Memory by Doug Lloyd

Author:Doug Lloyd [Lloyd, Doug]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-12T05:00:00+00:00

PAUL KNOCKED on the door and heard movement. Kenneth seemed perplexed when he opened the door and saw Paul on the other side.

“Surprise!” Paul said, quickly slipping inside the apartment in case any of the neighbors were around.

“What in the hell is that?” Kenneth asked, pointing to the two plates that Paul held aloft.

“Your dinner.”

“You make it? I only trust your cooking if I’m supervising.”

“No, I stopped at a Howard Johnson’s on the way. It’s corned beef, your favorite,” Paul said, handing the plate off.

“I never said it was my favorite,” Kenneth said, breaking out into a barely noticeable smile for the first time in nearly three weeks.

“You did say it was all you ever ordered whenever you went there.”

“How did you get them to give you the sandwich and just leave like that? They don’t usually offer take-away.”

“A couple extra bucks helped.”

“That was very sweet of you, Paul,” he said, grabbing the plates from his hands. “I am rather hungry.”

“Let’s sit, then,” Paul said, walking toward the small round table Kenneth had between the kitchen and the main living area.

Kenneth sat and took a bite of the sandwich. While it had gotten cold and wasn’t as fresh, it was obvious he enjoyed it. He offered Paul some french fries, which Paul quickly accepted. Paul then dove into the subject that he had been yearning to discuss all day.

“I was thinking I might go on a trip this weekend.”

“Oh?”

“And I’d like you to come with me.”

Kenneth put down the sandwich and wiped his hands with a napkin. “What sort of trip is this?”

“I took an assignment at the paper today that requires me to do a review of a town’s amenities for the weekend. It’s part of their push to get bigger tourist numbers.”

“You know I’m not really in a place where I want to go out and be… and be….”

“My boyfriend?”

The word had come naturally to him in terms of completing Kenneth’s sentence, but nevertheless shocked him coming out of his mouth. Kenneth’s eyes similarly went wide with surprise.

“I was planning on saying something like personable, Paul.”

“Err….”

“Is that how you view me? As your boyfriend?”

Paul swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a great deal of pressure. “I… I suppose it is, yes. Unless… I suppose unless that would be… a bad thing.”

Kenneth looked at him sweetly. “It’s not. I’ve just… I’ve never really been able to use that word about someone I’ve fancied before. It’s nice to hear it. Boyfriend. My boyfriend, Paul. Sounds so strange!”

“I’m not just saying it to say it, you know. I really mean it.”

“I know you do. That’s why it warms my heart even more.”

Kenneth rose from the table to get himself a glass of water from the tap. Paul stood up. “So will you come with me?” He flashed Kenneth another mock frown.

“Where are you going?”

“Provincetown.”

Kenneth’s jaw dropped. “Well, if you had told me that at the beginning!”

“Have you ever been?” Paul said. He felt his eyes light up in response to Kenneth’s reaction.

“No, but I’ve heard stories about it, and I’ve been hoping to get the chance to go sometime.

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