Chapter Nine - Home sweet Home

The good thing about weekends is that you have two days to you. You can rest. Travel, stay home, or just came back to your home sweet home.
Why I was driving the way home I felt really strange. Every place I drive by I had been there. I had had so many adventures in that city. Sea Tiger was a small city. Had this beautiful lake in the entrance, and almost in the end of the city you catch the road to beach curve, almost ten minutes from Sea Tiger. I lived there 14 years. And I haven’t been there almost two year. After my mom started dating Carl I haven’t been there lately, not that I don’t like the guy, but my mom had a stressful time with my father. And now that she’d find peace I’m letting her have it alone. But I miss her a lot.
Today was really great. The sun came out and wasn’t so cold. I stopped on Jessie’s pancakes. The best pancakes I’ve ever eat. Seriously I’ve never eat something like those. They must have a secret ingredient.
I bought the best ones. Pancakes with strawberry and chocolate.

About five minutes later I got home. The house looked the same. The green paint in the entrance was just a little old, but the white fence around the house still as usually, shining.
I parked the car, and rang the doorbell.

“Son!” My mom said happy – “I miss you! My Gosh look at you! You’ve grown more!”
“I miss you too mom!” I said and gave her a hug – “Do you think? I believe I got fat…” I said laughing.
“Don’t be silly! Came in son.” She said going inside. The house has changed a little bit, first that had lots of Carl’s photos with mom around the house, and their new cat, Mia. Adorable cat.
The kitchen is the only room that stills the same. My mom walked into my room. And I had a big surprise when I saw it. – “I left it just like you did. So when you came in again you’d have it just like you left it.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“Thanks mom!” I said crying. I gave her a big hug.

After I unpacked my things, my mom and I went to the kitchen to make dinner. Carl’d be home in one hour. And is their routine have dinner at the same time.
My mom told me that Carl gave her a wedding gift. A trip to Paris. Two weeks. She was really happy with it.
I was happy for her too. Finally she found her soul mate.
“But and you son, tell me about you. How’s things there in the store?”
“It’s really great mom! Richard told me that he’ll make me vice-president of the store soon. I can’t wait to see this day.”
“Congratulations son! I’m so proud!”
“Thanks mom!” I said. “Mom, I have to tell you something…”
“What it is honey?”
“I’m dating.”
“Really? That’s wonderful honey!” She said hugging me.
“Thanks mom…,” – I said smiling. I was trying to find a way to tell her that I was gay, but I couldn’t came up with something nice. – “He’s name is Josh.” I finally said after a minute hugging my mom.
“You know honey, I’ve always knew about you, and I love you. And I’m happy that you had found someone. I hope he’s a nice guy.” She said to me, kissing my cheek.
I wasn’t surprised. As I thought, she always knew. But was really nice know that she is happy for me.
I told her all about Josh, and how we met. I told about Joe and his restaurant in the beach. She really loved the idea of meeting him. And after a while Carl got home.
Carl hasn’t change much since my last visit. He still using his dark hair, and he’s green eyes were the same – as if they could change, - the only thing is that his get a little weight.
“Ab, I’m home!” He said loudly after he opened the door.
“Here in the kitchen Carl!” She also said loudly. Maybe they had this thing of scream trough the house, if that was true, was a really weird hobby.
“Dan, my boy!” He said after he saw me – “You’ve grown Youngman!” Again loudly.
I laugh. The next one that says this I would scream. I haven’t grown. Isn’t this obvious?
“You must be forgetting things Carl!” I said laughing to him. “I haven’t grown. I have the same size…”
“Maybe you’re wrong.” He still with the talking.
“Yeah.. MayBE.”

The dinner wasn’t nice; Carl decided to talk about the things that have changed in me. “He now is with this beard, and didn’t had this accent.” He and my mom talked about his topics and when it was finished he started a new one. “And your eyes. You didn’t had those tired eyes boy. You’ve been work till late?” And then I had to explain thousand times. No… no… and NO.
Maybe was me but Carl was a pain in the ass now. Gladly the dinner didn’t last long. As many idiot hobbies Carl had to sleep before eleven. And this include had his bath before ten. I don’t know how mom still living with this idiot.
I left the two talking about me and went to my room. I finished unpacking my things. Grab the phone and dilled Josh’s.
The maid answered the phone and then passed the phone to him.
“Good night my love.” I said to him.
“Good night to you too.” He said with his normal voice. I thought it was a good sign.
“How are you?.” I asked.
“Not ok… I don’t have you here.” He said laughing. I could imagine the crooked smile on his face.
“Don’t worry I will get home soon.” I said laughing. “Now really. Is everything ok?”
“Yeah. I had a little problem yesterday, sorry about the phone thing, I hate when someone hangs up suddenly.”
“Don’t worry, but now is everything ok?”
“Yeah. Was my father as usual…. But tell me. How’s things back home?”
“Strangely… I hate my mom’s boyfriend.”
He laughed so much and then said – “This is natural… Fell angry about that.”
“No. Really Josh. He wasn’t so idiot… His like a retarded. He has his life based on time. He has to sleep before eleven, and eat before seven, and…”
“Stop. Before you have a heart attack.” He said. “Relax. Have a nice night. And you’ll see that tomorrow will be a really nice day.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I really miss you Dan.” He said seriously.
“I miss you too Josh.”
“Love you.” He said.
“Love you.” I said and then he hang up.


