Author's Note: Oh Hi guys! Please let me know you guys are still with me. There were some workmen removing hurricane Katrina debris near my house and my phone lines were disabled for days. So I have been, gasp, without internet and dying over here to post. How absolutely ecstatic I was that my phones started working again last night and my internet was back up this morning. There were moments when I thought the internet was working before and would for a few minutes and then just disappear on me again. So, anyone missed me? Here's to hoping you guys are looking forward to a few new chapters in some of my stories. And thank you to all of those who PMed me asking about me. I found those messages this morning and I just have to give you guys extra hugs. Just so you know, I have not forgotten about you guys or disappeared. Laugh. Ahhh, but my dependency on online technology. Lots of smiles. Angel422. And without further ado…
Tommy...
"I'm gay." Matthew stated abruptly with quiet, sudden reluctance as Tommy stepped out of the cab in front of the hotel he had registered Jude and Mason in for the night—refusing to even look back at his brother as he paid the driver and stepped toward the front entrance only because he knew what the admission had cost Matthew, knew how difficult it had been for him to admit it altogether. But, the fact that he had been able to state it so decisively despite the fact that it was a hard step to take, gave the admission that ultimate sense of purpose as if Matt were shedding an old distasteful skin and replacing it with something more comfortable.
"I know." Tom finally replied quietly as he continued to walk forward—missing the small shake of Matthew's head as he passed by the doorman.
"You take the admission so well." Matthew remarked as they both strolled along—stopping to smile pleasantly at the lady behind the check in desk before grabbing the keys handed to them and heading for the stairs. Tom laughed.
"I'm just relieving you of any stress at the moment so you can deal with the real emotional turmoil once you talk to that wonderfully precocious Mere of ours." Tom replied with a chuckle as Matthew choked on his own laugh. They both shook their heads simultaneously. Their mother was…for lack of a better word…interesting. Tom twirled Jude's next gift through the loops in his fingers as he stepped toward an elevator in the distance—waiting for Matthew to enter before pressing the button that denoted the floor they needed to get off on. Tom shrugged.
"Besides, Mason has given me an all new outlook on the other world of sexual orientation." Tom stated with a small chuckle as he thought back on incidents at his home in Montana—spending the morning venting about a spirited Jude while drinking a cup of coffee before throwing Jude in a cold shower and walking in on Mason painting Jude's toenails while she too vented about an aggravating Tom. Yeah…..Tom turned, startled when Matthew suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Mason's gay?" Matthew asked in surprise as Tom raised a 'you've got to be kidding me' brow in Matt's direction. He was kidding right?
"Rupert Everett playing Julia Robert's close friend in 'My Best Friend's Wedding' gay. Yep, that pretty much covers it." Tom replied with a small nod as the elevator door opened again revealing a large suite made up of soft sofas, a jacuzzi, and candles along with a sheer curtained balcony that looked out over at the sea. Tom glanced around the surroundings and envisioned Jude walking through the door as Matt just stood silently beside him—too silently.
"He hides it well." Matthew finally remarked suddenly as Tommy turned toward him curiously.
"Hmmm…who Mason? Yeah, I guess he does. His career always depended on it before." Tom answered vaguely as he walked over to the balcony and looked out the window at the ferry skirting the waters in the distance. They needed to hurry.
"We need to move." Tom said quickly as he took the gift he had been playing with for about an hour now and pocketing it. He wasn't going to leave it here just yet. As a matter of fact….maybe the plans should change a little. Grabbing a piece of paper, Tom scribbled hurriedly before placing the note against the pillow on the bed along with a package. And then he laughed. Something told him Jude was looking out over the water right now and thinking of excruciating ways to punish him for this little goose chase, and he welcomed the excitement. He looked out the window again one last time at the sunshine outlined ferry.
"And legend says that Aphrodite was born of the foam of the sea around Cyprus—born of the froth to later play mischievously with the lives of mortal love. Hah! Aphrodite has obviously never met Jude Harrison." Tom whispered under his breath with a laugh before looking back to find his brother looking out the window at the ferry too.