AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally, after a lunch meeting on Monday, my phone pinged with the text I’d been waiting for.
Hugh
Smooth move, the leaving without saying goodbye thing.
My hands shook with nerves as I stared at the screen.
Oscar
I had to get back.
Hugh
Right. Believe me, I read the message you didn’t bother to leave me loud and clear.
Ooof. Hearing it from his perspective made it sound even worse than I’d known it to be… but what had been the alternative? A heartfelt hug? A “thanks for the mind-blowing sex”? A gasping, terrified plea to come home with me and never leave? Watching the light go out of Hugh’s eyes when I told him that none of the “metaphors” he’d come up with yesterday had the effect he’d seemed to hope for, and I refused to put him through the pain of attempting a relationship?
I panicked and tried to diffuse the situation the only way I knew how.
Oscar
I had to get back to Frank. He’s a demanding mistress. See attached.
I sent over a photo of Frank curled in my palm that I’d taken earlier and waited for Hugh’s usual OMG! or I’m so glad he’s feeling better response.
And I continued waiting.
By eleven that night, I caved and texted Hugh a video one of the wedding guests had posted in which my tumble off the boat was played in slow motion to the tune “Smooth Operator.”
There was no response.
The following day, I sent him an article debating the use of AI in wedding photo editing. It was a lame attempt to communicate, and we both knew it, but I didn’t want to lose the connection we’d spent an entire year creating.
He finally responded a few hours later while I was running on the treadmill in the executive gym at the office. As I stood there on the skids, the belt whirring between my feet without me, I opened his text.
It was an uncaptioned photo of Roman gazing at Scotty. I could tell from the background the photo had been taken at the beach on Saturday. Scotty was laughing at something someone else was saying, and Roman stood several feet away with his head turned in Scotty’s direction.
It was clear why Hugh had sent this specific shot. The look of utter adoration on Roman’s face was impossible to miss. This was the reason Hugh did what he did. So that Roman and Scotty could look back at this picture and remember that moment. That gut-clenching feeling. The connection that made all the risks and vagaries of life worthwhile.
I typed back.
Oscar
You’re an incredible artist.
Hugh
I only captured what was already there. Everyone deserves to be looked at like that.
He was right. And no one deserved it more than he did. I swallowed the anxiety crawling up my throat.
Oscar
You’ll find your person, Hugh.
After a moment with no response, I typed again.
Oscar
