All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language, please exit now.
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"But Who Knows Where or When?"
Copyright Ritchris, 2007
A Story
by
Ritch Christopher
literary enhancement
by
Les Martin
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chapter eleven
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"When you're awake
the things you think
come from the dreams you dream.
Thought has wings
and lots of things
are seldom what they seem.
Some times you think you've lived before
all that you live today.
Things you do come back to you
as though they knew the way.
Oh, the tricks your mind can play...
It seems we stood and talked like this before.
We looked at each other in the same way then,
but I can't remember where or when.
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore.
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then,
but I can't remember where or when.
Some things that happen for the first time
seem to be happening again.
And so it seems that we have met before
and laughed before
and loved before,
but who knows where or when?"
"WHERE OR WHEN"
from Rodgers and Hart's "Babes in Arms"
copyright 1937
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Blaine called Maggie from the hospital, asking that she come be with Rex while he performed surgery on Kent. Maggie was at the anteroom in no time flat to sit with her brother. Rex explained to Maggie in vivid detail everything that happened at the Vir Gin Rickey, including the exchange of rings before the violence broke out in the restroom. Maggie comforted Rex as he broke down in tears several times, though it brought back memories of when they were kids and Rex would come to her when he was sad or had skinned his knee. Those tender memories brought tears to Maggie's eyes. Maggie always LOVED being the big sister, even now. It just renewed the sibling bond the two had always shared together. If Rex was hurt, then Maggie was hurt and if a part of Rex...something like a new lover was hurt, then Maggie was equally hurt over Kent.
"Dammit, Rex, it just doesn't seem fair!" Maggie said. "I've waited all your life for you to find someone who would mean as much to you as Blaine means to me. Did the waiter at the restaurant kill Kent's attacker?"
"No, but, I'm certain he'll wish he had been killed when he wakes up from the headache the waiter gave him...not to mention the gallons of toilet water he must've swallowed."
"Too bad I wasn't there with the two of you! I would have kicked his balls up to his Adam's apple! God! I never even saw the S.O.B., but I want to kill him!"
"If I hadn't seen that Kent was in such bad shape with his blood spilling across the restroom floor, I might have taken over where the waiter, André, left off."
"Thank God the waiter went into the restroom when he did!"
"Yeah, he actually saved Kent's life...or at least, he saved it temporarily..."
"Stop talking like that! You know that Blaine will do EVERYTHING he can to save Kent."
"I'm no doctor, Maggie. I don't know much about cancer. I mean, with Kent being kicked where he HAS cancer, will that cause it to spread to other organs?"
"No, darling. Cancer is like one of those Pac Men bastards that chomps away a little at a time. Cancer won't spread from an injury. God! I...I don't have testicles, but I can just imagine how painful that must've felt to Kent."
"Frankly, I don't think he felt too much pain. He probably passed out after the first blow or kick!"
"What kind of asshole would dare attack someone who's built like Kent. Kent is a college quarterback! He's got an abdomen built like a washboard...and muscles galore! Hell! You've seen parts of Kent I've never seen, but only thought about!"
Her descriptive remark caused Rex to lighten his mood for a moment. "Why, sis! Have you been noticing Kent's body while I wasn't looking?"
"Silly boy! I notice EVERY man who's got a good build...not with sex in mind, of course, but I AM a woman with womanly instincts!"
"I used to think that you were more of a man than I would ever be. When we were kids, you were butch in spite of wanting designer clothes and lingerie! What a tomboy you were!"
"Really? I remember you were about thirteen or fourteen when I caught you wearing my black merry widow! It like to've scared the hell out of me because I thought you had turned gay or were going to be a transgender. HA! Little did I know that the day would arrive when you ARE gay!"
"I wasn't when I put on your black shimmy!"
"Why did you do it, then?"
"Heck, I don't know. Most guys try to walk in their mother's high heels to see what it's like. I...I guess I wanted to see what my private parts would feel like when they were where you put YOUR private parts."
"Rex Morris! You little pervert! For God's sake, don't tell me that you had incestuous feelings toward me!"
"Why not? You were and still are, the sexiest woman I've ever met! Sure, when you would come into my bedroom and pleasure me...the nights you DIDN'T come in, I fantasized about you! I mean you had the roundest and firmest breasts I've ever seen. You still do!"
"Yeah, and they're STILL all mine. No silicone for this woman!"
"That's an understatement."
"You don't think I'm fat, do you?"
"That's a stupid question. Maggie, you wouldn't let yourself get fat! You're too proud of that figure of yours!"
"Damned right, I am!"
Suddenly Rex's mood returned to the present. "Mags, I want to thank you for taking Kent in as part of the family. Hell, I really didn't have any doubt, but since I settled on a man, I wasn't sure what you'd think of me OR him..."
