Rum & Ginger (13 page)

“This just got weird. I’m going to go.” Ben motioned to the door. He worked the house key off his ring and held it up. “Here’s your key.” Ben placed it on the table by the door.

“Thanks. I guess I’ll see you around?” Chance didn’t move from his spot in the kitchen.

“Sure. Take care of yourself.” Ben turned and opened the door. “Good luck with your game.”

“Thanks, yeah. Good luck with your bar,” Chance answered.

“Thanks, Chance. My life suddenly got strange, so who knows where it’s going from here? But thanks.” Ben stepped out into his strange new life. He paused for a moment before he shut the door, unsure if he was ready to literally and figuratively close the door on Chance and the past they shared. He closed his eyes, took a steadying breath, and pulled the door closed.

B
EN
STEPPED
to the edge of the porch and surveyed his little army of helpers and their vehicles. The sun glinted off their hoods, requiring Ben to squint as he regarded them. They were waiting on him. He was reminded of movies where the main characters, prepared for the final battle, were about to mount up and take the fight to their enemies. Ben imagined himself lighting up a cigarette and giving his soldiers the signal to roll out. It would all be very dramatic.

Instead he offered a halfhearted wave and descended the stairs to his vehicle. He wasn’t too surprised to find Lena in the passenger seat. “How was that?” she asked as Ben dropped in behind the wheel. She had one foot resting on his dash.

“Rough,” Ben answered, turning the key in the ignition. “Didn’t you drive here?”

“Brodie’s driving my car over to Derek’s.”

“Oh. I see.” Ben shifted into gear and pulled away from the old house.

“You okay, Ben-Ben?” Lena asked, reaching over and laying her hand on his on the steering wheel.

“No. No, but I will be.” He gripped the wheel with the hand beneath Lena’s and patted her with his opposite hand. “Put some music on?”

“Sure.” Lena released him and turned on the radio. She constantly scanned through stations, never settling on one for long. The chaos of her indecision didn’t bother Ben. He was certain that whatever song he’d hear would just remind him of Chance or something they’d done together. So he listened to the static alternating with music and voices with an odd satisfaction, happy to listen to nothing at all.

D
ESPITE
ALL
Ben’s protestations and the fact that they’d worked their asses off getting him moved into the guest suite, Derek insisted on throwing him a housewarming party that very same evening. So Ben found himself showering and shaving in preparation. He could already hear music thumping upstairs. He worked a small amount of gel into his hair and then artfully messed up his locks. He thought about digging out Party Shirt but decided to just go casual: T-shirt and jeans. Ben looked at his shoes and decided against them. This was his house now too, right? Why couldn’t he go barefoot? It would be a statement that he was comfortable in his new life.

He nodded decisively to his reflection in the mirror and padded up the stairs to the main floor of the house. He could feel the thump of the bass now, just before he opened the door that connected his portion of the house to the rest. He was met with a wave of music, laughter, and the scents of revelry. It was ten degrees warmer in this part of the house, and Ben found it reassuring, despite the fact that he didn’t recognize any of the smiling faces. He wove through the sea of strangers, making his way to Derek’s refrigerator. He chose one of Derek’s expensive imported ales and popped off the top.

Ben turned and leaned against the counter, surveying the gathering party in his new home. What he was really doing was looking for Lena, a familiar face in the throng. She must not have returned yet. She’d planned to go home and shower after the move. Ben wondered when she’d get back. He also wondered if Brodie would show. Derek had invited everyone who had been there this afternoon, but Brodie hadn’t committed to the party. Ben assumed he might have to work at the B&V.

Ben spotted Derek talking in a group near the sliding glass doors leading to the backyard. Derek noticed Ben at almost the same time and waved him over. Ben decided some conversation was better than none and started to walk toward Derek and his friends. “Benny,” Derek bellowed and threw an arm around Ben’s neck. “Ladies, meet the only man on the Liamsport High track team who could beat me in a race. We used to call him the Silver Bullet.”

“Nobody calls me that anymore, though,” Ben said with an accommodating smile. “Ben will do just fine.” The girls introduced themselves. They had suitably innocuous names that Ben promptly forgot.

“You look like you keep in shape, Benny,” one of them crooned. Ben rolled his eyes at the nickname but didn’t object.

