Page 24 of Finding Basil
Basil took the hat into his hands, and with the light on against the darkening evening, Herb saw it plain as day. He paled and his brows drew hard together.
“Basil, do you know that hat?”
“I really hope not. I have to go, Herb. I…need to check something.”
Herb got up when Basil did and grabbed his arm gently. “Basil, tell me.”
Basil took his hand, holding it loosely. “Herb…my ex-boyfriend wore a hat like this all the time. Like, all the time. He was balding a little, and…this hid that. He was very self-conscious about it.”
“Basil, is he…dangerous?”
“No. At least I never thought he was. He was a little…clingy. It’s one of the reasons I broke up with him, but I didn’t know he could do something like that.”
Even though he suddenly had a suspect, he didn’t want to worry Basil. “I’ve seen this kind of hat a few times since I’ve been here. It could have been anyone.”
“Right, sure. I know. It’s just…why would anyone else?”
“Well, I suspected Lila and now I don’t, because you spoke up for her. Like I said, it could have been anyone, or no one. Maybe some kind of accident happened. We may never know. Please, Basil, I don’t want you worrying about this.”
“Okay. I’ll forget about this for now, but if something else happens…”
“I’ll let you worry about me then.”
Basil laughed a little tensely and then moved to him, kissing him slowly. It was the deepest kiss yet, and Herb’s head spun with the emotion it wrung from him.
Everything was happening so quickly, and yet they were taking it slowly. That was still so strange to him.
In the city, they’ve had kissed the first hour, fucked right after that and either dated a while or they’d never call one another again.
This wasn’t city fast. This was…real. It was special. Two guys, finding they are attracted to one another, flirt, talk, kiss a little here and there, and then go to their separate beds with butterflies carrying them to sleep.
The wonder of it, what would happen next? When would they next kiss? Would they make love soon or take longer to get to that point?
He found he loved wondering. It was better than a surprise party he knew was coming or a raise the boss was hinting at right before he got it. He knew the progress of it, even so, every moment was a painfully great time to just wonder.
He locked up well that night and only allowed the second-floor windows to be open, letting in the nice cool night air. Herb thought of Basil, keeping his mind there, refusing to give whoever may have broken into the house the satisfaction of thinking of them another moment.
When he woke, it was to knocking again, and he rushed down the stairs to open the door for Rob Gentry. “Hi-dee-ho,” Rob said to him. “I have three more workers coming. With their help, we’ll likely finish today.”
“Thank goodness. And thank you.”
He nodded and took off for the basement, and right after he was out of sight, the contractors were pulling into the yard.
After he greeted them, Herb made himself some coffee with the last jug of store-bought water he had and sat on the back porch, staring at the greenhouse. Basil would be by later to help him get the rest of the broken glass out of the way so they could start placing the new glass. Just the thought of him coming sent butterflies flying crazily around his gut.
Finding himself smiling, Herb sipped his coffee as three ducks flew by and landed off in the field by the greenhouse. A couple of days previously, he’d seen a family of deer sauntering slowly down the hill from him, like they had not a care in the world.
The entire place was alive. The bushes, the grass that needed mowing already in the front yard, the birds in all the trees, absolutely all of them. Everything around him was alive and free. Swarms of little gnats that flew in a ball-like formation, and the clouds that moved so fast, they were changing constantly into new and beautiful shapes.
He had noticed nothing like that when he lived in the city. It was cars, noise, concrete and glass, and even the vegetation there didn’t seem alive. It felt as if it was suffering from being there, in some pot lined up on the side of the street to beautify the place. They weren’t loved. Not when idiots carved things on them or hung flyers there, nailing into the bark and trunks.
The glass was out of the greenhouse completely, and Basil had to run soon after. They made plans to have dinner together that evening. Herb would cook, and he was scared shitless to cook for the man.
Yeah, he could cook, basic cooking. Nothing like the food he’d eaten at Basil’s house. All those chili sauces, salads, and even the drinks were packed with flavor. But he’d do his best and hopefully Basil would give him a little leeway.
Rob Gentry gave him the best news he’d had since he’d moved into the house. “Mr. Buffet, the plumbing is done. It was a fast job, so if there're any leaks or anything, you call me and we’ll come fix it free of charge.”
“Thank you, Rob. I really appreciate it.”
