“Thanks,” Ben said softly, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. “Hey, listen, Mr. Solomon, I’m sorry I was kind of a jerk back there. It’s just a really hot day and I moved today and—”
“It’s just Jesse. And I figured you just moved… there’s no… well, there’s not much up there. So,” I stammered, “you just moved today?”
“Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “Been driving and staying in shitty motels for three days and I’m exhausted, so I know I kind of was a drama queen and I didn’t mean to be, you know? It’s just that I signed the paperwork on this house literally hours ago and then this happened. I just wanted it to be easy and nothing ever is. God, it’s just…” He lowered his head toward the ground, but I could tell that there were tears developing there.
Well, shit. “Um, where’d you move from?” I asked like an idiot.
“Kansas,” he choked. “Topeka. Maybe I’m just emotional from all the fucking heat, you know?” He laughed and fanned his face, a fake smile adorning his full lips.
“Why here?” I gestured toward the staircase and he quickly ran in front of me to dart up the steps.
“Um, my grandmother lives here in a facility thing and she’s just… I don’t know. She’s getting to the point where someone sort of needs to be close by. I decided it was time to make a change,” he said with a sigh, “so I volunteered. We were always really close growing up, but I feel like if I’m not here, I’m gonna lose her a little… does that make sense?” I opened my mouth to answer, but before any words could form, he continued. “It’s just that we have a lot in common, you know? We always have. She’s, like, my spirit animal or whatever.”
I held the voltage tester against the wires and waited before removing my screwdriver. “How so?”
“She’s gay too,” he said matter-of-factly. I nearly dropped the tool, but managed to keep it gripped between my sweat-slicked fingers. “Oh, don’t act so surprised.” Ben let out a sweet laugh.
“I’m not,” I mumbled. God, I was an idiot. “I just meant that I figured.”
“Well, she was the one who taught me that it’s okay to be who you are… blah blah… you be you or whatever. Even though we lived in Kansas—fucking Kansas, right?—it was, like, one of the worst states in the country to be gay, you know? Anyway, I was pretty much always like this from—I don’t know—like birth or whatever, so since I couldn’t help who I was and neither could she, she just sort of took me under her wing. When she was really young, she married my grandpa and had my mom, but he died when my mom was just a little girl.” Ben hopped up on the counter and with barely a pause between sentences, he resumed.
“After that, she just let her freak flag fly and decided she was going to be who she always wanted to be, I guess. She joined one of those feminist groups… I mean, can you even imagine? In Topeka? Anyway, that’s why she met my Grandma Nancy and the rest was just sort of icing.” Ben snapped his fingers on the final word. “I love that about her, you know? She just wasn’t afraid.”
I pulled the receptacle from the box to get to the screws holding it in place and took a quick look to note the wire placement inside. The goddamned thing was nailed into the studs, of course, held together tightly by rusted out flatheads. “That’s admirable,” I said quietly. “It’s nice you had someone like that.”
“I don’t know what I would have done without her, you know? It was sort of a no-brainer to move here now. She needs help and I can’t imagine not giving it to her. I only hope she can remember me.” He let out a long sigh. “Sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn’t. It’s not Alzheimer’s exactly, they don’t think. It’s more like vascular dementia. She had a mild stroke a few years back after my Grandma Nancy died and… I don’t know.” Ben placed his hands over his lips. “God, I’m rambling, right?” he muffled through delicate fingers. “Sometimes I just don’t know when to stop. And it seems like no one ever stops me… they just let me go on and on, even if I’m making a total ass out of myself. I’m doing it now, aren’t I?
“You’re fine.” I pulled the wires together carefully, pushing them through the hole in the box before pulling it from the wall. “Most people don’t talk to me at all. It’s a pretty long, boring day.”
I continued to work as Ben continued to talk, the sound of his voice guiding me through the process rather than becoming a nuisance. After tightening in the final screws and dusting off the panel, I turned back to Ben.
“You’re gonna want to replace this wallpaper, I’d think. I mean, unless burnt pink is your thing.”
