La Photographie Moderne

by Neil Crenner

background. The food sometimes does that to you, it's so good you just want eat it.

  They were both tired and drained from the day. After dinner, they cleaned up and went to bed. Reason thought it was early, but he knew Didier was very tired and wanted to go to bed. They would spoon in bed and watch some TV, just being together was what they both needed. They feel asleep just before nine.

  Chapitre 11

  The next morning.

  "Hey, wake up sleepy head," he whispered. Reason stirred and opened his eyes and looked over at Didier, who looked wide awake. "Good morning, how long have you been up?"

  "Just about twenty minutes, your coffee's on the night stand."

  Reason lifted himself up and leaned against the headboard, he was not used to waking up so early. "Hmm, this coffee is so good."

  "Good morning," he said with a smile, eyes crusty from the sleep. He sipped the coffee while he lay there.

  "Are you planning on showering here?"

  "Yes, if I have time?" Reason asked worried.

  "Just make it a short one, but first finish that coffee so we can make love," Didier said. Reason quickly gulped the coffee down and sat the cup back down on the nightstand. "I'm ready."

  Just before 9 a.m. they were driving along the highway towards the airport, Reason was melancholy; he didn't want Didier to go. He would be so lonely for the next week.

  "I will miss you tremendously, you know?" he said to Didier.

  "Yes I know and I will miss you as well,'' came the reply.

  "But you'll be with your mother and that will be good company. I will only have Colbert to keep me company," he said in a sad tone.

  "Well call up Trevor and hang out with him, didn't you say he was working on some pieces that you commissioned him to do?"

  "Yes, that's an idea. I just might do that," Reason said with a tone of relief.

  They arrived at the airport and Reason pulled up to the unloading lane near the front. He didn't want to go to the gate with him. He would be at the gate when he flew back. He helped him take his suitcase out of the trunk, "Okay, take care and have fun," Reason said to Didier and gave him a hug.

  "I will, and you take care of yourself and Colbert," he waved by to Colbert who was standing in the back seat. "I love you," Didier whispered into Reason's ear and kissed him on the cheek. The only thing Reason good do is say it back and he did. Then Didier walked off to go get on a plane. Reason got back in the car, stumped. How could he tell me that right before he's living for a week? He was so happy though to hear those words. How long had they known each other, two months? More like two weeks. Only two weeks? He loved Didier too, he just didn't use those words yet. He was ecstatic. He had a lover. He drove off.

  He drove directly to the gallery, listening to the classical music, enjoying it. Later he would call up Trevor and tell him that he was a free man for a week, and if they could get together and have dinner or something, and he would call Joe up and tell him the same thing. He needed some distraction for the next few days.

  Later that morning.

  "Hey boy, what's up?" he asked Trevor.

  "Oh hey Reason, not much just working on my photography. How are you?"

  "Well Didier had to go out of town for a week, his aunt passed and I was just wondering what you were up to?"

  "Well just working during the day @ my Uncle's shop and then working on my pieces for you."

  "You want to get together over a bite or something?"

  "Yes I would."

  "We can go have dinner, want to meet me here at my gallery or at the restaurant?"

  "I can meet you there, about what time?"

  "Oh say around five, or is that too early?"

  "No that's great, I'll be there."

  "Okay, see you then, bye," and Reason hung up the phone. This will be so fun. Trevor had good energy. There were some men that had personalities Reason was attracted to. Trevor was one of them.

  Reason went about the day constantly thinking of Didier. He put on some Marc Almond, the Jaque Brel album and let his mind wander.

  The next thing he knew, Didier was calling and it was already three p.m. That was five p.m. back in New Orleans, he told Reason he was at his mom's house and they already ate supper, as she called it. He was tired from traveling and tired of listening to his mother tell about the last days of his aunt.

  "So she knew it was coming then?" Reason asked.

  "She says she didn't know it was coming, but that my aunt was acting a bit odd. My mom knew something was wrong, but my aunt would not go to the doctor, she disliked doctors very much."

  "Oh I see," Reason replied. Didier said he was tired and going to bed early tonight, he wanted to get plenty of sleep, the funeral was tomorrow morning and it would be a long day. They said goodbye and Reason felt lonely. No 'I love you' this time. What hell love is! How can anyone have a long distance relationship he wondered?

