| DAY 6 |
| The sunlight shone brightly through the window. It was just about 7 in the morning; Wendell always wakes up naturally, without the need of an annoying buzzer. And without being used to having someone else in the bed with him, he stretched, just to smack Jeffrey in the stomach. He hadn�t even realized he was still there, laying on his side facing him, sleeping away. Of course, Jeff wasn�t asleep anymore; he came to, suddenly awake now, but not even realizing what woke him. As he glanced across the sheets, Bud was sideways in his vision, but he could tell that he was awake as well. Smiling to himself, because he was finally waking up to someone again, he reached out and put his arm over Wendell�s stomach and caressed him gently. And then he propped himself up with his other arm and leaned over to give Wendell a kiss on the cheek. �G�morning, mate.� Wendell turned his head to the right and let their eyes meet. He smiled very warmly back at Jeff, and at the same moment, put his hands on his stomach, holding Jeff�s hand closer to himself. �Morning, Jeff.� He remained a moment, just rubbing Jeff�s hand with his thumbs, continually looking deep into his eyes. �I want to thank you for last night.� Jeff grinned, recalling all of last night�s wild adventure. �You�re welcome. But it wasn�t all me. You were........incredible, mate.� Wendell blushed and sarcastically said �Yeah right� with facial expression. �God, you were, mate. Especially for your first time,� Jeff replied, trying to comfort his lover while praising his actions. Wendell was still embarrassed, �Well.....I had a great partner to coach me through it.� Their talk of last night got Jeff riled up again. He freed his hand from Wendell�s hold and moved his way down his body, passing underneath the bed sheet which lay across directly under his navel. Wendell stopped his wandering hand before it could get anywhere. �I..... gotta get ready for work. I wouldn�t be able to concentrate like that.� Jeff scoffed laughingly, �Fair enough, mate.� Wendell flung the sheet from his body and slung himself around to sit on the edge of the mattress. He raised his arms out to his sides and stretched, flexing his chest upwards; he felt a little stiff. And his black eye seemed to hurt now. He touched the skin under his eye very gently. And then he stood up and walked across the room to the door. Jeff followed him with intent eyes, watching his naked form move away. Wendell stopped at the door and turned partially back. �I�m gonna take a quick shower.� �Don�t forget to brush your teeth,� Jeff remarked, chuckling. Wendell was puzzled by the comment at first, but then he caught on to Jeff�s line of thinking. He stuck his tongue out at Jeff and then left the room. Jeff grabbed Wendell�s pillow and hugged it tightly to his chest, nearly squeezing the life out of it. He was so happy. ~~~~~ Wendell wrapped himself in a bath robe and headed back into his bedroom. Jeff was lying in the center on top of the sheets in his boxer shorts, sitting up and leaning against the backboard with his arms stretched behind his head, just relaxing. Wendell had his toothbrush and was scrubbing away. Jeff gazed across the room. �Perhaps I should take a shower and brush my teeth as well,� Jeff chuckled. �Well, feel free. You�d have to use my toothbrush though. I don�t mind if you don�t mind,� Wendell responded, his mouth full of paste and saliva; all his words came out garbled, and Jeff just barely was able to comprehend. �All right. I will then.� And Jeff hopped up and followed Wendell into the bathroom. Wendell went to the sink to spit and Jeff bent inside the shower to turn the taps on. He took his shorts off and climbed in. As Jeff washed, Wendell finished at the sink and went to his room to get dressed for work. ~~~~~ Jeff had no choice but to get dressed in the same clothes; not that they were that dirty anyway. All the pieces of his outfit were scattered around the house: his socks, shirt, and pants thrown different directions in the den and his boxers of course were in the bathroom. So, he went in the den to gather up his clothes and put each on as they were discovered. He gathered up Wendell�s vestments as well. Jeff reared around the corner of the hall with the bundle of clothes in his arms; Wendell was walking through, putting his tie on, and nearly bumped into him. �Whoa! I�m sorry,� Wendell said. �No worries, my fault..... I uh.... picked up your clothes. Any particular place you want �em?� Wendell reached into the pile and took out his suit jacket and pants, knocking a sock to the floor in the process. �Well, these I gotta dry-clean.� Jeff bent down to pick up the sock. �If you don�t mind, there�s a hamper in the foyer you can put �em in.� �Okay.� Jeff took his clothes to the hamper. Wendell wasn�t even sure why he was heading out to the den, went back to his room to get his other suit jacket. The suit he was wearing today was a soft ash color, with a black tie. Jeffrey went back to the bathroom to brush his teeth once he put the clothes away. Wendell came in, adjusting his jacket on himself. �I would take us out to breakfast, buddy, but uh...� he adjusted his tie some more, �I gotta get to work. I�m a little late as it is.� Jeff spit and then responded, �That�s okay. I can grab a bite anywhere.