Anywhere But Here

by Remmy Duchene

  “I suppose.”

  “You suppose nothing.” Eliza climbed off her stool to grab a knife and fork. “We can all talk about timing and how much time falling in love should take, but we’re just wasters. Time is precious, and we don’t have much of it. Grab this thing with both hands and hold on for what is to come. Love doesn’t care about time—no, I’m serious. I would kill to find what you’ve found. As long as you don’t take each other for granted and you show each other how much love there is every single day, it will last.”

  Chad agreed with her, but to say he wasn’t terrified about the future would be a lie. Still, he didn’t voice that to Eliza. She’d just get huffy and call him an idiot. He chuckled as he stacked a tray with breakfast and coffee. He kissed her cheek. “Going to go feed my man. There’s more food for Abal and Nim. Can you feed them when they show up?”

  “Sure can.” Eliza popped a blueberry into her mouth. “I’m going to stop by Mom’s place a little later. Think Abal and Nimal would like to go with me?”

  Chad smirked. “Trying to give me and John some alone time?”

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “Thank you and ask them.”

  “I need some new saris anyway. So I will go shopping.”

  Chad nodded and exited the room, leaving her to eat. When he entered the bedroom, John was in the bathroom so he set the tray on the floor and waited. John stepped out with a towel wrapped around his hips, and Chad bit down into his bottom lip. “Damn. I still can’t believe all of that is mine.”

  John smiled. “Believe it.”

  “I brought you some breakfast,” Chad said.

  “Aww, baby,” John sat beside him and accepted the coffee Chad handed him. “I wanted to make you something.”

  “We can alternate or, you can do something else for me.”

  John laughed. “Freak. I am still sore from last night.”

  “Maybe we should take a break. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  John sipped from his mug. “We can take a break—today, and then tonight I have a few things I would like to show you, Dr. Holstrom.”

  Chad grinned, his heart brimming with so much emotion. He lifted the tray and set it on the table. The two of them sat together on the large bed, eating breakfast and talking. There were so many times Chad had thought love was a bust. Every time he compared one of his relationships to his parents’, and all those times his heart would break. But watching John and listening to him, Chad knew he’d chosen better, different.

  “Life with me will not be perfect,” Chad said. “I will be working weird hours for a while. Can you be a doctor’s boyfriend, knowing that?”

  John eyed him. “Are you trying to scare me off, Chad?”

  “No.” Chad ripped a pancake in half and shoved a part into his mouth. “Not at all. This is your final chance to run. The last chance you will get to reevaluate being with me before I toss my whole self into this mind, body, and soul.”

  “I thought you already did that. Was I wrong? I mean, you told me you loved me and I believed you.”

  “And I wasn’t lying.” Chad watched John carefully. “When I said I loved you I meant every word. But there was a small part of me that has been worried you don’t know what’s in store.”

  “Listen to me.” John set the tray aside and scooted in closer. “I am not running. Did you run when you saw my battered body? Did you run when the wounds healed but the scars remained? Did you run when my family came into the picture? Trust me, those were all harder to deal with than some damn messed up hours. It will not be like you are spending more time with other men than coming home to me—you will be at work. Us adults, we do that. All I ask is from time to time you take some time off for me.”

  “And what would we do in those times?”

  “Everything I want.” John winked. “Seriously, Chad. You worry too much. I told you I am here, and that is what I meant.”

  “Good.” Chad leaned in to give John a quick kiss. “Okay. Enough of this depressing stuff. Eliza is taking your brother and cousin out for the day so we can have one of those days together you just talked about. You’ll have me alone to yourself so … yeah.”

  “Woohoo!”

  Chad laughed. “Come. Let’s finish eating, and then I can take a shower.”

  “While you shower I’ll go down and see Nimal and Abal before they leave.”

  “Okay. What’re we doing today anyway?”

  “I do not know. I was going to look into how I can start the school, but I can do that later. I’ll think of something fun, I swear.”

