Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 12:27:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: kiran trivedi <wonderme1999@yahoo.com>
Subject: Making the Right Choice

PART 2

Since I got requests not to leave poor Josh lonesome,
I'm writing this sequel to the first episode.

***

Alan was in love with his best friend -- Keith. But at
the same time something bothered him. He felt
something was missing in his relationship with Keith.
Keith was getting more handsome day by day...that's what
happens when you fall in love with someone. Even the
ugliest people become beautiful. Keith wasn't that
bad, Alan thought. Then what was missing?

"Why did you leave me Alan? Why?" said Josh.

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm afraid I'm in love with Keith"
said Alan.

"But you loved me first Alan, you loved me so much
more. What happened?"

"I--I--"

"You couldn't wait. You couldn't wait for the right
person. You couldn't wait for your love, to love you"
said Josh in a soft voice.

Alan woke up full of perspiration. What a dream! He
couldn't sleep after having the dream, it would keep
coming back. Alan watched as the sun rose up in the
sky and painted the skyline with bright colors. Alan
wasn't able to think, he didn't want to think, he was
afraid of changing his mind and hurting someone. But
wasn't he hurting someone now? Wasn't he hurting
himself? At 8:30 he left for the hospital. It was the
day Josh was getting discharged.

"Alan...," Josh said his voice sounded low and
depressed.

"Josh. I came to take you to the car. Mrs. Parkinson
is filling up some forms."

Josh kept quiet, just looking at Alan as if he was
seeing him for the first time. Alan noticed that Josh
was ready, his bags were packed. He just needed
someone to help him get to the car now. And Alan had
to do it.

Alan came closer to Josh. He took his hand and reached
for Josh's back, in an effort to lift him up from the
bed.

"Slowly..." said Alan who was now helping Josh get up.
Alan always felt strange touching Josh. It was like
electric shock was going through his body while
touching him. And today it was worse. Josh was now
trying to stand but he couldn't. Alan supported him.
Josh rested on Alan's body and it seemed like he
wanted more support than he really needed. Alan could
smell Josh now, he could feel his breath. It was
comforting. It was as if he was a part of him. Alan
quickly seated Josh on his wheel chair and started
pushing it.

They were now in an elevator.

"Alan...we have to talk about it."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Please tell me one thing, for the sake of our
friendship"

After a hesitation Alan said "Tell me..."

"Did you ever love me Alan? Ever? Or was it just me?"

Did he ever love Josh? Was this guy kidding? Alan
recollected all the nights that he thought about Josh.
He dreamt of all the days they would spend together
after they were couples. He was planning their future,
they would adopt a son! He had gone that far!
They were now on the ground floor and the elevator
door opened. Alan pushed Josh's wheelchair. He guided
Josh to the backdoor of the hospital where patients
were brought in. Mrs. Parkinson had parked her car
right outside the backdoor. Alan was now helping Josh
get into the car. But it was difficult for Josh get in
to the van. Alan without even thinking lifted Josh up
with both his hands. His mind was thinking -- he isn't
as heavy as I though he would be. Alan's mind didn't
want to think about what Josh had asked him.

"Tell me Alan...did you ever...?" asked Josh who was now
very close to Alan.

"I loved you more than my life." Alan said in an
unperturbed voice and gently literally placed Josh on
the back seat.

To Alan's relief, Mrs. Parkinson was back after paying
the bills. Josh had to rest for a week and he would
back to normal.

"Alan would you mind sitting with Josh...a nurse is
coming with us. He wants to set up some apparatus and
give us some guidance for the one week resting period"
said Mrs. Parkinson.

"Sure no problem, Mrs. Parkinson" said Alan. No
problem? How could he possible sit next to Josh?

They were now on their way to Josh's house. The nurse
was talkative and kept talking something unrelated to
any one of them.

Josh was looking straight at his mom's seat cover. He
suddenly felt something dropping. He instantly knew
that they were tears. He couldn't control them. They
kept coming down. He wished that his mother wouldn't
see in the rear view mirror. He wiped them with his
left hand, but they kept coming back.

Alan was hurt. He was hurting his best friend. He
couldn't stand it anymore. He reached for Josh's hand
and held it. Josh was surprised; he looked down to see
what Alan was doing. Alan pressed Josh's left hand
tightly, as if to say, don't cry I'm there for you, I
care for you. His eyes said something else they said --
don't cry I love you. And Josh needed no extra sense
to interpret it. He smiled at Alan. And Alan, to his
amazement smiled back at him.


* * *

Alan returned home just after seeing a movie and
having some brief "fun" with Keith. They enjoyed it
thoroughly as usual. Alan knew Josh had hopes with
him, but he was in love with Keith, he was in love
with Josh too.

 "Do you love Josh Alan?" Keith asked.

"Very much," said Alan.

"Do you love me?"

"Very much," replied Alan looking dazed.

"I have got a solution"

"What???" Alan asked inquisitively.

"We all start loving each other."

"This isn't funny Keith."

"I'm serious"

"You mean me, you and Josh all three together?"

"Yes Alan. Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Because people don't do such things."

"Some ages back the same people believed gay people
were cursed Alan. There are millions of people in the
world. How could we possibly not fall in love with
more than one person?"

"Bull Shit!"

"Think about it Alan. There is no other way out. Deep
down you need both of us, don't you?"

"You are talking silly, you ass"

"Think about it" And Alan was thinking and he was
really depressed about the fact that Keith was right;
he was so god damn right about the whole thing!

"But you don't love...Josh? Do you?"

"I love you. So I'm sure I can love someone whom you
love" said Keith confidently.

"It's too complex. What about our future? We all three
will get married?"

"Why are you worried about the future babe? Do we gays
have a future anyway? We live in the present. Life is
too short to make sacrifices in love Alan"

"I have to talk about this to Josh" said Alan, who was
surprised that he had agreed to this deal!

* * *

A bigger surprise or shock came to Alan when Josh
readily agreed to the deal. He was even excited about
it!

A few days later, when Josh became completely normal,
Alan started going out with Josh. He would go on
alternate nights with Josh and Alan.

A week later they started hanging out together and
Josh came to know Keith like how Alan did. Keith also
discovered more about Josh. They all discovered one
thing -- they were meant for each other. Alan didn't
have to make a choice. He was selfish by taking all
the choices that he had. But wasn't he happy? And
isn't that why we are living on this earth -- for
happiness?

The End (and they lived happily ever after)


Author's Note: Personally I don't believe in having
relationships with more than one person, whether they
are gay, lesbians or straight people. But imagine
yourself falling in love, so deeply and equally in
more than one person. What would you do? Would you
make a choice?
In this story it was too late for Alan to go back to
Josh. He was in love with Keith. I couldn't bear to
watch any of them get hurt! Even the readers wanted
all of them to be happy. So I had to end it like how I
did.
Well all I can say is, please be careful and prevent
yourself from falling in love with more than one
person and also prevent others from falling in love
with you, if you are already in love.

Your comments at wonderme1999@yahoo.com