Wait and Hope: Chapter Sixteen
Breakfast and Broken Hearts
Sometime during the night Rafe stirred. Not fully awake, he blinked attempting to see into the unfamiliar murk of his apartment. New York City was never truly dark, even at night. Only that didn’t matter; Rafe slept or attempted to with daylight streaming through his non-shaded window not in a room lit from the pale glow of a city never truly at rest. What happened to the soldier, the government operative who could wake suddenly and drop a target dead center in the pitch black?
An arm reaching out pulling Rafe back close reminded him that man no longer needed to exist. Grasping a hand to cinch the arm even more tightly around him, the former agent burrowed into the warmth of the man lying next to him. Heartbeats and the sounds of Harry’s soft breathing were a sweet lullaby as Rafe’s eyelids fluttered close.
Harry slowly slipped his legs off the bed hoping the mattress would not shimmy too much and wake Rafe. Carefully Harry stood up, the removal of his weight only causing a slight creak in the old box springs. He hobbled quietly towards the couch intending to gather up his clothes but froze when Rafe coughed and slung his arm over the empty space where Harry had slept. Harry stood stock still for several minutes until he was sure Rafe wasn’t going to wake up, then scooped up his clothes and withdrew into the bathroom to dress.
Rafe coughed and turned sleepily to pull Harry close. When his arm only found cool empty sheet he opened his eyes to seek out his missing bed mate. In the semi-darkness Harry was standing immobile next to the couch. Rafe’s thought was Harry was going to use the bathroom and was trying not to disturb Rafe’s slumber, so Rafe relaxed waiting on Harry’s return.
Harry couldn’t help his barely audible grunt at the twinge in his back as he bent over to pull on his socks. A quick glance over at the bed assured him that the sound hadn’t disturbed the still sleeping Rafe who was now laying on his back a forearm partially covering his face. Harold opted not to put on his shoes and in stocking feet crept to the door. Harry slid the note he had scribbled on the back of an old deposit slip under Rafe’s truck keys on the stand near the door.
Rafe turned on his back and covered his eyes with his forearm, a force of habit that came from blocking out the bright light of day when he normally tried to sleep. He lifted his arm slightly when he heard the click of the light switch and the bathroom door’s feeble squeak as it opened. Peering out from under his arm to watch Harry come back to bed, the last thing Rafe expected was to see the man exit the bath fully clothed sans tie, shoes, and socks. His stomach panged momentarily with disappointment in Harry that he would just leave without a word. Until he watched Harry slide the piece of paper under his car keys and the disappointment directed itself inward. How could I think such a thing?
Of course Harry would never do something as low as sneaking away and Rafe only meant to make light of his own initial reaction but…
Harry reached for the knob to open the door and if it were physically possible he would have jumped ten feet in the air when he heard Rafe’s accusing, “I didn’t take you for the type to be gone by the morning light. You weren’t even going to call me, were you?”
Harry whirled around red-faced and indignant, “I would never do such a thing. How can you accuse me of being some insidious cad?”
Rafe sat up startled, "Whoa! I was only joking. I don’t know why I said that, it was a stupid thing to even imply.” Rafe mumbled to himself while smacking his forehead with his palms, “I’m an idiot.” He then held out his hands imploringly, “I know you would never ditch me.” Rafe dropped his hands to the mattress and smiled weakly, “Besides I know where you live. You couldn’t ditch me even if you tried. I have the key, remember?”
Harry looked embarrassed as he realized he had over reacted, “I'm sorry Rafe."
Rafe got off the bed and took Harry into his arms. “Hey we both are a little on edge, afraid something is going to go wrong. These misunderstanding are going to happen. It will be my turn next time."
“I should have let you know I was leaving to go check on Jack, but you were sleeping so soundly.” Harry pulled back a bit to raise his hand and rub a thumb gently across a chiseled cheekbone, under a barely visible darkened circle, “You needed your rest.” Rafe grasped Harry’s hand to kiss the palm before he dropped it to step out of their embrace. He cleared his throat choked up at Harry’s care and concern, “So are we good again?”
Harry reached down to grab the slip of paper from the stand and held it out to Rafe, “Of course. I invited you for lunch at my place. The offer still stands.”
“That does sound tempting. Only I have an even better idea.” Rafe pulled a curious Harry back over to the couch. He laughed at Harry’s huff of excitement. “No not that. As much as I’d like to continue where we left off last night, I just want you to sit back and wait while I get dressed. We’ll go check on Jack together, and then I’ll take you to breakfast. I know this little diner that serves the best eggs Benedict.”
***
Rafe took out the extremely frisky canine for his morning walk; Jack had beat his tail furiously and turned himself in near dizzying circles-sometimes even well trained ex-military dogs forget their discipline-when both of his humans had entered the apartment together. Man and dog only walked around the block, but Jack seemed to be strutting proudly, proclaiming to the neighborhood, ‘Look everyone! This is my Alpha!’
After he exercised Jack, Rafe waited on the couch playing a game of tug of war with the dog using a piece of soft rubber resembling a thick automotive belt. The game stopped mid tug when Rafe let go of his end to stand and whistle with appreciation when his breakfast date shyly appeared before him.
Harry had showered, shaved, and changed into a short sleeved print shirt, tiny dark blue diamonds on the palest of blues, with the top three buttons left undone. The slacks he’d paired with the shirt were a satiny deep indigo. Rafe looked Harry up and down then up again before moving in close.