"Rex, as a woman, I know how attractive a man's organ can be...MUCH more attractive than a woman's vagina. So I can easily see how ANYONE would be attracted to naked men."
"Including Blaine?"
"HA! Blaine handles more penises in one day than I've seen in my lifetime."
"But do you think Blaine would be attracted to one...sexually, I mean?"
"Strange question! I don't know what he does in his examining rooms, but even if he IS or WAS attracted to a penis, I couldn't blame him. That's funny, now that you mention it! Blaine and I are SO much alike. We like the same food, the same music, the same art, the same books, practically EVERYTHING one could think of, so why WOULDN'T he be attracted to a penis?"
"Say that he is, or was in the past...Would you be jealous?"
"Nope! I know that no other woman in the world could ever take Blaine away from me. However, IF he were attracted to another man...then so be it! Let him get it out of his system. He'd be back to 'Mama' in no time at all! I'm positive that any man Blaine would have sex with, would be totally safe! Shoot! Neither of us has ever been unfaithful, but we STILL use condoms when we go to bed. And by the way, why did you ask? Do you know something about Blaine that 'I' don't?"
"No...just purely hypothetical...nothing more..."
"Look, I'm quite certain that you are the most important male in Blaine's life, Rex, excluding Larry, his partner, and that's for a different reason...but now that you've decided that you're gay, if by some LONG, LONG chance, Blaine ever became bi-curious and wanted to experiment with you, have no fear! There's not a jealous bone in my body...jealousy means insecurity...and besides, even IF he did, it'd still be keeping it in the family!"
"Boy, when Mom and Dad created you, God threw away the mold! You're one of a kind."
"I always have maintained that status as I ENJOY being one of a kind. I don't want to copy ANY woman, not even Michelle Pfeiffer or Elizabeth Taylor. THEY'RE each one of a kind and THEY copy no one...just as I."
Rex smiled, gave Maggie a kiss on the cheek, then looked at his watch.
"Maggie, I don't expect to hear anything from Blaine for at least another hour. Blaine has another patient here, who was ALSO attacked by the same guy who attacked Kent. I would like to see if I can find him just to relieve his mind that the stalker is in police custody."
"Go, ahead, baby. If Blaine comes down from surgery or if I hear anything, I'll have you paged."
"Thanks, sweetheart! I love you...and thanks for coming to be with me!"
"We're family, Rex...joined at the hip, the head, and the heart!"
Maggie was pleased to see that her little talk with Rex had achieved a calming effect on her brother. She suspected if Rex had waited all alone for word about Kent, he would've been tied up in knots, as well as being nervous, sad, frightened, and depressed, all at the same time. Maggie had comforted Rex and cheered him up many times during their life together. She knew just what to say to make him feel better...always had!
Rex was sure that the ER head nurse wouldn't give him the information that he wanted, so he spied a male orderly and motioned for him to meet him in the corner of the anteroom.
"Yes, sir?"
"Do you know Dr. Rogers?" Rex asked.
"Oh, yes, sir!" the orderly replied. "He's one of our best doctors!"
"That lady over there is Dr. Rogers wife."
"Wow! She's quite a looker!"
"She also happens to be my sister."
The orderly gave Rex a quick once-over. "I can see that looks run in the family!"
Deliberately ignoring the compliment, Rex asked, "I don't want anyone to know that I'm asking you this, but do you recall a patient coming in a couple of nights ago...a young man who was beaten up...?"
"You mean the guy who was the victim of a sex crime?"
"Yes, that's the one."
"He was beaten up pretty badly...broken leg, ruptured spleen, cracked ribs, LOTS of things!"
"Is he still here as a patient?"
"Yes, sir. He's Mister Chastain and he's in room two-fourteen on the second floor..."
"How is he doing?"
"I haven't had much time to be with him...almost none, BUT, if YOU'D like to check on him, take the elevator. Hospital visiting hours aren't over for thirty more minutes. He'd probably like the company. I heard one of the nurses say that he's had no visitors since he's been here."
"You think it'd be all right for me to go visit him?"
"Sure. You won't need a pass or anything."
"Thanks, very much! What is your name?"
"Paul, sir."
"Paul, you've been a great help...just don't let anyone know that I was asking about Mister Chastain."
"Sure, but it's no big secret if you want to visit him."
"Again, thanks very much!"
Rex left Paul and went to the elevators up to the second floor. Once he got out, there was a sign with an arrow pointing to rooms '200-220' to the right. Rex counted the rooms down the hall until he reached Tom's room. He lightly tapped on Tom's door.
"Come in," said Tom.
Rex slowly entered and saw a young, handsome man, Tom, lying in the bed.
"May I come in?" Rex asked.
"OH, MY! There IS a God and HE DOES answer prayers!" Tom said, rather loudly.