In the morning after boring Carl left to work my mom and I had our breakfast without looking at the clock and I talked to her about Carl’s behavior. She said that he has changed a little bit about a year ago. But that she still loves him.
Even that she hates this strange obsession with the hours.
I told her that I really think this a stupid thing, and that she’d to tell him about this. “Is not heath mom.” I said to her.
She promised to me to talk with him.
My cell phone rang, was Josh.
“Hello Josh.”
“Hello Dan, Good morning!”
“Good morning!”
“Can you make a favor to me?”
“Yeah.”
“Go to the lighthouse and grab a black bag in the sofa upstairs?”
“Yeah, but and what about the key?”
“Have a key under the carpet.”
“Ok. I’ll go there.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”

I said to my mom that I’d go to the lighthouse and then we could go to the beach.

I really don’t remember of any bag left in the sofa. I thought.
At least this little escape from my mom’s house was making me good.
See the streets again of Sea Hills was really nice, and I could see the old stores I used to go.
The old video shop, Allen’s, still there. “That bag can wait a little.” I said after I saw Sookie, my old friend. She was in the video shop. I parked the car and walked in.
She hasn’t change much. She still had her short dark hair. Her Japanese eyes still shining, and her big smile, that smile could make you rise up from the ground in a blink of eyes.
“Hello stranger!.” I said to her. She turned her head and then realized who said that. – “I can’t believe! Dan!” She said giving me a hug.
“What are you doing here?”
“You want the truth or just an idiot answer?” I said laughing.
“The truth”
“I’m a fugitive. I escaped from the aliens.”
“Right… Now the idiot answer…”
“I’m visiting my mom.”
“I’ve seen her last week. She looks tired, doesn’t she?”
“Kinda of.”
“I guess you don’t know about me, do you?” She asked.
“What?”
“Wait here…” She said enter into the child session.
Then she came back with a little boy in her arms. “Dan, this is Bob. My son.”
“I can believe Sookie! God. He’s beautiful!” The little Bob must have three years old. Had a long hair and her eyes. Also her beautiful smile.

We talked a little more. And she invited me to visit her house the next night. I said yes.
Today I’d have a normal meal.

I drove to the lighthouse, it was almost ten. The weather changed and got cold. I get there very soon. I parked the car in the same place Josh did the last time.
As he said, there was a key under the carpet. I walked in the house. Oddly was really cozy there.
I got upstairs and had this wonderful surprise. Josh was standing in the bed.
When he saw me, he gave me his beautiful crooked smile. “Why you took so long my love?.” He asked me with a British accent.
“My fault.” I said jumping into his arms. – “I met my old friend, and we started talking. Can you believe she has a child?.” I said kissing him.
“Really?” He said kissing me back. His warm breath was getting me hypnotized.
“Hum…” I said. And continued kissing him. We stood there for a long time.
He looked more incredible handsome as usually. His eyes were so blue and his smile was inviting me to his mouth. His perfume was making me going crazy.
“I wish we could live here forever.” I said looking into his eyes.
“Me too.” He said kissing my hair.
We lay down looking to the roof.
“What you’re gonna do tonight?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I think I’ll go home. Why?”
“Do you wanna come to my mom’s house? It’s really boring there now with her boyfriend.”
“You didn’t said he was a nice guy?”
“He was.” I took a deep breath. – “Now he’s a jerk.”
“What he did?”
“A lot of idiot things. I said to my mom what I think about him and she said she really love him. The strange is that when I talked to Sookie, she said that my mom looks really sad.”
“Strange.” He said.
“A lot.”
“I’ll go then” He said looking at me.
“Really?”
“Yeap!”
“Thanks!” I kiss him.

I stood there a little more and then I came back home. I had to go to the beach with mom.

