Keep Me As An Apple of Your Eye - 5. December 5

Thursday, December 5

The Light of Hope

Seek justice, rescue the oppressed

Defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Isaiah 1:17

Todd was about to pop the last bite of buttered toast into his mouth when the inevitable question came.

“Is your brother gay?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Was he playing my brother last night?”

“Not that I know of.”

“What the hell was that behavior about?”

They just looked at each other.

“I don’t want my brother to be hurt. There was a connection between Tayloe and Eron. It was electric. I expected one of them to mount the other right there in the restaurant. I don’t understand.”

“Erick, I can’t explain what happened. I have never seen Tayloe act like that with a man before. A woman, yes. A man, no.”

A sly smile crept across Todd’s face. “Wouldn’t it be so cool if they became a couple? Brother couples. Fuck, that would be cool.”

The look of horror on Erick’s face silenced any glee that was coming from his partner.

“I mean, if they really love each other, it would be cool.”

Erick said he was going to call Eron later that day to find out what was going on. He asked Todd to call Tayloe to find out why he was acting like he was in rut.

“Now, my boyfriend, we need to tackle the academy. Are you driving, or am I?”

Todd called his brother quickly after his 9 am class. Tayloe was nonchalant and pretended he didn’t understand what Todd was talking about. He said it was a lovely evening at the restaurant and then he met Eron for a quick drink before heading home.

“I am overwhelmed with some court cases right now. The fucking feds are going after one of our pharmacy manufacturer clients. The cunts. They are opposed to anyone making a profit. Assholes.”

Todd chuckled at his brother’s use of language. That language meant that the feds had them by the short hairs. Tayloe wasn’t given to using profane words. Todd then looped the conversation back to his topic.

“So, what did you think of Eron?”

“Well, he is your lover’s twin. They look alike, they talk alike, they act alike. If I say anything bad about Eron I would be talking about your boyfriend also. I plead the fifth.” At that point Tayloe laughed.

“Did you like him?”

“Yeah, he is a pleasant sort of guy. He is wasting his time working for the U.S. Attorney. He should be in a major firm like where I work. He is really smart, handsome, well spoken. He could have a jury eating out of his hands.”

Todd reminded Tayloe that not all lawyers were greedy bastards like him. He said that some lawyers helped the most downtrodden. He suggested that Tayloe assist at the AIDS clinic in Richmond by providing pro-bono services.

“I will take that under advisement.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“That I will consider it, when I have time, and if it doesn’t conflict with the work I am doing for paid clients.”

“Your greedy instincts will always ensure that the family wealth is maintained.”

“Thank God one of us is interested in our wealth. You would probably give it all away if you could. You are such a bleeding-heart liberal.”

“How is it that we get along so well and love each other so much, yet our world views are so different?”

“If you weren’t my brother, I would probably intensely dislike you?”

“You wouldn’t hate me?”

“No, I do not hate. No one should hate another person. No matter how vile they are, it is God’s to judge, not ours.”

“We are called upon to help the needy.”

“How are your mathematical formulas going to help the needy?”

“I don’t know yet. That is what I am struggling with as I apply to graduate school. My work needs to be practical. Tayloe, I love helping people.”

“I know, but I was the one who brought home all of the injured puppies and kitties. I have a heart also.”

“Yes, I remember. I would like to see more of that side of you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Money calls. I bill every six minutes and you owe me hundreds of dollars already.

“One more question. Are you seeing him again?”

“Excuse me. Am I seeing who again?”

“You know who I am talking about.”

“Well, little brother, you never know. You just never know.”

Todd hung up from the extremely frustrating telephone call. Tayloe was generally not ambiguous but the conversation felt tautological. They were walking circles around each other.

After Erick finished his morning classes at 11 a.m. he called Eron. His brother talked about Todd being a wonderful man and that they were so perfectly paired. He then talked about the court cases he was working on.

“I am working on a case against big pharmacy manufacturers. I have been reviewing data all morning. It is unbelievable the profits these shysters earn while many people with chronic diseases are bankrupt or right on the verge.” Erick could hear the fire in Eron’s belly. He thought it good that his brother loved his work so much and that he was fighting for the common man.

“I listen to people’s stories and am struck blind by the injustice. I just let them talk. Listening is a moral act and if they don’t receive relief through the courts at least they have told their stories. However, I want to nail the bastards.”

They both laughed at his statement because the use of word bastard was not in Eron’s everyday vocabulary. His was a righteous anger.

“Umm, Eron I have one more question. Did you sleep with Tayloe last night?”

“NO!!” There was silence on the phone line. “He kissed me good night and drove off after we had a drink. I was standing on the sidewalk outside of my hotel and thought I had been played. He was a dick in the worst kind of way.”

“So, do you think he is gay?”

“What does Todd say?”

“Todd said he doesn’t think his brother is gay. He has never known him to go out with a man.”

“Well, he had me going all night. I swear I thought we were going back to my room to have at least a jerk-off session but there was nothing. He walked right up to the edge and then ran. Chicken shit lawyer.”

Erick started laughing.

“So how are your blue balls this morning?”

“They aren’t blue at all. I took things in hand.” They both laughed.

“Do you plan to see him again?”

“I don’t think so. Well, except when I am invited to things with you and Todd. I don’t expect to hear from him.”

“Okay, I just want to make sure you are okay, little brother.”

“Hey, I am just five minutes younger than you but my dick is bigger.”

The fellows continued their long-held bantering, laughing at each other’s antics and foibles.

“Hey, I’ve got another call coming in. Let me talk to you later.”

Eron disconnected the line and pushed the button on his phone for the incoming call. Little did he know who awaited him on the line.

At dinner Todd and Erick each told the other about their respective calls. They both realized that their brothers were working on opposite sides of the same case.

“We have to stay out of this.”

“Todd, I swear if your brother hurts Eron I will kill him.”

Todd had never heard Erick use such language. He looked in Erick’s eyes and saw black fire shooting out. It was quite unsettling.

“I think we need to do our Advent meditation.”

Todd lit the candle and they spent time exploring how the reading applied in their lives and how they could help those in need in Williamsburg. They were both still unsettled about their conversations during the day and how fiercely protective each was of his brother. They crawled into bed facing away from each other, each on his own side hugging the edge of the mattress, finally Erick turned and held onto Todd.

“I love you. I will not hurt Tayloe but I can’t stand it if Eron is hurt in anyway. It is more than a brother thing, it is a twin thing. Can we pray for them?”

Todd and Erick got out of bed and went to the dining room. Erick lit the Advent candle again and they each prayed for Tayloe and Eron. They laid out their hopes and fears for their brothers and themselves. There was lots of intense silence as Erick held onto Todd’s hand as if it was the anchor in their lives holding them safe from the rocks as the waves crashed about them.

“Both Sides Now”

Composer/Performer: Joni Mitchell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCnf46boC3I&list=RDLm7b-32Mpbs&index=5