There Once Was Love - 14. Chapter 12 - party

There Once Was Love

Chapter 12

Party

For the next week I had to listen to my dad and obey him. If it weren’t for the simple fact that I loved him, I probably would have killed him by now. Every waking moment spent with him… it was like torture. He was going over everything: why it happened, where it happened. Why wasn’t I there? Like I said, everything he wanted to know, but I couldn’t provide him with those answers, well, except maybe a couple.

“Thomas, but why? Why did happen? I know she wasn’t the nicest or the sweetest, but she was mine,” my father ranted off again. I discovered that I could tune him out, unless, of course, he was yelling; then I couldn’t.

“I don’t know why it happened, Dad, but you shouldn’t beat a dead horse. I know that you loved her, and she probably loved you. But that doesn’t change the fact that she was drinking and cooking at the same time. Things happen, just let it go for now. Wait for the coroner’s report. They should be able to clear up some things.”

“Yea… You’re probably right. Sorry Thomas, I don’t mean to yell or berate you, it’s just… I want to know.” Instead of answering the man, I did something that I haven’t done since I was a little boy, I hugged him.

= = =

While reading a story by Comicality on Kindle, my dad screams upstairs for me… It wasn’t like him to scream. Instead of replying, ‘I will be right there,’ I threw the kindle down and ran downstairs.

Once there, I stared at my dad. He was standing next to the bar counter, looking as if someone has stolen his whiskey…

“Look at what I have found.” In my dad’s hands he held a letter; I wonder where it came from.

“Where did you find that?” I shouldn’t really have to ask, it was Karen, after all, and where does any drunken person put their letters or notes?

“I … I found it under the Hpnotiq bottle,” my dad said sadly. I think I saw a glint in his eye, before he turned slightly to swipe it away.

“I’m sorry, Dad…” He just waves his hand in the manner of ‘I don’t want to talk about it’.

♪ Ring Ring … Ring Ring… ♪

“Hello?” My dad answers the phone.

“Oh, hi, Mr. Jericho.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.” He doesn’t hang up the phone. My dad just sits there, with the phone up to his ear still. It must have been the coroner’s office.

“What did they say, Dad?” He didn’t even move or respond. “Dad?”

“Oh, uh, they say that your mother died from a heart attack.” Then my dad did something that I haven’t seen in a while, he cried, openly.

= = =

I got a call from Lacey. She’s having another one of her parties, at the same place it’s always at. So let’s see what happens.

I have to have a conversation with my dad about Eric. I need to find out where he stands with me being gay and dating Eric. I won’t, under any circumstances, break up with him. I’m beginning to fall head-over-heels in love with him. The way that he looks at me sometimes, I can feel the love. And sometimes I can see the love there. Every time I think about him, it always brings a smile out in me, even when I didn’t really want to smile.

“Hey Dad?”

“Yea, Thomas?”

I’m taking a deep breath, and trying to collect my thoughts on the situation. This was scary shit. A man that I looked up to and wanted to probably become one day… I was afraid of disappointing him, letting him down in some way. I didn’t want that, or to have him think of me as disgusting.

“Thomas, what is it?” I looked at him with pleading eyes, how do I even begin to have this conversation?

“Come, sit. You look like a ghost.”

“Dad, I … I wanted to … to talk to you about…” My voice failed me; my mouth became dry and sticky. It was hard enough to talk normally about this shit.

“Let me guess, it’s about Eric?”

My face froze; he’s good. Without speaking, I just nodded my head.

“All right, what about the young man?”

I take a deep breath. “Well, you see, Eric and I. We are together, meaning…”

“You are boyfriends.”

“Yes. Is that alright?”

“Thomas, there is something that I want you to know.”

Oh no, here we go, about the ‘I know some gay guys, they were alright people, but I don’t want a life like that for you. There are some people out there who will try to hurt you, blah blah blah…’

“Back in college, there was this young man, he was typically your average person. But we made a connection.”

“Ew, Dad. I don’t want to know…”

“Oh, Thomas, stop it. If you want to have a conversation about this, then be serious.”

“Ok, I will.”

“Good, now, as I was saying, we made a connection. We had an experiment, it lasted for a while, but it had to end. He was falling for me. I don’t want you to have the same outcome. Meaning, I don’t want you to be heartbroken, and I sure as hell don’t want him to use you. I want grandchildren, Thomas. Hah, and I don’t mind you being gay, if that is what you’re worried about.”

“Thank you, Dad. As scary as that is, to think of your old man, being bisexual, hah, it’s nice to know that I have your support.”

“You’re welcome. I want to have a dinner, with Eric. Make it happen.”

“I will. Love you Dad.”

“Love you too, son.”

= = =

Driving in New York City is hell. I tell ya, every time I want to drive somewhere I have to leave about an hour before hand. It kills sometimes. But thankfully, I found a spot close to the club. As usual, Lacey is dolled up in her fancy attire, attracting all the hot boys. Sad it couldn’t be me there, but oh well. I have a man, who I will eventually tell ‘I love you.’

“Hey, Thomas, glad you could make it. Eric is already here. Go join him.”

“Why, hello to you too. And thanks.”

I saw a lot of friends walking in, some I knew from old schools, and new friends that I have made over the three years that I have attended Saint Marriott’s. However, the person that I didn’t want to see was here. He stood on the upper level of the club, looking down. His body stance told me that he wanted, no, needed to see what was happening. Whatever, but when our eyes locked on to each other, it was as if everything stood still. As if the world just stood in the background. I miss him, but I don’t know how to even begin to talk to him anymore.

Our little world crashed as he turned and walked away. That’s fine; I didn’t come here for him anyway. My man stood by the bar, talking to a lot of guys. Something spiked within me. At the time I didn’t think it could have been jealously. When he turned around, I snaked my arms around his mid-section. And came close to his ear. “Hi, baby.” I smiled.

He quickly turns around and hugs me; god I missed him. “Hi, yourself!” And then he just pecks my lips, so sweet. That simple gesture spoke volumes to me. It wasn’t that he just pecked my lips; it was that he actually did it while surrounded by a lot of friends, and other people.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine. Given the situation at home, everything is going good.”

“That’s good.”

“How are you?”

“I’m fine, Thomas. I missed you though.”

“God, I missed you too.”

“Oh my god, Thomas, this is my song. Come dance with me!!” Eric said excitedly.

He takes my hand and literally leads me to the dance floor. I laughed all the while. We danced to basically all the songs. We grinded our bodies together and we even erotically slid our bodies together. As the last song played, I saw Keith walking our way. This couldn’t be good. The way he strode toward us let me know that he was on a mission.

The next thing that happened, I didn’t think could. Keith walks up to us, and he just punches Eric in the jaw. As Eric falls to the ground, I catch him before he hits the concrete. I look up at Keith with disbelieving eyes. How could he?

“That’s for, I don’t know, because I wanted to,” he states, and then walks away. What the fuck!

“OH MY GOD! Is he alright?” asks Lacey, who came rushing over.

“I don’t know. Keith just punched him in the jaw for no apparent reason. I think he’s knocked out.”

“Take him to the hospital. I’ll talk to Keith,” she said simply. Lacey gets up and walks swiftly over to Keith, and pushes him. She keeps pushing him, and yelling at him, until eventually he’s pushed right out the door, with Lacey still screaming at him. It was, in all honesty, the most hilarious thing I have ever seen a petite women do.

Scooping up Eric, I take him to my car. From there, I stare at him. I didn’t know what to do. After getting into the car and starting it, I drove to the hospital in silence… while occasionally looking over at my prince.

*Till next Time* Remijay <3