"Pardon?"
"I've been lying in this bed for only God knows how long, waiting...just WAITING for Prince Charming to rap on my door, so come in, your highness, and take me away to your castle on your white horse."
Rex laughed and blushed at the same time. "Cabin fever, eh?"
"LOG CABIN FEVER with a capital 'L'!"
"I'm Rex Morris, Doctor Rogers' brother-in-law...?"
"OH! THE GAY ONE!"
"Pardon me?"
"I knew that Doctor Rogers had a gay brother-in-law who had just come out of the closet a day or two ago...SEEING you as you are, you just HAVE to be HE!"
"Well, since I'm out of the closet as you just said, there's no sense in my denying it!"
"Yes, but you also just broke my heart because you ALSO have a new lover!"
"Kent..."
"I didn't know his name, but by the way, if you ever decide to change husbands, my name is Tom...Tom Chastain."
"Nice to meet you officially, Tom!"
"So did you come ALL the way to the hospital just to visit little old me?"
"Not really. I came up from the ER on the elevator to see you?"
"OH? You brought someone to the ER?"
"Yes..."
"My God! I hope it wasn't 'Kent'..."
"It was, Tom."
"Jesus Christ! Don't tell me that he got a perforated anus! Mine was sore a week when I first came out!"
"No, No, Tom. It's much more serious than that!"
"Then I apologize for being so blatantly silly. What's wrong with Kent?"
"He got a dose of what you got, I'm afraid."
"JESUS! The same man who attacked me, attacked Kent?"
"I think so!"
"GOD DAMN! Why can't someone catch that bastard?"
"They did. He's in jail, Tom!"
"Thank God for small favors. How badly is Kent hurt?"
"He's in surgery now. Blaine, Dr. Rogers is operating on him..."
"You know that that son-of-a-bitch stalker caused me to lose my spleen?"
"No, I didn't know that. I can see by your cast and tape, he banged you up severely."
"That's putting it mildly. You know I don't even know the purpose of having a spleen! It MUST do something, but now I'm wondering if I can get by without it doing whatever it did before it was removed? I'll have to ask Dr. Rogers about that. OH, the attacker! Did YOU catch him or did someone else?"
"We were having dinner at the Vir Gin Rickey..."
"The same goddamned place where I got beaten up!"
"I know. Blaine told me."
"GOD! What happened?"
"Kent went into the men's room to take a piss and that's when he got attacked."
"Did you stop him?"
"No, one of the waiters did..."
"Oh? Do you know which one?"
"His name was André..."
"Cute as a button and twice as sexy. André is one of my favorite people!"
"Then I see we have André in common."
"What did André do?"
"I'm not really sure, Tom. By the time I went into the restroom, I saw Kent lying on the floor in a pool of blood and André had the attackers head in a toilet trying to drown him!"
"MY GOD! I've got to find some way to reward André!"
"So do I, Tom. So do I."
"You said that Kent was in a pool of blood. Where was he injured?"
"Kent was diagnosed with testicular cancer about a week ago. One of his balls was swollen the size of a grapefruit!"
"Oh, Jesus!"
"The assailant didn't know about Kent's condition, but apparently he kicked Kent solidly in the crotch. The ball sac must've burst and the enlarged testicle started spurting blood!"
"Oh, my God in heaven! Was Kent undergoing cancer treatment?"
"No, Blaine was going to remove it next week, but after it was injured tonight, I'm sure he's doing that as we speak!"
"Boy, that's some honeymoon you and Kent are having. DAMN! Just when the two of you are starting out in your life together...Shit! You never know, do you?"
"The main reason I came up to see you is that I wanted you to know about your attacker being in jail, but there was also a second reason..."
"Oh...?"
"I was curious to see whom had turned Blaine on with bi-curiosity? I wanted to get a good look at you..."
"Oh, that...?"
"Yeah, that!"
"Rex, if he weren't married, I'd change my life just to live it for him. He's everything any person would want."
"I know! That's what my sister says."
"She must be SOME kind of woman to have him!"
"Believe me, Tom, she is SOME kind of woman. No one else like her."
"I mean Blaine is so damned handsome, so intelligent, so kind, so EVERYTHING!"
"Sexy?"
"Yes, even sexy!"
"Tell me, if you don't mind me asking...have you and Blaine had sex together?"
"Nothing that counted. He did kiss me a few times."
"I'm glad to hear that he went THAT far, at least."
"You're glad? You WANT your brother-in-law to be gay or at least bi-sexual? You aren't interested in him yourself, are you, Rex?"
"No, of course not...but I DO love him...actually MORE than a brother-in-law, MORE than a real brother. Outside of Kent, Rex is really the only male person in my life! Oh, I have team mates at Epperson U., but none of them are close to me..."
