Watching over him - written for FFF
This story might fit the prompt only marginally but it's just what came up.
Watching over him
With 40 Jonathan Wisely Jr was a fine specimen. With his impressive 6.5 feet he stuck out. He hadn’t changed in years at least he hadn’t changed much - outwardly that is. His hairline was receding - indeed - but since he wore his hair cut down leaving barely a centimeter for almost his whole life - the honey-blond spikes decorated his striking head anyway, turning the spotlight on his huge amber-colored eyes, strong nose and thin lips. Yes, no one would deny Jonathan Wisely was an attractive man. And the fact he was the only son of Jonathan Wisely Sr, the heir of a global pharmaceutical company, and a well-known patron of the arts and junior scientific staff, didn’t diminish his attractiveness either. Though, being a Wisely was blessing and curse likewise.
His privileges opened almost every door on earth. He’d grown up in a fairytale-like surrounding, had been his mother’s shining star and his father’s hope. And despite common ideas, his dad had always took his time for him, there hadn’t passed by a single day without his father coming to his room asking about his day.
He’d always been allowed to invite friends and they rarely had dinner without company. So all in all he had a sheltered childhood and youth and that didn’t end with meeting a kid that was not privileged at all, at least not according to popular opinion.
Jon Wisely met Reid Oliver on his first day in high school. Reid was one of few students who weren’t taken to school with the car by their parents or a chauffeur - like Jon. Reid came by bike or by foot in wintertime. So it was obvious Reid was a scholarship student. So everybody knew he was a smart kid and soon it became obvious he was a nerd too. But contrary to his classmates Jon found Reid’s know-all manner endearing and the redheaded stringbean mostly was right anyway.
And when Jon started to sweat and stammer because he was called upon to present his Latin homework and there was a notebook with Reid’s neatly done translation silently slid under Jon’s nose a long-lasting friendship was born. Jon and Reid became inseparable and holidays were a torture for both of them, when Jon was taken on trips abroad or had to spend time with his grand-parents on some fancy islands and Reid stayed at home, because he refused to be invited by Jon’s parents at their expense. It was hard enough to know he attended an exclusive high school because rich people paid for kids like him. Anyway Reid didn’t envy Jon for being ridiculously rich but he was sad being separated from his only friend for long weeks.
However the boys’ friendship survived puberty, high school and their extremely different background.
Reid had a very special trait of character among others: He was loyal to an almost self-destructive level. Once his attempt to help Jon almost got him flunked out of school and he was at a risk to lose his scholarship. But Jon had told his parents the truth and one call and a generous check later the dean forgot about ever having considered expelling Reid Oliver.
So Reid dragged Jon through Latin and Greek tests and in the end both enrolled at Harvard.
Since Jonathan Wisely Sr appreciated Reid’s loyalty and he actually liked the awkward and shy boy he made sure that the brilliant student got a proper scholarship. A loyal friend was rare in the universe of the older Jonathan Wisely so he wanted to ensure his son wouldn’t lose it.
Tauntingly enough it was him who destroyed it in the end.
Because unnoticed by his omnipresent eye Jon and Reid had become lovers.
Both knowing that in the universe of Jon’s father gay love didn’t exist they kept their relationship from him. It wasn’t too hard since Jon had his own condo near the campus, where they lived like a couple.
Then Reid graduated with honors and to celebrate his success appropriately - meaning undisturbed - they went to one of the cottages Jon’s family owned.
Who could have assumed that Jon Sr lent the keys to one of his employees? And that this idiot had nothing else in mind than ran to him and tell him that he’d caught his son and his ‘friend’ having sex on the landing stage?
Then things started to happen very fast.
Jon Wisely Sr had a confidential talk with his son and two weeks later Jon broke up with Reid who didn’t understand anything and moved out of Jon’s life without any resistance. If Jon hadn’t known the face of total defeat before he knew it then.
They’d known each other for fifteen years and had been lovers for ten years. They had been each other’s first, each other’s everything. They had planned to apply for internship in New York and residency abroad. Staying together had been a done deal for both of them.
But their mutual illusions went up in smoke within a fucking moment.