Rafe reached out to run a forefinger over the smattering of chest hair left visible above the last fastened button, up Harry’s throat and around to the back of his neck where Rafe let his finger slide under the shirt’s collar. Rafe breathed in deep of soap and cologne, Harry’s scent, “You look and smell good enough to eat.” With a sigh of disappointment he removed his hand and stepped back to put some space between them, “Sadly, man cannot live on love alone. But after we have some food I plan to get some dessert.” Rafe wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Harold handed Rafe the Taurus keys heading down the walk, “Since only you know where we are going, I think it would be easier for you to drive us there rather than give me directions.” Harry raised a questioning eye when Rafe turned the car at the first intersection in the complete opposite direction of the place Harry had assumed they were going. ‘Try the eggs Benedict Mr. Reese. I’ve had them many times.’
Harry sat up straighter recognizing the route they were taking. “We are going to Perry’s?”
Rafe grinned and reached over to pat Harry’s knee, “It’s no Four Seasons I admit, but our fare can give theirs a run for their money. Besides I want to show off my boyfriend.”
Five minutes late Rafe pulled the car into a parking slot in front of the building, one in full view of the diner’s large windows. To prove he meant what he said, Rafe twisted in his seat, leaned over, reached out to turn Harry’s face towards him, and kissed Harry possessively leaving little doubt to anyone watching that the two men were involved.
Harry should have felt self-conscious or mildly embarrassed when a diner full of customers had stopped eating their meal eyeing the two new arrivals in disbelief. Instead Harry couldn’t help but hold his head up a little higher because Rafe had declared with that kiss Harry was his.
They entered the diner boldly as a couple. When Tom rushed over to chide Rafe for disobeying Tom’s order to stay away Rafe had boomed out loud enough for the whole dining room to hear, “Relax Tom! I’m just here to buy Harry here some breakfast. We worked up an appetite this morning.” Rafe winked, “If you know what I mean?”
Utensils could be heard clattering onto plates or skidding across the tile floor. Groans of disappointment could be heard from female customers, sighs of relief from the male diners, one teenage girl with glasses and braces actually started crying before running into the ladies’ room. One woman even uttered an oath worthy of any sailor then bemoaned, “Damn it! Why are the good ones always gay?”
Feigning ignorance of the commotion surrounding them, Rafe ordered two of the Wren Specials off Perry’s Early Bird menu. Rafe was not exaggerating about the egg Benedict. They were delicious, the best Harry had ever tasted. Rafe boasted it was his own special variation and that he had named it after someone who meant, still means the world to him.
Harry choked out an emotional, “Thank you.” Finding a distraction in an attempt not to display what he was feeling-swaggering into the diner figuratively on Rafe’s arm was one thing, almost coming to tears over Rafe’s words of devotion was quite another-Harry fidgeted with a flyer he picked up from between the napkin holder and the condiment tray.
The flyer was about the fair being held at a nearby mall. Harry had loved going to the county fairs with his father, a farmer and son attending livestock shows or visiting agricultural exhibits. But there was also the food, the free concerts, and the rides. One of the few dates Harry and his first crush had been able to go on was to the fair that summer before he’d turned seventeen. He’d stolen his first kiss as they rode the Ferris wheel. But by winter that time of youthful innocence was gone forever.
Harry looked up and over at Rafe. Their naiveté of the world and its ways was destroyed for them long ago leaving an indelible mark. Yet in these new lives they had a chance to be just two men whose only worries at the moment were heartbroken women and what to do on their day off. Of course this fair would be nothing like the ones in his youth, but there would be a Ferris wheel and food. Looking out at the New York City skyline instead of endless fields of corn, sneaking kisses with Rafe, not a long ago crush, as the ride carried them skyward or holding Rafe’s hand as they strolled the midway stopping occasionally to share funnel cake or some other sweet treat would be a hundred, no a thousand times better than that long ago summer day. Harry handed Rafe the flyer, “I know you have other … um … activities planned for later, but would you like to go?”
Rafe took the flyer, reading it over. Then he looked quizzically across the table, “I didn’t think a fair was your thing Har...Harry. I know how much you value your privacy. You sure you want to go somewhere that public?”
Harry looked around the dinner, “I do believe that issue is moot now. I want to be seen with you Rafe Rissole.” Harry leaned over adding under his breath, “Besides I believe any unwelcome observers are going to have more serious things to deal with than a gay couple out having a good time playing carnival games, riding rides, and eating corn dogs.”
Rafe nodded his blue eyes lighting up with pure happiness, “Okay then. I would love to go.” Rafe looked at Harry from under his lashes trying to appear coy. “I haven’t eaten a corn dog in a very long time.”
Harry blushed as Rafe smirked. When Harry regained his composure he volleyed, “Well, perhaps you can watch me eat a chocolate covered frozen banana.”
Rafe chuckled so hard he nearly choked. Harry smiled in triumph as he went over to the bank of phones to call Martha about checking on Jack through the day while Rafe paid for the check. They met at the door, Rafe pecking Harry’s cheek with a quick kiss, “Everything all set?”
“All set. Martha is bringing Jack downstairs to keep her company. I was literally ordered to ‘Go! Have some fun! Don't come back until you have!’ You do not disobey that woman's orders." Harry pretended to be terrified then added completely in innocence. “So apparently I am yours for the rest of the day.”
“While I like to take charge in the kitchen, I think I prefer you in the driver’s seat.” Rafe leaned down to kiss Harry softly on the lips and hand back the keys, “Your turn to drive.”
Rafe opened the door to allow Harry to exit the diner. Before Rafe himself left he turned and waved goodbye to his boss and co-workers. He passed through the door and looked at Harry sitting behind the wheel of his old Ford. The day was warm but not scorching, the wind was pleasant, and Rafe had a date with the sweetest, smartest, and kindest man he ever met. Best of all, everyone who knew Rafe now knew that Rafe was off the market for good. Things were looking up.
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Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five
Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Epilogue