Dinner is Prompt-ly at Eight - 16. The Twisted Tale of Donnie Malone - No Prompt

The Twisted Tale of Donnie Malone – Strangely enough, no prompt.

“What are you doing up there?” Fahd shouted up the stairs as the last rat-a-tat-tat of the printer spit out the last page.

“I’ve got something for you,” Donnie called back. He neatened up the pages and put a clip on the top. After running his finger over the title page which read, “Pursued; A Love Story,” he stood up and bounded down the stairs. Fahd was sitting in his favorite lounge chair flipping through the latest Cook’s Illustrated magazine.

“What is it?” Fahd said, putting the magazine to one side.

“I wrote this for you,” Donnie said.

“What’s it about?” Fahd asked, extending his hand.

“It’s about meeting you,” Donnie answered. He could feel his face grow warm. “It’s about us.”

“Sounds boring,” Fahd said, winking at his husband. “We met at work. You had a cubicle opposite of mine. Who would want to read about that?”

“I may have embellished it a little,” Donnie said with a smirk. “I mean every word though.”

Fahd arched an eyebrow at the other man and started reading. Donnie wanted to watch every flutter of expression on the man’s face, but knew he’d drive himself batty if he did. He walked out to the kitchen and took out a cookbook. Maybe he’d make some brownies while Fahd read it. Donnie quickly started gathering the ingredients and tried not to think about Fahd’s face flickering in the lamp light.

***************

“Smells good in here,” Fahd said making Donnie look up.

“They’re almost done,” he answered. “So?”

“How is this like us?”’ Fahd asked, lifting up the sheaf of papers that now looked quite crumpled. “How did I become a butler who was really a reality T.V. show director?”

Donnie sighed. “I made up the story, but it’s how I felt before, during and after we met. At first I thought you were just another boring claims adjuster like me watching from across the room. Then I found out what an exciting man you really are.” His husband looked lost for a moment and then he nodded his head.

“So, you really felt that alone and scared before we started dating? When you said you were broke at the beginning, it wasn’t about money, was it? You’ve never paid a bill late in your life.” Fahd pulled out a chair and sat down.

“I tried to use fictional Donnie to show how lost I was before you,” the man said. The timer went off and Donnie got up and went to pull the pan out. “It was supposed to be a metaphor.”

“And the lesbian you fake married? That had to be your roommate, Estelle,” Fahd guessed.

“Yeah. When I moved in with her, I thought it would be nice coming home to someone. It didn’t work out so well,” Donnie said, remembering how that ended with a shouting match and him moving in the wee hours of night.

“I see,” Fahd said. “Who was the dead girl on the rug?”

Donnie felt the top of the brownies. It was firm to the touch. Perfect. “That was when I got laid off from the insurance company. I hated that job, but I was so scared to try anything different. It pushed me to find something better.”

“So the letter in plain sight is the auditor’s job with the agency, isn’t it?” Fahd said, his face brightening up.

Donnie nodded. “It was like a relief to find a career, but I was still so scared it wouldn’t work.”

“That’s when I came and dragged you out for coffee. Right?” Fahd asked.

“And you kissed me. I was petrified.” Donnie said.

“So the journey to the Keys?” Fahd prompted.

“That was when I finally let go and we started going out. It was exciting and frightening and in the end you make me feel safe.” Donnie sat back down at the table and picked up his coffee mug.

“How does it end?” Fahd asked, looking at his husband warily.

“It doesn’t,” Donnie said. “I don’t know who the creepy man upstairs is or how bad the storm will be when it hits. But, it doesn’t matter because I’ll have you to there with me.”

Fahd’s face was shining brightly. “You do. I never knew you felt so bad before we started going out. Honey, you were so terrified all the time in this story.” Fahd paused and added. “You can’t let anyone else read it though.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Donnie said, beaming back at him. “Tell me, why not?”

Fahd flipped through the pages and rubbed his chin. “It’s too personal. Now that I know how you felt when we met, I don’t want anyone else to know this about you. I want to keep it just for me.”

“It is just for you,” Donnie said. “I’m glad you want to keep it for yourself.”

Fahd cleared his throat. “Besides, I don’t want everyone to know how loud you are in bed.”

“Fahd!” Donnie said, blushing. “The neighbors already know.”

“I know. We don’t need everyone else to know too.” Fahd held out his hand and Donnie took it in his. They kissed deeply and passionately.

The neighbors were going to get an earful that afternoon.

The End.