Page 53 of Rhymes with Metaphor
Chapter 14: Aftermath
Reg remained on thelawn smoking until dusk when a light came on in Joel’s bedroom.Reg went in, climbed the stairs, and tapped lightly on Joel’s door.After a minute that felt like an eternity, Joel opened it.He had changed into his grey scrubs.
“May I come in?”said Reg.
Joel let him in and sat on the edge of his bed.He hadn’t been trying to sleep.His bed was still neatly made.Moonlight shining through the stained glass cast emerald green and sapphire light across Joel’s face, and Reg could imagine him as some angelic creature that had graced him with its company, and he was filled with an almost reverent tenderness.
Reg sat on the desk chair, to give him space.“Are you all right?”
“It didn’t hurt, if that’s what you’re asking.Was it supposed to?”
“It was supposed to feel good.That’s how I hoped it would feel for you.Did it?”
“No one’s ever made me...before.”
“No one?”
Joel shook his head.
“So, that was your first time?”said Reg, feeling horrified.“Oh, Joel.I’m so sorry.I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“What did you mean to do?”
“I wanted to touch you,” said Reg.“You see, when someone touches you like that, it—”
“I understand the physiological process,” said Joel, sounding affronted.“I’m in pre-med.I just...wasn’t expecting it.”
“I can buy you a ticket back to Canada, if you’d like.And pay for a cab to take you to the airport.”
“You want me to go?”said Joel.
“No.”
“Then why buy me a ticket?”
“Because I took you to a strange country and isolated you from your family, with no money and no means of escape, and I took advantage of you.”
“I see what you’re saying,” said Joel.“But it didn’t feel like that.”
