Outrunning Shadows

Chapter 10: The Pursuit

Chapter 10 – The Pursuit





Andrew was uncertain what his next move would be. He was convinced that someday, somehow he was going to belong to Evan Grayson. He somehow sensed that he and Evan were destined to reside in one another’s arms. The question was- how to get from here to there. Clearly, if he and Evan were to be a couple, Evan couldn’t panic and rush out of the room every time Andrew kissed him. That just wouldn’t do. Andrew went back to the kitchen to clean up. He looked up. Engrid’s bedroom light was on. She walked past her window and paused. She was looking up at the moon. She eventually looked down and Andrew waved to her. She returned the wave then moved away from the window. Andrew resumed loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. After that, he went upstairs and got ready for bed. He lay in the bed and imagined Evan snuggling down next to him. Rather than that, Evan fled the scene and went back to his own cold, lonely bed.


Friday morning arrived bright and early. Engrid was sitting at her kitchen table eating a bowl of corn flakes when she heard the back door open. Soon Evan’s face appeared in her doorway.


“Good morning!” He said cheerfully. Evan was never particularly cheerful. She looked at him quizzically. He noticed her expression.


“How are you?” She asked, sipping her orange juice. She didn’t take her eyes off him. He was definitely up to something.


“Fine. Anything going on around here?”


“Not today. Have a seat.”


He sat across the table from her.


“What’s wrong, Engrid?”


“Nothing. How was your dinner with Andrew?”


“Fine.”


She noticed him tense just slightly when she asked about it. She knew something was up. This smelled fishier than a molded tuna melt.


“Good. I’m glad you two are getting along a little better. I would hate to see you two be at odds.”


“We definitely made peace last night. Things are going to be a lot better between Andrew and me.”


Engrid was suspicious. She just couldn’t shake what Dora had said the night before. She had always wondered about Evan’s lack of interest in having a girlfriend. Then Andrew co-opting an innocent young girl in a plot to make a fool of Engrid. Then the two men being at odds with each other and then suddenly having dinner together and drinking wine while dressed up. It just didn’t make sense. All the pieces weren’t adding up- at least not to an acceptable conclusion.


“How do you feel about Andrew now?”


“He’s a nice person, I guess. Why?”


“Nothing…it’s just that I thought it was odd that you and he would make up so fast- especially after what you said about him earlier.”


“He called me at the store yesterday and invited me over for dinner. I took your advice and gave him a second chance. I’m glad I did— turns out he’s not half bad.”


“Good. Why were you all dressed up?”


“Just seemed like a nice thing to do. I wanted to make a good impression.”


“Okay,” She didn’t sound convinced, but decided not to interrogate any further. She didn’t want Evan to shut down which it was surprising he hadn’t already done.


“Why are you grilling me, Engrid?” He asked flatly, “I was only doing what you asked me to.” There was a hint of irritation in his voice.


He got up and left the room. Oops. She hadn’t intended to upset him; she just wanted to know what was going on. Engrid had struck a nerve. He feared that she somehow knew about the kiss. He wasn’t about to admit to Engrid that he had kissed Andrew full on the mouth. If she wanted that confession, she was going to have to ask him directly. He wasn’t going to volunteer that just in case she was fishing and really didn’t know.


A week passed. Evan still came by every day to check on her, but didn’t stay very long. There were times past when he would stay for hours. She couldn’t think of anything that needed doing. She missed talking to him. He was distant all of a sudden. She felt Andrew had something to do with it, but she just couldn’t prove it. She didn’t really know what ‘it’ was to prove it. She just felt that Andrew was turning Evan against her. She rarely saw Andrew. She would see his lights on at night- when he finally got home- which sometimes was pretty late. Occasionally, she would see his shadow pass by a window. She had never interrogated him about what Evan was doing in his house. She decided to lay low for a while and see what develops.


It was Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. She saw a black Cherokee drive up outside Andrew’s house. Evan jumped out and ran up to the door. Evan never ran. Evan moseyed. Evan didn’t run. Evan was excited. Evan was never excited. She was happy that he was happy. She was just concerned that Evan was getting himself in trouble. She had liked Andrew when she first met him, but she didn’t trust him. She was afraid that Andrew was turning Evan against her and that she would lose Evan. She loved Evan like family. She wanted to love Andrew that much too, but Andrew wouldn’t come close enough to let her love him. Andrew was like a magnet that was stronger than she was. She would gladly turn Evan over to a nice young girl. She’d hand deliver him with a bow on his head to a nice young girl. She was glad that Evan had made a new friend, but felt that he was shutting her out in the process. I guess Engrid was feeling a tinge jealous.


She watched Andrew come out of his house and they left together in Evan’s Cherokee. She remained crouched on her divan watching through the lace inner drapes.


