Will Love Ever Come?

Chapter 55

THE BIG DAY ARRIVES. Eschewal has been looking forward to his date with Peachy and is glad the working week has ended.

He dips his head underneath the bath water, resurfaces, and soaps himself up. He sinks his soaped-up body back into the water and then rinses off under the shower. His body, now feeling fresh and clean, he brushes his teeth.

He walks into his bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He creams himself down with body lotion. He starts from his face to his feet.

He turns up the volume on the music. He gives a dance with a wiggle, and a turn, then stops. He picks up the roll-on deodorant and rolls it under his armpits, then between the inside of his thighs. He picks up the spray deodorant and sprays every nook and cranny. He steps back. Looking at the expensive cologne, he wonders which one of the six bottles he should wear tonight. He decides to wear the one that makes him smell sweet but not that sweet for it to be mistaken for perfume. He lays the sweet scent across his chest in a crisscross motion, then over his head. He pads over to his bed, where his dry-cleaned outfit is laid out and sprays it with the sweet scent.

He has finished grooming himself to the sweet-boy standard, and the only thing left to do is put on his clothes. He looks over at himself in the mirror. He sees his trapped image staring back at him, longing to experience a life of happiness.

He speaks to his image and says, "As long as I can see you, then I know I still can become happy."

The image makes no reply. It seems to reflect a sense that it understands.

He turns away and puts on his clothes.

Ready to go, he looks at the time. He has half an hour to pick up Peachy and half an hour to get to the cinema. He decides to give Peachy a call and let her know he is on his way. He activates the number; he puts the phone to his ear and smiles, ready to reflect the smile in his voice. The smile disappears from his face as the phone rings out.

His heart sinks at the reality of what might be happening: that Peachy is listening to the phone ring and not answering it because it has his number flashing on the screen.

He shrugs off those negative feelings and tells himself, "Maybe she's just running late, and she's still in the bathroom or something."

He calls the number back. It rings twice then cuts itself off. He grips the phone and sits down.

He can feel his rage rising inside him. He is fuming at the probable reality but more fuming because he got all spruced up with nowhere to go.