“Watch it, Tina. You’re not Benny’s type.” Derek tipped Ben a too-obvious wink, pleased with his not-too-subtle joke. Tina just frowned and stuck out her bottom lip in what Ben assumed she considered an endearing gesture. Derek and his friends continued their conversation. Ben joined in halfheartedly when the opportunity arose. He finished his beer and excused himself.

“Dude.” Derek reached out and stopped Ben. “Why are you drinking that shit? I got like three kegs of some really stellar German lager and some other superfancy imported stuff. Come on, let’s get you one.” Derek motioned for Ben to follow him outside, where a horizontal refrigerator with three taps sprouting from the top sat in the grass.

“That wasn’t here yesterday, was it?” Ben asked, pointing at the behemoth cooler.

“Nah. I bought it for the party,” Derek explained as he drew Ben a pint in a proper glass. Ben was impressed with the way Derek deftly poured the drink without causing it to foam too much, giving it just the right amount of suds. “There you go, buddy.”

Ben accepted the pint and sipped at the cold liquid. He savored the nutty, spicy flavor. “This is pretty good.” Ben licked the foam from his upper lip.

“Pretty good? This shit is fuckin’ awesome!” Derek laughed, and the girls giggled.

“You’re right.” Ben smiled and marveled at the money Derek must have shelled out for this party. He wondered if it was a result of the special occasion or if Derek did this kind of stuff often.

“Don’t stop pouring,” someone yelled from the doorway. “I want one too.”

“Lena,” Ben said with a smile as his friend emerged from the house.

“You got it, sexy,” Derek answered, obliging her request. He handed her the neatly poured pint.

“Thank you, sir,” Lena said accepting the beer. She promptly tipped it back and drained the pint. Derek, Ben, and the other girls watched the spectacle with reverent awe. When she finished, Lena belched, smiled, and held the glass back out to Derek. “That’s a good start.”

“Jesus, Lena, pace yourself,” Ben admonished, eliciting laughs from their companions.

“Settle down, Mom,” Lena said with a snicker and elbowed Ben in the ribs. “I’ll be a good girl tonight. Don’t worry.”

“Liar,” Ben muttered, laying his arm across her shoulders.

“Guilty,” she admitted, accepting the second pint and sipping this time. With Lena joining them, the conversation grew easier, the laughter grew more abundant, and the party continued to roll along. As the night progressed, the guests became slightly rowdier but nothing had gotten too far out of control. Ben danced with Lena, and Lena danced with Derek. Ben even danced with some of Derek’s female guests.

Midnight came and went as some guests departed and others arrived. Ben had given up on seeing Brodie. But just after Ben checked his phone for missed messages or voice mails, Brodie stepped into the backyard. He was greeted with a chorus of welcome from the gathered guests and presented with a pint. Ben envied Brodie the ease with which he blended with whatever crowd he was in, smiling and talking to both the women and men at the party. He related some or another drunken patron story that earned laughter from everyone in earshot.

Ben was happy when Brodie found a window to slip away from the attention of the crowd and stroll over to the picnic table where Ben sat. Brodie slipped onto the bench right next to Ben, their legs touching beneath the table. “Mind if I join?” Brodie asked as he sat down.

“Not at all. I’m surprised you were able to tear yourself away from your adoring public,” Ben joked.

“People love a good drunk story. And I’ve seen a million of them.”

“I bet.”

“Although one time, I accidentally told this hilariously embarrassing story about a dude who shit himself in the bar and then fell into the street right in front of the cops,” Brodie said.

“Why accidentally?” Ben asked.

“When I told it I didn’t know he was at the party.”

“Oh damn.”

“Yeah. He was pretty pissed. He chased me outside, trying to kick my ass.” Brodie shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “It almost got ugly, but I and a couple of the other guys managed to get him to calm down.”

“Wow. That’s crazy,” Ben said.

“He was an idiot. I didn’t recognize him. If he would have kept his mouth shut, nobody would have even known it was him.”

“What a jackass.”

“It was Derek,” Brodie said quickly.

“What?” Ben blurted. “You’re joking.”

“Yeah,” Brodie replied with a satisfied grin. “I am.”

“Wait. You
are
joking? So Derek didn’t shit his pants at a bar?”

“Nah. It was some other dude. But I knew that would get you,” Brodie explained with a chuckle.