� �Well, I�ll just drop you off at the hotel on the way.� �Okay.� Wendell stepped up next to Jeffrey and put his right hand on his cheek and turned his head facing more towards him, with gentle action. He leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and then walked out of the bathroom. Jeff stood with toothbrush in hand and mouth open; surprised at Wendell�s loving gesture. He just didn�t expect Wendell to be so open with instigating love like that. As he pondered the notion, he began to drool toothpaste suds down his chin. He wiped it up and spit again, chuckling to himself. ~~~~~ They talked on the way back to Fairmont Hotel. Bud stopped the car directly in front of the doors. Jeff unbuckled. �I had a great time, mate.� �Me too.� Jeff leaned over and kissed him on the lips and held it for a while. He wanted a last contact to get him through the day. Once he had his fill, he opened his door. �I hope I get to see you again before tomorrow.� �You can count on it, Jeff. I�ll be here around 4 to pick you up again.� Jeff paused, �Okay then. I hope I can go that long without you, mate.� He smiled. Wendell smiled back. �I�ll see you later.� �Bye.� And Jeff closed the door and Wendell drove off. ~~~~~ He pounded his fists against the steering wheel; tears streamed down his face. This was the most vulnerable he had ever felt. 31 years in existence and it seemed like ever since he could remember he had always yearned for someone to love and to love him back. At night, in his spacious, abandoned house, sometimes he�d cry, so uncertain of his future, if he�d ever find love, given his state. And now, with Jeff, he finally found that ability to be able to be open and confide. But Jeff was leaving tomorrow, out of his life forever. Wendell couldn�t bear to think of what was going to happen to him after he left. It was certainly going to be a long day at work. And then what? Run to Jeff for one more night of love? And then go back to solitude? He didn�t want to think about it, and so he shut it from his mind and wiped the perspired droplets from his cheek and eyes, as he pulled up to the station. Entering the station, he tried to choke back all emotion. At work, he wasn�t Wendell; no, at work, he was tough, covered by a shell; false to himself, protected from being exposed. He was Bud. He had gotten so used to being �that person.� But Jeff released the true spirit that lived inside his body, and its emergence felt so warm. And it made him feel uncomfortable having to revert back to the lie. Now, he could realize how different it was and how ugly he felt portraying it. But he went through with it nonetheless, sadly enough, to save face. That�s the world he lived in. Necessity..... �Good morning, Bud,� said one of the officers at the front desk, greeting the popular officer as he entered the office. Bud was well known throughout the entire Los Angeles police force; mainly for his tough guy / bad cop attitude, which again was just a persona he created for himself. But it still was him. His profession is something he takes real seriously and his passion for fair justice drove him to perform with excellence. And being a fairly big man as it is, a little muscle work just came naturally. One thing for certain, if you�re a criminal, don�t piss this man off. So when it comes to work, the persona of �Bud� isn�t a false reality. But outside of work, he still acted the same even though he honestly would never be like that. And of course, it was Jeff who made him realize this. He so wanted to be more free, and he vowed to himself that from now on, he�d try to act himself. Now one of the things that made Bud....well Bud, was his strong yet silent presence. Normally, when he came in during the morning, and when the officer at the desk greeted him, he�d just nod his head and keep walking. He couldn�t even recall when he started doing that; it was just always something he did. �Good morning, Chuck,� he said, smiling back at his fellow officer. The other officer was puzzled at this sudden display of jubilance. �How are you doin�? You feeling okay?� �Never better,� Bud replied. It was a bold lie. He was still torn up inside over the fact of Jeff leaving tomorrow, but he did promise himself to be more open and friendly around the people at the station. �How �bout yourself?� �Oh, can�t complain. Good to see you�re in such a good mood, Bud.� Bud grinned back. The irony - funny, he didn�t feel in such a good mood. But oh well. He�d just concentrate on his work and take life as it came. �Take care, Chuck.� �You too.� And Bud entered the office area and sat down at his desk to get to work on all the paperwork that went along with his adventure the day before.� ~~~~~ For once, he actually beat his dad up. But he himself was still tired; not used to waking up at 7 in the morning. However, all the commotion he caused coming in alerted sleeping Harry. Jeff plopped down on the sofa and rubbed his face; he felt like climbing back into bed. �You could have bloody called,� Harry said, exiting the bedroom. He was joking of course. He knew where his son and what he was doing, not that he really wanted to think about that. Speaking through the cracks in his hands, Jeff mumbled, �Oh, I�m sorry, mate. Too wrapped up in things. I completely forgot.