“So, where are we going?” Andrew asked.


“It’s a secret.”


“Then how will I know?”


“You’ll know when I tell you, that’s how,” Evan was being coy. Andrew just smirked a little. He knew Evan was enjoying a sense of power over him. Engrid didn’t know it, but Evan and Andrew had spent a good bit of time together the last week. They had decided that snoopy Engrid would get suspicious if they hung out at his house too much and Myrtle would worry if they spent time at Evan’s house. So, they’d been going over to Paul’s trailer to hang out. They still had had no physical contact since Andrew’s kiss after the movie last week. Evan just wasn’t ready yet. Andrew was okay with that. It was clear to the both of them that they clicked and that this was the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship. They just weren’t going to share that with the outside world.


The past week after work, Evan would drive out to Shady Acres and stay with Andrew until 11 or 12 then go home. His mother would ask where he’d been. He would tell her that he’d gone out with some friends. She was satisfied because that wasn’t uncommon for Evan to do that. It wasn’t uncommon, but it was more frequent than usual. Evan was a very social and liked person in town and so had plenty of friends. Evan didn’t realize it, but being a social and outgoing person with a large social network in a small town can have its pitfalls. Pitfall number one is that when you latch onto a new person, other people begin to talk. Evan’s other friends were feeling a little left out in the cold like Engrid. They were a bit jealous of Andrew as well. This mysterious man they knew nothing about ventured into town and Evan went from thinking he’s the scum of the earth to being bosom buddies. What’s with that?


Mark and Chandler were especially put out. Evan had always gone out on the river fishing with them on Memorial Day Weekend. Yesterday, he had backed out on them to ‘take Andrew fishing.’ They’d told Evan to bring Andrew, but Evan declined the offer. Why was Evan hiding Andrew from them? What didn’t he want them to know?


Back to reality…


“This is going to be so much fun.” Evan said, grinning from ear to ear.


They drove on for a while. It was evident to Andrew that Evan wasn’t telling him where they were going. They turned onto a dirt road off the main highway. The Cherokee’s tires moved effortlessly through the loamy soil. They went on for a while when Evan pulled up behind a truck with a four wheeler on a small trailer behind it.


“Where are we going?” Andrew asked.


“Padgett Harmon knows I’m a flaming homo. She’s okay with that. She got me drunk one time and then tried to make a move on me. I accidentally told her that I was a fag. She laughed at first until she realized I was serious. I told her I was bringing someone here. So, she provided the 4 wheeler.” Evan got out of the Cherokee and started to unhitch the four wheeler from the small trailer that attached it to the back of a nice late model white Ford F-150.


“Where are we?”


“The very back of the old Harmon Plantation. It’s mostly timber land now, but used to be a cotton plantation.”


“Oh. Will we be disturbed?”


“Padgett assured me we wouldn’t. She wouldn’t lie about this.”


“She’s probably spying on us right now.”


“Maybe. What difference does it make? You don’t know her. If she was going to rat me out, she’d have done it years ago.”


Andrew wasn’t convinced, but oh well. It was a scorching hot that day. It was approaching 95 and the humidity of summer had reared its ugly head already. Andrew was already a little pasty with sweat. Evan had barely sweated at all. Andrew was dressed in a white cotton button down and blue jeans. Evan was in his ever present white cotton T-shirt and jeans. Evan went to the back of the Jeep. He got out two helmets. He put on his own head and tossed the other one to Andrew.


“Here. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to that face of yours.”


Evan released the tie downs that secured the four wheeler, and rolled it toward the ramp at the back. Once on the ground, he climbed aboard.


“Well, are you going to get on?” He asked, casting a glance over his shoulder.


Andrew awkwardly got himself onto the seat behind Evan. He placed his arms around Evan’s waist. His stomach was solid. Evan switched the 4-wheeler on, turned the key and pressed the start button and the little engine roared to life. He put it in gear with the foot pedal.


“Hold on to your ass, Mister!” Evan said as he pressed down on the throttle lever and released the brake. They took off through the woods. Andrew was a bit dizzied by the speed of the trees as they passed. It was evident that Evan knew precisely where he was going. Soon, the woods opened into a pasture. The sped across the pasture toward the tree line at the other end. They dove into the forest once again as the little 4 wheeler engine whined.


Soon Evan slowed down and then stopped. Andrew realized that he’d had his face pressed into Evan’s shoulders for a while and wasn’t paying attention to where they were going. They were at the edge of a small pond in the middle of a clearing. Andrew looked around. Evan got off and removed his helmet. He put it on the rack that was on the front of the machine. There was a blanket spread out on the grass and there was a picnic basket there. Evan had everything all set up and ready.