But although Jon had submitted to his father’s iron will he didn’t cut the thread connecting him to Reid’s life. He followed him everywhere - not in person but in every other possible way. With his grandfather’s trust fund behind himself he wasn’t powerless. So he made sure that Reid had the best care while staying at a psychosomatic clinic in Midwest for nine months. Learning that Reid fell apart made Jon almost forget about the “deal” between his father and him. The only thing he could do was watching over the love of his life from a distance, hidden in proverbial darkness and anonymity.
Witnessing his strong resilient Reid stumble and fall because he lost his faith in everything made Jon almost crash too, but there was this deeply rooted contempt for his father that kept him up.
And finally Reid was back on his feet again, went for his career and his career only and became the brilliant neurosurgeon Jon always knew he would.
The fact that Reid seemed to avoid getting involved with men was only partially worrying Jon. He wasn’t able to let someone near him either and he knew the background details at least. Reid on the other hand was supposed to believe that Jon had sold him out, that all the promises they’d made were null and void the moment Jon had to make a tough call. How could Reid ever trust anyone ever again? Shy and socially awkward Reid who had worked so hard to trust Jon in the first place?
Well of course there were men crossing Reid’s path, but none of them stayed longer than a few months.
And so it was regarding Jon. He had affairs, he had one night stands but he didn’t let anyone get through to him for a long, long time.
Besides his loyalty Reid had another pre-eminent trait, he didn’t forget anything. He was like a dog, if someone had ever hurt him he didn’t forget about it. Never. So Jon wasn’t surprised that Reid never talked to him again. Not that Jon didn’t try to approach him, to ask for forgiveness.
The first time Reid was still hospitalized and his doctor advised Jon against contacting Reid who was slowly getting better.
The second time Reid had moved to New York but when Jon showed up Reid simply looked straight through him, the third time Reid had given instructions to say that he was off and the following times Reid threw him out of his office each and every time. So Jon stopped trying. But he couldn’t stop loving Reid.
In the end even Jon Wisely Sr realized that he’d done a fatal mistake, because his son wouldn’t dream of developing a ‘normal’ life or even looking for a wife and start a family. Once Reid Oliver was out of the picture Jon Jr refused to listen to anything coming from his father. He never came home again, he only met his mother outside of their home, and stubbornly refused to talk to his father, he even called him Mr. Wisely if he couldn’t avoid meeting him in public.
“I am not influential enough to fight you Mr. Wisely but I swear I am never going to forgive you.”
So Mr. Jonathan Wisely showed up in Dallas and attempted to have a heart to heart with Reid Oliver who was the rising star in the universe of neurosurgery in the meanwhile.
“I don’t care how rich and powerful you are; to me you are nothing but a bigot and a megalomaniac old man, interfering in his grown son’s life and corrupting him.”
“I couldn’t corrupt him, Reid. I threatened to destroy your career if he …”
It was hard to decipher Reid’s facial expression after finally learning the truth. His face lost its color and his lips moved but he didn’t seem to be able to say something coherent.
“I am sorry, Reid. Maybe it’s a little satisfaction that he hasn’t talked to me in years.”
“Well, I guess you’ll have to live with that then.”
With that Reid Oliver left his office leaving the dethroned “ex-father” of his ex-lover behind.
Jon Jr learned about his father’s attempt to make peace from his mother and for a short time he was hoping, praying Reid would come to him, now that he knew that Jon hadn’t sold him out yet tried to protect him.
But Reid didn’t come, didn’t call, and didn’t forgive him. Reid had moved on. Who could blame him? He’d struggled for years.
A few months later Reid quit his job in Dallas and moved to an unknown town in Illinois.
Sometimes it was creepy what a little influence could do. It took Jon only a short call to have the details. So Reid had been lured into a small hospital in Hicksville by a young blond hotshot.
Scanning Luke Snyder’s photos Jon knew for certain the young man was Reid’s type.
And another few months later Jon read about the opening of a state of the art neuro-wing in Oakdale. And there he was, standing on stage, giving a speech and descending the stage his Reid was welcomed by young Luke Snyder with a gentle kiss.
Given the way both men smiled at each other Jon realized Reid had finally found healing.
It still hurt but it was good the way it was.
Three years had passed and eventually Jon had moved on too.
He’d lost faith in having a steady relationship ever again, a place to return each and every night - and now that he had one he realized it was such a privilege, a blessing. Yes it was a blessing to be welcomed with mild, kindly smiling eyes especially if said eyes were framed by countless wrinkles proving he owner’s sense of humor.