"Tell me! Your sister?"
"Yes?"
"If she found out about Blaine kissing me, am I in mortal danger as I was with the stalker?"
"Not Maggie. She's so confident of hers and Blaine's marriage, she wouldn't believe anything negative about Blaine, ever!"
"Well, that's comforting to hear!"
"So if you and Blaine want to 'kiss away', go ahead and enjoy it!"
"I'm glad to see that you're not jealous either..."
"Maggie and I are two peas from of the same pod."
"I've only met you, but I feel as if I've known you a long time, Rex. I...I have no one in my life...so to speak, and since you and I have Blaine..AND André...in common, could I ask you some personal questions about Blaine?"
"IF I know the answers, sure!"
"Currently, Rex, I'm unemployed. I haven't a place to stay. Hell, I don't even have money for food..."
"Oh...?"
"Blaine knows ALL about me. Earlier tonight when he was here, he offered to find me a small apartment and stock it with food until I get back on my feet..."
"That sure sounds like Blaine..."
"I don't know if I should let him do it...I mean, I really care about him, but I've never made a practice of allowing myself to be obligated to anyone for anything."
"Heck, Blaine and Maggie give more in one week to help others than a year's rent for an apartment FULL of food. Blaine has spent his entire life helping people."
"I see...but, well, I kinda had the feeling that he might want something in return...something which I'd have no objection at all giving him..."
"You mean sex?"
"Sex...kisses, hugs, holding hands...whatever...He explained to me that his wife was the love of his life, but lately, that he's felt he needed some male companionship...even 'physical' companionship, but until you said what you did about Maggie, I...I didn't know what to say to him. I mean, I'd be like a third wheel on a bicycle and I don't want to do anything to harm his relationship with his wife."
"Don't worry. Only death could ever separate Blaine and Maggie. No person, no THING could ever do it."
"That does make me feel better."
"What kind of work do you do?"
"'Do I do?' Well, I USED to write...y'know, short stories, news articles for magazines, human interest pieces. I've always felt I had the great American novel inside me."
"Well, write it! It would THRILL Blaine to see you succeed."
"And now, you, as the newest person in my life...AND Blaine's brother-in-law...you'd tell me to say, 'yes' to him?"
"With a capital 'Y'!"
"God! I get excited just thinking about it! My life could..."
Rex and Tom heard someone knocking lightly on the door.
"Oh, God, it might be Rex or Maggie with news about Kent..."
Rex ran to the door and opened it. Standing there with a bouquet of fresh yellow jonquils was André.
"Excuse me, sir, but I thought this was Tom Chastain's room," André said.
"It is, André, please come in."
"I hope I'm not intruding."
Tom was straining his neck to see who was at his door, then André walked past Rex and went to Tom's bed.
"ANDRÉ!" Tom exclaimed. "How great it is to see you!"
"I knew it was late, but I just left the police station and wanted to stop by to tell you the news, but I guess you've heard all about it now," André said, glancing at Rex.
"André, we didn't meet officially at the table, but I'm Rex Morris."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Morris!"
"Oh, no, you don't! You just saved my other half's life, so you and I are gonna be life-long friends...so call me 'Rex' and nothing more."
"Oh, I didn't save anyone's life. I...I almost tried to take one!"
"The police locked him up, I hope?"
"Only after one of 'em performed 'CPR' on him. Would you believe, his lungs were FULL of toilet water? Pardon my being blunt, but the whole time I was holding his head under, I was wishing the water was filled the piss and turds!" André said, proudly.
"He WASN'T a real priest, was he?" Rex asked, inwardly knowing the answer.
"God, no! His name is Todd Benton and he used to be an elementary school teacher...taught third grade until he was accused of molesting little boys in the coat room."
"But then, if he's gay, WHY would he want to attack gay men?"
"He was afraid of admitting to himself that he was gay. He must've fought it all his life. He'd get these urges for sexual gratification, I guess, and go to bus stations, hotels, libraries, or restaurants, to get his rocks off...THEN, once he 'came', he'd get a guilt trip and would want to punish whomever had pulled his trigger!"
"I...I blew him before he attacked me outside, but why would he want to hurt Kent?" Tom said.
"Before I went inside the men's room, I heard him screaming at your partner...something about you two kissing at the table."
"JESUS CHRIST!" Rex exclaimed. "And THAT'S what set him off? A kiss?"
"Apparently! How is your partner, by the way?"
"He's in surgery right now, André. I should be getting back downstairs to my sister. Hopefully, we'll hear something about Kent shortly."
"I'm awfully sorry that I didn't go in the restroom sooner. I might have been able to help before your friend got hurt."
"André, had you not entered when you did, he might have killed Kent. I'll be in your debt as long as I live."
"Heck! I didn't do much!"
