The Bridge To Success

It'll be alright

Only the sound of the teaspoon being stirred in a cup of coffee was heard from the kitchen. The aroma of coffee overpowered the clumsily cooked fried rice with both slightly burnt and runny eggs that Eddy made for himself that morning. Both burnt and runny, how do you even manage to do that?

Eddy took a sip of his coffee. Fried rice plus coffee is the best. If the fried rice was decently made, he'd pour the coffee over as it's soup. Too bad it's not. Because he made it.

He sighed. Quietly, Eddy ate his breakfast.

The sound of the telephone ring from the living room cut through his silence. It rang for a few times before it stopped. From the voice he heard, it seems that his sister answered the call.

A little later Eddy heard footsteps going to the kitchen.

"The call's for you, Eddy."

Eddy stood up from his seat to walk to the said phone when he was to pass by his sister, he asked, "Who is it?"

His sister looked at him in the eyes. Her expression was serious. She just gave him a small nod, she didn't say anything.

Eddy knew who it was.

He clenched his fists, took a deep breath and headed to where the telephone was.

-

Eddy entered his room.

The curtains are shut but small rays of light slipped in through. The sound of mild snoring invaded his ears, unlike the usual that the room'd be quiet when he entered, a sign that someone was present aside from him.

It was sunny outside now like there was no trace of the rain that happened yesterday. But the episode that occurred in this very room last night has not left his mind, for his ears still hear the silent sighs, for his hands, still feel the smooth skin, for his tongue still, taste his lover's mouth. Eddy's cheeks heated.

On the bed, Brett was fast asleep. Eddy didn't wake his lover up. For what he feared has already happened, from the situation that he was in when he came to his house yesterday.

Brett had a fever.

All so quietly, not to wake up Brett, he went to the shower. There, as he washed, he thought about what to say to the very special person he'd visit. He arranged answers, statements, to some questions he knows she might ask. Eddy would be lying if he said he's not nervous.

Eddy wrapped himself with a towel. Dried his hair and browsed the closet for something decent to wear. He settled on a plain black jumper and light-colored jeans. Donned them. Put his things on his bag, a change of clothes, a small towel, a water bottle, phone, wallet, and keys.

He turned to the still sleeping man on his bed. Eddy walked to him and sat on the bedside. Put his hand on the man's forehead, checked his temperature. Still hot.

On Eddy's hand, the ring shined when it aligned with the small ray of light that seeps in through. Same for the one Brett was wearing on his left hand that rests on his chest, that rise and fall along with his steady breathing.

It brought a smile to Eddy's lips. He looked lovingly at his lover's sleeping face, innocent, relaxed and graceful. Eddy wanted Brett to be always free of worries. Now was his turn to do that.

Eddy leaned down to kiss his sleeping lover's forehead, and he whispered, "It'll be alright."