  ****

  The day was spent in the pool and in Chad’s arms. John knew there was so much to be done, but he wasn’t about to turn his back on spending a whole day with his man. He stopped then and set his drink on the glass table and sat up.

  My man.

  That thought left him speechless as he smiled and turned to watch Chad swim laps in the pool. In that moment, he accepted it all and made peace with everything that had happened in the last few months. Rising, he walked to the edge of the pool and lay on his stomach waiting for Chad to reach the end. When he did, Chad stopped and floated up to the wall. John kissed him, softly at first, then with all his heart.

  “I am ready,” John said. “I am ready to be your man. My heart is here.”

  “I know.”

  “No—I mean all in, Chad. I realized that as long as I harbor feelings for my father and uncle I could not give you my whole heart. That would not be fair to you. Even after our talk this morning over breakfast. I let all that go. All of it.”

  “No one expects you to do that. All of that is a part of you, your past.”

  “Exactly. My past. But do you know what I will be busy thinking about? What will fill my mind and heart every day from now on?”

  “No.” Chad’s voice cracked. “Tell me.”

  “You and a future.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I want to be your husband.” John blurted out before he could stop himself. “Sure, it would not be legal, but it would be to us. I want to have your name and your ring on my finger. Look, you do not have to answer now or even tomorrow. I just wanted you to know where I see this going, and that I will be a good husband to you.”

  Chad smile—a big one that swallowed his whole face. “I would be honored.”

  “Really?” John asked. “It is not too soon?”

  “Lizzie and I had a talk this morning about timing.” Chad leaned closer. “It’s not like we’re going to run out and get married now. I need you to meet my mother first and she won’t be back in India for another two months. We have time, but yes, I’d be happy to have you call me husband.”

  John flailed and kissed Chad again. “You have made me so happy.”

  “I can believe it. I feel it every time I look into your eyes. Can we keep this quiet until I’ve had time to get us rings and make it official?”

  “Nope.” John grinned. “I will take care of the rings.”

  Chad tilted his head. “I don’t mind.”

  “I proposed, so I get the rings,” John sat up and folded his arms. “I will hear no more of it.”

  “Okay, baby. I’ll let you handle that.”

  “Good.” John stood up and took a breath. “Hurry up and get out of that pool. I have been watching your ass all day, and I would like to taste it.”

  “Damn. You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  Epilogue

  All day long, John spent it thinking about the night ahead. With the school finally off the ground he had to admit he couldn’t have been more proud of Nimal, Abal, and Eliza. All three chipped in to recruit students from all over the world. Abal hit China, Japan, and Sri Lanka while Nimal focused on Europe. He had tons of connection there from their days in France. Eliza used her power of persuasion in the United States, and in no time their roster was full.

  But that wasn’t what John was worried about. He loved his work and was proud of his cousin for go
ing back to school to become a teacher and of Nimal for being an amazing principal. But as John sat in the back of the taxi, speeding through the Jaipur streets back toward the home he shared with Chad, his heart fluttered like it was about to jump from his chest. He was about to cook an awesome dinner, and spend the night showing Chad just how amazing he’d been since they’d been together.

  After paying the driver, John let himself though the large gates Chad had insisted on adding to the property. He’d wanted the estate to be more secure, and John didn’t argue with his soon to be husband. There were more serious things to argue about in a relationship—that was the advice Lillian, Chad’s mother, had given John.

  Don’t sweat the small stuff, she’d said. And Chad adding a security fence and a gate to their property was small stuff in the grand scheme of things.

  Inside, John flopped into the sofa and loosened his tie. It’d been a long year. His body throbbed so hard he thought he’d been hit by a bus. Getting a school up and running was exhausting, even a small one such as the Rebirth English and Art Academy. There had been so much to do, and soon he found himself working as much as Chad was. Luckily, during the start-up phase, he would synch his work with Chad’s shifts and make sure he was home when Chad was. Exhausted, he rubbed his eyes and used the other hand to undo the tie and pulled it over his head.

  “Dilip?” Chad’s mother’s voice rang through the space.

  “Yes, Mother?”