Today Tobias and Jon celebrated their second anniversary.
“She’s really brilliant!” Toby whispered to him and Jon smiled down to that crumpled face that was beaming with joy and happiness anticipating the musical event. Toby had managed to get amazing seats, 5th row. Angela Gheorghiu on stage. That was something else, wasn’t it? And Toby’s happiness was worth everything.
Jon closed his eyes enjoying the moment, enjoying still being alive and maybe he wasn’t hilariously happy, but he felt his inner peace growing and spreading. For an eternity he hadn’t had the foggiest notion what peace felt like. He had been driven, or more precisely he drove himself out of normality, out of the Olympus he was born into.
He had deserved losing his balance. He’d hurt a person, who was used to be hurt and therefore always had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when it finally happened Reid hadn’t been prepared for it, and he’d almost lost himself.
“Jon…look...I think it's them!” Tobias whispered excited.
“Who?”
“Reid. Your Reid and his boyfriend!”
Before starting something with Tobias Jon had been totally open and told him everything about the fucked up events of his earlier life. So Toby knew everything about Reid and Luke Snyder.
And Toby was right!
There had been times Jon had gone crazy because he couldn’t get HIS face out of his mind. And now he was here…The last time they had stood face to face Reid looked straight through him and asked him to leave or he would call security.
His message had been very clear: “You, Jonathan, are not existent in my universe anymore.”
Even with his expression looking like cut in stone he’d been absolutely beautiful.
That very day seemed two lifetimes ago. Having taken place in another time, another world.
And now he was sitting in the same hall waiting for the concert to begin.
Reid Oliver, “the boy” with the red-golden hair and an incredible smile…
Reid’s smile… hadn’t been a frequent event, no, he hadn’t shed his beautiful smile generously.
Who was Jon kidding, talking about ‘hair’ - it had been a curly wonder.
The whole person had been a miracle, a miracle of resilience. Having survived his parents’ early death, his uncle’s emotional abusiveness, being underprivileged he’d managed to get into Harvard.
Reid Oliver the best and most determined, ambitious student one could possibly imagine.
Reid the most loyal friend and devoted lover.
Well fortunately time was healing - that wasn’t only a dumb saying.
Or to be more precisely love in shape of Luke Snyder was healing.
Reid’s thick curly mane was perfectly cut today. Jon tried to resist staring at him, but although he was aware of Toby watching him intently he failed.
It was the posture of Reid’s head, it was his exquisite profile, the classical nose, the smile, the wonderful, precious smile…directed at the man sitting close to him:
The youngish looking man in his late twenties with dark blond hair blessed with an amazing contagious smile himself.
They whispered and smiled at each other, and suddenly Luke lifted Reid’s hand to his lips and kissed the tips of those lean yet strong fingers.
Those fingers that had cautiously caressed Jon’s skin too - ages ago.
“You can do this, Jon! We’ll get through this and we’ll say hello afterwards and you’ll smile and be your best self!”
“Yes, I ‘ll be my best self…” Jon chuckled and bent down to kiss the forehead of his patient
man.
Yet it was hard to tear his eyes away from the couple sitting in the first row not caring about the surroundings but just displaying their obvious affection for each other.
Luke Snyder apparently couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He constantly whispered something into Reid’s ear. And Reid whispered or smiled back or kissed the corner of Luke’s mouth.
After Angela Gheorghiu’s first performance Luke leaned his head against Reid’s arm and the older man gently ruffled the blond hair and enveloped his lover’s face with the most loving smile.
Remembering a conversation Reid Oliver surely had no idea had ever taken place Jon smiled again.
“Mr. Wisely may I have a word with you?”
Jon had recognized him instantly - Reid’s young lover and didn’t even try to play dumb.
“Mr. Snyder…what can I do for you?”
Luke didn’t even blink an eye realizing Jon knew him.
“I would like to know why you are anonymously injecting a lot of money into every project my boyfriend is involved!”
“I see, you’ve done your part of research, Mr. Snyder, but I am not sure if you’re informed about my part in Reid’s life.”
“We don’t need to play hide and seek. I do know that you and Reid were involved in high school and college. When we moved in together I had a look into his yearbooks and since he’d ripped out the last pages of each book I started to wonder and asked him.