He tossed his head back in laughter. “Oh my God, this whole house is a nightmare, right? Everything in here is a mess. I’m trashing it all. The walls, stripping the paper, replacing the gaudy gold handles… ugh. Even the toilets are pink and it’s like everything is bolted down, so I have to figure out how to use some power tools or I’m gonna have seashell toilet paper holders forever, you know?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “If you need help, I’m pretty good at a lot of that stuff. I’ve got a wallpaper stripper and I know how to replace a toilet or whatever.” I regretted my words until Ben’s face lit up in surprise.
“Seriously? Oh my God. Do you like have a personal card or whatever? I mean, I can’t just call the shop and ask you to change my toilet. Your dad would hang up on me.”
“I’ve got a card in the truck. I’m gonna head on back down and flip the breaker. Let’s get the lights back on, alright?”
Ben followed me down yet again as I turned the circuit box back to live. A few lights flickered overhead.
“I love you so much,” Ben muttered. “I’m going to call you every day and tell you just how much.”
I knew he didn’t mean it—not really—but my heart skipped a quick second thinking that there was even a chance this guy would actually call me. The idea of a guy like that—so full of bubbles and youth—even remembering a guy like me ten minutes later did little to slow my hammering heart. “You might want to hold back on the lovefest for just a second. See this here?” I pointed to the old Pushmatic panel. “This is gonna need to be switched out eventually. Maybe at some point, you might want to have me go through and check for open junctions in the attic and over-capacity ceiling boxes too. I’m not trying to sell you anything, but it’s easier to fix now than down the line.”
“Alright,” he swooned, placing both hands over his blushy cheeks. “But nothing can send me into a bad mood now, Jesse Solomon. My moving truck will be here in less than an hour, I have electricity, a full bottle of margarita mix, and a little pool in the backyard.”
Three.
Ben
After the moving van had unloaded the last of my boxes, I let them sit in the middle of my living room and made my way out to my small pool. Sure, it was a bit murky, but I didn’t fucking care. I had a cold drink and it was still nearly eighty-degrees. I snapped a quick selfie in my sunglasses with the margarita leaning against the edge and sent it to Zach.
Jealous?
His response came quickly with a selfie of his own. He was lying on our bed with one hand wrapped around his dick, his face hidden from the frame.
Miss you.
I wasn’t sure why, but the photograph irritated me. Was it because it wasn’t even time for bed and he was in bed? Because he was naked? Because he rarely sent photos like that? And he was hard, so… how did he get hard so fast? The photo was sent within seconds.
Me: What’s with the stiff cock? It’s not even 8 at home.
Zach: I’m always hard for you. Show me yours.
Me: Nah. Long day. Goodnight, Z.
My thoughts lingered to Jesse. I contemplated sending the same pool selfie to him. Somehow, I thought he’d have a completely different response. In a moment of impulse, I pulled up his number and sent the photo with the text: Thanks to you, I have electricity… and margaritas. Cheers.
A minute later, my phone buzzed.
Jesse: When the drink and the pool are the same color, you may need chlo
rine.
I laughed aloud before sinking into the green water. It felt amazing against my sticky skin, the cool temperature immediately easing the muscles in my tense back and thighs. Closing my eyes, I fought back the urge to pick up my phone. To text Jesse back. To flirt with him. God, he’d been so fucking sexy when he’d shown up in his painted-on work shirt and oil-stained canvas pants… the wavy brown locks hanging into chocolate-brown eyes… that gorgeous hair, which was probably just a week overdue for a cut but looked as if he’d just stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
And oh-my-God, that beard. It was the kind that was just a little overgrown—even a little darker than the hair on his head—with a few silver strands strewn throughout. Thick and full and begging to be rubbed between my thighs…
A soft buzz broke me out of my fantasy.
Jesse: I meant what I said about helping out. I’m free tomorrow if you need help.
Me: I can’t afford you.
Jesse: Who said I was charging you?
