11. A Lack of Colin
We were busy over the next few weeks. What Gene called the ‘Pride Effect’. My probation ended a fortnight later and Gene announced that I’d be getting a small raise and, if sales kept up, we could all look forward to a bonus at the end of the year. The downside, for me, was that Colin was pre-occupied and seemed to have endless appointments in the evenings.
The only relief from the hurt had been a visit from my mother. Our relationship had changed and improved. She liked the flat, and brought me up to date on her own situation. It saddened me to learn that my father was now in a homeless shelter, but Mum had a flat share with two women from her work. Her whole demeanour had changed. Gone was the perpetual anger, and we were able, for the first time I could recall, just relax and enjoy talking. She’d made my favourite Mac and cheese, and shown me the secret, then given me a simple recipe for a special meal I could easily make for my ‘special man’ when I wanted to.
We’d parted eventually — I’d paid for a taxi to take her home as it was late — and agreed to meet for tea or coffee at a place near her home.
“Sorry, love,” Colin apologised, turning me down after I’d suggested we have an evening meal together after work. “This is important. I’ve got to be at home as much as possible and as early as possible. I’m not doing a lot of my computer sideline either. It may make a huge difference for the future.” Seeing my disappointed look he hugged me and gave me a kiss. “I don’t want to jinx anything or raise hopes yet — it’s all a bit more tricky than I thought.”
“Okay, Colin, I won’t push … but I miss our time together.” In truth I was starting to worry he was going ‘off’ me. “I’ve learned to cook something I loved. When would you like to come round to try it?”
“You’re cooking?” A smile spread on his face. “You’re full of surprises, love. Okay, how about Friday night?” Moving closer he hugged me and planted a kiss. “Lawyers don’t work Fridays. I’ll bring the wine.”
“Lawyers? What do you need one of them for?”
“Don’t ask! It’ll jinx it.” He saw my expression. “If this comes off … it solves my problems, and answers your questions, love. Just trust me a little longer. We’re nearly there.”
“Okay, I’ll try to be patient — but it’s hard.”
“I know, love.” Putting his arms round me, he hugged me, adding, “It’s bloody agony for me too — but it will be worth it.” His kiss on my cheek was gentle. “I’ll come straight from work on Friday, but can’t stay the night.”
I prepared the meal carefully. A nice salad on the side, chipped potatoes baked as the main veg and I had two nice cutlets ready for the grill when he arrived, as promised an hour after me. I’d showered, dressed in fresh slacks and shirt — even made a few other preparations in case … His greeting at the door was exactly what I’d been missing.
“Damn, but you’re more beautiful than you are at work.” Embracing me he gave me a kiss that left me in no doubt of his feelings.
“You flatter me, kind sir.” I responded, aware of my desire and sure he was aware as well. “I miss …” Biting off what I was going to say, I shut the door. “I hope you’ll enjoy what I’ve prepared, love. I just need to grill the meat.”
“Sounds great.” He’d obviously taken time to change as well, and now waved the bottle of wine he’d brought. “Lead me to the bottle opener, and I’ll get this sorted while you do the grill.”
“Okay.” I laughed. “We’re eating at the breakfast counter, so sit there and I’ll get cooking.”
“I hope you like this wine, love,” he said, pouring two glasses. “It’s a rather nice one I like — Marco’s cousin suggested it.”
“Then it’s bound to be good.”
Truth is I haven’t had a lot of experience of anything alcoholic and I don’t want to wind up like my father. I’ve tried a range of drinks, but don’t really like the hard stuff, beer makes me feel bloated, lager makes me pee and everything else makes me feel lightheaded at best and gives me a headache. Wine is a bit different, I enjoyed the white wine we’d had on the Pride day, and the red that followed — but I’d been cautious having discovered that it has quite a high alcohol content.
The potatoes were close to ready, so I put the deboned cutlets into the grill, and gave them my attention as Colin watched. I got the timing exactly right. Served the potato wedges, added the cutlets and placed the plates on the counter, then joined him.
“Here’s to us, my love.” He raised his glass and I responded. “If all goes well, Mr Glenning KC says I should have the result I’m hoping for by the end of next week.” Grinning he added, “And now I have to add the fact you’re a first class cook to your other attributes.”
“Mr Glenning KC?” I paused. “A KC? Should I worry?”
“Worry? No!” Colin looked surprised. “Oh. You needn’t worry. I met him at the Pride march and he’s, um, sorting out a little legal problem for me … That’s why I’ve been rushing home every evening and not staying …” Reading my face again, he touched my knee. “If it goes right … well, I’ll make it up to you either way. Now we better eat this fantastic looking food before it gets cold.”
