The Window Washer - 4. Chapter 4

I set off for work early the next day and stopped for my regular coffee and muffin. I was feeling great, and I said a cheery good morning to Lana.

“Nothing good about it,” she said, looking glum.

I was concerned. This was out of character for her.

“Lana, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? I tell you what’s wrong. Broken heart, that’s what’s wrong!”

“Who has a broken heart?” I asked.

“Me!” she said. “You run off to California with window washer!”

“I ran off to California..... Lana, how do you know about that?”

“Everybody knows!”

“Everybody?”

“Yes everybody! The whole building. Everybody talking about it. And me with broken heart!”

“Lana, are you really mad at me? You know I’m gay, right?”

Then she laughed and said, “Of course I know you’re gay. Don’t worry Mister Hardwick. Just pullink your chain. Everybody likes you. Everybody happy for you.”

“But Lana, how does everybody know about it? I didn’t tell anyone where I was going?”

“You must have told somebody,” she said.

I thought and said, “Well, I told Bill, my boss, and Steve. But surely they wouldn’t have told anybody.”

“Men worse gossips than women,” she said. “And Steve’s wife works for lawyers on tenth floor. Oh, and everybody knows about writing on window too.”

“The writing.... But how?” I asked. “My office door is always locked when I’m not there.”

“Cleaners,” she said. “Biggest gossips of all.”

I put cream in my coffee and wandered toward the elevators in a daze. As I passed through the main lobby I noticed a girl nudge her friend and point at me. When I reached the elevator line-up everybody stopped talking. They were giving me surreptitious little glances.

Oddly, I didn’t feel embarrassed. I felt proud. As Lana had said, these people were happy for Rob and me. Maybe even a little envious.

Finally, an older lady turned to me and said, “What a lovely story. So romantic.”

A big happy smile spread over my face. “Thank you,” I said.

I looked around everybody was smiling back.

When I got to the office I pretended I was mad at Bill and Steve. I called them assholes, but I couldn’t help laughing. They teased me about Rob. Made stupid puns, which don’t bear repeating. Bottom line: These guys were my friends as well as business colleagues. I was close to them and their wives. In the end they dropped the goofy humour and told me they were happy for me.

Then the three of us had an impromptu meeting and, as we often did, brainstormed ideas for future business ventures. Later the talk turned to the industry’s big players. How predatory they were. What bastards they were.

After that Janice came by and swore she hadn’t told anybody. I believed her. Janice was the one person I could trust. I told her about Rob’s family and where they lived. I mentioned the garden and the pool and the Casita. She told me I was lucky. I agreed.

By the time lunch rolled around I hadn’t accomplished much work.

I called Rob, and the first thing I told him about was our notoriety. We had a good laugh, and he told me to enjoy my fifteen minutes of fame. It wasn’t a long call. I was facing a mountain of paperwork, and he was rushing off to an orthopaedics appointment. We promised to have a longer, more intimate talk later that evening.

As usual I had several little crises to deal with in the afternoon, and it was difficult to get caught up. So I worked late and didn’t get home until almost eight o’clock. I called Rob as soon as I stepped through the door.

I asked him about his doctor’s appointment and he said, “Well, I have good news, and bad news, and good news. Which do you want first?”

“The bad news first,” I said.

“Well, the damage to my wrist will take a long time to heal. I won’t be able to go back to work for another twelve weeks.”

“Twelve weeks. That seems like a long time,” I said.

“It’s a safety issue,” he explained. “I need to be strong enough to open doors and use emergency equipment.”

“Rob, I’m sorry to hear that. I know how much you enjoy your job.”

“I’m feeling a little down about that,” he said. “But there’s good news too.”

“Tell me the good news,” I said.

“The first good news is that my leg is healing quickly. I’ll be starting physiotherapy soon. To get me walking again.”

“That’s wonderful news.” I said.

“And the other good news,” he said, “Is that the clinic is terrific. Everything I need is there. The doctor, the physiotherapist, and even a technician who makes casts and splints. Everybody works together as a team.”

“Then it’s a good thing you went back to Santa Barbara,” I said, “Even though I miss you terribly.”

“I know, I miss you too, Jerome.”

We talked on about inconsequential things. Again, anything and everything to keep us feeling close. As close as we could be, when there were nearly two thousand kilometres between us.

For a while we were silent. Listening to each other breath.

And then I said, “You wouldn’t happen to be wearing your uniform would you?”

“No of course no....” he started to say. Then he got it....

“Yes,” he said, “I have my uniform on.”

“Good man,” I said. “Tell me what it looks like. Tell me how the pants fit.”

