8. Chapter -- Friday's afternoon workout
"When?" I said quietly, looking at him
"Monday, they didn't have flight till Monday."
"Since when do you know?"
"Wednesday evening"
Realizing the timing, I felt sorry for him. "I am sorry. It must have been tough for you." I looked at the carpet at my feet. What now?
"Do you want me to leave now?"
"Where would you even go, Rick?"
"I may not seem it thanks to this fucking pandemic, but I have many friends and can stay with some. I can look for housing anywhere and work from home, so if needed, I can go live in the first country I point my finger at. Hopefully not Italy." I said with a rough laugh, not even finding it funny.
This time he squeezed my hand. "I don't want you to go, Rick," he whispered those words like a secret. Like a quiet plea that was breaking my heart.
"Me neither, but I don't want to ruin your life. Not even Ashley's at this point. Not like this." What a big word after all that has been done. We were both hypocrites. We both knew that, but we were too weak to do anything more.
"Can we live here as we did before? Working out. Talking?"
I looked at him skeptically, like I couldn't even believe he could think that would work.
"You mean like you won't be jerking off in the laundry room over my cum-stained boxers, that I will leave there on purpose, jerking off every day at the thought of you? Slowly both getting frustrated until I will one day smack you on the wall and fuck you raw, with her in the next room?"
He blinked rapidly, breathing. "Rick, for fuck's sake, stop saying things like that."
"You mean things that arouse you? How the fuck do you think we will be able to work out together?"
"We can wear a shirt." I don't know if he meant it as a half-joke, but the sheer naivety was breathtaking.
"Fuck Nathaniel, do you think a couple of scraps on your body will make me forget what is beneath it?" I realized I was gradually raising my voice at him. "I have to leave. There is no way I won't fuck you again eventually or grow mad with frustration!" I calmed myself a bit, then continued, "And sorry for making judgments, but I am convinced I won't be the only one having these problems." I stared at him.
We were holding hands like it was our last lifeline. I didn't know what else to do.
"I can stay till Sunday. Then, I will call someone and leave Sunday night."
"You can call Jerry." He said obviously hurt
"Nathaniel, please..." I put my other hand on ours and looked into his sad eyes. "We can fuck, make love, say goodbye in any possible way you want. But, please, if I can ask you, for one thing, do not make us fight with the idea that it will be easier that way. I am not cruel enough for that."
By this time, his eyes were watery.
"I don't want you to leave. I know it's selfish and wrong, but if I lose you now, I don't know if I could take it. I never felt this happy, never felt more alive. And I had a great life before this madness. Please."
"Nathaniel, we've been together for a few days or weeks if you want to count the time since Ashley left. I know you took a huge step in your self-image, but you will be fine." I said, trying to sound reasonable.
"Will you be fine, Rick?"
"Sure, probably not right after I leave, but I hope I did it for you."
"Oh, how generous."
"Nathaniel."
"How do you think I can return to being with my wife? You are trying to put me back in the closet after making me realize I was in one. Do you think I will be happy like that?"
"I don't know."
"Or I can gather, again, the courage to tell her. Again. Oh, dear, do you remember when I cried and told you I am asexual? Yeah, then I asked you to marry me when you told me you don't want to have sex either? Well, guess what, I think I am gay, surprise!" He mockingly raised his hands in the air. His face is a mask of pain.
"I am sorry. I need to calm myself down. I need some space to think, Rick." He stood up and walked away.
I sat there in bright daylight, feeling like darkness was all around me. I put my head in my palms and sighed. This was a huge mistake. What have I done?
It took me a couple of minutes to calm down and go for a shower. Nate was standing in front of the sink brushing his teeth naked after showering, his hair was wet, and the beard was gone. He looked at me with silent sadness, but I did not see any anger in his eyes. I came behind him and embraced him, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He brushed his forehead on my mine lovingly and spat the toothpaste in the sink.
"I will take a shower. Can we talk later?"
He nodded.
I thought he would leave, but when he finished, he just turned around and watched me rinse myself.
"So, you want me to stay? What about Ash?"
"I will tell her eventually."
"Sure, it's been way too long since I heard how I destroyed her family. But, this can give it a whole new meaning," I said more for myself but with noticeable bitterness.
"You haven't destroyed your family, Rick."
"I don't want to discuss that now, Nathaniel."
I went out, and Nate handed me a towel to dry myself.
"If you want me to stay here, how do you imagine that? Cos, I do not know what to expect, will we try and forget this, we become just friends? Or will we continue to fuck behind her back? Do you even expect this to become something real eventually?"
"I don't know."