Chris left shortly
after their confrontation in the kitchen. Josh knew that his friend was right,
but he also knew that no one would understand. They would think he was just
being stupid. Getting too attached to his kids. That was one thing you never
were supposed to do. Kids could come, and kids will go.
Josh stood leaning
against the counter until shadows crossed the walls showing the lateness of the
day. He looked up, and sighed. Reaching into the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of
beer. Walking towards the bedroom, he opened the bottle and took a drink. He
walked towards the window, and stood in front of it with another sigh. He
lowered his bottle, and watched as the sun fell behind the house next door.
Maybe Chris was
right. Maybe he should talk to somebody about what had happened at the shelter.
Leaning his forehead against the cold glass of the window, he closed his eyes. Who
could he talk to? As much as he loved Chris as a friend, he wouldn't
understand. Joe was too wrapped with his baby daughter to be of any help. With
his eyes still closed, he took another sip of his beer. No one would
understand, so why even bother?
***********
Lance watched Josh as
he stood in the kitchen. As he moved into the bedroom, his heart filled with
sadness for whatever this man was putting himself through. He had shown up just
as Chris and Josh were talking in the kitchen, and he wanted to know what Josh
needed to talk to someone about. Maybe he could be that someone. He sighed as
he watched the room grow darker. He leaned against the opposite wall watching
Josh stand there taking a sip from his bottle every so often.
Lance waited. Trying
to figure out what he should do. What he was supposed to do was nothing. Do not
interfere in the lives of the living. Let them live their lives until their
time came. Do not allow them to see you. Do not allow them to touch you. Do not
speak to them. Do not fall in love and do not let them fall in love with you.
Lance had broken every one of their rules except for one, and in his heart he
knew that the last rule would be broken that night.
Running his hand
through his blonde spikes, he moved away from the wall. He walked up behind
Josh, and stopped.
"Are you
here?" Josh opened his eyes focusing on the window before him. "I
feel you here, so you must be." Josh turned around, and sat on the
windowsill. "Hi," he whispered, when he saw Lance standing in front
of him.
Lance raised his hand
in a small wave.
Josh tilted his head,
and put his bottle down on the floor. "I don't know what you are, but you
say I am not losing my mind. You did say that, right?"
Lance nodded.
"Okay, then.
That is a good thing. Thanks for helping me sleep. I don't know how you did it,
but you did. Thank you for that."
Lance moved a step
closer, and raised his hand touching Josh's cheek softly. Josh closed his eyes
moving into the touch. When he opened his eyes, he had a small smile on his
face. "I feel better when you are around, but you know that, don't
you?" Lance nodded again, and Josh sighed. "Don't you talk?"
Lance removed his
hand, and took a step back. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He looked
down at the floor beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, and looked back up
at Josh.
"You can't talk,
can you?"
Lance nodded then
shook his head quickly.
"Which is
it?" Josh asked as he sat on the bed next to Lance.
Lance looked up at him.
He wanted to talk to Josh. He wanted to be the one Josh talked to.
"Okay. I'm
confused here. I take it that you can't talk to me, but I can talk to
you." Lance looked down again, and Josh sighed. "Okay, I'm not
supposed to talk to you either." Josh looked towards the window, and let
silence fall between them. He looked back towards Lance, and then to the floor.
He let out a sad sigh. He didn't know what was happening between him and this
mysterious man. They had just met, if you could call it that, and already Josh
knew his happiness depended on whether or not this man was around. He couldn't
be in love with this man. No, it was too soon. They hadn't really talked.
"I think I'm falling for you," he whispered.
Lance gasped causing
Josh to look up. Before they knew it was happening, the men had moved closer
and their lips were touching. The kiss was soft and quick. Lance was the first
to move back. He reached out and took Josh's hand in his own.
"Lance," he whispered.
Josh looked at him
for a second. "I love you, Lance,' he whispered.