“Okay,” he said, “But tell me what you’re wearing first.”

“I’ve just come back from a run,” I said. “I’m wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I’m all hot and sweaty.”

“Jesus,” he said.

“About those pants,” I said.

And we spent the next few minutes playing to each other’s fantasies. Working each other up. Getting each other off.

After it was over Rob said, “That was fun, but not like the real thing.”

“No,” I agreed. “In some ways it only makes me miss you more. I’m longing to hold you right now. I want to go to sleep beside you.”

“We’ve only spent six nights together and I’m addicted,” he said. “I can’t wait until next Friday.”

“Me neither,” I said. “If there are no seats left on the plane I will crawl to Santa Barbara.”

The next day I thought about Rob’s car. If he had at least twelve weeks before returning to work I thought it might be safer and cleaner if I found a spot at my apartment building. I called my building’s management company. They told me there was nothing for rent but that one of the surplus parking spaces was for sale.

I mulled the situation over and decided to buy the space. I told myself that it was a good investment. But to be truthful, I wanted it for a different reason. I wanted Rob to move in with me permanently. Buying a parking spot for his car seemed a way of tipping that possibility in my favour.

That night I told Rob about the parking spot. I stressed it was a good investment and that his car would be safer.

“I’ll pay you market rent for the space,” he said.

“Not necessary,” I said.

“Yes, it is,” he said. “I love you like crazy, but I will contribute my fair share to our partnership.”

I told him I understood completely and that I loved him more than ever.

“Rob, you used the word partnership,” I said. “Will you consider moving in with me once you’re better and back to work?”

“I’d like nothing better, Jerome. Let’s talk about it next weekend, okay?”

I was as excited as a little kid at Christmas. I hardly slept that night.

I dragged myself to work the next day. Tired, but very happy.

The remainder of the week passed as dull work weeks do. I don’t remember much of what I did. What I do remember is that my thoughts were always with Rob and the coming weekend. Now that we had broached the topic of a future together I knew it would be a delightful mix of lovemaking and intimate discussions.

Rob and I had long phone conversations each night. We talked about many things, but when I pressed him for details on his therapy he didn’t say much. He just said that the people at the clinic were nice and everything was going well.

On Friday I left work early to head to the airport. At the boarding gate I waited anxiously for my name to be called, and I was flooded with relief when it was. When I changed planes in Seattle the agent told me I’d got the last seat on the plane. I didn’t relax until the door was closed and the plane was moving. I said a prayer of thanks to the airplane gods. I felt even better when the plane touched down in Santa Barbara two hours later.

Ken was there to pick me up, but Rob wasn’t.

“Where’s Rob? Is he okay?” I asked.

“He’s at home. He’s fine. But I’m not allowed to say anything.”

“C’mon Ken,” I pleaded.

He shook his head and pulled his fingers across his mouth in a zipping motion.

“Okay,” I said, “Just hurry, I’m eager to see your little brother.”

Ken dropped me off at the house. There were no lights in the windows.

“Mom and Dad have gone to a home show in Palm Springs for the weekend,” he said. “You’ve got the place to yourselves.”

I headed around the house and into the courtyard. It was dark save for the pool and garden accent lighting. There was only a faint glow from the casita.

I opened the door and called, “Rob, honey, are you here?”

“In the bedroom,” he said.

I entered the bedroom and saw the dim light was coming from several candles. Rob was on the bed, reclining against the headboard. He was wearing black boxer shorts. His body hair shining golden in the soft light.

“You look like an angel,” I said.

Then I noticed a sleek new arm brace. And that both his legs were bare!

“What happened to the ski boot?” I asked.

“Gone,” he said. “I only have to wear a brace during the day. I can sleep without it if I’m careful.”

Then it dawned on me. The candles, the seductive pose, his near nakedness....

“I’ll be careful,” I said as I leaned down to kiss him.

From that point on we were frantic. I tore off his boxers then my own clothes. I lay on top of him, between his spread legs. We ground our swords together. We kissed feverishly.

“There’s lube on the dresser,” he said.

I got us both ready then gently raised his legs. I moved forward and entered him slowly. The physical intimacy was overwhelming. But beyond that, I felt our souls fuse. We became one. I leaned forward to kiss him. When out tongues met the circuit was complete. Pure white energy flowed around through us.

I came almost immediately, pulsing and jerking and moaning. When I was fully drained I collapsed onto Rob’s good side. For a few moments I was paralyzed. My muscles the consistency of jello. I may have passed out.

I became aware of Rob kissing my face. Little kisses. Nose, cheeks, forehead, lips. I slowly came to my senses and remembered that he had not yet cum. The pressure inside him probably unbearable.

