The Surprise Weekend Visitor

I could be an asshole and ask him how his dad is doing, but I've been an asshole long enough. Of course I was always going to forgive Elena. How could I not? She has saved my life so many times over our twenty-two year friendship. I put a shushing finger to my lips and Oliver smiles. He nods his head toward the kitchen and I tiptoe in that direction. Her back is to me as I sneak in. She's sipping from a coffee mug as she stares out the window. She sniffs and dabs at an eye with a crumpled tissue. This five day lockout has been our longest silence in our twenty two year history.

I clear my throat and she whirls around. She barely gets her mug safely set down before she charges me like a linebacker. Our hug lasts several minutes before either of us speaks. Eventually, I go first. I apologize for shutting her out and explain that I just needed some time. I needed to process what had happened. Even though I have so many unanswered questions - What was real? What was pretend? What was the endgame plan? - I tell her that I'm am only here on the one condition that we do not talk about Miguel.

She takes a minute before nodding. Before leaving the subject completely, I let her know that what she did devastated me. And while for the first time in two years I went five days where I barely thought about Cater, that was only because old heartbreak was replaced with new heartbreak.

She needed another tissue.

She blew her nose, "Do you realize that this is the first time you've been in my apartment in two years?"

That can't be right. Is it? "I never stopped going out, Elena. I go to the gym and the grocery store every week."

She scoffs, "Those are both right across the street from your building. They are hardly more than extensions of your little cocoon."

I open my mouth to reply, but my mouth hasn't found words any better than my brain has. She's pretty much right. "There's our Saturday lunches." I point out smugly.

"That I drag you to. That barely last an hour. That are always within a one mile radius of your homebase." She catches another tear with the tissue. "I'm not sure you realize how broken you've been. And a year ago, when we learned what we learned..." she trails off. I love her for not saying the words. Carter's engagement. "It got even worse."

I hug her again. "It's Saturday! Let's go somewhere new for lunch."

She smiles, "Do you have somewhere specific in mind?"

Whether it was real to Miguel or not, and I may never know for sure, he helped me to break my spell. "I am so in the mood for some sushi."

Elena grins.

~~

Five more days later, it's Thursday night. I'm expecting my regular call from Elena, but it's Oliver's name that lights up on my screen. I answer quickly, "Oliver? What's wrong? Is Elena okay?"

"Yes, Felix. Elena is fine. I'm pinch hitting tonight,"

"Why?" I ask, confused.

"Because you have forbade her from saying some things that need to be said. She will not break her promise to you, so I am here to say them."

"Look, Oliver, I—"

"No! Felix! You are going to shut up and listen. Did I approve of the scheme Elena cooked up a couple weeks ago? No. I didn't. Do we both know that she only did it from a place of love? Yes. We both do. I know you've forgiven Elena, but Miguel...? Felix, you have to realize what an amazing man you are. If your time with Miguel meant anything to you, what do you think time with you meant to him? I heard something about the mutual breaking of spells... Whatever. He's hurting. Actually, he's crushed. He is a real live human being. He is out there. In pain."

I say nothing, but I don't hang up either.

"That guy you met? That was the real him. Well, obviously not his job, his address or his name, but everything else? Totally real. He is Elena's work husband and he's suffering. Beyond the initial pretense, he was genuine with you. Nothing else was a lie. I know him. Felix, David was his Carter. The last three years of his life have been just as devastating to him as the last two years have been to you. His grief is real. His panic attacks are real. You need to get your head out of your ass. Sure, Elena went about it all wrong, but Elena was only trying to help two of the most important people in the world to her. Miguel was reluctant to go along with it, but...you know... Have you met Elena? She can be persuasive."

I laugh. Elena. Convincing, persistent, influential...

"Now look, Felix. Elena did not break her promise to you. I, Oliver, am the one going against your wishes, but only for your own good. Yours and someone else's. You know how much I love you too, right? You're not just Elena's best friend, you're mine too. For ten years now."

I do know. I think back to all the ways he's supported me over this last decade. And not just by sharing time with his wife. He is a good friend too.

