This is a work of fiction. It is straight out of my imagination, except for most of the pagan practices mentioned. This is written for adults and if you are not supposed to read this where you live, then please don't.
Part 11
"Owen," I mumbled. "Where is he. I don't think he would want to see me."
"Sure he would," Sal assured me. "I told him you were coming and he looked very happy."
"I am sure he was thrilled," I said bitterly. Ryan looked at me with confusion on his face. I pulled Ryan aside and started to explain about Owen.
"He was the first guy I fell for after I came out of the closet. He was a fellow art student and dabbled in witchcraft. He fell hard for me and told me he loved me. I wasn't in love with him. It was very hard to deal with. I stayed with him a while, thinking that maybe I could eventually return the love he showed me." Ryan looked over at the painting of me on the wall.
"I can see that he truly loved you. Only love could produce something so beautiful," Ryan said as he studied the artwork.
"Well, I was starting to think I was damaged goods. It was the second time someone fell in love with me, and I couldn't love them back." I looked off across the room at more of Owen's beautiful work. "I finally found someone I could love and I left Owen. Just as with Cecilia, he was bitter."
"Who was it tha...," Ryan started to say when I saw Owen talking to Sal. I cut him off and said we could talk about it later. The truth is that I knew what he was going to ask and I didn't want to answer right now. I moved across the room to Owen as he turned around. He fixed me with a smile that gave me a cold chill.
"Caison," he said walking towards me. "Long time no see. How have you been?" Sal stood next to him smiling a told-you-so at me.
"Owen, it has been a while. I have been keeping busy. I can see that you are doing well." Owen took my hand as I spoke and squeezed it a bit too firmly. I thought that he was being a bit childish, but I found myself squeezing back. We both winced and let go.
"I can't complain. My art is selling at top prices, I am at a peak in my productivity, I have a beautiful home on the beach, and my boyfriend is a model." Sal's face dropped and he looked at me apologetically and then moved away leaving me to fend for my self. I never dropped my smile but my jaw tightened until it hurt. "So, are you dating anyone. I heard that, um, what's his name, died. Sorry about that."
"Ward," I said for no other reason than to hear it myself.
"Yes, Ward." Owen turned his eyes to the painting of me. "So, how do you like it," he asked motioning to the work behind me. "I did most of it from memory. You were quite a specimen of manhood. You've sort of let yourself go haven't you?" I opened my mouth to tell him off when Ryan stepped beside me and took my arm.
"Honey, where have you been," Ryan asked looking me in the eye. He winked so that Owen couldn't see him and then leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "This work is not nearly as good as yours. Where is the artist?" I nearly laughed at this. I could see Owen's jaw tighten and the muscles in his neck bulge.
"Um, this is the artist here, um, darling. This is Owen Price. Owen, this is my, um, boyfriend, Ryan," I said almost as a question.
"Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry. I wouldn't have said that where you could hear me if I had know you were, well, you," he said mocking embarrassment.
"Of course," Owen said as he took Ryan's hand. "So, what do you do?"
"Oh, I just own a major accounting firm. Nothing as exciting as what you and Caison do. I mean, I may jet to Europe every other week, but that doesn't compare to creating art." Ryan was laying it on thick, but I figured he had heard what had been said before. I felt a laugh coming on and turned it into a cough.
"Oh my, you need a drink. I will be right back, Hon." Ryan looked around and walked across the room to find a waiter.
"Well, you have done well for yourself. I will see you later." With that, Owen was gone.
Sal showed up by my right arm in a few minutes and apologized. Ryan brought me back a drink and looked disappointed that Owen was gone. I took the champagne and downed it in one gulp.
"They didn't have anything stronger," I asked.
"Let's go get something stronger," Ryan said as he took the glass from my hand.
"Before I go, how much is the nude," I asked motioning to the painting. Sal reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pad of paper no larger than two inches square. He scribbled a price that took a long time to write and handed it to me. I looked at the price and closed my eyes. "I hope whoever buys it, enjoys it."
We made our way out of the reception with only a few interruptions from art connoisseurs who recognized me. After all the attention and seeing Owen's work, I decided to raise my prices. We made it outside and I looked for a cab. Ryan stood smiling off into the distance.
"Thanks for the rescue," I said as I scanned the street for taxis.
"Not a problem. In fact it was fun. Did you see the look on his face. How did you ever fall for him?" I thought about that as I waved frantically at a passing cab.
"I don't know. He wasn't always like that. Maybe I made him that way...," I said trailing off as a taxi approached.
"No, he had a choice. He didn't have to be an asshole." Ryan squeezed my shoulder as I climbed into the back of the car.
We found a club that looked like it was popular. There wasn't a line outside, but there were lots of cars parked nearby and a lot of noise. I told the driver to stop and he smiled at me in the rearview mirror.
"Sure thing, whatever you say," he answered and gave me a wink. I paid him and gave him a good tip. He was creepy, but he was polite.
We walked up to the club and showed our ID's and paid a small cover. The music was loud and beat driven. A typical techno-dance mix. It was very dark, except for disco lights and glowsticks. The blacklights made Ryan's shirt glow when he took off his jacket. A man dressed in black leather walked past me. As he passed I nonchalantly checked out his ass. He turned around and caught me looking. I tried to act casual, but failed miserably. He smiled at me and kept walking. I stepped over to Ryan and grabbed him by the arm.
(To be continued)
The next chapter will be submitted soon.
I welcome comments, twinkchaser@excite.com