I couldn’t accept his help. It was a nice offer—an extremely generous offer—we didn’t even know each other, but this was a slippery slope. It started with the removal of a toilet and ended with me confessing my undying love for some straight guy trying to do a solid for the clueless queen who couldn’t find his ass with both hands. Nope, nope, nope.
Besides, I had Zach. I had to think about Zach.
Zach had said he’d try to come out soon. Get a cheap flight and stay a few days. Maybe he could help with the toilet or…
Jesse: Think about it. Text me if you change your mind. I’ll be around all day.
Well, fuck. Besides visiting Oma Anna in the morning and looking at a possible option for a bed, I had nothing going on. I hadn’t picked up any slots for work for three more days and I could use the help.
Me: I have to see my Oma in the morning. Maybe noon? Is that too early?
Jesse: See you then.
I knocked on the door a few times before opening it slowly. “Oma?”
She stared out of the window for a few seconds before turning to face me. “Benji?”
Taking a deep breath of relief, I grinned widely. “Oh my God, it’s so good to see you.” I crawled into the bed beside her and pressed my lips to her wrinkled cheek. Her skin smelled the same, like a mixture of baby powder and Shalimar. She’d always told me Shalimar was Nancy’s favorite, using a spritz on either side of her neck every day since the day they’d met.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, seeming a bit confused. “You should be in school.”
I shook my head. “I’m not in school anymore, Oma. Remember? I told you that I do the captions on the TV and you told me that I ‘fucked up too much.’” I rolled my eyes and used my hands to form air quotes. “I told you that I don’t caption every show on TV and you told me that they were all terrible?” I laughed when she cracked a small smile. “Actually,” I said with an excited bounce on the mattress, “I live here now. Can you believe it?”
“You live here?” She looked around the room. “In Indian Villas?”
“No.” I laughed again. “I mean I moved to Florida. To Indian Harbour Beach. Just yesterday. I figured we could be closer to each other, you know?”
“No, Benjamin.” She shook her head. “No, I can’t let you do that. You belong with your parents. They’ll miss you. Bridgette must wonder where you are.”
“Oma, I don’t live with Mom.” I brushed a piece of her gray hair behind her ear. “Remember? I lived in my own place. I sent you those pictures of the balcony and the little dog park… well, never mind. Anyway, I just thought it would be nice to move here, you know? It’s so beautiful… with all the palm trees and the beach. Now I can see why you and Grandma Nancy moved here.”
Oma scratched her head thoughtfully for a moment. “I haven’t seen her,” she said quietly. “For at least a few days, I don’t think.”
I swallowed thickly. I hadn’t seen her so confused in a while. Usually, she knew that Grandma Nancy had died. She knew that she wasn’t coming back. This was different. Would I have to explain to her that Grandma Nancy was gone?
“Um, Oma?”
When Oma turned to face me, it was like recognition set in for a moment and she was back. “Right,” she said. “She’s gone. I know that. I sure do miss her though, you know? Some days, I wish I could walk right out into that ocean and just…” She made a motion with her hand like a wave and then continually lowered it until it rested onto the mattress. “You know?”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “But I’m here now.”
She touched the side of my face and patted it twice. “My beautiful boy. So brave. Moving here… with no one. Unless, is there someone?”
“Well—”
“There is,” she returned, rubbing her thumb against my cheek. “Tell me about him.”
“I mean, there’s not much to say. His name is Zach. He’s still back in Topeka, but we’ve been together about nine months, I guess.”
“And you love him,” she gushed.
I couldn’t lie to her. Not her.
“No,” I admitted. “I don’t think so.”
Oma Anna dropped her hand to the bed. “Oh. Well, that’s okay. You’ll know when you find the one. I did. Did I tell you about the day I met Nancy?”
She had. I’d heard the story a thousand times, but I shook my head and leaned back against the pillow.
