The City of Rossford

Chay Lewis wanted to be honest, but he decided that, in point of fact, honesty really was not always the best policy. This was the best policy, to wait.

When it seemed that there was no sign of his parents going to bed, he got on the phone and called Sheridan.

“What’s up, Mate?” Sheridan said.

About a hundred years ago, they’d seen some movie set in Australia, and after this Sheridan always called Chay mate.

“I want you to drop me off somewhere.”

“I love you too,” Sheridan said.

Chay said nothing.

“Alright, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I love it when you pretend to feel neglected and have your feelings all hurt.”

“How do you know you’re not hurting me right now?” Sheridan said, adding a few sniffs before hanging up.

Chay willed himself to lie to his Dads. Usually he just went on about his business, and did what he pleased while they asked few questions. But tonight he felt a lie was required. He felt like the truth had to be wrapped up and hidden in one lie and then another, and then stashed in a safe.

“Is it alright if I hang out with Sheridan?”

“I suppose,” James said. “But it’s getting late.”

“I was going to stay,” Chay said. “We’d just go to school together tomorrow.”

“Alright I guess.”

“Would you call when you get there?” Noah said.

“Dad!”

James looked at Noah.

“Alright, fine. Do I worry too much?”

“Yes,” they both said to Noah.

“I’m going to go up and get my school bag,” Chay said.

When Layla came intothe living room, it was Paul who looked up from the chair by the empty fireplace and said, “Hey, Layla.”

“Paul,” she closed the door and kissed him on the cheek. “You hide out a lot. I never get to see you.”

“I’m not hiding,” he told her. “Just raising kids.”

“Um,” Layla sat down. “Is that full of drama or not? Because right now I think I would like a life without drama.”

Paul smiled quietly and said, “It’s got its own drama. It’s not like the earlier part of my life, but it’s got its own drama.” “Say, Claire told me they were calling you back for the one part you had on that soap.”

“That’s right,” Paul snapped his fingers. “I forgot.”

“You forgot?”

“I got other things,” he reminded her. “Yeah, so that’s like a couple of weeks in New York, I guess. I’m what they call recurring. Well, vaguely recurring.”

“I thought they killed you off.”

“I thought they did too, but you know how that goes. Speaking of killing things off, I heard you came by to talk to Will.”

“This is a very small city.”

“No, it’s just not a very big house.”

“Layla, is that you?” Fenn called from the kitchen.

“It’s me,” she said.

Paul had noticed a look on her face, and it was still there so he said, “You were going to be a married lady.”

“Yes,” Layla said. “Well, that’s just it. I was going to be a married lady with a home of my own and… maybe a life of my own where I wasn’t just drifting in and out of people’s houses. I didn’t realize how tired I was of living with other people until now.”

Paul chuckled and then bit his lip. He looked very reflective.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” she asked him.

“I was just thinking how silly it would have been if you got married just so you could be alone. And then I was thinking how many silly things I did for the wrong reasons.”

“You were thinking all of that? That quickly?”

“Yes. And now, I’m thinking again.”

Layla nodded.

“I…. You know what?” he said turning as Fenn came out of the kitchen. “I’ll elaborate later. It’s just an idea, and me and Fenn have to go over it.”

“We do?” Fenn said, looking from Paul to his niece.

“Yes, my friend,” Paul said. “We do.”

“So you like it?”Chad said, leaning into Bryant as they sat on the sofa.

“I was so surprised. I thought we were going to do it tonight?”

“I just thought it would be nice if you came home and saw the tree. And you were building that playhouse with Todd all day. I mean, you do like it?”

“When I said I was surprised,” Bryant said, kissing his hand. “I meant you are always surprising me. You’re always making me happy.”

Chad pressed himself closer to Bryant.

“That’s my job.”

“Is it really now?”

“Uh, uh.”

Well, I guess I should give you a raise.”

Bryant closed his eyes and listened to the Christmas music.

Hey ho, nobody home, meat nor drink nor money have I none

Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.

Hey ho, nobody home, Meat nor drink nor money have I none

Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.

Hey Ho, nobody home.

When he opened them the lights on the tree, orange and red and gold winked on the evergreen.

“Everything’s so perfect right now,” he marveled.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry,

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

Suddenly Chad put his hand on Bryant’s thigh and then slid it up and cupped him.

“Well!” Bryant said a little startled.

“Let’s make it a little more perfect.”

Bryant looked at him.

“I need you,” Chad said seriously. “I’ve needed you all day.”

“Okay, now… I might call you if everything doesn’t go right.” Chay said.

“Whaddo you mean?”

“Well, he might send me away. I mean he might say it’s too late.”

“Well, howabout I just wait for you?”

“No,” Chay said as they turned off the highway and up the road. That’ll be all wrong.”

Sheridan stopped the car in front of Casey’s house and said, “Well, I hope you have fun. Tell him I said hey.”

“I will,” Chay said.

He climbed out of the car.

“Chay, you sure you don’t want me to wait?”

“I’m sure,” said Chay. “Now go on.”

Turning the car around very slowly, Sheridan Klasko drove away while Chay went up the path. Now all was darkness. He walked up onto the porch of the old house. He looked around. There were no other cars. No one else was here. He knocked on the door.

A few moments later, in his glasses and a snug yellow tee shirt Casey, answered the door.

“Chay, what the heck are you—”

But then Chay came up on his toes, pulled Casey’s face to him and kissed him.

Casey Williams pulled away, blinking.

“Are you nuts? What’s wrong with you.”

He dragged Chay into the house and shut the door.

“I told my folks I’d be gone for the night. Sheridan dropped me off. I had to see you.”

Casey took a hand through his short blond hair.

“You’re nuts, and I can’t believe you did that outside of the house.”

“Casey…” Chay went up to him. He touched his face.

“Case,” Chay said again.

“Why do you want this?” Casey said. “Don’t you know anything?”

But Casey was kissing him now, and then he lifted Chay up and put him against the wall.

“This is like three kinds of illegal,” he told Chay.

Chay said, “Can we just go to bed?”

Casey blinked at him, and then he kissed Chay deeply, the boy’s legs going around his waist while they pressed their mouths tight together. With a small grunt, Casey lifted Chay, and shutting off the light in the living room, took him to the bedroom down the hall.