North Meets South

Story: North Meets South: When World's Collide

Chapter: 1 Total Opposites

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Mature Readers only due to sexual situations and graphic sexual content

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Mitch meets Tony at church. They are nothing alike. Mitch was raised on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina. Tony was raised in New York City. Mitch drives an old pick-up truck. Tony drives a Mercedes. Mitch wears t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. Mitch wears designers. Tony was raised Roman Catholic. Mitch was raised Southern Baptist. They are completely opposite. A match made in Heaven.

Total Opposites

It was April of 2002 when my life changed. All I wanted was to sit in a pew.

Okay, let me set things up here. My name is Mitchell McKenzie, at that time I was thirty-one, turning thirty-two in following October. For all my life I tried to be what I was supposed to be. Straight. I was twenty-eight when I tired of the daily headaches and this queasy feeling Death was right on my heels. Going to the doctor, he sent me to a psychologist where I told him there was something I hadn't told anyone. I liked men. Even that wasn't enough. I craved men. Sexually. Women were fine as friends, but that was not who I wanted as a mate. I had tried to live as my parents wanted me to, and society as a whole seemed to hate those who were gay, but if I didn't come out of the closet, I was going to die. Drastic, huh? I had come out once at sixteen. I told my parents. That was a huge mistake. I was born into a country family of rural mountain people. I was raised on a farm to the West of Asheville, North Carolina to parents that were very, very conservative. Southern Baptists, to be precise. I love our farm. I grew up with horses, cows, chickens, and a field Mom used as her garden for fresh vegetables. We weren't a farm for profit, that wasn't what they did for a living. Dad was a preacher. I had one sister, Lynn. Three years older. Let's just say, she didn't like being a preacher's daughter and got in big trouble when she discovered boys. She claimed she lost her virginity at sixteen, but I think it was a lot earlier. She was the black sheep in the family. I was the good child. For my sister there was alcohol, then drugs and then marriages. Several marriages, all to get away. Until I became an adult. I never even touched alcohol. Not so much as a beer! We lived in Candler. Morgan's Branch to be specific. It was a very, very small town with only a few hundred families. If you did something you shouldn't, the network of "concerned neighbors" knew about it and told our parents. So, I was a good boy too afraid to get caught doing something. But telling my parents at sixteen, they just knew this demon could be cast out me. I went to this "doctor" in Asheville twice a week. His treatment was not really sanctioned and discontinued after I'd completed my "treatments." Twice a week I was taken to a room, shown pictures of some very handsome naked men, and then given shocks. Not a lot at first, just enough to be uncomfortable, but if I got an erection, the voltage went up. So yes, I got some good jolts. The doctor I saw later said that was why I was having the headaches later. I was gay! AIDS had just come to the surface and everyone was panicking. I now convinced I'd die if I came out and was gay, but I would die if I didn't! Either way, I'd die!

Then the other wrinkle. I was a deputy. I had gone to college, a junior college, and gotten certification in Law Enforcement. Then went to the Police Academy and began serving my community. I then met Susan and married her. Another huge mistake. The psychologist I went to on my doctor's advice said I should move away. Tell my wife, end the marriage, and come out. Coming out anywhere in Asheville made me sick to even think about. I couldn't risk it. Then I was shot. It was pretty bad; I was shot in the hip by some punks just causing trouble over a girl. I had to go through some intense rehabilitation. My days as a police officer were over. As I recovered I was released and I had to get away. I told Susan the truth and of course, she filed for divorce. I gave her the house out of guilt and begged her not to tell my parents, my parents just knew I really loved her and begged me to reconsider. How could I tell them I was gay? As I recovered, I went to a tech school and got a certificate in Hotel Management. Just about my thirtieth birthday, I got the divorce and contested giving her alimony. The judge wasn't stupid. Susan got everything; I wasn't supporting her the rest of her life! I headed out of town and headed East. I ended up in Charleston, South Carolina. I got a job at a hotel and rented a very rundown house in a pretty bad part of town with a lot of questionable neighbors. A lot of drug activity and gangs. For a while, all I had was a TV, the house I rented, a mattress on the floor and my pickup truck. I would have fought tooth and nail to keep the truck. It wasn't even a new pickup, but a red Ford F-150. I knew almost every nut and bolt of him. My truck was no lady, I named him Bubba.

The main draw of the house was the alarm system. It worked and I paid monthly fees to keep what few things I had safe. I did buy a computer and some clothes, but that was it.