“But he didn’t tell you…”
“No, he answered I wouldn’t want to know…”
“But you did want to know…”
“Yes, and then my grandmother told me about those generous but mysterious donations…and…”
“And being Lucinda Walsh’s grandson you found out about me and given my surname comes at the end of the alphabet you put two and two together.”
“Yes.”
“So what now? It’s not a crime to donate money to promising projects.”
“No, but it’s suspect!”
“Look, even if you won’t like to hear this right now, but Reid and I had been very much in love a long time ago but also for a long time...”
“So I figured … what happened?”
“My father found out about us and was afraid his empire would collapse with a gay heir as his successor and threatened to destroy Reid’s career and even his life…and he could have done that, you know. So I broke up with Reid, told him that I couldn’t be with him under the given circumstances.”
“And he left, I guess…without fighting a bit…”
“You know him well. He acted as if mentally paralyzed.
Anyway, years later my father went to see Reid and tell him the truth but he wasn’t interested anymore. He’ll never forgive me.”
“Why didn’t you fight for him? And for you? Run away, go to school abroad. Hide, change your names….I don’t know?”
“Trust me, I have asked the same questions afterwards, a thousand times. All I can say is that I was terrified he’d destroy Reid and that Reid was far better off without me. When I learned that Reid was admitted to psychiatry it was too late. He refused to talk to me. Since then I tried to watch over him without letting him know that I’m even there.”
“And you can stop doing that. He’s got me now and I’m going to spare no effort to protect him. If necessary from you, too!”
“That I don’t question not even for a moment!”
“So we’re clear?”
Jon couldn’t suppress admiring this bold and courageous young man.
“We’re clear. Just so you know, I am happy for him. That he’s found you.”
“You know what, Toby? I don’t want to meet them. Let them enjoy this night without being confronted with ghosts of the past!”
“Well, we could sneak out secretly…”
“Yeah, let’s do this!” Jon answered averting his eyes from those rich red curls and blond spikes leaning against each other.
This time Jon smiled genuinely.
Luke Snyder would watch over Reid and the young man would fight all fathers and mothers and ex-boyfriends who tried to threaten their happiness.
Watching over him
With 40 Jonathan Wisely Jr was a fine specimen. With his impressive 6.5 feet he stuck out. He hadn’t changed in years at least he hadn’t changed much - outwardly that is. His hairline was receding - indeed - but since he wore his hair cut down leaving barely a centimeter for almost his whole life - the honey-blond spikes decorated his striking head anyway, turning the spotlight on his huge amber-colored eyes, strong nose and thin lips. Yes, no one would deny Jonathan Wisely was an attractive man. And the fact he was the only son of Jonathan Wisely Sr, the heir of a global pharmaceutical company, and a well-known patron of the arts and junior scientific staff, didn’t diminish his attractiveness either. Though, being a Wisely was blessing and curse likewise.
His privileges opened almost every door on earth. He’d grown up in a fairytale-like surrounding, had been his mother’s shining star and his father’s hope. And despite common ideas, his dad had always took his time for him, there hadn’t passed by a single day without his father coming to his room asking about his day.
He’d always been allowed to invite friends and they rarely had dinner without company. So all in all he had a sheltered childhood and youth and that didn’t end with meeting a kid that was not privileged at all, at least not according to popular opinion.
Jon Wisely met Reid Oliver on his first day in high school. Reid was one of few students who weren’t taken to school with the car by their parents or a chauffeur - like Jon. Reid came by bike or by foot in wintertime. So it was obvious Reid was a scholarship student. So everybody knew he was a smart kid and soon it became obvious he was a nerd too. But contrary to his classmates Jon found Reid’s know-all manner endearing and the redheaded stringbean mostly was right anyway.
And when Jon started to sweat and stammer because he was called upon to present his Latin homework and there was a notebook with Reid’s neatly done translation silently slid under Jon’s nose a long-lasting friendship was born. Jon and Reid became inseparable and holidays were a torture for both of them, when Jon was taken on trips abroad or had to spend time with his grand-parents on some fancy islands and Reid stayed at home, because he refused to be invited by Jon’s parents at their expense. It was hard enough to know he attended an exclusive high school because rich people paid for kids like him. Anyway Reid didn’t envy Jon for being ridiculously rich but he was sad being separated from his only friend for long weeks.
