Second Thoughts
Page 14
“Yeah…I think it’s great.” Denny still didn’t note any enthusiasm in Carter’s voice.
“Where should I meet you?” Denny asked. “Jesse kinda wants me outta here. I can store my stuff here in Chicago and catch a flight to L.A. We can decide what to do then. Is that all right with you?”
“Ah…give me a day or two to wrap things up here. I’ll get back to you.”
“Carter, what the fuck is going on? What do you mean a day or two? We never had any trouble hooking up wherever you were!” Denny was getting angry.
“Easy there, stud.” Carter laughed. “Don’t get your nuts all bunched. I just need to work a few things out and then we can talk.”
“What things? I don’t understand,” Denny said.
“Look, you get some rest. I’ll call you. ’Bye for now.” Carter hung up before Denny could say anything.
Denny slumped down on the nearest chair, his mouth hanging open. The cell buzzed the disconnect signal. A voice said, “If you would like to make a call, hang up and try the number again.”
He angrily punched the off button.
“Shit!” He shouted into the darkness.
Somewhere a dog barked.
CHAPTER 14
Nick looked through the peephole in his front door, but no one there. He was sure he had heard a knock. Clyde was at the door with him, tail wagging furiously, so he was pretty sure he hadn’t imagined it. But Clyde hadn’t barked. Nick opened the door and there on the stoop sat Shelby.
“Shelby?” Nick said in surprise, looking up and down the street for Jesse. “What’re you doing here?”
Clyde pushed past him and greeted his friend nose to nose.
Shelby stood and returned the greeting. When she did, Nick noticed a note attached to her collar. He bent down, gave her a welcoming scratch and removed it.
Can Clyde come out and play? I haven’t seen him in a long time and I miss him.
Love, Shelby
PS You can come, too…if you want.
There was a smiley face at the end.
Nick smiled as well and looked up from the paper. As he did, Jesse poked his head out from behind the forsythia bush that stood between Nick’s condo and Mrs. Kloswick’s. He had a hopeful grin on his face.
Nick felt a slight shudder run through his body. He hadn’t seen or spoken to Jesse in the week since their return to Chicago. He’d been reluctant to act on Angela’s advice to call him and let him know how he felt about him.
Jesse walked up to him. “Well, can Clyde come to the dog park with Shelby?” he asked still smiling.
Nick took a deep breath, “Sure.”
“You, too?” Jesse’s question had a hopeful tone to it.
“Of course.” Nick felt excitement growing inside him. “Let me get his leash and my jacket.”
The two men and their dogs walked side by side to the park. They made small talk about the colorful foliage, the crisp October day and how things were going for Nick at school. Everything— Nick thought—except what was number one on his mind, and he hoped on Jesse’s as well.
When they got to the park, it was crowded with dogs and their owners. The beautiful fall weather had brought them out in droves it seemed. Clyde and Shelby were released to join their buds romping in the wood shavings. Nick started to head for a bench where a young couple was sitting.
“No,” Jesse said, placing his hand lightly on Nick’s shoulder. “Over here.” He pointed to an unoccupied bench just beyond the play yard fence.
“But we’re supposed to stay in the yard with the dogs…” Nick let his voice trail off.
“I don’t think we’ll get arrested,” Jesse said with a laugh. “Come on and live dangerously.”
Nick followed him to the vacant bench under a maple that was resplendent with fall color.
As they sat side by side watching the goings on inside the fence, an occasional crimson, red or orange leaf would drift by.
After a minute or two, Jesse took a deep breath. “Denny’s moved out.”
Nick turned to look at him. Jesse kept his face forward watching the dogs.
“Yeah, I heard.”
Jesse turned to face him with a raised, questioning eyebrow.
“Mrs. K.”
Jesse laughed softly. Nick smiled, repressing the urge to anticipate where this conversation would go.
“I should’ve guessed.” Jesse chuckled.
“Where’d he go?” Nick wished he hadn’t asked as Jesse immediately frowned and looked back at the dogs.
In a flat, measured response, Jesse said, “I don’t know.”
They sat in silence for a time.
“I confronted him about Carter.”
Nick bit his lower lip and nodded.
“At first, he tried to pass it off as nothing I should worry about, but—” Jesse stopped as if trying not to get upset. “But,” he continued, “for once I didn’t let him charm his way out of it. I told him it was over, took off his ring and told him to leave. When I came home from work Wednesday, he and his stuff were gone— no note, nothing.”
Nick glanced down at Jesse’s hand and noted his finger was bare.
Nick wasn’t sure what to say. Feeling he should say something, he chose, “I’m sorry,” rather than the Alleluia he was thinking.
