Page 133 of Out of the Storm

Gary snorted. “Gee, thanks. So, everyone, this is Jeff.”

“Hi, Jeff,” Dawn said. “Nice to finally meet the person who’s been making Gary so happy.”

“How would you know?” Gary teased. “We barely talk.”

“Um, I listen to your show, dumbass. I’ve heard the difference in your voice lately.”

“Geez, Dawn, watch your language around the kids!” Gary said.

“Oh, they’ve heard worse.”

Both Amy and Joey seemed unfazed and continued eating their dry cereal.

“Anyone else want some?” Gary’s mom asked. “I think I’ll have a bowl.”

“Let me, Mom,” Dawn said, heading over to the cupboards. She pulled out a couple of white plastic bowls. “Gare, these are so creepy!”

“Ah, you must have found my clown bowls,” Gary said.

“God, you are so weird,” Dawn said, shaking her head. “I’m not sure how you put up with him, Jeff.”

“I like that he’s weird,” Jeff said.

Jeff’s hand found the small of Gary’s back.

“Thanks, Jeffrey,” Gary said, his cheeks warming a bit.

For the next half hour, everyone hung out together in the kitchen, munching on very sugary cereal. Gary couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. It was so nice! He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so at home with his family. While Gary was finishing up his second bowl, Jeff came over and bumped Gary with his elbow.

“Food,” Jeff said through a mouthful of cereal. “Bringing people together.”

“Ah, see, something else I was right about.”

Jeff elbowed him once more. “Gloating.”

Gary elbowed him back. “Oh, you love it.”

“Yeah,” Jeff said. “I do.”

They smiled at each other—big, goofy, adoring smiles—and in that moment, it seemed like maybe the worst of the storm was behind them. But even if it wasn’t, even if the worst was somehow yet to come, he’d stick with Jeff through anything. Come hell or high water or historic F5 tornadoes, Gary would stay with Jeff through the storm.

***

Over the next week and change, Jeff and Gary worked together to keep the radio station running. Since Jeff had been struggling to balance his shifts at the Eastwood Mall and helping Gary with the radio station, he had put in his notice, effective immediately. Gary couldn’t help but feel bad that Jeff was losing his income. But Jeff had told him that helping with the station and the housework was more important. Admittedly, Gary liked having Jeff care for him, to the point where he found himself hoping for aslighthold up with the order of his new frames. He had voiced that to Jeff once when Jeff was making them coffee one morning. And Jeff had come right over and pulled him in for a hug, telling Gary that perfect eyesight or not, he’d never stop taking care of him. And Gary had nearly cried on the spot. How was it that he had gottenso lucky?

Whenever Gary felt bad about Jeff not being a mall custodian anymore, Jeff liked to remind him that he no longer had much rent to pay either. Gary’s mortgage payment was a pittance in comparison. That helped put Gary at ease.

Sadly, the tornado had really hurt a large portion of their community. Many people had lost their homes. Some had lost their lives. Even though the storm had passed, there was still a lot of healing for everyone ahead. Of course, some wounds, like the loss of a loved one, would never heal completely. Gary knew that himself now.

In the wake of the storm, Gary and Jeff were trying their best to help. Gary had repurposed a part of both his morning and evening programs to communicate information about available aid for families in need. He and Jeff had been spending some time offering to help people talk to their insurance companies too, especially those who were busy with childcare or who were otherwise struggling to manage for themselves. Having Jeff by his side while they tried to help the community heal... it was wonderful.

Something else important had happened over the week too: Jeff had been to his second therapy appointment. Even though Jeff had seemed a little spaced out when he returned, he had reassured Gary that it had been a helpful talk. Still, Gary hadn’t been able to stop himself from feeling uneasy with the way the appointment had affected his boyfriend, and he had become so nervous and jittery that he’d worn out his leg muscles from bouncing them so much over the course of the evening program. Maybe Dr. Goldstein hadn’t liked Gary’s suggestion when it came to intimacy? Whatever it was, Gary had been too scared to bring it up that night.

Now, another week later, Gary was sitting at the kitchen table holding the latest newspaper comically close to his face, pausing intermittently to scribble some notes forTell Me S’more, while waiting for Jeff to come back from his third appointment.His stomach was in knots. Gary wasn’texactlysure how therapy worked. What if Jeff’s therapist said that Gary wasn’t right for him? What if she told Jeff that he was too clingy? Too needy? Too obsessed with physical affection? God, Gary’s heart would probably shatter if Jeff ever left him. Jeff had become his best friend, his partner, his... his everything.

Moments later, Gary heard Jeff come inside. And Gary’s muscles tensed as he braced himself for whatever might come next.

“Hey, Gare Bear,” Jeff said, hugging him from behind.

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