Page 34 of Outside the Veil
“You’ve had a thought.”
“I’ve had the start of an idea. Let me keep it for a little.”
Moonlight slid along the floor as Finn identified one night noise after another for his city-dwelling friend and soon Diego fell asleep. Finn rested beside him, almost content, and took his hand in a gentle grip. He didn’t think Diego would consider that breaking his promise.
Diego woke to the sun bathing his face and the vague recollection that someone should have been with him.
“Mitch?”
After the inevitable disorientation of waking on an ottoman subsided, he wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and got up to look for Finn. The pooka sprawled on a chair on the veranda, feet propped up on the railing, lazing in the sunlight like a contented cat, thick fall of blue-black hair cascading over the chair back to the wood planks.
He opened one eye when Diego sat beside him. “I sleep beside you all night, and still you call for him when you wake?”
Diego felt the flush in his cheeks. “Sorry. You heard me all the way out here?”
“My hearing has returned to its proper state now. Yes, I heard. I can hear a fly walking on the roof at the back of the house.” Finn sat up and turned to him. “I wanted to brew you a pot of that vile stuff you drink in the morning but I couldn’t identify which machine to use.”
“Thank you for the thought, but maybe you better leave the new machines to me. What would you like for breakfast?”
“I’ve, ah, already eaten.” Finn avoided his eyes.
“Oh. Should I ask?”
“I truly don’t think you want the details. But perhaps it will be a few chirps quieter this evening for you.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to hear any more. You couldn’t wait for me to make you pancakes or something?”
“I was famished. And you slept so peacefully. Besides which, crickets are quite nourishing. A bit larger than I’m used to. Somewhat nuttier…”
“Stop right there. Please.”
Finn followed him into the kitchen. “Would do you some good, too. All those city poisons have smothered you.”
“Um, maybe so, but I’d never keep them down.” Diego puzzled over the coffeemaker’s array of mysterious buttons.
“This is a much larger eating room than yours. Is it meant for a large family? Do they have feasts in here? What’s that odd thing with its feet in the bowl?”
“You’re chatty this morning,” Diego said as he located the cabinet with coffee and filters. “Something on your mind?”
Finn pulled a chair out from the table and flung himself into it. “Are you or are you not going to tell me what you thought of last night?”
“That’s been itching at you all this time?”
“Yes.” Finn drummed his fingers on the table, a red tinge in his eyes. “So will you tell me or do I resort to extreme measures?”
“I’m not fond of being threatened…”
“Please tell me!” Finn dropped to his knees, arms spread in supplication. “The look in your eyes intrigued me so. Please, before my head bursts from wondering.”
Diego let out a laugh, startled by the degree of Finn’s desperation.Hard to resist a handsome man on his knees.He had to turn away to hide his growing erection against the counter.
“Hold out for me a couple minutes. Wait right there.” He went upstairs, threw on some clothes and returned with his digital camera and his palm-sized tape recorder.
Finn sighed. “More machines. What do these do?”
“This one takes pictures.”
“Where does it take them?”