"God, you know with all the excitement, we didn't tip you!"
"Why should you? You didn't get to eat your duck!"
"And Kent and I were looking forward to it after the way you described it."
"Since you just said that we're gonna be friends, I'll be honest and tell you that the duck ISN'T REALLY that good. I feel I have to lie about the food. ALL the waiters do, I guess. I applied for the chef's position, but the owner keeps telling me that he'll promote me as soon as there's an opening. Dammit, I've been waiting for three years."
"You're a chef? Do you specialize in any particular cuisine?"
"I'm a graduate of the Culinary Institute in Fort Lauderdale and, yes, I specialized in French cuisine."
"That's my absolute favorite. I love French cooking!"
"Well, when my ship comes in, or when I win the lottery...whichever happens first...or maybe both, you and Kent will have to come to my French restaurant as my guests."
"And in the meantime while we're waiting...?"
"I suppose I'll be waiting tables at the Vir Gin Rickey..."
"Then, you must, at least, let me tip you!" Rex said, reaching for his billfold.
"But you never had your dinner...!"
"Well, you DID serve us drinks and YOU took our order BEFORE you saved Kent's life."
"Put your wallet away, please, Rex, I won't accept a tip from a friend! If it's not enough, you'll be embarrassed and if it's TOO much, my face will turn red. So why don't you do what a true friend would do and go on and see what you can find out about Kent. I'll stay with Tom and visit for a few minutes."
"Great idea! Tom, as soon as I hear ANYTHING, if it's not too late, I'll come back to your room to let you know..."
"Thanks, Rex. I'd LIKE to know...and THANKS for the advice on...that 'other' matter!"
"Sure! Go for it! Nice really meeting both of you!" Rex said as he opened the door and left.
Turning to his latest visitor, "Hey, buddy!" Tom said to André.
"My God, Tom. I had no idea how hurt you actually were. I mean, GOD! Look at you all bandaged with a cast and wires and needles running God knows where into your body."
"I'm gonna be all right, André. You saw Kent when they put him into the ambulance?"
"Yes, and I wanted to scream! THAT'S when I realized I should've killed Todd Benton."
"Kent looked pretty bad, huh?"
"Tom, I'm sure that half of the blood in his body drained out of him onto the bathroom floor. I heard Rex tell one of the EMT's that Kent had testicular cancer. There's no way in hell Kent's gonna make it through his surgery! He looked awful! And I feel awful for Rex!"
"Poor kids, just starting their gay life together...FUCK!"
"I was at their table tonight just after they had exchanged rings. It was so sweet and so beautiful, I had to leave before they saw me crying. God, I envy them their love and commitment!"
"Why the fuck can't people leave us alone? The rate of hate crimes almost doubled! I think a lot about Matthew Shepard and what he must've gone through as he died. Hell, I look at myself. Shit! I'm banged up from head to toe by a little shrimp that I could easily have whipped if he hadn't konked me on the head...and GOD DAMN! Look at what the fucker did to Kent!"
"Usually, it's the so-called straight guys who commit hate crimes."
"AND WHY? GODDAMMIT! Aren't WE allowed to exist? The straights think that we CHOOSE to be gay and dodge bullets, knives, fists, rocks, or anything else they want to throw at us! Why can't they just leave us alone? We don't force ourselves on others the way pedophiles do. Gays are attracted to some straight men, but, when it comes time for us to go to bed to have sex, we choose one of our own! There's a channel on cable TV that I've been watching since I've been here at the hospital. It's a religious channel where they talk about God's love and forgiveness out of one side of their mouths, then out of the other side comes this volatile spew of hatred toward homosexuality. God, the hypocrisy! I'm no Bible scholar, but I somehow don't believe that in biblical times, the word, 'abomination' was part of the Jewish vernacular. Who the fuck thought up that word?"
"It's in the King James version of the Bible, so maybe King James thought it up!"
"Well, then, FUCK King James and FUCK his abomination!"
"I can see you're feeling pretty good. Lying here has been good for you, Tom."
"Well, I haven't had to work for my bed and board. So, I guess I SHOULD be rested."
"When are you to be discharged from the hospital?"
"I don't know."
"Where are you gonna go? I mean, I KNOW how you make your money, Tom, but frankly, I don't see your making ANY money with that cast up to your thigh."
"Shit! I don't know. Maybe when the ambulance comes to take me wherever I'm going, I'll have 'em mark a sharp turn and IF they leave the back door of the ambulance open, I'll fall out of the back and roll to the curb and find myself in the gutter where I belong."
"Boy! It's so good to see you have your future all plotted out. MY! MY! MY! I'm sure your ideas take a load off the mind of your hospital discharge planner! 'Mr. Chastain discharged to the DeLaney Street gutter!'."
