19 Years (MxM)

Chapter 4

Same bar as last night, but Mike didn't want to go. So, I won't be going home with Mike. I'll be going home alone. I feel naked without my friend here. Like flying without a parachute.

Why am I here? For another chance to even just see Ken for a moment, I came. For one moment's wishful thinking, I got ready in record time and came.

I read my text messages and sigh. I'm that creepy old man he was talking about. Suddenly my courage has left me.

I sense someone standing next to me on the right. I look up from my phone. It's him.

"We meet again," Ken says.

"Hi," I reply.

I look down at my phone and switch it off, then take a drink of my beer while I listen to him make an order. Inwardly I chastise myself for doing this; sitting in the same seat hoping to see him again.

"Thought you were playing a video game," Ken says.

I look up at him to see a gentle smile. "Ah, yeah. Got bored and wanted a beer," I reply.

"Alone tonight?"

I nod. "Yeah. My friend couldn't come. His kid's in town so he didn't want to go out."

"Your boyfriend?" he asks.

"No, nothing like that. Just an old friend." Why did I throw out the "old" word again?

The bartender brings three glasses of beer.

"Listen, grab one of these and follow me."

"Uh." That was the only word that came to mind and came out of my mouth.

"Come on. Grab that one."

I dutifully stand up and grab the beer, then follow him to a table. My inner self is screaming in panic. Am I going to meet his friends now? His college friends? I'm too old to hang around these people. What will they think of me?

Ken goes to a table with two young women. He gives a beer to each and then takes the one from my hand.

"Have a seat," Ken says to me. "These are my friends Marla and Josie. The world's cutest couple."

"Hello," I say as I sit across the table from them. He's right, they are cute. They are also young, probably the same age as Ken.

Both women reply with a "hi."

Ken sits down next to me and takes a big drink of his beer. My heart feels like it's frozen inside my chest.

"Ken," Marla says with some annoyance as she looks at him and makes a strange face. Then she looks to me and asks, "What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm James."

"Hi, James. Nice to meet you," Marla says.

"How did you two meet?" Josie asks.

"Oh, well I was just here last night and we happened to meet," I say.

Ken looks at me, then looks to Marla and says, "Yeah, then he came to my restaurant today."

I still can't believe I'm sitting here next to Ken. This is so unreal.

Marla looks at me intently and asks, "Single?"

I feel her eyes boring into my soul. I wasn't ready for this. "Yes," I reply.

"Gay?" she asks. I think this is kind of rude to ask.

"Bi."

"How old are you?"

"Forty-three."

"Kids?"