by Lee Quail
They hugged for several moments before parting. Curisco mumbled below his breath. “I love you both, you know.”
“Sorry, what was that?” Raw said.
“I said I love you, you know that.”
“I didn’t hear you, a little louder please,” Edward smiled.
Curisco tutted and came forward to smack Edward on the head, but Edward moved away quickly as though he were in the ring.
“Tu suoni come un bastardo!”
“What did you say? I heard bastard.” Edward laughed, running away from him.
“He said you play like a bastardo. But a bastardo whom I love dearly,” Raw explained.
“That’s better. I heard that! And guess what?”
“This had better be good,” Curisco said, smiling from ear to ear.
“We love you, too,” Edward said.
No sooner had Edward said that when Curisco’s landline phone buzzed on his desk.
“Anita.”
“Sir, I have a Detective Shane Devin at reception.”
Curisco covered the mouthpiece with his hand and turned to Raw. “It’s the detective working on Raw’s case.”
Edward’s eyes grew wide. “It can only be good news.”
“Bring him through, Anita.”
“Yes, sir.”
Shane struck a formidable figure as he stood in the doorway to the office.
“You have news for us?” Curisco asked, beckoning him in. “Please, sit.”
“Thank you, sir. Yes, I have good news. We are about to make an arrest. The forensics report confirmed blood samples on Caine Smit’s fender match up with Raw’s sample.”
Edward flung a fist into the air. “Yesss!” he cried.
Curisco sighed out of sheer relief and sank into his seat.
“I thought I’d tell you in person. We’ll be arresting him today.”
“Thank you. Thank you, young man” Curisco said, smiling. “This is good news.”
Edward shook Shane’s hand. He had a powerful, confident hand.
“I love boxing,” Shane said. “Used to box myself. To keep fit. Nothing special.”
“You should join us,” Raw said. “We’re renaming the gym and refurbishing it.”
Shane gazed at Edward with a look of satisfaction. “I did join, a few minutes ago. Paid for a year’s membership.”
“Awesome!” Edward smiled.
“I have to get going,” Shane said, heading to the door.
“We’ll walk you out,” Raw said. Edward took hold of Raw’s wheelchair and followed the detective.
Outside, Shane said, “I’ve spoken to a lot of people and everyone has only got great things to say about both of you. It seems you were meant for each other. By the looks of it, you guys are a great couple.”
Edward smiled. “I love him beyond words. It’s the only way I can describe it.”
“Ditto,” Raw said.
“I wish I could find my guy. I know he’s out there somewhere. I’ve been so unlucky with relationships. I know it will happen, one day. Being a detective doesn’t seem to go down well with partners.”
“You’re gay?”
Raw gazed into Shane’s eyes and came upon a lonely sadness, unshared until now. He saw a man who didn’t see himself as a hero, and Shane was a hero but also a man who needed a friend.
Shane said, “That’s why I was assigned to Raw’s case. Maybe we could catch up on the sport over a cup of coffee. It’ll be great to have friends in the sport.”
Edward thought for a moment. “We’d like that.”
“I’ll pick you both up after my shift. Around seven?”
“Awesome, and don’t worry, I have walking aids.” Raw said, “And we’ll both be at Edward’s place.”
***
Edward took it upon himself to wash Raw everyday with a soft sponge. Raw’s plaster casts, thick and white on both legs, prevented him from damaging the healing process. He’d be starting walking lessons as soon as the casts were removed.
“I like Shane,” Raw said as Edward wiped the back of his neck. “He’s a decent guy.”
“He looks lonely. It will be great to have him as a friend.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Raw asked. “If I had died, would you have found someone else?”
“Eventually, I guess. No one could ever replace you, you know that.”
“I want you to promise me that if anything ever happens to me, you’ll fall in love again and always remember how much I loved you. Will you do that?”
“I can’t promise that. There’s no one like you in this world. I can’t imagine myself loving anyone else.”
“You have to. It might take some time, but you will need to move on.”
“The same thing goes for me too. If anything ever happens…”
“Not going to happen. I will never fall in love with anyone else, Ed. Just not possible,” Raw said, drying his own face with a towel.
“I understand,” Edward said, kissing him gently on the mouth. “I came so close to losing you, I don’t even want to think about things like that.”
“We need to talk about these things.”
“So when am I moving into your place?” Edward asked, helping him to the main bedroom.
“You need to give notice here, first, not so?”
“Yup. Which I’ll be doing tomorrow. And we’re going to Canton’s Cottage immediately afterwards.”
Raw cupped Edward’s face in his hands. “Thank you. Thank you so much for loving me. You changed my whole perspective on life. I don’t know how to thank you for that.”
“It’s me who must thank you, babe,” Edward circled Raw’s mouth with his index finger, slipped it into his mouth and drew the moisture off his tongue. Edward licked his finger and smiled wantonly.
