BERNARD AND SARAHpulled into her driveway on Friday evening. He’d brought a change of clothes, so he didn’t have to go home.
Sarah and John lived in a two-story home in Oakwood Estates. Each home came with a well-manicured lawn, a two-car garage, four bedrooms, three baths, and garbage collection included. John was a real estate agent and got their home with a low interest.
“Honey, we’re home,” she called out.
“Hi, dear,” John said.
He walked into the living room with an apron on and kissed her.
“Hey, John,” Bernard said.
“Hey, Bernard.” He hugged Bernard. John had limited boundaries. He loved to hug, fully confident in himself. Bernard respected him for it. It could be off-putting to others, but Bernard didn’t mind.
“Can I use your bathroom to change?” Bernard held up his overnight bag.
“Of course,” Sarah said.
Bernard undressed and looked at himself in their full-body mirror. He didn’t have a full-body mirror. They’d always made him uneasy. He rubbed his hands over the hair on his chest and belly.
I like men who look like me. Why can’t I like myself?
Taking Sarah’s advice, Bernard searched his image for things he liked about himself. He smiled as he saw his soft brown eyes looking back at him. Eyes that cared. Eyes he loved.
He pulled on jeans and a polo for dinner, stuffed the rest of his clothes in his bag, and opened the door.
Kelly stood on the other side.
“Oh, sorry, Bernard.” He backed away. “I didn’t know you were in here.”
“I’m done. It’s all yours.”
They skirted around each other in the hall, and he made his way to the dining room.
When Kelly rejoined them, John put out plates of roasted garlic chicken, roasted potatoes, and steamed veggies. He gave everyone except Bernard a glass of red wine, instead placing a glass of water and soda in front of him.
Bernard took in the combined aroma of all the food. His mouth watered. John always cooked everything to perfection.
“John, this looks amazing,” Bernard said.
“It is my specialty.” John smiled.
“He doesn’t make it often,” Sarah said. “But when he does, it’s always fantastic.”
“Remember when we were kids, we’d sneak into the kitchen to cook something?” Kelly asked with a chuckle.
“We got into so much trouble.” John shook his head fondly.
“We also made nothing that tasted good.” The men laughed. Kelly had a pleasant laugh. Genuine.
Bernard savored each bite of the meal. The chicken melted in his mouth. He inhaled the scent of the potatoes. John covered everything in fresh Gilroy garlic. Although John came from Washington, he’d acclimatized to the Gilroy way. The garlic capital of the world. Each summer the town held its garlic festival. Bernard’s family attended every year when he was a kid. He hadn’t gone since he was a teenager. It wasn’t the same without his mother.
“Kelly, do you want to share your good news?” John said.
“Huh,” Kelly said. “Oh, yeah. John helped me find a house today.”
“That’s great,” Sarah said. “Where is it?”
“It’s down on Newport Ave, next to Wish Street,” Kelly said.