� �Ah, no worries. I take it you had a great time then.� �Like you wouldn�t believe.� �Hope you didn�t do anything I wouldn�t do.� Jeff laughed to himself. �Now that depends. Maybe if...� Harry interjected, �Please spare me the details. Don�t think this old man could handle that.� Jeff hopped up and walked over to his father and on his way passed him, he lightly tapped him in the gut. �Ah, you�re not that old yet, you silly bastard.� He laughed again. �I�m gonna hit the sack for a couple hours.� Harry turned around to face the bedroom. �Hit the sack? Gosh how late were you up foolin� around?� �Wasn�t how late, but how good,� Jeff responded with a smirk and closed the bedroom door behind himself. Harry scoffed aloud to himself, �Now if only he�d settle down with someone. Figures he�d fall in love with someone he�d be leaving.� Harry cared a lot for Jeff. And not once had he ever been ashamed of him. Disappointed? Of course he was; disappointed Jeff would never get to enjoy the ritual of making a baby, to provide a grandchild. But if Jeff wasn�t going to have what he had, then he wanted Jeff to have what he could. One thing he always pushed for was that Jeff go out there and find someone and be happy. Of course it wasn�t always that easy for Jeff to meet someone. All the guys he ever met just wanted one thing, and it wasn�t companionship. And every time that Jeff got burned by someone he deeply cared for, it would take him so long to recover before he�d try again. Harry knew that this case was really going to drive Jeff crazy. It was obvious he cared a lot for Bud and now he�d have to go back home to Australia and leave him behind. The only thing Harry could do was to just be there for his son. �Poor guy,� Harry said to himself. And then he ordered some breakfast. ~~~~~ He awoke to the sound of a roaring thunderclap; its wake so powerful that it shook the walls of the mighty Fairmont Hotel. It was startling to say the least; Jeff lurching straight up to a sitting position, thinking some kind of explosion went off or something. But then he came to the realization that it was just a storm. The wind howled and slapped the rainfall against the window in sheets, creating a lulling emanation of sound. Jeff�s breath was returning back to normal and his pulse too. The time was a little after noon. Feeling rested up enough, he decided just to get up again; also not wanting to waste the whole day away. But as he reclined in the bed, staring up at the white stuck-o ceiling, it dawned on him that he was leaving tomorrow, and that troubled him dearly. He had fallen for Wendell, and just like every other guy he truly liked, something prevented it from blossoming. He knew he brought it on himself this time; traveling to a different country for only a week. He should�ve known better. But as Harry always told him: �You can�t help who you fall in love with. Love is random.� Yet despite Harry�s great wisdom, which mostly was passed down from his own mother, it really didn�t help Jeff any. Harry called a cab to pick them up. The walk to Shirley�s would�ve left the two of them purely soaking wet. Once they arrived, Harry sent the cab away; the fee if he would�ve waited would be ridiculously high. Shirley was working again and greeted her guests warmly. �Gidday, Jeffrey, Harry.� Shirley usually had a good memory and could remember most of her guests� names. �Hey, Shirley. How�s it going?� Harry asked, trying to make small talk. �Ah, the rain - it�s driving all my business away. Thank goodness for my regulars.� She smiled at the two. �So, when y�all leaving back for home?� �Tomorrow. We�ll have time for one more lunch before we go,� Harry commented. �Lookin� forward to it already, sugar,� she replied, giving him a wink. Harry�s Aussie charm always attracted the ladies. She handed the menus out. �Y�know what to do.� And she smiled again and went to clean a table. Harry eyed the menu rapidly. �So...mate. You seeing him again?� �Yeah,� Jeff responded glumly, while checking out the menu. �You don�t seem too happy about it. What�s the matter, Jeff?� Harry asked, concerned for his son. ��Eh, you know. Leaving tomorrow and everything. Just got me thinking and all.� �Plenty more fish in the sea, Jeffrey. Maybe we should got out to the Prinny when we get back.� �Yeah, maybe,� Jeff responded in monotone. �Now, Jeff. You gotta have more confidence than that if you wanna get someone.� �Yeah....� �Now, I�m serious. �Love is the greatest adventure of all.� Your grandmother said it once. And that means you gotta be adventurous and get out there and grab Life by the reigns.� �You�re right, you�re right, mate. But there�s not much I can do about it right now. Can only take it as it comes.� �Yeah. You�re right about that. We only got one more day. Do try and cheer up, Jeff.� �At 4 o clock I will,�Jeff responded, managing a slight grin. The thought of Wendell did cheer him up. He was planning to make the most of their time together. Harry let the subject go for now, not wanting to chastize Jeffrey. But he was deeply concerned for him. Back home, Jeff never seemed to have the desire to go out and try to find someone, yet he always felt the desire to have someone. And it just doesn�t work without the effort very well. Sure, every now and then, Jeff would luckily bump into a guy but they never turned out serious. With more attempts come a bigger chance of success, and that is what Harry tried to get his son to try. Harry called Shirley back over to place an order for lunch. ~~~~~ �You bored?