Love by Nathaniel J. Ryan
Nothing brings us more pleasure here at the Bohemian than to showcase the ideas and art of our loved ones and friends and it is our pleasure to present you a short story “Love” from one of our Bodymore family, Nathaniel J. Ryan. Enjoy!
“Love”
Justin huddled himself from the New York fall cold weather as he bound the steps out of the 110th Street train station. His friends had invited him to dinner. He, being single and never having a desire to cook, cherished a home cooked meal. Whether it be from friends, coworkers, or a random date. A chill wind passed along his legs, blowing his trench coat as he arrived at his friend's apartment. He buzzed 5D and rubbed his hands together while he waited for a response.
“Yo.” A baritone voice bellowed from the intercom.
“It’s me.” He replied.
Buzz.
Justin scaled the five flights swiftly. Before he could ring the doorbell Brandon opened the door. Immediately Justin remembered why he had fallen in love with this man so long ago. Brandon was handsome. Though he was now twenty years older than when they first met, he seemed as if he hadn’t aged a day. Apart from a receding hairline and a few gray hairs on his chin, Brandon maintained a boyish charm that allowed anyone he met to feel at ease. Justin was taken in by his sweet brown eyes. They hugged and kissed tenderly. The apartment smelled of collard greens, mac & cheese, and some type of fish he couldn’t quite make out.
“What you making back there?”
“I got some of your favorites,” Adrienne yelled.
Adrienne was an elegant woman with short curly hair and a wide smile. The three of them met in college. Adrienne and Brandon ran track and field. Justin tutored a number of students on campus, particularly the athletes. Over many late-night tutoring sessions they all had become friends. Though Adrienne had won the prize Justin was grateful for what they had.
“I have king fish, collard greens, plantains, and mac and cheese.”
He hugged and kissed her on the cheek. She was indeed a beautiful woman and Justin had come to terms with why Brandon had chosen her. Brandon had gotten a 2005 Nissan Maxima for his birthday going into their Junior year. That same year he had gotten the wise idea to partake in street racing events for extra cash. The illegal races were always in a seedy area far from the city. Brandon’s race was the last of the evening. The race started off well but half way through Brandon’s Maxima started swerving. At 100 mph, he couldn’t slow down and ran into a ditch. All hell had broken loose. Some people fled the scene. Adrienne ran to the car along with a few guys that stayed behind. They were able to pull Brandon out. He appeared fine: no broken bones but a few scratches. The car was totalled but Brandon seemed to be in one piece. Everyone stood feeling relieved until he collapsed to the ground.
At the hospital Brandon learned that he had badly bruised his testicles and that he would need to be monitored for a few days. He put on a brave face while he asked if he could still have sex and if he could have children. To the former yes. As to the latter, the doctors weren’t sure. Brandon quietly sobbed at the news while Adrienne held his hand and that sealed their relationship.
After dinner the trio sat and drank in the living room. Adrienne sat on the love seat, regal and alone. Justin and Brandon sat on the couch.
“So, what took you so long to come over J?” Adrienne asked.
Adrienne was always straight to the point. She knew what she wanted. If Justin was honest with himself, he’d admit she intimidated him. She had everything he wanted: his ex-lover and a beautiful home. Her gaze held him. Unable to turn to Brandon for help, Justin sat there and felt his heart beating in his chest.
He finally said, “I had to come to terms that I still love Brandon and at times, even all these years later, I wonder how life could be different.”
“And now?”
“Adrienne, you are the glue that holds us together. I realized that love sometimes breaks all of our rules.”
Brandon sat his glass down and placed his hand on Justin’s. Justin looked at their hands and was instantly overwhelmed with memories of their time together.
They had dated for almost two years in college. Happily. Everyone thought they were best friends. They had even discussed moving in together in their senior year. That all changed after Brandon's accident. Brandon abruptly ended their relationship and started dating Adrienne shortly after. Now after many years of anger, useless relationships, and reconciliation here they were. Justin squeezed Brandon's hand, leaned in, and kissed him. Adrienne took one more sip of her wine before she made her way to the couch.
After a year into their marriage, Adrienne and Brandon tried to get pregnant and consulted their doctor. Brandon still couldn’t father children. His testicles weren’t producing enough healthy sperm. They both wanted children, but neither of them wanted to adopt, nor did they want to use just anyone's sperm. A few days before Valentine's day they met with Justin for dinner and proposed the idea of becoming a family. To help them bring life into this world. To be another father to their child. They’d spoken about parental rights, shared custody, education, even what would happen if they decided to move. So now on this cold fall day, days before Thanksgiving, with no family of his own Justin decided to help his friends.
As he entered Adrienne, he thought about how he hadn’t had a lover in so long. How empty his apartment was. He immediately became grateful that his friends loved him. He made love to Adrienne while he kissed Brandon and he was grateful.
While Justin showered, he secretly hoped he wouldn’t have to do this or that again. He was petrified that he couldn’t remember a time when he’d known such joy. As if on cue, Brandon came in and tossed him a towel. Those brown eyes of his made Justin smile and he stood under the water trying to imagine his new family.
The next morning Justin was the first to awake. He looked over at Adrienne in between him and Brandon. He smiled, eased himself out of their bed and headed to the kitchen. He filled a pot with water for tea. While the water began to simmer, he looked out of the kitchen window at the streets of Harlem. Here he was almost twenty years later with an ex-lover and his wife. He made love to them both last night and had fallen in love.