Sideways

Chapter 52 A Call From A Friend

Present

"When did the two of you get married?" Buck asks.

"A few days later. It just felt right, and we wasted enough time." Cole answers.

"Sounds like us," Eddie adds.

"I know you all probably have questions about things. But we need to get the fuck out of here. I need to go back and take a nice, long, and hot shower." Wes says.

"Let's clean up here. We will have plenty of time to ask clarifying questions." Athena says.

"It seems crazy to me that you two have only been together as a couple for three years," Eddie says.

"We celebrated our three-year anniversary when we were at the lake house." Wes teases, and Eddie aims a kick at his ass.

"No more moments like this that we don't know about. We skipped your anniversary, Cole's birthday. No more." Eddie says.

"Eddie, my birthday...." Cole interjects.

"We don't have to make a big deal about it. I'm not saying that. I know why you don't want to; I get it. But the rest of us are happy you exist. We can at least acknowledge that." Eddie replies.

"We will talk about it next year." Cole agrees.

"I do kind of agree with Eddie... It's hard to believe so much has happened in a short time." Wes says, "I kind of feel like it was just days ago that Cole's phone was ringing, asking us to come to LA." The memory flashes in his mind, remembering when his phone rang, and he can't help but think about the one thing he hasn't brought up to Buck or Eddie yet, and what the implications of them being enhanced potentially mean for Maddie, Jee, and Christopher.

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February 2023

The gentle hum and subtle rattle of a phone vibrating on the bedside table pulls Wes from his peaceful slumber. As he stirs, he contemplates playfully elbowing his husband for forgetting to silence his cell phone entirely. Despite the temptation, he decides to stay nestled in Cole's embrace and ignore the persistent buzzing, unwilling to disrupt the tranquility of the moment.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath when a flash of anxiousness races through his body. He slides from Cole's arms, reaches over, and grabs his cell phone. The image on the screen is a face he hasn't seen in a few years. He looks at Evan Buckley's smiling grin and slides his finger across the screen to answer it.

"Evan?" he asks, and sure enough, it is the voice of Evan Buckley, but he sounds like ... Wes reaches over and shakes Cole when Evan's voice says, "Wes? Why are you answering Cole's phone?"

"He's sleeping, and I got to his phone first," Wes answers.

Cole sits up as soon as Wes says Evan's name. They both knew he would only be reaching out like this if something was wrong. Wes hands Cole the phone and hops out of bed, grabbing his phone and turning it on.

"You two finally figured your shit out?" Evan's laugh comes from the speaker phone.

"What do you want, Evan?" Cole's raspy, half-asleep voice asks behind him as Wes pulls boxer briefs up his naked body.

"You know I wouldn't be calling you unless I had to." Evan's voice comes over the speakerphone.

Cole shifts in bed and grumbles. Wes knows that his husband loves Evan; the three of them have been through some shit together. "I know. Look, I'm not trying to be a dick, but we just landed back in Coronado after a 22hr flight. While it's great to hear your voice, I need some sleep. So, either tell me why you called me for the first time in years or let me get some sleep."