Horizons (13 page)

“Where’s Mike?”

“I don’t know. Maybe watching the game.”

“Clark, sweetheart!”

Clark’s mother entered the kitchen, in light blue attire, a good color for her, accentuating the sky-blue eyes that were similar to her son’s, but less arresting. She wrapped an arm around Clark’s waist, her head barely reaching his chin, and stood there gazing at Jody with a pleasant smile. “You must be Dr. Williams.”

“Please, call me Jody,” he said, shaking her hand, and passing her the bouquet of flowers with the other.

“How lovely. Thank you.”

“Thank you for having me over.”

“Clark tells me that you’re from Chicago.”

“Yes, but I’ve lived in the Bay Area for almost thirteen years now.”

“Almost a native,” she smiled easily.

“Not quite, but I’m getting there.”

“He still talks funny,” Clark threw out. “He pronounces his Aaaa’s, like weird,” he teased.

“Shut up, Clark,” Jody answered, “I’m working on trying to lose that.”

“Well, come in please. Make yourself at home. It’s the least we can do for someone who’s willing to help this boy in school.”

“He’s hardly a boy, Mrs. Stevens,” Jody said, staring at Clark.

“Did I hear voices?” A man walked into the kitchen, making his presence known.

“Hey, Dad.” Clark hugged his dad and received a back thump in return. Turning toward Jody, he made the introduction. “Dad, this is Jody Williams, the doctor that’s tutoring me.”

“My pleasure,” Jim said, extending a hand. “Call me Jim.”

Clark interjected, “Who’s winning the game?”

“Denver’s kicking ass,” Jim replied. “The Cowboys are going to be crying tonight.”

“Tough shit,” Clark said. “They could stand to lose once in a while.”

“What do you mean, once in a while? Those fuckers have lost their last four games.”

The conversation erupted into a play-by-play between Jim, Clark, and Jason, turning into an animated discussion on who would eventually get to the Super Bowl. They may as well have been speaking Mandarin for all Jody knew. His knowledge of football continued to be bare bones. The only thing that interested him about the sport was Clark Stevens.

“Would you like something to drink, Dr. Williams?” Mary asked.

“Please, call me Jody.”

“Of course. Would you like wine or beer? We also have soda.”

“A glass of wine would be nice.”

“I think we have a nice chardonnay from Napa. Will that work for you?”

“Sounds great.”

She pulled a bottle out of the refrigerator and a wineglass from the shelf, handing it to Jody. “Would you mind uncorking it?”

“Not at all. Where’s the corkscrew?”

“I think it’s over in that drawer,” she said, pointing to a drawer near the oven.

The back door opened, and a young couple carrying a baby in a car seat walked into the house.

Mary rushed over to look at her grandson. “Can I carry him for a while?”

“Sure, Mom.”

The obviously proud grandmother cuddled and cooed the baby, then introduced them. “Linda, Robby, this is Dr. Jody Williams. He’s Clark’s friend and tutor,”

Robby eyed Jody and smiled. “She’s a sucker for babies.”

“Isn’t everyone?” Jody asked.

“I’m not,” a voice rang out, attached to a body that was obviously Jason’s twin, Michael. “Who are you?”

“Michael! You are so rude!”

“I’m not rude, Mom! I just want to know who he is.”

Clark moved to where they were standing and got his brother in a headlock, giving him a knuckle rub on the head. “This is my brother, Mike. Hell on wheels and trouble with a capital T.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jody replied, amused by the mischievous look and demeanor of this brother. He was undoubtedly everything Clark accused him of.

“Hey, you’re the doc, huh?”

“Jody Williams,” he replied.

“Jody? Isn’t that a girl’s name?”

“Mike!” Everyone in the room screamed at him.

“It’s okay.” Jody laughed, setting everyone at ease. “I’ve been called worse.”

“Jeez, bro,” Clark said, frowning at Mike.

“What? Isn’t it a girl’s name though?”