I willed myself into action. I grabbed the lube again and got us ready for round two. I straddled him then sat down. Hard. I wanted pain and got it. I nearly screamed. I moved eagerly. Within seconds he, too, cried out and I felt his cock pulsing inside me.

When his body went limp I eased myself over and lay down pressed tight against him. My leg scissored his. We drifted off to sleep.

The next morning we made love again. Slowly this time.

Once I recovered enough to move I made us coffees and brought them back to bed. We were a mess. Sticky, crusty, smelly. We didn’t care. We were in love. This was the evidence.

We had just taken our first sips of coffee when Rob asked, “Would you like to go for a drive today?”

“I’d love to,” I said. “Shall I rent a car?”

“No,” he said. “Dad’s offered to lend you his car.”

“That’s very kind of him,” I said.

“Aren’t you going to ask what kind of car it is?”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What kind of car is it?”

“A Porsche Nine Eleven Cabriolet.”

“No!” I said. “You’ve got to be kidding. Tell me you’re not teasing me!”

“Truth,” he said. “It’s Dad’s mid-life crisis car. But, Jerome, you understand that Dad doesn’t lend his car to just anyone. This is a big deal.”

“He trusts me,” I said.

“More than that,” Rob said. “He accepts you. As part of the family. It’s his way of letting you know.”

My eyes got leaky again. Rob noticed and said, “That means you’re happy, right?”

“Very happy,” I said.

Before we showered I threw on a pair of Rob’s sweat pants and headed to the garage to check out the Porsche. I stood admiring it for several minutes. It was in pristine condition, not a speck of dust on its gleaming, dark blue surface. The top was down, and I took a minute to admire the leather seats and high tech instrument panel. What a wonderful weekend this was shaping up to be.

When I got back to the casita Rob had a little show and tell for me. He held up his new leg brace, which had been specially designed and fitted. He told me that he was allowed to walk short distances with the aid of a cane.

“That’s wonderful. But doesn’t that require holding the cane in your left hand?” I asked.

“No,” he explained, “I was surprised to learn that when using a cane you support your good side. So I hold the cane in my right hand.”

He was able to remove his arm brace for our shower. After we’d finished I helped put on both braces, which fit perfectly, and fastened easily with Velcro. I handed him his cane, and he demonstrated his ability to ambulate.

I knew then how a parent must feel watching a child take his first steps. My heart was bursting with love and pride. I lavished praise on him.

Once the demonstration was over we talked about our outing.

“I was thinking of the Santa Ynez Valley,” he said. “We could stop at Solvang for lunch.”

“I’ve never heard of either place,” I said. “Are they far?”

“No, just up and over the hill,” he said. “I think you’ll enjoy it there. Have you heard of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch?”

“Of course.”

“Well, it’s in the Santa Ynez Valley. And Solvang is a small town that was created by Danish settlers in the early nineteen hundreds. It’s very European looking and famous for its windmills.”

We got ready to leave, slathered on suntan lotion, and headed for the Porsche.

When I started the engine, and I felt the car vibrate beneath me, my dick responded involuntarily.

“It’s making me hard,” I said.

“Now you know why guys pay a lot of money for these cars,” Rob laughed.

The Porsche was a dream to handle. The gears shifted smoothly, and within minutes I was driving effortlessly. The combination of power, sunshine, fresh air, and the feel of Rob’s hand on my thigh, was intoxicating.

Rob directed me to a steep, winding road that led over the mountain. It was a challenging drive for half an hour, then we crested a hill and entered the Santa Ynez Valley. I saw grassy rolling hills, oak forests and grazing horses. We drove by a lake and then aimlessly followed roads that took us in long, lazy circles.

Eventually, with Rob navigating we drove into the town of Solvang. It was everything Rob described, and more. Colourful, chalet-like buildings, bell towers and windmills lined the streets.

“Danish food for lunch?” I asked.

Rob laughed and said, “Not unless you want pancakes. There’s a wonderful Italian restaurant here. Would you like that?”

“I love Italian,” I said.

Rob directed me to a restaurant called Trattoria Grappolo which displayed an impressive menu. The maitre d’ seated us in a lovely covered porch. It was very romantic.

I thought back to the conversation we had a few nights ago and asked, “Is this a good time to talk about our future together?”

“It’s a perfect time,” he said.

“Rob, I know we haven’t known each other long, but I’m positive that I love you very much,” I said. “It’s more than love though. You complete me. You are the missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle of my life.”

“I feel the same way about you,” he said.

“So would you consider moving in with me? Committing to a life together?”

