“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, but it’s just…not the easiestthing to talk about.”
“That’s not a huge deal, I guess. How long were you with theguy?”
“It was a woman.”
“A woman?”
“Yes, a woman.”
He opens his mouth like he’s about to say something, but thencloses it just as quickly.
“We got married right before I went to Iraq, and we weretogether for about another year before she left.”
“Sheleft?”
“Yeah. I…I was pretty distant and cold with her when I got back.Things just weren’t the same. Could never be the same.”
“So it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that you’regay?”
“Well, I mean, I did care about her. And I was attracted toher.”
His eyes widen, and he pulls away. “Wait, what?”
“Is that strange?”
The expression on his face suggests he’s not just surprised bythe news, but distressed over it. I’m surprised. I didn’t think that would bethe big deal out of telling him that I used to be married.
“So you like going down on girls? That’s hot to you?”
“I never had an issue with it.”
He scans over me like he’s looking at a stranger.
“Jay, I’m still me. That doesn’t change who I am or how I feelabout you.”
“That shit with the panties,” he says. “What the fuck was thatreally about then?”
“What?”
“Were you trying to dress me up like that because you’re moreattracted to women?”
“No. That’s crazy. I just…it’s something I’ve always thought washot.”
His startled expression doesn’t change.
“Whoa, I didn’t think that I was going to creep you out aboutthat part. I wanted to tell you I was married because it’s something I feellike I’ve almost been keeping from you, but it was a big part of my life.”
“I’m gonna admit, that’s weird. Really weird. Not something I’vecome across before. So like, I don’t want to sound ignorant, but do you needthat, too?”
“What?”
“Is that what the panties were about? You can’t just be with oneor the other? Like would you need to bring in a girl, too?”
“What? I’m bi, not polyamorous.”
“But obviously you have a thing for women that you need to actout while being with a man. That’s what the thong was about.”
“You’re thinking way too much about that. It’s a little thingthat was fun and that I really wanted to try out.”