He sighs, "Anyway, I've said what I needed to say. Do with that what you will." He ends the call.

~~

The next day is Friday afternoon, five o'clock, and I'm standing outside of Elena's place of work. I'm only waiting about ten minutes before people begin to file out. I see Elena and Miguel walk through the doors side by side. Miguel's toned shoulders are drooped.

As they get closer, I step forward. Elena smiles, but Miguel's eyes widen and he takes a step backwards. "I'll see you Monday, Elena. Have a nice weekend." He turns to walk away.

"Miguel! Wait." It's the first time I've said his name to him. His real name. He stops.

Elena begins to grin. I hold up a silencing hand, "You need to say nothing right now. Go home to your sweet husband and I will see you at lunch tomorrow."

She complies. She says nothing. She gives my arm a squeeze, she kisses Miguel on the cheek and she walks away.

I look at Miguel. He looks afraid. Afraid of me. I don't want to hurt him. He is so vulnerable in this moment. And cute. And gorgeous. My knees give a little, just like the first time I saw him in my apartment eleven days ago.

I say, "There's a coffee shop across the street. Can we sit down and talk for a few minutes?"

He nods, seemingly unable to speak.

Settled with cups of coffee, I begin. "I don't know what's real and what's not. It's messing with my head."

He starts to reach for my arm, but stops himself halfway. "I don't blame you. I'm so sorry."

"Oliver tells me that David was real. Is that true?"

He nods again, "Felix, the only lie I told you was the story of Elena and I being long lost sort-of cousins. We made that up together. Again, I'm so sorry. And I know this is splitting hairs, but I never told you my name was Ramon. I just let you believe that it was."

He's right. That is splitting hairs. "And the panic attack?"

"Real."

I believe him. I was there. I saw it. He couldn't be that good of an actor. I nod. "Was this only ever supposed to be the weekend for you? I mean, Elena's been trying to set us up for a year now. Were you only in it for a quick rebound?"

Now he does touch my arm. "Felix, I like you. I really like you. Everything you felt, I felt it too. I was devastated when Elena told me what you discovered and how you reacted. I still am."

"So, what was your endgame? I mean, what was supposed to happen? Was Ramon's company going to transfer him to Chicago? Were you going to legally change your name?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing that complicated. We were going to see how the weekend played out. If you didn't like me, I would never be mentioned again. If you did like me, we were going to tell you the truth and cross our fingers that the good stuff outweighed the deception."

There was a lot of good stuff. How could I not like him? Plus, I really am like a new man these last couple of weeks. I've missed the hell out of Ramon, of course, but for the first time, Carter feels like he's far back in the rearview. Oliver said it last night; the spell has been broken and Miguel, posing as Ramon, broke it. And he's so fucking cute. I know that beautiful stomach of his is hiding under his buttoned up shirt. I want to rip his buttons and do things to that stomach. Then I want to slide down lower and do more things to my favorite seven inches of him. I don't know David, but he's as much as an asshole idiot as Carter is. Who would ever want to leave this man?

I clear my throat, "Let's assume that the good stuff far outweighs the bad. What do we do now?"

He grins, "There's a Bulls game on tonight."

"But they're not playing Portland."

I can see the pink flush breaking through his bronze skin. "I deserved that."

No he didn't. "I'm sorry. The truth is, I can't stop thinking about you."

"And not just because you're furious with me?" he asks, hopefully.

"Because I'm freaking falling hard for you."

His smile melts me.

"Let's order a pizza, stay in and watch the game."

"And make beautiful music together."

I cock an eyebrow.

He blushes again, "I mean that literally. You at the piano and me on the guitar."

And then together in my bed. I say, "Don't forget the foot rubs."

He clears our trash and takes my hand, "Sounds like the perfect night."

"Should we swing by your place? You can pick up a few things and stay for the weekend."

He grins, "What about your Saturday lunch with Elena?"

I squeeze his hand as we walk down the sidewalk. "It's time to mix things up. Start a new tradition. A couples lunch. I'll bring you and she can bring Oliver."

He squeezes back, "Four spell breakers and no assholes."