However the boys’ friendship survived puberty, high school and their extremely different background.
Reid had a very special trait of character among others: He was loyal to an almost self-destructive level. Once his attempt to help Jon almost got him flunked out of school and he was at a risk to lose his scholarship. But Jon had told his parents the truth and one call and a generous check later the dean forgot about ever having considered expelling Reid Oliver.
So Reid dragged Jon through Latin and Greek tests and in the end both enrolled at Harvard.
Since Jonathan Wisely Sr appreciated Reid’s loyalty and he actually liked the awkward and shy boy he made sure that the brilliant student got a proper scholarship. A loyal friend was rare in the universe of the older Jonathan Wisely so he wanted to ensure his son wouldn’t lose it.
Tauntingly enough it was him who destroyed it in the end.
Because unnoticed by his omnipresent eye Jon and Reid had become lovers.
Both knowing that in the universe of Jon’s father gay love didn’t exist they kept their relationship from him. It wasn’t too hard since Jon had his own condo near the campus, where they lived like a couple.
Then Reid graduated with honors and to celebrate his success appropriately - meaning undisturbed - they went to one of the cottages Jon’s family owned.
Who could have assumed that Jon Sr lent the keys to one of his employees? And that this idiot had nothing else in mind than ran to him and tell him that he’d caught his son and his ‘friend’ having sex on the landing stage?
Then things started to happen very fast.
Jon Wisely Sr had a confidential talk with his son and two weeks later Jon broke up with Reid who didn’t understand anything and moved out of Jon’s life without any resistance. If Jon hadn’t known the face of total defeat before he knew it then.
They’d known each other for fifteen years and had been lovers for ten years. They had been each other’s first, each other’s everything. They had planned to apply for internship in New York and residency abroad. Staying together had been a done deal for both of them.
But their mutual illusions went up in smoke within a fucking moment.
But although Jon had submitted to his father’s iron will he didn’t cut the thread connecting him to Reid’s life. He followed him everywhere - not in person but in every other possible way. With his grandfather’s trust fund behind himself he wasn’t powerless. So he made sure that Reid had the best care while staying at a psychosomatic clinic in Midwest for nine months. Learning that Reid fell apart made Jon almost forget about the “deal” between his father and him. The only thing he could do was watching over the love of his life from a distance, hidden in proverbial darkness and anonymity.
Witnessing his strong resilient Reid stumble and fall because he lost his faith in everything made Jon almost crash too, but there was this deeply rooted contempt for his father that kept him up.
And finally Reid was back on his feet again, went for his career and his career only and became the brilliant neurosurgeon Jon always knew he would.
The fact that Reid seemed to avoid getting involved with men was only partially worrying Jon. He wasn’t able to let someone near him either and he knew the background details at least. Reid on the other hand was supposed to believe that Jon had sold him out, that all the promises they’d made were null and void the moment Jon had to make a tough call. How could Reid ever trust anyone ever again? Shy and socially awkward Reid who had worked so hard to trust Jon in the first place?
Well of course there were men crossing Reid’s path, but none of them stayed longer than a few months.
And so it was regarding Jon. He had affairs, he had one night stands but he didn’t let anyone get through to him for a long, long time.
Besides his loyalty Reid had another pre-eminent trait, he didn’t forget anything. He was like a dog, if someone had ever hurt him he didn’t forget about it. Never. So Jon wasn’t surprised that Reid never talked to him again. Not that Jon didn’t try to approach him, to ask for forgiveness.
The first time Reid was still hospitalized and his doctor advised Jon against contacting Reid who was slowly getting better.
The second time Reid had moved to New York but when Jon showed up Reid simply looked straight through him, the third time Reid had given instructions to say that he was off and the following times Reid threw him out of his office each and every time. So Jon stopped trying. But he couldn’t stop loving Reid.
In the end even Jon Wisely Sr realized that he’d done a fatal mistake, because his son wouldn’t dream of developing a ‘normal’ life or even looking for a wife and start a family. Once Reid Oliver was out of the picture Jon Jr refused to listen to anything coming from his father. He never came home again, he only met his mother outside of their home, and stubbornly refused to talk to his father, he even called him Mr. Wisely if he couldn’t avoid meeting him in public.
