Chapter 23 - The day Jerry came to live here
We helped Jerry pack most of the essential things we could think of and loaded three suitcases into my trunk. Jerry was still shaken, but he seemed a bit better.
"Thank you. I can't tell you how much that means to me."
I hugged him and smiled at Nate.
"Don't mention it. You would do the same," Nate said and went to the driver's door.
Jerry frowned and watched him get in. Then he looked at me and observed me closely.
"What?" I asked like I didn't know.
He probably didn't feel like asking the question with an obvious answer. He just watched for my reaction. I knew him well enough to guess.
"Why is everybody so shocked that Nate can drive my car?"
"Everybody?"
"Yes."
"He drove it more than once?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes."
"When?"
"I took him with me to Ben's birthday."
He didn't say a word. He just kept looking at me with a stunned look.
"How long are you two dating?"
Jerry must have known that it's not long since he saw Nate just a few weeks ago when Nate caught the two of us having sex.
"I don't even know. Not long." I said and shrugged, opening the passenger's door.
"Right..." He opened the back door and sat down.
I exhaled, thinking about what now as I got in.
"Everything's good?" Nate asked me softly.
"Yeah, just tired."
Nate nodded and took my hand gently into his. He pressed my fingers to his lips and kissed the back of my hand before letting me go and starting the car.
"So, what now?" I asked when Nate turned the wheel.
"We need to talk with Ashley."
"Ashley? Your sister Ashley?" Jerry asked.
"Yes."
"Just so I understand this picture. Are we talking about your wife, Nate?"
We both looked at each other. Nate said, "Yes."
"Ok. Please tell me what is going on?"
Nate looked at me like, 'Please, you tell it,' and I thought for a second about how to even start. I felt like I could be honest with Jerry. Still, it was so much going on within me now that it was hard to put it into words.
"Well... a couple of weeks back, we kinda started to sleep together while Ashley was away."
"I got that, alright. So am I correct that she doesn't know?"
"No, she doesn't, yet."
"Are you planning to tell her, or is this just hook up for you, Nate?"
"No, it's not." Nate looked seriously at Jerry in the mirror.
"Okay. So, if I remember correctly, we are going to the house where you grew up. House where your homophobic sister lives with her husband, who you sleep with."
I nodded slowly.
"This will be fun!"
"Don't worry. It will be fine."
"I'm not worried. I am too flabbergasted for that."
"What do you think would be best now?" I asked Nate.
"Let's get back home and get some sleep. We can talk with Ashley when we wake up."
"Okay."
"Can I ask where I will sleep?" Jerry asked.
I turned to him.
"Ashley is in a downstairs office right now since she came from abroad. You can sleep on a couch or in her bed." I said.
I saw his face. He was frowning. "And where would Nate sleep?"
"In my room."
"He sleeps in your bed?!" his voice got high.
"Yes. Well... We are still determining for how long. But definitely, until Ashley is downstairs. Everything it's a bit confusing now."
"You tell me that. It took me well over a year to get to sleep with you in one bed overnight!"
Nate looked at me, surprised. "Really?"
"I told you, I don't like sleeping with people in one bed."
Nate was now grinning widely.
"What?"
"Nothing, I am just honored."
I smiled at him.
"Seriously, how long are you two dating?" I heard Jerry's voice.
Nate started laughing, and he just couldn't stop.
"What?"
"I just counted and realized it's not even two weeks."
"Damn," said Jerry. "I am taking the couch!"
"I am sure Ashley would gladly let you sleep in her bedroom. She is very nice." Nate said with a smile.
"I think she will have enough on her plate. I don't want to take her bedroom."
"You are judging," I said, hurt.
"Daddy, give me time to process this. This guy who is married to your sister, not even your type, no offense Nate, has already driven your car and slept in your bed overnight. I know it's silly, but I don't even know what to think. I hate cheating and lying, yet somehow I can't seem to judge you for all that you two are doing. I may be that much thankful, or I think the two of you stumbled upon something remarkable. But forgive me; I am a bit jealous. Right now, it's good for me, I suppose, as I can think about other problems than my screwed-up life, but this is intense."
"Sure."
"It's past seven. Ashley will be up." Nate said plainly when we reached our house.
"Damn. I am exhausted."
"Me too."
We parked in the driveway, and Jerry and I went for his suitcases. This will be fun...
We opened the door, and as we came in, we could hear Ashley.