Andrew slowly got off the 4 wheeler, uncertain that what he was seeing was real. Evan had a picnic set up on the edge of a beautiful pond in the middle of nowhere. It was perfect in every way. Evan was so excited to see that Andrew liked what he saw.


Evan raced over to the blanket like an excited little boy. He plopped down on the blanket and folded his legs. Andrew sat down next to him and drew his knees up to his chin and wrapped his arms around them.


“Why’d you go through all this trouble?” Andrew asked.


“Because I wanted to.”


Andrew just smiled. He knew he liked Evan for a reason. Evan was perfect in every way Andrew could see. Evan was beautiful, smart, funny, kind, thoughtful, caring, and possessed basically every characteristic one would find attractive in another human being. Andrew watched and waited to see what Evan would do next.


Evan grabbed the picnic basket and started unloading its contents.


“Who fixed all this?”


“I did,” Evan replied. I told my mother I was taking some food with me when me and a few friends went fishing today. I always go fishing over Memorial Day Weekend, so it was no biggie.”


Evan had quite a spread. He had made couple of different kinds of sandwiches and fried chicken.”


“Cool.” He said. It made him so happy to see Evan so excited. There was a part of him that was tingling in hopes that today would be the day. He liked spending time with Evan, but had been starved of human affection for so long; he was ready for Evan to make a move. He had Evan as a friend and he wanted more; but, he was willing to wait. Evan seemed happy just being friends for right now. Andrew couldn’t help but wonder what in Evan’s past scarred him. He could sense that there was something there that made him afraid of physical intimacy. He covered it by being friendly and talkative. Evan would talk to a fence post if he took a notion, but he didn’t like to talk about himself very much. Self disclosure was not one of Evan’s strong points. Evan had set everything out in its place on the blanket before Andrew’s hungry stomach.


“Alright. Dig in!” Evan said, picking up a ham and cheese sandwich and taking a huge bite of it.


“When did you do this?”


“I set all this up this morning. Then I drove back and got you and brought you here. So, don’t worry about the food, it’s been in a cooler and it’s only been out here for about a half hour. After the awesome week I’ve had with you, I’d hate to kill you with my cooking.”


Andrew laughed a little. Evan smiled. God he was so happy that Andrew was here. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening to him. When he left New York, he convinced himself that by moving back here, he was destined to be alone the rest of his life. He was afraid not to come back here, but at the same time, he dreaded the thought of being alone. Like any one, he was afraid of that prospect. He wanted to be in love. He knew what being in love feels like. He wanted to give Andrew that feeling. Andrew had never been in love- mainly because Andrew never allowed himself to be in love. He’d had the opportunity, but refused to go through with it. Evan was determined to change that. Once he’d gotten over his initial disdain for Andrew, he realized that this was his golden opportunity for happiness and fulfillment here and he wasn’t about to let that slip through his fingers.


Andrew just marveled that Evan was sitting in front of him. Even though he was the only one, Andrew didn’t think he was attractive in the least. He tried to cover that by being neatly dressed and spending way too much time and money on his hair. His dapper appearance belied rampant self-doubt and serious self-worth issues. It completely scrambled his neural circuitry that someone as perfect in every way as Evan was actually interested in him. He was convinced that Evan only like him because he had no other alternatives. He believed that Evan only seemed to love him because he was the only other gay man around. He was afraid that as soon as someone smarter and better looking came along, that he would be cast by the wayside. Andrew had been cast by the wayside so many times by so many people in so many quasi-relationships that he knew instinctually that it was bound to happen sooner or later. It was only a matter of time before the cruel curtain of reality lifted and Evan saw him for the ugly, horrible monster he really was and ran screaming from his presence as any sensible human being would.


Evan saw none of that. He saw Andrew for the phenomenally wonderful person he really is. Evan saw in Andrew what Andrew refused to see in himself and only saw in Evan. Evan feared much the same as Andrew that he would be cast aside as soon as someone better became available. Evan knew that he was going overboard with the whole picnic concept, but he so desperately sought Andrew’s approval, that he would do almost anything to gain it. He just wasn’t ready to be physically intimate yet. That kind of trust took Evan a while to build.


“What are you thinking?” Andrew asked, noticing Evan’s distant expression.


“Nothing,” Evan smiled sweetly. Andrew’s heart leapt in his chest.


“Can I ask you a question?”


“Sure. Why not?”


“Why did you run away when I tried to kiss you? I’ve wanted to ask all week, but I’m not sure I want to know the answer.”


Evan sat quietly for a moment. The longer Evan thought about his answer, the more Andrew began to worry.


Andrew couldn’t take the silence anymore. “Evan, is it because you aren’t attracted to me?”


“Oh God no! It’s not that at all.”