“I am not influential enough to fight you Mr. Wisely but I swear I am never going to forgive you.”
So Mr. Jonathan Wisely showed up in Dallas and attempted to have a heart to heart with Reid Oliver who was the rising star in the universe of neurosurgery in the meanwhile.
“I don’t care how rich and powerful you are; to me you are nothing but a bigot and a megalomaniac old man, interfering in his grown son’s life and corrupting him.”
“I couldn’t corrupt him, Reid. I threatened to destroy your career if he …”
It was hard to decipher Reid’s facial expression after finally learning the truth. His face lost its color and his lips moved but he didn’t seem to be able to say something coherent.
“I am sorry, Reid. Maybe it’s a little satisfaction that he hasn’t talked to me in years.”
“Well, I guess you’ll have to live with that then.”
With that Reid Oliver left his office leaving the dethroned “ex-father” of his ex-lover behind.
Jon Jr learned about his father’s attempt to make peace from his mother and for a short time he was hoping, praying Reid would come to him, now that he knew that Jon hadn’t sold him out yet tried to protect him.
But Reid didn’t come, didn’t call, and didn’t forgive him. Reid had moved on. Who could blame him? He’d struggled for years.
A few months later Reid quit his job in Dallas and moved to an unknown town in Illinois.
Sometimes it was creepy what a little influence could do. It took Jon only a short call to have the details. So Reid had been lured into a small hospital in Hicksville by a young blond hotshot.
Scanning Luke Snyder’s photos Jon knew for certain the young man was Reid’s type.
And another few months later Jon read about the opening of a state of the art neuro-wing in Oakdale. And there he was, standing on stage, giving a speech and descending the stage his Reid was welcomed by young Luke Snyder with a gentle kiss.
Given the way both men smiled at each other Jon realized Reid had finally found healing.
It still hurt but it was good the way it was.
Three years had passed and eventually Jon had moved on too.
He’d lost faith in having a steady relationship ever again, a place to return each and every night - and now that he had one he realized it was such a privilege, a blessing. Yes it was a blessing to be welcomed with mild, kindly smiling eyes especially if said eyes were framed by countless wrinkles proving he owner’s sense of humor.
Today Tobias and Jon celebrated their second anniversary.
“She’s really brilliant!” Toby whispered to him and Jon smiled down to that crumpled face that was beaming with joy and happiness anticipating the musical event. Toby had managed to get amazing seats, 5th row. Angela Gheorghiu on stage. That was something else, wasn’t it? And Toby’s happiness was worth everything.
Jon closed his eyes enjoying the moment, enjoying still being alive and maybe he wasn’t hilariously happy, but he felt his inner peace growing and spreading. For an eternity he hadn’t had the foggiest notion what peace felt like. He had been driven, or more precisely he drove himself out of normality, out of the Olympus he was born into.
He had deserved losing his balance. He’d hurt a person, who was used to be hurt and therefore always had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when it finally happened Reid hadn’t been prepared for it, and he’d almost lost himself.
“Jon…look...I think it's them!” Tobias whispered excited.
“Who?”
“Reid. Your Reid and his boyfriend!”
Before starting something with Tobias Jon had been totally open and told him everything about the fucked up events of his earlier life. So Toby knew everything about Reid and Luke Snyder.
And Toby was right!
There had been times Jon had gone crazy because he couldn’t get HIS face out of his mind. And now he was here…The last time they had stood face to face Reid looked straight through him and asked him to leave or he would call security.
His message had been very clear: “You, Jonathan, are not existent in my universe anymore.”
Even with his expression looking like cut in stone he’d been absolutely beautiful.
That very day seemed two lifetimes ago. Having taken place in another time, another world.
And now he was sitting in the same hall waiting for the concert to begin.
Reid Oliver, “the boy” with the red-golden hair and an incredible smile…
Reid’s smile… hadn’t been a frequent event, no, he hadn’t shed his beautiful smile generously.
Who was Jon kidding, talking about ‘hair’ - it had been a curly wonder.
The whole person had been a miracle, a miracle of resilience. Having survived his parents’ early death, his uncle’s emotional abusiveness, being underprivileged he’d managed to get into Harvard.
Reid Oliver the best and most determined, ambitious student one could possibly imagine.
