Chapter 7
Justin sat down on the couch in his living room. He watched Roland running around with a friend.
"Ok you two. It’s time for Kyle to go home."
Roland set down the toy airplane and Kyle went over to get his shoes on.
"Thanks for playing with me." Kyle said.
"Yeah, it was fun. Hey, can you spend the night? I bet my Dad will say yes." Roland asked. Justin sat there and listened distantly at the way Roland said ‘dad’.
"No, Roland. Not tonight."
"Daddy-"
"No." Justin said in a slightly stricter tone of voice.
Kyle and Roland headed for the back door, where Kyle would run across the lawn to his house across the way.
After closing the screen door, Roland came over and sat with Justin, now laying on the couch.
"Dad." Roland said, squeezing Justin’s cheeks together so his lips made a fish look. "You’re a fishy."
Justin held the back of Roland’s head, laying it against Justin’s chest.
"Nap time, Rol."
"Ok. When’s mommy come back?"
"Coming back, Roland."
"When is mommy coming back?"
"Tomorrow."
"Why did she go again?"
"To meet up with Uncle JC."
"Why?" Roland kept asking the W’s.
"Because they have to talk."
"About what, Daddy?"
"About things you won’t understand until your older."
"Old like you?" He asked.
"Yes, older like me, RJ."
Roland stopped talking and soon fell asleep. Justin just laid there, combing Roland’s hair with his fingers. He listened to the distinct way it sounded when Roland breathed. A tear pricked his eye, and he tried to hold it back, but it broke loose and streamed down his cheek. The only thing he had in this crazy, upside down world Justin knew was Isabel and Roland. And he was going to lose them both.
*~
JC invited Isabel into his house.
"I likes." She said, looking around as she stepped inside.
"Yeah," JC said, closing the door behind her. "I do, too. It’s like when I walk in I go ‘Holy shit, do I live here?’ "
Isabel laughed, pulling her coat off and hanging it on the coat rack on the wall.
"So, I guess-well, let me get a hug, Issy."
JC said, opening his arms and awaiting her embrace. She hugged him, and JC breathed in deeply.
"God, it feels so good to hug you."
"Funny, I was thinking the same thing."
They remained in a hug for what seemed to the both of them like forever. But neither was complaining.
*~
Justin had been sleeping when the phone startled him awake. He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out his phone.
"Hello?" He answered, groggy from sleep. He hadn’t bothered to read his Caller ID.
"Justin, it’s me."
"Oh hey El."
Elise smiled, happy that Justin knew her voice.
"What’s up? How is everything? Oh jeez, I heard about the whole thing with you and Roland."
"Yeah, I guess word gets around when it comes to things like that, doesn’t it?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Well hey, how’s your break going?"
"Ok. I do miss you, though."
Elise smiled, twirling her hair.
"I miss you too, baby. Where’s Isabel and Roland?"
"Well, Isabel is in D.C. with Jace, I’ll explain why in a moment, and Roland is here, sleeping."
"Hmm. I see, and so… why is your whore-of-a-wife with JC?"
"Well… it is her baby’s daddy." Justin said in his cute little voice. Elise laughed.
"I bet that makes you feel strange, doesn’t it?"
"Hurt, more like. Roland is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and now I feel like it was never even real."
"Roland and you get along, don’t you?"
"Like you wouldn’t believe." Justin said.
"Aww, you guys are really close."
"I love that kid with all my heart. I can’t even describe how much he means to me."
"How much… do I mean to you?" She asked.
Justin wasn’t sure how to respond to this.
"Elise, you know I… love you."
"Well then why are you at home when you should be here with me."
"Are you-"
"Still in New York, yes." Elise said. She sat down in a chair overlooking downtown New York City.
"Look, I’m low on minutes. I’ll see what I can do. Isabel’s gonna be back tomorrow though. We’ll see."
Elise said nothing and Justin continued.
"So I’ll call you tomorrow."
"Ok." Elise said in a pouty tone.
"Hey." He said. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Night."
They hung up, each longing for eachother.