“Then what? It was just a kiss.”


“I know. In my head I know that’s all you wanted.”


“There’s a ‘but’ there somewhere.”


“But, I’m just not ready for that yet.”


“I understand. I was moving too fast.”


“It’s not that.” Evan paused. He wasn’t sure if he should keep talking or just be quiet or change the subject. There was so much more to the story that Andrew didn’t know that Evan feared would make him leave.


“Then what? Tell me…I really want to know.”


“It’s nothing.”


“Apparently it’s something if it’s bothering you. Now spit it out.”


Evan’s eyes got misty. Andrew hadn’t expected that reaction. Andrew sat quietly waiting for Evan to say something else.


Evan sat with a small bit of pimento cheese sandwich in his hand. He’d already eaten the ham and cheese he had started out with. The mistiness was quickly turning to tears as he sat facing Andrew.


“Oh my God, Evan…what is it?” The last thing he’d wanted to do was upset him.


“When I lived in New York….”


“Yes…what happened to you there?”


“I had lived there about six months before I dated anyone. I didn’t meet Grant until I’d been in New York for almost five years. I dated a few people and it was okay. They were nice and I enjoyed meeting them, but there was something missing. I just didn’t mesh with them. They were nice and all, it’s just that…I don’t know.”


Andrew was transfixed. Evan was self disclosing. He knew enough about Evan to know that Evan didn’t self disclose.


He had been slow starting, but now he was on a roll and so kept talking. “After about a year and a half of being there, I met a guy named Raymond. Ray, for short. I first met him at a club in NOHO. He was nice. We went out a few times. My rule was no sex for the first three dates. I thought that would screen out a lot of bad seeds. That way I would know they were serious about me as me if they could stand me for three dates knowing they weren’t gonna get any.”


Andrew thought, ‘I could stand you for a thousand dates.’


“So, Ray and I went out for about three months- went to clubs, stayed at home, we’d done all kinds of things together. I knew Ray was the one I’d been waiting for. He was everything I’d ever dreamed of and more. Then one night, we were at his apartment. He had way too much vodka. He decided that he wanted to ‘do me’ right then and there. I really wasn’t in the mood. I wanted my first sexual experience with another guy to be romantic. I wanted candlelight and dancing. I wanted it to be a grand adventure with someone I really cared about. I didn’t tell Ray that, I just said ‘no.’ Ray didn’t take no for an answer.”


The tears were coming down Evan’s cheeks and he couldn’t talk any more. Andrew moved over next to him and wrapped his arms around Evan’s shoulders. Evan felt the warm, safe embrace of a friend and he let it pour out.


“Ray chased me around his apartment. He thought I was playing ‘hard to get.’ I ran for the door. The deadbolt locked with a key from the inside. He had the key. I told him to let me go. He said no.” Evan really couldn’t talk anymore.


Andrew just held him. He couldn’t believe what Evan had just told him.


After a few minutes, Andrew couldn’t hold it in any longer. “God that pisses me off, Evan. That guy raped you plain and simple. He raped you Evan.”


“That’s why I can’t be with you Andrew. I was scared to death of men for months after that. Then I met someone that I liked. Then I became an addict. I’d have sex with anything that moved. If it was genetically male, I’d screw it then I’d let it screw me. It left me so empty inside that I still hate myself for it. I can’t believe I did all that. You deserve better than me. Really. You should go find someone else. I’m a prostitute- except I’ll do it for free.” Evan was shaking.


Andrew couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I will never do to you what he did to you, Evan. I would kill anybody that tried to hurt you like that again. You are more than I’ll ever deserve.”


“I’m weak.”


“What’s that supposed to mean?”


“I should have been firmer with Ray. I should have gotten out of there sooner. I should have….I’m just not any good anymore. I let myself get in that mess. I had no business doing that. I’m no good anymore. I’m not worth it.”


Andrew was astounded to say the least. “Evan, you are more than worth it. I’ve only spent a week with you and I think you are the most phenomenal person I’ve ever met. As much moving as I’ve done, I’ve met thousands of people. None of them came close to being you, Evan. I love you.”


Aack! Andrew hadn’t meant to say that last part. He felt it, but wasn’t ready to tell Evan that. After all, it was only a week since Evan thought he was an obnoxious know-it-all. He wanted to take things a little slower.


“No you don’t. You feel sorry for me. That’s all. Poor little basket case. God I can’t believe I told you all that. I’ve ruined everything. I always ruin everything. I just hoped that it would be different this time. I just wanted you to love me.”


“I do.”


“No, you don’t. What you feel for me is not love. It’s called pity, Andrew- there’s a big difference.”


“No…I do, Evan.”