Now that psychologist asked me if I could ever consider that there was no God? What!? No God!! No. Impossible! All my life I was worried about where I'd end up, never once did I consider that I might not go anywhere. No. Then the psychologist had suggested I find those, like me that were Christians, but gay. Did they exist? I had no idea, but with my computer, I found a church. It was the Metropolitan Community Church. Part of an internationally known church community founded by a gay man!! I was ecstatic! I remember going to where it was supposed to meet, and having only really been a Baptist all my life, I was completely unprepared for what I saw. I walk in and there were dozens, maybe over a hundred men and women talking laughing and they were gay!! All of them I saw! Including the preacher! And that preacher was a woman! Some are saying, so? You have to understand, in that day women did not preach in Southern Baptist Churches. It was changing, but very, very slowly. They weren't deacons or anything like that. They could be teachers, but never a pastor. Well, there was Terry. And she was pretty. I know, I know. I'm gay, so how do I know if she was pretty, well she was! My point is she had a partner, a woman and that partner was black. Terry was white. And get this. She was raised Southern Baptist! Say what you will, but God had to be involved, because I walked up to her, hadn't heard her even preach yet and asked her. "How do I join?" She was very nice, let me know that I needed to be confirmed, whatever that was...but I learned about the church, its mission and what it meant to be a Christian, who was gay! I was beginning to feel safe at last.

What about the pew I wanted to get in? I'm getting to that. I went a few months, saw a few I might be interested in, maybe, but that day in April, I walk in and saw something I never expected to see. A man was sitting there and you just knew...he didn't belong here. Let me explain that. Now, I had been raised as a preacher's son. I knew that Sunday was a day you didn't wear jeans or t-shirts, which was my favorite way to dress for any occasion except work. Most that came wore jeans, t-shirts and even shorts with sandals. That was never considered appropriate attire for church for me. I would never consider it. This man was tall, had a dark complexion with this olive-colored skin. Jet black hair. The thing that really made him stand out, he looked dressed up. I mean he wore a grey suit and red tie. It looked great! He looked great. Scanning the surrounding pews, I only saw a few spaces next to him. Damn. It was my lucky day! Oh, that's one thing I did do. Cuss. Only with people that knew me. I walked up to him.

"Could you slide over?" I asked.

He looked at me with brown eyes that were warm and you could see the mirth in them, but he shook his head. "No, I can't."

Okay, that was unexpected. You didn't say no. His smile came on his face.

"But you can sit here," He pointed next to him, inside the pew, he even stood to let me in. He had an accent. I'm Southern, and we were supposed to have an accent, but I didn't really hear it as I did too. This was something else. He was a Yankee!

Okay, something wasn't adding up here. Here was this guy, a little older than me, probably in his mid to late thirties, well dressed in a great grey suit I could only guess the price of. His short hair was combed and styled expertly and in place. I looked at his left hand, but there was no ring, but...and I know, there's no such thing as gaydar. We all know some you just knew were gay. Not this guy. Did he have the wrong church? If he was with someone, I would be disappointed, as always. He could not be gay! I had to know more about him. I put my hand out to him. "Mitch McKenzie."

The man smiled, "Tony Delveccio."

I nodded. "Okay." Then I pressed on. "Forgive me, but I've never seen you here before. Are you just passing through?"

He shook his head. "I'm moving here. My son goes to the College of Charleston." He shrugged. "It just made sense to move here."

That was also disappointing. Then I wondered if his son were gay and he was just coming with him as his father. He had a son! That means he had a wife. Damn, damn, damn! I looked around, didn't see anyone looking to sit, not like Tony. "Should I move? Maybe he will want to sit with you."

Tony shook his head. "No. My son's not here. He's eighteen and doesn't care for church anymore. He's not gay."

I nodded. "Then you know this is a gay church?"

He smiled bigger, "I went to the MCC when I lived in Manhattan. I emailed Terry to find out more about it. This is my first Sunday at this MCC."

Then I caught a scent. A musky smell, very pleasant. It was him!! I'd been here before. I knew how to be cagey. "Manhattan? I thought I heard an accent."

Tony chuckled. "I born and raised in Queens."

Delveccio. That explained his complexion and dark hair. The man was very, very handsome.

Tony looked around the congregation. "I was beginning to think I stunk or something. No one seemed to want to sit near me."

He comment was so...odd. Was everyone blind!? He was gorgeous! Then I nodded. "That's because they can smell the Yankee in you." I grinned. I pointed at his suit. "And see it."

Tony's eyes widened, then he chuckled. "Does it show?"

I laughed. "And how." As we were sitting on the second row from the front, I stood up and turned around to everyone. "We lost the war over a century ago! Get over it!" Then sat down again as Tony was laughing at what I said.

"Are you always like this?" Tony chuckled.

"'fraid so." I grinned. "Want me to move now?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"You are a rare one here. Not many Italians from Queens in Charleston."

His eyebrows rose again. "No? I can't believe there aren't any Italians in Charleston."

"Nah, we assimilate them. When we're done, the only thing left Italian is their last names." I said as the music began. "We'll talk later."

