November, 6th
Mark hadn't seen or heard from Paul since his visit to the house, two days ago. Mark had assumed that it was over with. And that Paul had went back home. When Mark had thrown Paul off his propriety. But Paul had other plans. And he had taken up residents in a cheap motel in town just up the road from the dirt-road that connected to Mark's place. Binding his time, until it was right. Paul had taken Mark's behavior during their last reunion to heart. And he was very hot over it. He was gonna get his due-respect. And anything else he wanted. After-all, if it wasn't for Paul. Where would Mark be. He raised that boy. Had him just dropped off on him. Unannounced. He owned him, alot. Or so that's how Paul Bearer saw it. And the fact that Mark didn't even want to have a conversation with him. Made him madder then a hornet. He really was just coming by, because he missed him. That and he wanted to see how he was holding up. The fact that Paul's house in Alabama was seized by the bank. And Paul needed a place to stay. And that place, was Mark's. It was the only place, Paul could think of. And the only person, that he could turn too. Really was no motive, at all. - Paul would never acknowledge that he needed anything. That was a blow to his pride. But he needed to somehow weazle his way in. Some how. He had a idea. He just needed to find out if it would work. And if he was right, about what he saw.
"Mark, Mark, Mark. I never would have thought you were into that kind of thing. I bet your parents are sicken to see what kind of man, you've turned into." Paul hangs up the phone and places it back down on the receiver. He smiles. Satisfied he grabs the phone again, to see if the motel supplied room service. "I'm sorry sir, but we don't do that." - "What!. What kind of cheap ass motel is this. You don't have room service." Paul quickly hangs up. Curses and decides that he'd have to go to that damn cafe up the street for dinner.
Mark was busy painted the dog-houses with the left over Maroon paint, that they had used for Jeff's room. When Jeff comes out with a drink in hand. "I thought you could use this." Mark stands up. Smiles. "Thanks. If it wasn't the middle of Winter. I think it was Summer." - "It's actually hot out here, to you?." Jeff asks puzzled. He had a long-sleeved shirt on and a denim jacket over that. Mark shrugs his shoulders. "Yeah, actually. I do." - Jeff shakes his head. "Are you sure, your not going through menopause." - "And it's actually not the middle of Winter." Jeff corrects him. Mark stands up, his hand gracing his forehead, slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry. My apologizes." Mark slaps Jeff gently with the paint brush. Which caused Jeff to shout. And to jump back. "Don't do that." Mark smiles. "Well, don't correct me, again. Mister. Remember, I'm older and wiser, then you." - Jeff smiles but then fakes coughing. "Oh, yeah. Your the smarter one, alright." He jokes. Mark darts his eyes back to Jeffrey, before setting the glass of tea down on the ground. "Watch it. You don't want me to get mad. I've got a weapon, right here in my hand." - Jeff quickly holds his hands up in defense. "I'm not trying to get ya mad. Just stating what's the truth." Mark rolls his eyes. "Well, why don't you put that smart mouth of yours to good use." - Jeff walks up to Mark. "Oh, yeah. And how should I do that. Any suggestions?." Mark leans down and gives Jeff a quick but lingering kiss to the lips. "Why don't you go and fix some sandwiches. Ham and Cheese?." Mark suggests nicely. Jeff smiles. "I will if I can get another one of those?." Mark raises his eyebrows. "What, one of these." Mark leans in for another kiss. This one lasted a little bit longer then the last. Mark stands upright. "How's that?." - "That was good. Real good. I'll be back with those sandwiches in a few minutes." - "Good" Mark replies.
Jeff heads indoors. While Mark continued to finish up the last set of dog-houses that needed painted. Mark couldn't help but stare at Jeff when he was walking away from him. He couldn't help but smile. He felt so happy. And so free from everything. He had to admit. That when it was like this. Just them two. Acting like this, between one another. It was good. And he wasn't depressed. He was the happiest that he's probably ever been. Even more so then when he was a child. Before the fire. Jeff helped him. He helped him over-come that long and powerful memory. And all those emotions that came with it. Instilled in his brain, since that day. The desperation of finding something and some-where that made all that go away. And Mark never thought it to be possible. After all these years. Of dealing with those emotions. He never thought that one person could make them disappear. But Jeffrey did that for Mark. - He didn't find himself sitting on the porch, or sitting in his living room. Or in a seat in the kitchen. Where-ever. Thinking of his parents, of his little brother Glen. Laying in their resting places. And wondering weather or not, he could go all the way through with it, this time. If he could muster up the courage to meet that cold black space of darkness that dying brought. Over-thinking of all the possibles. Of how many ways to that he could go. Which would be the quickest. Easiest. The most painless. Wondering weather there really was such a thing as a Heaven. Or God. Even Angels. And weather he'd go there or not. They say that suicide is a sin. Would he do that just to be sent to Hell. Where he knew that his family was not. They had never done anything sinful in their lives. - He wasn't fighting back the tears, everyday. And every-night that he laid his head to rest on his pillow. He wasn't finding himself staring at the old black and white photo. Crying silent tears. Before they turned into choking sobs. - He didn't find him-self doing any of that anymore. Not since Jeff. He was like a Angel to him. A savior from his own head. Of the terrible flash-backs. Of the misery that his life up to this point contained. But mostly Jeff was the love that Mark had been searching for, since his family's passing. - Mark thought about it and looked up to the sky. To the heavens. And out-loud he spoke, softly. "Maybe there really are such things as Angels. And if so, then there must be a heaven." Mark smiles. And gets back to painting. Yes. Jeff was Mark's joy. That, Mark was sure of.
Shout outs:
MissBrianna: Thanks for the reviews!. I look forward to finding out what he's got planned, too. :)
Infection13: Thanks for the reviews!. I do too!.
CannibalHolocaust: :) We'll see. Maybe Mark might change his mind. And their get to the dirty-dirty before his 17th birthday. (hehehe) No promises, though. Jeff didn't go to the Halloween dance. He stayed home with Mark. But with your comment. I might write them going to a dance. Christmas is coming up. :) Maybe have Mark as a chaperone. And him and Jeff meet up sometime during the dance. :) You actually gave me a idea, there. lol I'll have to see if I can fit it in somewhere.
Thanks again guys and gals for reviewing. Or just reading my story. I hope you've enjoyed this new chapter. Sorry for me lateness as usual.