As the weather slowly turned colder, all across Gaycrest Burberry scarves slowly made their way out of storage, pea coats were sent to the dry cleaners, returned crisply pressed in their plastic bags, and I deliberated between investing in chocolate brown leather riding boots or slouchy black over the knee stiletto fuck-me boots.
On the other side of Gaycrest, Beto was also having a hard time making a decision. Having just moved into a new apartment complete with an outdoor fire pit should have made the annual Thanksgiving celebration planning a snap, but the gaggle was in chaos. Gary and Chad were officially on the rocks after a disastrous anniversary celebration, and deciding whether to invite one of the offending parties over the other meant alienating half of the group. However, to invite them both was a sure guarantee of Gay Side Story. And to invite neither of them meant not having a party. Never had Beto let a bit of animosity stand in the way of a celebration, nor was he about to start.
“Hello dah-ling! Did you get Beto’s invite? Are you going?”
“Yes, but I still haven’t bought my new boots and since my whole outfit hinged on the perfect shoe, I have nothing to wear!” I wailed miserably into the phone.
“Quelle domage.” Leigh responded dryly. “However, I think we may have more to worry about than your choice in footwear.”
“More important? What could possibly be more important? I mean, this is still a party being thrown by a gay man is it not?”
“It appears our friend Beto has invited both Gary and Chad, and damn the consequences.”
“Oh. Well what else is he supposed to do? To not invite both would be very clearly choosing sides, and our Beto would never rock the boat like that.”
“True… I suppose all that is left is to make an appearance in all of our fabulous glory and face what may be.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Yes, but I still haven’t bought my new boots and since my whole outfit hinged on the perfect shoe, I have nothing to wear!” I wailed miserably into the phone.
“Quelle domage.” Leigh responded dryly. “However, I think we may have more to worry about than your choice in footwear.”
“More important? What could possibly be more important? I mean, this is still a party being thrown by a gay man is it not?”
“It appears our friend Beto has invited both Gary and Chad, and damn the consequences.”
“Oh. Well what else is he supposed to do? To not invite both would be very clearly choosing sides, and our Beto would never rock the boat like that.”
“True… I suppose all that is left is to make an appearance in all of our fabulous glory and face what may be.”
“That’s what I said.”
“I’m here! Am I late?” I found Beto in his kitchen with a dry martini, wearing a burgundy herringbone button-down and dark grey flannel slacks.
“Of course, but gorgeous as usual! Everyone is already out back. Apparently the prospect of bloodshed attracts a crowd.”
“Those Romans were onto something. Are both Gary and Chad here?”
“Yes and surprisingly civil. But even better… Logan brought his new boy toy, Alexander.”
“Oh?”
“Of course, but gorgeous as usual! Everyone is already out back. Apparently the prospect of bloodshed attracts a crowd.”
“Those Romans were onto something. Are both Gary and Chad here?”
“Yes and surprisingly civil. But even better… Logan brought his new boy toy, Alexander.”
“Oh?”
“Rumor has it that Alexander and Chad were an item even while the Gary and Chad romance was being played out.” “So there may be fireworks after all…”
“And even more upsetting? Alexander has the worst fashion sense ever. He’s wearing some kind of silver shirt, must be a polyester blend. Ugh.”
I rolled my eyes at Beto and went out to the patio to find the gaggle nicely mingling, martinis and wine glasses in hand. I immediately spotted Logan and waved him over.
“So where is he? Where is your new lovah?”
“Wow, news travels fast. He’s over there. See him? Cute bubble but?”
I was about to ask Logan if the rumors about Alexander and Chad were true but Leigh, standing behind Logan motioned me to shut up. So Logan had no idea. After some small talk I moved off.
Several hours later, the party was in full swing.
Gary was standing by the fire pit pretending to talk to Stu but really looking miserably in Chad’s direction. Chad was across the patio laughing and gesturing wildly to the group of people that he had obviously brought with him but that none of us had ever met. Logan was by the hor’s douver table looking adoringly at Alexander who was looked bored or maybe just confused. Beto was on top of the table by the fire pit doing his best go-go dancer impression. Paolo had called it a night and gone either home or to hunt Filipino bottoms at a bar. Stu had abandoned Gary and was chatting up a rather round man with a shaved head and a goatee, holding his drink a bit higher than usual and swaying, whether in tune to the music or the sloshing of the wine inside him, I couldn’t tell.
By midnight, after having consumed several slices of pumpkin cheesecake and more than a few vodka sodas, I really needed to use the bathroom.
“Sorry Jimmy, I don’t mean to interrupt but I need to use the facilities.”
“Jerray. It’s Jerray”
“Oh right. Sorry Jerry. I’ll be back.”
“No not Jerry, JERR-AY. And I wasn’t done with my story, I was just getting to the good part.”
“Err, sorry Jerr-AY. I’ll be back.”
I ran indoors.
It was surprisingly quiet - the only sound the whirr of the heater and the muted sounds of the party outside.
“Which way is the bathroom…” I wondered quietly as I went down the hallway.
Further on was the last door and next to it the hallway made a sharp turn and met the stairs. Sure that the last door had to be the bathroom, I walked up to it but just as I was about to open it, a flash of movement caught my eye. Turning to the stairs I made out the shadowy outline of someone’s back, and as my eyes focused I saw what could have been Chad. “Chad!” I called out softly, realizing I hadn’t talked to him all night. The figure turned quickly to face me and I saw that there was another person between him and the wall, wearing a silvery shirt. The three of us were frozen for a few seconds and then Chad turned and grabbing Alexander’s hand, silently went quickly upstairs.
