Which Way the Wind Blows

Chapter 11

“Did you get the test?” Jake asked quietly as he and Warren both got coffee in the cafeteria at work.

It had been two weeks since they’d talked about it at lunch … before Tom and Lauren sat down to join them, that is. Warren was nervous as anything and decided not to go back to Kelly’s until he knew for sure that he hadn’t contracted anything. Jake had seemed a bit disappointed but he understood. Instead they’d gone to the movies with Mindy that first night, to a comedy club the next and bowling the following weekend. He’d assured Jake he could go on without him but the other man refused, saying he needed a break as well.

“Yeah, but I hated it.”

“I keep telling you, it comes with the territory,” the blonde grinned. “When do you get the results?”

“This afternoon if I take a slightly long lunch break and trek downtown.”

“I’ll take one with you if you want. Jack won’t mind.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to get you in any trouble.”

“Like that guy would be mad at me for any reason,” Jake laughed. “I just saved our department a ton of money with the new server, and you kept the HR data from getting lost during the power shutdown last week. Between the two of us, he’s looking pretty good to his bosses. We could probably throw a frat party in one of our offices and he’d be cool with it.”

Warren smirked as he stirred some milk into his dark coffee. Jake had a way of talking him into things. Still, it hadn’t let him down yet. In fact, Warren found he was enjoying life in New York more than he ever thought he could. And he hadn’t spared Chris more than a fleeting thought in days. He’d never had friends like Jake before. Come to think of it, he’d had only one like Pete or Freddy before. His life had been stuck in limbo for far too long in Seattle.

“Okay, that would be cool,” he grinned to the blonde.

“Good,” the blonde smiled. But then his features took on a serious expression. “Hey, didn’t you say you were going to check in with your friends in Seattle last night?”

“Afraid I’m thinking of going back?” he asked, only half-seriously though. After all, he’d given both Jake and Mindy a reason to worry in the beginning.

“Eh.”

“Fear not!” Warren chuckled. “I harbor no such thoughts. I did speak to Sam last night, but Chloe wasn’t home.”

When he made no move to explain further, Jake kicked his foot. “And?”

“And what? The Mariners are still stinking up the playing field. He was mad as hell about their latest loss, too. Said something about starting a lawsuit against them for defaming the good Seattle name.”

Jake laughed. “What about Chris?”

“Honestly, I didn’t even think to ask him about it,” Warren shrugged. “If he did ask Sam about where I went, I sure he got no response. And anyway, I really don’t want to know what’s going on with him.” At Jake’s questioning look he added. “Seriously, I’m done wasting time worrying about someone who put everyone else he knew before me.”

“I agree. You don’t need that kind of asshole in your life.”

“And now that you’ve shown me how much fun I can have here, why would I care what he’s up to on the other side of the country anyway?”

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Chris felt the knot in his stomach slowly drift its way up to his throat as he sat in miserable silence while his and Victoria’s parents chattered on and on about some social function or another. He and Victoria kept trading nervous glances as they half-listened. He knew that this dinner was supposed to be used as their engagement announcement, at least for the two families. He and Victoria had arranged it, and their mothers seemed to be bubbling over with excitement at the prospect of planning another “wedding of the century”. Ugh, he wanted to hurl the contents of his stomach back up but he didn’t think the cook would take it too kindly if her duck confit made a second appearance on the marble-tiled floor of his mother’s dining room.

He mulled dully over his and Victoria’s plan.

“We have to tell them we’re not going through with it,” she’d said. “It’s not fair to us to keep this up, and they need to know we’re not willing to go along with whatever they want us to do.”

“What if they cut us off?”

Victoria gave him a disgusted look. “Please tell me you didn’t actually spend all of the money they gave you over the years.”

His cheeks colored and he looked away sheepishly. “Not all of it,” he murmured. “But most of it.”

“How much is left?”

“I have a hundred grand in a bank account,” he shrugged, ashamed.

“That’s more than enough in savings,” she snorted. “You get paid pretty well too so you should be fine.”

His jaw worked up and down without a sound before he could formulate a response. “That’s nothing compared to what I’m used to spending!”

“So get used to living on a normal salary,” she shrugged. “I’ve been doing it for last few months.”

“You have not!” he scoffed. “You look as coiffed and styled as ever.”

“I don’t shop very much anymore, and when I do I go to regular department stores,” she replied with a superior tone. “My hair and nails are now done by the salons at the mall, and I wear my older clothes instead of throwing them out at the end of the season.”

He looked shocked. She’d been able to acclimate herself to a normal lifestyle relatively easily, and without looking like she’d been suffering at all. And she’d apparently fooled even her own family. Damn, she was good!

