The Telling

by Eden Winters

  When the group assembled, a hush settled over the darkening stadium. Even the sounds of the nearby highway seemed muted. All was still and quiet, as though the very evening held its breath in anticipation. A low murmur thrummed through the crowd when a gray-haired gentleman slowly made his way to the podium of the makeshift stage. After the obligatory microphone testing that always preceded such events, the man, whom Michael knew from the crumpled program in his hands to be Dean Myers, began the evening.

  “Family, friends, faculty, and students. I’d like to welcome you tonight to a most momentous occasion in the lives of these young adults.” A loud throat clearing brought a smile to the old man’s face and he added, “And those young at heart.” He grinned down at a gown-clad student with snow-white hair.

  The Dean continued the preliminary introductions. “We are here to witness many years of hard work coming to fruition as these students enjoy the rewards of their perseverance. I’d like you to join with me in a round of applause for this fine group of scholars that appear before you tonight.”

  Starting quietly and building to thunderous levels, the noise frightened Michael at first until he focused on smiles and laughs. A happy moment. Nothing here to fear. He sought and found Jay and breathed easier, focusing on why he was here, and for whom, and blocking out any negatives. Though her eyes remained on the field, Angie stopped clapping and slipped her hand into his.

  Abruptly the sound ended with a wave of the Dean’s hand. “Without further ado, I would like to introduce a great student among many great students, who has distinguished herself both within the halls of academia and in the community, where her leadership skills and unfailing compassion have made her a pinnacle of this community that adopted her as their own. I give you Avery University’s Engineering Technologies Class of 2010’s Valedictorian, Kimberly Ann Delacroix.”

  More applause greeted the slender figure of a dark-skinned young woman as she mounted the stage and made her way over to the Dean. “I just love her complexion,” Angie sighed, rubbing her milk white arms.

  After a too-lengthy speech, in Michael’s opinion, the part he’d been waiting for began with the calling of Terry Abramson. Terry, in all his toothy, arrogant glory, danced across the stage to accept his degree. He shook hands with the Dean and Valedictorian before exiting the stage, smiling, waving, and moving the tassel on his cap from right to left, acknowledging his graduated status.

  One by one the students crossed the stage to receive their honors, some somber and serious, others laughing and joking. A tall, well-built black man grabbed Kimberly and swept her into an impromptu tango, ending with a dramatic dip that cost her her cap. With a chivalrous bow, the man retrieved the errant mortarboard and returned it to Kimberley’s neatly braided hair. He blew a kiss as he backed away. Even from a distance Michael could see the young woman’s blush.

  “Wasn’t that cute?” Angie gushed, clinging to Michael’s arm. “They’re engaged, you know. Her daddy’s a big deal down in Mobile and her parents didn’t like it much, but I think Jamal’s engineering degree changed their mind.”

  Yeah, he could see how that could happen.

  As more and more students made their way to the stage, Angie provided a brief history of the ones she knew. When the O’s were called, he counted down, waiting, watching. Finally, the moment arrived. Michael held his breath, anticipating the next name. Based on Angie’s sudden gasp, he wasn’t the only one surprised when the Dean called, “Javier Aidan Ortiz Gallagher.” Javier? Jay’s given name was Javier? Jay was such a common name in the South that it never once occurred to him to ask. And he really should know the name of the man he wanted to spend his life with.

  Narrowed green eyes met Michael’s as Angie hissed, “I didn’t know that was his name, did you know? I mean, everything I’ve ever seen said Jay Ortiz.”

  At his bewildered head shake, their combined gazes moved on towards their mom, who appeared equally shocked. Gramps laughed. “I knew. He’s named after both his grandfathers, but the Irish side of the family butchered his name, asking ‘What happened to the J? It starts with J; you should be able to hear it.’ So, he got called ‘Jay’. And tacking his mother’s family name to the end of his is a cultural thing, or so I’ve been told.” The old man looked far too smug to know something they apparently didn’t. “Amazing the things that come up when you’re working on fence lines.”

