Under the Moonlight collection

by MaryAnn Kempher

  “You should have called me. I’d have come over and kicked him in the face like he did to you in the stairwell at the mall.”

  “Oh, he acted all innocent when I asked him about that, and forcing me off the road on my way to Tahoe. Anyway, I didn’t ask you to meet me so that we could talk about him. Something else has been on my mind.”

  Katherine almost lost her nerve. For a while now, she’d known she loved Scott. She’d resisted, she’d rationalized, she’d ignored, but no longer. She needed to know, in no uncertain terms, whether he was in love with Verna. And, more importantly, whether he returned her feelings.

  “Wow, this is harder than I thought it would be,” she said, hardly looking at Scott. He was becoming concerned.

  “What is it, Katherine?”

  Are you in love with Verna, or do you love me? The question was so easy to ask, in her mind. Katherine took a deep breath.

  “Scott, are you gay?” she blurted. What the hell? Who said that?

  Katherine put her hand on his shoulder, about to say that she didn’t know why the hell she’d just asked that. But before she could, Scott said, “I’ve wanted to tell you, Katherine.” Trying to keep a straight face, he turned away as if to hide his emotions. “This has been very hard on me. How did I give myself away?”

  For a moment, Katherine was silent. Scott, gay? No way. But here he was standing in front of her saying he was. Her mind traveled back over the span of their relationship. At the beginning, the possibility had crossed her mind, but she’d dismissed the thoughts as ridiculous. But now she recalled more than one odd occurrence, beginning with Scott in a dress.

  “Well, first it was the phone call.”

  Still very amused, Scott was now also very curious. “Phone call?”

  “A couple of months ago I was at your apartment. Remember, we were gonna go walk around downtown? Anyway, you were in your room and the phone rang. You must have picked up at nearly the same time as I did. I heard a man’s voice say, ‘I had a great time last night. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.’ Then you said, ‘I had a great time, too.’ That’s when I hung up. You have to admit that’s strange. And that’s not all, either. Once, you were sick - or you said you were anyway. I stopped by to drop off some ice cream. You were getting into a car and you hugged the driver, a man. Then there was the razor, remember?”

  Katherine felt like a snowball at the top of a hill - not really believing the words coming out of her own mouth, but unable to stop their flow. And with every piece of ‘evidence’ she blurted out, the less crazy she sounded to her own ears. She thought of his reaction after their first kiss. At the time she’d thought he was just being smart, but now his restraint took on a different meaning. Was it so ridiculous?

  “The razor?” he asked.

  “Yeah, we saw it at the mall once and you talked about getting it, but it was too expensive. Then I came over and there it was on your bathroom sink.”

  “So?”

  “When I asked you about it, you said you hadn’t bought it. When I said I was looking right at it, you suddenly remembered you had bought it. I think it belonged to someone else, maybe the man who’d called. I can go on if you need me to.”

  Scott had turned to face Katherine. He did remember, but how she’d made the leap to the possibility that he was gay still perplexed him.

  “Oh, definitely, do go on.”

  Katherine was very convincing. Scott was beginning to wonder if he was gay.

  ***

  Michael had stopped by Katherine’s apartment, but she wasn’t there. Her car was, though, so he thought she might be at the park, and he was right. He caught up to Scott and Katherine and blocked their path, startling both.

  “Michael?!” she yelled. “You scared me to death.”

  Michael laughed. “Sorry. I stopped by your place. Hey, Scott, how’s it going?”

  “Good. You?”

  “Can’t complain.” He turned to Katherine. “I figured you were here. Listen, we need to talk.”

  “We’ve got company,” said Katherine, looking past Michael.

  They were all surprised to see Verna walking toward them. She gave Katherine a withering look. She didn’t ask Scott why he was there, and he didn’t ask her. They both knew a long talk was overdue. She sat on a nearby bench.

  Katherine assumed Scott had asked Verna to come to the park. Maybe they were planning to go out after she and Scott were finished talking. Now she wished she hadn’t called him at all. Verna was watching Scott, her anger evident.