"I look forward to it, Mitch." Then he crossed himself. I grinned bigger. An Italian Catholic from Queens! He was indeed a rare person in the South.

Now the MCC consisted of many of several denominations that attended the same service. We had a few Lutherans, Presbyterians, and a few other Catholics, but most were Baptist. There were the others of non-denominational backgrounds, one Church of God, but beggars can't be choosers. You went where you won't be tossed out after they find out you're gay. The service had a little of everything, including the Lord's Supper that we all went up to take. Everyone was invited to take it. As we went up, I couldn't help looking at Tony. He was tall! Six feet and a couple of inches? He had a V-shaped back. Even in the suit, which was tailored to him, showed he was in good shape. As he was at the end of the pew, he was right in front of me, so I looked.

I was not an ugly man, but not as tall as he was. I only grew to five feet and ten inches. I had a lighter black hair, but not his jet black. I had brown eyes, but his was chocolate brown, my brown eyes had a smattering of green in the brown. I'm told that was due to Mom's dad being German or something. Her mother, my grandmother was Scottish, so were both grandparents on Dad's side. So, I was Scottish by descent. I even had a tartan to prove it. Kilt to those that don't know what a tartan is. It had our family plaid on it. I had been a cop for five years before I was shot and I thought I was in good shape. I worked on it even now. I used the hotel's gym as I was allowed. I was pretty nice looking I thought. Then after service, I turned him around.

"There's no way you're gay."

He smiled. "No?" Then he leaned in and kissed me! On the lips! Right there in church! It was nice, but he didn't love me, so it was just a kiss. "Would a straight man do that?"

"They might!" I argued. "I don't need anything else like...." I waved at him, "...sex, but you might be straight."

He nodded again. "Who was in Evita?"

That was confusing. "Evita? The movie? Madonna."

His eyes rolled. "Patti Lupone!"

"Who?"

He shook his head but still smiling. "Now, I'm doubting you're gay. You don't know Broadway Theater!? Hand in your gay card!" He held his hand out to take it.

"It's not my fault you damned Yankees up north hogged all the Broadway Theater," I growled, but liking that he wasn't letting up. "The off-Broadway stuff here is just that. Off." Then I thought. "I only know what they make into movies. I did love The Phantom of the Opera."

"I am a damned Yankee and damned proud of it!" His eye narrowed. "Do you mean the Phantom of the Opera movie?"

"No!" I shook my head. "The one with Michael Crawford! I have the soundtrack. I can even sing the whole thing, Michael's part at least."

Tony nodded. "Okay, you can keep your gay card for now." He was chuckling the whole time. "And thank you for saying Italian, not Eye-talian!"

I cocked my head. "Is there are a difference?"

"Damned straight!" Tony said firmly. Then he looked at me seriously. "Do you eat Italian food?"

"I have," I nodded.

He grinned again, "Want to get some for lunch?"

I smiled. "Are you asking me out? You just got here!?"

His eyes rolled again. "It's lunch." He shrugged. "I'll buy."

"Am I going to have to worry about a hit or something?" I asked.

"A hit!?" He asked surprised, then smiled larger. "You mean as in Mafia!?"

I shrugged. "You could be. I don't know. I've seen all the Godfathers, Goodfellas and like that."

He was now laughing hard as tears were forming in his eyes, holding on to me to keep from falling over, but he loved it! "No, no Mafia connections, I swear."

But the way he said swear was odd. "What's sweaha?"

"You makin' fun of my accent?"

I nodded, "I am."

He was still chuckling. "Look, hayseed, do you want to grab lunch with me or not?"

"I ain't no hayseed," I growled. "Sure, I'd love to. Where?"

Tony shrugged. "I just got to Charleston. You pick where, but no Olive Garden." He pointed out.

"Why not?" I asked.

"They are about as Italian as you are," Tony said back.

"I ain't Italian!" I said.

"Exactly!" He said flatly. He turned me toward the aisle. "I like you."

We left the sanctuary with people following us with their eyes. It wasn't that they weren't friendly. I could tell it was the same reaction I first had of him. That he didn't belong here. I stopped Tony. I pointed to the wall mural of the white dove with an olive branch flying across the world before we walked out.

"See that?"

He grinned. "Whosoever will." He grinned at me. "Even us Yankees?"

I nodded. "We can't all be perfect."

He shrugged. "If that were true, we'd all be Italians."

Stopping in front of Terry who was smiling at us. "You must be Tony Delveccio." She took his hand. "I meant to come greet you, but I got caught up with someone in my office. I almost didn't make it to service."

Tony shook his head. "Well, that is sort of critical for you, isn't it? You being the pastor and all." Tony nodded shaking her hand.

"I trust you had a good trip down." Terry still smiled, but her eyes darted to me and I saw an extra sparkle.

