Just Prompted - 3. Chapter 3

That's What Friends Are For

"KC, I told you last year. I'll donate to the Boy's Den, but I am not going on the auction block. Women bidding on me just doesn't seem to turn me on and Cole said he had to eat liver cheese and crackers while he sat beside a mosquito infested lake last year. The woman didn't even bother to ice the drinks down. He said she brought a bag of Oreos for dessert and after he refused any she consumed the whole bag. He was required to bring her flowers and she told him she was allergic to daisies so he had to go back and purchase red roses or some horseshit. So, I'll bring you a check tomorrow." Wayne ended the call and promptly dropped his cell phone onto the ceramic tiled floor of his kitchen. Picking up the broken cell phone, he cursed silently to himself. "KC costs me money even when he's not around. Sheesh. Now I have to buy another phone on top of donating." Continuing to mutter to himself, he walked over to the stove and jumped when his timer went off at that moment.

Ron stood outside of Wayne's door, the aroma of chocolate tickling his nose as he knocked briskly three times. He double checked the bag he carried. There was wine, toasted pecans, and a cd of Wayne's favorite classical music. The door opened a few seconds later to reveal Wayne standing there in tight blacks jeans, a tight black tee shirt with John Barrowman smiling on the front of it. He was in his socked feet and had a pot holder in his hand.

"Come on in. I was just taking brownies out of the oven. Since you went by your mother's to eat, I thought I'd have dessert for the two of us. There's homemade vanilla ice cream also." Wayne watched Ron set the bag he carried on the coffee table in the living room and shed his brown leather jacket. He stepped forward and took it from him. "I'll put this in the bedroom. Make yourself at home."

"I could smell chocolate standing outside your door. It smells wonderful. KC said you were a wonderful cook. I cook, but not a lot. When it's just one person, there's not a lot of reason to cook." Ron trailed off realizing he was rambling. Every since Cole had fixed him and Wayne up on this date, he'd been a tad nervous. The two of them had seen each other several times at mutual friend parties, but they'd never even had a one on one conversation until now.

Wayne came back into his small den and walked over to stoke the fire. "Yeah, cooking is kinda a tension reliever for me. It and music make help me put things a little more into perspective. What about you. Do you have a favorite stress buster?"

"I almost forgot. There was a cd at the bookstore I frequent and I thought you might like it. KC said you liked classical music. Oh, and my stress buster is sex....Damn, I didn't mean to say that. I mean..." Once again Ron clamped his mouth shut and flopped down on the couch, covering his face with his hands and then heard a loud chuckle from across the room.

Wayne stood in front of the fire and laughed good naturedly at the embarrassed man. "Look, let's do this again, this time the right way. Hi, it's nice to see you again. I've seen you around and Cole suggested I ask you out. Since I look after my dad and don't get out a lot, I decided to ask you over for dessert and a couple of drinks so we could get to know each other."

Clearing his throat before speaking, Ron replied, "I'm glad you asked. I've been wanting to get to know you better for awhile. The dessert smells delicious and I brought a bottle of wine and some pecans I toasted. They're in the bag."

"Aren't you going to offer me any of your stress buster?" Wayne laughed even more when Ron's face turned a darker shade of red. "Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll get a couple of glasses and a corkscrew and we'll enjoy the wine in front of the fire."

***

The two men conversed for over half an hour never missing a beat. Wayne was impressed at how much Ron knew about classical music and Ron loved Wayne's outgoing personality and generous nature.

"Well, I finally caved in and agreed to be auctioned for the Boy's Den benefit. KC wouldn't let me off the hook. I'm sure I won't bring much on the auction block. Women don't like skinny men that wear tight jeans and purple shirts I'm sure." Ron shook his head as he finished speaking.

"Not me. I told KC I'd donate money again, but no auctioning me. I've heard horror stories from some of my gay and straight friends. But, it does bring in a lot of money and those old bitties love ogling all that young male flesh."

Ron laughed at Wayne's description. "Well, next Saturday should be interesting. The auction is at 11 a.m. and the dinner is from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. I'm glad it's cold outside. Maybe my date will take me to a nice quite place with a fire and hot chocolate and feed me homemade soup and cornbread. Perfect evening except for the female date." Ron chuckled.

Wayne got up and said, "Are you ready for dessert or do you want another glass of wine?"

"If you don't mind, I think I'll take another glass of wine and save dessert for later."

Filling both of their glasses, Wayne thought about something he had in his desk. "I want to show you something. He set the wine and his glass down on the coffee table and went to get a letter from his desk. He handed it to Ron when he got back in the den and then sat next to him on the couch as the other man read the letter.