“She was so goddamned feisty. There was a group back then… it was called ‘Topeka Women for Change,’ I think. Anyway, Nancy was trying to get pledges and rallying for a more gender-inclusive world, you know? She came into the restaurant I was working at with her whole speech and her clipboard. She wanted me to just sign it and maybe donate a dollar. She was wearing this long dress to the floor and forget the bra, you know? Just… letting it all hang out. And she was so beautiful that I just signed up that day to help. I told her that I’d sign, but that I just wanted to be a part of whatever she was involved in. But really, I just wanted to be involved with her.” Oma shrugged her shoulders. “I loved her. That first day she came into the restaurant, I knew I loved her.”
“I know, Oma.” I smiled widely at her. “I loved her too.”
Sometimes I missed Grandma Nancy just as much as she did… only sometimes Oma didn’t remember that.
“Man, she had great tits back then,” she said with a small sniffle. “Then they went and lopped ‘em off.”
“Good ol’ cancer,” I mumbled.
“Good ol’ cancer,” she returned with a sigh. “How’s my daughter?”
“She’s good, Oma. Dad makes her crazy and she misses you, but she’s good. She wants to come down soon and visit.”
She nodded her head. “That’s good. That’s real good. She’s the best decision I ever made, outside of Nancy, you know? Donna’s a good girl.”
“Bridgette,” I corrected, my lips instinctively forming a frown. “Mom’s name is Bridgette. Donna was your sister, Oma.”
She smiled and rested one of her hands on top of the other. “Yeah, I know.” Pausing for a few seconds, she finally said, “Bridgette.” Another pause. “Right.”
“She’s the best.” I rubbed my thumb over the top of her sun-damaged one. “I miss her already.”
“And you miss your Zach?”
I picked at the bedspread and stared out the window for a moment before answering. “Um… I do, you know. A little.”
“Just a little?”
“I have so much to do here that I haven’t had a lot of time to think about him. The house I bought needs so much work and I just plan to put all of my focus on that right now. You know, I met this guy yesterday.” I cocked an eyebrow at her. “And he’s gonna help me whip it into shape.”
“You met a guy? In one day?” That seemed to pique her interest. “You work fast, honey.”
“Not like that. I think he’s straight. Anyway, he’s an electrician. He came to help me with another problem, which I can’t even bother to talk about r
ight now because I’ll only freak out again, but he offered to help with all of these other things that I have to do and he doesn’t even want to charge me.”
She leaned in closer to me, her eyebrow cocking this time. “A man who you met yesterday is offering to help you fix your house for free… and you think he’s straight?”
I thought about Jesse for a moment. Huge, burly Jesse with the bulky arms and the ass chiseled from marble scratching the beard straight from the pages of Mountain Man Monthly. “Yeah. I mean, I think so. Yes. I mean, I would definitely peg him as straight.”
“Uh huh.” She coughed lightly, her voice straining from overuse. “And this… electrician… does he know that you’re gay?”
I placed my hands on my hips and let out a loud laugh. “What do you think, Oma?”
“Well, I think that if one man knows that another man is gay and then offers to help him redecorate his house, I’d say he might not be as straight as he says he is.”
“I mean, he never said he was straight. I just assumed he was,” I said. “This guy is just… all Funyuns and ball-scratching and football or whatever.”
“Funyuns and ball-scratching and football,” she returned softly. “I don’t know what that means.”
“It just means that he just looks like the kind of guy who would hunt for his food and then eat it or whatever. I can’t imagine that he’d like sushi or watching Drag Race, you know?”
“I didn’t like that Aquaria at first.” Oma scratched her head thoughtfully. “She was a real bitch. But then I started to really root for her—”
“I know, right?” I interrupted. “I feel like she was just really misunderstood.”
“I agree.” Oma was quiet for a moment and then asked, “But how do you know this fella wouldn’t like those things?”
I shrugged. “I don’t, I guess. He just looks—”
“You can’t judge a book by its cover, Benji. You know that.” She slid down the bed and pressed her head onto the pillow. “I’m getting pretty tired. Can you maybe come back later? Maybe bring your electrician friend?”
Benji and the Wireman Page 2