laterem (n.)
Latin
[A] brick.
___________________
Ari and Max spoke of little, which was their firsthand problem, but what they spoke little of was their worst.
Some things were permitted. If things were forgotten at the grocery store. Leftovers eaten in the fridge. Clothes gone missing (Ari). Dinner forgotten (Max). Conversation got predictable. Time got slower. Days got longer. They did not talk. Over and over and over.
But some things, only a second chance would fix. And that's all in theory.
Ari Kim published his first book at twenty one, Unus. I'd tell you what it was about, but that'd be breaking the rules.
"When'd you write this?" Bailee had asked.
"Six months ago."
"Six months ago? Three hundred pages?"
"Is it bad?"
"Oy vey." And so on.
He published his second book at twenty one and a half, Spectaculum. Same issue.
"How you find time to write this much, I'll never know," Bailee said, and put a period between two clauses.
"Is it bad?"
"Stop that." And so on.
He published his third and fourth book at twenty two, a month apart, Serpens and Somnum. You know.
"Latin again," Bailee muttered.
"Say it's clever."
"If you give me one more goddamn manuscript o'run-ons, I'll clock you. Right there. In the nose bridge. Bam." And so on.
He published his fourth book at twenty two and three fourths, Formido. His first bestseller.
"Manuscript o'run-ons," he said, smiling.
"Shut up. Let's get cake," she laughed. "You gonna invite your boy?"
He called Max.
"You phenomenon," Max laughed. "Can I read it?"
Ari frowned. "Later," he said.
"Ah. I'll bring some candles." And so on.
He published his fifth book at twenty three and a half, Calor. His second bestseller.
"Are you writing about Max?" Bailee asked, the night now an ungodly hour, and morning only by science.
Ari froze. "I. No."
"Does he know?"
"Why would he?"
"You should let him read this. I think he'd be happy with it."
"I know Max." Which was to say, with much doubt.
"Hey, your book," Bailee acquiesced, then, "Let's talk about your ending, though." And so on.
He published his sixth book at twenty four, Astrum. His third bestseller. His higher one.
Max had kissed him senseless, breathless, wine on their tongues and heat in their teeth. "Let me read it," he said.
Ari brought his legs up and around his waist, laughing, gasping, groaning. "Not yet."
"So, one day?"
Heat was all he knew. "Later." He kissed him as if to devour him. Max's smile tasted like merlot and dreams. And so on.
YOU ARE READING
And/Of/Or
Короткий рассказ"There's a theory in the world that explains second chances." ----- When a couple goes on a camping trip in a last attempt to fix their broken marriage, they go off trail and end up falling through a seemingly-bottomless hole. Within it, they come t...