“If you touch me like that I can’t be responsible for being late.”
“This is just a taste of what I’m going to do to you when we get home later. I’m so horny for you, plaster cast legs and all.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to perform.”
“Does it matter? I’m the one who’s going to be worshipping you.”
“Jesus, can’t we cancel with Shane?”
“Nope. You can suffer for a few hours.”
“Tease! Okay, so what are you wearing? Anything special?”
“Not tonight. Not ever. I’m going as a normally dressed gay boy.”
“Thank god for that!”
“Oh, and remind me to slap you later, too.”
The evening went by quickly. It was as though time had been placed on fast forward for all three of them. They spoke boxing, life in general, how they met, where Shane was headed with his career and family. Shane had studied Criminology at Pretoria University and joined the South African Police Force as a lieutenant. His family lived in Brits, the Northwest part of South Africa. They owned a farm close to a platinum mine. He’d known since the age of 16 he was gay and came out to his parents not long after. It made him feel powerful. He didn’t expect them to accept him unconditionally, but they did and he soared like an eagle.
After several cups of coffee, and one and a half hours later, it was Shane who suggested they go to Barbara’s gay bar. Edward tensed up. The blood drained from his face. The very name instilled fear in him.
“A rain check?” Raw asked, noticing Edward’s reticence immediately.
Edward suddenly stopped him. “It’s okay, Raw. Why not? You know what they say, face your fears or something like that.”
“Something bad happened there?”
“You could say that. Edward was attacked by two guys who pretended to be gay.”
“We don’t have to go, we could go elsewhere.”
“Let’s do Barbara’s,” Edward said.
“Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky tonight,” Shane said, laughing.
Barbara Streisand shone down on them from the ceiling like that painting in the Sistine chapel. “A toast,” Shane offered. They held their glasses up a
nd he continued. “To two amazing guys, and to a long and fruitful friendship. It’s awesome knowing you both.”
As they gulped their drinks down, Edward said, “You should pop by Canton’s Cottage sometime.”
“Canton’s Cottage?”
Raw answered, “It’s Edward’s place in the Drakensberg, close to Cathkin Peak. It’s so beautiful there. We’re leaving later, or tomorrow morning, to spend a few weeks there while I recuperate. Hopefully, when I get back, I’ll be walking again.”
“Sounds like an awesome place. I’d love to visit, if you don’t mind. I’ve got some leave due in two weeks. I’ll stay in touch.”
Edward said, “You’re most welcome…”
and then he stopped.
Suddenly. His face drained and tensed up.
“What’s wrong, babe?” Raw asked.
“It’s them. The guys who attacked me. Turn away, don’t look at them. I don’t want them to see me.”
In the doorway, Mark and Graham grinned at the crowd as their eyes settled on potential victims. Shane turned and eyed them with suspicion. “I’ve seen their faces. At the station. They’re wanted on charges as long as your arm. Rape, assault, robbery, you name it.”
“They put Edward in hospital for a couple of days,” Raw said. The two men headed towards an open spot at the bar and called the barman over.
“Well, tonight’s their lucky night. Watch me play them. They look like regulars, but they’re not going to be regulars for much longer. I’ll see you in while, boys.” Shane lifted his glass and sauntered towards them. He took a seat right next to Mark and accidently bumped him, spilling half his drink over Mark’s lap.
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. Damn!”
Mark whipped his head to face Shane. “Christ, you fucking clumsy idiot!”
Shane feigned remorse. “I…sorry…I bumped you by mistake. Please, let me buy you a drink, it’s the least I can do.”
Mark’s glare turned into a smile. “Sure. You’ll need to buy two Hunter’s. One for me and one for my friend here.”
“Sure thing.” Shane called the barman over and ordered. “Name’s Shane Devin.” He shook their hands but actually all he wanted to do was throw up.
Mark nudged Graham, “Looks like we got ourselves a stunner, bro.”
Graham lifted his brow. “You into threesomes?”
“I can make do with a threesome. Right now I’m ready to try anything. It’s been dry these last couple of weeks.”
Mark laughed joyfully. “Will you listen to this guy? Hey, mate, just don’t change your mind.”
“You guys are fucking sexy. Can’t wait. I think we should drink up and fuck off, what do you say?” Shane said.
Graham pointed across the bar towards Edward. “Hey, Mark, isn’t that…?”
“Boxer. That’s Boxer,” Mark said.
“Who’s Boxer?” Shane asked.
“Just a guy we know. Not important. I think we should get down to business, what do you say?” Graham said, gulping down his drink, getting ready to leave.
“Guys, I need to get to the loo,” Shane said. “Wait for me, I’ll be back now.”
“Sure thing, pet. We aren’t going anywhere without you.”
Pet. Pet?
In the toilet, Shane made an emergency call to the station and requested back-up for a possible arrest.