Tony nodded. "It was long, but I made it fine." Then spoke with confidentiality to us. "I need to find a place soon. Living in my son's apartment is...." He thought a moment. "....he's a teenager. He and his roommates and friends have a lot of energy." He shrugged. "I'm not a teenager."

Terry was in her early forties and nodded. "I have two nieces I can tolerate a day or two, then out!" She looked back at Tony. "But I saw you were getting along with Mitch here, you seemed to be getting along well."

Tony grinned at me. "He's alright, for a Southerner."

I frowned. "And you're alright for a Yankee!" All was said in fun.

Tony's eyes narrowed. "Now, you're both Southerners, but you have different accents."

Terry nodded. "I'm from Charlotte, he's from Asheville."

"As different as Queens' accents are from the Bronx," I postulated. "But you all say yuz guyz the same."

Tony's eyes grew. "I've never said yuz guyz in my life. You say ya'll."

I shook my head. "Not even once."

"Never!?" Tony asked.

"Not with my mother you didn't," I stated shaking my head.

"So, you're a hillbilly," Tony said as a question.

"No more than you're a mobster because you're from New York and Italian." I shook my head. "Just because I'm from the mountains doesn't mean I play the banjo and go around raping people like they did in Deliverance with Ned Beatty." One of my eyebrows rose.

Tony chuckled. "Touché."

"And don't even think about questioning whether I understood that or not," I growled.

Tony shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of it." Then he turned back to Terry. "Any recommendations about where they serve real Italian Food here?"

"Olive Garden?" Terry suggested.

I laughed as Tony looked at me. "See? They have you fooled! Olive Garden." Tony said the name with disgust.

"Where do you live?" I asked.

"West of the Ashley for now."

I nodded. "I've never been, but Amici's is supposed to be good."

Tony nodded. "We'll find out." Then he looked at Terry. "Do you want to come? I'm buying."

Terry smiled at me, and the sparkle came again. "I'd love to, but Kim and I are due somewhere else today." Then she leaned in and whispered so only I'd hear. "He's gorgeous."

I stepped back looking at Tony. "He is? I hadn't noticed." I shook my head with a smile and Terry just rolled her eyes, nudging me with her shoulder.

Tony looked to Terry, then me. "What?"

"Play nice guys," Terry smiled and patted both of us on the back as we exited.

Outside I looked to where Bubba was parked. "We can take mine." I pointed to my truck. It needed polishing. It needed paint!

"It's clean," I said as his eyebrows rose. Then he nodded. "Of course, it is." He smiled, "Or we can take mine." He pointed to a Mercedes 500s.

He was rich!?

He must have read my mind. "No, I was rich." He explained. "The car, some furniture in storage and my clothes are all that's left until I get a job."

I frowned. "Can you afford to take me to lunch? I can pay for my own."

He smiled weakly. "I'm not poor either. I have enough to buy lunch. It will run out quicker if I find a place to live and have no job."

I nodded. "A place to buy, not rent."

He nodded. "That's the plan."

I shrugged. "We'll take your car." I grinned. "Do I need to shower first?"

He rolled his eyes and walked off. Then grinned back at me, "Maybe."

I liked him!

We got to the restaurant and he looked around as we entered. Then he sniffed. It wasn't fancy, but I noticed the art and pictures of the Coliseum, the Leaning Tower, and other things famous in Italy.

"It smells good," Tony said but smiled when the young pretty hostess came forward. She was clearly Italian. Then Tony spouted something. "È il cuoco Italain?" He leaned close to my ear. "I asked her if the chef was Italian."

I nodded.

"Huh?" The girl asked Tony. "My Dad speaks Italian, he's in the kitchen. I only know a few phrases. Should I get him?"

Tony grinned. "Is he cooking?"

She nodded and smiled, "He insists."

"Is he good at it?" Tony asked.

She nodded with another smile. "I think so. I love his sausage and peppers."

Tony bounced once. "Table for two, please?" He rubbed his hands together in anticipation of a potentially good meal. "This sounds promising."

We sat while we looked at the menu. It was all written in English, so I was fine. The Italian spelling next to it.

I grinned at Tony who was smiling as he perused the menu. "Missing home?"

He gave a bobbing nod. "Kind of. It's nice to find a little slice of something from home." Then he smiled at me. "And new friends."

God! I hate the "get to know you" thing. I hated it when I was trying to be straight. I hated it now even more. I really liked Tony! "Okay. Cards on the table. That's how I play. If you think you might want something more than friendship, I'd be willing to find out. But!!" My exception finger rose and I watched his eyebrows rise when I said this. "I don't sleep around. I don't go for casual sex. So, if you just want friendship, fine. Anything else will have to be built."