� Exley said, poking his head through the door of the office. Bud looked up and dropped his pen and pushed his chair away from the desk. �What you got?� �A drunken lunatic wavering down State Street.� �So what else is new?� Bud asked, referring to that street�s more-than-common habit of producing drunkards due to the liberal amount of bars and clubs along that particular strip. �This one�s got a crossbow.� �What!?� Bud exclaimed. �Yeah. You heard right. Who knows. I guess we�ll find out later.� Bud hopped up and followed Exley out of the office. �What is up with this week? A bank robbery; a corrupt Senator holding his family hostage; and now this.� �Tell me about it.� Bud�s pace was a little faster than Exley�s and he passed him in the hallway out of the building. �What�s the matter, Bud?� Exley asked. �You�re walking a little funny.� Bud got embarrassed by his friend�s observation. Of course he wasn�t going to dignify that with the truth. �Oh I ummm.....,� Bud tried to come up with an answer as quickly as possible. �I.... silly thing actually.� He turned to face Exley. �Slipped coming out of the shower this morning. Pulled a muscle.� �Oh, okay.� Bud turned back around and opened the door and stepped outside. He sighed to himself, relieved that he actually came up with something believable. The rain still fell in sheets. The thunder had subsided somewhat but still existed. �Shouldn�t we uhh.... get some gear to protect us from rocketing arrows or something?� Bud asked Exley as he circled around to the passenger�s side of Exley�s car which was parked on the curb. �I got a bullet-proof shield in the trunk; always ready just in case,� Exley replied. �Yeah. You never know when you�ll run into a crossbow-wielding maniac,� Bud chuckled. ~~~~~ It was a quarter til 2 when they finished lunch. They really took their time eating, not feeling like heading back out into the nasty weather. But the moment came to grit teeth and bear it. Harry asked Shirley if he could use a phone to call a cab; and he did. As they waited, Harry talked to his son to find out his plans for the evening. �So, he�s picking you up at 4, �eh?� �Yeah,� Jeff said, a little more excited than previously, since the time grew nearer that he�d be reunited with his golden flame. �Doesn�t leave much time to do anything else really. What were you gonna do?� �Just relax back at the hotel. Don�t really feel like doing anything.� �Fair enough,� Harry replied, �But not me. I gotta do something. I saw a flyer for a car show in the paper this morning. All the brand new designs and stuff. Thought it would be interesting.� �Sounds like fun.� The cab came and dropped Jeffrey at the hotel and proceeded onwards to take Harry to the car exhibit. ~~~~~ The wipers smacked back and forth furiously, on the fastest setting, to try and keep the windshield clear enough for any visibility. The rain was coming down so hard that they barely could see a few feet of distance from the window. State Street was relatively long and the drunkard could�ve wandered nearly anywhere, but since they got the call from the antique store owner, Exley deduced that he should be somewhat close to their current position. Bud squinted and peered through the front window. He saw a figure across the street. He concentrated harder on the figure. �Hold up. Hold up. Slow down. I think I see �im.� Exley brought the vehicle to a stop. And he too strained his eyes against the muddled glass. �Yup. That�s our guy.� �So who gets the honors?� Bud asked, referring to who gets to be the one to grab the shield and apprehend the guy. �Rock, paper, scissors?� Exley asked, raising an eyebrow. �Sure, why not.� They raised their fists. �1...2...3..,� they chanted. Exley chose paper, Bud, rock. �Ah, shit,� Bud exhaled. Exley bent down and popped the trunk door with a pull of a latch. Bud unbuckled and flung his door open. �It would have to be pouring,� Bud sighed. �Well, time to rock �n� roll.� Bud circled around to the trunk and opened the door. He saw the shield under a few other supplies and removed it. �Of all the crazy...shit,� he mumbled to himself. He raised the bullet-proof barrier in front of his upper body and started across the street. The man was leaning against a telephone pole, banging his forehead against it; he also mumbled incoherently about a grill not working. He certainly was drunk and out of his mind. As Bud approached, the man heard the footsteps and turned around. Not thinking clearly, the shield made Bud look extremely threatening and fearsome. Immediately, he raised the crossbow and pulled the trigger. �Who are you?