  Michael divided his attention between listening to his grandfather’s explanation and watching the fluid movements of his lover. Jay grinned when he approached the duo waiting to bestow his degree, but merely nodded, smiled, and paused to receive their well-wishes. A relatively low-key performance, typical of a man who saw no need for grandstanding. As he prepared to exit the stage, Jay stopped, turned to the audience, and raised both hands in triumph, pure delight shining from his features. The crowd had been warned not to applaud individual students, to wait until the end, but a few catcalls could be heard, as well as shouts of “Jay, Jay, Jay!”

  The bright grin slowly faded into that little boy smile Michael loved so much. Jay reached into the top of his gown and removed something hanging from a chain around his neck. He reverently clutched the mystery object before returning it to the safety of his gown. He exited the stage and returned to his seat.

  Michael looked right and then left, puzzled by the knowing expressions on the faces of his mother and sister. Okay, he had no idea what that was about and wasn’t sure he wanted to know, though he had a feeling they’d tell him later.

  Now that what he’d come to see was over, he glanced at his watch, eager for the ceremony to end. Who knew there were so many P’s through W’s in one class? Much to his surprise, being there wasn’t overwhelming like he feared it would be. Parts were even enjoyable, especially seeing Jay not only graduate, but graduate with honors. Michael couldn’t be more proud. In fact, he was most anxious to tell the man face to face.

  Jay had assured him that he didn’t have to attend if he thought it would be uncomfortable, but this was a once in a lifetime event, a crowning moment in his lover’s life. It didn’t matter how bad Michael might have felt, he was where he needed to be. His therapist agreed with the decision, stating that it was important to have goals to work toward and, in Raff’s opinion, Michael couldn’t have picked a more worthwhile goal.

  And now the ceremony neared the end. The band played the commencement theme and caps sailed into the air amid whoops of laughter and screams of joy. Michael hesitated but a moment before joining the throng crowding out onto the football field in search of their loved ones.

  It seemed that everyone was wearing an indistinguishable, shapeless blue gown. Angie pulled him into the fray, laughing and obviously enjoying herself. Occasionally she stopped to congratulate and/or hug someone before grabbing her brother’s arm once more and hurrying toward their common goal. He nearly ran into Terry, literally, who laughed and gave Angie a big hug before arranging his features into a more thoughtful expression. Terry smiled and shook Michael’s hand, leaning in to speak privately.

  “I just wanted to tell you that I think Jay’s one hell of a lucky guy.” His voice, warm and sincere, somehow managed to be heard by Michael over the chaos without being overheard by those standing close by.

  When he pulled back, the genuine longing in Terry’s eyes overwhelmed Michael for a moment, but before he had time to question, Terry winked and disappeared into the mass.

  “I told you he wasn’t all bad,” Angie gloated.

  Any response that Michael might have made was cut off as the crowd seemed to part in front of him, allowing Jay to step through. The object so fondly displayed on stage was now hanging from the folds of his gown for all to see—Michael’s dog tags. Jay clasped them in his hand and said, “You were with me up there.”

  Not caring who saw, Michael swooped his lover and friend up into a bone-crushing hug. “You did it!” He put the stunned man down as they were joined by the rest of his family. Suddenly they were invaded by a v
eritable swarm of newcomers, all seeming to have just one thing on their minds—getting as close to the newly graduated engineer as possible.

  A moment of jealousy swept over Michael when a lovely young woman with light brown skin, and the darkest eyes he’d ever seen, kissed Jay on the cheek and hugged him tightly to her big-bosomed body, only to be followed by another girl and yet another. Realization hit him as he recognized the young women from the video and photos, and the similarities in most of the newcomers. Suddenly all traces of jealously were replaced by pity for the man who was barely holding his own against the sentimental onslaught of so many sisters. Several young men nearby watched the girls. Michael added Jay’s father to his list of those who needed pity.

