Evening Gentleman (9 page)

DEMARCUS
Yes sure. Is everything okay?

AIDEN
It will be. I will be there in about an hour.

             
Aiden ended the call and walked to his walk-in closet and began to throw clothes into a bag.

NATHAN
You are not staying with him.

             
Aiden ignored me while I was talking. I wanted to pull him out of the closet and make love to him. I wanted to make him forget everything that I just said to him.

             
Aiden continued to pack items while I was trying to talk to him. He would not stop for anything. The louder I got the harder he pack. I followed him throughout the house as he was packing. But he would not stop. Forty-five minutes later he stopped and fell against the wall. I wanted to just hold him.

NATHAN
Please Aiden. Please don’t cry.

AIDEN
I am cried out over you. You have hurt me for the last time.

NATHAN
Do you want me to leave her and move in here with you?

AIDEN
Hell no. So that you can sneak around on me like you did on her. Come to think about it there is no telling how many people that you have drug along. You know my grandmother used to have a name for men like you. She called them “evening gentlemen”. You meet people, male or female. Wine and dine them. Show them all the perks. But you can never be seen with them in daylight. It was always after dark thirty. I saw the signs but never acknowledged them.

NATHAN
We have been out in public.

AIDEN
Yes when we were out of town or in another state. I want more than that.

             
I dropped my head and took a deep breath.

NATHAN
I love …

AIDEN
Don’t even finish that lie. I don’t want to hear it anymore.

             
Aiden walked passed me and got into his car. The next thing I saw were his tail lights going down the street. I turned and locked up the house. I got into my truck and drove home.

             
As I laid in my bed I could not help but toss and turn. The thoughts in my head were on Aiden. What was he doing? How was he feeling? Was Demarcus consoling him? I got up and got a bottle of water from the refrigerator. I didn’t know that Leslie followed me.

LESLIE
It is 1:56 in the morning. Why are you up?

NATHAN
I can’t sleep.

LESLIE
What’s on your mind?

NATHAN
Nothing just thinking about a new potential client.

             
She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me.

LESLIE
Let’s go away for the weekend.

NATHAN
Where would you like to go?

LESLIE
How about a three day get-a-way to Jamaica?

NATHAN
I will set it up when I get into the office.

LESLIE
Great. I think this is what you need to get your mind off of things. Question. Did you place that house on the market for sale?

NATHAN
I didn’t.

LESLIE
And why not? I told you I want that house gone.

NATHAN
I could not get in touch with my realtor. I will keep trying.

LESLIE
The sooner the better. Now…come on back to bed.

NATHAN
I think that I am going to go for a walk.

LESLIE
The only walk that you will be doing is up those stairs and into bed.

             
I decided to follow my wife and go back to bed.

Can’t Run Away

              Demarcus walked into the bedroom where Aiden was asleep. Aiden was snuggled in the Elizabeth Queen bedding set. He placed a breakfast tray on the nightstand and started to fan the aroma of pancakes, turkey bacon, strawberries, turkey sausage, eggs, and a mimosa towards Aiden.

             
The covers began to move by Aiden turning over. Arms were the first thing that came from under the covers. Aiden flung the covers over. When he saw Demarcus he smiled. He sat up in the bed and looked at the breakfast tray.

AIDEN
What is all of this?

DEMARCUS
I figured that you needed some breakfast so I fixed you a quick meal and brought it to you.

AIDEN
You didn’t have to do this. I could have gone to IHOP or somewhere and got something.

DEMARCUS
After everything you told me last night I felt that you needed to be spoiled a little.

AIDEN
I think that is part of my problem.

DEMARCUS
How did you sleep?

AIDEN
Great. Your sheets are so soft and comfortable.

DEMARCUS
Great. With 1500 thread count they should be.

AIDEN
Look, I thought you said you were a personal trainer.

DEMARCUS
I am.

AIDEN

Not counting you money or anything but you must be doing pretty damn good.

             
Demarcus chuckled as he sat on the bed. He was being very evasive about the question.

DEMARCUS
I do okay. How long do you plan on staying here?

AIDEN
Not long. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.

DEMARCUS
That will not be a problem. But listen…I have to go out of town for a few days. I want you to stay and watch my house for me.

AIDEN
How long?

DEMARCUS
About a three to four weeks.

AIDEN
Training people out of town?

DEMARCUS
You can say that.

AIDEN
Will your partner be coming by checking in?

DEMARCUS
If I had a partner don’t you think that he will be staying here?

AIDEN
Everyone don’t live together.

DEMARCUS

Well as for me and my house I believe that if I had a partner he would be living here. Not separated. I can’t deal with that.

