Page 53 of Something Like Forever

Tim laughed. “When you putit like that… Nah. We should think about this more.”

“Maybe,” Ben said, rollingover to face him. “I love your art. Even if we didn’t take the newgallery into consideration, I’d still urge you to go, just to seewhat happens. This is what I’ve always wanted for you. Peopleappreciate your work! Don’t turn your back on that. Even if yourpopularity doesn’t last, you’ll have touched someone out there.” Asecond later and Ben’s eyes grew wide. “I didn’t meanphysically!”

“Do you want me to stop?”Tim asked, his hand still moving up and down beneath thesheets.

Ben bit a knuckle andshook his head. “Definitely not. I’ve always wanted to make it witha famous artist.”

Tim grinned and duckedbeneath the sheets. As soon as he was hidden from view, he let thepain show, because this wouldn’t be easy. He didn’t want to leaveBen, even for just one day. Still, as he scooted down further, hislips brushing against Ben’s hip and making him giggle, he decidedto enjoy the time they had left.

* * * * *

Tim sat on the edge of themattress, fully dressed and ready to go. Occasionally he would lookover at the slumbering form next to him and wonder how anyonegathered the strength to say goodbye. Ben’s back was to him, theblankets hiding all but his shoulders and head. Tim longed to touchhim, to smooth the mussed hair with his hand, or to press his lipsagainst skin while breathing in Ben’s scent. Doing so might causehim to stir and wake, so Tim held back. This is what they hadagreed on, although to be fair, it was mostly his wish. He wouldn’tbe able to leave if forced to look into those sad brown eyes, soduring the days of planning for this trip, he had begged andpleaded until Ben agreed to treat the morning like any other. Eventhough it wasn’t.

Tim rose and quietly wentdownstairs. Chinchilla was still outside, where she preferred tostay until the day grew too hot to be comfortable. Only then wouldshe come in, following him around to each room or out to hisstudio. On days when he knew Ben wouldn’t be home, Tim often tookher to the gallery with him. They were a team. They had traveledtogether on many trips, Tim preferring to drive rather than fly,just so they could be together. Not this time though. What nearlybroke his heart was how excited Chinchilla had been when he broughtthe luggage down from the attic. She had walked around it, stubbytail wagging, and he had tried to explain that Japan was simply toofar for her to travel.

And speaking ofheartbreak… Tim stepped outside to visit her, getting down on hisknees so he could caress her fur. After walking circles around him,putting on a show and huffing in a way that seemed like talking asmuch as her open mouth resembled a grin, Chinchilla plopped downnext to him. Tim put an arm around her and rubbed her belly whilethey stared out at the yard. He was going to miss thisplace.

“Why does anyone everleave home?” Tim asked. “Now I see why Jason took solong.”

Chinchilla turned her head to look up athim, as if saying he didn’t have to go.

“I guess I don’t,” hereplied. “The thing is, I feel like I owe Eric. You never got tomeet him, but we wouldn’t have such a nice house if it wasn’t forhim. I don’t think I would have gotten Benjamin back either. So Ineed to repay him, or pay it forward. Same thing, Iguess.”

Chinchilla didn’t appearconvinced.

“Okay, we can give all hismoney to charity, but then we’d have to sell the house and live inan apartment. No more backyard for you to potty in.”

Chinchilla considered thegreen grass, mouth closing in concern.

“That’s what I thought,”Tim said. “I’ll be back. Until then, I need you to take care ofBen. Don’t let him get too sad. Give him lots of love. I need youto stay healthy too, you know what I mean? You’re not as young asyou used to be.”

Chinchilla licked her chops and lookedaway.

“Sorry. I’m not gettingany younger either. You’re still my baby. Don’t worry.” He leanedover and kissed her on top of the head. “I gotta go. I loveyou.”

Ugh. He was on the vergeof crying. Now he felt good about his decision to let Ben sleep in.This was already too hard. Although he wasn’t completely surprised,when reentering the house, to find Ben standing in the living roomwhile wearing a bathrobe, his hair sopping wet.

“That was the quickestshower of my life,” he said, chest heaving like he had run straightfrom the upstairs bathroom.

“Did I wakeyou?”

Ben shook his head. “I wasn’t sleeping. Itried, but I couldn’t.”

“Then maybe you shouldgive yourself more credit, because that was some damn fineacting.”

Ben started to smilebefore the pressure of the moment forced it away. “How long untilthe cab gets here?”

Tim swallowed “It might be out frontalready.”

“Oh.” Ben nibbled hisbottom lip, maybe trying to figure out how to spend these last fewseconds together. “I need you to be careful,” he said.

“I will.”

“Don’t drink toomuch.”

“I won’t.”

“Okay.” Ben took a deepbreath, eyes already apologetic. “Remember yourpromise.”