The food was good, but I barely tasted it I was so wound up trying to figure out what he was hiding from me. At the door, as he prepared to head for home, he took me in his arms again.
“Thank you for a really delicious meal. I won’t be at work the first few days next week, I’ll be in County Court with Mr Glenning.” Kissing me he, added, “If this goes my way … Well, I’ll see you Thursday, and whichever way it goes … I’ll explain all the crap then.” Squeezing my hands, he said, “Trust me, love. Mr Glenning is the guy I spoke to at the Pride march. Gene introduced me. And he thinks I’ve a good chance of getting my situation sorted … Just trust me. Please?”
By Thursday lunch I was worried, and the other guys weren’t helping with their cheerful jokes about Colin doing a runner, or getting arrested, or … I could barely eat my burger, I was that wound up. I was so worried that he’d not come on Wednesday, that I was making mistakes in my order picking and packing. Jerry had several times gently fixed a few of them, and sat me down and in a fatherly way told me to stop worrying.
Then he was there, in a suit and tie, looking like businessman, complete with a briefcase and smiling from ear to ear. Dropping the briefcase he strode to where I sat, grabbed me as I made to stand and planted a demanding kiss on my mouth, to ribald comments from the others.
“We won!” He said. “We won. My sister and her shithead husband lost. They’ve a week to pay up my share of the house. And now I can ask the question I’ve been wanting to ask for bloody nearly a eight months!” Dropping to one knee in front of me he took my hands in his and looked up into my face, grinning. “Alex — Alexander Munk — will you agree to be my lover, partner, and marry me as soon as you are of age?”
The others burst into congratulations and applause as I struggled to find my voice. I burst into tears as I managed to squeak, “Yes!”
“Take him home, Colin.” Gene interrupted as I sobbed on Colin’s shoulder. “Calm him down, dry his tears, and take him home, and both of you take the rest of the week off. We’ll see you on Monday! No arguments.”
In a daze I let Colin take me in a taxi to the flat, telling the taxi driver I’d just had a bit of a shock. Inside the flat, he shut to door behind us, turned me in his arms, and whispered, “Well, Mr Munk, will you be my lover, partner, and live with me?” He chuckled. “My husband if you like.”
“Yes.” I sobbed. “Yes, my love. I’ll be anything you want me to be …”
“No, love.” He kissed me and steered me into the living room. “From now on you’ll be whoever and whatever you want to be — and we’ll find our way together.” Seating us both on the small sofa, he held me in his arms and let me rest my head on his shoulder. “It’s been a tough month — but at last it’s sorted. I can move out, make a home for us …”
“You can live here, love.” Putting my arms round him, I returned the hug. “I was so afraid you were tired of me … that you wanted to leave me …”
“You thought …?” Staring at my tear stained face, he paused. “Leave you? Why …” Kissing me tenderly, he hesitated. “I couldn’t tell you what was happening, my love. I couldn’t tell the other either.” Pausing he stared out of the window. “My father’s will left the house to my sister on condition she allow me to live there as long as I didn’t have a partner. If she wanted me out, she had to pay me the value of the rooms I had the use of …” Hugging me again, he continued, “The old man was convinced my … sexual peccadillo as he called it, was a ‘phase’, but if I took a boyfriend and started living with him … well she could kick me out and the house was hers.”
“So you’ve lost everything because of me?”
“Lost ..?” He chuckled. “No. I — we’ve won.” Kissing me he grinned. “You see, her shithead of a partner — they haven’t got around to marrying — has been trying to make life difficult for me for a while, even before I met you.” Pausing he frowned. “But he got a bit to smart. The will had a couple of conditions for my sister as well — one of them is that she couldn’t use the house to secure any loans without my consent as long as I lived there.” Laughing suddenly, he explained, “Her smartarse partner took a loan, using the house as security …”
“So …” I hesitated, not sure I understood. “How does that change things?”
“She knew, and had to sign as surety because shithead didn’t own the house — and she never asked me. Mr Glenning had fun with that in court.”
“So now the house is yours?”
“I wish. No, but she’s now got a week to pay me half the value — and I’m free to live wherever I please and with the partner of my choice.” The kiss was possessive. “Remember what I asked you at GearFet?” Hesitating, he added, “And you replied?”
“Yes, I do, and I said ‘yes’ I would be your lover, or whatever you wanted me to be.” My tears started again. “Nothing could make me happier …”
“Don’t cry, my love.” Wiping my tears with his handkerchief, he kissed me. “We’ve got nothing to do until Monday, except, maybe …”
“I like maybe …” My mouth found his, and opened to receive his tongue. “Take me up to bed, my love, and show me this ‘maybe’ my future husband wants to give me.”