Reid the most loyal friend and devoted lover.
Well fortunately time was healing - that wasn’t only a dumb saying.
Or to be more precisely love in shape of Luke Snyder was healing.
Reid’s thick curly mane was perfectly cut today. Jon tried to resist staring at him, but although he was aware of Toby watching him intently he failed.
It was the posture of Reid’s head, it was his exquisite profile, the classical nose, the smile, the wonderful, precious smile…directed at the man sitting close to him:
The youngish looking man in his late twenties with dark blond hair blessed with an amazing contagious smile himself.
They whispered and smiled at each other, and suddenly Luke lifted Reid’s hand to his lips and kissed the tips of those lean yet strong fingers.
Those fingers that had cautiously caressed Jon’s skin too - ages ago.
“You can do this, Jon! We’ll get through this and we’ll say hello afterwards and you’ll smile and be your best self!”
“Yes, I ‘ll be my best self…” Jon chuckled and bent down to kiss the forehead of his patient
man.
Yet it was hard to tear his eyes away from the couple sitting in the first row not caring about the surroundings but just displaying their obvious affection for each other.
Luke Snyder apparently couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He constantly whispered something into Reid’s ear. And Reid whispered or smiled back or kissed the corner of Luke’s mouth.
After Angela Gheorghiu’s first performance Luke leaned his head against Reid’s arm and the older man gently ruffled the blond hair and enveloped his lover’s face with the most loving smile.
Remembering a conversation Reid Oliver surely had no idea had ever taken place Jon smiled again.
“Mr. Wisely may I have a word with you?”
Jon had recognized him instantly - Reid’s young lover and didn’t even try to play dumb.
“Mr. Snyder…what can I do for you?”
Luke didn’t even blink an eye realizing Jon knew him.
“I would like to know why you are anonymously injecting a lot of money into every project my boyfriend is involved!”
“I see, you’ve done your part of research, Mr. Snyder, but I am not sure if you’re informed about my part in Reid’s life.”
“We don’t need to play hide and seek. I do know that you and Reid were involved in high school and college. When we moved in together I had a look into his yearbooks and since he’d ripped out the last pages of each book I started to wonder and asked him.
“But he didn’t tell you…”
“No, he answered I wouldn’t want to know…”
“But you did want to know…”
“Yes, and then my grandmother told me about those generous but mysterious donations…and…”
“And being Lucinda Walsh’s grandson you found out about me and given my surname comes at the end of the alphabet you put two and two together.”
“Yes.”
“So what now? It’s not a crime to donate money to promising projects.”
“No, but it’s suspect!”
“Look, even if you won’t like to hear this right now, but Reid and I had been very much in love a long time ago but also for a long time...”
“So I figured … what happened?”
“My father found out about us and was afraid his empire would collapse with a gay heir as his successor and threatened to destroy Reid’s career and even his life…and he could have done that, you know. So I broke up with Reid, told him that I couldn’t be with him under the given circumstances.”
“And he left, I guess…without fighting a bit…”
“You know him well. He acted as if mentally paralyzed.
Anyway, years later my father went to see Reid and tell him the truth but he wasn’t interested anymore. He’ll never forgive me.”
“Why didn’t you fight for him? And for you? Run away, go to school abroad. Hide, change your names….I don’t know?”
“Trust me, I have asked the same questions afterwards, a thousand times. All I can say is that I was terrified he’d destroy Reid and that Reid was far better off without me. When I learned that Reid was admitted to psychiatry it was too late. He refused to talk to me. Since then I tried to watch over him without letting him know that I’m even there.”
“And you can stop doing that. He’s got me now and I’m going to spare no effort to protect him. If necessary from you, too!”
“That I don’t question not even for a moment!”
“So we’re clear?”
Jon couldn’t suppress admiring this bold and courageous young man.
“We’re clear. Just so you know, I am happy for him. That he’s found you.”
“You know what, Toby? I don’t want to meet them. Let them enjoy this night without being confronted with ghosts of the past!”
“Well, we could sneak out secretly…”
“Yeah, let’s do this!” Jon answered averting his eyes from those rich red curls and blond spikes leaning against each other.
This time Jon smiled genuinely.
Luke Snyder would watch over Reid and the young man would fight all fathers and mothers and ex-boyfriends who tried to threaten their happiness.