Bernard: Diary of a 46-yr-old Bellhop - 8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Close Quarters

November 23^rd. The late fall chill greeted the two men with a bitter blast as they moved all of Bernard’s belongings into Jack’s house.

It took the two men three trips back and forth with a small trailer, but they finally moved everything over.

Jack looked at the pile of totes and boxes and back at his lover. “It always amazes me how one person can accumulate so many things. I’d need a huge moving van with all my garbage.”

Bernard chuckled. “Well, not having to move much furniture helped. I didn’t need to bring my bed or sofa. Only the dressers and my desk. It’s great that I still have time to go through all that I left behind and throw a lot of stuff away.”

“Speaking of stuff, I’ve found the perfect way to set things up for us.” Jack said with a glint in his eye. “We can put them together in that big room and have a shared office if you’d like.”

Bernard nodded. “That works for me. I don’t spend a lot of time online, but I do like my games.”

“It’s settled then. We’ll move it in—” He looked around at all the boxes and felt his back cramp up. “Tomorrow. I’m beat.”

“Me too. I haven’t moved for so long, almost forgot how.”

The two chuckled together and hugged.

“Thank you, for asking me to live with you.” Bernard said in a sweet, serious tone.

“I couldn’t ask for a better roommate. Come on, let’s go find some dinner.”

The duo settled into living together. They found space for all of Bernard’s possessions, including inside the shared bathroom.

Their first night together they opened a bottle of sparkling grape juice and shared it between kisses and fell asleep on the sofa.

The only looming challenge facing the new couple was to tell Bernard’s mother the truth about her son. To soften the blow and make it more comfortable they invited her over for Thanksgiving dinner. They both buzzed around the house making sure everything was perfect. They shoved all of the unpacked boxes from two days prior into the empty bedroom.

“Everything is changing so fast. First finding you and now living with you. Now, I’m telling my Mom! I can’t believe I’m finally telling her tonight!” Bernard said with a strong measure of tension in his voice. “I should’ve told her the truth years ago. This is going to be one hell of an evening.”

Jack walked over and brushed his lover’s hair out of his eyes. His forehead was beaded with sweat from rushing around making dinner and preparing the house. Jack kissed away the salty droplets and hugged the man. “Everything will be just fine, hon. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Bernard let out a quick breath. “I hope you’re right, Jack. All this time has gone by. I wonder if she’s even suspected anything. I never really dated much at all. I was always looking after them or working. Course, never really had too many interested parties either.” He bowed his head a bit and sighed.

Jack kissed his cheek. “You do now. I’m one very interested party who feels very fortunate to have you in his life.”

Bernard looked up at the kind, loving eyes that gazed upon him. They kissed sweetly. “I love you, Jack.”

The tall brunette wrapped his long, slender arms around his boyfriend. “I love you too. Just be honest with her and let her absorb the information at the rate she can handle it. Don’t push.”

“I won’t.”

The doorbell chimed and a familiar knock came from the solid door. Bernard cleared his throat and walked towards it.

“Here we go.”

He opened up the door and saw his mother and opened his arms up wide to hug her. “Hi Mom!”

Molly smiled and walked into her son’s waiting embrace. “Hey, baby boy! How’s my son?” She hugged him snuggly and kissed his cheek. “You’ve lost more weight, baby! I can feel your ribs again. That diet must be agreein’ with ya.”

The two separated and Bernard ran his hand over his chest.

“Yeah, so far so good. I’ve lost over 40 pounds ever since that last visit to the hospital. I’m being a good boy, Mom.”

Molly pinched his cheek. “You’ve always been a good little boy. It’s that damn sister of yours that’s drivin’ me to an early grave. Only thing with you was your eatin’ and this tryin’ to kill yourself nonsense.”

She stepped past him and saw Jack standing in the living room.

“Hi there, Jack! How’s my favorite doctor?”

Jack hugged her back.

“Just fine, Molly. Come on in. Can I get you anything?”

“You got coffee made?”

Bernard grinned. “Sure do. Let me get you a cup just the way you like it with three creams.”

Molly smiled and patted her son’s face. “That’s my boy. Always knows how to treat his mama.”

Jack and Bernard shared a look as Bernard went to retrieve the coffee.