©Leonardo Martins

Chapter Eight - Going back to the world part 2

“Good Morning Dan!” Kirsten said to me with her usually morning smile.
“Hey Kiki. Good.” I said. “How are you?” I asked kindly.
“Good… actually perfect! I just met someone and I tell you,…”She said happy. “He’s so damn hot! And nice, and well I think we can put a date to our couple date.” She said smiling.
“Nice…” I said smiling. Now she will talk about this date the hole day.
“Ah!” She said. “Before I forget, Pete called. He wants to talk to you. I said you’d call him.”
“Thanks Kiki.”

The weather today was strange. The sky was dark gray, and was raining. Really cold. In the office everyone was with blouses, and the smell of coffee in the air was making me hungry.
I made some stuffs I had to do and then I called Peter.
“Hey Dan!” Peter said.
“Hey Pete! How are you?”
“Fine, and you?”
“Fine too.”
“You’ve been kidnapped or something?” He said laughing.
“No why?” I said.
“You never call.. never showed up here… Is everything ok?” He asked.
“Of course it is. And you also didn’t call or show up ..”
“Yeah… My fault. But what have you done lately?” He asked.
“Not much, but I met someone.”
“Really?” He said loudly. I bet if there was someone close to me would hear it.
“Yeah, why the surprise Pete?”
“Nothing. I need to know this woman…. I mean you never talk about your dates..”
I just laugh. I wasn’t in the mood to tell him about Josh, and especially about me.
“So I called you so we could make something this weekend.”
“Sorry Pete… my mom called inviting me to her house and I can’t say no.”
“Hum. Ok, but Monday then?” He asked.
“I don’t know, I call you, ok?” I said.
“Ok…”
“And Ashley? Are you guys still together?” I asked.
“Yeah man, she’s wonderful! You need to meet her. She’s so funny!”
“Yeah. I bet she is.”
“I know!. We could hang out together, I mean… Ashley and I, and you and… sorry I didn’t ask her name, what’s her name Dan?”
“Her name…?”
“Yeah…”
“I won’t tell her name…” I said trying to laugh, but it didn’t work out very well.
“Come on man! It’s not funny!” He said.
“Is better this way, and first I want you to met hi.. the person alone.”
“All… right.. well I have to go Dan. But was good to talk to you! And I’m so happy for you man!”
“Thanks Pete. I’m happy too, and I’m happy for Ashley too. We talk Monday!”
“Yeah!”

This was the first time that I lied to Pete. We’ve been friends since ever and I never had to lie to him. I needed to tell him, but I really wasn’t in the mood. I needed coffee.

I was in the kitchen making my coffee, it looks like I wasn’t the only one with hungry here, and then Richard walked in.

“Hey Dan!” He said.
“Hey Richard. How are you?”
“I’m fine and you my boy?”
“Fine too…”
“Crazy isn’t? The weather?” He asked with his forced smile.
“Yeah… Not much. Yesterday I was in the beach and was pretty much like today…”
“You went to the beach?” He asked curious. “Then you don’t know why you get ill.” He said nodding his head.
“Don’t worry… I didn’t were in the beach… I was in this restaurant in the beach.”
“Well. Still a beach.” He said angry.

I don’t know why but Richard always had this parental thing with me. He is always trying to make sure I don’t get hurt. Is strange.

“Don’t worry Richard… seriously.” My coffee was ready and so I left the room.


My office now had the scent of coffee, and that was really cozy. Strangely Kiki didn’t visit me once, and I had the all noon free to work without being interrupted, though Richard came to see if I haven’t died two times.

Was 17:30 and I turned my pc off. Cleaned my office and went to Kiki’s table. She wasn’t there. I asked about her to Patricia, the cleaning lady that she used to talk, and she said Kiki left earlier because she had a date. Probably was the guy she talked in the morning. I thought.

As Kiki wasn’t there I went home. In the way I stopped in the market and bought red bulls and some cokes.
I came home earlier then I thought. The traffic wasn’t terrible as usually.
I put the red bulls and the cokes in the fridge, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I didn’t took so long, as I was crazy to call Josh. I put my pjs and grab the phone.

He took a while to answer the phone.

