Death Becomes Him - 11

Trent didn’t order a Hurricane, once he’d managed to get the table he wanted in the rear of the bar. Instead he got a beer and nursed it slowly by candlelight. Every time anyone came within five feet of him, his pulse sped up until he realized that it wasn’t anyone he knew. That it wasn’t the one man he wanted to see there, and knew he wouldn’t. He’s dead. Dead and gone. That refrain ran over and over in his head as the time closed in on midnight. He stared down as his empty glass. Shoving it aside, he started to stand.

“Not gone.”

At those two quiet words, Trent’s head whipped around. He stared at the man in disbelief… and unbearable elation.

“Close your mouth,” Rory said with a soft chuckle while he pulled out the other chair and sat down.

Trent did not find Rory’s words the least bit amusing. He scowled at him, spitting out, “What the hell is going on with you? Do you know your folks are having your funeral in just over a day from now? Are you fucking aware that they think you’re dead? That I thought you were dead? Do you get what you’ve put all of us through for the last four years? Why? Just—why?” He slammed his fist down on the table.

Rory looked at him, his expression filled with anguish. “I had no choice.”

“Oh you had a choice. You’re alive but you made a conscious choice not to let anyone know. You left your employees high and dry, your family caught in the throes of their loss with no explanation about what had happened to you. You are a…” Trent took a deep breath, shaking his head angrily.

But at the same time he couldn’t stop the contrary emotions he was feeling. Absolute relief that Rory was alive, a swift hit to his libido as he looked at the man he had loved—and lost for no logical reason that he could think of, or that he would accept from Rory. Because there is no logical reason for him not to have at least contacted me, them, his parents, to let us know he wasn’t dead. Even if he has a reason to stay hidden, at least he could have done that.

“No, I couldn’t.”

Trent looked at Rory in shock, asking fearfully because it seemed as if Rory had read his thoughts, “Couldn’t what?”

“Have let you know I was alive. Because I’m not.”