Forgetting the urge to pee, I quickly went back outside and spent the rest of the party avoiding Jerray and his ridiculously boring stories, avoiding Gary, because really, what do you tell the person that is convinced his break up is temporary and fixable, and avoiding Logan because all he could talk about was how great it was going with Alexander and how he was going to ask him to be his boyfriend that week.
An hour later everyone had left except Leigh, Logan and I.
“Have you seen Alexander?” Logan asked. “I haven’t seen him in a while and I’m his ride home.”
“Err…maybe he’s in the bathroom?” I offered helpfully.
“Maybe he is…” Logan responded uncertainly.
“Why don’t you go look in the kitchen and I’ll go look in the bed… err, bathrooms” I said a bit desperately.
Logan gave me a curious look before saying “Ok” and heading to the kitchen.
By midnight, after having consumed several slices of pumpkin cheesecake and more than a few vodka sodas, I really needed to use the bathroom.
“Sorry Jimmy, I don’t mean to interrupt but I need to use the facilities.”
“Jerray. It’s Jerray”
“Oh right. Sorry Jerry. I’ll be back.”
“No not Jerry, JERR-AY. And I wasn’t done with my story, I was just getting to the good part.”
“Err, sorry Jerr-AY. I’ll be back.”
I ran indoors.
It was surprisingly quiet - the only sound the whirr of the heater and the muted sounds of the party outside.
“Which way is the bathroom…” I wondered quietly as I went down the hallway.
The plush beige carpet silenced even my footsteps. I opened the first door. I caught my breath as I saw what could only be described as a bit unsettling; a bed covered in porcelain dolls, and a leather sling strung up from the ceiling next to the bed with a blow up doll in it wearing a strap on. I jumped a little bit and quickly closed the door. I really hoped that was Beto’s new roommate’s room and not Beto’s.
I continued down the hallway to the next door. This time I opened it slowly to reveal an office of sorts with a desk, computer, TV, and three guys huddled around a mirror on the floor. They didn’t even notice me as I softly closed the door.Further on was the last door and next to it the hallway made a sharp turn and met the stairs. Sure that the last door had to be the bathroom, I walked up to it but just as I was about to open it, a flash of movement caught my eye. Turning to the stairs I made out the shadowy outline of someone’s back, and as my eyes focused I saw what could have been Chad. “Chad!” I called out softly, realizing I hadn’t talked to him all night. The figure turned quickly to face me and I saw that there was another person between him and the wall, wearing a silvery shirt. The three of us were frozen for a few seconds and then Chad turned and grabbing Alexander’s hand, silently went quickly upstairs.
Forgetting the urge to pee, I quickly went back outside and spent the rest of the party avoiding Jerray and his ridiculously boring stories, avoiding Gary, because really, what do you tell the person that is convinced his break up is temporary and fixable, and avoiding Logan because all he could talk about was how great it was going with Alexander and how he was going to ask him to be his boyfriend that week.
An hour later everyone had left except Leigh, Logan and I.
“Have you seen Alexander?” Logan asked. “I haven’t seen him in a while and I’m his ride home.”
“Err…maybe he’s in the bathroom?” I offered helpfully.
“Maybe he is…” Logan responded uncertainly.
“Why don’t you go look in the kitchen and I’ll go look in the bed… err, bathrooms” I said a bit desperately.
Logan gave me a curious look before saying “Ok” and heading to the kitchen.
I tore off to the patio, running into Leigh. “Leigh, Leigh, where’s Beto?”
“Probably passed out in bed, why?”
“Logan’s looking for Alexander!”
“So?”
“So I think I saw him… and Chad. Together. Going up to the bedroom. And everyone already left but Logan refuses to leave before finding out if Alexander got home safely. And It’s only a matter of time before he finds them together.”
“Yeah but what about Logan? He would be heartbroken if he found out.”
“I supposed Gary would be too. Ok lets go to the bedrooms.”
We went inside but it was too late. Logan was coming down the stairs, his face expressionless. He knew. Leigh and I looked at him.
“I don’t think I should drive just yet. I’m just going to sit on the couch for a bit.” Logan mumbled.
“And Alexander?” I asked despite the look that Leigh shot me.
“I uh, he um, I think he’s lying down, I’ll wake him up in a few.”
Logan sat on the couch looking down at his hands clasped between his knees.
Leigh and I looked at each other at a loss.
Several minutes went by. “How dare he???” Logan finally burst out. “With Gary’s ex-boyfriend!!!!” “I LOVED him. LOVED HIM!!!!” He looked like he was ready to burst into tears. Just as I was about to walk over to him he stood up. “Happy Thanksgiving” he mumbled. “Be grateful you don’t have a soul-sucking, gold-digging whore. They deserve each other.”
Leigh and I left silently, not really knowing what to say.
The next day I saw that Gary had updated his online profile to say he was grateful for the hope of good things to come. I knew he was talking about Chad, and that he had no idea about Alexander... yet.
Beto’s update said he was grateful for friendships, except when friends took advantage of his 500 thread-count sheets.
Leigh’s said he was thankful for kittens.
Alexander’s said he was thankful for options.
I knew what I was not thankful for; knowing something that I wish I didn’t. I was however grateful for my two new pairs of boots, and made sure to note that online. After updating my profile I sat down at the kitchen table. I had a few phone calls to make.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Fruitfly
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