“Don’t be. I’m not!” Jesse said, then backed down. “No, that’s not true. I am sorry. I loved him and…I thought he loved me. But we were never right for one another. I can see that now. Two different expectations. It never would’ve worked for us long-term.”
Once more, they sat in the warming air with the leaves softly falling, watching their canine companions play chase and tussle with a bulldog and dachshund.
“Angela called me,” Jesse said, his voice taking on a tone of someone who knew a secret.
Nick turned to look at him. “Oh?”
“Yeah. She sounded surprised when I said I hadn’t heard from you.”
Nick squirmed inside. He had been meaning to call, to follow Angela’s advice.
“She said you had something to tell me.”
Once again, Nick sensed Jesse already knew.
“Jesse, I was gonna call. Angela said I should. I don’t know why I didn’t…I…I…”
Jesse came to his rescue and put his hand on Nick’s leg. It felt warm through the fabric of his Dockers.
“It’s okay. She and I had a nice talk. She’s quite perceptive, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is,” Nick agreed. “Kind of a Nancy Drew and—”
“Dear Abby,” Jesse finished the sentence.
“Yeah, that’s what I called her,” Nick said with a laugh.
“She told me,” Jesse said. “Right after I called her that myself.” They laughed again.
“Mind if I ask what she had to say?” Nick queried.
Jesse’s smile deepened. His hand was still on Nick’s leg. He gave him a squeeze. “Let’s just let that come up when the time is right,” Jesse said warmly. “What’re you doin’ tonight?”
“No plans,” Nick replied.
“Well, how about I take you out for dinner at the Italian Village? Ever been there?”
“No, but I thought you were into Greek cuisine,” Nick winked.
“Pleeeeeease,” Jesse said with a chuckle. “I think I’ve had my fill of Greek for a long time.”
Nick laughed with him.
“After, maybe we can catch a movie at the Navy Pier Imax,” Jesse continued.
“Wow, that’s a pretty full and expensive evening. Almost sounds like a date to me.”
“That’s exactly what it is, Nick—our first official date.”
Jesse moved his hand from Nick’s thigh to the back of his neck and applied light pressure.
Nick smiled and placed his hand on Jesse’s forearm.
“I accept,” he said. “Thanks.”
“Great. Who knows where that first date might lead,” said Jesse as he rose and pulled Nick to his feet.
Together they walk
ed back into the play yard to watch Clyde and Shelby.
EPILOGUE
“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Delta Flight thirty-fiveseventy-five connection from Air Canada nine hundred from Toronto. Our flight time from Detroit to Chicago will be one hour and eighteen minutes.”
Jesse and Nick listened to the rest of the instructions from the flight attendant as the plane rolled down the tarmac to the runway preparing for takeoff. From behind, Nick could hear the other attendants making their way up the aisle, ensuring sure all belts were fastened, seats were in the upright position and all belongings were stowed properly.
“Please make sure your seatbelts are— Well, I’ll be,” came a deep, familiar voice.
Nick looked up as Jesse said, “Hi, Denny,” with a smile. “I was wondering if we might run into you on this flight.”
“How have you been?” asked Nick.
“Yes, Denny, how’re you doing?” Jesse added. “We haven’t heard from you in over a year.”
“Oh, all right,” Denny replied, looking a bit uncomfortable. “So, you guys just getting back from Toronto?”
“Yeah,” the men replied in unison, looking at each other and smiling.
“Business or—” Denny stopped, looked from Jesse to Nick, smiled, sighed and said, “Oh, I see. Congratulations. I know you guys will be very happy. Well, excuse me, but there’s a gentleman in Four-F who looks like he might want me…ah…I mean, want my help. Nice runnin’ into you.” He smiled, winked and left.
Nick put his left hand next to Jesse’s. Pointing to the gold rings, he said, “He musta seen these.”
Then noticing how Jesse watched Denny as he made his way up the aisle, he paused, took Jesse’s hand in his and asked, “Having second thoughts?”
Jesse turned to him, smiled and tightened his grip on his husband’s hand.
“No,” Jesse responded looking into Nick’s eyes as the jet picked up speed along the runway and headed for home. “No second thoughts.”
TERRY O’REILLY
Terry O’Reilly, a retired schoolteacher, lives in the Midwest. He began writing after retirement upon the encouragement of a friend. He has published several e-books and now embarks on a career with Amber Quill. When he is not writing, he takes care of his three dogs, works with animal rescue and successfully shows his American Quarter Horse.
To find out more about Terry and his writing, visit his website at:
http://www.terry-oreilly.com
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