by Jeff Erno
“I’m so sorry,” she said into his ear. “I’m just so proud of you, baby.”
He kissed her on the cheek and then pulled her once again into his chest. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too.”
His little sister Lanie was also there, and so was Megan. He hugged and kissed them, and then noticed some of his coworkers from the supermarket.
In spite of Corey’s misgivings, the homecoming had been a huge success. He felt so welcome and so proud of his accomplishment, while at the same time humbled by all of the attention.
Later, after all the musical performances and speeches, Corey went home with his mom and sister. Megan came over to the house as well. Corey was toting a box that contained an array of trophies and plaques that he’d been awarded. He got a key to the city, a gold-plated plaque from his employer, a framed letter from the governor, and a lot of other souvenirs from fans.
“Can you guys go back with me?” Corey asked. “You wouldn’t believe it. I’ve got a huge suite at the hotel. The show will also pay for your own rooms. I can bring my whole family if I want….”
“What about my job?” Corey’s mother asked.
“Mom, can’t they give you the time off for something like this?”
“Mrs. Dunham, Corey is famous now. He’s going to be very wealthy… even if he doesn’t win the competition. He can help you with your bills.”
“I’ll pay them all off!” Corey said excitedly. “I’ve already had record companies call me, offering me contracts.”
“Really?” she said.
“Mrs. Dunham, didn’t you see all those people? Corey is a superstar now. Everyone in the whole country knows who he is.”
“And now they’ll know who you are too,” Corey joked. “You’ll be on TV too.”
“You mean… I might not have to worry about this mortgage?”
“Mom, fuck the mortgage! I’ll buy you a new house.”
She was so happy that she didn’t even scold him for swearing.
COREY’S entire outlook changed while home. After the warm reception he received, he was relieved and felt unburdened. His estrangement from his mother and sister had weighed heavy on his heart, and now he felt free. A part of him worried that his mom still might not accepted him for who he was, but it was a step in the right direction. At least now she was ready to meet Jimmy, and she’d accepted that he was a big part of Corey’s life.
It seemed as if the outcome of the competition was inconsequential. It was odd, because Corey had worried all along that if he and Jimmy both made it to the very end, they’d face a terrible conflict, but he didn’t feel the least bit competitive. He was at peace with whatever decision the voters made. Regardless of which of them won the competition—or even if neither did—they could both come away from the experience deeply enriched.
Corey flew back to California on Tuesday, and his mom and sister followed the next day on a commercial airline. He’d been texting Jimmy over the past four days, and they’d spoken a few times on the phone. Jimmy’s homecoming was all that Corey’s had been and more. As he sat in the limo on his way back to the hotel, he sent Jimmy one final text, letting him know that he was back.
Jimmy responded, saying he was in his own room, and that he wanted Corey to meet him there. Corey expected that it was because Jimmy’s family was with him. It’d be good to see them all again. When he got back to his room, the bellhop deposited his bags inside the room. After tipping and thanking him, Corey decided to take a quick shower. He wanted to look and smell his best when he saw Jimmy and his family.
Ten minutes later, with a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom and headed into his kitchen area to grab a bottled water. He stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed an envelope on the floor by the front door. He knew exactly what it was—another note from Reuben.
Corey rushed over and picked it up. He wasn’t going to let this ruin anything. The lawyer and the prosecutor both had told him not to respond to any contact from Reuben. He tossed the letter, unopened, on the bureau and headed back to his bedroom to get dressed.
When Corey arrived at Jimmy’s room, he knocked and waited for the door to open. He didn’t have his own key because they’d never stayed in that room. Jimmy had always stayed with him. Thirty seconds later the door opened, and there Jimmy stood, more striking than Corey had ever seen him. Jimmy was dressed to the nines, decked out in a formal tuxedo.
A huge smile erupted across Corey’s face. “I think I’m underdressed,” he confessed.