“Absolutely,” he said, “I meant what I said the other night. I just want us to have a good talk first. So there are no misunderstandings later.”

“Okay, let’s talk,” I said. “You go first.”

And so began a conversation that lasted through lunch and most of the afternoon. It was a time for openness and honesty; a time for truly listening to each other. Some issues we readily agreed upon. Others required negotiation and compromise.

We were driving home when, out of the blue, Rob brought up a subject that astounded me.

“What do you think about circumcision?” he asked.

I diplomatically answered, “I don’t have a preference. I like you just the way you are.”

“No, I mean if we have a son would you want to have him circumcised?”

“What? A son? You want us to have a child?” I sputtered.

“Only if you want to,” he said.

“Would that be possible? Until this moment I’ve never really thought about it. I just assumed I’d never have children.”

“Lots of gays have children,” he said. “Elton John, Ricky Martin, Neil Patrick Harris. So why couldn’t we?”

My vision started to blur. I pulled the car off the road, stopped and turned to face Rob.

He saw my watery eyes and said, “Happy, right?”

“Over the moon,” I said, and then I reached out and hugged him very tight.

By the time we got home we were exhausted. The food, fresh air, sunshine and conversation had taken their toll physically and emotionally. We got naked and climbed into bed. I spooned against Rob’s back and kissed his neck. We both said, “I love you,” at the same time, then drifted off to sleep.

I woke up gradually about an hour later to the delicious feeling of Rob’s warmth and my tumescence nestled between his ass cheeks. I kissed his neck. He gradually came awake and pushed back against me. We made beautiful, sensual, slow love. In the afterglow we lay snuggled together and drifted off to sleep again.

On Sunday morning, after a nice wake up session, Rob asked me if I’d like to go downtown for breakfast.

I told him I’d rather stay in the casita and make love to him all morning.

“And pass up a chance to drive the Porsche again?” he said.

“Tough choice,” I said, “But let’s go downtown.”

“You’re like a little kid,” he said.

He told me that Santa Barbara was a fairly small town, and that we were likely to run into people he knew. “I want to show you off,” he said.

When we got to downtown Santa Barbara its beauty captivated me. The streets were lined with palm trees, and most of the buildings were Spanish Colonials. It was very well kept and prosperous. A lot of people were out enjoying the vibrant Sunday morning scene. Rob directed me to a small restaurant which he assured me was very popular with the locals. Almost immediately we ran into one of his friends, Brian.

“Jerome,” he said, “This is Brian.” Brian, this is my partner, Jerome.”

Partner! Partner! I beamed with pride. My eyes got glassy. Brian must have thought I was some kind of lunatic.

Brian asked about Rob’s injuries and Rob brushed it off, saying it was just a little fall.

We ran into several more people Rob knew. To each one he introduced me as his partner. No one seemed surprised. They were all genuinely happy for Rob and me. One gracious girl told us we made a very attractive couple.

Everyone asked about his injuries. He consistently told them they were the result of “a little fall.”

I realized he was deflecting attention away from him and towards “us” as a couple. My love for him kept growing and growing.

At the restaurant there was a long line, but everyone insisted that Rob and I go to the front. “What a friendly town,” I thought.

Once we were seated I looked at him and said, “Thank you.”

“For what?” he said.

“For introducing me as your partner. I’m so pleased and proud....”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” he said. “I always seem to be pushing the boundaries of our relationship. I was worried I had assumed too much.”

“Well, how about this for an assumption,” I said. “I’m assuming that we are now as good as married.”

“Yes,” he said. “Married. I like that.”

When our breakfasts were served we continued the previous day’s conversation.

We both promised to do research on starting a family. Rob said he would investigate the surrogate situation in the United States. I said I would check out the adoption scene in Canada.

We got back to the house around noon. Both of us a little silent and pensive. Not looking forward to the imminent separation.

I said, “Rob, this has been the best three days of my life. I’m so sorry to have to leave.”

“Best for me too, Jerome,” he said. “I’m going to miss you like crazy this week.”

We were not happy to see Ken when he arrived to drive me to the airport.

“What, do I stink?” he asked when he saw our expressions.

“You’re tearing us apart,” said Rob.

“Drama queen!” laughed Ken. “Don’t worry, little brother, lover boy will be back next weekend.”

At the airport Rob came into the terminal to say goodbye. We hugged for a long time. Rob had tears in his eyes. I was dry-eyed and stony faced.

“Not happy, right?” he asked.

“Happy about us,” I said. “Not happy about leaving.”

“I know,” he said. “It’s like winning the lottery and having to wait ten weeks to claim our prize.”