”
That sounded so unlike my uncle. His tone was so cold and formal, everything that he had never been before. I had never talked to him about homosexuality before, but I guess I knew how he felt about it after that “conversation.” I turned to look back at Brian.
“What happened?” he asked.
“As predicted, they’re kicking me out.”
I looked down into my half-empty cup of coffee. Half-empty or half-full? On a day like today, it was half-empty.
“I don’t know what I can do or say to make you feel better,” Brian said.
“My mother and my uncle just disowned me, Bri. The most I can ask of you is that you simply be here.” My shoulders slumped as I took another sip of coffee. Brian put his arm around my shoulders, and then we just sat there.
***
Brian offered to go with me to the airport to pick up Mark, which was fine with me since I didn’t want to have to be away from him more than I had to. Even with the morning’s chaotic events, the passion from the night before still hadn’t died. It seemed like we couldn’t get enough of being around each other.
Brian circled the airport terminal in my Jeep while I went into the baggage claim area to pick up Mark. We were a little late, so he already had his bags when I spotted him. Having most recently seen little Joseph, I was amazed at how much the toddler looked like his father. Mark was average height, blond hair, and had that perpetually sleepy look that went perfectly with his warm smile. He had lost some weight since the last time I saw him, and that was not an easy task considering how thin he already was. We hugged for a moment, and then I led him outside.
Maria had already told Mark about Brian, and he didn’t care. Maria and I were always very close, so I have to admit that I was jealous of Mark at first. It felt like he was trying to take my sister away from me. After spending time around him, we developed a friendship of our own, independent from his relationship with Maria. He had become the older brother that I never had, so I truly was devastated when he and Maria moved out to California. Despite the fact that he was 25, Mark had the demeanor of someone at least ten years older. I often asked him how an old man like him survived with all the hot shot investment bankers he was working with.
“Miss me?” I asked Brian as I slid into the front seat.
“Yup.” He kissed me, but he quickly remembered that Mark was in the back and backed off.
“Oh, don’t mind me, you two. I’m going to be around until Wednesday, so I might as well get used to it now right? Besides, we’ll just consider this payback for all the times that Evan has had to be around me and Maria.”
We all laughed at that one and headed back to my apartment. I asked Brian if he could help Mark settle into the second bedroom while I went down and checked on Erica’s apartment. Everything was in order, so I came back down after watering some of her dried out plants. Brian and Mark were sitting in the kitchen laughing about something.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
Mark turned and smiled at me. “I was just asking Brian if the two of you had already moved in together.”
“Why would you ask that?” Mark knew that we weren’t living together.
Mark started laughing at me. “Well, it’s just that you have him drive the car, take me into the house, show me the bedroom. Sounds like domestic bliss to me.”
I blushed and that only made the two of them laugh more at me. Brian stood up and came over to me. “We were just joking, baby. You know that I wouldn’t have done those things if I didn’t want to.” He gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I’m gonna leave. I’m sure you guys have plenty of stuff to catch up on.”
“Bye, Brian!” Mark called.
“Bye, Bri.”
He waved at us and left. I whirled around on Mark. “Domestic bliss? Are you trying to get rid of my boyfriend?” I lunged for his throat and pretended to strangle him.
“Hey, hey! I was only joking, and let’s not forget that he didn’t seem to mind when I said that. I think you may have found yourself a keeper there, kiddo.”
I took a seat across the table from him. “Oh, really? And how did you figure that after knowing him for the better part of an hour?”
Mark laughed at me again. “You’re kidding right?”
“Kidding about what?”
“The two of you are nuts! Blind people can tell how hard you stare at each other. The man worships the ground you walk on, and it’s not difficult to see that the feeling is mutual. You love this guy don’t you?”
I tried my best not to stretch my entire face into a smile, but it was no use. “Yea, I really do. It’s great.”
“Good! It’s about time you found someone who makes you happy. God knows that you and Jane were driving each other crazy.”