“You’re perfect,” Jimmy said. He held out his hand and escorted Corey into his room. The lighting was subdued, and the room was accented with candles. Soft, romantic music was being piped in, seemingly by magic.
“What’s going on?” Corey asked.
“I told you when you got back I’d have a surprise,” Jimmy said.
“Room service? A tuxedo? Jimmy, this is amazing… you’ve planned a romantic evening for us.”
“Yes, I have, but that’s not the real surprise,” he said. He walked Corey over to the sofa and motioned for him to sit. Stepping behind him, he gently began massaging Corey’s shoulders. “How was your flight?”
“It was fine,” Corey said. “I knew I was coming back to you.”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too… so much!”
Jimmy bent over and kissed the side of Corey’s neck. “You smell good,” he said and then moaned. Jimmy then stepped around to the front of the sofa so that he was standing before Corey. He lowered himself, bending one knee.
“Corey, I love you with all my heart,” he said.
Corey raised his hand to cover his mouth. He couldn’t believe what was happening. It was beyond his wildest dreams. “Oh, Jimmy,” he gasped.
Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, Jimmy pulled out a small box and held it in his hand. “I don’t want to go on with my life unless you’re in it,” he said. “You’re the fulfillment of my every dream. Corey, no matter what happens in the contest, I want us to stay together. I want to wake up with you every morning. I want to come home to you every night. I want to make a life together… grow old together.”
Tears streamed down Corey’s cheeks as he looked into Jimmy’s chocolate-colored eyes.
“Corey Dunham, will you marry me?”
Corey began to nod, biting his lower lip to keep from completely losing it. “Yes!” he cried. “Oh, God, yes!” Jimmy removed the ring from the box and slipped it on Corey’s finger.
As Jimmy pressed his lips against Corey’s, delivering the most searing and passionate kiss Corey had ever experienced, Corey melted into Jimmy’s embrace. Soon Corey felt himself being lifted by Jimmy’s strong arms and carried into the bedroom. They made passionate love several times. Three hours later, exhausted, they returned to the living room and ate their cold supper.
“I’ll order us some hot food,” Jimmy said.
“No, this is fine,” Corey said. “It’s perfect.”
Corey didn’t bother telling Jimmy about the letter he’d received. It didn’t matter. They could deal with it in the morning. Tonight was too special, and Corey wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.
Chapter Sixteen
IT WAS going to be a big day for both Corey and Jimmy. Not only were their families arriving that day, but it was also a performance night. Only three contestants remained in the competition—Jimmy, Corey, and Elaina. Conventional wisdom was that Jimmy and Elaina would be the most vulnerable for elimination. They were both country-western singers, and it wasn’t likely they’d face off against each other in the final round. On the other hand, Elaina was the only female, and that factor could be detrimental to Jimmy and Corey.
“Either way you look at it, I’m at risk,” Jimmy said. His tone was lighthearted, and he made the comment with a shrug. Corey suspected that he had pretty much developed the same attitude that Corey had. They both felt as if they were already living their dream. They’d already been
blessed beyond measure, and they’d gladly accept their role in either first, second, or third place.
When they headed over to Corey’s room that morning, Corey decided to inform Jimmy about the letter. “Reuben sent me a letter last night,” he said, trying to sound casual.
“What?” Jimmy stopped walking. “Corey, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I dunno. Just didn’t want to spoil our night. Besides, at this point it doesn’t matter what he said.”
“Let me see it,” Jimmy said, holding out his hand.
“It’s in the room, and I haven’t even opened it.”
Jimmy rushed along down the hallway, hurrying to get to the room. Once inside, he spotted the envelope on the bureau. He picked it up and tore open the envelope, reading it aloud.
“If you don’t want your friend eliminated tomorrow, be at my room at midnight.”
Jimmy tossed the letter back onto the stand and pulled out his cell phone. He first called his lawyer and then the prosecutor.
“Do they think he’s bluffing?” Corey asked.