Evan just sat there. He knew there was no point in arguing with Andrew about this. He knew Andrew was as stubborn as a musk ox and wasn’t going to understand the truth about Evan.


“Andrew, you see me the way everyone sees me. They see me as sweet, kind, Evan. They see me as funny and smart and good looking; but oh, if they only knew the truth about Evan.”


“What is the truth about Evan?”


“I’m a hoar. I’m grade ‘A’ street trash. A hooker has more personal integrity than I’ll ever have.”


Andrew had no idea how to respond. He knew that Evan needed someone to love him. Evan desperately needed someone to love him. Evan needed someone there to catch him. He wouldn’t allow anyone to catch him because he refused to let anyone close enough to him. When it came to forming an intimate bond with another human, Evan was afraid of his own shadow.


Andrew just continued to sit by Evan’s side and cradle him.


“I remember after Ray did what he did to me, he still wouldn’t let me go. He kept me locked in his apartment the rest of the night. I couldn’t sleep. After Ray passed out, I just curled up in a ball on the floor and cried myself to sleep. I cried myself to sleep just about every night for almost three weeks. He kicked me out of his apartment the next morning without my coat or sweater. It was sooo cold outside. It was Valentine’s Day.”


“I don’t know what to say, Evan. You need someone to love you right now. I want that someone to be me. I don’t care if you never lay a sexual finger on me, I will always love you. As a friend if nothing else. I will always love you in my heart.”


Evan looked up; he looked both hopeful and utterly defeated at the same time. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He figured that Andrew would already be packing and getting ready to go back to the Cherokee by now. He hadn’t planned to tell Andrew all this today. He’d wanted a fun day at the pond. Evan had planned to eat lunch, talk about random stuff and then go swimming. He’d even brought an extra pair of swimming trunks in what he guessed was close enough to Andrew’s size. He hadn’t expected to tell Andrew all that crap about himself. He had no business weighing Andrew down with all that personal baggage. Some things are better kept as secrets within your own self. Grant was the only other person on earth, other than Ray who knew about that incident. But, he was hopeful because Andrew was still here and still talking to him even though he knew full well what a slut Evan really was.


The two men sat in silence listening to the sound of a breeze rustling through the tall pines that lined the shore. Being a rather hot day and being the middle of the day, there weren’t any birds chirping- just the sound of a gentle breeze as it passed through the treetops. Evan and Andrew reclined on the blanket and watched the clouds pass through the pine needles and branches over head. Andrew suddenly felt very heavy. He could feel the heat, the sun, and a full stomach lulling him to sleep. He could feel the heat of the sun on his face and the warmth of the breeze on his cheeks and lips. He did feel a little sorry for Evan because he realized how dead wrong Evan was about himself. Evan just couldn’t see who he really was. It was up to Andrew to show Evan what a phenomenal person he was and that he was totally worth every bit of extra effort. If anything, the extra effort would make their relationship all the sweeter in the end.


As he laid on the blanket thinking, he felt water crashing into his face. He sputtered and opened his eyes. Evan was standing over him with a plastic cup in his hand. The cup was now empty. Evan was grinning from ear to ear. Evan had had enough serious discussion for one day. It was playtime. He had Andrew all to himself for an entire day. No Engrid, no mother, no work- no nothing but two guys in love having good, clean, G-rated fun.


While Andrew had been lost in his thoughts, Evan had changed into his swimming trunks. Andrew was sorely disappointed to have missed that. Evan reached into a paper grocery bag and pulled out another pair and tossed them over to Andrew. Bare-chested, Evan went and sat by the edge of the pond and looked out over the water. It wasn’t a very big pond. It was only about three acres. But it was big enough for them to splash around in for the afternoon.


While he had his back turned, Andrew slipped his pants and underwear off and pulled the trunks on. He was tempted to walk up behind Evan and teabag him, but given what he now knew of Evan’s history, that wasn’t the world’s greatest idea. He stood up and tied the drawstring on the trunks so they were snug enough not to come off. He walked up beside Evan, crossed his legs and sat down.


They sat side by side looking out over the water as the beaming sun passed overhead. What was to become of them neither knew. All they knew was that mysteriously and inexplicably, they had fallen for one another. They were an unlikely pair to the outside world. To the outside world, they were completely different- one a meticulous army brat; the other a surly down home country boy. What they had in common was a burning desire to be loved and to love another. That’s all either wanted really. They didn’t want a big house or fame or fortune. Their dreams were much smaller. They didn’t want a grand mansion on a hilltop. They wanted a home. They didn’t want to be famous. They wanted to be known. They didn’t want to be important. They wanted to be needed. It all seems so simple.


But for now, they were none of those things. They were two lovers sitting by a pond on Memorial Day Weekend. What they faced was a hot, sultry summer. The wind blowing softly over the face of the water sent little ripples that graced the water’s edge. Evan unfolded a leg from beneath him and put his bare foot in the water.


