"Thank you so much for staying after book club to help clean up Jerry."
Jerry looked up from gathering coffee cups and plates from the coffee table into Ellen's sparkling blue eyes. With her peaches and cream complexion, her blonde hair in a retro bob, and her innocent smile she was the absolute image of an on screen ingenue from Hollywood's golden age.
"Happy to do it. Great discussion tonight."
"It was wasn't it?." said Dani, Ellen's wife. Dani was as different in looks from Ellen as she could be. She rested her long fingered hand on Ellen's shoulder, her 5'10" lithe body almost matching Jerry's 6 foot stature and towering over the 5'4" curvaceous Ellen. She looked at Jerry with her usual inscrutable, dark eyed expression.
Dani continued, "Although I'm surprised by how engaged you are on Octavia Butler Jerry." Her contralto voice was almost challenging.
Jerry shrugged. "I don't know why. She's a fascinating writer.". Jerry had become used to people making assumptions about him. At 58 years old, with his alpha male looks, steel grey hair in a military cut and emerald green eyes he was the image of the retired National Guard major and war veteran that he actually was. If central casting was looking for a MAGA supporting military man, they would send for Jerry.
But the truth was that since his service and his wife's passing, he was a very different man from the 35 year old Guardsman who served after 9-11. This was part of the reason that, 10 months ago, he had started attending the book club that Dani and Ellen hosted in their condo complex.
"I agree Jerry." Ellen said, her light, bubbly personality showing. She pulled Dani's forearm gently down to kiss her cheek "And no debating after book club is over darling."
Dani chuckled deep in her chest, returning Ellen's kiss. "Okay cupcake."
Dani and Ellen were a charming couple and, on the surface anyway, a study in contrast. But underneath their very different looks, they were as compatible as any couple Jerry had ever met, and gracious hosts. Both highly intelligent academics in their own right, Dani was a professor of literature at the local college and Ellen was the head librarian with a PhD in library sciences.
When Jerry showed up at the first book club meeting, the flyer that he had found in the condo rec center in hand, the almost exclusively female group, ranging in age from late 30s to early 70s, had greeted him with some skepticism.
But Jerry had regularly attended the monthly gatherings. He always read the book, treated everyone with the gentlemanly manners that had been drilled into him by his southern mother, and always brought something nice for the snacks. So, after a few months, he was an accepted and welcome member of the group.
Jerry spoke over his shoulder as he carried the handful of dishes to their kitchen. "I've loved Octavia since I read The Parable of the Sower."
"Ohhh, I loved that one too!" Ellen called after him.
As Jerry walked back into the living room, Dani was seated, long legs encased in tight fitting jeans crossed, and she was eyeing him with an expression of curiosity.
"Jerry, I have a question that I have been dying to ask you." she said.
Jerry paused tossing the dish cloth over his broad shoulder. "Okay, shoot."
"When are you going to come out?"
Ellen exclaimed in horror "Dani!!"
"Oh come on Ellen. Everyone in the group has been wondering. You were even talking to Melody about it after the last meeting."
Jerry was a little surprised by the question but stayed cool. "Why would you think I'm a homosexual?"
Dani laughed. "You really want a list? Okay. One, you're single and have never once mentioned anyone in your life. Two, you're devastatingly handsome and aren't just in shape, you're in gay shape. Three, you've been in a room full of mostly single women, some of them almost throwing themselves at you, and have never shown the slightest interest. Four, you're surprisingly sensitive. And I haven't even mentioned your encyclopedic knowledge of classic Hollywood films. You must admit, the evidence is piling up."
"Dani, stop." Ellen's voice took on a warning tone.
Jerry paused before replying in a flat tone. "I'm not single, I'm a widower."
Dani and Ellen both looked at him, stunned.
"Oh my god Jerry, I'm so sorry.". Ellen closed on him, hooking her arm through his, looking up at him with a shattered expression on her face.
Dani leaned forward in her chair, peering at Jerry. "You've never mentioned that."
"I don't like talking about it. It almost always turns political."
"What? Why?!?!" Ellen asked.
"Denise was a teacher and was killed in a school shooting. And that's all I'm going to say about it." His tone brooked no further discussion.
Ellen rested her forehead on Jerry' shoulder. Her voice broke "Oh god Jerry, I'm so sorry."
Dani, asked in a gentle tone "How long ago?"
"Dani, please, stop."
Jerry sighed and sat down on the sofa, Ellen joined him, still holding his arm.
"It's okay. Eight years ago."
Ellen and Dani looked at each other. They remembered that terrible news story.
Jerry went on. "And no, I am not gay, but I appreciate the list of compliments. The fact of the matter is that I am just emerging from mourning and self imposed isolation. Which is why I started coming to book club. The truth is, I really enjoy the company of women."
Ellen asked softly "How has there been no one since?"
Jerry laughed. "I had a co-worker tell me once that it was like I had a neon sign over my head that said 'Emotionally Unavailable'."
Ellen said gently "Well I certainly don't think so."
Dani leaned back and crossed her arms. She squinted a little at him and, with a smirk, asked "What about sex?"
Ellen gasped in horror
Jerry, unwilling to allow Dani to shock him, fired back with a lupine grin "There's always PornHub."
Ellen and Dani sat in stunned silence before they both broke out in gales of surprised laugher.