  “We can talk some more about this later,” Katherine whispered to Scott.

  “No, I’m not ashamed of who I am,” he said, hiding a smile. “Tell Michael and Verna.”

  “Whatever you have to tell us, can it be told indoors? I’m freezing,” Michael complained.

  They all quietly walked back to Katherine’s apartment. Verna and Michael said they’d walk back together later for their cars. As soon as Katherine and Scott sat on the couch, Verna swung around and said to Scott, “Okay, so, what were you two talking about? What’s the big secret? ”

  Katherine glanced from Michael to Verna, then to Scott. “Scott’s gay, or maybe bi,” she said, feeling awkward and even a little sorry for Verna.

  Michael laughed. “Scott? Gay? I don’t think so.”

  “Katherine, I can assure you, Scott is not gay,” said Verna. Katherine ignored her.

  “Then why all the odd behavior?” she asked Scott.

  Scott didn’t answer right away. “Katherine, have I ever mentioned my dad?”

  “No.”

  “That’s right, no. Well, there’s a reason. When I was twenty-six, my dad left my mom behind to fulfill a lifelong dream. For nearly three years he didn’t write or call.”

  “That’s a long time. What was his dream?”

  “My mom and dad got married young. Once Alex and I moved out and Stephanie was starting college, he figured he could go do what he’d always wanted to do. A lot of people do this.”

  “A lot of people do what?” Katherine asked impatiently.

  Though Michael was looking out the window and Verna seemed preoccupied with Katherine’s decorative glass figurines, both were listening intently. Verna was as interested in the answer as Katherine was.

  Scott stood and began pacing the living room. “Here it is. My dad’s been following the dead. He’s followed them all over the world. The man’s a lawyer and he spent the last two years doing odd jobs to support himself.”

  “The Grateful Dead?” asked Katherine.

  Scott swung around, looking shocked. “No, he’s not that crazy.”

  Verna jumped up. “I know, I know.” Then, almost in a whisper, as if she were saying something very shocking, she said, “Your father is a… a ghost hunter.”

  Katherine and Michael laughed.

  Scott looked mortified. “Yes…he chases after dead people.” He shrugged. “Well, not literally. He’s like one of those people who chase tornados. He goes where he’s heard there might be ghosts.”

  Katherine, Verna, and Michael all looked at Scott as if he were joking. After taking a moment to digest what he’d said, Katherine bit her lower lip and tried not to smile. Scott looked at Michael and Verna, who were holding back smiles, too.

  “So he’s been doing this for three years?” asked Michael.

  “Yes. After I met Katherine, my dad called me. He was in Reno, had his own place and had even taken a position at the courthouse. He wanted us to spend some time together, get reacquainted. That was him on the phone, him in the car, his shaver. I’ve been holding off on telling anyone in case he decided to go follow Lady Gaga next.”

  “So that was him with you at the mall, at Starbucks?” asked Katherine.

  “That was you. I knew it. How likely is it that a pen like the one I gave you is going to suddenly fall from the second floor?”

  “Yes, it was me. I went there for lunch and saw you two after you’d just told me you were too busy to go
out for lunch.”

  “You didn't happen to do a little eavesdropping?”

  Katherine looked away. “Maybe a little. I was curious. I wanted to know who the heck that guy was. You wouldn’t go to lunch with me, and then I see you with him.”

  By this time, Verna had lost interest. Now that she knew Scott hadn’t been cheating on her with Katherine, she didn’t care what he’d been up to. Since nobody was talking to or about her, she walked around apartment, picking up Katherine’s things and examining them.

  “What about the lipstick?” asked Katherine.

  “What?”

  “Things have come up missing, girly things.”

  Scott shook his head in disbelief. He was starting to get annoyed. “Oh, I see - so now I’m a cross-dresser, too?”

  Verna held her hand up. “Excuse me.”

  Scott and Katherine ignored her.

