text: [This story includes gay romance.] The long black hand on the living room clock crawled, marking time as it marched past the minutes. Eddy didn’t think he’d ever seen it move this slow. Funny thing, though...hands on a clock in any of his classes seemed to race around when he took a test. He waited for the hand to set off chimes in the old grandfather clock, sitting sentry over the living room. Eddy knew it was safe to talk on the phone in here. Neither his mother nor father entered this room on any regular basis. The furniture here was formal, unfaded, and a bit stiff. But Eddy thought it was the neatest room in the house. It had the clock, for one thing, and a fireplace that was rarely lit. Despite all that, Eddy felt like ‘Lord of the Manor’ when he took a seat in the highbacked chair. It fit his body perfectly, and though he was nervous as hell right now, he felt safe, surrounded by the elegance of the room. Eddy felt like his enthusiasm would make him burst before the dulcet chimes, but when he thought he’d reached his limit, seven chimes struck the hour. Finally, it was time. His cell phone never seemed this heavy. Shaking hands scrolled through the contacts looking for Tom’s name. When he found it, he took a deep breath before hitting the green phone icon. “Hey! You called. I’m glad. I was afraid you’d lose your nerve.” Eddy tried to keep his voice even. “No, I didn’t lose anything. I just want to talk to someone who might understand me.” “Oh. It’s that bad for you?” “Well, last night, I came out to my parents. My father didn’t take it well at all.” “What did your mom do? Moms almost always know, you know.” “Really? I didn’t think my mom had a clue, but now that you say it, she didn’t seem surprised. She just wanted to know how I was doing, and my father kind of phased out of the conversation.” “Dads can be tough. So...you just needed another gay guy to talk to? I thought...” “Well, yeah, I needed someone who would understand this stuff, but I wanted to talk to you because I think you’re...” Eddy searched his thoughts for the right word. He couldn’t blow this. But how could he tell Tom how he felt without sounding too gushy? “I just wanted to talk to you because I, uh, like you.” Silence. Eddy sat in the awesome chair, but he didn’t feel like the Lord of the Manor anymore. He felt defeated, deflated, and embarrassed. “Tom?” Finally, a noise. It sounded like a sniffle. Is he crying? Eddy stared at the ground. Should he say something? Or would that make the situation worse? Should he offer words of comfort? Should he start crying in solidarity? Finally, Tom spoke in a blubbery voice. “This is all my fault.” Eddy felt confused. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand...your fault?” “All this crying and sniveling. I know you’re over there a bit freaked out, right? But, you see, I can’t believe it. You like me, and you admitted it. No one does that anymore. Everyone is so afraid that their feelings may be hurt, or they are too afraid to tie themselves down to one person. I’ve been lonely out here. The world is cold for most people, but for gay men who are looking for love and acceptance, well, it’s downright frigid. You have absolutely no idea how happy you’ve made me.” The large lump at the base of Eddy’s throat slipped like Tom just paved the way with honey. The tension in his shoulders eased away. He wasn’t tired or defeated anymore. Those feelings left, allowing joy and jubilation into his world. “I make you that happy?” "Why don't I come over? I think this is a conversation we need to have in person. Would your parents be cool if I showed up?" Eddy knew he wanted to see Tom and hold him close. "Well, dinner is over, and everyone's scattered through the house. I don't think it will be a problem. Just drive carefully 'cause I don't want anything to happen to you. You are way too important." Tom's sob answered those words and then, "I'll be there in about fifteen minutes." With a full heart, Eddy went to the kitchen to find something for him and Tom to munch on. ** When the doorbell rang, Eddy’s dad beat him to the door. “Who are you? And what do you want? We’re not buying anything if that’s what you're here for.” “No, sir. I’m here to see Eddy.” Eddy walked up behind his dad to greet Tom. He felt the scorn in his dad’s voice as he begrudgingly waved Tom in the door. Dad turned to yell for him, but when he saw Eddy, the shout shriveled in his throat. “Oh, you’re there. I guess you already know your ‘friend’ is here.” “Hi, Tom. Please come in. Thirsty?” Eddy tried to avoid his dad’s gaze. He couldn’t completely ignore the smoldering eyes, but he forgot all about it when his eyes met Tom’s. After pulling a few sodas from the refrigerator, both boys entered the living room. Eddy watched Tom’s reaction to the room closely. He hoped Tom would appreciate it and understand why he loved it so much. “Cool room. I love the furniture,” he said. And then his gaze fell on Eddy’s chair. “I bet you love that chair. It looks like it’d be the perfect place to dream or read or just think.” “You’ve got that right,” Eddy said. His voice was full of emotion, and his heart thumped against his chest. He could feel the rhythm in his ears, and he just wanted to be close to Tom. “Hey, wanna see my room?” “Sure. That sounds like a great idea.” Tom smiled widely at Eddy’s suggestion. They head upstairs quietly, and Eddy only hopes his father was deeply involved in one of his cop shows. Too involved to hear their tread. As soon as the door was shut, the boys stood close together. Heat came off them in waves, and Eddy could only hope they’d control themselves. Tom looked deep into Eddy’s eyes as he came close. He ran his fingers slowly up the curve of Eddy’s face with his eyes closed like a blind man memorizing the shape of a beloved’s face. “Yes, sweetie. You make me that happy and so much more. We should celebrate that we found one another so early in our lives. We will not have to live like the pathetic gay men who slip from one relationship to another, always feeling like something is missing. Always hurting deep down, and even afraid.” “Afraid?” “Eddy, we have something special. We understand one another. We really love one another. This isn’t about some quick romp in the sack or a cheap hook-up. This is about building a real relationship and planning a real future together. We may be young, but we complement one another, and...I refuse to let someone like you go.” The silence both young men heard now was one of solidarity. No one was speaking because they were each absorbing the truth. They were lucky. They’d found one another early. Their lives would be more prosperous than most gay men’s. And they would build a life together. Tom broke the silence. “So, I heard you playing some Billy Joel as I got here. You like 80s music too? My mom played the best stuff, and her era was the 70s and 80s, and though few of my friends understand, I’m pretty sure you will. The boys spoke in unison, “Music is the song of the soul’s heart.” “Did you read that on Facebook?” “Yup - you, too?” “I loved it so much that I hit Love, and then I shared it with everyone. It saddened me to see how many folks didn’t recognize the importance of the post. Maybe if they’d paid real attention, they could evaluate the importance of music in their lives.” “Oh well. We no longer have to worry about those poor unfortunate folks - we can listen to the music we love and let it soothe away those long days and prepare us for some long nights,” Tom said as he shot Eddy a smoldering gaze. Eddy was happier than he’d ever been; he went into Tom’s arms for a long, languorous kiss. It felt like home. Until there was a rapid knocking on his door. “Just what are you two up to in there?” Dad’s angry voice reverberated through the room. ...to be continued