Denmark
With the phone as close to her ear as possible, Josefina’s jaw dropped and her dark-brown eyes widened.
This can’t be true, she thought as the teenage male’s voice continued to explain the change in the situation. It’s too good to be true. “Are you sure?” she asked the instant Jose Jr. finished speaking.
“Sure, I’m sure,” Jose said, smiling. “My brother’s been throwing a fit about him attending Florida International University in Miami ever since I mentioned how our parents arranged for us to go this fall. So, they ‘re discussing if they should let him attend whatever school he and his boyfriend want.”
Josefina looked puzzled. “Chad has a boyfriend?”
Jose nodded. “Of course, he has. That’s one of the reasons I have three parents instead of two. Chad, who is Chad Jr.’s father, loves both my Dad, Jose Sr., and Maria ... so they decided to become a threesome.”
Josefina laughed. “Jose. You sure are silly sometimes,” she said. “You know damn good and well I was talking about your brother, Chad Jr.”
“I know,” Jose said, displaying a wide cheek-to-cheek grin. “But I just couldn’t help it. After all, you did say Chad and not Chad Jr.”
“I know I did,” Josefina interjected. “But you know what I meant.”
“I know,” Jose replied, turning solemn. “And in getting back to your question, yes – Chad does have a boyfriend and from what I understand it’s supposedly pretty serious.”
Josefina gasped. “You must be kidding. Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“Why?” Jose asked, looking confused. “Does your brother ...?”
A moment of silence occurred.
“No,” Josefina eventually answered. “In fact, Alex has been lecturing me about our relationship and how over the years you probably found someone else – so, in a way, he wouldn’t be surprised. However, I do know he’s been downright excited about the four of us getting together again.”
“Oh? So you haven’t told him about us, have you?” Jose Jr. asked, raising an eyebrow.”
“No.”
Jose paused.
“Why? Are you afraid he might think I’m not good enough for you? Or, is the idea of us having a long-distance relationship, ridiculous? Have you been seeing other boys these past four years and not telling me?”
Moving the phone to the front of her face, Josefina stared at it for a sec.
“Whoa. Slow down, Jose. Why are you giving me the ninth degree?”
Jose gritted his teeth. “Because you’ve never bothered to tell your brother we’re in a relationship. Doesn’t it sound strange that during all this time we’ve been together, you wouldn’t?”
Josefina smiled. “No. Why?”
Jose took a step backward. “Why?” He couldn’t believe she had to ask.
“Yes. That’s what I said, Jose. Why? Do we have a bad connection?”
Jose chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, Josefina. I think we do. But it doesn’t have anything to do with the phone line.”
Josefina’s eyes rolled upward. “I don’t understand.”
Jose took a deep breath and slowly sighed.
The clock on his desk showed it was getting close to five so he was going to have to get off the phone soon. This call, like multiple others to Denmark this month was long distance and heaven knows how his mother and both fathers were going to yell when they saw the bill.
“What I am trying to say, Josefina, is apparently there is a bad connection between us. And, in order to fix it, we need to improve our communications.”
Josefina’s lips parted. “Our relationship is bad, Jose? I don’t understand. How can that be? We were about to get together in Miami and now it sounds like you want to end everything. You’re a monster, Jose!”
And with those words, Josefina slammed down the phone – leaving Jose nothing to do but stare at his and wonder.
Gee. You call your girl to tell her they might be able to share adjoining dorm apartments at Florida International University because your brother is determined not to go – and you end up breaking up? How did this happen?
New York City
Eric’s ears perked up when he heard it, and immediately his mouth gaped open and eyes widened.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” he shouted in Mike’s direction. “That’s stupid. It’s dumb, and ...”
“That’s what can happen when someone falls blindly in love,” Mike said, cutting his partner off.
Eric got up from his desk and walked over to the walnut cabinet where his coffee machine sat. After placing two K-cups of hazelnut-mocha inside, he tapped the ‘On’ button.
“You did want your usual?” he said before returning to the conversation.
Mike nodded. “Yeah. I could use some relaxing.”
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee soon filled the air within Eric’s fifty-by-thirty-foot office, and his oak-paneled, gray-carpeted workspace start to feel not so closed in.
Near one of the back windows, a ray of sunshine highlighted the floor and a dove landed on one of the brick windowsills and began to coo.
“Have you ever been in an abusive relationship?” Eric asked him while handing Mike his ceramic company-logo coffee cup. “Or, at least, know someone who’s been?”
Mike glanced toward the ceiling for a second, before lowering his head and shaking it no.
“I can’t say I have, Eric. Which, in itself, isn’t all that surprising. After all, look where I was born and raised.”
Eric chuckled. “You do have a point, my country-hick friend. I’m sure there wasn’t much of anything going on around the GM factories in Potomac.”
Mike’s cheeks instantly reddened. “My Gawd, Eric. I can’t believe it. You’re still trying to say there are GM auto plants in Potomac, Illinois? Unbelievable. How many times do I have to tell you, there aren’t?”
Eric laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, my friend. I just couldn’t help it. I know bringing it up always gets you riled.”
Mike stared at him through squinted eyes. “Riled? Do I look or sound riled? What makes you think I’m riled?”
Eric shook his head and set down his half-filled coffee cup. “Oh. I don’t know, my friend. It might be the fact, you’re shouting.”
“I’m shouting?” Mike looked a bit confused.
Eric half nodded. “Yes, Mike. You may not realize it, but you’re shouting.”
“Oh.” Mike looked contrite. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Eric walked over to his friend, his business partner, and companion and gave his shoulder a half hug. “I know.”
“So. What are we going to do about Maria’s request? It seems like Chad Jr.’s in an abusive relationship, but is so much in love with the jerk, the kid doesn’t realize it.”