Together Forever

by David Horne

  This was amazing. The best sex I’ve ever had. Maybe because it was with Daniel, but because he was also just how I liked it in bed. This was a feeling that I wanted to have more often, and I was afraid of what that would imply. There was no turning back now, as, after this, I was already too invested in him to watch him go.

  I was going to fight for him and for his love, even I have to eventually face his father myself. No one is going to keep the two of us apart anymore.

  Chapter Four

  I don’t remember us falling asleep, but it turns out that we did. Luckily, the hospital never sleeps, and we were able to volunteer to take the night shift.

  Carla saw us on the way out, and she revealed that their trip to the city was delightful and that we missed some fantastic stuff. Since we took the night shift, maybe we could go explore the town tomorrow, just the two of us.

  The hospital was filled with patients, so we took a bit longer. I looked at my watch, and it was already nine-thirty in the morning. I was looking for Daniel, because since we slept so much yesterday, now we could go and venture into the city.

  I found him talking to a kid who was lying in bed, recovering from a terrible fever. The way he was comforting her was adorable and tender, a side of him that I barely remembered. I wondered for a second what it would look like if we could have a kid someday… Would that mean that we would have to go and live together first? The thought of such plans was far from becoming a reality, in my opinion.

  Daniel got up and saw me standing by the door. He smiled gently, and I smiled back, also waving at the kid. She was kind enough to wave back at me.

  We got out of the room and went straight into the changing room. There were no showers or anything fancy. It was just a room where we could change our outfits. When I took my shirt off, Daniel came into me and grabbed me, kissing me.

  “Yesterday,” he said, beginning to take off his shirt as well. “Was the best sex I ever had,” he admitted, laughing at the end.

  “For me, too,” I said.

  He smiled, hearing my response, and we both got changed. As we were leaving the hospital, Daniel wrapped his hand around my waist, and we went as any couple would. Of course, people were staring, which was making me uncomfortable, to be completely honest.

  Since I never had a boyfriend before, I didn’t know how to behave. If felt good, it felt amazing to see that he was right by my side, as he was a part of me. And I couldn’t ask for a better person. The connection we have goes far too deep, and yet, we feel like we’re just discovering each other. That makes for a very familiar and yet surreal feeling.

  We walked all the way like that until the hospital’s door. Raja was coming inside, and his expression drastically changed when he saw us. It seemed like we’d just shot Raja and left. I felt terrible for him, but should I? I mean, we’re not even that close. However, I can’t ignore what I’m sometimes feeling.

  “Maybe I should go talk to him,” I said to Daniel.

  This time, Daniel was the one who seemed to have taken a bullet.

  “What?” He asked, staring at me with a very aggressive look. “Why?”

  The truth is that I didn’t know why. Maybe I was just overthinking it, and Raja never even felt anything for me.

  “You’re right, never mind.”

  Daniel took me under his arm again, and it seemed like he was holding me tighter this time. As if he didn’t want me to go anywhere. We walked into a restaurant, and I was shocked that he didn’t let go of me once, even with everyone staring in disdain.

  We sat down on a table and ordered. It felt nice to be with Daniel like this in public, but I was wondering if he would still do the same back home. What if he were just acting this way to make up for the fact that he would cut me off from his life as soon as the plane lands?

  I couldn’t even enjoy my meal, and it was quite good. For some reason, I didn’t have the guts to ask Daniel what his plan was once we got home. I know it’s not the best thing to try and ignore, but this moment was making me feel so pleased that I didn’t want to ruin it. Maybe I could ask him later.

  Exploring a new town is always fun, and Ghana was no different. However, the thing that I was paying more attention to was Daniel. I was feeling loved, he was holding me, kissing me. He was my soulmate, something that I think we were always meant to be.

  This felt so nice but I couldn’t help but think that it was too fragile and could come apart at any moment. Nevertheless, we walked around some places close to the hospital, and then we headed home.

  By the door of the residence, Carla was taking out her bags. She seemed relieved when she saw us.

  “Oh, my God! There you are,” she screamed.

  “What’s going on?” Daniel asked her.

  “It seems that we have to go back! Can you believe it?”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Carla said, struggling to carry her three bags. “Michael won’t tell us.”

  “Was it Michael’s decision?” I wondered.

  “He just said that we had to go. That we couldn’t stay here anymore.”

  “That’s so weird!” Daniel commented.

  Indeed, it was. What was going on? Michael was coming out of the residence, also carrying his large bags.

  “Hey, dude! What’s going on?” Asked him, Daniel, grabbing my hand at the same time.

  Michael tried to look away, and his eyesight went right to our hands, which made Daniel let go of my hand. There’s the behavior that I was fearing, but also expecting. As a sign that I was pretty upset, I went away from him and to Carla.

  “Something happened with Raja’s family. A terrible accident. We can’t stay here while he goes and deals with it, we all have to go to show him our solidarity and support.” Michael explained.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  Michael sighted. Whatever it was, it was clear on his face that it was something dire.

  “A truck hit the car that Raja’s parents and his little sister were in. Luckily, they all survived, but they’re going to need help.”