“We’ll see if Rivonia has a team available, Shane. They’re closest,” the operator said. “Hold on while I confirm.”
A few moments later she returned. “Shane, the team has been despatched. Two operatives will be there in ten minutes.”
He did actually need to pass water and a few minutes later joined the two men. He had to stall them for at least ten minutes. During that time, he made all kinds of excuses to stay a while longer. He even flirted with the barman.
After five minutes, Mark, visibly irritated by Shane’s pass at the barman, turned to Graham and said, “Let’s get out of here, Gray.”
Shane gripped him by the wrist and smiled. “Hey, I’m just trying to get us a foursome. Pets.”
“If we wanted a fucking foursome we could have chosen anyone in this bar. Why should we wait for the barman to finish his shift? By then the night’s already done.”
“You guys aren’t fun anymore. I bet that where I’m taking you tonight, will be better than heaven. Trust me. It’s Mark, isn’t it?”
Mark ignored him and nudged Graham. “I don’t like this one bit. Let’s get out of here.” He scraped his chair back and the moment they turned to leave, the bar door opened and two stern looking policemen entered.
They stopped in their tracks.
Shane came up from behind them. “You see. Where you’re going tonight and for a long long time, is even better than heaven. You’re both under arrest. Come quietly and no one gets hurt. Cause a scene and you’ll sit for much longer.” As Shane said those words, Edward helped Raw onto his crutches and both approached Shane.
“The moment I saw you I knew there was something going down here.” Mark said to Edward, standing and grinning.
“Cuff them, gents. Take them away. I’ll meet you at the station in half an hour. Treat them like…pets.”
A crowd gathered on the pavement as the two men were led away into the waiting police van. Shane turned to Edward and Raw and smiled triumphantly.
“How do we thank you, Shane? That was amazing,” Raw said, extending his hand.
“I’ll need a hug from both of you.”
26
From Edward’s Journal:
No one said life is easy, nor is it compulsory. Life is fragile. A gift. Every day is a page to be cherished and lived. If I could turn each page back, I wouldn’t regret anything since Raw has come into my life. A life I once thought had passed me by. Angie was right when she said “someone out there is waiting for you, and it will happen sooner than you think.”
How does one express in words a love that transcends time itself, or immortality, or material and physical values? It’s complicated. Each is connected to the other. I would follow Raw to the ends of the earth, to each sunrise, and watch each sunset, because you see, a love like this is not easy to find.
Our days here, in the berg, are coming to an end and Raw has progressed with each passing day. He’s standing without his walking aids. At least that’s a start and I’m so proud of him. He still takes my breath away with every effort he makes, because to me, he is God’s masterpiece.
Raw, if you ever read this one day, know that I love you with all of my heart. Every breath I take. Every kiss. Every harsh word ( and there have been some).
Oh, I nearly forgot.
We’re getting married tomorrow.
There’s this beautiful little chapel here at Cathkin Peak. The priest is a jovial, humble, bear of a guy whom I’ve known since forever.
Yeah, at the end of tomorrow Raw will be Mr. Rawson Curisco-Canton, and I will be Edward Curisco-Canton. I can’t wait. It will be a privilege to belong to him in name, body, mind and soul. So thank you, Angie, dearest friend, if it were not for you we wouldn’t be.
If I were to dedicate a song to Raw, it would be this from Dermot Kennedy, called Mahogany:
But if only you could see yourself in my eyes
You’d see you shine, you shine.
If you enjoyed RAW please consider reading Gideon, my dystopian science fiction thriller. It’s available on Amazon.
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RAW Playlist
“The Winner Takes It All” – Joey Cineforo
– Theme Song
“It All Begins With Love” – Joey Cineforo
– I Love You and 1st Erotic Scene
“Solit
aire” – Joey Cineforo
– Edward’s Lonely Scene
“Live Like Horses” – Joey Cineforo
– The Drakensberg Scene
“I Surrender” – Ricardo Polidoro
– 2nd Erotic Scene
“Stand by Me” – Shane Ward
– Edward’s Confession Scene
“Someone to Love” – Shane Ward
– Raw’s Confession Scene
“Moon River” – 2 Cellos –
– 3rd Erotic Scene
“Hero” – Steven Scaccia
– Raw and Edward Reunion Scene
“Immortality” - Juan Pablo Di Pace
– Raw Death Scene
“I Have Nothing” – Steven Scaccia
– Raw’s Lonely Scene
“Roar” – Pink
- Fight Scenes
A few words of thanks must go to the following people who tirelessly gave of their precious time. I am indebted to Avril Marie PA for composing part of the tagline on the cover. My beta readers Elli West, Avril Marie PA and author Jay Hogan who advised me where the story fell short, and Alan Veren, Janice Jarrell, E L Nelson and Huanita Maria for their unwavering support.
Dermot Kennedy’s “Mahogany” quoted under fair use copyright.