“My real name is Jude.”

“Then why the fuck don’t they call you that?”

Clark turned to Jody and said, “Didn’t I just tell you he was a pain in the ass?”

“It’s fine.”

Everyone seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when Jody didn’t react to Mike’s big mouth. Mary handed the baby back to Linda and moved to the sink to peel potatoes. “Okay, everyone out of here. Dinner will be ready in two hours. Linda, you can stay if you want to help. Robby, take the baby to the family room.”

“Yes, drill sergeant!” All four boys answered at the same time, laughing when she flipped them a finger.

W
E
WERE
gathered around the dining room table, the extra leaves in place to accommodate all nine of us, with a little room left over. I looked at Jody, across from me, checking to see if he was okay. The past two hours had been all about football, with everyone crowding around the set to watch the end of the Denver-Dallas game. It was pretty standard fare for Thanksgiving at the Stevens’ home. They would have been at one of my games if I hadn’t been injured, but instead, we were told to spend as much time together while we had the chance. There’d be plenty of Thanksgivings in the future when it wouldn’t be possible.

“You okay?” I asked, low enough so no one really paid much attention.

“I’m good.”

His eyes warmed upon hearing the concern in my voice and he smiled gratefully. I wanted to leap across the table and kiss him on the lips, but I didn’t want to start World War III, so I nodded back, glad that he seemed content. Everything was going smoothly, the family seemed to be comfortable around Jody, and I was starting to finally relax when the doorbell rang. “Are you expecting anyone?” I asked.

“No,” my mother replied, equally as surprised.

I stood up and went to open the door. Nikki Bartlett stood there, dressed in a short, pink skirt and a white tank top. I stared at her stupidly, wondering why the fuck she was here.

“Hi!”

“Hi,” I answered, on automatic. “What are you doing here?”

“Your dad invited me over.”

M
Y
BLOOD
pressure shot up, watching Nikki bounce into the room, passing around hugs. I was furious at my father for presuming that I wanted her to spend Thanksgiving with us.

Mom rushed to get another place setting for her and naturally, my parents insisted that she sit beside me, which pissed me off even more.

“Doc, you know Nikki, don’t you? She’s Clark’s girl,” my dad pronounced.

“No,” Jody replied with a smile that never reached his eyes. “We’ve never met.”

“Pleased to meet you,” she said, her perky cheerleading personality shining through as her head bobbed up and down.

I focused on my plate and clenched my thighs with both hands, willing myself to calm down. Everything had been going so well; Jody was comfortable, the family welcoming. Now, all my defenses were back up again, expecting the worst.

“Likewise,” Jody replied. I looked up at him and was confronted with a stranger. My gentle Jo-Jo had disappeared, and in his place sat a ferocious pit bull, poised to attack.

“How come I’ve never met you before?” Nikki asked, sitting down and reaching for the glass of wine that my mother had put in front of her.

“I don’t know.”

“How do you know Clark?”

“I’m his doctor.”

“Doctor?”

I interrupted. “You remember when I broke my arm?”

“Yeah.”

“Jody treated me, and we’ve become friends.”

“Oh! That’s weird.”

“Why’s that?” Jody asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Clark’s never mentioned you,” she replied, shifting in her chair.

“Dr. Williams is tutoring Clark in English,” my mother interjected.

“I didn’t realize doctors had time to do that.”

“I have a life outside of the hospital.”

“I’m sure you do, but isn’t this above and beyond the call of duty?”

“Not really.”

“I tried tutoring Clark at one time, but it didn’t work out,” Nikki stated.

“I’ve had some experience with this,” Jody replied, not offering any more details.

“Yes, I’m sure you’re much more qualified than me.”

I felt like I was watching a tennis match between rival players. The animosity between them was very obvious.

“How come you’re here with Clark? Don’t you have a family?”

“Nikki.” I glared at her, willing her to shut up.

“He’s from Chicago,” my brother Zach answered. Everyone in the family stopped eating and took in the postgame exchange with obvious interest.

