Page 7 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“And you and he had coffee together?”
“I stayed behind after class to ask about a coffee shop or snack bar on campus. Nothing but the cafeteria, which was closed after breakfast. But he invited me for coffee in the Fine Arts break room. We sat and joked back and forth about our ages.”
“Wow.” Walt shook his head. “He sounds like your next friend, yeah?. Except for Stewy in high school, you never mentioned friends. At least none you told me about. You’ve been home four months and haven’t gone out to meet people." Walt thumbed his chest. "Maybe fate and yours truly played a part in you meeting Dr. Bonner.” He grinned.
I sipped my beer. Walt made a point. In high school, Stewy and I did everything together. We played football and won a lot of games for Blackfield High. We hung out. After graduation, Stewy accepted a football scholarship at a university. He disappeared after getting his degree. After I joined the military, reassignments kept me globe-hopping. Making friends never topped my list because of the sensitivity of my job. Also, I kept my preference for men to myself. Until Dusty outed me to the whole platoon. The Marines immediately transferred me to a new assignment. Later, I figured out the transfer protected me from potential trouble.
I’ll never forget the abandonment and betrayal. I never wanted to lay eyes on Dusty again. Being on the move gave me an excuse to keep to myself. Despite everything, I found myself comfortable opening up to Rod. And he made me laugh. Walt and I shared a laugh or two every day, but joking with Rod helped me relax.
“I dreaded being around all the young students,” I said. “Most were born after I joined the Marines. The dread vanished after Dr. Bonner made a point about military service. Instead of the old guy in the back row, I became someone they look up to. And after class, we had coffee in the break room and chatted. He asked me to call him Rod. That’s why thisschool thingis right for me.”
“So, you call him Rod? Most students don’t call their professors by their given name.”
“Since we’re about the same age, he said first names would help me be more at ease on campus. I think he's right.”
“I’m impressed. So, are you two gonna lie on the floor, read comic books, and chew bubble gum?”
I barked out a laugh. “I asked Rod the same question, and we laughed. Talking with him made me more at ease. I shared more with him about family than I have with anyone in a long time.”
I found myself drawn to Rod, my first attraction to a man since Dusty. Nobody at home knew about the disaster, and I intended to keep it that way.
“Aside from Dr. Bonner, did you meet anyone else interesting? I won’t ask if any gals caught your eye, as they’re probably all teenagers.”
My chest tightened. I sucked down the rest of my beer and frowned.
Walt drained the rest of his bottle, too. “What’s wrong? Did some little teenage gal pursue you?”
I shook my head. Walt didn’t…wouldn’t…learn my gay side. I wondered how he would react if I told him. Another topic for another conversation… far into the future…like when he became too old to understand me. “No. I also met Rod’s secretary, Stella. She tried coming on to me and asked if my wife cared about my constant travels.” I shook my head. “She’s a real piece of work, that one.”
“Cute gal?”
“A little on the chubby side.” I shook my head again to dispel the visual of Stella brazenly pushing up her boobs when she crossed her arms as we talked. “The real kicker came when she mentioned Mitzi.”
“My Mitzi?” Walt reached for my empty bottle.
“Yeah. Stella and Mitzi are close friends.” I handed over the empty.
“Mitzi doesn’t have friends; she uses people,” Walt groused. The empties clinked into the trash under the sink. “What a bitch.”
I frowned as dislike for Mitzi churned in my gut. I rarely experienced intense animosity for anyone, but let someone harm my brother, and those feelings hit like a bolt of lightning. “I’m so sorry my time in the Marines kept me from supporting you. It sounds like she never got over the divorce.”
“You’re right. The divorce led to Mitzi losing a fat bank account. A much less fat account after she spent money like it grew on trees.” Walt pulled two more beers out of the fridge. He twisted the tops and handed one to me, smiling. “At least you’re here now.”
“Thanks, Walt. We haven’t talked about her since I returned home. She moved out of Blackfield, right?” I took a draw of the cold brew.
“Yeah, the last time I talked to her, she lived somewhere in the Dallas area. She still calls, but I ignore the call if a Dallas area code shows up on the caller ID. Not my century to care. But anyhow, she worked at the college before we married. She still connects with people there, and I’m guessing the secretary you mentioned is one of them.” Walt shook his head. “Mitzi’s trouble, Wyl. Watch yourself.”
“I met only a few people on campus. If anyone else worked with Mitzi, they didn’t say.”
“Speaking of campus, since you got on so well with Rod, why don’t you invite him out for steaks? As I mentioned, is he someone for you to befriend?”
“Befriend?” I snickered. “Where did you learn such fancy words?”
“Hey, I’m not only a handsome face.” Walt spread his arms as if posing for a photo. “I learnt to talk good.” He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and pasted a goofy grin on his face.
I laughed, and he laughed with me. “You may be right about the friend idea, Walt. After Stella mentioned Mitzi, Rod wanted the story so he could steer Stella away. I shared the gory details with him. I hope that’s okay.”
“Okay? Mitzi is like a hovering storm cloud. I’m for anything to end her prolonged and predatory campaign to wrap her hands around Sterling money.”
