Part 19


Reunion

JC waited impatiently at the baggage carousel, wondering again why he had packed so much that he’d been forced to check his bags. What had seemed like such a good idea on the flight out now was nothing but a major pain in the ass. JC really wanted to go home.

He’d never been a good traveler, but this had been the first time in two years that he’d gone somewhere out of town. Out of town without Justin. The paper had sent him to a conference in Chicago, which was great for his career but sucked for his personal life. JC had soon discovered that sleeping without Justin was, well, impossible.

The alarm on the carousel finally rang, indicating the luggage from his flight was being unloaded. JC spied his bag and reached for it, hauling the large suitcase off the conveyer belt and accidentally bumping into another traveler. He turned to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat as he realized who it was.

“Mom,” JC finally managed to whisper.

A tight smile crossed Karen Chasez’s face at the sight of her eldest son. “Joshua,” she replied, obviously as shocked as JC was by the unexpected meeting.

JC leaned in and gave his mother an awkward kiss on the cheek. “What are you doing here? I mean, besides the obvious.”

Her eyes shifted over JC’s shoulder and JC followed her gaze, spying his father standing a bit away, gathering luggage. “Your father’s congregation sent us on an Alaskan cruise,” she told JC. “We’re just returning from Anchorage.”

A genuine smile lit JC’s face. “That’s wonderful!” he exclaimed, remembering how much she’d always wanted to do something like that. “Was it fun? How was the weather?”

“It was lovely,” she replied. “There were excursions to parks and towns during the day, and Bible studies at night.”

JC’s response was stopped as his father approached. “Josh!” he exclaimed, looking as surprised as Karen had been at the sight of JC. They stood across from each other for a long moment, then JC finally held out his hand, which is father shook quickly. “What are you doing here?” Roy asked.

“Getting back from a conference in Chicago,” JC explained. “The paper sent me, and I’ve been gone a week.” JC saw something flash in his father’s eyes—surprise? Pride? “Anyway, Mom was just telling me about the cruise.”

Roy smiled at his wife. “Yes, it was a very generous gift from the congregation. We feel very blessed."

JC nodded, running a nervous hand through his hair. He saw his mother’s gaze follow his movements, her face frowning a bit before her eyes widened with surprise.

“Joshua! You’re married?”

JC pulled his hand away from his hair, glancing at the simple band of gold on his finger. “Well…uh…yes. Yes, I am.”

“That’s great news, son,” his father said, clasping him on the shoulder and pulling him closer for a half-hug. “Why didn’t you let us know?”

“How long has it been?” Karen asked.

“Since Christmas,” he explained. “And it’s complicated, Dad, and I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Christmas!” Karen exclaimed. “Tyler must have known.”

JC nodded. “He did, but I asked him not to say anything. You see..”

His mother interrupted. “Joshua, this is wonderful news, you should have shared it with us. We’d given up hope that you’d ever find a nice girl and settle down.”

“Mom…”

“You must bring her to Willamette Falls soon, son,” his father insisted.

“Dad…”

“Oh, that would be wonderful!” Karen beamed. “And perhaps have a second ceremony at your fathers’ church?”

“Mom…”

“An excellent idea!” Roy was smiling broadly, looking at his son with happy eyes. “I cannot wait to announce to everyone that you’ve married.”

“Dad…”

“Oh, and the possibility of grandchildren, Roy!” Karen said to her husband. “I insist you both come this weekend and bring…dear, what did you say her name was?”

“Justin.”

His parents blinked owlishly. “I beg your pardon?” Karen said.

JC sighed. “It’s Justin, Mom. Not a girl. Justin.”

Karen raised a hand and clutched at her throat, an old habit JC knew well and one that symbolized his mother’s inability to accept something. “You mean…you’re married to that…that…”

“His name is Justin,” JC said calmly, though inside his stomach was churning.

“You can’t be married,” Roy argued, shaking his head. “It’s not legal.”

“No, legally we’re not,” JC explained. “But we pledged ourselves to each other, so in our eyes, we’re married.”

His parents physically recoiled, shifting away from JC as if he were a snake full of poison. “And you think that means you’re married?” his father asked, while his mother still clutched at her throat, apparently struck dumb.

JC started shaking. “Yes, we do. We love each other.”