“Very funny.” Ben grimaced. “I was picturing Derek getting hauled away by the cops with a load in his pants.”

“That’s pretty sick, Ben.”

“But hilarious,” Ben replied.

“No. Yeah. That’s way hilarious.” Brodie smiled and sipped his beer.

“It’s more hilarious because of a story he told me yesterday,” Ben explained and then related Derek’s marathon/strip club story.

“Christ. He’s like a caricature of a man sometimes.” Brodie drank the rest of his beer before he spoke again. “So. Not to change the subject, but how are you holding up?”

Ben knew someone would ask something like that eventually. He’d been dreading it all evening. Instead of answering, he stood up and drained his pint. “Do you want me to refresh that?”

“Sure,” Brodie replied with a shrug.

“All right. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.” Ben gathered both their glasses and wandered over to the kegs. He hadn’t ignored the question. He was just buying himself some extra time to think about how he wanted to respond. He pondered as he watched the amber liquid filling the pint glasses. He walked back to the picnic table slowly. “Here you go,” he said, handing Brodie a drink.

“I’m sorry,” Brodie said as Ben sat. “I shouldn’t have brought that up. My bad.”

“No. It’s fine. I knew somebody would ask, and to be honest, I’m not sure how I’m doing. It all happened so fast.”

“Yeah. I was shocked when Lena told me,” Brodie said.

“It’s weird. Because on one hand, we’d been together for long enough that I figured I probably wouldn’t ever be single again, and on the other, I think this has been coming for a while. The fact that he couldn’t admit to anyone that we were a couple was a huge point of contention.” Ben sipped his beer.

“I can’t imagine that.” Brodie looked away as he spoke.

“How long have you been out?” Ben asked.

“For as long as I can remember,” Brodie answered. “My parents are both art professors. I don’t think I could have grown up in a more understanding, sympathetic home.”

“That’s awesome.” Ben thought about Brodie’s parents. Then he considered his own parents. “Chance never had a chance with his family. It’s ironic.”

“You have a lot of choices to make now, I guess.” Brodie looked at Ben intently.

“Yeah, I really do. I haven’t been in this place in a very long time. I’m not sure I’ll know how to behave,” Ben confessed.

“I’ll help if I can,” Brodie offered.

Ben looked at his newest friend. “Thanks. Really. I appreciate that.” Neither man spoke for a moment or two until Ben finally asked, “Do you want to see my
new place
?”

“Ooh. I do. Most definitely.” Brodie smiled in response.

“Cool. Come on.” Ben stood and beckoned Brodie into the house to the suite.

“H
OLY
SHIT
,”
Brodie exclaimed as they entered the suite’s living space and game room. “He has a whole guest suite down here furnished just in case?”

“I know. He must sell a shitload of cars.” Ben opened the door to the bedroom and let Brodie walk through to check out the bathroom. “Although I don’t know how. It doesn’t seem like the bastard ever goes to work.”

“My apartment isn’t even this big.” Brodie whistled when he saw the pristine half bathroom and its shining fixtures. “Hell, my furniture isn’t even half as nice as this stuff. It’s just not fair.”

“Right? And there’s a kitchenette too.” Ben pointed to a small refrigerator, sink, and two-burner oven. “My guess is before he and his wife officially split up, this was probably Derek’s home away
at
home.”

“Oh.” Brodie nodded, looking around once more. “Good call. I bet you’re right. That sucks.”

“Yeah. I’d offer you something to drink, but I haven’t had time to stock my little fridge,” Ben said as he walked over to the kitchenette. He opened the door and looked, despite knowing it was empty.

“That’s cool. If I want more, I can just walk upstairs.” Brodie sat on the couch.

“True.” Ben took the spot next to Brodie. “Or walk outside. That door leads out to the backyard.” Ben pointed at the double glass doors.

“Your own entrance too? Awesome. This is actually a pretty sweet deal. You can barely even tell there’s a party going on upstairs.”

“I know. I didn’t think running into Derek at the bar would have been so lucky.” Ben sat back and sighed. “Although I never would have thought I’d need to live in his basement after my boyfriend cheated on me with an orc princess or whatever the hell.”

Brodie reached over and rubbed the back of Ben’s neck. “Orc princess?”