"Well, where ELSE can I go without a dime to my name?"
"You could move in with me...?"
"HA! I love jokes!"
"No joke, Tom. I live alone in the house my mother left me. There's a spare bedroom en suite. You would have your own privacy."
"How could I buy food?"
"The same way that I do. I bring stuff home with me every night from work. I could easily bring home an extra portion. I just grab it before the cook throws it into tomorrow's garbage. USUALLY, after I bring it home, I add my own little culinary touches to it to make it authentically French. Besides that, there's always coffee and juice at home in the morning, bread for sandwiches at lunch, then I could bring home a big entrée for dinner."
"Yeah. You give me all that...and what do you get in return from me? I have nothing to offer you, André..." Tom's humility told a volume of truth.
"That's where you're wrong, Tom. I NEED someone to come home to. I need to go to bed at night with the lights out and be able to hear someone besides me, somebody breathing in the house."
"I don't mean to be snide, but you know you COULD get a dog!"
"You asshole! Can't you ever be serious?"
"Is that what you're trying to do...BE SERIOUS?"
"Tom, I dead serious when I confess to you that I'm very lonely! I've had four lovers and I watched all of them go from healthy, good-looking hunks down to skin and bones as AIDS took its course on each of them!"
"My God, André, I didn't know...."
"Well, I'm not about to wear FOUR black armbands on my bicep."
"Not that it matters, but are you HIV positive or do you have AIDS?"
"Nope, I'm clean as a whistle...AMAZING, huh?"
"Sorry, but I just assumed..."
"Since THEY had it, that I'd have it, too? Hell, I wouldn't have sex with the Virgin Mary without first putting on a condom!"
"Would you believe that I'm clean also...especially in my line of work...?"
"That's good to know."
"Why?"
"Oh, some dark stormy night, you just might find yourself lonely too."
"And...?"
"You--you might want to join me and let us be lonely together..."
"You ARE getting serious..."
"Of course I am, you idiot!" André had to turn his head away for a moment.
"Are you telling me that you have feelings for me, André?" Tom's voice was tentative.
"What gay guy wouldn't? I mean, if you cleaned up, shaved, got new clothes, fixed your hair, you'd look like a Gear model. Hell, you MUST realize that, as many tricks as you turn a night."
"André. Besides my looks, what do you like about me?" The quiet desperation in Tom's voice betrayed his need.
"As you are, right now, not much...but what I see you BECOMING, I'd fall head over heels for you."
"I...I...Someone, today, offered to set me up in my own place IF I would start writing again...."
"You're a writer?"
"I'm out of practice, but I might be willing to dust off an old Roget again."
"What did you tell him?"
"Who?"
"The guy who wanted to help you..."
"I didn't give him an answer...yet."
"I have a computer WITH Microsoft Word at home."
"You..you'd let me use it?"
"Tom, all I ever use it for is to look at porn, play solitaire, or work a crossword puzzle. Hell, yes, you can use it."
"Why have we never hooked up, André?"
"Ask yourself. God knows I've thought about it more than once!"
"You'd actually go to bed with me...?"
"IF there was a condom handy, yes!"
"Would you be offended if I asked you to kiss me?"
"You mean, now?"
"Uh huh."
"I could be persuaded, I suppose."
"Then come sit on the side of my bed."
"You're sure?"
"I'm positive..."
André stood and moved toward Tom. He sat on the side of Tom's bed as Tom put his arms out to draw André close to him. The first kiss was gentle and delicate, tentative. André sighed as he exhaled. The second kiss was more deliberate, lasting longer than the first. The next was consumed with passion as their mouths opened and their tongues began to joust. The two were breathing more heavily and soon, both of their foreheads were breaking out in beads of perspiration.
Finally, Tom whispered, "Is that what you wanted...?" His doubt and insecurity were plain to see.
"God, YES, Tom. For a long time..."
"There's plenty more just like it..., if you want it?"
They kissed again as their hands began tentatively exploring each other's body.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
It was nearly 2 AM, five and one-half hours after Blaine began operating on Kent, before he came down to the anteroom to see Rex and Maggie. Rex was wide awake while Maggie was dozing on Rex's shoulder.
"Wake up, Mags! Blaine is here!" Rex nudged his sister.
"Hi, guys..." Blaine said, softly. He was tired and exhausted.
"What's the word?" Rex asked with great trepidation, not being able to read the expression on Blaine's face.
"I did all I could..." Blaine replied. Rex's face blanched.
"Is he alive?" Maggie asked.
"He's breathing, at least..." Blaine said. We had to give him six pints of blood before I could even begin to operate. Jesus Christ! The toe of the assailant's shoe ripped right through the skin of Kent's scrotum and his enlarged testicle was literally hanging out of the sac. Once we got the bleeding under control, it took just a couple of snips and a few clamps to remove the damaged testicle. Then I took a sample of his other testicle and sent it down to the lab. That's when I found out the cancer had spread. So I removed his second one.