Tony smiled at me, "I do like you." He nodding putting his hand on mine. Then sighed. "I promise, if we get to that stage, I'll be honest with you." He grinned. "So, I'll tell you I am interested in seeing where it could go. If you're as willing as you seem to be." Then he lowered his eyes. "Here goes my contribution. I was married to Jean for ten years. We married before she got out of high school. We had Nicolas just after she graduated." He chuckled. "It was a stupid thing we did. It was pretty good and it worked for a while." Then his eyes rose to mine. "Then I realized, these guys I was staring at....I wasn't just looking at how good they looked in their suits. I was more interested in them." He shrugged. "That's when I understood I was gay."

I nodded. "I was married, too." I shook my head. "No kids, thank God." Then I chuckled. "You have to have sex for that, and I didn't want her. We did, of course, have sex, but once that was done and I proved I could, it sort of died." I smiled. "I never did want her and it nearly killed me. Until I realized I wanted in a marriage....with the right person."

Tony grinned. "Did you look?"

I nodded. "Of course, I did!" I grinned. "I even had a lover, briefly. As in the long-term relationship." Then I frowned. "He was a talented man and he had a great ass."

Tony chuckled at that. "So, what happened?"

I took a deep breath. "The truth is...I did it more, I think to get back at my parents." I chuckled at the thought. "You see? His mother was black."

Tony grinned as he nodded. "I guess they wouldn't like that fact."

I nodded. "Dad won't admit it, but he's prejudice. Almost where I suspect he has a white robe on standby. They had a fit!" I shook my head. "Ted was a photographer and he had a keen eye. As I said, he was very talented." I smiled at the memory. "He would take these amazing pictures. He hated digital."

Tony smiled. "No digital?"

"No, he would explain, in detail about the lines in digital images. Even showed me close-ups to see what he was saying." Then I sighed. "We were together just over six months," I looked at Tony. "I'll tell you. He was manic aggressive."

Tony frowned, "Don't you mean manic depressive?"

I shook my head, "I mean when he was in the manic part, he as fun and I wanted to be around him. Then the aggressive came into play. Then he would be mean."

Tony frowned, "Mean? Did he hit you?"

I grinned and shook my head, "As Mom told Dad, if you hit me once, make sure it counts, you won't get another chance, ever." I chuckled. "He was big, like you, but I can handle myself," I said confidently. "I have martial arts in my background. I was a cop."

Now Tony sat back surprised. "A cop? Really?" He grinned.

I nodded, "Until an argument between brothers over a girl escalated into gunplay." I shook my head. "I was shot in the hip. That ended my career in law enforcement. Now all I have is a few twinges when it gets cold and a scar."

Tony frowned, but his eyes held compassion. "You chose a tough route in life. I'm glad you're out of it." Then he got quiet. "Once I realized I was really gay, well..." he shook his head, "...and I'm not proud of this." He pointed out. "I became a real slut."

My eyes widened hearing that.

Tony sighed, "I was cruising the bars and places and there are many in New York. I'd get blow jobs and fuck almost every weekend. Even on the weekdays sometimes." His eyes lowered so I didn't see the regrets. "Needless to say, I got caught." He chuckled sadly, "Jean suspected me of having an affair, but never believed with who."

I shook my head. "That was dangerous."

Tony nodded. "Very." Then his eyes returned to mine, there was a small smile. "I don't do that now. I know what I want now. Basing a relationship on just looks is foolhardy. I came to realize that attraction of a man' physical appearance only goes so far."

I nodded understanding. "Tell me about it."

Tony smiled, "Nothing wrong with being physically attractive. That's what draws our attention first. We see something in another person that makes us look closer. Then as we get to know each other, if there's more depth you're almost helpless to fall in love."

A beacon of hope lit my heart. I was nodding. "That's it exactly!"

Tony smiled wider as the waitress came up. "You were in a deep conversation, I almost didn't want to come to interrupt, but eating is why you're here, right?"

Tony laughed. "Yes, it is." Then he began rambling off something in Italian that the waitress just nodded at as she wrote.

After she was done, she was looking at me for my choice.

"Well, I don't speak Italian, so here it is in English. I want that Devil's Pasta with Sausage."

She smiled, "You do realize that's hot?"

I nodded, "I've not met a dish too hot to eat yet." I handed her the menu as she nodded.

"To continue..." Tony said softly. "I did go through a number of encounters. Some a few minutes, or a day, some a week...the longest was a few months." Then he frowned. "And there was Luke." He shook his head. "He was beautiful. He really was an underwear model, but he broke my heart."

I could hear the pain in his voice.

He shrugged. "He couldn't be faithful to anyone. Certainly not me." He admitted sadly.

"I'm sorry."

Tony smiled again. "If he had been faithful, we wouldn't have met." Then he sat back. "There's a life-changing event I'll tell about one day." He looked at me. "I am very attracted to you, Mitch. I'd love to see where we can go with a friendship."