“I also think you should tell them you’re bisexual and have had a long-term boyfriend.”

His eyes widened at the suggestion, but he knew she was right. It seemed to be the biggest thorn in his ex-lover’s side, and the least he could do was tell his parents, if only to show Warren when he saw him again that he was serious about the changes he was going to make.

“I guess.”

“Good,” she smiled encouragingly. “You need to take this step.”

“And if I do, you’ll finally tell me where he is?” he asked.

“If you do, I’ll take you to him and help you explain,” she grinned.

“You’d do that?”

“That’s what best friends do,” she shrugged.

Looking at her now he was really glad he had his best friend with him to get through this. She seemed to read his thoughts and smiled brightly at him.

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“Negative on all counts,” he grinned at Jake as they walked out of the doctor’s waiting room to go back to work.

“Thank goodness,” Jake sighed. “I was ready to throttle David.”

“It’s not just his fault,” Warren cut in. “And now I know not to do things like that again.”

“I hope so!”

“Want to grab a real coffee on the way back?”

“Sure,” Jake laughed. “We can toast your good luck!”

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Victoria sighed in annoyance and rolled her eyes as her mother began to tell the story of how her sister almost didn’t fit into their grandmother’s wedding dress … again! They’d only heard the story about a zillion times before. Chris gave her a conspiratorial smirk from across the table and she smiled at him. Right now it was still their private joke, but she knew that in a few minutes she was about to dash all her mother’s dreams about planning another extravagant and gaudy wedding. She didn’t want one, and really, she wasn’t going to let her mother push her into it either. Pamela hadn’t defied her, and neither had Brook. Even her brother Skyler had given in to their mom’s prodding and become engaged to one of his classmates. But Victoria was now determined to escape what had been predetermined for her. She didn’t care at first, but seeing Chris pine for Warren made her think that even if a spoiled brat like him could fall in love then she too could forge her own way. She had hope that she too could have a life of her own, and if her family couldn’t accept it, then she’d do it without them.

Maybe it was selfish of her to goad Chris into telling them about Warren, but what the hell? He said he wanted a second chance, and if Warren deserved anything after all he’d been put through, he deserved a lover who acknowledged to the world that their relationship existed. And whatever happened here tonight, she and Chris would strike out on their own – platonically, of course. Chris hadn’t seemed interested in any more sex now anyway. And really, she’d been going through the motions for quite some time now.

“So, you two said you had something to tell us, Christopher?” Chris’ father asked in amusement.

“Yeah,” Chris muttered darkly, apparently done listening to the nonsense they’d been chattering on about. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but we’re not getting married.”

Four mouths dropped open before his father blustered out in question, “You what?”

“We’re never getting married,” Chris replied. “And we’re tired of you four telling us we have to.”

Victoria smiled triumphantly next to him. Yes, Chris really did mean business when he agreed to this plan.

“And just why in the hell are you so sure you know what’s best for you?” Victoria’s father demanded, glaring at each of them in turn.

“Simple really,” Chris shrugged. “We’re not in love.”

“Love comes in time,” Chris’ mother blurted out.

“Not when you’re bisexual,” Chris replied a bit nervously.

“What?!” both sets of parents screeched at once.

“Milford!” Victoria’s father yelled at Chris’ dad. “You never mentioned your kid was a fag!”

“That’s because he isn’t, Clayton!” the other replied before turning to Chris. “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, boy, but you better quit it before I take you seriously!”

“Take me seriously!” Chris stood up at his seat and shouted. “It would be a first!”

“Christopher,” his mother cried sadly. “Why?”

“Like it’s a choice, mother,” he sighed. “Because I love him, that’s why. And since he’s left me all I can do is try to find a way to get him back.”

“And he’s not the only one with sexual issues,” Victoria said standing beside Chris and glaring at her own parents.

“What?!” her parents cried again.

She shrugged but stood her ground, aware that Chris was gaping at her in shock too. Oh right! I didn’t mention it to him. She smiled inwardly. At least they’d have something else to talk about later.

“Well, I don’t have room in my family for a fag!” his father ground out through gritted teeth. “You get out of my house and never come back!”

Good thing I already took everything I wanted with me when I moved the first time, Chris sighed to himself as he nodded stiffly to his angry father and weeping mother. Victoria moved to join him.

“You don’t go anywhere with that queer!” her father yelled at her.

“I’m sorry, daddy,” she gave him a sad smile. “But he’s my friend and we’re in this together. If you can’t accept him, then you can’t accept me.

“But …” her mother tried.

She shook her head and followed Chris out of the house with her held up and her shoulders squared.