"Kent also received injuries to his lower intestines and I made a rather unorthodox incision. I opened him from his navel down to his pubic bone as I didn't know what had to be repaired or how extensively his cancer had spread. So actually, I did a lower G.I. exploratory operation. I called for a second lab technician to help me while I worked on Kent. I used a procedure which is seldom done, but since Kent was 'family', I took extra care to find out where and IF he had problem areas. I biopsied several major organs which I presumed MIGHT be cancerous and sent each tissue to be examined one at a time...liver, stomach, intestines, gall bladder, bladder...the works!
"Then my lab assistant started feeding me results from each biopsy. It's just that as long as I had Kent opened up on my table, I might as well run tests on everything. THEN, if I had to remove part of his liver or stomach or whatever...or if I could at least see what areas might need chemo or radiation..."
"How far had it spread, Blaine?" Rex asked, timidly.
"As far as the lab tech and I could figure...it HADN'T! We found no tumors or signs of carcinoma in any other organ of his body. It appeared that Kent had testicular cancer...period. Of course, I will recommend an oncologist to further his treatment once he's recovered from the surgery and the other injuries his attacker did to him. By the way, Rex, you said his attacker was in custody?"
"Yes, it was just as you suspected, Todd Benton, the alleged priest!"
"Benton? Is that his name? When I called the churches to find out if he worked there, I was asking for Todd Benson, not Benton. Regardless, he didn't work at either place."
"When can I see Kent, Blaine?"
"You can see him now, but he won't be awake for another four or five hours."
Maggie walked up to her husband, grabbed his head with both hands and kissed him. "You done good, sweetie pie!" Then she looked at her brother. "Didn't I tell you that Blaine would fix Kent up?"
"GOD!I OWE YOU, BLAINE! And I love you!" Rex said.
"Bullshit! You're gonna pay me money when Maggie and I have more than you?"
"I wasn't talking about money. Hell, Kent's father's insurance will pay for his operation."
"Then what were you talking about?"
"I'm not sure, buddy. I'm just so relieved that Kent is gonna be alright!"
"Look, guys!" Maggie interrupted. "Why don't I go home and make a huge breakfast and the two of you home to eat it?"
"I AM rather hungry," Rex said. "We had just ordered dinner when Kent got attacked in the restroom."
"Blaine, why don't you take Rex upstairs to see Kent and I'll leave?" Maggie suggested.
"Great idea, sweetheart!" Blaine said. He held his wife close, kissing her.
"Thanks for coming, Sis." Rex's sincerity was plain on his face, along with his love.
Maggie turned and gave Rex a big hug and a kiss on his cheek and left quietly.
"Thanks for asking her to come..." Rex said to Blaine.
"Come on and I'll give you a ride on the doctor's elevator."
Blaine pushed the button and the elevator door opened.
Once they were inside, Rex asked, "You didn't hold anything back, did you, Blaine. I mean, he IS gonna be all right!"
"Hopefully, with his follow-up treatment, Kent's going to be around for years and years to come."
Rex put his arms around Blaine and held him tightly. Blaine responded in kind. Rex's tears flowed hard and long.
Gaining his self control again, "I...I met Tom..." Rex said.
"Oh...?"
"He's quite a handsome fellow...a bit depressed and sour on the world, but...I liked him."
"How much did he tell you?"
"He said that you kissed him..."
"That was rather stupid, don't you think?"
"What? His telling me or the fact that you kissed him?"
"Both!"
"It won't go any further, Blaine..."
"Halfway through Kent's surgery...while I was waiting on some of the lab reports, I looked at Kent...handsome, loving, kind, smart, athletic, everything a young man desires to be. Then I looked at his injuries and saw the price he'd paid for being gay. He didn't do one goddamned thing to Todd Benson or Benton, but look at what Todd's hatred did to Kent. That's when I decided I wasn't cut out to be gay OR bi-curious."
"Tom told me about your wanting to help him get a fresh start on life...."
"I'll keep my word on that."
"André, the waiter, the one who stopped Todd from killing Kent, came by to see Tom while I was there...and then, when André was leaving the hospital, he stopped in the anteroom to see me, and he said he thought he had talked Tom into moving into his house. I wouldn't have said anything about it until you said what you did just now about Tom and your promise to him."
"This André fellow--what kind of guy is he?"
"Stable, been widowed by four lovers who had AIDS. He's HIV negative. Blaine, he saved Kent's life and I've got to do something VERY BIG for André! Buy him a car! Put a big check in his bank account...SOMETHING! It's like asking myself 'How much is Kent's life worth to me?'. You can't put a cash amount on something like that."
