Page 69 of Something Like Forever
“Miyû Mitsuishi,” Tim said slowly, like he had beenpracticing. “Apparently she’s a big deal over here.”
“Neat,”Ben said. Then his heart started beating double quick, because Miyûwas back in the gift shop, and this time she had spotted someonefamiliar. “No way!”
“Crazy, huh?”
“Just asecond. I wanna watch.” Ben focused on the screen, feeling astrange mixture of elation and sorrow. Tim looked good! It had onlybeen a week, but he still seemed different. His hair was mussed up,his expression panicked as he kept looking to Corey for guidance.Ben felt a stirring of jealousy, but he shoved it back down. Hetrusted Tim. If he didn’t, there was no point in being together.Did this Corey person have to be so handsome though? Couldn’t theyfind a translator who was an old woman or anyone who wouldn’t beTim’s type?
Ben watched as Miyûadmired the autograph on her arm and saluted, Tim trying to mimicher. After a jump cut, she was back outside again, bringing thevideo to a close. “That was cute,” he said. He was about to clickon the like button when a number caught his eye. “That’s a lot ofviews!”
“Two hundredthousand!”
“Double that,” Bensaid.
“Oh. Ihaven’t looked since this morning. I don’t like watching it. She’sfine, but I’m so awkward!”
“You’re adorable,” Bensaid. “I’m glad the trip is going well.”
“Itwould be better if you were here,” Tim murmured. “What’s been goingon with you?”
Ben didn’t have anyexciting news to share. Wanda was being mean to him at work, havingdiscovered his college reenrollment. Like he was trying to riseabove his station or something. The classes were going well, eventhough being there made him feel old. He wasn’t the onlythirty-and-older person in his classes, but he was definitely inthe minority. He talked about Chinchilla a lot, knowing that wouldmake Tim happy, but somehow it didn’t seem enough. His life wasmundane compared to what Tim was experiencing.
“You won’t forget me whenyou’re famous,” Ben said. “Will you?”
“Don’t worry,” Tim said.“I’m only fame-ish. You will be too if Marcello makes hismovie.”
“Huh?”
Tim laughed. “I didn’ttell you about that? I guess not, with all the planning we had todo for this trip. Marcello wants to make a movie about ourlives.”
“Not a—”
“Not that kind of movie,”Tim said. “He said it would be tasteful.”
Ben snorted. “I don’tthink he’s ever used that word in his life.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Timsaid. “Anyway, there wouldn’t be graphic sex. Just us gettingromantic.”
Ben tried to imagine thisand couldn’t. “He’s not serious.”
“I think he is,” Timreplied. “It’s hard to tell with him, but yeah. What would youthink?”
He thought it soundedludicrous. “Are you messing with me? Why didn’t you mention thissooner?”
“Like Isaid, things have been crazy. Call him yourself andsee!”
“Maybe I will,” Bensaid.
“My point is,” Tim said,“we can be fame-ish together. No matter what happens, that’s howit’s gotta be. You and me. We’re a package deal, right?”
“Neverdoubt it,” Ben replied.
They talked a littlelonger, finding different ways to say that they missed and lovedeach other. Then they hung up. Tim returned to his adventures. Benwas merely home again.
He consoled himself byrewatching the YouTube video, happy to at least see Tim. They hadattempted video conferencing, but the connection at the hotelwasn’t great, and their previous attempts had been so frustratingthat they hadn’t bothered trying again. Ben brought the collar ofthe bathrobe robe to his nose and breathed in. Then he noticedJace’s photo on the desk staring at him.
“Don’t laugh,” he said. “Iused to do the same thing with yours.”
The photo didn’t reply.Maybe next time. Ben finished altering the picture Tim had sent,attached it to an email reply, and went back downstairs to finishhis cereal.
