Summer Boys by Winters Eden

Author:Winters, Eden [Winters, Eden]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Amazon
Publisher: Rocky Ridge Press
Published: 2013-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

Ferris stared into the slick water of Pearl Harbor, the sharp bite of oil filling his nose. Down beneath him, in a watery grave, lay the USS Arizona. Around him people milled, voices subdued as they whispered to each other about the memorial erected to the ship and its downed crew. He shuffled with the throng to stand before the plaques that honored the lost crewmembers. “Father and Son”, one plaque declared. “Brothers” stated another, listing names and ranks with common surnames. So very long ago, and yet not so far off, these men had lived and died aboard the ill-fated vessel.

Hyperkinetic Miko stood uncharacteristically still before the wall of plaques, his lips silently moving with the names of the fallen.

“You’ve been here before, right?” Ferris asked.

Miko gave him a sheepish look. “Not since I was a kid and too young to understand.” He turned away again. “I’ve never really had a reason to return—until now.”

Slowly they worked their way back to the loading and unloading area, to catch a tour boat back to the main dock. “Thank you for bringing me here,” Miko said. “I don’t often get to play tourist on my own island.” He stared at his twisted-together fingers. “While I appreciate all you’re doing for me, I don’t feel right about you spending so much money. We’ve been to luaus, parks, wining, and dining in places I can’t afford. It must be costing you a fortune.”

“You’re my guide. I’m here for business; I’ll expense it out,” Ferris replied. Truth be told, if not for Miko, he’d probably spend most of his time in his room, sulking, instead of enjoying the history of the island.

“Still, I feel like a kept boy.” The words were quietly spoken, but Ferris heard them nonetheless.

The boat arriving at the dock shut off any protests Ferris could make, and a noisy, guided bus ride back to the hotel didn’t offer much privacy either. Ferris didn’t know what to make of this new, subdued Miko. He pressed his leg against his companion’s eliciting a half-hearted smile. “That’s more like it,” he said.

When they arrived back at the Bird of Paradise, Miko tried to leave. Ferris stopped him. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why are you so different all of a sudden? Have I offended you in some way?” Come to think of it, Miko had been acting strangely all day. Several times he’d witnessed traces of wariness: an uncertain look, Miko pulling away if Ferris sat too close.

He put his finger beneath Miko’s chin and lifted, but Miko jerked away. Ferris’s heart skipped a beat. “Miko? Please tell me what I did wrong.” Although the ghost of Connor occasionally joined their outings, Ferris had carefully avoided any mention of his lost lover.

“It’s not you…” Miko mumbled.

“…it’s me,” Ferris completed for him. Oh boy, here we go. If nothing truly existed between us, why am I so upset at being let down easy?

“No, it’s your name.” Miko raised his chin to a defiant angle, lifting away from Ferris’s fingers.

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