“Don’t you have a wife or girlfriend?” Nikki asked.

Jody stood abruptly. “Clark, will you show me where the bathroom is?”

“Sure.” I rocketed to my feet and walked out of the dining room with Jody following closely behind.

We entered my room and I shut the door gently, looking at him beseechingly. “Jo, I’m really sorry.”

“This is fucked!”

“Please… just cool it, okay? Don’t say anything or this place will explode.”

Jody was shaking, he was so pissed. I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Please, Jo-Jo… for me.”

“I’m not lying, Clark. If she asks me again, I’ll tell her the truth.”

“She wouldn’t dare.”

“I hope not, for your sake. Now kiss me so I can go back and face that cunt.”

I put my mouth on his, tasting his tongue as it forced itself into me. “You’re mine,” he growled.

“Jo—”

He grabbed me again, kissing me deeper this time, his erection pressing hard against mine. “Your jealous side is very sexy,” I whispered, reluctant to pull away.

“You owe me a blow job, all the way up I-80.”

“You got it,” I promised, adjusting myself.

By the time we returned, Nikki was being entertained by Mike and Jason, her entire line of questioning forgotten. The dinner passed with no more incidents, and afterwards I stood at the kitchen sink, passing dishes to my mother as she dried them and put them away. It was tradition in our family that the boys did the cleanup after a big dinner like this, but Mom insisted on drying the china, always worried that we’d chip or break something.

“Are you and Jody planning on spending the night?”

“No, we’ll drive back. He’s got to work tomorrow.”

“He seems like a very nice man. Is the tutoring really helping?”

“Yes, he is, and yes, it’s helping.”

“That’s nice. I’m glad it’s working out for you, sweetheart. It will be good when this is all over, won’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Y
OU
don’t have to,” Jody said, nudging Clark away, stewing over the turn of events at the dinner. They’d switched places because Clark wanted to make good on his promise to blow Jody, but he was no longer in the mood. The whole outing had been spoiled by Nikki’s sudden appearance. Jody was almost sullen as he barreled the car up the freeway, heading home toward Berkeley. Clark kept asking him what was wrong, and he answered him in monosyllables, insisting that everything was fine when in fact, nothing was. Seeing Nikki with Clark and his family had only reminded him that he was living in a dream world. The chances of Clark coming out and making a life with him were zero to none.

It had been a wonderful interlude, something he’d treasure for the rest of his life, but it was time to face reality and end it. He knew staying in this relationship would only cause them both pain, so the epiphany hit him that it would be best to say good-bye while they were still on good terms. Clark’s exams were next week, and Jody was pretty confident that he’d pass English with flying colors. There really was no more need for any kind of contact between them.

Jody had shocked himself and Clark with his jealousy. He couldn’t remember ever acting this way, and he realized how deeply he was caught under Clark’s spell. The thought of Clark with anyone else was a gnawing ache in his gut. He’d not been in love like this in years, and even then, it was nothing compared to this. Clark brought out emotions in him that he never knew he had. He became territorial and fiercely protective, even though he knew that he had no rights whatsoever. Jody was afraid that staying with Clark would only increase this infatuation to the point where he’d lose himself completely. He’d never lied about his lifestyle. He was proud to be gay and a huge advocate for his community, yet this afternoon, he would have lied for Clark’s sake despite his brave words in Clark’s bedroom. He would have denied who he was, and that thought alone was scaring the crap out of him. He looked over at Clark, who slept leaning up against the door, looking so beautiful and innocent in repose. The thought of never being able to kiss him again made him groan out loud.

He pulled up to his house and turned off the engine. The sudden silence must have woken Clark because he stirred, and Jody reached over and touched him gently.

“We’re home?” Clark asked, blinking awake. He reached for Jody and practically dragged him out of his seat, moving around to accommodate him. He embraced him fiercely, refusing to let him go even as Jody struggled to pull away.