I smiled. "I'd like that."

"And I promise, when and if we get to that point. We will be tested to show we're both clean. I don't want to deceive you about anything." Tony swore. "I am clean. I've been tested and I've been with no one else since Luke."

"I've been tested, too," I replied. "I'm clean as well. Any relationship I get into has to be with a friend I fall in love with. As of right now, we're going strong with the friendship part. I'm willing to find out if there's more."

The waitress came with our salads.

I will say...I hated it when Tony took me back to my truck. We had agreed to take it as it came. So far, he'd been kind, funny and proved himself to be an honest man. I think. A crook isn't any good if he doesn't get away with it. We'd see. I had given him my phone number and email address. I had gotten home when my phone rang. Grinning, I saw his name on my phone.

"Hi," I greeted smiling at him, which he couldn't see of course.

"Just checking to see if you got home alright," Tony said softly.

"I didn't," I chuckled. "I get here and there's no one here."

Tony chuckled. "The same here, but that's a good thing. Nick's out somewhere with whomever. So are his roommates."

"Peace?"

"You know it," Tony laughed. "I really enjoyed our lunch today."

"So did I," I said honestly. "I think we were driving the waitress crazy after a while. She kept checking if we wanted something else. I almost said yes."

"She made a nice tip," Tony pointed out. "There's nothing for her to complain about."

"We were there four and a half hours!" We spoke of his life in New York, Broadway shows, my life on a farm and in the mountains...getting to know each other.

Tony laughed. "We did talk a lot." Then he paused. "We have a lot more talking to do."

"I think we will," I said. "Thanks for lunch, and the good company."

"Mine wasn't bad either," Tony said. "Now this is more than just an excuse to see you again, but....how about some help in finding me somewhere to live. You know the area and traffic and all that. What do you say?"

"Is this going to be a date, or not?" I asked.

"Would you object?"

I laughed. "I'd love to. I work until five, so it will be late or some other time."

"Okay, I'll look at some, we'll meet and I tell you where and you see if you'd recommend it."

"Just give me time to change," I said. "Nothing fancy!" I said firmly.

He chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll let you choose. About seven? Is that good?"

"I'll be waiting."

"I hoped I'd meet someone here, but I didn't even think I'd meet someone at church...and so quickly," Tony said. "Not that I'm complaining, but...I like you. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye"

"Bye."

I was so happy at work. Everyone was looking at me with curiously. As the Assistant Manager of a hotel in historical downtown, I had things to keep me occupied and people to watch. Even our General Manager noticed.

"Why are you so happy?" He asked.

I grinned, "I had a great Sunday." And I left it at that.

The best-laid plans often have problems. Traffic in Charleston was a problem. What major city didn't have that? And there were always the accidents that clog things up. I got home late and rushed to get ready, barely making it by seven as I saw his Mercedes pull up. Tony got out of his car, looking around my neighborhood with a frown. Ringing my doorbell, I opened to a well-dressed man in khakis and a light blue polo shirt. Only now I could see more of what he'd had under his suit! I wasn't disappointed! The shape I'd seen under the suit was nice, but now I saw the muscles of his chest pushing against his shirt. He had a very nice butt!

Opening the door, I grinned at him. "I said casual!"

Tony shook his head. "This is casual!!" He grinned. "What you said, was nothing fancy. This isn't fancy."

I waved at what I had on, which was my t-shirt and jeans. "This...is not fancy."

His eyes rolled. "This is what you get."

"And this is what you get." I smiled as I set my alarm.

Tony smiled. "I'm comfortable with what I see."

The alarm set, I closed the door to have him right beside me. He leaned closer. I held up my hand. "You kissed me once. It was okay, but the next time you kiss me...if you kiss me. You'd better mean it."

He grinned. "Who says I don't mean it now?" Then he looked around. "Or are you worried what the neighbors would think?"

"There are gang wars, drug dealers, hookers all around." I pointed out. "Do you think I'm worried about offending them?"

"Okay then," Tony smiled and leaned in again. This time his lips touched mine lightly.

He smelled great!! His lips were soft and I was becoming very uncomfortable in my jeans. He was turning me on! Big time!

He smiled as he backed away an inch. "I meant that."

I nodded. "I'm glad you did." Then frowned. "There are rules about dating, you know?"

Tony looked at me surprised. "Rules!?"

"The rule is kissing is only allowed on date three."

"I never knew those!" Tony griped. "Who makes these stupid rules? Straight people?"

I grinned, "It's common knowledge."

He shook his head. "It's not common if I don't know them. The only one I know of is sex on the third date." He grinned. "If we count Sunday as a date, we have one more after this."

"You think so."

"According to these rules, we'll be married by Friday." Tony walked toward his car. "So, let's get going."