“Good night love.” I said.
“Good night love.” He answered.
“Is this a bad time?” I asked.
“No.”
“So how was your day?”
“Boring… I had this couple here in the diner that pissed me off. They took ten minutes to choose a juice. And then another ten to the next juice. I was going crazy.”
I laugh about it. It looked pretty much boring.
“Sorry to hear this. My day was strangely normal.”
“How you mean strangely normal?” He asked curious.
“I don’t know… Kiki was so strange. After I said yesterday to her that I had a date she started acting strangely. And this morning she said she had met this hot guy. And then she left early, something that she never does.”
“Maybe she’s angry with you, and is trying to make you fell bad. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah…And about tomorrow. You came out with something?”
“Nope. And you?”
“Me too. I’ll call my mom next. And if you go after this thing?” I asked hopeful.
“I haven’t thought about it. But I don’t know. You really want me to go?”
“Yes…. No…. I mean you can go if you want, don’t need to go because me. I would be very happy. But if you had another plans don’t cancel them because of me.”
“I’ll see what I do. I promise. I have to go Dan. Sorry, love you.”
“I love you too.” But he had hang up before I said those words.
Did I do something that he didn’t like? Or he was having troubles, or he was just tired?

I called my mom and she got very happy with the news of me going there. “I thought you wouldn’t come.” She said to me.
I drank one red bull and went to bed। Tomorrow I'd have to get up earlier.

©Leonardo Martins

Start

I was there.. right? I mean, this is my home. But I don't fell like my.
He is there, like always. Watchin' tv, with his idiot face, sometimes I just want to make his disapper, I have to control myself.
I hate this situation.

I need to live.

I need to feel alive.

I need start.

Barking at the Moon by Jenny Lewis

I love this song!

Chapter Eight - Going back to the world

I woke up with Josh beside me. We must have fallen asleep after the film.
He was looking at me with his crooked smile, his eyes were shining as the sun was all around the room telling us that the day has arrived.
"Good morning, silly boy." Josh said softly.
"Good morning, little Josh." I said smiling.
"You sleep like a stone Dan..." He said laughing.
"Sorry.."I said.
"Don't be. I like watching you sleep." He said.
We stayed sometime just looking to each other. It felt great wake up with him.

"Now we have to you, you have to go to your job and I have to go back home, and grab my clothes and go to the mall." Josh said putting his jeans.
"I wish we could stay here forever." I said getting up the bed.
"Don't wish this. We have plenty places to visit." He said with his crooked smile.
"Yeah. Talking about that, would you go with me tomorrow to the beach?."
"I hope I can go. I have this family thing in the morning, you could go with me, what you think?." He asked.
"I promissed my mom... And plus I was thinking to go in the morning." I said.

Great! I thought. We wouldn't see each other tomorrow.

"Let's see what we can do, we have the all day to figure out something." Josh said.
"Yeah." I said.

We had our breakfast in the cafe of the corner. And then Josh left to his house and I went to work.

©Leonardo Martins

Chapter Seven - At last... him part 6

"I love you too my love." I said kissing him.
"So, I think you wanna know about Joe.?" Josh asked me.
"If you wanna tell me. I would be glad." I answer.
"Well. I lied a little bit to you... My mom and dad aren't the happiest couple. And that diner isn't like I said to you. I mean, it's true the way my parents met and married. And about the diner too. But my father and I haven't speak a long time. After he find out about me he said I wasn't more his son. My mom suddenly started having a affair with a friend of the family and my father with a secretary. Is like everyone went wild. Joe here, was one of the babysitters that I told you. He almost raised me. He came to our house when I was 5 and since then we became best friends.
He was the first to know about me. I like to call him my father.
Joe came from Brazil and is a chef. His dream has been have a restaurant close to the sea. So I started working to my father, and then after a year I gave this restaurant to him. This isn't much as he gave me so much and this restaurant is nothing compared with all the things he has done to me. "
"Wow." I said to him. After I listen to every word of his true story."I'm really glad you told me the true. I'm really am. You trused me. And I'm sorry about your father and your mother. And Joe seems to be a really nice guy. And no
w I can understand the brazillian song playing here." I said and took a deep breath. "And why he named the restaurant Wings of Tomorrow?" I asked curious.
"I thought you may ask this." Josh said laughing. "We talked a lot of what we would do after we had our freedom. And as we talked a lot of the future he decided to named the restaurant Wings of Tomorrow, as now, "We're gonna live only the present little Josh" Joe said to me the day he opened the restaurant." He said looking to me with his beatiful blue eyes.

"Here's the food" Joe said loudly.
He was bringing a beatiful dish with moqueca de camarão. A wonderful brazillian dish.

The food was great. And I had a wonderful time there. Joe told me some storys about Josh and him. I really loved it. He told me that every month there's a special day in the restaurant where the brazilians living here came to spent some time there. It's called A brasilian day in the sea.
He makes lots of brazilian food and has this band playing mpb. It's seems nice. We were invited to this month.
We stayed there about two hours and then we went home, as started getting really cold and as Joe said earlier, the wind was pretty bad.


