Simple Man

- THIRTEEN -

Edmond was speechless. Edmond was never speechless. Raul stirred beside him, "What did he say?"

"He said he was sorry. But he's staying for a bit. He wouldn't say why or where." Edmond said, numbly as he got up from the bed and walking toward the window.

"Why so vague?" Raul asked, still laying down as his arm shielded his eyes from the light of the table lamp on Edmond's side of the bed, "And why so early?"

"I don't know," replied as he stared out the window, Los Angeles was still very much awake by this hour, "But I don't think he's doing too good."

"What do you mean?"

"He sounded..." Edmond started as he turned back to face Raul.

"Sad?" His partner offered as he finally sat up, rubbing his eyes, his long dark curls looking crazy.

"Lost." Edmond said, finally finding the word.

Edmond was the one who was sad. He was genuinely worried for Rowan. He thought that hearing from him would ease his anxiety but it did nothing but increase it. Rowan had always been complicated but-never hesitant, never unsure. His voice was just this timid whisper on the other end. Not at all the warm, friendly tone of his best friend.

The call was very brief. Just checking in so Edmond knew he was Rowan did sound genuinely sorry for leaving the way he did. He said he had to do it then or he would have lost his nerve. Edmond nodded to himself when Rowan said he couldn't tell his manager because he would have tried to talk him out of it. This was probably true. Rowan said he had somethings he had to take care of. What that was exactly Edmond didn't know.

With each day it had been gnawing at Edmond how little he knew of his clients past. He didn't need to know everything but he knew next to nothing. Edmond knew he was from Louisiana but he couldn't tell anyone where in Louisiana exactly. When they first met Rowan lied and said he was from Baton Rouge but he later confessed over dinner one night he just said that to casting agents because the town he grew up in was so small no one ever heard of it.

Probably true or maybe just another deflection.

"Babe?"

"I've been such a bad friend." Edmond stated, tears starting to well up.

Raul threw the covers off and got up slowly toward Edmond, "What do you mean?" His partner asked, rubbing his back.

"I've never really checked in on him. I mean, like, emotionally. He said he's okay and I know physically that's true but you didn't hear him Raul. You should have heard him. The way he sounded. I've never... it's like this person you've known for so long concealing pain like this all this time and now wherever he's at it's coming to the surface."

Raul remained silent as he grabbed Edmond's face and wiped away a tear and Edmond sighed, "I remember when I met him at a party Martin Short was hosting. You know the story. I was just this insignificant little intern for the management group who used to represent him. He wasn't a name then but he was a face and boy did he have that face."

"I remember you both laughing when Rowan said you made a pass at him by the bar." Raul said, smiling.

"He was so gracious. Here I was, this little gay kid, I was nothing to look at back then even if he had been gay he was never going to be interested in me." Rowan chuckled through his tears.

"Lucky for me." Raul added.

"True. I just feel like I need to be there for him but I don't even know where he is. I've always been there to help him with his career but this is different. I don't care about deadlines or photo shoots or interviews. This-whatever he's going through-is real."

"But that's your job." Raul pointed out.

"Being a good friend isn't ever a job." Edmond stated, "Everyone thinks I made Rowan August's career. Even Rowan thinks that. I have them all fooled. Rowan made my career. Rowan was already a full-time model. I recognized him because he was plastered on a hundred foot billboard in Times Square-a Versace ad. Who was I? I was the intern who Rowan took a chance on only because I was the only one in his management group who believed he could make the jump to acting and be successful. I knew next to nothing, I had limited connections-in all reality Rowan helped me."

Raul looked pained as he tried to console Edmond, "Then what do you want to do babe?"

"I want to be there for him." Edmond stated.

Raul walked away from him and toward their walk-in closet. Edmond heard sound of sliding hangers as he was rummaging through clothes, "Darling? What are you doing?" Edmond asked, warily.

Edmond slowly walked over to the closet truly perplexed. What was Raul up to? Just as he approached the threshold Raul gently threw a shirt and pair of trousers in his face, Edmond barely caught them. "Your shoes are where got left them by the door."

"What's going on?" Edmond asked.

Raul paused and gave Edmond a look, "What does it look like? We're getting dressed."

"Yes but what for?"

Raul sighed, "We're going to Rowan's house."

"What for? He's not there."

Raul's patience was wearing thin, "Yes, I know but if he's not there then where is he?"

"I don't know, I just got done telling you that!"Edmond said, sounding exasperated

"I know, I know-but listen if Rowan won't tell you then our only hope is that there might be a clue somewhere in that house."

"I don't know how comfortable I feel about that-that sounds kind of invasive." Edmond replied, grimacing.

"What do you mean? You've been to his house when he's not home many times. It's not breaking and entering if you have the gate code and the key."

"Yes, but that was with his knowledge and usually it was to pick something up or drop something off."

"Listen, we can argue the semantic on our way up there. Do you want to help your friend or not?" Raul asked, grabbing Edmond by the shoulders.

Edmond struggled for a second only because he knew he wouldn't like someone snooping through his personal belonging but he wanted desperately to be there for his friend. He finally groaned, "Okay, let's go then."