“Yeah, but what Devin is worried about is the possibility that Reuben could leak the pictures to a third party and have them post them on the Internet. We could still go after him in a lawsuit, but that wouldn’t stop him from getting me kicked out.”
“Oh my God! Why is Devin telling you this now? He should have mentioned that a long time ago. I never thought about that—”
“They’re probably going to arrest Reuben today,” Jimmy interrupted. “They wanted to wait, but after this, they think it’ll be a lot of publicity for us no matter the timing.”
“Oh God… and my mom’s coming today. She’s gonna find out about Reuben and what I let him do to me.”
“It takes a while for all the facts to come out in these cases,” Jimmy explained. “The big news today will just be that Reuben’s been arrested. I’m sure he will be out on bail within hours. He might even be on the show tonight.”
“Are you serious?”
“I don’t know. A person is innocent until proven guilty.”
“Unless you’re the victim,” Corey snapped back.
Jimmy nodded. “It doesn’t seem fair.”
“Anyway, we have a rehearsal in an hour, then our families will be here this afternoon. The police are gonna do what they need to do, and we’ve got to go on with our own business.”
“Exactly. Unless I hear otherwise, I’m gonna act as if I’m still in the competition.”
AFTER rehearsal, Corey rushed back to his room and turned on the television. He surfed the channels, checking all the news programs, and there was nothing about Reuben. He then checked the Internet. About a half hour later, Jimmy arrived.
“Have you heard anything?” Corey asked.
“Nothing.” He shook his head.
“I just got a text from Lanie. They arrived at the airport about ten minutes ago and will be headed over here. She’ll text me when they arrive, and I’ll go down to meet them in the lobby.”
“Daddy, Mama, and Charlie are already here,” Jimmy said. “Maybe we can get everyone together for a few minutes this afternoon.”
“Should we tell them anything about Reuben?”
“No, let’s wait.”
JIMMY went downstairs with Corey to meet Corey’s mom. It was the very first time they’d met. It came as no surprise to Corey that Jimmy was very polite and charming, and Corey sensed that his mom really did like him.
A few minutes later, they met Jimmy’s parents in the hotel restaurant. Everyone was hugging each other and interacting as if they’d known one another for years. About halfway through the meal, Charlie spoke up, asking Corey a question.
“Where’d you get that rock you’re wearing?” he said. He was referring to Corey’s ring.
Corey looked at Jimmy, not knowing whether he should go ahead and answer the question, or leave it up to Jimmy.
“Corey is engaged,” Jimmy said proudly. “We’re getting married.”
Mrs. Sawyer gasped, jumping up from her chair to embrace her son. Charlie and Lanie were smiling and laughing, congratulating them. Charlie reached over to pat Corey firmly on the back, and Lanie came over to hug him. Only Corey’s mother and Jimmy’s dad remained seated, not really saying much.
Finally Mr. Sawyer spoke. “Son, I’m so happy for you, and very proud. Have you decided where you’re having the ceremony?”
“Well, we have to go to a state where it’s legal to get our license… but we are thinking of having a big ceremony back home.”
“Does this mean you’re leaving Michigan?” Corey’s mom asked.
“Probably,” Corey said, reaching over to take hold of her hand. “But we’ll talk about it. It’s not something we’re going to do immediately. I’d like you to think about maybe moving closer to us.”
For the remainder of the meal, they talked about nothing other than the wedding. Mrs. Sawyer was thrilled and rattled off a litany of ideas about the cake and the tuxedos and which church they’d use. Corey couldn’t believe how open and accepting Jimmy’s family was. Never once did they say a single word about it being a gay wedding.
Oddly, neither did Corey’s mother. But Corey suspected she was thinking thoughts like that. He feared that on the inside she was far more uncomfortable than she was letting on. It seemed ironic to Corey that this traditional family from Kentucky was so accepting and welcoming, while so many other people in his life struggled.
“Isn’t your friend Megan coming out?” Jimmy asked Corey.