Molly sat down on the big sofa and let out a deep breath. “Whew, the diner has been crazy lately. I dunno what’s goin’ on with it. It’s like a full moon all the time.”

Bernard walked back in with her beverage and a glass of water for himself. “Here you go, Mom. Careful, it’s hot.”

“Well I can feel that, baby. I’ll just let it set a minute and let it cool off. So, what’s new? Anything?”

Jack shot his boyfriend a look. “Not too much. Things at the hospital are about the same. Have had some nasty cases lately, but it’s not really dinner conversation. Bernard?”

The older man sat down next to his mom and leaned forward in his seat. “Uh, not really anything new at work. Same old thing day after day.”

Molly picked up her coffee and took a large sip. “I know what that’s like. I tell ya I feel like I live at that diner sometimes. I know every dish by heart, every table.” She looked up at the artwork on the walls and the furniture. “This place sure is fancier than what you had before, hon. How’d you afford all this? I thought you was always on the verge of bein’ broke.”

Bernard struggled for words. Jack broke the tension. “Things are going better now, aren’t they?”

“Yes…much better.”

Molly saw the two share a glance and put her drink down on the table. “Bernard, you wouldn’t lie to me, would ya?”

“No ma’am…”

“Tell me the truth. What’s going on here?”

Bernard’s throat ran dry and he reached for his glass of water. “Mom, there’s a couple things I need to tell you.”

Molly sat forward in her seat. “What kind of things, baby?”

“Mom…this place isn’t just mine. In fact it isn’t mine, it’s Jack’s house.”

Molly’s eyebrows rose so high, they nearly hit her hairline. “It’s his place? You live here with him?”

Bernard nodded like a nervous chicken. “Yes…we live here together, just the two of us.”

“Well…didn’t you say you was havin’ trouble with the bills?”

“Yes.” Bernard muttered.

“Then he’s helpin’ you save money. That’s great! You’re a good friend, Jack.”

Jack smiled at her but kept a guarded eye on Bernard. “Thank you, Molly. But that isn’t the only reason why.”

“Oh? Why else would you two be livin’ here together—”

Molly fell silent as she put her spindly fingers to her bright red lips. Her over-accented eyes looked her son up and down and then over at Jack. “Bernard Joseph Covington…what’re you tellin’ me?”

Bernard took her hands and kissed them. “Mom, I wish I could’ve told you this years ago, but you kept bringing up kids and marriage, and I kept feeling I was always a letdown for you. But then I figured out who I really am and what I want out of my life.”

“What’re you sayin’, baby?” Molly asked slowly. Her large eyes studied her son’s face closely and her small hands held onto his tightly.

Bernard took a deep breath and looked into his mother’s face. “Mom, I’m gay. Jack and I are living together and are together as a couple.”

Molly’s painted mouth gaped open as she gasped aloud. She quickly covered it and looked back and forth between the two men.

“Baby…you mean, you and Jack? You two…”

Bernard nodded. “Yes, Mom. We’ve been together.”

Molly stood up quickly and paced the room for a moment. She looked around at the paintings and décor. She should’ve known.

“I-I think I always knew, baby. You were never like any of the other boys. You were always different.”

Bernard looked over at Jack who gave him a confident look. He walked over to his mother and stood back a bit fearful of what the next reaction might be.

“Mama? Can you accept me for who I am?”

She turned to face him and looked into his eyes. Her mouth contorted from a concerned flatline to a smile.

“Bernard Joseph, as long as you’re happy, then I’m happy!”

Bernard let out a sigh of relief and approached his mother who opened up her arms to encompass her large son. They hung on for a long moment.

Jack sat up on the sofa and looked on with a smile of both relief and contentment.

Molly kissed Bernard’s cheek and she cupped his large face.

“You’re my baby boy and I’ll always love you no matter what. I wish you’d told me years ago.”

“I was afraid to. I didn’t know what your reaction would be. Besides, there wasn’t really a reason to. I’d never found anyone I wanted to really be with until now. Jack?”

Jack stood up and walked over to the duo. He took Bernard’s hand and hugged his shoulders.

“I’m the lucky one here, Miss Covington, er, Molly. Your son has enriched my life and I’m grateful for having met him.”

Molly’s eyes glinted at the handsome doctor and she saw how close the two stood and how comfortable they were.

