“Untitled Masterpiece”

Part One: BODIES

Chapter 11 B: SEX

It took until nightfall for Ian to get everything cleaned up and the furniture back to the right owners. Everyone who started the day, helped end it, and a few stragglers pitched in. Billy and Reese rode off together, on Reese’s motorcycle no less, and Ian found himself alone again in his home.

He walked outside turning only the pool lights on just to stare in the water and think. His mind was blank though. All he heard in his head was “So much right, so much wrong.”

Ian finished his smoke and looked deep in the water. He stripped off his clothes and dove in. He swam to the bottom and sat there as long as he could and then floated back to the top and gasped for air. He walked to the shallow end, shaking the water out of his hair and wiping his eyes. He sat down, letting the cool water lap at his chest and stared at the moon. He felt tears slip down his cheeks.

He didn’t hear the man walk to the pool’s edge and squat down beside him. He jumped he the man touched his shoulder. “You okay, buddy?”

He looked up and saw a very quiet Jimmy Sage.

Ian smiled. “Just fine. Just conflicted. Just tired.”

“Me, too.” He said folding his hands. “I wanted to thank you for last night and today.”

“It’s okay…” Ian said quietly, “…and you’re welcome.”

Jimmy slipped off his boots and dangled his feet in the water. “I’m all torn up inside. Know you are, too. I guess they told you all about it.”

Ian nodded his head. “Can I get in with you?” he asked.

Ian wanted to say no, but didn’t. Jimmy stripped of his shirt and stood to unzip his pants. In a moment he was naked and waded down the steps and sat beside Ian.

“Isn’t this the part where you say I’ve never played with another guy’s peter before?”

Jimmy laughed. “Ian since my wife died I’ve spent so much time so drunk, worse than last night, I just don’t remember if that’s still true or not.”

“Kind of wish I could say the same thing, Jimmy.”

“I knew you were upset about something, but I didn’t know what. Didn’t think I had the right to ask.”

They sat quietly for a moment. Jimmy dipped under the water and came back up, the wetness flattening the already close cropped hair on his head.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really, don’t know what to say.”

“You wanna listen then?”

“Anything to fill the echo in my head.”

“My wife was the smartest person I know; fell in love with her when we were twelve. She trusted me and loved me, two things I was never worthy of by any means. Oh I never cheated on her, not that I didn’t have the chance with women and men. When you’re successful it seems everyone wants a piece of the pie, so to speak.”

Ian laughed. “What stopped you?”

“I always heard her say, Jimmy it’s okay if you want to have sex with someone else it’s only cheating with your body, just don’t cheat