The Day his Motor Died - 5. Chapter 5

Michael was not about to take back roads now. He wanted to get them back home as soon as possible, so that they could start their new lives together. They even discussed driving straight through, spelling each other doing the driving. In the end, they vetoed the idea because they wanted to stop somewhere at night and make love.

Doug was the initial driver because he knew his way around these parts. Better still, he knew a short cut to I 80. Michael had cell phone service now, so while Doug was driving, Michael called his folks. He called his mother first. The conversation was short. He told her that he was on his way home, and asked after her welfare, since she had split with his dad. She assured him that she was fine, and actually under a lot less stress. He cut her off as soon as he could, and called his dad. He intended on coming out.

“Hi Dad. How ya doin’?”

“I’m great son. How are you doing?”

“Never better, Dad. I’ve had my fill of solitude. I’m on way back home.”

“That’s great. I can’t wait to see you, and introduce you to Marcie.”

“There’s someone I want you to meet also, Dad. I’ve met my soulmate, and he’s returning to New York with me.”

There was a long silence. Then Ted asked, “Did you say he?”

“Yes, Dad, I’ve finally come to grips with who I am, and I’m madly in love with Doug.”

After another long silence, Ted said, “You know, I always suspected that you were gay. You were cornholing that high school friend of yours, weren’t you?”

“Yes, Dad. We were going at it. I guess you might say that we were hard at it.”

“When you took up with Nancy, I figured I was wrong, but I guess I have pretty good gaydar for a straight guy.” Ted laughed.

“Remember when you told me about Marcie, Dad? You asked me not to hate you. Now I’m asking you not to hate me.”

“Jerk,” Ted said. “I’ll always love you. Call me as soon as you get home. I want the four of us to have dinner together, and get to know each other.”

They assured each other of their love and hung up.

“That was painless,” Michael said to Doug. “I expected the worst.”

“Well, at least I don’t have to come out to my folks. That ship sailed a long time ago. I’ll call them when we take our first break.”

“When we stop for dinner, let’s take a motel room. In case you didn’t know it, I’m very hot for you,” Michael said.

“We’ll never get to New York,” Doug lamented.

When he called home, Doug’s conversation was a lot longer than Michael’s. His parents kept crying with joy knowing that their son was coming home at last. Doug assured his father that he would be able to return the money he loaned him, when all the checks cleared. His dad said to keep it for tuition.

After he hung up, he said, “Our dinner for four is now a dinner for six. My folks want to meet you, your dad, and his girlfriend.”

“I was never much of a family man,” Michael said. “I guess I’ll have to change my ways.”

They drove until 9 PM, and checked into the next available motel. They stripped rapidly and fell into bed. They vastly overestimated their stamina. They wrapped their arms around each other and fell instantly asleep. They were simply exhausted. There was no love making that night, unless wrapped up and sleeping together constitutes love making.

It took them three days to reach the outskirts of New York. Sighing with happiness, they opened all the car windows and swallowed the polluted air. It wasn’t the pure air of Wyoming, but it was home and they basked in it.

Michael drove straight to his parking space in the underground garage of his apartment building. It took them several trips to bring all their stuff upstairs. They had to rearrange the closets, but at last they were organized. They fell on the sofa and held hands. Doug looked at Michael with a mischievous grin on his face.

“What?” Michael asked.

“Let’s celebrate by having dinner in an authentic New York restaurant. I’m in bad need of a fix, and I know just the restaurant, if it’s still there. It’s in the village, and it’s the gay bar where I accidently killed that predator. I need to go there, and get back on the horse, so to speak.”

“Sounds like the right thing for you to do. I’ve never been in a gay bar.”

“We’ll have a ball. You’ll love it. The best part of being in a gay bar is that you might meet a friend you didn’t know was gay, and you’ll have a new brother.”

Doug could not have predicted more accurately. Not five minutes after they entered the restaurant, they were standing at the bar waiting for their drink orders. Suddenly, Michael heard, “Michael, you son-of-a-bitch, when did you get home, and what are you doing in a gay bar?”

He turned around to see Barry Silvers, one of his co-workers. Michael didn’t expect to receive the bear hug Barry gave him. He had no idea that Barry was gay,

“I just got in a couple of hours ago. I was going to surprise everybody when I got into the office tomorrow.”

“That’s great. It’s wonderful to see you, but what are you doing here? Are you curious to see how the other half lives?”

“No, dufus, I am the other half.”

“I had no clue.”

“Don’t feel bad. I didn’t know you were gay either, and I didn’t know that I was gay, until I met my soulmate. Let me introduce you two. Barry, this gorgeous hunk is my partner, Doug Carey. No! Not my partner. My whole entire life. He’s been working on a farm for the past seven years. That’s why he has muscles that you and I can only dream about.”

Doug reached out to shake Barry’s hand, but Barry had different ideas. He enveloped Doug in a bear hug, just as he had enveloped Michael.

“Michael,” he said, “I insist that we see more of each other. I’ll arrange a double date soon, but until then I can’t wait for you to come into the office tomorrow, and see all those surprised faces. I’d better get there early. Enjoy your dinner. Ciao for now.” He breezed away.

“I told you you’d get a surprise. I got one every time I came here,” Doug said smugly.

The words were no sooner out of his mouth, when they heard someone yell, “Doug, Doug is that you? Is it really you? Did you come here for a vacation, or have you come to your senses and returned for good.”

“Paul,” Doug sobbed. “You haven’t aged a day.” The two men fell into each other’s arms. They were both sobbing.

Doug pulled away. “I’d like you to meet my partner, Michael,” he said. “Michael, Paul here is my friend, the one who was being attacked by that low-life who I accidently killed right here in this bar.”

Once again, Michael received a bear hug instead of a hand shake. He was going to have to get used to being gay, and so far, he liked it.

“I’m home for good,” Doug told Paul. “I’m going to finish up at NYU, and then we’ll see. I’ll be living with Michael. Is your address and telephone number the same?”

“No, I’ve moved up in the world. Let me give you my card.”

“I don’t have one yet.”

“It’s okay,” Michael said. “Here’s mine.”

Doug promised to get together as soon as he got settled.

Michael and Doug enjoyed a wonderful dinner, and had a good night drink before heading home.

“That was fun,” Michael said, “but tomorrow should be a hoot when I walk into my office.”

That night, they made very passionate love. They fucked and sucked themselves into an exhausted sleep. They didn’t wake until Michael had to get ready for work, and Doug had to meet with the registrar at NYU.