A Winter in Rome by Francis Gideon

Author:Francis Gideon [Gideon, Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQ romance, Contemporary, Poly
Publisher: Less Than Three Press, LLC
Published: 2015-11-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Mio amore, Alan texted me during my break. Is what Becca tells me true?

Yes, I wrote, slipping my phone out from my pocket and typing between orders of fancy lattes. I'm deeply, deeply in love with you.

Silly boy, he said. Then, as if anticipating my text to correct him, he did it for himself. I mean 'silly man.' But is she the one picking me up from the airport?

Yes. I'm staying with Sybil tonight. Is that okay?

Yes, yes! He texted back right away. I could see his shaky hands, most likely clutching coffee to help steady his nerves without a cigarette. I knew he had a layover in some God-awful Midwestern town in the states halfway through his flight. He was probably texting me from there now, a book he barely read in his lap, and notes with drawings in the margins in his carry-on bag. At least these messages wouldn't cost me a fortune, but I still wanted him so much closer.

I don't mind at all, my love. But we'll probably need to get our calendars together, so we can figure out who is supposed to be with whom with a little bit more leeway time in the future.

My eyes went wide, nodding to myself. There was already a large calendar that Sybil and I kept between our work shifts, her volunteer shifts, and her late-night classes that I often picked her up from. Time had almost been so easy the past four months while Alan had been gone. In spite of missing him terribly, my world had opened up. I could just go to the movies—by myself if I wanted—without checking and crosschecking a million things on my phone. I could sleep late, and take another shift at the café, and not have to verify with three or four people that it was okay, that I wasn't missing a birthday or a cut-off date for an assignment. Alan had slipped in between fifteen minute breaks at work, over his coffee in the Rome morning and my late-night insomnia in Sybil's bed, and like right now, in between two cranky customers' lattes.

Yes, yes. We will plan it all out. I thought of Sybil, and added a sly remark: You have no idea how much love we have to cram onto the calendar now.

Oh? He sent back. I got caught by a couple customers and couldn't write him back right away. I felt my phone buzz as I frosted drinks, and then turned away to look again. Three messages from Alan:

Well, good. I love you immensely and I will see you soon. Then, Airports are dreadful and I can't wait to be in your arms. And finally, But for now, kiss Sybil for me. And we'll rendezvous later.

I was still smiling at his small emoticons when another message came in from Sybil. I'm going to cook Egyptian tonight, she wrote. I hope that's okay.

I laughed and wondered when I'd get groceries, but I said it was all okay. Everything. Every last thing is wonderful.

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