He fixed his gaze on the uneaten food on his plate. “I met someone.” Blood pounded behind his ears. He’d not planned on telling them. Not tonight. Not for a long time, if ever. He and Vahin had barely met. Why would he bring it up now? He’d dated other men for months and never brought them home to meet his family. Never even brought them up to his family.
But what had been planned about this night?
He forced himself to look up and meet their stares and start again. “I met someone. His name’s Vahin. It’s… new. But I think….”
His mother shook her head, ever so slightly. Probably didn’t even realize she’d reacted at all.
Marlon nearly stopped talking. “For the first time, I think I might have found what you two have. I’d kinda given up on that.”
No one spoke, but tears rolled silently down his mother’s cheeks. He could see the shift in her eyes. Maybe her healing fantasy was finally breaking.
Finally his father cleared his throat. He started to speak, then cleared his throat again before words came. “So you’re telling me that my brave and strong son has met someone he might love and is thinking about running away because other people know?”
Marlon wanted to argue. It wasn’t as simple as that. Sam was gone. Andrew was a nightmare. Something bad was going to happen with him; it was only a matter of time. He was tired. It wasn’t as simple as him running away because of Vahin or because everyone else finally knew.
Or was it?
Marlon leaned against his car as the night grew cooler, the breeze playing on the water, then washing over him. He watched until the cheers from Lakeside faded and the lights of the rides blinked out. He turned his attention to the stars, though dimmed by the glow of the surrounding city, as they twinkled down on him, but they offered no answers.
There were no answers. No solutions. No miracles. No easy way out. He couldn’t change anything.
Now it is what it is, and you live with it.
When he showed up at Vahin’s Capitol Hill apartment, it was by choice, not a meandering accident. It was also intentional to show up unannounced instead of calling or texting. If Vahin wasn’t there, Marlon would go by Mary’s, though they’d closed hours ago.
Despite his nerves, the pounding of his heart wasn’t laden with fear, at least not as much as before. His father was right. He’d made his choice long ago. He wasn’t sure if Vahin was truly part of that choice he’d get to live with or just a beautiful detour along the way, but he wanted to find out.
He’d fix things with Vahin tonight and then face his fellow officers in the morning as if nothing had changed. He was still Marlon.
The main door to the old stone building opened and shut, a figure emerging from it. Marlon was halfway up the sidewalk when the person spoke. “Oh, Marlon.”
She had been silhouetted against the lamps by the doorway, but as she shifted, the streetlight washed over her face, allowing Marlon to recognize her. “Oh, hi. Um….”
“Pat.” She smiled at him, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and touched his arm as she stopped beside him. “It’s good you’re here. I didn’t realize Vahin had gotten ahold of you.”
He was about to ask if she lived in the building as well, but her words stopped him cold. “He didn’t.” There hadn’t been any texts in hours. Of course, Vahin hadn’t responded to the last one, so that was to be expected. “What’s wrong? Is Vahin okay?”
“Oh.” Surprise cut across Pat’s features, and Marlon realized how exhausted she looked. “Ah, yes. He’s fine.” She glanced back at the apartment building, then again at Marlon. “You’re here to see him, right?”
“Yes.”
She nodded. “Good. He needs to see you. I’ll let him fill you in on everything.” She must have noticed the fear cross his face, and she reached out and touched him again. “Vahin is fine. I promise. I wasn’t trying to worry you, but it’s not my story to tell. Go on in.”
Marlon hesitated. “Maybe I should—”
“No,” she cut him off, then smiled, though it seemed forced. “Go on. Hopefully I’ll get to see you dance on stage again soon.”
Marlon tried to laugh, but it didn’t come out. “See you soon, Pat. Thanks.”
Another squeeze and she passed by him.
Marlon hurried up the rest of the walk and tapped Vahin’s number on the metal keypad by the door.
There was a crackle, and then Vahin’s voice cut through. “Miss me already, Pat? I’ll buzz you in. Come on up and get whatever you forgot.”
“No, it’s—” A loud buzz cut off Marlon, and the door’s lock clicked. “Vahin?”
There was no answer, and the speakers were silent.