His mother finally found her voice. “It’s evil, sacrilegious,” she whispered. “An affront to God.” She pulled her coat closed and picked up her bag. “As are you and that deviant.” She turned and walked out of the baggage claim area to stand at the curb outside.

JC watched her go, his heart heavy. He turned to his father. “Dad, please try and understand,” he pleaded. “I need you to understand how I feel, what I am.”

Again, Roy shook his head. “I’ve tried to understand, Joshua,” he told JC. “But as much as I try, all I can think is that it’s wrong. Against God and nature, against the law in most states, and against what we’ve always wanted for you.”

“But what about what I want?” JC demanded. “I tried to be the good son, the dutiful son. I did everything you asked of me.”

“Not everything,” his father replied.

Now it was JC’s turn to shake his head. “I can’t do what you want, Dad.”

“Yes, you can,” Roy demanded. “I mean, you don’t have to be…this way. It’s that…it’s him that’s doing it. Making you wrong.”

Despite his heartbreaking, JC chuckled. “Dad, I was gay long before Justin showed up.”

Roy flinched at the sound of the word gay, then again at Justin’s name. “No, it’s not right. Come with me now, Joshua. We can fix this. We can fix you. There are people who can help you.”

“And make me something I’m not?” JC asked him.

“No, they’ll make you normal,” his father said.

A sad smile crossed JC’s lips. “I am normal.”

Roy bent down and picked up the remaining luggage. “No, Joshua, you’re not.” With that, he left and joined Karen at the curb. JC watched his parents until they boarded the bus for the parking lot, and then turned away from the luggage area, abandoning his bag and heading for the terminal.

***

The automatic doors opened, and Justin and Tyler rushed into the Sea-Tac airport terminal. Justin looked around, his eyes lighting on an information booth for the airline he knew JC had flown. “I need some information,” Justin demanded, startling the girl behind the desk.

“Yes, sir, I’ll try and help,” she said, flustered. “What information do you need?”

“I need to find a passenger on one of your flights. He landed hours ago, but he never made it home,” Justin explained.

The girl made a sad face. “Sir, I’m sorry. But any passenger information is confidential.”

Justin just stood there. “All I want to know is if he got on the plane in Chicago,” he said calmly.

The girl shook her head. “I’m sorry, but all passenger information is confidential.”

“You see, he should have been home hours ago,” Justin explained.

The girl simply stared. “Sir, all passenger information…”

“…is confidential, I know,” Justin finished for her. “But you don’t understand. This man is very important to me, and frankly, until I know for sure what’s happened to him, I’m not going anywhere. Now,” Justin leaned closer to the girl, his eyes narrowing. “I can either stay here indefinitely, or you can give me the information I need.”

They locked eyes. Eventually, the girl’s gaze shifted, and Justin knew he’d won. “His name is JC Chasez, and he was on Flight 432 from Chicago,” Justin told her.

The girl clicked a few computer keys. “I’m really not supposed to do this,” she said, glancing around the terminal. “But…here. Yes, he was on the flight. It landed at 6:32 pm.”

Justin glanced at the clock. 10:58. He turned to Tyler. “Where is he?”

Tyler just shook his head. “Justin, I don’t know…”

Justin turned to the girl again. “Thank you,” he said, walking away from the information booth.

“Sir! I found something!” the girl called out to Justin.

He rushed back to the booth, his boots skidding on the slick floor. “What is it? What did you find?”

“It’s strange,” she said, clicking a few more keys. “It says here, his baggage was never claimed. And when I go to further information, it says that it was pulled off the carousel, but abandoned.”

“So, wait. His bags are still in the airport?” She nodded. “So, he must still be here?” She shrugged. “Okay, thanks.”

“He’s still here?” Tyler wondered. “Why?”

“No clue, but it’s worth a look around,” Justin said. “I’m going to check the stores, you go ask the airport police if, well, you know.”

Tyler nodded.

Justin went to the main terminal areas, checking the stores and the food court area. He stood on tiptoes, peering into the Duty Free shop over the barricade since he couldn’t enter without a ticket and what the hell was Duty anyway? No JC. He checked the bathrooms, then spied the bar across the hall. Ducking inside, he made a quick tour of the tables. He checked the bathroom, then headed toward the exit when he saw him. Sitting at a table, a half-dozen bottles of beer on the table in front of him. Justin sat down in front of JC, waiting for the older man to notice him. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Jussin!” JC slurred, his eyes watery and his smile sloppy. “What’cha doin here?”

