“Kenny and I have had some hard times, but we’re getting back on our feet. I know that… is there any chance that any of what was left behind is still around? I know I had the small storage area, and….”
“Just a minute,” she said, and spoke to someone in the background. “George has had health issues, and he said that he hasn’t had a chance to clean that area out. If your things are still there and you want to get them, that would be fine. It would save George some work.”
“Thank you. Yes.” He met Jamie’s gaze, and he mouthed tomorrow after class. “Is five o’clock tomorrow okay?” It felt like almost a miracle. “A friend will bring us around, and we’ll get everything out of there.” He didn’t really remember what he had put in there, but it felt like he was getting a small part of his life back. And that was a miracle.
ChapterFive
Kenny wassound asleep, and the house was quiet. Cindy had joined Kenny and was stretched out on Todd’s side of the bed.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take her to bed with me when I go, so you have some room.” Jamie was tired. He hadn’t realized just how much energy a kid took. “How about a movie? Maybe something with explosions and action. No cartoons.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Jamie headed to the kitchen and returned with a bag of chips and a couple of beers from the fridge. He set them on the table and brought up Netflix.
“How about that?” Todd asked, and Jamie nodded, bringing up the latest incarnation ofFrankenstein. “I wanted to see it, but there was no chance.”
Jamie settled on the sofa and began the movie. “I read the book and even taught it when I was a grad student. So many of the past movies were cheesy and meant to be horror, but that’s not the real story.”
“So it’s not a monster movie?” Todd asked, sounding disappointed.
“Oh, it is, just not in the way you’re thinking.” He started the movie. After a while, he found himself sliding closer to Todd, who slipped an arm around him. It had been a long time since he’d watched a movie with someone, and this felt sort of like a date. He rested his head on Todd’s shoulder as the movie continued, the action and psychological drama building. What Jamie hadn’t expected was for this adaptation to be so emotionally gripping. Hell, he needed a tissue at one point and wiped his eyes. When he glanced at Todd, he found him doing the same.
“Jesus… I had no idea…,” he whispered as the movie continued.
“Mary Shelley really was a genius… and she was only nineteen when she wrote this as part of a bet among her peers.” He held Todd’s hand as the movie concluded, then turned off the television and sat in the dark. Jamie didn’t want to move. It was comforting and just nice to have Todd here with him. Jamie spent a lot of his time alone or with his students.
“Jamie…,” Todd whispered. He turned his head toward him, and Todd gently cupped his cheeks and kissed him. It was soft, and if he hadn’t been so hyperaware, he might have imagined it.
Jamie backed away. “Todd, I….”
“I get it. A lot has happened, and Kenny and I are a lot of take on, and….”
“It isn’t that. You’ve been through so much, and as much as I’d like nothing more than to take you to bed and see what happens, I think we need to take things one step at a time. There has been a great deal of upheaval for all of us.” He took Todd’s hand. “Let’s be patient and not complicate things too much.” Then it was his turn to kiss Todd. It took all his willpower just to get up, get Cindy, and go to bed.
He didn’tsleep well. Things seem to have shifted under his feet, and he hadn’t been prepared for it. At least not completely. Yeah, he had been flirting with Todd, but a kiss—well, two kisses—his mind had replayed them for most of the night. Bleary-eyed, he got up and went to the kitchen for coffee. He needed plenty of it to get his eyes to open and his brain to function.
“Mr. Jamie,” Kenny said as he came out in his Cars pajamas. He held his penguin to his chest. “I’m hungry.”
“Okay. I can get you something to eat.” He checked the time. It was a little after six, so it was a bit early for Kenny to be up.Jamie made him some toast with jam and a small glass of milk, letting him sit at the table to eat. “Do you want to go back to sleep?” he asked once Kenny was done and took him by the hand back to the bedroom. Todd was spread out on the bed, the sheets wrapped around his waist. The sight was gorgeous, but it didn’t leave much room for Kenny. “Come on.” He put him on the sofa with a blanket and pillow. Cindy curled up next to him. Kenny was already half asleep as Jamie returned to his room to dress and get ready for work. Once he was done and ready to leave, he went to the guest room. Todd hadn’t moved, and what a sight he was. “Todd,” he said softly.
“Huh… what?” he asked, then sat right up. “What’s wrong? Where’s Kenny?”
“Nothing is wrong. Kenny is asleep on the sofa with Cindy. He was up a while ago, and I was going to put him back in bed, but you are a bed hog by the looks of things. I gave him a little to eat and he’s out again.” He went to the bed and leaned over Todd, his fingers itching to touch that honey-warm skin. “I’ll be home by four, and we can go get your things. After that, we’ll get your phone activated and go to dinner.” He kissed him and left the house before he could think too much about it.
After hislast class, Jamie had office hours, which were packed with students asking questions and handing in final assignments. Finally, at a little before four, he excused himself, hurried to his car, and went right home.
Todd was at the computer, Kenny drawing at the table. “I got an email from a chocolate company about a job in their warehouse.
“Lindt?” Jamie asked. “They have a store in their distribution center on the edge of town.”
“They sent an email, and I scheduled an appointment to come in on Thursday. I’m expecting some sort of interview, but I don’t really know.” He seemed nervous and a little excited.
“Can I see the note?” Jamie asked, and stood behind Todd, reading over his shoulder. “It says you need to call them.” He pointed out the number and let Todd use his phone.
Jamie sat with Kenny while Todd spoke on the phone for quite a while. He checked the time because they didn’t want to be late for their appointment with the landlord. After a good twenty minutes, Todd hung up with a smile. “It seems they do their first interview over the phone, and they confirmed the appointment that I had signed up for next week.”
Jamie knew there were no guarantees, but it was positive. He hoped that Todd heard from more companies, if only to increase his chance of finding a job. But still, a quick response was good. It meant that people were indeed hiring. “Really good. Now we need to get in the car before we’re late to meet your former landlord.”