AIDEN
How long was your last relationship?

DEMARCUS

We were together about three years.

AIDEN (while eating his breakfast)

What happened?

DEMARCUS
I was afraid of losing some things. I didn’t know how to handle certain things.

             
Aiden finished the breakfast that Demarcus prepared. Demarcus took the tray downstairs and began to wash dishes. Aiden offered to help but Demarcus bumped him out of the way. He turned and flicked soap bubbles on Aiden. Demarcus laughed and did it again. Aiden reached into the water and returned the gesture to Demarcus. They wrestled with the soap water for a few moments.

             
Suddenly Aiden heard his phone chime from upstairs that indicated he had an email. Aiden scurried away. When he reached his phone he began to read the email from Nathan.

Aiden…how are you? I would have text but it is cheaper to send

this email. My wife and I took a weekend vacation to the Caribbean Islands.

I hope that all is well. I just wanted you to know that I have received a few offers

on the house. I will keep you informed on everything. Remember

you
can stay in the house. I hope to you see when I get back in the

states
. Take care and I love you.

             
After reading the email Aiden just held his phone in his hand. He covered his mouth with his left hand. Demarcus walked into his room.

DEMARCUS

Hey I meant to tell you about….what’s wrong?

             
Aiden passed Demarcus the phone with the email. Demarcus read the email and told Aiden not to worry about anything. He assured him that everything would work out.

DEMARCUS
Look when I get back I want to take you on a vacation.

AIDEN

You don’t have to do that.

DEMARCUS
No. I want to plus you need it.

             
Demarcus surprised Aiden by giving him a kiss on the forehead. He walked out of the room and snapped back. He gave Aiden a quick wink.

Reaction

LESLIE
Honey, come on, if we don’t get down there early enough we won’t get a good seat.

             
Leslie yelled loud enough so that I could hear her in the bathroom.

NATHAN
I’m coming.

             
We were headed down to Greenfield Stadium for the annual Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which features dozens of local and international acts performing over three days. I loved to get a seat early because I’d be damned if I was going to walk in the stadium late. I am a music lover. This year the concert was featuring Toni Braxton, One Third, Brian Art, Najee, Chrisette Michele and the great Chaka Khan.

             
I was excited about being with Leslie. I think that this was the first time in a long time that I was feeling those old feelings when we first met. Since the incident at the church things hadn’t been right. I could feel that we were forcing ourselves to “like” one another.

             
We got down to the show just before it started. People were walking around talking, drinking, and laughing. I held Leslie’s hand and we made it to our seats.

             
I remembered growing up and music would always be playing around the house. Especially on the weekend when me and my brother would be cleaning and doing out other weekend chores. I can remember seeing my mother with the vacuum dancing as she made her way around the house. My father was usually out getting drunk and would come home and fight with my mother. He would cuss me and my brother so hard that once I found a knife under my brother’s pillow where he was planning to slit my father’s throat when he passed out.

             
I can admit that I was damaged. It wasn’t something that I was proud of. I never discussed it and tried not to think about it.

             
Since things were going good between Leslie and me I wasn’t going to jinx it and think bad thoughts. I wanted to look at the future and be confident that things would get better.

             
The show started and local artists came out first. I wanted to see Toni Braxton perform since it had been over five years when I saw her in Las Vegas. After about two hours there was an intermission. I knew that she would be up next. I went and got Leslie and me something else to drink. As I was walking back to my seat I noticed a very attractive older gentleman looking in my direction. I stopped and observed him for a minute. I noticed when he tilted his head to the side beckoning me to follow. I looked down at the drinks and back at him. Leslie was waiting and I was waiting on Toni’s performance. I could feel my nature growing intensely in my pants. For once I had to think with the head on my shoulders and not the head in my pants.

             
I made my way back to my seat. I passed Leslie her drink and took a long sip of my cognac. Leslie placed her hand on my thigh. I looked at her and smiled.

LESLIE
(noticing my manhood on the side of my leg)

In the words of R. Kelly, “Seems like you’re ready.”

NATHAN
Anytime that I am next to you I am ready.

LESLIE
We can leave now and take care of that.

NATHAN
Baby I need to see Toni Braxton perform. Then we will go and take care of each other all night.

NATHAN
Toni gave a great show didn’t she?

LESLIE
She was good.

NATHAN

She was better than good. She was awesome. Towanda and Trina still got it too. Great women and great singers.

LESLIE
You know she was lip-syncing?

NATHAN
Never that! Don’t be a hater baby. Toni has nothing on you.

             
Leslie began to take her clothes off. I decided that I wanted something else to drink.

NATHAN
Bae, I am going down to the bar and get a bottle of wine. I will be back.