“Just right,” Evan declared.


Andrew smiled. Evan had no idea how perfect he was. That made him all the more perfect. Andrew looked over at Evan and just grinned.


“What?” Evan asked playfully.


“Nothing.” Andrew stood up and stepped into the water. “You were right. The water’s perfect.”


He waded out into the water a little and turned around. “Aren’t you coming in?”


“Just admiring the view,” Evan replied with a grin. Evan sat on the shoreline marveling at Andrew. It blew his mind that Andrew knew what he had just told him and yet hadn’t demanded to be taken home immediately.


Evan stood up and waded out into the water too. When he got out as far as Andrew he just stood there looking at Andrew. The water was lapping up against Andrew’s navel. It was slightly higher on him since he was a little shorter. Andrew lunged and tackled Evan and they both crashed into the water. Evan popped up out of the water first sputtering then laughing. When Andrew’s head broke the surface, Evan splashed him right in his face. Andrew sputtered and laughed too. Then he returned the splash. They stood in the water splashing each other. The water was still a little chilly since it was still early in the summer. In ponds that size, by about July, the water is as warm as bathwater.


They laughed and frolicked in the water for about an hour when they decided to wade back ashore. They didn’t want to get sun burned and neither thought to bring sun block. They drove back to Andrew’s house. Engrid’s car was gone.


As they walked into his house, the phone rang.


“Garrison residence.”


“Good! I’ve been trying to call you all morning. It’s David McGregor. I’m bringing your books from New York.”


“Oh God, I had forgotten all about that. Where are you?”


         “Winston-Salem. I’ll be in Deerfield in time for supper. I expect some good food when I get there. Hey Andy?”


“Yeah?”


“Had any hot dates lately? I hear those Carolina boys are muchas infuego!”


“They are hot. You know that.”


“So, any dates?”


“Yeah, a few- you’ll meet the top prospect tonight at dinner.”


“Cool. Well, I’ll let you go. I’ll be in Deerfield around 6:30 or so. I have to leave super early in the morning to make Houston in time for a late supper there. I like home cooking. I hate stupid interstate food- it’s even worse than airline food.”


While Andrew was on the phone, Evan sat on the sofa and put his feet up on the matching ottoman. When Andrew was done, he came into the living room.


“Who was that?”


“David McGregor. He’s bringing my books down from New York on his way to his dad’s house in Houston.”


“That’s kind of out of the way.”


“Yeah. He’s just coming down off I-20 and stopping by. After all, free dinner and free night’s lodging. You can’t ask for more than that.”


“Guess not.”


“Hmmm. What to do now?”


“I think I’d better go home.”


“Are you crazy? I’m not letting you out of my sight unless absolutely necessary.”


“No, I don’t want Engrid to catch me.”


“What does she care?”


“She cares a lot. It would drive her crazy that I won’t tell her what we did today. I couldn’t tell her what we did today. I don’t know what she’d think if I told her what I thought about doing to you today.”


“What were you thinking?” Andrew asked.


“You don’t want to know. Good things. I was thinking only good things about you, I promise.”


Andrew didn’t realize what a tease Evan really was. Evan stood up and walked toward the door. Andrew just sat on the couch, he was afraid to prevent him from leaving when he wanted.


“Okay then. But you’re coming back here for dinner. I want you to meet David.”


“I don’t know about that.”


“Why not? David’s cool. He’d like to meet you.”


“Why?”


“I told him that I was dating the most eligible bachelor in town. That of course sparked ole David’s interest.”


Evan smirked a little. Andrew was already learning how to manipulate him.





                                       #





Evan left and Andrew turned on the TV. It would soon be time to get started cooking for David’s dinner. David was also gay and had moved from Texas to upstate New York. They had met when Andrew was 16. Andrew’s uncle had decided that Andrew needed to interact with regular school kids and so enrolled him in the local public school system. There he met David. They were instant friends. Neither was interested in the other romantically, then or ever, but it was nice to have a friend to rely on. When Andrew’s uncle moved to California, Andrew stayed behind in New York alone for a year. Then, he decided to head south for college. Andrew was not a fan of cold weather. David was not a fan of hot weather. It seems strange, but of all the places Andrew had lived, Saudi Arabia had been his favorite- largely for the reason that it never got cold- sometimes at night, but then it was dark and you were inside and didn’t have to worry about it.


As he was sitting on his couch minding his own business, the doorbell rang. He went to the door. It was Dora.


“Hi, Mrs…”


“Murchison. Dora Murchison. We met the other day at the grocery store, remember?”


“Yes I remember you! Please come in. I’m Andrew Garrison.”