  A pale blond woman, appearing so out of place among all her darker-haired and darker-skinned family members, stepped up to proudly hug her son. A short, squat man with a bristly moustache shot with gray held out his hand and said, “You must be Michael.”

  Michael smiled as he shook the man’s hand, then found himself swept up, first in meeting the Ortiz clan, all twenty-seven of them, and then the blond and red-haired Gallagher family, who had been a bit slower in reaching the field.

  Just when he thought his head would explode with the sheer number of names to process, Papa Ortiz announced, “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

  ***

  Finally, a quiet moment alone. Michael had done his best to enjoy himself and not ruin the evening for his lover, even though he’d barely restrained his impatience for this moment through the last few hours of obligatory socializing.

  Juan-Carlos Ortiz Ortega (Michael made a mental note to ask Jay more about the Ortiz’ culture) had insisted on including Michael’s family in his own family’s plans, and a caravan of cars, trucks, and mini vans drove into Atlanta for dinner, in celebration of Jay’s graduation. Michael had no idea one person could have so many family members. There were the parents, grandparents, sisters, uncles, and aunts from both sides of the family and more cousins than he could count, and they had come from all parts of the country to see one of their own graduate from college. Michael vowed that in four years it would be him up there, making Jay and the rest of the family proud.

  Best of all, it seemed that, for the most part, he would be accepted for who he was and for the role he played in Jay’s, no, Javier’s life. Michael laughed, wrapping his mouth around his lover’s mouthful of name. Somehow, he just couldn’t picture the man as a “Javier” or an “Aidan” either. Meeting the two gentlemen whom his lover was named after, however, had been a humbling experience.

  Now though, his patience was at an end. Michael didn’t bother to turn on the store lights as he all but dragged his lover through the darkened bookstore on the way to the home they now shared, stopping every few feet for kisses or a bit of body to body rubbing. “I love you, Javier Aidan Ortiz Gallagher,” he said, tongue stumbling over the unfamiliar name.

  “Te amo también, Querido, te amo también,” Jay replied.

  Michael didn’t need to understand Spanish to know what Jay meant, the meaning was clear, in any language. Even without words, Jay revealed his love in everything he did.

  Michael didn’t delude himself that all would be sunshine and roses, he still had a long way to go on the road back to normal. But the going would be easier because he wouldn’t be going it alone.

  Fin

  About the Author:

  Somewhat of a nomad, Eden Winters has visited seven countries so far. Her earliest memories include making up stories for the family’s pets, and through her academic years, she wrote many short stories and poems. Dreams of writing professionally were realized, only not as planned, with a good dozen years spent as a technical writer.

  She began reading GLBT fiction as a way to better understand the issues faced by a dear friend and fell in love with the M/M romance genre. During a discussion of a favorite book, a fellow aficionado said, “We could do this, you know.” Eden wrote her first novel shortly thereafter and never looked back.

  Currently, Eden calls the southern US home, and many of her stories take place in the rural South. She lives alone, having successfully raised two children, and divides her time between a day job, friends, writing, trying different varieties of vegetarian cuisine, and outdoor adventures such as hiking and camping. Her musical tastes run from Ambient to Zydeco, and she’s a firm believer that life is better with pets. She also loves cruising down the road on the back of a Harley Davidson.

  Find Eden’s other works at http://edenwinters.com or contact her at edenwinters@gmail.com

  Other titles by Eden Winters:

  The Angel of Thirteenth Street

  Fallen Angel

  Settling the Score

  The Telling

  Night Watch

  The Wish

  Duet

  Naked Tales

  Diversion

  Collusion

  Other Rocky Ridge Books titles available at Amazon and All Romance Ebooks:

  The Match Before Christmas by Eden Winters

  Summer Boys by Eden Winters

  Tinsel and Frost by Eden Winters

  On Call: Dancing by P.D. Singer

  On Call: Afternoon by P.D. Singer

  On Call: Crossroads by P.D. Singer

  Donal agus Jimmy by P.D. Singer