� he said, his speech slurred and drowsy. With reflex, Bud flinched and drew the shield closer to his face to protect himself, which actually made the impact seem more powerful than it would�ve been, given that he held the barrier away from himself. The arrow ricocheted and fell to the ground, landing in a puddle of rainwater. The man fumbled about to reload the weapon, but fortunately for Bud, he had no more ammo. In his haste, the man had only brought the one arrow. Bud realized this and rushed the guy; dropping the shield to the ground and running up to grab the man. In size comparison, Bud conquered that field and was easily able to apprehend him. Upon noticing Bud�s inevitable victory, Exley dashed out to aid his partner, getting the cuffs ready. Bud held the embrace as Exley slipped the metal loops around the suspect�s wrists. After the situation was under control, Bud read the guy his rights, although being so drunk, it was doubtful that he understood anything. ~~~~~ They entered the station, dripping wet and leaving a trail of water down the hall. None of the men displayed smiles, especially the suspect who was cuffed and soon to be behind bars. He was beginning to sober up and he remembered everything; but not sure how he ended up doing what he did. It was a very rough time in his life. Most everything that could go wrong did. And when he got drunk, he just lost control. The antique store was where he got the crossbow. He had stumbled in there shortly after getting wasted in the bar next door. One thing led to another and he stole the weapon from the shelf and headed back out into the storm. But temporarily thinking straight or not, it didn�t matter. He stole merchandise and tried to attack a cop; both of which was going to add up to give him a little bit of jail time until the court decided what should be done with him. By the time they got him in the questioning room, it was nearly 3 PM. Bud approached Exley, who was drying his face off with a towel. �Hey, Exley.� �Yeah, Bud?� �Do you think you could finish up here for me? I had other plans this afternoon,� Bud asked, hoping he would, so that he could slip back home and change and then pick up Jeffrey. �You got plans?� Exley asked, not used to Bud signing out early. �Yeah. A friend is in town. Wanted to hang out is all.� �Well, that�s fine. I�m sure I can handle everything from here. Yeah, go ahead. Shove off.� �Thanks, Exley,� Bud replied, patting his partner on the shoulder and smiling and then leaving the office. Exley scratched his head. His partner seemed in such a jolly mood, which certainly contradicted his usual self. ~~~~~ Being as self-conscious as he is, Jeff spent the last few minutes constantly checking himself in the mirror. He had changed clothes once he got back from lunch; not wanting to seem repetitive when he saw Wendell again. He put on the attire he had on before he went to Les Miserables; his green shorts, flannel and grey under-shirt tucked in, yellow socks and black boots. He really didn�t have much else to wear, not that it mattered. Wendell wouldn�t care either way. He loved Jeff for Jeff, not for how he dressed. Jeff made sure his hair was lying fine and that his teeth were clean. He splashed some cologne on, trying to make him more attractive. For some reason, he lacked sexual confidence in himself; thinking that he wasn�t very good looking, so he used dress and additives to boost himself. But of course Jeff was a good- looking bloke and didn�t need any help, but try and tell him that. He heard a knock on the door as he was still frantically running about tidying himself up. Approaching the door, Jeff shook his hands in front of himself and exhaled, trying to release the anxious build-up and be more calm. He opened the door rather swiftly; and Wendell was there already smiling, and finally, not dressed in a suit. He sported casual, loose-fit jeans and a U2 shirt that fit his upper frame quite nicely. Jeff was shocked seeing Wendell out of uniform. But it was a good shock all the same. �Hey, Jeff.� �G�day, mate.� ~~~~~ Wendell wanted to take Jeff to a fairgrounds on the outskirts of L.A.; it was his favorite place to go and relax and connect with tranquility. He�d always scale the empty concrete grandstands and sit on the very top and just gaze across the way. Yet the weather prevented from going there. The grandstands would be covered with precipitation. On the car ride to the Fairmont Hotel, he thought of other alternatives for their date this evening. The only decent romantic thing he could think of was taking him to the ocean. He knew of a nice park that rest along the beach, with a gazebo on a hilltop that looked out over the vast sea. And with the weather as it was, he knew they�d be alone. They could watch the waves crash onto the sand, and the millions of tiny ripples as the rain pattered against the pregnable surface; and kiss under the protective roof of the gazebo. ~~~~~ It was a lengthy drive out to the coast, but it didn�t matter what they were doing. They just enjoyed being together. The radio was left off so they could hear each other speak. It was humid but they had no choice but to leave the windows up, lest they get pelted by stinging raindrops and also ruin the interior of the car. When they arrived at the park, Wendell drove the car down the gravel road; there was not a soul around. His prediction came true - they�d have the time to themselves. Truthfully, he was still shy about public displays of affection. It would take him a while to get to the point where he could be seen kissing another guy without caring about any devious stares he�d get doing so. But one day, some day, he�d feel comfortable with it. So, for now, that is why he brought Jeff to this place. Wendell parked the car as close as he could to the gazebo so that they wouldn�t get too drenched running for safety. Unfortunately though, there was a staircase leading up onto it, preventing a clean getaway. Wendell shut the engine off. �Looks like we�ll have to make a run for it.