  “Yeah... It makes sense that we all go,” said Carla, looking at the floor.

  “We have to,” I agreed.

  “Good. Now go pack your things, I need to talk to Raja.”

  As Michael left, Daniel came in my direction, stretching his arms to hold me. Quickly, I went inside, avoiding him. Why did I fall for his bullshit again? There was no way this was ever going to last. He’s not even committed.

  “Why are you walking away from me?” He asks, following me into our bedroom.

  “I don’t know!” I said ironically. “Do you also think that you’re still straight?” I shouted.

  “No,” he answered calmly. “I think I’m bi.”

  Yeah, that answer kind of surprised me. I was expecting to hear Daniel’s delusions again. I guess that I was wrong.

  “Is this because I let go of your hand?” He asked me.

  “No. This is because I don’t trust you,” I honestly said.

  Daniel’s face became cold. He seemed to not be expecting that either.

  “I don’t know what you want from me. I’m not safe in this, because I don’t even know if this is a relationship.”

  “It’s not,” he said.

  “See? What do you think this is then?”

  “I think that we are just having fun.”

  “I'm not having fun!” I shouted and began to cry. “For me, this is love! What I’ve always felt for you is all still here! It’s awakened now, and you’re throwing it all away! I can’t be with you like you want me to, because it’s hurting me more than I can explain!”

  Once I was done, I began sobbing and threw myself onto my bed. Daniel sat by my side, and I flinched to avoid him.

  “Okay,” he began. “Look at me,” Daniel ordered.

  Obviously, I didn’t. Daniel took his big manly hands into my head and forced me to lift it up to see his face.

  “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”
He asked me, calmly and quietly.

  What was I supposed to answer? I should say no because I couldn’t predict what would happen to us in the future. I didn’t even know what he was feeling, and maybe neither did he. However, this was just what I was complaining about, and he just made it real.

  “If we’re going to be together, for real, you need to mean it. You can’t hide who you are. You can’t hide me.” I said.

  Daniel got up from the bed and turned his back on me, facing the wall.

  “You know it’s hard for me. My dad...” he explained.

  “I know. I understand. But I don’t want you to hide me... Especially from yourself.”

  “What if I promise that I’ll work on it?”

  “You have to promise me that you won’t hurt me,” I begged.

  Daniel turned to me and got his face close to mine.

  “I promise.” He assured me.

  …

  Once Michael got back, we went straight to the airport. Raja was desolated, and he was breaking my heart. For now, I was giving him space, but on the plane, I would have a chat with him.

  As I saw the airport in the distance, I was also thinking about Daniel. Since we’re going home so soon, can he hold on to his promise? Part of me still feels that he will do something stupid and that I’ll end up hurt.

  Maybe I do need to trust him. If I give him a chance, perhaps he can prove to me that he actually loves me and wants to stay with me for the rest of his life. But that’s it: I’m only giving him one more chance, and then I’m done trying to excuse him.

  Daniel signaled me to sit by the window on the plane, but I really wanted to go and talk to Raja first. I told Daniel to wait, and I turned away from his confused expression as I went to speak with Raja.

  He was sitting on a couple seats in the front, and there was no one on the two places next to him, which I found to be even more depressing for him. Maybe I should stay next to him during this whole flight.

  “Hey,” I greeted him softly. “Do you want to be alone, or can I join you?” I asked, pointing at the seat next to his.

  “You can stay,” he said, almost whispering.

  “How are you?” I asked him, regretting almost immediately after. What a stupid question to ask. Of course, he’s not feeling good.

  “They’re saying that their condition is terrible. I’m afraid that something might happen to my family.” He said.

  “They survived, and they are strong enough to push through this.” I comforted him.

  “The thing is that the doctors haven’t given any more updates. The not knowing what’s going on is killing me,” he said, beginning to cry.

  “It’s okay,” I said, giving him a hug.

  While I stretched forward, to give Raja a warm hug, I spotted Daniel staring furiously at me. What was he thinking? Was Daniel somehow jealous? Why couldn’t he understand how delicate this was, and what Raja must’ve been feeling right now?

  “Thank you,” Raja said to me.

  “Of course!” I replied, smiling gently at him.

  “I’ll try to get some sleep. Michael gave me some painkillers.”

  “Yeah, I’ll leave you alone. Call me if you need anything.” I offered.

  Raja nodded, and then I left. Once I arrived at my seat, Daniel took the one by the window and left me between him and Carla. I also noticed that he turned his face around when he saw me coming over.

  “What’s up with you?” I asked him.

  “Nothing,” he said, still facing the window.

  I looked at Carla, and she rose her eyebrows at the situation. Daniel was clearly jealous, which was flattering to me, but not in context with this situation.

  ***

  Since Daniel and I still hadn’t slept, I took the first plane trip to rest. On the second flight, however, I was awake. Daniel still held my hand and kissed me a few times, but I noticed that he was colder than usual. Raja was pretty numb from the medicine and his own head, honestly.

