Tenement Funster

Wilde Words....

John laid awake in bed and thought about the past 24 hours.  How the morning had felt bright and he left for work wearing a smile.  After enduring the humiliation of being arrested and appearing before a judge, he was ready to put it behind him and carry on.  'Just go forward' as Freddie had said at breakfast.  It seemed like the right perspective.

His smile had disappeared when he arrived at work and was taken into Darren's office.  He was shown the newspaper clipping and asked if he was the John Richard Deacon named in the article.  After confessing it was him, he was escorted to his desk and then out to the lobby.  He had been dismissed from his job and left alone on the sidewalk to figure out what to do next.

Freddie was his saving grace.  It was the first person he felt compelled to call.  Uncertain if Brian had been dismissed and not wanting to call his desk phone.  His boyfriend had answered the call and answered his plea for guidance and consolation.  John hailed a taxi and sat in the back fighting tears as he traveled home.  Losing the battle to not cry as soon as he opened the front door of the place he shared with Freddie.  He was offered comfort and a shoulder to cry on by Magda and understanding and assurances by Freddie once he arrived home.

John rolled over and looked at his boyfriend sleeping next to him.  His face serene and relaxed.  His lips slack and his long black lashes on display.  Visible even in the low light of their bedroom.  John marveled at how much his life had changed in just a few short months.  He had been a lonely young man sharing a flat with a trio of ingrates.  Trying to shape a future at his new job and hoping to meet someone to fill the void in his heart.  Here he was now with a man who had courted him and wooed him.  Offered him fun and some of the finer things in life.  A man who had a kind heart and a generous nature.  A man who promised he would take care of him if the worst came to pass.

He swallowed hard as he considered the worst coming to pass.  This was his parents finding out about the article and finding out their son was a homosexual.   Would they accept him for who he is or reject and disown him?  Or would there be some uncomfortable place in the middle?  Not pretending he was dead or never existed, but barely tolerating him or seeing him in the future.  Not knowing was starting to eat at him.  John pulled himself from the warm bed and wrapped the velvet dressing gown around him as he padded downstairs. 

He was surprised by the light in the kitchen being on.  John stepped in the doorway and found Roger peering in the refrigerator.  They both saw each other at the same time and a startled Roger gasped out loud.

"Christ!  You scared me!"  Roger said as he caught his breath. 

"Sorry..."  John replied.  "What are you doing?"  he questioned.  Roger reached for something and held up a tin foil covered plate.  

"I couldn't sleep and got hungry..."  Roger confessed as he closed the refrigerator door and set the plate on the counter.  "Magda told me there was leftovers in here if I wanted anything..."  he advised as he peeled back to foil to reveal pieces of baked chicken.  John grinned at him.

"She's a bit of a mother hen..."  John remarked as Roger smiled back and nodded agreement.

"She seems to be..."  Roger replied.  He held up one of the pieces of chicken.  "You want some?"  Roger asked.  John nodded.

"Sure..."  he answered.  John poured some milk into two glasses as Roger placed several pieces of chicken on a plate and they both took a seat at the small kitchen table in the corner.  It was cozy with two small chairs and they each grabbed a piece and began having a bite of the cold chicken.

"I bet you love living here..."  Roger remarked.  "You've got loads of room and someone to clean and cook for you..."  he said as John smiled widely.