Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:00:52 +0000
From: Eros434759@comcast.net
Subject: Grocery Boy part 8

This story contains gay themes and graphic depictions of
homosexuality.  If this offends you, then you probably
shouldn't read it.  I welcome any and all comments and
appreciate all of the feedback I have previously received.
I'd also like to say thanks to the folks at Nifty.

I immediately went into panic mode.  Luckily David had
already hung up.  Why did he call?  How much had Chris
heard?  What should I do?  I needed reinforcements.  I
called Aisha.

"Ai, I'm in trouble" I said.  I guess she could hear the
panic in my voice.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Something terrible has happened" I said.  "I can't go into
it now, I'm coming to pick you up, and I'll explain
everything then." Two minutes later I was racing toward
Aisha's house.  When I got there she was waiting outside.  I
pulled up and she got in.  I was always fascinated at how
great she looked.  Even in jeans and a tank top she looked
incredible.  As I started off, I started to tell what had
happened.

When I had finished, she said "Calm down, we just have to
find him"

"I don't even know where to look" I said.  She looked at me.
My eyes were watering.

"This is real, isn't it?" she asked.

"Ai, this is the guy." I said.

"Okay, let's go find him" she said.  We put our heads
together and decided that we should try his job first.

When we got there, I ran to the back of the store, hoping
that I would see him.  I didn't.  I met Aisha near the front
of the store, and then I saw a familiar face.  Gwen was
working the express lane.  I ran up and asked if she had
seen Chris.

Before she could answer, a woman in line said "There's a
line here!"

"Does he look like he has any groceries?" Aisha shot back.
She gave the woman a glare as if to drive her point home.

"I think he's off today" Gwen said.  "Casey, have you seen
Chris today?" she asked the cashier in the next lane.

"No, he's off" the cashier responded.

"Thanks" I said and turned to Aisha, who was still giving
the customer a vicious glance.  We left the store and rushed
to the car.  Aisha was still upset.  She was muttering
something about "kicking that bitch's ass"

"Ai, eyes on the prize" I said.

"Sorry, where should we look next" she asked.

"Well we could try his apartment" I said.

"Let's go" she said and we were off.  We drove across town
to Chris' apartment.  "Good Lord, where the hell does this
man live?" Aisha asked.

"Ai, he's a student." I said.

"It's a good thing he's so big" she said.  I parked.
"Should I wait in the car" Aisha asked.

"No!  If he's there, I'm gonna need your support" I
answered.  We entered the old building and rushed up the
stairs to Chris' apartment.  I rang the doorbell and waited.
When no one answered, I started to knock.

Shortly an old man opened the door across the hall.  "He
ain't there" the man said.

"We're sorry" Aisha began, "We didn't mean to disturb
anyone"

"Whoo, you cute" the old man said to Aisha.  "I always
thought he liked boys, though" he continued.

"Um, do you know where he is?" I interrupted.  "I saw him
leave with luggage, he may have gone home" the man answered.
My heart sank.  He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye,
would he?
We thanked him and headed out.  In the car I broke down.  I
always thought of myself as masculine.  I rarely cried.  I
didn't have any need for sadness as an emotion, but this
hurt.  Ai did what she could to console me.

"Let's go get something to drink" she suggested.  I didn't
need alcohol.  I needed Chris.  Besides, I had taken up Ai's
entire day; I didn't want to take away her evening too.

"I'm gonna go home" I said and asked her if she'd mind
driving.

Later that evening I sat in the living room and thought
about the days events.  How did a day that began so right
end so wrong.  I wanted to kill David.  The things that went
down were his fault I reasoned to myself.  But realistically
I couldn't put the blame all on David.  I should have been
honest with Chris from the start.  I looked around. The room
looked big and empty.  It felt cold even though it was a
warm summer night.  I couldn't focus on the game, so I
climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to my bedroom.
I turned on the stereo and lay down on the bed.  The big bed
seemed even bigger.

The night lasted forever.  I slept when I could but, mostly
I cried.  I wanted a chance to talk to Chris.  I wanted to
explain.  He might have gone home, the old man said.  I only
knew home was out of state.  I should try to call him again
on his cell, I thought.  But if he wanted to talk to me he
would have called me.  The night seemed to go on forever.
Eventually I got up and went out onto the patio to watch the
sun rise.

In the quiet of the morning, the weirdest thoughts creep
into your brain.  A lot of what ifs and what would I do
differently.  Over my coffee I kept thinking what I would do
and what I would say if and when I finally got to talk to
him.  I knew I had to start with the truth.  He needed to
know exactly what had happened with David and why I had
unintentionally kept it from him.  I watched the sun rise.
I used to think it was so beautiful.  It crept over and
between the buildings downtown.  Presently the city began to
bustle to life.  It was Sunday so it began slower than most
days, but before long the din of churchgoers and delivery
people began.

At some point I must have drifted off, because I awoke to
the sound of the phone ringing.
I stubbed my toe running into the house to answer it.  It
was Aisha.

"I didn't think you'd be asleep" she said.  I told her about
my restless night and she told me that she was coming over.
I didn't have the strength to argue.  I cleaned myself up as
best I could and settled in to wait for her.

When she arrived I offered her breakfast, but she said she'd
cook.  I turned on the TV and wrapped myself in a blanket.
Suddenly I was cold.  Aisha impressed me with a delicious
and rather large breakfast.  There were eggs and sausage
fresh fruit and juice.  She said I didn't need any more
coffee.  I ate without realizing how hungry I was.  I ate
everything that she put in front of me.  When I finished,
she brought the dishes to the kitchen and then came back and
sat on the couch with me.  We didn't talk.  We just sat
there looking at the TV and silently enjoying each other's
company.  After a while I dozed off.

When I awoke I found my head in her lap.  She was stroking
my hair and humming something.  For the first time since the
whole ordeal began, I felt peace.  I fell asleep again.  I'm
not sure how long I was out, but when I woke the second
time, she was asleep.  I got up and took the blanket and
draped it across her.  As I leaned down to tuck it in, she
opened her eyes.  She looked so beautiful then, that
instinctively I kissed her.
It was meant to be a friendly thank you kind of kiss, but it
quickly turned into something more.