  5 p.m.

  Trevor arrived right on time and this made Reason happy, he was famished. Trevor was just Trevor. He was wearing black dress pants, a white shirt and tie and black leather boots. "Wow, you didn't have to get all dressed up for me," Reason exclaimed as he walked in.

  "Oh I didn't. I always dress this way," he said with a smile. "I brought this bottle of champagne, it's chilled, shall we have a drink first?"

  "Sounds great, I have some flutes in the freezer. I'll get them while you open it." Reason replied as he went to the office and grabbed the chilled glasses.

  "Here comes Colbert, she is awake now." Reason said as he came back with the flutes in his hands.

  "Hey Colbert, you little sweet pooch." Trevor leaned down and rubbed her forehead as Colbert sniffed his pants leg.

  "I wasn't sure if you liked champagne, but I thought I would risk it."

  "I love it," Reason said and set the glasses on the desk and Trevor poured it slowly. He finished and then they picked them up and Trevor said, "Cheers, too death."

  "Reason looked at him and said Cheers, but thought it an odd remark.

  "Colbert, we are going to dinner and you can't come. I wish you could." Trevor remarked as he caressed her back.

  They drank it fast and then had one more glass each. The flutes were tall and they basically finished the entire bottle.

  "There is this little French place just a couple blocks down the street. Can you walk?"

  "Sure I can and I love French," Trevor said perkily.

  "I get excited, you get excited too," Reason quipped.

  They walked to the French restaurant just down the street, Chez Nui. Reason was craving escargot. They shared a nice dinner in a quiet place, chatting about each other's lives. Reason was very comfortable with Trevor, he thought him to be a normal person, normal past, and normal education. He wasn't boring though, he liked artsy things, which made him so much more interesting. He was telling him about this movie he saw, Mala Noche, a very cool dark romantic drama that was pure artsy. Reason listened as he drank his wine.

  He had been working on the pieces that Reason had commissioned him to do very diligently. He worked full time at the camera store that his uncle owned, so he was always around his work. He aspired to have a gallery of his own, after extensive traveling to see the world, thru the lens. Reason was just fond of him. He didn't share too much, but told him how he had met Didier, and what fun it had been dating such a wonderful guy. He was a good listener and a pal. They ended the evening after three hours together and three bottles of wine. Boy he didn't even think of Didier the entire time. That was odd or was he just distracted. They walked back to the studio and Colbert came running up to the door. "Let's go for a walk."

  Reason put Colbert's leash on her and handed it to Trevor. "You can walk her."

  "I was just about to ask." Trevor admitted.

  They left out the rear door and walked down the street to a large park. There were trails for runners, walkers and dog walkers. Several people were on the trail. Let's take this one on the right, it's a good long wa
lk.

  "I never knew this place was here,'' Trevor admitted.

  "It's sure lovely isn't it? I love to take her here after work sometimes but it has been too cold and wet these past couple of weeks."

  "It's very dry tonight and the weather is not inclement."

  "Touché to that." Reason said as they walked along the path. It was lit up by large lights that were on very tall poles. They walked around in a large circular pattern and ended up back where they started.

  "That was fun and it felt quick."

  "Colbert was pulling you most of the way, but that was fine."

  "I kind of thought so, but I didn't feel a heavy tug."

  "She pulls you just enough to get a good momentum going."

  "She didn't stop much either."

  "She hasn't eaten yet this evening."

  "Shall we have some coffee?"

  "Sure I'd love some."

  "I bought this decaf for the evening."

  "That is fine with me."

  "It won't take too long to brew. I got this new coffee maker since the last time you were here."

  "Did the old one die?"

  "Nope just was tired of it. I like this better, it's a grinds the whole coffee beans for you." They entered the studio from the rear door and Trevor sat on the sofa in the back with Colbert, while Reason made the coffee.

  "That is such a nice place to walk out there in the park. I am still surprised that it's there."

  "When I found out it was there it made buying the building even sweeter."

  "That coffee smells wonderful. Is it ready?"

  "Just about." Reason sat on the sofa and then realized he should prepare the cups with the milk and Sweet-N-Low. He got up and did