“UNTITLED MASTERPIECE”

PART TWO: Empty Filled

Chapter 12B: BODY BAGS

Billy sighed and looked him straight in the eye. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I haven’t thought about being with him for the longest time, I guess time still hasn’t decided about all that. We made lots of plans over the last few years, but things haven’t turned out as expected. Ian’s still reeling from all the events over the past month or so.”

“We’ve talked some. Gotten to be pretty close actually.”

“That’s good. I won’t feel like he’s so all alone to deal with all this if I know someone like you is around for him to lean on.”

“Ian doesn’t do much leaning.”

Billy smiled. “You’re right, but when he needs someone, and he will eventually. It’s nice to know that he has someone close at hand, who seems to really care.”

Reece thought to himself, “What is it about the people from the South? You wanna hate them but they just have this way of getting under your skin?”

They chatted a while and walked a while. Billy even bought a soft drink for himself and “something California” as he called it for Reece. At one point Reece took off his shirt and wiped the sweat from his chest.

“Wow! Cool tatts, Reece! Can I touch ‘em?”

“Sure” and he turned his back so Billy could see better. He felt Billy tentatively trace one of the markings.

“I thought about getting something while I was here, but I thought it might be too much.”

“Do it.”

“Maybe next time. Things are gonna be tough enough, don’t want the family to think I came back from California all marked up and queer.”

“You gonna tell them?”

“I have to, man. I’ve lived with this secret long enough. I can’t hide anymore. They’re not gonna like it, and it’s gonna hurt everyone like hell, but at least I won’t be doing it alone.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It is. Kind of why I came out here so quickly when Ian offered. Needed to decide. I’m not ashamed, Reece. It’s all new and strange, at it seems to be a focal point right now, but I guess I kind of realize that’s it’s not everything, it’s just a little part of me, like my eyes are green and I’m kind of squat. I have to accept it, and be able to be honest about it if it’s right. I don’t feel like I have to draw everyone’s attention to it, but I don’t want to be casual about it either.”

“Casual?”

“Look, Reece, I still want to fall in love and spend the rest of my life with one person. The only thing that has really changed is the genitals of the person I do that with. I know I’ll have to kiss a lot of frogs…oh man that’s sounds so corny.” He laughed at himself.

“It’s kind of sweet actually…and maybe you’ve kissed the right one already.”

Billy blushed. He put his hand on Reece’s shoulder. “Thanks buddy.”

And the rest of the hour sailed by. Reece was on his motorcycle cursing on his breath when Jesse finally showed up. They started the bikes and Ian handed the helmet to Billy and this