“Looking for you, lover,” Justin told him.

“Aw, that’s shoo schweeet,” JC said, tipping a bottle of beer against his lips. A dribble of brew slipped down his chin. “Ooopsh,” he giggled, wiping the spill. “I have to tell you, Jussin…I’ma little drunk.”

“No, you’re a lot drunk,” Justin corrected. “But the question is, why are you drunk?”

JC shrugged, tipping his bottle again and frowning when he found it empty. He signaled to the bartender, waving the bottle at the man. “More beer!” he instructed.

Justin turned and waved the bartender off. “No, no more beer for you, Jayce,” he said, slipping around the table and pulling JC off his chair. “We’re going home.”

“Home,” JC whispered. “I can’t go home…don’t want me…don’t love me.”

Justin paused. “Our home, baby.”

“Oh, yeah.” He gave Justin another sloppy grin. “I love you…you love me,” he sang in a singsong voice. “We’re as happy as can be…” Suddenly, he was out like a like, slumping in Justin’s arms and snoring loudly. Justin shifted JC until he could flip him over his shoulder, and walked out of the bar, ignoring the gazes of the other patrons.

***

The sun was shining brightly as JC stumbled from the bedroom. He slipped into a kitchen chair, holding his head in his hands and groaning against the pain. Justin calmly handed JC a steaming cup of coffee, then sat back and drank his own, content to wait until JC was ready to talk.

JC sipped the coffee gratefully. “Wow,” he said, rubbing his temple. “Oh, wow.”

Justin chuckled silently.

“I guess you’re wondering what all that was about,” JC said, his voice rough.

“I figure you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

JC squinted at Justin. “What did I say last night?”

Justin sipped his coffee. “That you couldn’t go home, but that you love me.” He thought for a minute. “Then once we got home, you blew me like never before.”

JC blinked. “Really?”

“No, not really,” Justin laughed. “You passed out at the bar in the airport, and Tyler and I carried you back here.”

“I saw my parents at the airport.”

Justin nodded. “I figured it was something like that.”

“They were coming home from a cruise, and we ran into each other at the baggage claim.” JC slid his cup across the table, and Justin reached for the pot to refill it.

“I told you to carry-on,” Justin teased.

“They saw the ring.”

The ring. Justin looked at the matching ring on his own left hand. It had only been there a few weeks, but he was already used to it; like it was part of his hand, like it had always been there, would always be there. He’d hoped JC would feel the same way. “And?”

“Thought I was married, got all excited, and what was here name again?” JC sipped more coffee.

“Her name?”

JC nodded, immediately regretting moving his head like that. “So, once I said it was you, well, the same old arguments came up. Why was I like this? Why aren’t I normal? Oh, and by the way, we know someone who can help you, turn you around and make you less deviant.”

“Ouch.”

JC rubbed his temples again. “I guess it bothered me more than I thought, since I ended up shit-faced.”

“Understandable,” Justin said.

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes it is.” Justin grasped JC’s hand, fiddling with the ring on his finger. “I don’t know what you’re feeling, Jayce, but I can respect that you’re feeling things. You love your parents, and want their approval, and it hurts you when they don’t give it to you.” Justin saw JC give him a shaky smile. “I don’t like you being hurt. I understand that sometimes, I can’t keep you from being hurt, but I don’t like it. But anything you do, anything you feel, is okay. As long as you don’t shut me out, and keep loving me. We can work out anything.”

JC pulled Justin’s hand to his mouth. “I do love you, so much,” he whispered against Justin’s fingers.

“Good,” Justin said, petting JC’s cheek. “Now, go take a long shower, and I’ll make you something to eat.” JC paled at the suggestion. “Okay, I’ll just make you some toast. Go on.”

Justin busied himself with the toaster while the shower ran. He started a fresh pot of coffee, then pulled the butter out of the fridge to soften while the bread was browning. He heard the shower turn off, and pushed down the toaster leaver when he heard the doorbell ring. Frowning a bit, he wiped his hands on his pants and opened the door. To say he was shocked to see the Chasez’s at the door was putting it mildly. “Hello,” Justin said, stepping away from the door and letting them enter.