  Lillian stepped into the living room grinning. “Chad’s not back yet?”

  “Not yet,” John told her. “I am about to set up our anniversary dinner.”

  “No need.” She beamed. “I cooked a nice meal. There is wine chilling and candles ready to be lit.”

  John stood and hugged her tightly. “You are a life saver.”

  “I know how tired you’ve been.” Lillian cradled his face. “Now, I’m going to leave. My car is waiting. You two have a good night, and I’ll call tomorrow.”

  “Not too early, huh? It will be our first day off in three months.”

  Lillian winked at him then kissed his forehead. “Happy anniversary, Dilip.”

  “Thank you, Mother. For accepting me, for loving me more than my own mother—it means a lot.”

  “Of course.” Lillian winked. “You have given me no reason to not welcome you to this family, Dilip. My son loves you beyond reason. It is the kind of love I thought I found with his father. But I wouldn’t trade a moment with that man for anything else, for he gave me my Chad and my Lizzie. As long as the two of you respect each other, don’t take each other for granted and stay madly in love, things will work out.”

  John hugged her again, and this time she left John alone in the large house. Still beat, he climbed the stairs to take a fast shower. A check of the clock told him Chad would be home, barring an emergency call at the hospital, in ten minutes.

  Dressed in a black pair of slacks and one of Chad’s dress shirts, John made his way back down the stairs just as a car pulled into the driveway. Quickly, he found a box of matches and set about lighting the candles Lillian had set up. He then peered into the oven and was blown away. There was a turkey, along with baked potatoes. On top of the stove was a pot of rice pilaf and gravy. He whispered a silent thanks to his mother-in-law and cleared his throat.

  “Baby?” Chad called. “Sweetheart?”

  “In the kitchen!”

  Chad’s footsteps grew louder, and soon he was standing at the door. “John…”

  “Your mother is good, you know?” John said, walking over to kiss Chad. “I was coming home to make something for us, but she beat me to it. Welcome home, baby, and happy anniversary.”

  Chad accepted another kiss before pulling a bundle of sunflowers from behind his back. “Happy anniversary to you.”

  “Sunflowers!” John cheered while accepting them. “Thank you. They’re beautiful. Now, do you want a moment to shower while I make sure food is on the table?”

  “Yes.” Chad kissed John’s head and was turning to leave then stopped.

  Their eyes locked, and John cleared his throat. “Something wrong?” John asked.

  “Let’s set a date.”

  “A date?” John set the flowers on the table and looked at Chad once more. The flickering candle light casted a beautiful, warm glow over his dark skin. “A date for what?”

  “For our commitment ceremony.”

  “Really?” John smiled.

  Chad nodded. “Tonight, over dinner. It’s time. Don’t you think?”

  “Of course. It’s been two years. I am sorry to have let setting up the school and life get in the way. You have been very patient. We will do that.”

  Chad blew him a kiss and left the room. Alone, John did a strange little dance around the kitchen then glanced back to ensure he was alone. He couldn’t wait to call Chad his husband. He didn’t care if the public wouldn’t acknowledge their marriage, but it was important to him that Chad wanted to do this. With smile, he worked on setting dinner on the table. But the time Chad returned looking refreshed it was just time for them to sit down over a lovely meal.

  They locked eyes across the table, and Chad reached out for his hand. John laced his fingers with Chad’s and smiled. He’d never thought anyone could be so happy, especially for what he was. He was always taught that being gay would leave him with a lifetime of pain and disappointment, but so far all he felt was love and light. John rose and walked around to sit across Chad’s lap. He tangled his arms around Chad’s neck and leaned in for a kiss.

  “I love you, Chad Holstrom. I do not think I could ever see myself without you.”

  Chad grinned. “That’s the best thing anyone has ever said to me. Your love means so much.”

  With his heart full and overflowing, Dilip “John” Chandra kissed his man. For he knew, soon, very soon, he would be Dilip “John” Holstrom, and that would then make him the happiest man in the world.

  The End

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  Other Books by Remmy Duchene:

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