Tenement Funster

Baby's on Fire...

Brian's hand began cramping from writing for several hours.  He stopped and laid his pen down and slowly curled and uncurled his fist.  Trying to work out the spasm.  It had been a long time since he had written so much and he knew it was time for a break.  

He got up from the dining table and carried his glass of lemonade to the kitchen to refill it.  The blast of cool air from the refrigerator felt nice.  It was past time to open the windows and turn on the fan.  He had been distracted by writing and hadn't bothered with either.  Brian had been adamant to record everything that happened on the holiday with Roger.  Every detail and feeling.   Every observation about him and the sensations of it all.  If he was going to draw inspiration from this man for a story, he wanted a complete record to resource.  

Brian leaned against the counter and took a long sip of the cold beverage.  He thought about everything he should do tomorrow since he had a few days remaining of his time off.  Laundry and some food shopping ranked the highest.  He would sleep in and then head to the laundrette.  As Brian relished the idea of being back in the bed he had grown accustomed to, he immediately thought of Roger in that bed with him.  Even though he had just spent several days and nights with him, the idea of not having him in his bed tonight left him feeling low.  He tried not to think about Mel being the one at Roger's side tonight as he took another sip of his lemonade and decided to find a distraction while he rested his writing hand.

Brian went into the living room and ignored his writing notebook on the dining table as he walked over and set his lemonade down by his favorite chair.  He pulled up the blinds and began to open the windows.  He could see the lights on in Roger's flat and surmised he and Mel must have stayed at his place tonight.  Wanting some privacy from Mel's flat mate Abby.  The blond had his blinds pulled down but his windows were cracked open.  Brian could make out the low volume of his record player as he got his own windows fully opened up.  

He focused on the sound and recognized the song.  It was that Bee Gees song that Roger had sang in the van that night it rained.  Brian wondered if it was one of Roger's favorites and if he was playing it for Mel.  Or was he playing it while they made out?  Fucked?  A wave of jealousy went through Brian and he slumped down in his chair to sulk about the situation he was in.  Finding himself besotted with the blond and not knowing what he could really do.  Sure, he could just tell him straight out that he had developed real feelings for him and he wanted to figure out what they might do about it.  But he wasn't entirely sure how the blond felt about him.  He also wasn't sure how Roger would fit into his life.  Especially once he left this building.  In this moment, that life seemed a world away from where he sat.

Brian wished he had a stronger drink as he listened to the Bee Gees waft over the courtyard.  It might improve his mood or at least take the sting out of what he was feeling right now.  He made a sound of frustration as he pulled himself from the chair to see if there were any beers left or maybe a bottle of anything strong in the cupboard.

Brian tore open the cupboard doors and scanned the contents.  To his delight he located a half empty bottle of vodka in the corner.  He yanked it from the shelf and placed it on the counter.  He grabbed his lemonade glass and poured some of the liquor in it.  It wasn't quite a Vodka Collins but it would do.  He swished the contents around and then took a sip.  It was passable as a drink and he took another sip.  The telephone started ringing and he glanced at the kitchen clock.  It was only 9pm.  It could be anyone.  He hoped it was a certain blond as he walked to the telephone and picked it up.

"Hello...."

"Brian!  I finally caught you!"  

He instantly grimaced.  It was his mother.