  Seeing our home just a couple miles away, from the inside of my mom’s car had a very weird feeling to it. Our trip got canceled because of something awful that completely shook this entire town’s population. And, on top of that, I was also worried about the future of my relationship with Daniel.

  We were all silent as we drove back home. My mom was also quite surprised by the car accident, as was everyone else. However, she didn’t notice when Daniel held my hand at the airport and how close we were to each other.

  I wonder if Daniel will remain completely silent about our relationship. And why haven’t I said anything myself? I guess that I’m just waiting for him to do what’s right. He’s the one who needs to hold on to his promise.

  We arrived at Daniel’s house, and my mom stopped the car on the road just in front of it.

  “Ms. Vanessa,” Daniel said to my mom. “I would like you to come over tonight for dinner if that’s okay.”

  I stared at him. I had no idea what he was planning to do.

  “Oh, sure,” my mom replied awkwardly. “What’s the occasion?” She asked.

  “I have something to announce, and you have to be present.”

  My mom looked at me with a judgmental look and then looked back at Daniel again.

  “Then I’ll be there,” she announced with a smile.

  “Great!” Daniel replied with excitement, right before he left.

  It was clear that he was planning on making our relationship official to everyone, but I was afraid of his father’s reaction.

  “So... What’s this thing that he wants to announce?” My mom asked me as we drove home.

  “I don’t know,” I answered.

  “Right. Maybe it has something to do with you?” She guessed.

  “I think we’re together, but it’s still too early to be sure of anything,” I revealed.

  “I know that you two always had a special relationship. It wasn’t like other friendships. Daniel’s parents know it two, but they're not very supportive of it.”

  “Yeah. I think this dinner is going to be a train wreck.”

  As we parked just outside our house, she held my hand.

  “Listen, whatever happens, just know that I support you and that I’ll always have your back. Always!” She said.

  “Thank you, mom! Let’s just hope that Daniel’s parents think the same.”

  “They don’t,” she revealed. “But let’s hope for the best.”

  Once I got home, I went to place all my bags in my bedroom and then started up my computer. My virtual friends had left me several messages while I was away, asking about me. I realize now that I completely forgot to talk to them and explain to them that I was going to be away for a while.

  That’s how much Daniel took over my life. I replied to them and told him all the news, including that Daniel was now a part of my life. Before I realized it, my mom was already calling me for dinner. Suddenly, I got all nervous about it.

  The fact that he was going to tell his parents about our new relationship was something that I was excited about, but also very scared about. What if they react badly to it, which is what’s likely to happen? I was pretty frightened, but at least I had my mother there to protect me when things get ugly, in case Daniel can’t.

  The decision of what I was going to wear to such a momentous occasion had to be considered. I decided on a plain white shirt, some skinny black jeans, and a navy green jacket on top. Regarding shoes, I chose some white sneakers.

  Personally, I have never been in a relationship like this one before, so I really didn’t know how to behave at this dinner. I guess that I’ll just be myself and, if needed, I’ll explain the affection that I feel for Daniel.

  As usual, I’m already overthinking everything. Let’s just hope that my emotions don’t get the best of me tonight. Nice I got downstairs, my mom was already ready to go and was just waiting for me.

  “Are you ready?” She asked me.

  “Not really,” I answered honestly.

  �
��Me neither,” she said, right before we started laughing. “Let’s go!”

  We walked into Daniel’s house since it was so close to ours, and in less than five minutes, we were already there. I felt my heart palpitating as we rang the doorbell. This dinner had everything to be a colossal disaster.

  Daniel’s mother, Linda, came to open the door to us. She was a delicate woman but very unsure of herself. Unfortunately, she depends a lot on her husband to support her lifestyle. Not that she ever goes out either or buys expensive stuff, but she has the responsibility of spending her entire days at home, doing tedious house chores.

  She was always very polite to me, and I’m pretty sure that she’s already suspicious of Daniel and I and that she actually supports our relationship. However, she is not one to stand by her own opinions, and she just agrees with everything her husband says.

  As we walked inside, after Linda, so politely asked us to, I could already hear Daniel’s father, Carlos, complaining about something. For what I could listen to, it had something to do with the way the table seats were laid out.

  Daniel smiled as soon as he saw me enter their dining room, but I could see that he was holding back and shaking from the nerves. I could imagine how scary this dinner was to him. Especially when his father doesn’t make it easier.

  I went over to Mr. Carlos and shook his hand. As usual, he almost ripped my arm off in the process. He patted me on the back and asked how things were. It seems like he has no clue about the intention behind this dinner. I can’t begin to imagine what his reaction will be as soon as he finds out.

  My mom walked in right behind me, and it seems like Linda and my mom were giggling about something. Immediately, everyone sat down, and Daniel told me to sit by his side. Unfortunately, his dad was sitting right in front of me. I could only hope for him to not throw anything my way.

  Linda began by serving us some chicken soup, and it was delicious. During the first few minutes, everyone seemed quite happy, and even Carlos was asking me a bunch of personal questions. However, Daniel seemed very quiet and was not as talkative as he usually is.