Meant To Be Gay- SAMPLE

CH.4 ♤ Scotland

I could feel my heart being ripped out of my chest the entire way home. Moving from our bedroom to the guest room that has never been used other than for hot sex, tarnished every memory of those nights. Hiding all of our pictures, pictures that proved the love that grew as easily as it was just taken away from me, that was just as heart-wrenching.

My phone rings, and for a moment, I hoped it was him telling me this was a joke and asking me to come back to our room, but no. I look at my phone, and it's a friend from college—Harvey Breevort. Someone I never thought could jump to our side.

HARVEY: "Hey man, it was great seeing you today. Sorry I barely paid attention, but you know, the excitement of fatherhood, right? Let's catch up soon, so you can meet the husband and the kids."

I smile and send a simple reply:

SCOTLAND: "Ok, man.Congrats!. Let me know when."

And then go back to drowning in my misery.

The next day, I wake up with a massive headache and the smell of pancakes is in the air. I take care of the usual: shower, brushing my teeth, shaving, and so forth. Then I make my way downstairs to find my fiancé—my ex-fiancé fidgeting with my phone.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"This thing. It keeps flashing lights, but I can't figure out what it does. It looks like a phone. That's what it is, right?"

Shit, that's right! His last memory is from ten years ago. An iPhone SE is something new to his mind. Ten years ago? I think it was... what? Maybe iPhone 3 or 4 or whatever, that was out.

"Yes, Mase. It's an iPhone... the newest one that is."

"Oh, sweet! They have a new one. What is this? The fourth one?"

I laugh and respond, "More like the fifteenth."

"I want to ask you something. Well, some things. is that ok with you?" I nod, and he continues. "Why do you call me Mase? No one else calls me that, or is that what people call me now?"

"No, Mase. Only I call you that."

"So, we are good friends?"

We are way more than good friends, baby.

I can't say that. I can't play with his mind like that. He is not ready.

I settle for, "I believe we are."

"Tell me about you." I smile as I unlock my phone to give it to him, then I catch a glance at what's in it, and thank fuck I looked before I gave it to him.

Right there was a picture of my Mase. A Boston cream donut in hand, his face had chocolate all over it, and he was kissing my cheek while I rolled my eyes. It's perfect, that day was perfect. We were perfect.

"I'm sorry I asked. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Uh? Oh! No, no. Sorry, it is not that. It was something on my phone. Anyway, let me see. My name is Scotland James Hall. We've known each other for about four years. I'm thirty-one. I have my own company. I went to business school, and I don't know what else to say."

"Mmm... how long were you engaged to... you know... to the man you were..." I chuckle and answer him. "A year, Mase, we were engaged for a year. The wedding was going to be in four months."

"Why did you break up?"

"I wasn't who he thought I was."

It's all I can say because, how do I answer him? How do I tell him that we didn't break up, that he just forgot who I am. That in his mind, there wasn't a relationship to break in the first place?

"Did you cheat on him?"

"No! I would never do that!"

"Sorry, sorry. That's your business. Let's go with another one. How did we become friends? Do we work together?"

"We met across the street. We used to run there."

"Used to? We don't anymore?"

Before I get to tell him that yes, we still do almost every morning, the doorbell rings.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yes, uh, your father. I gave him our address. We've kept in touch since you lost your phone in the crash."

I step away, and he turns to continue with his breakfast. He is making pancakes like he is feeding a truckload of people. I open the door and see Mase's dad, a young woman, four kids, and a handsome man about my age.

"Mr. Valencia, good morning."

"Mr. Hall, hi. This is my daughter, Dakota, her husband, and my grandkids. I hope you don't mind; they flew in last night."

"No, absolutely no. Come in."

They look pleased and relieved that they get to see Mase, which makes me wonder why they didn't talk all this time.

"Hi, nice to meet you. You are the fiancé, right?"

And the sister eliminates the only possible cause as to why they didn't talk. They don't seem to mind that Mase is gay.

"Roommate for now, and nice to meet you as well." She introduces me to her husband, Issac, and the kids. Jason, Hayden, Lucas, and Fawn.

Who the hell names a girl, Fawn?

I invite them in, and when Mase's sister sees him, she runs to him and hugs him.

"Dakota? Is this—is this really you?"

"My God, Mason, God! I'm so happy to see you, so happy you are... are you ok?"

"You look old," Mason responds, and his sister slaps his arm playfully.

"Even after losing your memory, you can't forget to be mean to me."

She introduces him to the gang, and he begins to ask her a million questions while they leave me in the background. The kids are surprisingly well-behaved. Well, so far, they are. Let's see if I have a house in two hours.

I get up from the couch, and as I'm about to go hide in the guest room, I hear Mase's father speak.

"Listen, Mason. I think you should come back home with us. Back to things you remember, at least until you get used to it, you know?"

Hell fucking no! Mase can't leave me. I couldn't survive it.

I wouldn't... survive it.