� �I could think of worse things than seeing you completely wet,� Jeff responded smirkingly. �I bet you could,� Wendell replied with light sarcasm. Jeff grinned and then opened the door, hopped out, shut the door, and then fled for sanctuary under the ornate dome. Wendell shortly followed. �Man alive,� Jeffrey shouted while shaking himself off. He ran his fingers through his hair to get the excess water out, and he fluffed his flannel over-shirt. Wendell rain up the steps as fast as he could and then met Jeff underneath the dome. �Whoo!� He brushed his hand over his buzz-cut and knocked all the rainwater from atop his head. His t-shirt was semi-soaked but nothing he could do about that. Jeff admired the way his wet shirt clung to his body; he found it very sexy. He grinned to himself. The temperature by the ocean was much cooler. He regretted wearing shorts. �It�s bloody cold out here, mate.� Wendell chuckled, �You shouldn�t have worn shorts then.� And then he grabbed Jeff and pulled him snugly against his body. �Here. I�ll keep ya warm.� Jeff flushed with desire. �Okay then.� They embraced, snuggling close up, sharing body warmth. And then they kissed, ever so passionately. Still embracing, Wendell began to step, leading Jeffrey with him; he was trying to dance. Jeff realized what he was trying to do and began stepping in time with him. He thought it was very romantic; he never slow-danced with a guy before, only rave dancing at clubs. He thought Wendell very sweet for this; definite points in the book. As they danced, they made their way over to the rail that overlooked the raging tide below. They ended the masquerade to gaze at the sea. The waves crashed on the rocks and thousands of raindrops left the ocean�s surface in chaos. Also, lightning crackled on the far horizon, illuminating the sky; it was a beautiful sight all the same, despite the grey of the clouds and lack of sun. �I�m glad you brought me here. It�s really nice,� Jeff said, looking into Wendell�s passion-filled eyes, while he held onto his shoulders. Wendell raised both eyebrows and flashed a smile, but remained silent; and he continued to lead on, the music playing in his own head. ~~~~~ The mood had changed within the next half hour; turning slowly from a romantic dance to sitting on the rail in a more serious discussion. It was time for the two men to confront their haunts - the fact that Jeff was going home tomorrow. Hands holding together, taking turns gazing at the forever changing ocean and each other, they shared their inner most feelings and concerns. �I don�t know what I�m gonna do without you,� Wendell sighed his head, looking down at Jeff�s hands. �I know, mate. I can�t believe it happened like this. I don�t want to leave you, but... I don�t want to leave Australia either,� Jeff replied, sharing Wendell�s pain, or some of it anyway. It was a lot worse for Wendell because this was the first time he�d ever been in love, and he was afraid he�d never find it again. Jeff had already gotten past those shaky days and has had a few chances at love. Wendell looked back up into Jeff�s eyes, searching for connection. �I hope we can at least keep in contact, talk, write to each other, y�know? Stay friends.� �Of course, Wendell. If you don�t call me, I�ll be insulted,� he chuckled. �And I�ll definitely call you, mate.� Wendell blushed, �I guess we should exchange address and stuff then.� �Yea, certainly.� �Okay. But when we get back to my place.� �Oh? You�re taking me back to your place?� Jeffrey asked in a serious tone, but he was joking of course, but was just playing with his friend. Wendell got all shy. �Oh...well, I was planning on it.... but if you don�t want me...� Jeff quickly interjected, �No, no, no, no. I was just kidding, mate.� Jeff laughed aloud. �Of course I want to. I was just foolin� is all.� Wendell bashed his eyes and grinned. He looked back over the great ocean. The rain had let up and he hadn�t even noticed. Some grey clouds split asunder, the sun echoed through with a ray of light that shined upon the churning surface, which created a soft rainbow stretching across the horizon. Wendell pointed out. �Hey, Jeff. Look.� Jeff shifted his glance outwards and noticed the rainbow glimmering. �Sweet.� Jeff kept his vision locked onto the rainbow, and he didn�t notice Wendell�s hand reaching out until it touched against his cheek. And then he turned his head into it, feeling his thumb caressing his skin. He reached up with his own hands and held Wendell�s close to his face, feeling the warmth spread from his body into his own. He wanted to remember things like this. ~~~~~ The weather did not stay subsided for long, picking up with vehement lightning and torrents of rain. The view through the windshield was so distorted and blurred that Wendell had to drive extra slow in order to feel safe. And the wind blew so fiercely that the force pressed against the car and Wendell had to compensate with a steadier grip on the wheel so that he wouldn�t be flung into the next lane. Whenever he rode passenger, and especially when