God!! The man was so tempting! I was falling for him big time.

He looked at me as we were about to get in. "If I violate these rules, are you going to turn me in to...who? The Date Police?"

I grinned as we got in his car. "I was a cop. I might."

He held his hands out to me. "Then cuff me."

I laughed. "Later."

He chuckled. "Kinky." As he started his car.

"Could be."

He shook his head. "Well, I hope things work out." He frowned. "If nothing else, I've got to get you out of this neighborhood." He smiled. "Which should give you an incentive to find a nice place for me. So, when you move in, it will be a place you like as well."

"Why would I move in with you?"

He smiled. "Because you'll find me irresistible."

He insisted on driving. Which I was fine with, but when we drove up to where I wanted to eat, he was looking at me like I had to be mistaken.

"You want to eat here!?" He pointed at the shack.

"Trust me," I said calmly. "I asked you Sunday if you liked seafood. This man is over the top."

"I do, but..." he looked the way we came. "It didn't even have a road!"

"And it's not on any map." I pointed out. "This is a need-to-know basis. He's phenomenal." I looked at his car. "Maybe we should have taken my truck."

"I drove through marsh!"

"It's low tide. It's hard packed now." I explained. "Now, do we waste time, or do we eat? He doesn't take overnight guests."

"I can get it washed." Tony sighed with resolve. "Next time we come here, if it's as good as you claim, we'll take your truck."

Inside, Tony's eyes grew even bigger when we entered. "It's a shack!"

He was right. It was. No table matched or chairs. I knew the man had gotten everything from different yard sales, but it was clean. No paint, just sheetrock on the walls which was scrawled with signatures all over. I placed the order and sat at the table with Tony.

"This looks worse than Rockaway smells...at low tide!"

I just shook my head. "I have no idea what that means, but you'll see."

It only took a bite and Tony grinned. "It is good." Then he held up his chinette plate and looked at his plastic fork. "My mother would die. She never served food on a paper plate."

I smiled, "Never?"

"No even on a picnic," Tony said.

"It's good business for the owner," I explained. "He has no overhead. When we're done, we throw all this away."

Tony shrugged. "Well, it is good."

Later during the meal, he was asking about parts of town.

"Mount Pleasant?" He asked.

"Which part?" I asked. "Now also consider the bridges. There are two now. Both will be a bitch with traffic. Depending on where you get the job." Then I shrugged. "That's true with everywhere, but Mount Pleasant's can we the worst."

He nodded. "I've got some others."

"Are we looking for a home...as in house, or condo?"

He shrugged, "A condo would be better. I don't mow lawns."

I grinned, "You don't?"

He shook his head. "Never have, never will."

"Excuse me!"

"I grew up in the city. Not a lot of lawns," Tony replied.

"What sort of work were you looking for?" I asked.

He thought a few minutes. "I have a master's degree. I did work with investors, but I'm pretty well done with that." Then he got serious again. "I have some things I want to tell you, but...I'm not ready."

I nodded. From his face, it must be really bad. "I'll be here."

He smiled. "I believe you will."

It was after midnight when we parted. I didn't want it to end, but life didn't ask me. I had to work in the morning. He smiled as I opened the door of the house and I turned the alarm off.

"Do we do this again?" Tony asked.

"Please," I grinned, but this time, I kissed him. Long and this time, his tongue came in which I took in and both our tongues did this duel, but neither of us were trying to win. I wrapped my arms around him as his wrapped around me. I loved the warm feel of his back and the firm feel of the muscles there. I felt a hand slide down my back as he tried to pull me even closer.

"I'm falling in love with you, Mitch." He whispered.

"Don't stop," I said back. "I'm falling in love with you, too."

"Good." Tony smiled. "Can I see you tomorrow?"

I grinned. "You'd better."

"Same time?"

"As you don't have a place yet. Same place." I said.

Tony nodded. "I'll be here."

Some will ask, why wait? You're both adults and it was clear you like each other. Go for it! Others will caution us to be careful. Take your time. If it's right, it will work out. The truth was we just met. I know a couple that went out on a first date and have never parted nearly fifteen years later. So, it was possible. It was also possible I was being tricked. Certainly not for any money I had, he was the one with some money and he'd been honest so far. Trust was important and everything I'd learned told me I could trust him. If you're going to let someone in your life and let them in a part no one else could come, you had to extend trust.

I didn't give in to casual sex. Would sex with Tony be casual now? Again, some will say yes, others would say no. Would my heart make me say yes when my mind said no? Were the two even speaking together? Would they when the time came?

I got home and frowned at my house. I had gotten a table and chairs, even a sofa. It was comfortable, not pretty. I even got a bed! As in frame to put the mattresses on. But my big problem was, what do I feed him? I could cook if I had something to cook. He was Italian, he might not like a frozen pizza. There was a part of me that didn't want to disappoint Tony with what I had. If he went away because what I had wasn't good enough, then I wouldn't be either. Not in the long run. It was a risk I'd be willing to take.