They went into the sitting room, across the hall from the living room. Dora seated herself in a large high back armchair. Andrew sat in the matching chair on the other side of the end table.


“So, Mrs. Murchison, how are you?”


“I’m fine. I work at the library. You should come visit. Engrid tells me you have tons of books. The library has quite a selection as well.”


“I’m sure it does. I will have to drop by some time.”


“Normally I’m at the library on Saturday’s but not today. I was there all week getting things arranged for this new children’s book room we’re hoping to open soon and so I said this was a holiday and I was treating it like one.”


“Good for you Mrs. Murchison.”


“Oh for heaven’s sake, call me Dora.”


“Okay. Dora. Call me Andrew.”


“Okay then, Andrew. I know we just met, but I thought I should tell you a little something that I thought you should know.


“What’s that?”


“Engrid’s cooking up a new scheme. I have told her not to, Penny has told her not to, Evan has told her not to, and Myrtle has told her not to. I’m sure you’ve told her not to. So naturally...”


“Why is she so stubborn?”


“God only knows, Andrew. God made people all sorts of ways. He made Engrid to be a stubborn old fool. God made me to be a peacemaker. God makes people all sorts of ways.”


“True.”


“And…God made people ‘other ways’ as well.”


Andrew looked confused but feared what she meant.


“You forget- I live on the other side of you.”


“I’m not following.”


She just started blurting things out. “I saw you kiss Evan. I saw Evan liking it then panicking. I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t spying, I just happened to glance out my window and see someone over here. I was looking trying to figure out who the other person in the room was with you. The moment I realized it was Evan, you leaned in for the kill. I’m not surprised really.”


“You’re not?”


“I had someone similar to Evan working for me once. It turned out he was gay. Evan has all the signs. You do too, but in a different way.”


“What do you mean?”


“Well, you’re a little more obvious than Evan.”


“What do you mean?”


“It doesn’t matter.”


“Why are you telling me this?”


“It seemed like the only honest thing to do. To let you know that you are safe with me. Engrid is a different story. I don’t know if she even would be willing to think about you and Evan together.”


“Why are we safe with you?”


“I saw what Morgan, the boy who helped me out, had to go through. I didn’t know how to help him, but I learned. I learned a lot from Morgan and I miss him now that he’s moved away.”


“Do you think we need help?”


Dora frowned, “Not right now, but how long do you think before people start asking questions?”


“What difference does it make?”


“Probably none. But, if you need someone else to run things, by, I’m a safe person to come to. At least I don’t live too far away.”


“I will be fine.”


“I know you will. You’re an intelligent person and so I’m sure you won’t have any trouble at all. But, if you do, I’m here for you. That’s all I wanted to say. It’s been bugging me ever since the night I saw the two of you.”


“I’m glad you felt comfortable telling me that, I guess.”


“One other thing though…next time….be more careful with the blinds. I would hate to glance out my window one night and…see…um… more of you than I’d care too, shall we say. For your sakes…I wouldn’t mind seeing you or Evan in a less than fully clothed state. After all, I’ve been without for nearly twenty years now. But, I doubt you would care to be seen at that moment.”


“Thanks for the warning. Say, would you care to come to dinner tomorrow night?”


“That’s another thing I wanted to mention when I came over here. Engrid is cooking up another scheme.”


“Oh yeah, I remember you mentioning that. What’s she got up her sleeve this time? Another potential girlfriend.”


“Probably. If so, will you tell this girl you’re gay too?”


“What do you mean?”


“I was there when Penny told Engrid to stay out of your love life. She didn’t say anything in particular, but I could sense that she knew something. Then Engrid was ranting to me about the attempted duping you two did at the dinner. Then, after seeing you and Evan together and then hearing that, it didn’t take rocket science to put the pieces together and come up with the fact that you must have clued Penny in.”


“I did.”


“If it is another girl, will you tell her?”


“I don’t know. Probably not. I really wasn’t the smartest thing to tell Penny. I don’t know if she’s trustworthy or not.”


“She is. I’ve known Penny since she was born. She would never betray you like that. She’s a good-hearted young woman.”


“I’m sure she is. We’ll just have to see who the new person is. Maybe it’s something totally different.”


“Doubtful dear, but we can all hope can’t we?”


Andrew smiled. He was glad he’d met Dora. He could tell already that she was going to be an amazing asset and ally in the days to come. She just sat back in her chair. She wasn’t sure what to say next. She was uncertain that she had done the right thing by telling Andrew about having seen him and Evan and about her knowing about them. Oh well, what’s done is done.


“I don’t mean to rush you off, but I have to get ready. I have a friend coming over for dinner tonight.”


“That’s nice. So, Evan’s coming back?” She said slyly.