“Jack, you can call me mama if you want. You love my boy?”

Bernard looked into Jack’s face and they smiled.

“With all my heart.” Jack said and winked at his lover.

They shared a brief kiss while Molly watched. She didn’t grimace or anything, but simply observed how perfect the two seemed to be together.

“I’m happy for ya, baby!” She hugged them again and there was a collective sigh of relief in the room.

Jack looked down at his lover. “Well, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get this dinner on.”

“I’m all for that, I could barely eat.” Bernard commented.

The trio devoured the glorious dinner that the couple had lovingly prepared. Bernard and Jack held hands along with Molly and prayed aloud in thanks for both the goodness in their lives and for the food. It was the best holiday that Bernard could ever remember.

Christmas was wonderful. Bernard and Jack bought a live tree and displayed it in the large window bay in the living room. They chatted while hanging the ornaments.

“This is the most awesome looking tree I’ve ever seen!” Bernard said with an heir of wonder.

Jack smiled and kissed his lover. “I’ve had a tree like this before, well, with Randy. We put all red and white ornaments on it and red garland. It looked incredible.”

Bernard’s smile fell a bit as he realized all of the decorations were all red and white. “Um, hey, baby?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you mind if I add some of my favorite ornaments from when I was a kid or maybe another color?”

Jack hesitated as he pictured himself and Randy placing the silk globes on the green branches. “What? Uh, no…that’s fine. Uh, change is good, right? Can’t wallow in the past forever. I guess red and white isn’t everyone’s style. Add whatever you want. It’s fine.” Jack put down the string of lights he’d been working on untangling and walked back to the bedroom.

Bernard let him go for a moment, figuring he’d regressed to the past again. After a few minutes, he crept over to the doorway and saw Jack looking at a photo of himself and Randy in a tighter-than-air embrace. They looked completely in love and happy and it made Bernard jealous.

“Jack? You alright?”

The dark-haired man quickly brushed his face with his hands and glanced back at his current beau. “Yeah, I’m good. Sorry. This time of year makes me nostalgic. Randy and I used to love Christmastime. His family was huge! We’d all get together and play out in the snow and have a huge snowball fight or build snowmen. It was a lot of fun.”

Bernard walked over and put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We can do that stuff too. My family is small, but I bet my mom can chuck a mean snowball!”

Jack laughed, but his amusement quickly died. “No, that’s alright. Thanks for trying, hon. Things just aren’t the same as they once were. Time for new memories and traditions now.” He stood up, put the photo back on the bed, and walked back out to the living room.

Bernard picked up the photo and looked it over. The two looked nauseatingly happy together and he wondered if he and Jack would ever be that happy. He whispered to the image. “He still loves you so much, how can I compete? I’m gonna have to be damn near perfect.”

“Bern? Wanna help me with these lights or go pick up those old ornaments of yours?” Jack bellowed from the other room.

Bernard put the picture back into the nightstand drawer. “Uh, let’s go buy some new ones, hon. If you don’t mind? I’d like some blue or purple ones.”

Jack appeared in the doorway. “Purple? Really?”

“Yeah, I loved that color when I was a kid. So did my sister. Maybe she’ll come for dinner this time.”

“Sure hope so. Come on, let’s go shopping.” Jack held out his hand for Bernard to take, which he happily accepted. They bundled up in their coats and headed for the shops.

Christmas day arrived and Bernard saw his mother, but still no sister. The explanation this time was she was out of town with her current beau and his family. Molly seemed sad, but being with Jack and Bernard mellowed her mood. They all shared sparkling grape juice and swapped presents of gift cards to their favorite stores. Jack gave Bernard a leather wallet with his initials engraved into it, and a print of a painting they’d seen in the mall.

“Jack! It’s gorgeous! It’s of that mountain and the stream…”

“I knew you loved it so I had to get it for you. We’ll hang it right above the bed or in the office.”

Molly caught a glimpse of it. “Oooh, that’s nice, Jack! Right fancy that frame is!” It was a thick, wooden frame and painted gold with flecks of bronze in it.

“Thank you, hon.” Bernard hugged Jack warmly and kissed him. “This has been one of my better Christmases for sure! Everything has been better since I met you.”

Jack smiled and kissed him again. “Same here, hon.”