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“My parents were nothing but formal, so if I can put as much distance between them and who I used to pretend to be, the better. So, yeah, Ollie, I like it.”

“No one else calls you that?”

Ollie shrugged and said, “My parents raised me in a small town which had little imagination, so I suppose no one ever considered anything but my formal name.”

The plane backed from the gate and I watched as Ollie’s knuckles grew white when he gripped the seat rests. His eyes darted from the flight deck, out the window to his left, before skimming over the other seats in first class, looking for what I could guess was the nearest exit.

My fascination with this man, which defied any explanation in my mind, had me offering him comfort or at least a distraction him from his fear.

“Is this your first time on a plane?”

“Yeah,” he shook his head then, “No, well, technically, it’s my second. I flew from Ohio to New York two days ago. But I wasso tired, the nice flight attendant woke me when it was time to disembark the plane.”

Something about Ollie, being alone and so tired on a plane in a strange city, brought out protective instincts which laid dormant for years. The resourcefulness of the triplets as they grew meant I hadn’t needed to watch out for them for a long time. My sisters were both fierce and independent, and mama was safe at home. Besides, it was Sam, our eldest brother, who took on the role as protector in the family, so they were unfamiliar, as I continued to be drawn to Ollie.

“Where did you stay in New York?”

“Um, I think it was called the Radisson Hotel. All I know it was next to the airport. I was grateful there was a shuttle, because as soon as I got into my room, I slept for a day and a half and before I went back to the airport to catch this flight.”

“And how did you get upgraded?”

“I… have no clue. As I boarded and searched for my seat number, Amy reached for my arm and said there was a spot for me up here. I tried to beg off, but she insisted.”

“It’s because at first, you come across as a lost kid.”

“At first?”

“Then you speak and that deep voice is unmistakable. Are you eighteen?”

Ollie shook his head, leaving his gorgeous, soft-looking hair to flop around. “I’m twenty-two. Last week, I graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in creative writing.” He paused before he swallowed. “Sorry, I offer more information than asked of me, and I’m working on stopping myself, but…”

He trailed off and shrugged.

Four years, he’s only four fucking years younger than me.

I pushed aside the appealing thought for another concern and I asked, “Why were you so exhausted when you arrived in New York?”

The silent pause made me worried I might have overstepped when he looked torn between an explanation and telling me to fuck off. Based on how nice Ollie was, the latter didn’t even come to mind.

“Because we’ve only met, I understand your reticence about trusting me with your confidences, but I would never betray your secrets.”

A soft sigh escaped him, and he nodded.

“I’m relieved to tell someone, to be honest. My parents aren’t open-minded. Cheryl is a religious studies professor and Robert teaches ethics. And four days ago, they found out I’m gay and kicked me out. I had time to grab a bag I’d already packed and my wallet, but Robert smashed my cell, reminding me he paid for it. Such a waste of money, because I don’t mind not having a phone, but they could’ve traded it in or donated it. Anyway, they pushed me out and told me never to come back. The parting shot from Cheryl was that she’ll be contacting her lawyer to remove me from all legal documentation.”

I listened to the entire story with my mouth hanging open, and still noticed the lack of emotion from Ollie, which worried me.

“Why do you call them Cheryl and Robert instead of mom and dad?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s because when I learned to speak, they never taught me mom and dad. It was their first names only.”

“You seem…”

“Just fine with getting kicked out of the only home I’ve had without a way to contact anyone and a place to stay?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

“When you grow up with parents who never bothered with the child they brought into this world, you learn to fend for yourself. I think I’ve known most of my life I was gay, but afterhearing their opinion of the subject of equal rights, I formed a plan to remove myself from the situation.”