They stepped into the apartment, eyes scanning the furniture and walls, their gazes skidding away from the closed bedroom doors back to Justin. “We were hoping Tyler was here,” Roy said. “We’d like to talk to him.”

“Tyler,” Justin repeated, puzzled. “You want to talk to Tyler. Why?”

“What business is it of yours why we want to talk to our son?” Karen said, her voice sharp.

Justin shrugged. “It’s not, really. And Tyler’s not here, but your other son is.”

Karen’s lips pressed into a thin line at the mention of JC. “We want to see Tyler,” she repeated. Her gaze wandered down to Justin’s hand, eyes narrowing at she spied the wedding band.

Understanding dawned in Justin. “You’re going to try and convince Tyler to move back home, aren’t you?” Justin theorized.

Roy gave Justin a sharp look. “What we say to Tyler…”

“…is none of my business, yeah I get that,” Justin interrupted. “But since I like the kid, and love his brother,” he grinned when they both winced, “I figure I have some say in it.”

“You’re wrong,” Karen replied.

“And so are you,” Justin responded. “About so many things. But as I said, Tyler’s not here. You’re welcome to stay and wait for him, or I can give him a message?”

The Chasez’s exchanged a glance. “Just tell him we’ll speak to him soon,” Roy said.

Justin shrugged. “No problem.” He escorted them to the door, but paused with his hand on the door.

The Chasez’s were waiting for him to open the door. “We’d like to leave,” Karen said with a sniff.

“It’s not contagious,” Justin joked, turning the doorknob.

“No, it’s not,” Karen said. “It’s evil, and deviant, and wrong, but thank God, one of our sons is normal.”

Justin slammed the door before they could leave. “I thank God that JC is the way he is. So one of us is wrong.”

“It’s you,” Karen hissed. “He was coming around, he would have realized it was wrong, until he met you.” She shook off her husband’s touch as Roy tried to calm her. “You say you care, but if you really did, you’d let him go, let him come home, release him from this evil hold you have on him.”

“JC is free to do what he wants, Mrs. Chasez,” Justin told him. “I don’t hold him here. He stays because he wants to.”

She was shaking her head. “No, it’s you. You’re the one, the only thing keeping him here. You do something to him…have some control over him. You’re the evil one.”

“Stop it.” Everyone turned at the sound of JC’s voice coming from behind them. “I think it’s time for you both to leave.”

“Jayce…”

“No, Justin,” JC said, coming to stand next to them. “This is your home, and they insulted you. I won’t allow it.”

“JC, it’s okay…”

“No. It’s one thing to look down on me, but another to disrespect you in your own home, about things they just don’t understand.” He turned to his parents. “I asked you to leave, please.” He walked through them and opened the door, waiting patiently as his parents walked over the threshold. “I love you both, but until you can be polite to Justin, please don’t come here anymore.” With that, he shut the door in their faces.

After the door shut, the lovers stared at each other, Justin amazed, JC shaking. “I can’t believe you did that,” Justin said, holding out a hand to JC, bracing hard as JC launched himself into Justin’s arms, tears exploding from his eyes. Justin wrapped his arms around JC and tumbled them back onto the couch, holding JC close and letting JC cry.

***

“I’m sorry,” JC said, rubbing his wet nose on Justin’s shirt.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Justin replied, stroking JC on the back. “By the way, I thought you were wonderful,” he said. “Defending my honor and all.”

“You’re welcome,” JC said, shifting off Justin and sitting up. His eyes stung and his head hurt and all he wanted to do was sleep. “I missed you like crazy, and I haven’t even kissed you hello.”

“Well, let’s fix that right now.” Justin leaned in, taking JC’s mouth softly with his own. He felt JC melt into him, and deepened the kiss, taking JC’s mouth with his own, exploring and relearning. JC pulled Justin down and they lay on the couch, still kissing, moans coming from the growing passion between them. Justin shifted back a bit, gazing down at JC. “Are you really okay?” he asked.

JC lifted a hand…his left hand…and stroked Justin’s cheek. The gold of the ring shone in the bright light coming through the windows. He wrapped that hand around his lover’s neck and pulled Justin down to him. “I’m getting better all the time,” JC said as their mouths met again.



next

Email: whatweallwishfor@yahoo.com