"I was indulging in a little over eating," Henri said, "Killing old people and drug addicts both. I needed to clear my head after indulging on a succulent drug pusher. It was like a diet of uppers and downers Christov the man who you informed on did not die a painful death, Despite his improprieties to you I killed him in a most gentlemanly manner, and butchered his body after the fact. I saw this movie excellent gangster movie, 'Scarface". I'm afraid it made an impression on me. The scene where a young man is handcuffed standing in a bathtub and then he is worked over with a chain saw. I mean I thought it was the proper gangster thing to do. Mess up one's victims a bit."
"The police was trying to pin the murder of drug dealers on my best friend Rosco. And I was all put out and sorry about his arrest because I thought you might possibly be the killer. Then I knew for certain Rosco wasn't the killer because you killed a drug dealer who pulled a gun on us."
"Rosco sold you out to the drug cartel in exchange for his life. It's a good thing I warned Detective Mayers about what was going to happen."
"He shot Rosco in the head right in front of me. I couldn't belive Detective Mayers wanted me to go legit. He actually wanted me to set up house keeping with him."
"Detective Mayers was a very handsome man," Henri said, thinking of the tall, rakish detective in his late twenties. His rich black hair. And sardonic blue eyes.
"For a cop he was all right," Christov said indifferently, "I don't want to talk about it. Why did you bring this up? Mayer's was a bastard."
"Does everyone who falls in love with you have to be a bastard of some sort? You were a police informer for the fun of it. You know it. You love danger almost as much as Detective Mayers was in love with you."
"His stupid mistake."
"He was right through. You had to get off of the streets one way or the other," Henry reflected, "It was all going to catch up with you eventually and land you in an unmarked grave."
"So you killed me," Christov said, "Remember how much fun it was dodging bullets when we were being chased by the drug cartel's hit man. I thought you were so brave, and you weren't risking your life for me at all when you took a bullet for me."
"I would risk my life for you."
"If you had one," Christov yawned, "Ripping his head off was a bit theatrical wasn't it?"
"Um, perhaps. I was trying my best to impress you. You tend to bring out my giddy side."
"You're nothing but giddy! Will you stop with the romantic mince meat stuff. Why would I want you to risk your life? You're talking bullshit. You know I hate stupidity. Pete is not going to be stupid. Not on my watch."
"What is so stupid about romance?" Henri asked seriously.
"Everything," Christov said gruffly.
"If I gave you flowers why would that be stupid? I know you like flowers."
"I like puppies too. Crap would you cut a puppy's legs off and put him in a vase for me?" Chrisotv sneered.
"What if I wrote you a love letter?" Henri teased.
"We have to find you a man. You're getting stranger and stranger on me," Chrisotv said belittleing him , inching away from Henri to get to the other side of the couch.
"What if I took you on a romantic cruise."
"I'd hurl. Listen I have to kill something right now," Christov said, jumping off the couch, hurrying for the door, shutting it behind him.
Bolting down the stairs, Pete leapt for the phone
Throwing the door open, Christov beat Pete to the phone, ripping the cord out of the phone jack.
"You are not calling Josh," Chrisotv cried, crushing the phone. "Behave yourself is that clear!!"
"Fine, I won't call Josh!! You can be such a bully."
Chrisotv left out the door to feed. Pete turned on Henri pleading, "Please , please let me call Josh."
"It doesn't pay to make a suitor think your desperate," Henri said sadly, "Believe me I know."
"But I am desperate,"
"Wait a minute. My cell phone is probably charged now. Let me go see," Henri said, going to his car. Coming back inside, Henri threw the phone to Pete, "Call him."
"Please let me call Pete at least him see me off at the airport gate," Josh begged Daniel at their home.
"Call him, Josh," Daniel said, "And tell him he can see you off at the airport,. At least you two should get to say your good-byes."
Josh ran the phone, hastily dialing Pete's number.
"Their phone isn't working!!" Josh moaned.
"What's the matter?" Henri said, seeing the dismay on Pete's face.
"The line is busy," Pete wailed.
Dialing again, Pete cried upset, "It's still busy!!" He slammed the phone down.
Dialing again, Josh cried, "It's still not working."
Going upstarts, to his bedroom Josh started to pace, praying, Call me Pete. Will you call. Come on.
Going upstairs, Pete turned on his small television. Thumping his pillow he mumbled, "Josh, stop talking on the phone."
Using Henri's cellular phone again, Pete sighed with relief when he heard Josh's voice on the phone.
"Father said you can meet me at the airport. Screw the airport. I'm staying home," Josh cried.
"You can't stay home. Damion will blame me," Pete moaned.
"So what?"
"I don't want him upset with me,. He already thinks I'm trying to manipulate you by reading your mind. Josh I swear it was the first and last time I read your mind. I was going to ask you a question then I was going to leave your thoughts."
"I'm sorry I got upset. This was blown all out of proportion.."
"I shouldn't have done it. And the whip cream."
"T was an accident. Are you upset with me for what I was thinking about?" Josh said, his throat dry.
Pete went hot, "Josh I really don't know. I mean, I really don't think I'm into golden showers."
Laughing weakly with embarrassment, Josh said, "I was talking with Brent about a site he saw on the Internet, and you popped up in my mind."
"Do you think I'm boring? I mean tell me the truth."
"No, I would never, you know, void on you," Josh cried, dying of further embarrassment, "I mean please, it's silly."
Feeling uncomfortable Pete steered the conversation from golden showers into an inane path.. He avoided the mention of Chicago and parents completely,
"Love you," Pete finally said into the phone.
"Love you too," Josh said.
"Miss you," Pete said.
"Miss you too," Josh said, hanging up the phone, feeling more depressed.
The next evening Damion entered Josh's room, saying in his quiet dignified voice, "You're all packed then?"
"Everything's all packed," Josh said sullenly. He followed his dads out of the house to his dads' black Mercedes.
Damion put Josh's suitcase in the trunk of the car.
Josh opened the driver's side door, and slid behind the wheel.
"Maybe I should drive," Damion said, trying to snatch the keys out of the ignition.
"Dads I assure I can drive. Why isn't Les here to see me off?"
The passive silence on his dads' face said it all.
tbc