“Mark,” she growled, glaring at him.
He grinned as he went to let Sara in.
“They did it, didn’t they?” Sara said to Norma.
“I’m thinking the answer is yes,” Norma replied. “Either that or he’s been hitting up the happy juice.”
“Okay, okay,” Mark said. “Yes, we did it, as you so succinctly put it, Sara.”
“And?”
“I am not going into details, damn it. Let’s just say we finally said we loved each other and then proved it. Quite successfully, in my opinion.”
“It’s about time!” Norma said, hugging him tightly. “Now, when are you moving in together?”
“Good grief. We’re not nearly to that point yet,” Mark muttered.
“But it will happen.”
Mark nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
* * * *
Mark broached the subject of him and Austin living together early in August, about a month after Norma had mentioned it. Things were going so well between them; he was ready to take the next step, if Austin agreed.
They were at Mark’s apartment, eating supper, when he brought it up. In a joking tone of voice, he said, “This commuting between your place and mine is getting old.”
“All five hundred feet?” Austin replied with a laugh.
“Well, twice that, when you consider the ride down and up in the elevators.”
“Are you trying to suggest we start living together?” Austin asked, one eyebrow arched in question.
“The thought had crossed my mind, if you’re willing.”
“Willing? I think it’s a great idea, except for one thing. My place is about as large as a postage stamp and yours isn’t much bigger.”
“I know,” Mark admitted. “We could look for, maybe, a two-bedroom apartment with a real dining room? You could use the second bedroom as your office. Maybe we could even find one in a building that has a fitness center.”
“Sure. Between us we can probably afford something fairly close to the costume shop, too, which would be a plus for you.”
After finishing supper, they went online to see what was available. They came up with several, deciding to look at them the following weekend when Mark was off work.
It took two weeks to settle on one they both liked, and another week to finalize everything, which happened on the last Monday in August. Then, it was time to pack up and move—which they planned on doing the following Sunday afternoon.
As the day approached, Mark noticed Austin was becoming more and more taciturn, barely speaking unless he had to reply to something Mark had said. He didn’t even want to make love, which was a first for him. Instead, he’d kiss Mark then tell him he was too tired to do anything more, suggesting he go home, or going home himself if they were at Mark’s place.
As far as Mark was concerned, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on. The problem was, he had no idea how to fix it. Or more to the point, how to convince Austin what had happened when he and Jon had moved was not going to happen to them.
They had to rent a truck, of course, to move their furniture. And Mark had to drive his car over, when they did. Presuming he could convince Austin to drive the truck.
Saturday, he left his car at the apartment building, taking the bus in to work. That way, he could pick up the truck on the way home, which he did, parking it next to his car. Then he went over to Austin’s place. When he walked in he didn’t see Austin at first, until he checked the balcony. Austin was standing at the railing, apparently unaware Mark was there.
Steeling himself, Mark walked over, wrapping his arms around Austin from behind. “It’s not going to happen,” he said gently. “What you’re imagining, what you’re remembering…It is not going to happen.”
“You don’t know that,” Austin replied, not looking at him.
“Well, true, I can’t promise you it won’t,” Mark agreed. “But the odds are a billion to one against it. If you want, if it would make you feel better, I can drop the car off first, then we’ll both go in the truck.”
“Maybe.” Austin turned in Mark’s arms. “I know I’m being stupid, but I can’t help it. I thought I was past what happened—that I had a handle on it. I guess I was wrong because I keep seeing it, only now it’s not Jon, it’s you.” He took a shuddering breath.
“I thought as much. Why didn’t you say something?”
“I was afraid you’d think less of me if I did.”
“Good lord.” Mark hugged him tightly. “I love you. Nothing you could do will change that. Being afraid of something is part of who we are as human beings. Not talking about our fears doesn’t help either of us. It only makes it worse. Yes, you’re scared. After what you went through, I’m not at all surprised.” He brushed his knuckles along Austin’s jaw. “Take a deep breath and believe me when I say, it will not happen again.”
Austin gazed at him for a long moment. Then he smiled. “I believe. I do. I have to, because you said it.”
“And I’m never wrong,” Mark replied, before kissing him—a kiss Austin returned, much to his relief.
“Well, there was the one time…” Austin said.
“Which you will not bring up, or else. Are you hungry, because I’m starving?” Austin admitted he was, which didn’t surprise Mark in the least. Along with being withdrawn for the last few days, Austin hadn’t been eating well. “Okay, I opt we go out for dinner, to the steak place we found last month.”
“Red meat, and lots of it.”
“Bingo.”
* * * *
The move went smoothly. Or as smoothly as such things do, considering they realized at the last minute they’d have to do it in two trips if they were going to bring everything they owned. Mark had dropped his car off at their new apartment, first, riding the bus back so he and Austin could take the truck together. Austin was tense during the first trek, his gaze going to each intersection, looking for anything which said a car was coming too fast and might run the light or stop sign. On the second trip, he managed to relax enough to joke with Mark about what they should have left behind.
“You know not all of the furniture will fit into the apartment, unless we push the two dining tables together. Then it’ll look like we’re planning on feeding the hordes.”
“So, we’ll put one out on the balcony,” Mark replied. “Along with the extra chairs.”
A balcony was the one thing they had agreed they wanted when they first started looking at apartments. They ended up with two, one off the living room, and the other off the master bedroom. “After all,” Mark had joked, “you might feel the need to do a bit of window peeping. Of course if I catch you at it, you’ll be cut off for a week.”
Austin had laughed. “I think I can resist, although I wasn’t peeping, I was observing.”
“That’s your story and you’ll stick with it until your dying day.”
“You bet.”
Now, after getting everything into their new apartment, they arranged things to their satisfaction. They’d decided the vegetable half of their container garden would go onto the bedroom balcony, while the flowers would go on the living room one, along with the table and chairs.
“Our private tropical paradise,” Austin said.
“Not until next year, when we get a couple of palm trees.”
“Which we’ll have to move indoors in the winter, but what the hell, I’m game.”
“One reason I love you,” Mark replied. “You’re up for just about anything.”
“That, my man, was a loaded statement.”
Laughing as he took Austin’s hand, tugging him with no real resistance toward the bedroom, Mark replied, “It was supposed to be.”
THE END
ABOUT EDWARD KENDRICK
Born and bred in Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Se
rvice to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.
I began writing a few years ago after joining an online fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished no matter the genre or content. Since then, for the last five years, I’ve been writing for publication—my first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely ‘romantic.’ More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal to boot.
For more information, visit edwardkendrick.blogspot.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
The Man on the Balcony Page 8