Hard Pressed by Sharon Maria Bidwell

Author:Sharon Maria Bidwell [Bidwell, Sharon Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2016-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Opening his eyes to early morning light, Phillip spent several minutes staring at one of the many dirty spots on the ceiling. Was that spot one of those he’d gazed at as a child in this room? Or was it new? Not that it mattered. The blemish persisted. This had to be one of the last nights he spent under this roof, no matter what came next.

Phillip had things more pressing than a spot on the ceiling to worry about. He couldn’t be sure sweat was the only thing sticking Gary to him. The bed was a single, old and rickety when he’d been a child. After their exertions, the bed should have collapsed during the night. The thin mattress was uncomfortable to sleep on, yet he’d slept peacefully, without dreams.

By God, he’d spent a night in his bed with another man under his parents’ roof. Phillip didn’t know whether he wanted to burst into tears or laughter. He didn’t know whether to wake Gary or just rest there awhile longer, savouring. A phone ringing made his decision for him. The sound woke Gary, but even as Gary shifted, Phillip shoved his bed partner away as much as he was able without flinging the man on the floor. He groped for his phone and was already dragging on underwear with one hand as he spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

Gary’s skin had peeled away from his. He had good reason to shower. Instinct told him there wasn’t time.

While a disembodied voice told Phillip the news, Gary dressed. Worried and distracted, Phillip almost failed to realise the woman he’d been speaking to was Anna.

“Th-Thanks.” He stuttered a little over the words. Wasn’t it strange the reasons for which people gave thanks? Why thank someone for imparting bad news? To make the other person feel better? “I’ll be right there.” He turned to Gary. “I’ve got to go.”

“Way ahead of you.”

Tucking his shirt into his trousers, Phillip paused just a second to glance over. The other man hesitated, clearly aware of his stare, one shoe off, foot crammed halfway into the other.

“You left your car at the care home,” Gary reminded him. “Of course, if you want me to wait here, I’ll respect your wishes. I can drop you off and return.”

Shouldn’t Gary have said he’d be leaving? What would he do if Phillip told him to go? Suddenly, he couldn’t face this alone. No way to know why. He’d done things alone, faced them without help for so long. Why should things change now? No arguing that they had. “There’s no need for that. I appreciate you being here.”

* * * *

Impotent. Gary had never considered the word before, but he suffered the weight of it now. Everyone always thought of it pertaining to sex, but the word meant helpless, powerless. Unable to take effective action. He finally understood the true significance.

One of the old woman’s gnarled hands lay encapsulated within her son’s grip. Age wasn’t the only thing that caused the wrinkling of her skin.

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