  “Well, are you? That’s why I brought this all up. I'm not trying to tick you off, Scott. I’m trying to be a good friend.”

  “Oh yeah, a real good friend. Why has it taken you this long to ask me about all that stuff? Why ask now, after all this time?”

  Katherine didn’t answer. She couldn’t tell him why. She couldn’t tell him what she’d been feeling. He had Verna, and any chance that she might have had with him was gone.

  “Excuse me,” Verna said.

  Scott and Katherine looked at her.

  “What is it, Verna?” asked Scott, trying to conceal the annoyance in his voice.

  “That would be me.”

  “What would be you?”

  “I took the lipstick.”

  All eyes were on Verna. Scott was the first to speak.

  “Excuse me, you what?”

  “I took the lipstick that day I picked up your DVD.” She didn’t seem ashamed or remorseful or even embarrassed. “I kind of have a little problem,” she said, as if she’d admitted only to taking the last brownie, as opposed to stealing.

  Ignoring the stolen lipstick, Katherine returned to questioning Scott.

  “Okay, what about the panties? I suppose you didn’t take those either?”

  “Excuse me,” Verna said, holding her hand up again.

  “Please don’t tell me...” Katherine stared in disgust and disbelief.

  “Scott didn’t take your panties. I did.”

  “Ewww, ick!” said Katherine. “My panties, Verna, really?”

  “I took the lipstick from your bathroom and the panties from the laundry on the couch.”

  Michael watched the scene with an amused and astonished look on his face. This is better than “I Love Lucy.”

  “Man, I thought I had problems,” he said.

  Katherine turned to him. “And don’t think you’re off the hook. I know what you’ve been up to, and I won’t be treated that way.”

  “Treated what way?” asked Scott.

  “Michael has been cheating on me.”

  Scott turned to Michael. “Are you insane? If you can’t be faithful to Katherine, you can’t be faithful to anyone.”

  Michael ignored Scott. “I’m not cheating on you, Katherine.”

  “Okay, then explain this. Twice I called you late at night because I couldn’t sleep - no answer. Once you had what looked a lot like a stamp from a nightclub on your hand. On at least one occasion you seemed to hang up the phone rather quickly when I came into the room. Even when I got run off the road, I couldn’t get ahold of you. But that’s not all.” Katherine moved closer to him and said in a not-so-low voice, “What about sex? You must be giving it to someone else, ’cause I sure ain’t getting it.” Her voice rose. “You’d rather go see shows and watch men dress up as women, which I wouldn’t mind so much if they weren’t all better-looking than me.”

  “I’m not cheating on you, Katherine. I’m not.”

  “If you’re not, explain why I found women’s panties in your gym bag?”

  With his hands on his hips, Michael stared at the ceiling. Excitedly, like a child who finally knows the answer, Verna raised her hand and shouted, “I know, I know.”

  Katherine looked at her apprehensively. “What?”

  “It’s Michael who’s gay.”

  Scott shook his head. He liked Verna, but he was starting to think she was nuts.

  “Michael is not gay, Verna,” said Scott.

  “Don’t you think I’d know if Michael was gay?” said Katherine.

  Verna didn’t like the tone of their voices, as if they were talking to a dimwitted child.

  “You didn’t have any problem believing I could be so clueless as to not know whether or not Scott was gay. How is this any different?”

  Katherine shook her head. “It just is.”

  “Katherine?” Michael said.

  Annoyed, Katherine said, “Seriously, Scott, I kind of understood you dating Verna when I thought she might be your fake girlfriend, but if you’re straight—”

  “Hey!” said Verna angrily.

  “Katherine,” Michael said loudly.

  Everyone stopped and looked at him.

  “Katherine, Verna’s right. I am gay.”

  “Well, that’s what I’ve been saying,” Katherine said, then suddenly felt very confused. “Wait a minute, what?”

  “Well, I’m the one who’s bi, and I have been going out clubbing, but to gay bars. I was planning on telling you soon. I was waiting for the right time.” He added quickly, “I’ve been faithful to you, Katherine, sexually anyway. We got together because I was trying to please my family, trying to fit in.”

