Page 68 of Out on a Limb

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Cameron called into work sick, but Walker said he couldn’t. Something about a meeting and a report. He didn’t sound too thrilled about it. Walker snuck into the bathroom for a quick shower, and Cameron moseyed into the kitchen for some much needed coffee. Henry already had the pot going.

“Morning,” Henry said, still sounding asleep.

“Morning. What time did you get home last night?”

“Late. Nolan and I binge-watched the new season ofShooting Blanks. Once you get past episode three, you realize you can’t stop until you’re done with the whole season.” Henry peered behind Cameron at the bathroom. “I missed your escapades.”

Cameron breathed a quick sigh of relief. He and Henry respected each other’s boundaries as roommates and friends. He tried not to disrupt Henry’s life or sleep patterns too much with his sluttery.

“So I checked, and there’s one last Revolution in August, right before you move,” Henry said. “We’ll go out with a bang.”

“Awesome.” Cameron sipped his coffee.

“Get excited.”

“For something in August?” Revolution was fun, but it wasn’t earth-shattering. Nothing was earth-shattering in the middle of Pennsylvania.

“Be honest. You’re going to miss going to Revolution.”

“Maybe. There’ll be other dance parties in LA. Perhaps I’ll get myself invited to one of those parties at the mansion of some high-powered Holllywood bigshot and join his harem of gay ingénues.”

Cameron broke through Henry’s stern look. “Good. You’re laughing again. There is nothing to be taken seriously about Revolution.”

“Well, I still want us to go one last time.”

Cameron never realized how sentimental Henry was. It was kind of annoying.

Henry peered over his shoulder to the closed bathroom door. “Is your flavor of the week almost done? I need to use the bathroom.”

“Another minute or so.” Cameron blushed.

“So who’s in there this time? A bewildered freshman? Drunk sophomore? Senior who’s been watching you from afar all these years and didn’t want to graduate without letting you know how he feels?”

“All good guesses. All completely wrong.” Cameron poured himself a cup of fresh coffee and smiled at the smell.

“A junior who just came back from study abroad? A transfer student still learning the Browerton ropes, one rope in particular?”

“None of the above,” Walker said. He walked into the kitchen in his button-down shirt and boxer-briefs. “Mind if I have a cup of coffee?”

Henry’s mouth hung open. Cameron relished his reaction. He pulled a mug from a cabinet.

“Thank you.” Walker poured himself coffee and kissed Cameron on the lips.

“How was the shower? We don’t have a fancy head like yours,” Cameron said.

“It was fine. Do you mind that I used your pomegranate shampoo?”

“That’s actually Henry’s.”

They looked over at Cameron’s roommate. His mouth remained open, but he managed a nod of approval for the shampoo.

“I’m going to put my pants on and head to work. Good seeing you, Henry!”

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The washer and dryer in Cameron’s apartment complex was tucked in the deepest, darkest, dankest corner of the building’s basement, behind columns of boxes and assorted junk that people kept stored away but probably forgot existed. Were Cameron a little kid, he’d be terrified to ever come down here.