"Are you kidding me? How lucky you are! Two free tickets to see John Barrowman and a night in a ritzy hotel. How'd you pull this off?" Ron seemed as excited over the letter as Wayne had been when he'd received it two days ago.

"One of my friend's daughters was raffling the trip and concert tickets off for their sorority at college and I bought one 50 dollar ticket. Two weeks later, I got the letter."

"You lucky son of a gun. I love John Barrowman. He'd wave the gay flag in a Southern Baptist preacher's face and get away with it." Ron would've gushed even more if his phone hadn't gone off.

"Hello. I'll be right there mom. I was fixing to leave anyway. No, no problem. Bye."

"Sorry. I've got to cut our night short. Mom's hip is giving her problems and she has a hard time getting in and out of bed. She forgot her bedpan and is having a bad night. I'd helped her into bed before I left and her sitter doesn't get there until 6 in the morning."

"Hey, no problem. We have to take care of our parents. I'll call you tomorrow. Let me get you and your mom some brownies and ice cream and ya'll can enjoy it together."

"That'd be great. Mom loves chocolate as much as I do."

Five minutes later, Wayne walked Ron to the door. Opening it, he touched the other man lightly on the shoulder. "Take care and I'd like to do this again sometime."

"Yeah, me too. I'll be in touch." Ron walked toward his car as Wayne closed the door.

***

Auction Saturday

KC looked like a gay flag he was dressed so colorful to emcee the auction. He'd already auctioned off three young men and they brought in almost 1000 dollars.

"Who's next?" Cassie looked around for her clipboard that she had the itinerary attached to.

Jo Ann handed her the clipboard off the stool that stood next to the stage curtain. "Looks like Ron. He seems a wee bit nervous. I would be too. Widow Simpson is in the audience with her daughter. We know why she's bidding. Rumor is the daughter is with child and she's hunting a father. There's been more than one nervous guy back here this morning." Jo Ann laughed softly.

"Well, she's barking up the wrong tree if she thinks Ron has been or wants to be with her daughter. That's for sure."

"What? Who's daughter? What are you talking about?" Ron was in a tizzy after overhearing the conversation.

"We were just talking. Calm down. It's your turn." Jo Ann patted Ron reassuringly on the arm.

"I'm not going out there until you tell me what is going on. Tell me now!" His face was red and sweat had appeared above his lips.

"What's going on? KC sent me back here to see what was taking so long." Wayne stood looking at the group questioningly.

Cassie and Jo Ann looked uncomfortable and Ron looked terrified.

"What are you two up to now?" Wayne looked pointedly at Jo Ann and Cassie.

Cassie hastily explained the conversation. "We were just kidding. The Widow Simpson probably won't even bid on Ron. She wants a younger man for her pregnant daughter."

"Did you say pregnant? I am not going on that stage! Hell no! Nobody is going to accuse me of getting their daughter pregnant and then buy me to be with her. Nope, not going. That's final." Ron started loosening his tie as he spoke.

"Calm down. It'll be alright I promise. I'll make sure that Widow Simpson doesn't buy you. Now, go out there and make some money. KC is about to pee his pants he's so nervous.

Ron sauntered out onto the stage in his coal black suit and red tie that complimented the stark white shirt. Black shiny boots peaked from the hem of the pants. He certainly cut a handsome figure.

"200 dollars." Widow Simpson spoke before KC even introduced Ron.

"250 dollars." Miriam Ellis, the dentist's wife decided to give her some competition.

Wayne stood to the side of the large auditorium and watched.

"350 dollars." Widow Simpson smirked as she raised the bid by 100 dollars.

"400 dollars." The dentist's wife was obviously baiting Widow Simpson just to push the bid higher. She was one of the Boy's Den staunchest supporters

"425 dollars." It was obvious Widow Simpson had a maximum she could bid and was almost there.

"475 dollars." Miriam Ellis looked pointedly at the widow.

"500 dollars." The widow started digging in her purse for her wallet.

"750 dollars." All heads turned toward the man standing to the right of them. Wayne didn't even blink or acknowledge their stares.

KC his the podium with his gavel before anyone else could bid. "Sold to Wayne for 750 dollars."

***

"I still can't believe you did that. You shouldn't have paid that much." Ron sat across from Wayne.

KC backed out the 500 dollars I'd already donated. So, it wasn't so bad. Anyway, I think you're worth it.

Ron smiled across the table at Wayne. The warmth of Wayne's kitchen surrounded them as they ate the homemade soup and cornbread. They each had a beer, but Wayne had promised hot chocolate and homemade sugar cookies in front of the fire later. Much later because Ron had promised to show Wayne his stress buster.