  “What about the panties I found in your gym bag?”

  “They belong to someone I was seeing before I started seeing you. She - I guess I should say he - and I met at a club. She’s a showgirl. I’m sorry, I’ve tried, but I miss him, her. I miss Jolie.”

  Verna laughed triumphantly. “Ha. Who’s the ‘cover’ girlfriend now?”

  Katherine gave Verna a disgusted look. “I’m missing a bra and some nail polish, Verna. Should I come over later?”

  Verna looked furious, and Scott positioned himself between the women.

  “I’m sorry, Katherine,” said Michael, “but I don’t think this is going to work out.”

  “Ya think?” Katherine replied angrily. “So let me get this straight - no pun intended. I thought my best friend was gay, but he’s straight. I thought my boyfriend was cheating on me with women, but it turns out he’s the one who’s gay. And my panties have been stolen, not by my gay - actually straight - best friend, but by his kleptomaniac girlfriend?”

  “That about sums it up,” said Scott, smiling.

  Katherine sat down, looking worn out. Every assumption she’d made had turned out to be wrong. Maybe Amy was right; maybe she did jump to conclusions too easily. I can’t believe I accused Scott of taking my panties. Her face colored and she stood up. “Well, all right then, who’s hungry?”

  “I am,” said Michael.

  “Me, too,” said Verna.

  “Starving,” said Scott.

  They all put their coats on and headed out the door. First Scott, then Michael, then Verna. Katherine touched shoulder. “Verna?”

  “Yes?”

  Katherine held out her hand, and Verna reluctantly placed a glass figurine in her palm.

  Together they joined the guys. Once outside, and after they decided upon a restaurant, Scott said “I need to go home real quick - we’ll meet you there.” He helped Verna into the jeep and they drove off.

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Once they’d arrived at Scott’s apartment, Verna turned toward him, saying “So, are we here so you can prove to me you’re not gay?” She laughed.

  “Not exactly. Verna, you’re a great woman. But I don’t think this is working out between us.”

  Verna stood up. “What?!” You’re breaking up with me?”

  “Are you surprised? I mean, I just found out you stole my friend’s underwear. But, honestly, I think we were over before I found that out. Come on, you can’
t tell me you’ve been happy with me, can you?”

  Verna let out a loud sigh before answering.

  “No, I guess not. But we had some good times too, right?

  She went to Scott and put her arms around his waist. He kissed her forehead.

  “Yeah, we did.”

  ***

  Scott arrived at the restaurant without Verna, but he didn’t explain why. He didn’t really have to.

  Their dinner out was a jolly one, completely different from their past get-togethers. Michael didn’t need to hide his sexuality or pretend he felt more for Katherine than he did. Scott no longer felt guilty. While he still thought it necessary to hide his feelings from Katherine, he no longer felt as if he was misleading Verna. Katherine was happy that Scott wasn’t gay or bisexual. She wasn’t sure if it meant they would ever be more than friends, but at least now that Verna was out of the picture and her doubts were allayed, it was possible. She looked at Michael.

  “I look back now at some of the things you did, or didn’t do, and wonder how I could have been so blind.”

  “Well, it’s not all your fault. I was doing my best to hide it from you, but I still can’t believe you thought Scott was.”

  It was now obvious to Katherine that she’d been using Michael as much as he’d been using her. On some level, she had to have known he wasn’t straight, which was probably his appeal, at least subconsciously. Now that she knew the truth about Michael and Scott, she couldn’t help marveling at her stupidity.

  But what now? Scott’s my best friend, and we get along great, but he’s leaving. The story of my life.

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  It was Katherine’s twenty-ninth birthday, and she and Amy were celebrating by eating at one of Reno’s best restaurants. Amy raised her drink, “Let’s make a toast.” she said.

  “Ok, sure. What should we toast?”

  “How about if we drink to you, for making it to this birthday?”

  They clinked their drinks.

  “I’ll drink to that.”