"Well, IF Tom is going to move in with him, maybe the two of US can help BOTH of them out!"
The elevator stopped and Blaine and Rex got out to go to the post-op room where Kent was lying. Blaine opened the door for Rex and said, "There he is...all yours!"
Rex looked at Blaine and his tears started to flow again. "Thanks to you, Blaine! I've always loved you as a brother, NOT a brother-in-law, but now I love you even more."
"You know, it's just too bad that I didn't become bi-curious about you..."
"Before Kent, 'I' had no bi-curious feelings, so I don't know if ANYTHING could've ever happened between you and me."
"Actually, it was Kent who started MY curiosity!"
"He IS quite a catch, isn't he?" Through his tears, his smile seemed to shine.
"And so are you, Rex..."
Blaine and Rex's eyes met and their eyes, as they met, could have filled volumes of unspoken dialogue before they looked away from each other. Rex walked over to Kent's bedside, wiped his brow, and kissed him lightly on the lips. Blaine closed his eyes, nodding an approval and, quietly closing the door, left.
<><><><><><><><>EPILOGUE<><><><><><><>
SIX MONTHS LATER**
It was the night before the grand opening of Epperson's newest French restaurant, 'Le Régal de L'Amoureux', owned and operated by André Trintignant and Tom Chastain. Six guests were having a private pre-opening party at a center table in the main dining room. Besides the hosts and co-owners, André and Tom, there were Rex Morris and Kent Stevenson, and Epperson's most celebrated physician and his spouse, Dr. Blaine Rogers and Maggie Morris Rogers.
André had opened an appetizer wine and stood to make a toast.
"I never dreamed the day would arrive when I would have my own restaurant, a new love, new friends, and new benefactors. I'm not sure why this all came about, but a funny thing happened on the way to the men's room. All I did was try to flush a big piece of waste down the toilet and, as a result, all of this came to be. I raise my glass to Rex and Kent, and to Blaine and Maggie, ALL who made this place possible...and to Tom, for giving me the love I thought I'd never find again. My loving thanks to all of you!"
"Hear! Hear!" the rest of the guests shouted, raising their glasses.
"Now, I'm VERY nervous," André continued, "because you're about to sample the fruits of my labor. Bon appetite, mes amis!"
André clapped his hands and a staff of waiters came out of the kitchen pushing carts with every imaginable French dish on the menu which Tom had written. No one could decide which to taste first with all the French sauces, delicacies, hors d'oeuvres, entrées, wines, followed by French pastries. André insisted on everyone trying everything as he truly wanted their opinions.
Every dish exemplified André mastery of French culinary artistry, breathtaking to the palate. Rex and Blaine knew that they had made NO mistake in lavishing their monetary gifts to André and Tom to make their dreams come true.
Maggie was busy, sticking a fork in various dishes, tasting them and putting a second bite in Blaine's mouth. "Honey, you've GOT to taste this one", followed by "Oh, God, Blaine, this one is better than the others!"
"MAGGIE, PLEASE! I'm busy tasting these OTHER things!" Blaine said, with a full mouth.
"Here, babe, try this veal," Rex said to Kent.
"I've got my mouth full already..." Kent replied. "All this was about the way André saved my life, wasn't it?"
"To me, it still wasn't enough, babe," Rex said. "Look at the six of us...all happy, all well, thanks to André and Blaine." Very quietly, he whispered in Kent's ear, "How do your new balls feel?"
"How do they feel to you? You're the one who's been playing with 'em recently!" Kent said, quietly.
"I love 'em!"
"I'm glad they're a permanent fixture."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they're NOT like having false teeth where I have to take them out every night and put them in a glass of water." The two had a private conversation with their eyes.
Blaine was talking softly to Maggie, "See what a little money can do?"
"I hope this place is such a success that they'll have to build an extension," Maggie said.
Blaine's eyes sp0oke volumes. "Have I told you today how lovely you look, Magpie?"
"Twice..."
"Then I'll tell you again. You DO look lovely...and I love you..."
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Blaine."
"What's that?"
"Did you get your bi-curiosity satisfied? I heard it can kill a cat!"
"What EVER do you mean?", he mumbled.
"I'm your wife, remember! There's nothing about you that I don't know..."
"Were you mad?"
"MAD! Are you kidding? I was so glad that your affair was with a man and not a woman!"
"WHY?"
"Because it would be cheaper for me to buy a mustache to compete with a man than having a boob job...WHICH I DON'T NEED--just to outdo some bimbo!"
"Maggie, I REALLY didn't have an affair..."
"I know it," she said, "but it was fun seeing your face when I accused you of it!"
"I don't think I'd EVER know if YOU had an affair."
"You won't HAVE to know it! I've got the man I want!
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fin