Page 54 of Country Road Romance

They were both quiet on the drive back to his parents’ house, the kind of quiet that only two people who are absolutely comfortable with one another can share. At one point Jared reached out and took his hand again, and they stayed like that for the rest of the drive.

The whole drive there, though, Jared kept playing their conversation over and over in his head. He still couldn’t believe that he’d actually agreed that he wanted to pursue something long-term with Charlie. Now that he had a little time to think about it, he realized this was truly what he wanted. If he was willing to take a really hard look at his innermost thoughts, he would acknowledge that this had been the case for a very long time, ever since he saw Charlie on the cover ofPeoplemagazine ten years ago.

I guess Rebecca was right,he thought.She’s been saying for years that I have a crush on him and, well, I guess I always did.

And it wasn’t just that he was physically attracted to Charlie, though the sexhadbeen very good, and Charliewasvery handsome. It was more that Charlie had the almost supernatural ability to bring out the best in him. Something about his mere presence made Jared want to try harder and to be better. It alsomade him want to do something more with his life and to do his part to help Annamoriah become a better and more vital version of itself.

All of his life he’d been running away from his home. Thanks to Charlie, though, he’d come to realize that most of his fear and anxiety was a product of his imagination more than anything that in the real world. It wasn’t that things were perfect, either with his parents or Annamoriah, but neither were they as bad as he’d always convinced himself they were.

I don’t even know who I am anymore,he thought, and for some reason that thought didn’t scare him. In fact, it excited him.

Just as they pulled in the driveway, however, he felt his phone buzz, and even before he looked at it, something–either his sixth sense for doom or his generally pessimistic nature–told him that this wasn’t going to be good.

Sure enough, he could see that it was Rebecca texting, and that sick feeling just got worse.

“Jared, what’s wrong?” Charlie asked, genuine concern in his voice.

“It’s Rebecca,” he said. “I didn’t really see what the text said, but I have a feeling that it’s not going to be good. Why don’t you go into the house, and I’ll be in in a few minutes?”

Jared could tell that Charlie wanted to argue with him, but he did as he asked. When he looked down at his phone his heart fell.

I need you to call me. NOW.

The words glared at him, and he felt like they were trying to sear into his brain. Whatever this was about, he knew that it must be serious if Rebecca was taking that tone with him.

For a split second he thought about just lying to her and saying that he hadn’t received the text. He quickly decided against that, though, not just because it would be a betrayal ofhis friendship with Rebecca but also because he knew quite well that she would never believe him.

So, he nervously hit the button and put the phone to his ear. Unfortunately Rebecca picked up right away, which was yet another piece of evidence that whatever this was, it wasn’t good.

“Hi,” he said when she greeted him. “You told me to call you so, uh, that’s what I’m doing.”

“I’m glad you did,” Rebecca said. “She took a deep breath, and Jared knew this was going to be even worse than he thought.

“See,” she said without preamble, “it’s like this. The Council was very much not happy about what happened with Charlie and the guy at the bar. Even though he didn't press charges, there were some members of the Council who wanted some heads to roll for the embarrassment.”

“By ‘some members’ I assume you mean Councilman Rhodes,” he said. He was actually surprised at how calm he sounded, considering that there was a slight roaring in his ears and a feeling that his whole life was falling apart right in front of him.

“Actually, it might surprise you to learn that there are other members of the City Council other than Councilman Rhodes, and they weren’t particularly happy about the big star of the film festival clocking someone in the city’s only gay bar. For that matter, the owners of the bar weren’t pleased about the negative publicity either, even if they privately agreed that the guy really did have it coming.”

Jared felt the same flare of impotent rage that he’d felt before, the same sense that he was being punished not for Charlie punching someone but for the mere fact that they were both gay in a city that, until recently, had not been particularly friendly toward its queer residents.

“I’m aware that we fucked up,” he said. “But we’re doing the best that we can to repair things. I’ve kept a very good eye on him this weekend.”

“There’s worse, I’m afraid,” she said. “I wanted to be the one to tell you this,” she said, “but I want you to know that it’s not easy, and that I did everything I could to keep this from happening…” Her voice trailed off.

Jared sighed. “Rebecca. Just tell me what you’ve got to say and get it over with.”

“The Council has decided that they’re going to officially terminate your employment. Starting immediately.”

At first Jared couldn’t believe that he’d heard correctly. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t have just told him that he was about to lose his job. That couldn’t be right, not after all of the hoops that he’d jumped through to get it in the first place, and certainly not after what he’d done for the film festival. There was no way that that was going to happen, and there was surely no way that Rebecca would just stand there and let it happen.

“Jared, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” he said, his voice sounding like it was coming from a thousand miles away. “I’m just trying to figure out what all of this means.”

“I’m sorry. I did everything I could. Really.”

He knew it was irrational, but something about the way that she said that suddenly made him wonder if she was telling the truth, or if this was another of those cases where she was trying to deflect blame because it was easier than admitting the truth of her own complicity. He hated himself for thinking it, but he had a feeling it was the former. Andthatthought shook him out of his shock and made him genuinely angry.

---