it was storming, Jeff�s vision would be glued to the outside via the side window, yet this particular trip, there was something else captivating his mind. Jeff sat turned in his seat, stupidly gawking at Wendell. He couldn�t help himself; the �distraction� was far too intense to be denied. Wendell could feel the attention and it made him slightly uncomfortable. He wasn�t used to be regarded as a sex symbol or anything like that. Yet at the same time, it also made him blush. And blushing is always correspondent with some form of love, so deep down he was excited that Jeff thought of him in this manner. ~~~~~ When they got back into the L.A. area, Wendell stopped at Shirley�s to get Jeff and himself some dinner. Just stepping through the door, a familiar voice called out to Jeff. �Hey, Jeff,� shouted a young girl from across the diner. It was Hazel; she was sitting by herself in one of the booths near the window. She was on her given hour break and frequently ate at Shirley�s. Pretty much all the local working stiffs were regulars to Shirley�s; they drove her business. Jeff smiled back at her, �G�day, Hazel. How you doing?� �Fine, fine. I guess. I was just taking my break from work.� �Care if we join you?� Jeff offered, without even consulting with Wendell; she was a friend and didn�t want her to have to eat alone. �Sure. Some company would be great,� she replied with enthusiasm. Both Jeffrey and Wendell sat down across from her at the booth. �This is Hazel. She works at the hotel I�m staying at,� Jeff said, introducing her. �And this is Bud, an officer of the LAPD.� They said their hello�s and shook hands over the table. Hazel stopped to admire the handsome man. It was the same guy that had been around before, looking for Jeff at the hotel. She figured the two of them were romantically involved. It made more sense - all their interactions with one another - now that she knew that Jeffrey was, well... gay. The idea of the two of them together intrigued her; two good-looking men and all. She found herself getting a little riled up just thinking about it and had to shift position in her seat to try and ease herself. A waitress came back over to the table, recognizing new guests. Jeff and Wendell ordered right away, already knowing what they wanted before she could even hand out menus. Just as the food arrived, Hazel looked at her watch and noticed she was late returning to work. �Oh no! I completely lost track of time.� She hopped up and grabbed her purse and took some money out and placed it on the table. �Sorry, but I gotta dash or I�ll be really late to work. I apologize.� �No worries, mate. No big deal,� Jeff replied. �It was nice meeting you, Bud.� �Same here.� �Cya, Jeff,� Hazel said as she began walking towards the exit. She had an umbrella with her and started opening it. �G�bye, mate.� Wendell started digging in on his caesar salad. In-between bites he commented on the young girl. �Spunky little lady, ain�t she?� Before she left, she had been talking away to Jeff about the Les Miserables show, and she is a naturally hyper and talkative person, so she usually comes of as a little crazy, but in a good way. Her presence illuminated any room and raised esteem of those around her. �Yeah, she�s a cheery lass. Good person, though.� �She the one who has the crush on you?� Wendell asked. It wasn�t any of his business, but he couldn�t help himself from asking. �Yup,� Jeff replied. �Well, I certainly can�t blame her. Too bad though. You�re all mine, little man,� Wendell said, laughing. �Hey! Who you calling little? I thought you said last night that I was bigger than you imagined!� �Don�t get all testy now, Jeff. I was only joking. And I certainly didn�t mean little on THAT score. Definitely have no complaints on that,� Wendell defended himself and then jokingly licked his lips. Jeff lowered his head and chuckled. ~~~~~ Due to the sheer strength of the storm, a branch from a tree that was looming overtop the driveway had fallen onto the pavement, blocking entrance to the garage. As he pulled up over the curb, Wendell reached his hand to the visor and pressed the opener switch. He brought the vehicle to a stop when he noticed the blockade. The car was left idled as he exited the car to remove the barricade. The branch was quite heavy and it took force and time to haul it. By the time he got back in the car, he was utterly soaked. And then he pulled the car inside so that at least Jeffrey could remain dry by entering the side door inside the garage. They removed their muddy shoes at the door entrance, definitely not wanting to track that onto the white carpet. Both their socks were wet as well; stepping in puddles with standard shoes usually has that result, so the socks came off too before entering. Wendell went straight to his bedroom to change into some dry attire; Jeff followed. In the middle of his room, Wendell turned around to face Jeff. �I should probably get out of these wet clothes before I catch a cold and well, before I sit down in any furniture.� Jeff walked up to Wendell and put his hands on Wendell�s chest, rubbing his fingers over the nipples that were pressing through the wet fabric of his U2 shirt. �Yeah. You better,� he smiled warmly. �Don�t want you getting sick now, mate.