I had no more pulled in my driveway when I saw behind me Tony's Mercedes pull in behind me. I glanced at my watch. It was five thirty-five. Getting out, I smiled at Tony. "You need to have your car fixed."

He looked as he got out of his car. "Why?"

"Either that or get a new watch," I said. "It's not seven. So, either the clock in your car is wrong, or..."

He walked up with a smile. "Does the Rule Police have laws about a man that can't wait to see someone? I'm guilty. I wanted to see you."

He was even dressed in jeans! No Levi's, but jeans something. I grinned back. "I think they'll let it slide. If you pay a fine."

"What fine is that?" Tony asked pulling me close.

"This," I said kissing him gently.

He responded instantly. He smelled good, he kissed well. What more was there? He parted reluctantly. "I'll pay up, but we should take this inside, or we put a show on for the neighbors." He waved his hand back. I heard the car's alarm arm.

Inside, he didn't say a word about what he saw.

"Is Digiorno Pizza okay?" I asked pulling out a box. "Or would you like to order one?"

He smiled. "Do you have beer or wine?"

"I don't," I said. "I hate it, remember?"

"We can eat that, or order in. Whatever."

We ended with Chinese and ordered drinks that way. Settling down with the one thing I had that I liked. My TV was pretty nice and one of the main reasons I had an alarm I used. That and my computer. We ate on the sofa as we watched a movie. Then he sat forward.

This is NOT fictional. It really happened,

"I want to tell you something." Tony said quietly. There was no happiness or joy in his voice.

I nodded and turned the TV off, "Okay."

He sighed and then took a deep breath. "When we, if we, take our clothes off, you'll see something." He began. "I have a scar. It's on my left side below my arm." He was looking away. "It's not painful physically and it's healing. I'm still healing...in here." He pointed to his head. Then he looked at me. "I tell you this, but please, don't tell anyone else, okay?"

I nodded, but I wouldn't tell anyone anyway. I let him continue.

"I worked for Morgan and Stanley for many years," He began. "Until September the eleventh, 2001." He said slowly. "When I worked at the World Trade Center."

My mouth dropped open.

He nodded at my instant understanding about what he was saying. "I was on the 60th floor when the first plane hit." Now he was starting to shake. "I remember this...horrible noise and the whole building...it was...like a magic trick where a man pulls a table cloth leaving the plates on the table." He took another breath. "Things on people's desks remained in midair a second as the whole floor lurched, scattering everything." He laughed, but it wasn't because it was funny, but because it was so absurd. "I remember not being able to figure out what the hell was going on! I was on the sixtieth floor! Then the alarms, fire alarms were going off. Some ran to catch the elevator. Most were just waiting for someone to tell them what happened and what to do." He shook his head. "I remember one of my supervisors saying we need to remain there and calm. The building had safeties. I remember saying he was crazy and I headed down the stairs. There were a lot of people coming down the stairs. I remember a woman screaming about people in the elevator! She said they all caught on fire, that they were trapped as flames came down and splashed like liquids, some came through the closed doors and hit the elevator, it fried those people!" Now he was crying. "I remember seeing a man on about floor thirty. He was in a wheelchair and said he had friends coming back to him to help him down. He couldn't go down the stairs!!" Now Tony's breath hitched. "I left him!" He sobbed. "Why did I do that!? Then the power went out and I had to try to make it down in the dark! I finally got to the bottom and to the street level. I watched as now both buildings were on fire. I saw it, but I didn't believe it. There were things falling....furniture, paper, and people!" Now he was crying harder. "I saw a man hit the ground! He burst like...I don't know!" Then he took a quick breath and he gasped. "I didn't just see him hit the ground! I heard it!!" He said covering his ears. "This horrible sound I can't get out of my mind!" His eyes were closed as he told me, shaking his head to rid his mind of what he was reliving. "I don't know how long it was, I was just running! Then there was this other sound, this crashing, crunching sound as the building collapsed! This cloud of dust." He covered his eyes. "It covered everything! It had a taste! It was in my mouth, in my nose..." he was wiping his face to rid himself of the memory. "I didn't even know I was hurt. I don't even remember getting hurt!" He laughed again with that humorless laugh. "Hurt? Those people died!! I saw them! I heard them!"

His face had so much anguish! My heart was literally crying for him, it hurt me! I reached for him, and as he felt my touch, he hugged me tightly, burying his face against me as he sobbed. It was the most awful sob I have ever heard! My vision was suddenly blurry and I realized I was crying with him. I would have done anything to take what he had experienced away. I couldn't. I was there with him. Nothing was needed to say. I just held him as he sobbed.