“No, no nothing like that. It’s an old friend who is passing through on his way to Houston for the week. He’s bringing some of my books in the back of his truck.”


“Well that was awfully nice of him, wasn’t it?”


“It sure was, Dora.” He said as he stood up. She stood and walked toward the door. “It was a pleasure getting to meet you, I’m sure we’ll see each other a lot.”


“Yes. Actually, when you come for dinner tomorrow, you’re welcome to look through my books. I might donate some to the library.”


“That would be very nice, Andrew. I’ll do that.”


She said goodbye as she walked out the door and down the steps.


                                                          #


Andrew had to get moving or David would be there and there’d be no food. Andrew had been shopping and had a well-stocked kitchen. He decided to pep up food tonight, so he decided on Italian. His black hair and slightly off Caucasian skin belied a bit of Mediterranean ancestry somewhere back in time.


“Ding dong.” Andrew rushed out to the front foyer and opened the big oak door. David stepped into the house and gave Andrew a big bear hug. As was his custom, he picked Andrew up and spun him around. David had a quintessential Texan build- broad shoulders and pecks to drool over. Andrew didn’t particularly care to be picked up and spun around, but it just wouldn’t be a David McGregor greeting without it.


“How have you been?” David asked excitedly.


“I’ve been fine. Just settling in- new job, new town and all.”


“Geez, what a house!”


“Thanks.”


“It looks like my grandmother’s house in Plattsburgh.”


“I didn’t know your grandmother lived in Plattsburgh.”


“Yeah- on my mother’s side. If you look out the windows in the upstairs, you can see Vermont on the other side of the lake.”


“That’s cool. Well, David, I’m still cooking.”


“I’ll help!” David liked to cook, but was a danger to himself and others while doing so. So, Andrew made sure David sat at the table and kept the conversation going. David was an extreme extrovert who had been trapped alone in a truck for almost two full days; so keeping the conversation going was not going to be a problem.


“How’s New York?”


“It’s about the same. New York doesn’t change much. But you…you’ve been working out- I can tell.”


“I wish. I haven’t been to a gym in months.”


“I’ve been working out some. Not much though. Not as much as I did when I was in high school. That’s been almost seven years! Can you believe it?”


“Wow- it has. Look how far we’ve come!”


“Yeah, Tarrytown is quite a hike from here.”


“Tappan Zee Bridge, here I come!” Andrew said waving his fist in the air.


“Seriously, Dude. We needed you to come back to New York. It’s just not the same. I mean the free lodging on the way to my dad’s house is nice, but…”


“But I just got here. Besides, I’ve got a boyfriend…sort of.”


“What’s that mean? Sort of?” David was intrigued, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.


“Well, he’s my neighbor’s gardener.”


“Is he now…” David had a twinkle in his eye. “Does your neighbor know?”


“No. But the lady who lives on the other side, Methuselah’s granny, saw us making out on the couch last week. “


“Oops. Granny got a free peep show.”


“Not really. All we did was kiss.”


“Well, I guess you’ve got to start somewhere. Was granny disappointed?”


“No. She said she wouldn’t have minded seeing more,” Andrew smiled.


David laughed, “I’ll bet- horny old bat.”


David hadn’t changed a bit -as fun and playful as ever.


“So,” David said, “When’s boy wonder coming over?”


“He’s not. I invited him, but he had other plans.”


“That’s sad. I guess I’ll just have to stop by next weekend on my way back.”


“Yep.” Andrew glanced out his window. Engrid was down on her knees pulling some nut grass out from around her bougainvilleas. Evan appeared at the back gate and walked across the yard.


“David, come here!” He jumped up and ran over to Andrew. “That’s him.”


Evan was passing by the white gazebo.


“Dang son, what gene pool did you come from? Can I take him for a test ride?”


“No you may not.” Andrew said.


“Oomph!” David stamped his foot dramatically, “That kid belongs on a magazine cover. I’ve never seen anything like it.”


“Me neither. Too bad you live so far away.”


“I might have to relocate. I’d live in South Carolina if it meant having that in bed next to me every night.”


“There’s too much to him for you to handle,” Andrew teased.


“I’ll bet,” David said and went back over to his chair at the table.


Andrew kept his eye on the prize as Evan stood next to Engrid. He wondered what they were talking about. He was very curious to know what was going on.


“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Andrew unintentionally said out loud.


“How should I know? Hey Andy a month in this place and you’re already a nosy old biddy.”


He smiled- David had a point.


“I guess this is how Engrid feels every day of her life.”


They talked for a while longer as Andrew got the food finished and set out on the table. He had hoped that Evan would have a change of heart and make an appearance. Apparently, once Evan had made a decision, it would take an act of divine intervention for him to change his mind.