“If I make it through this week, she will come out for the last show.”
“Well, one thing’s a guarantee. Either you or I will make it through,” Jimmy said.
“Both of you will make it through,” Charlie said confidently. “You’re both better than that girl.”
“We’ll see.”
IF THEIR performances were any indication, Charlie was right. Each of the contestants had to sing two songs that evening. Both Corey and Jimmy’s were spectacular, and one of Jimmy’s songs was dedicated to his brother. There was hardly a dry eye in the auditorium.
Reuben had not been arrested. He remained in his normal judge’s seat and said all of his typical sarcastic remarks.
After the show that night, both families gathered in Jimmy’s room. Everyone was excited, confident that they had both given amazing performances and had an excellent chance of making it through to the final round.
“There’s something that Corey and I have to talk to y’all about,” Jimmy said. He seemed to quickly revert to his full accent when his family was around. “It’s something I’m not real proud of, but I’m afraid pretty soon you’re gonna all find out.”
Jimmy glanced over at his father and then back down at the ground. “Remember a couple years ago when Charlie had one of his surgeries? We needed money real bad, and I got an advance at work?”
Mr. Sawyer nodded. “Yes, son, we will always remember the sacrifice you made for our family.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly an advance.”
“What do you mean?” Mrs. Sawyer asked. She and her husband were sitting on one of the sofas. Jimmy and Corey were on the floor, sitting beside each other.
“I met this guy on the Internet, and he paid me to be in a movie.” Jimmy’s voice began to crack, and Corey reached down to grab hold of his hand. “I’m sorry,” Jimmy said, attempting to regain his composure.
“What kind of movie?” his mother asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She had to know what Jimmy was talking about but just didn’t want it to be true.
“The kind you’re probably thinking of,” Jimmy said.
“Jimmy!” Charlie cried. “Why?”
“Like I said, I wasn’t proud of it.”
“You did that to get money for our family… because of me.” Charlie buried his hands in his face and began crying. Jimmy slid over to his brother and embraced him.
“Son, what does this mean?”
Corey spoke this time. “
It doesn’t really mean anything. Jimmy was still a minor. That movie can never be released.” He then went on to explain how Reuben had been trying to blackmail them. The hardest part was telling his mother about what Reuben had done to him.
“Why isn’t this man in jail?” Corey’s mom asked.
“We don’t know,” Jimmy said. “We thought he’d be arrested today.”
“He’ll get away with it,” she said. “He’s rich and famous, and he’ll get the best lawyers.”
“But, Mom, if they do arrest him, this stuff will probably all come out in the news. It’ll be a huge scandal, and Jimmy and I will be right in the middle of it.”
“What about that movie? Can’t they kick you off the show for that?” Mrs. Sawyer asked.
“I think it depends whether or not they can keep that part of the story out of the media. The big scandal is going to be what Reuben did to all these other boys. If Corey and I are dragged into it at all, it’ll be to testify.”
Corey was surprised by how well everyone took the news. His mother was visibly disturbed when he explained that he’d been abused by Reuben, and Mr. Sawyer said he wanted to kill the bastard. But nobody said anything negative about Corey or Jimmy, and when they all went to bed that night, Corey felt relieved and unburdened. He was glad the truth was completely out in the open, and no matter what happened from that point forward, he knew he’d have the love and support of his family.
JIMMY’S cell phone woke them up the next morning. “Hello,” Jimmy croaked into the receiver. Corey lay there, half awake, trying to decipher who Jimmy was talking to.
When he ended the call, he explained to Corey that it had been their attorney. “They cut some kind of deal with Reuben,” he said.
“What?” Corey couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The news was incredulous. “How? Why would they do that?”
“He got the tape and all the photos from Reuben, and they aren’t going to press charges on the child pornography. They’re going to charge him with child molestation, but he has until the day after the competition to turn himself in. They want to do it quietly, avoid a media circus.”