“You told usnotto make reservations!” Colin said, laughing. “So wearestaying with you! Even if we have to takeyourbed!”
“Does your place have two bedrooms?” Joshua asked him.
“No. But when the girls were here, I discovered that my couch could be made into a bed. Aniceone too!”
“Good enough,” Colin told him. He draped one arm around Nate and the other around Joshua, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Tonight was fun!”
“You just loved scaring the fuck out of that director, didn’t you,” Joshua said, laughing.
“Didn’t take much.”
* * *
The next day,Nate was scheduled for meetings all morning at the Dreams Theatrical production offices, so Colin took advantage of the free time to take Joshua sightseeing in New York City.
Their first stop was the Empire State Building. Joshua was surprised by the main lobby, which was decorated in a stunning 1930s Art Deco design. From this fantastic beginning, they rode the lift to the eighty-sixth floor to view New York City from one of its most iconic vantage points. And though the sight triggered Joshua’s fear of heights, he forced himself to take in the spectacular panorama beneath them. Colin wrapped both arms around him from behind as Joshua sucked in deep breaths and struggled not to panic. “I got you, bud,” Colin murmured, nuzzling against Joshua’s hair.
“Is that Central Park?” Joshua asked, pointing, then he wheeled to face his husband. “Can we please go there, Colin? I want to see Strawberry Fields. I want to leave a flower for John.”
“Our very next stop.”
They strolled the three miles to Central Park, stopping at a curbside florist along the way to purchase a single rose. Joshua laid the rose at the circular memorial, and then they paused for several minutes to sit in quiet contemplation on one of the benches surrounding this garden of peace.
“I didn’t know you were a Lennon fan,” Colin told him.
“I’m a fan of what he stood for.”
“Do you want to go to the Dakota?” Colin asked, consulting a map. “It’s not far.”
“No,” Joshua replied, leaning against Colin’s shoulder. “Too sad. What’s next on our agenda?”
“Lunch,” Colin told him. “Ursula told me about R Lounge, which has a fantastic view of Times Square. We have reservations.”
“Then let’s go!”
After lunch, they strolled up and down the iconic thoroughfare, noting the famous and not-so-famous productions being offered. “Maybe Nate’ll have a play here someday,” Joshua mused.
“Mmm,” Colin grumbled in response. “I’d rather see his plays at the Culbreth.”
* * *
Nate arrived backat his apartment later that afternoon. “Tonight’s on me,” Nate told Colin and Josh when he burst through the door. “I’m taking you two out to dinner. Do you want to eat downtown? Or stay in the Village.”
“Village,” Colin and Joshua said simultaneously.
“Then I know just the place.”
They dined at Gotham, a Village restaurant famous for vertical presentation, with Yellowfin tuna, its signature dish, rising eight inches above the plate. The bar also boasted a strong stout, and the dessert was Gotham’s famous Chocolate Bonbons and Bars, which all three men devoured. After dinner, they strolled toward Nate’s apartment building, chatting as they walked.
“We both miss you,” Joshua told Nate. “None of us is the same without you. And lord knows David is a wreck.”
Nate walked between them, an arm linked with each of theirs, but he stopped at Joshua’s words. “Was this a mistake?” he asked, looking into Joshua’s eyes. “Josh, should I have said no to this?”
“No!” Colin said. He grabbed Nate’s arm and spun him around. “We’realla wreck since you left, Nate! All of us! Nothing’s the same!” He wrapped an arm around Nate’s shoulders. “Josh put it like this: We are a structure with four pillars, and one of our pillars is gone.Noneof us is OK with that!”
He pushed Nate to arm’s length and met his eyes. “But we allwantyou to do this, Nate. All three of us are rooting for you to push through this temporary separation and kick Broadway’s ass!”
“AlmostBroadway,” Nate choked out, wiping tears from his eyes.