� Wendell bent in and gave him a quick kiss then stepped back and ripped off his shirt and tossed it to the floor. Then, he undid his belt and dropped his jeans to his ankles and kicked them aside, leaving him standing in his black boxer briefs. Jeff�s eyes grew wide; he adored boxer briefs and how they perfectly accentuated the entire package, front and back. �Do you mind if I use your bathroom?� Jeff asked. �Nope. But don�t be too long. I gotta go too.� �Okay, will do.� Jeff left the bedroom, with the image of the boxer briefs etched into his memory. They both did have to use the bathroom, but also secretly relieved themselves too, so that their �session� tonight would be prolonged. Last night, they were too easily aroused to last very long. ~~~~~ Sitting on the leather sofa, they talked back and forth to pass some time. It was only 8 o clock though, and neither were in the mood quite yet as it was still rather early. Wendell had changed into another ensemble that was also completely different than what Jeffrey was used to seeing him in. Firstly notable, he had leather pants on, which Jeff absolutely loved. Secondly, he had a long-sleeve, ribbed black sweater that hugged his body so close. It was cropped short so that it didn�t hang below belt level and hide his back side; if he stretched his arms up, the shirt would expose his belly. The combo of the tight leather pants and sweater made Jeff rather excited. Wendell looked very fashionable in this wardrobe. They agreed it was too early to begin anything and also agreed to go out and do something. Deciding on going back out to L.A. Passion, they were ready for a night of clubbing. ~~~~~ The club beat was pounding just like usual; alive with motion and voices; bodies out on the dance floor and people mingling at the bar. Wendell attracted many an eye walking through the main doors and around the dance floor going over to the bar. It was his smoldering attire that set his sex appeal aflame. Luckily, there were two stools next to one another at the bar open. Jeffrey and Wendell took a seat and ordered a couple beers. �You normally go clubbing a lot?� Jeff asked. �Nah. Not really. Been to a couple regular bars on occasion with some friends. But, it was my first time actually, to a place like this, the other night. You?� Jeff took a swig of his beer, �Well. I do go out a lot. We got this place back home called The Prinny. One of my favorite places to hang out.� �Is it....?� �Yeah. It�s a gay bar,� he took another drink. �Mostly hang out with some of my mates. But I rarely actually have dates.� Wendell clanked his glass down on the counter top. �Well, I find that hard to believe. I mean, you actually have the courage to go out and you�re certainly a good-looking guy. How could you not have that many dates?� Jeffrey looked down, while he spun the glass around and around in partial circles. �Well. To be honest. It�s Dad.� �Your father!?� Wendell exclaimed. �Yeah. Every time I bring a guy back home, he ends up scaring them off.� �Scaring �em off? How so?� Wendell asked, curious as to what Harry could possibly do to cause such a thing. �He tries too hard to get along. Winds up making my boyfriends feel uncomfortable to the point that they end up leaving.� �Surely you exaggerate,� Wendell responded, not quite able to believe Harry could be capable of such. He seemed like such a sweet man. �I kid you not. They literally leave my bedroom and out the front door. I mean, Christ, he barges in just to ask how he takes his tea in the morning, right in the middle of us making out. �That�s not good,� Wendell replied, showing his disapproval of Harry�s actions. �Hell, once he actually brought the tea into my room the next morning WHILE we were having a wake up session.� Wendell gulped, feeling Jeff�s pain. �How embarrassing.� �Tell me about it. I know he means well, but....� �Eh, don�t worry. One day you�ll be glad he�s so accepting.� �Yeah. I keep telling myself that. But he drives me mental sometimes.� They each ordered another beer and then headed out onto the dance floor to have some fun. ~~~~~ The night dissipated quickly and vanquished a perfectly good evening at L.A. Passion. But the following would be far more exhilarating anyway. Wendell had the next day off from work and could devote all the night and next morning to Jeffrey before he caught his plane. On the way back to the house, they remembered that they still had to exchange addresses. First thing when they got inside the house, Wendell got some paper and a pen and each wrote down their address and phone number and then exchanged with one another. Jeff sealed his piece away in his wallet and Wendell left his on the glass table in the den for now. For some reason, Wendell�s body ached all over. It had begun after they stopped dancing at the club. He rubbed the back of his neck. �Man. I am sore all over. I think I�m gonna go relax in the hot tub for a while.� Jeff grinned, �Mind if I tag along?� �I was counting on it.� ~~~~~ After a relaxing session in the hot tub, they stole away into the bedroom for the night. It was well after midnight. Both men were exhausted and also scared of what tomorrow would bring. Silence was the best way to be together right now. Cuddling up to one another, they closed their eyes and let their last night together fade into a gentle respite. |