Ben never forgot a face.He could talk to someone for five minutes on the subway, and ten years later he’d remember them.I wondered how or when he’d met Eddie, and if he knew Eddie was bi.To distract him, I had Ben help me carry the keyboards downstairs to his van.Eddie came with us.
As we were loading my keyboards into the van, Ben said, “Now I remember!You were in that honey commercial.”
Eddie said, “That was years ago.”
Years were minutes in Ben time.
“You were the kid flying the yellow kite.Craig, did you know Eddie was in a commercial?”
“He’s been in some movies too,” I said.Maybe I was feeling a little bit incredibly proud of him.
“Wow,” said Ben.“You’re a celebrity.”
“By the way,” I said.“Eddie’s my boyfriend.”
“Cool,” said Ben.
And no one said anything else until we got to the venue.We got there before everybody else and started setting up.
While Ben went to park the van, I said to Eddie, “You never told me you were in a honey commercial.”
“It’s not my best work.”
“Did you fly your own kite, or did they get a stuntkid to do it for you?”
“Seriously, fuck off, Craig.I wasn’t a kid.I was nineteen.”
“I’d love to see you as a teenager.”
“It’s probably on YouTube,” he said.
After I set up my keyboards, the rest of the band arrived.
Showtime.
I took his hand and walked off the stage to meet them.We’d never properly held hands before, and he did it differently.He didn’t lace his fingers between mine like all my girlfriends had.He caught my thumb between his first two fingers.I liked the way that felt.Anchored.
Brian was walking ahead of Bex, Alan, and Ben, and he stared at us like he was thinking,What the fuck?
“Guys?”I said.“This is my boyfriend, Eddie.He’s staying for the show.”
“He’s an actor,” said Ben.
Alan nodded at us, then went to the stage to set up.Bex stopped to talk to us.Brian walked past without saying a word.
“So, you’re bi, Craig?”said Bexley.
“Guess so.”I was still holding Eddie’s hand.I felt guilty for not telling Bex sooner.Bex was my best friend, and he was only finding out now, along with everyone else in the band.
“Cool,” said Bex.“You’ve been single a long time.I’m glad you found someone.”
I guess that meant he forgave me.
“He was the kid in that honey commercial,” said Ben.He sang the jingle, “‘Your days are always sunny, with Talley Valley Honey.’”
“That was you?”said Bex.
“He’s a movie star too,” said Ben.
