Page 35 of Embers Glow After the Fire

“I’m not going anywhere.” His smile is tender. He kisses Matthew on the lips and then the forehead before he floats down the hall. The patter of his footsteps fades. The condo is silent and lonely again.

Matthew sips his tea but can't taste the sweet honey flavor. The street outside the window two stories below is still and empty. The breeze no longer drifts into the kitchen. The sunlight dims into a monotone cast over the world.

“Adam?” he calls out..

There's no answer.

He lifts himself off the chair and shuffles down the hall. The bathroom is unchanged and the bedroom shows no signs he was ever there. Matthew can’t feel him anymore and his gut twists.

“Adam?” He turns, double-checking the bathroom and rushing back to the living room. His chest is tight and his eyes flood over.

***

Eggshell white walls are suddenly cedar wood panels and daylight fills the space through sliding glass doors overlooking the forest valley with mountains at the horizon. The dark buzzed man next to him isn't Adam. He sees the sweet gift for what he is and smiles at the sleeping beauty curled up against him. Recording the sight of pink pursed lips and dense eyelashes, he kisses his forehead, invoking a drowsy nuzzle boring against chest.

Matthew gently slides out from under Brendon and pulls on the trunks left discarded on the floor last night.

“Happy birthday.” Brendon mumbles., smiling up with eyes clenched against the light.

“Thank you.” Matthew whispers, leaning back over the bed to kiss his mouth. “Go back to sleep.”

Brendon burrows down into the comforter.

Matthew pulls on a fresh t-shirt and heads to the bathroom for a quick stop before soft-stepping back up the hall and down the stairs.

“Good morning!” Perry greets.

“Happy birthday, Matty,” Dennis adds.

“Thank you,” he beams.

“You look fresh this morning.” Robbie joins from the hallway, pausing to pat his shoulder and kiss his cheek. “Happy birthday.”

“I feel like going for a swim this morning. Anyone else?”

“I’ll go down to the lake with you.” Perry offers.

“Breakfast will be ready when you get back. Eggs Benedict, French toast and bacon.”

“My favorites.” Matthew responds.

“I know.” Dennis chuckles back.

“I reminded him.” Robbie boasts, with a wink.

“Like I would forget?” Dennis chuckles.

“We’ll be back in a few.” Matthew scoops up one of the rolled beach towel set out for guests in the wicker basket next to the credenza.

Perry follows suit and they march toward the trail.

Chapter 15

Glowing

Brendon presses his face into Matthew’s pillow and inhales the lingering sweet apple musk. His skin tingles with static from last night’s encounter. He stretches his limbs and pushes away the bedding, sitting up and musing out glass sliders at the dense forest stretched toward the hilly horizon. After a minute. he lifts off the mattress and shuffles around the bed to his room across the hall. He slips into a fresh t-shirt and denim shorts, skipping a morning shower because he’s not ready to wash the evening away yet.

Jamie and Nathan enter the house as Brendon steps off the stairs, joining Dennis and Robbie in the kitchen as they prepare a breakfast feast.

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