"I really loved here Josh" I said to him really happy. We were almost close to the exit of the beach.
"I'm glad you did. Dan." He said with his perfect crooked smile. "So. What we're gonna do now?"
"I was thinking to rent a movie and go home, what you think?." I asked.
"It sounds great!." He said."What film?"
"I now the perfect one!" I said with my evil smile.
"Ok, mr. I know best."Josh said laughing. "Don't forget that I'm the one with the surprises." He continued laughing.
"Don't worry.. I would never do such thing." I laugh too.

We stopped in the video shop and I went there by myself as I wanted to make a surprise.
Then we stopped in the McDonnalds and bought some things.



"So what is about this film?." Josh asked why I was putting the dvd on the dvd player.
"About today." I said.
"Today?." He said confused.
"Hey. Soon you'll see."
I lied in the bed with him. I turned the lights off and pressed play.
Soon Woman on Top started.


Was really nice see this film once again, specially now that I pratically have met someone with almost the same story in the film. Josh really loved the film. And said that he had never seen this film or heard about it.
We spent the rest of the day there, eating, chatting, and watching tv.
And that felling I had in the morning, was gone.

©Leonardo Martins

Chapter Seven - At last... him part 5

He kissed me so much that took my breath away. We stood there, with the car parked in the middle of the 5th avenue, kissing. Were like those moments in those romantic films where everything stops. It's just you and the other person. In this case, Josh and I.

"Well I guess I'll have to change my plans.. We need to go to a better place, don't you think?" Josh asked with his crooked smile.
"That's up to you... I would be ok just stay here with you." I said kissing him.
"Well we can do this later. In your house... Let's go to this place close to the sea, has been a while since my last visit there, but I think still lovely as it usually." He said confidence.

This moment was playing Get Here by Brenda Russell. I could fell like in the song. I don't care how you get here. Just get here if you can. I need Josh like in the song. He was now officially part of my life.

It didn't took so long to we get in the sea. Before you enter there you pass trought this lots of trees and then drive a long path in the sand. After a five minutes you can see the sea and the little restaurants and lots of chairs and tables across the place.
The rain has stoped but was really cold. The wild was quite wild and there wasn't lots of people there. As the weather here is crazy some people don't mind to visit the beach with wind and rain. I'm part of this group of people.
The beach has this thing that I can't explain. Just that makes me very happy. See the waves crash, and feel the breeze. Is really something that makes me fell good.
And now I had Josh. That looks like is a beach lover like me.

He parked the car close to the end of the "street" of restaurants. Close to this tiny restaurant called Wings of Tomorrow, quite strange to name a restaurant with this kind of name.

"Hey little Josh! I can't believe you deciced to come visit us!." Said a old man, about 60 years, with white hair, darked skin, and very short.
"Hey Joe! Do you think I would forget you?." Josh said laughing.
"Of course not, little Josh. I was just joking!" Joe said. "You've grown little Josh. Now isn't funny call you little Josh." He said with a huge laugh.
"You can always call me little Josh Joe. Yeah... I've grown. Sorry. I haven't been around lately. It's my fault. But I think this problem is solved now." Josh said.
"And who's this lovely boy." Joe apointed to me.
"My God! Sorry Joe, this is Dan. My boyfriend." Josh said happy.
"Hi!" I said really shy.
"Hi!" He waved to me. "What's your name boy?."
"Daniel." I said. Coming closer to him.
"Well Daniel, I'm Joe, and just to you know, you're dating a wonderful boy. I known Josh since he was a little kid. And boy I got tell you. He is really great! I'm really happy for him that he finally found someone." He said with tears in his eyes.
I was confuse now. This Joe must be something more then just a friend to him. I mean, we've been boyfriend about a thirty minutes and he was the first person to know, and then he tells me that he knows Josh since he was a little kid. And is happy for us. This is something hard to see.
"Thanks Joe. And I'm more then happy with Josh, he's now my life." I said happy looking to Josh.
"Good to know son." Joe said smiling. "Well let's come inside. Soon the wind will get pretty bad." He said asking us to enter the restaurant. Was really cozy inside, had 6 tables and lots of pictures of old people in the wall. Was really beatiful. Had a brazillian song playing. If I was right the song was Águas de Março.
The light there was really cozy too. You could chill out there.
Josh and I sit in the table with the view to the sea. He put his hand in mine. And with his crooked smile said : "I love you my love."

©Leonardo Martins