Page 141 of Rhymes with Metaphor
“I scheduled myself for the afternoon,” said Joel, “because we had those parties to go to last night.What time is it?”
“Noon,” said Reg.
“I’ve got an hour.”
“Go and get dressed, and I’ll make the coffee.”
They went downstairs together, and Reg started the coffee.
Later, Joel came into the kitchen, showered and dressed, holding his phone.“Juliet just emailed me.She wants me to spend the holidays with her and mom.”
“You observe Christmas, then?”
“We’re not religious,” said Joel.“But we spend the holidays together.Since dad died, we go to a hotel wherever mom’s working.”
“Ah.”Reg poured the coffee.
Joel texted something on his phone.“I’m telling her I want to spend the holiday with you.”
“Don’t freeze her out on my account, cariad.Blood is thicker than water.”
“Viscosity isn’t the issue here, Reg.”
“Joel?”
“Yes?”
“You’re a left nipple.”
“You keep telling me,” said Joel.
“You keep being one.”
“Do you already have plans?”said Joel.
“No, cariad.I normally spend Christmas with Martin.That won’t happen this year, obviously.”
“Because of me.”Joel said.“Don’t you want me here for the holidays, Reg?”
“It would be selfish of me to keep you.Think of Juliet.She’s been in your life longer than I have, and she’ll be in your life long after I’m gone.”
“Gone where?”said Joel.
“When you go to Juilliard,” said Reg.
Joel’s face fell, and Reg winced internally.
“I can drop you at the studio if you’re not up to driving yourself,” said Reg.
“I’ll walk, thanks.I need to clear my head.”
“See you at dinner?”said Reg.
“Sure.”
Joel smiled wanly when he kissed Reg goodbye.Unsettled, Reg had a shower and got dressed.He didn’t have anything planned for the day, and the loft felt claustrophobic, so he went for a walk.
It was a cold, gloomy, overcast afternoon, but the Christmas lights were on in the shop windows.He went to his local bookshop, Chez Livres, in the narrow cobbled laneway off the plaza.He used to go here with Martin to drink coffee and disparage Madelaine Angela Hackberry.Madelaine had been in a writers’ workshop with Martin for a semester, and he’d fancied her, up until the moment she’d eviscerated one of his satirical pieces, at length, in front of the entire workshop.Something she’d continued to do to every piece he subsequently submitted.Now he despised her, and, in a gesture of solidarity, so did Reg.
